Chemical Tariffs Target of Crop Protection Advocates

November 21, 2001

Under the auspices of CropLife International and the American Crop Protection Association the global crop protection chemical industry is renewing efforts to reduce or eliminate tariffs for chemicals used in crop protection around the world.

"We are currently soliciting the support of all industry partners as we seek to remove all tariff and non-tariff measures and barriers that adversely affect international trade in crop protection chemicals," said Jay J. Vroom, ACPA president. "A significant reduction or the elimination of tariffs on crop protection chemicals - including sole and predominant use intermediates - would benefit not only our industry but also - through enhanced competition - farmers and food consumers," he added.

Isi Siddiqui, ACPA's vice president for trade and biotechnology, is leading this renewed global initiative. "Momentum was lost at the 1999 Seattle WTO meetings; however our industry is now positioning for the next round of trade talks. We welcome the launch of the development round that was announced last week following the WTO ministerial meeting in Doha, Qatar," said Siddiqui. The ministerial declaration includes the commitment to start negotiations "to reduce or as appropriate eliminate tariffs as well as non-tariff barriers on non-agricultural products."

The initial funding to renew this effort has been provided by the nine companies comprising CropLife International's president's advisory group: Aventis, BASF, Bayer, Dow, DuPont, FMC, Monsanto, Syngenta and Sumitomo, while additional resources in the way of funding and tariff expertise are being solicited from 64 non-CropLife member companies representing 31 countries.

All companies that accept the invitation will be full members of the new Tariff Reduction Project Team. In addition, industry associations globally in the CropLife International network also have been invited to lend their expertise and political support. A meeting of TRPT experts is expected to be convened in early 2002.