About FAO’s Regional Initiative
Improving Agri-Food Trade and Market Integration in the Europe and Central Asia region
To assist the countries dealing with challenges of global trade integration, FAO is conducting training activities under the Regional Initiative on Agri-Food Trade and Market Integration in the Europe and Central Asia region. The Regional Initiative focuses on strengthening national and regional capacities in Europe and Central Asia to deal effectively with the challenges posed by greater trade integration. It does this by developing better evidence on trade implications, improving the capacity of countries to use this evidence, facilitating neutral forums and dialogues on trade related agreements, and supporting the design and implementation of appropriate trade policy at country level.
The primary goal of the Regional Initiative on Agri-food Trade and Market Integration is to support member countries in enhancing the agri-food trade policy environment for small and medium-sized enterprises. A better trade policy environment for modern agri-food markets requires the development of capacity for both trade agreements and domestic food safety and quality standards. The Initiative consists of three main components to support the sharing of ideas, experiences and solutions across interventions.
The Regional Initiative has three main components:
1. Implementation of trade agreements to increase access to new markets
2. Increased capacity to implement global food quality standards
3. Supportive policy environment for export diversification
FAO's role in trade
FAO supports countries’ effective engagement in the formulation and implementation of trade agreements that are conducive to improved food security by strengthening evidence on the implications of changes in trade policies, providing capacity development in the use of this evidence, and facilitating neutral dialogue away from the negotiating table.
FAO also supports countries in the design and implementation of trade policies supportive to enhanced food security.
Online links and resources:
- FAO Trade: http://www.fao.org/trade/en
- FAO Trade and Markets Division: http://www.fao.org/economic/est
- FAO Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia: http://www.fao.org/europe/en
- Regional Agricultural Trade Expert Network: www.fao.org/economic/cistrade
- World Trade Organization: http://www.wto.org/
- WTO agreements in Russian: http://www.wto.ru/documents.asp?f=sogl&t=13
- WTO Dispute settlement system training module: https://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/dispu_e/disp_settlement_cbt_e/signin_e.htm
- FAO Regional Training Workshop for CIS countries: WTO accession and agricultural policy, 12 – 13 November 2013, Kiev, Ukraine: http://www.fao.org/economic/est/est-events-new/cis/en/
- FAO Training Workshop: WTO commitments and support to Russian agriculture: issues and possible solutions, Kazan, 30-31 January 2013: http://www.fao.org/economic/est/est-events-new/wtomeeting/en/
- FAO Training Workshop: Support to Russian agriculture in the context of WTO membership: Issues and possible solutions, 20 Nov 2013 - 21 Nov 2013, Belgorod, Russia: http://www.fao.org/economic/est/est-events-new/wto-nov2013/en
Relevant publications:
- FAO. 2016. Overview of agri-food trade policies in post-Soviet countries 2014-15. FAO (in Russian): http://www.fao.org/documents/card/en/c/404ec1e0-0a31-4134-8390-a02dea6c9d24/
- Brink, L. 2014. Countries in the Commonwealth of Independent States – Agricultural Policy Issues in the Context of the World Trade Organization. FAO, Rome: http://www.fao.org/3/a-i3883e.pdf
- FAO Trade Policy Technical Notes: http://www.fao.org/economic/est/publications/trade-policy-technical-notes/en/
- FAO. 2000. Multilateral Trade Negotiations on Agriculture: A Resource Manual. Rome: http://www.fao.org/docrep/003/X7351e/X7351e00.HTM
- Morrison, J. & Sarris, A. 2007. WTO Rules for Agriculture Compatible with Development. FAO. Rome: http://www.fao.org/docrep/009/a0913e/a0913e00.htm