Agriculture, Price Stabilisation and Trade Rules

Irene Musselli, Ph.D. (2016), University of Bern, is senior researcher at the Centre for Development and Environment (CDE) at the University of Bern. Before joining the CDE, she was programme officer at UNCTAD, where she worked extensively on strategies and policies to respond to the challenges of commodity markets, with a particular focus on agriculture.

• Series Editor ForewordPrefaceList of Abbreviations1 Introduction1.1 Scoping the Research1.2 Agricultural Price Stabilisation: Why Does it Matter1.2.1 The Inherent Volatility of Agricultural Commodity Prices1.2.2 Socio-economic Costs of Agricultural Price Volatility in Poor Countries1.2.3 The Need for Regulatory Responses1.3 Research Design and Method1.3.1 Research Outline1.3.2 Interdisciplinary Aspects and Legal Approaches1.3.3 Information Sources1.4 Shortfalls and Reach of this Inquiry2 Setting the Stage: Key Concepts and Issues 2.1 Agricultural Price Stabilisation: Unpacking the Notion 2.1.1 Agricultural Commodities 2.1.2 Agricultural Price Instability 2.1.3 Assessment 2.2 Agricultural Price Stabilisation Arrangements: An Overview 2.2.1 International Schemes 2.2.2 Domestic Schemes 2.2.3 Assessment 2.3 Agricultural Price Stabilisation and Trade Rules: Seizing the Interface 2.3.1 The Regulatory Framework 2.3.2 International Schemes 2.3.3 Domestic Arrangements 2.3.4 Assessment3 A Historical Review of Multilaterally Agreed Criteria for Action on Commodity Prices (1947–1989)3.1 A Descriptive Account: Havana, Geneva and Nairobi 3.1.1 The Havana Charter Framework 3.1.2 gatt Discussions (1954–1955 Review Session) 3.1.3 unctad’s ipc (1964–1989) 3.2 Objectives and Principles of Multilateral Action on Commodity Prices 3.2.1 A Textual and Contextual Reading 3.2.2 State Practice and Attitudes 3.2.3 Assessment 4 From Market Intervention to Free Trade and Back to Managed Trade? (1989–2011) 4.1 The Market-based Interlude (1989–2007) 4.1.1 The ‘Neoliberal’ Agenda: Trade Policy Implications 4.1.2 The Extent of Policy Reform in Commodities 4.1.3 Which Orientation for the wto Agreement on Agriculture? 4.1.4 Assessment 4.2 Towards Re-regulation? The 2007–08 and 2010–11 Commodity Crises 4.2.1 Recent Price Developments in Commodity Markets 4.2.2 Trade Rules and Commodity Prices: Trade Policy Trajectories 4.2.3 Assessment 5 Beyond the Impasse: Towards a New Normative Approach 5.1 The Framework Outlined 5.1.1 Conceptual Underpinnings and Legal Bases 5.1.2 Normative Goals 5.1.3 Operational Principles 5.2 Testing the Framework: A Reassessment of Key Trade Policy Issues in the Stabilisation Debate 5.2.1 Public Food Purchases at Administered Prices 5.2.2 Price Band Systems (pbs) 5.2.3 Commodity Marketing Boards 5.2.4 Export Restrictions 5.2.5 Concerted Price Action 5.3 Implementation Avenues 5.3.1 Litigation 5.3.2 Law-making and Negotiations 5.3.3 Assessment 6 Conclusion 6.1 Domestic Stabilisation Policies 6.2 Intergovernmental Commodity Control Agreements Appendix 1: Product Coverage, Agricultural ICAs Appendix 2: Ranking of Economies by Agricultural Export DependenceAppendix 3: Major Commodity Control Arrangements, by Product Appendix 4: CAP Developments: An Overview Appendix 5: US Farm Bills: A Snapshot BibliographyIndex