The ministers adopted two statements: one on the value of biotechnology, and the other on the application of criteria for the inclusion of banned or severely restricted chemicals in the Rotterdam Convention, which seeks to promote shared responsibility and joint efforts regarding the international trade of certain hazardous chemicals, in order to protect human health and the environment.
Chapada dos Guimarães, Mato Grosso, Brazil, 13 September 2024 (IICA) – The ministers of Agriculture of the member countries of the Southern Agricultural Council (CAS, in Spanish) met in Brazil, within the framework of the ministerial meeting of the G20 Agriculture Working Group, to discuss the importance of making science-based decisions on international trade.
In that regard, they emphasized the value of biotechnology in combating food security challenges and insisted on questioning EU Regulation 1115/2023 on deforestation, stating that restrictive measures on environmental trade should be discussed broadly at a global level.
Host Carlos Fávaro, Minister of Agriculture and Livestock of Brazil; Sergio Iraeta, Secretary of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries of Argentina and President pro tempore of CAS; and Fernando Mattos, Minister of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries of Uruguay, participated in the meeting, alongside Manuel Otero, Director General of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA).
The meeting was held in the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso, a booming agricultural district and host of the ministerial meeting of the G20 Agriculture Working Group, which brings together the countries with the largest economies in the world and is considered the largest forum for international cooperation.
The ministers adopted two statements: one on the value of biotechnology, and the other on the application of criteria for the inclusion of banned or severely restricted chemicals in the Rotterdam Convention, which seeks to promote shared responsibility and joint efforts regarding the international trade of certain hazardous chemicals, in order to protect human health and the environment.
The ministerial meeting serves as preparation for the G20 Leaders Summit, which, with Brazil acting as president this year, will take place in Río de Janeiro in November. The heads of State and Government of the different nations comprising the forum will be in attendance.
CAS is a forum for consultation and coordination of regional actions on agricultural policy issues with over 20 years of experience. It is comprised of the ministers of Agriculture of Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay, with IICA acting as technical secretariat.
Rejection of unilateral measures
The ministers reaffirmed that the entry into force without a broader discussion of EU Regulation 1115/2023, which seeks to impose new requirements for the admission to the continent of certain agricultural products, could negatively impact agrifood trade.
At the previous meeting of CAS in Buenos Aires, a statement was already adopted requesting that implementation of the regulation—planned for 30 December—be postponed and expressing the willingness of the countries of the Southern Cone to work together and engage in a real, effective dialog on measures to combat deforestation.
“Climate change concerns us all and we want the discussion of environmental measures that may impact trade to include all countries; we reject the unilateral measures that are ignorant of local legislation,” said Minister Fávaro, who revealed that in the framework of the G20 ministerial meeting, Brazil made a formal request to the European Union not to implement the regulation as it stands today.
“This legislation of the European Union represents a challenge for our region. And setting the stage for the introduction of the environmental factor in agricultural trade is complex. We must not only question how this decision is made, but we must also question the basis. If this legislation were to succeed, we will face enormous difficulties in trade because protectionism is growing worldwide,” said Minister Mattos.
For his part, Iraeta stressed the need to defend the progress made toward greater environmental sustainability in recent years by producers in the Southern Cone. “We are key to global food security and we are good at producing what we produce, so we must combat the growth of protectionism,” he maintained.
Manuel Otero, who will speak at the meeting of the G20 Agriculture Working Group, invited the CAS ministers to the upcoming United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 29) in Azerbaijan, where IICA will set up a pavilion to let the voice of the continent’s agriculture sector be heard at the largest global environmental debate and negotiation forum.
The Director General of IICA also delivered to the ministers two documents prepared by the Institute: one regarding the role of agrifood trade in global food security, product of a partnership with the prestigious Brazilian business school INSPER; and the other on agrifood systems, which rejects the classification of “broken” and emphasizes its productive strengths and the need for balanced analyzes to aid in policy design.
The value of biotechnolog
During the meeting, the CAS ministers adopted a statement calling attention to the value of biotechnology in combating the challenges facing the planet in terms of food security and in addressing the impact of climate change on agricultural production.
The statement highlighted the need to implement the Global Biodiversity Framework—adopted at the last Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)—which recognized the importance of biotechnology and established the commitment to strengthen capacities and implement biosafety measures in all countries.
The ministers expressed that CAS countries have extensive experience in managing products derived from modern biotechnology and have been conducting science-based risk assessments for more than 30 years.
They also emphasized the value of research, development and innovation in the agriculture and forestry sector and expressed the willingness of CAS countries to share their scientific, regulatory and policy-making knowledge to promote biotechnology in agriculture and forestry.
Another statement referred to the current criteria for listing banned or severely restricted chemicals in Annex III of the Rotterdam Convention, which is intended to contribute to the rational use of such chemicals.
The ministers explained that it is essential for the protection of public health, the environment and the global economy to use scientific evidence in risk analyzes of pesticides and chemicals. They affirmed that for the inclusion of banned or severely restricted products in Annex III of the Rotterdam Convention, it must be ensured that the data is generated using scientifically recognized methods.
They also stated their concern that the Chemical Review Committee’s meeting agenda takes into consideration substances whose risk assessment lacks relevant scientific evidence or whose information is incomplete.
During the CAS meeting, several regional integration mechanisms also made presentations, including the Cooperative Program for Technological Development in Agriculture in the Southern Cone (PROCISUR); the Permanent Veterinary Committee of the Southern Cone (PVC); the Committee for Plant Health in the Southern Cone (COSAVE); and the Federation of Rural Associations of Mercosur (FARM).
More information:
Institutional Communication Division.
comunicacion.institucional@iica.int
