Mandate:   -   Resolution of the Council concerning the revision of the mandate of the Committee for Agriculture [C(2017)39] adopted at its 1347th session on 3 April 2017 [C/M(2017)6, item 66]

 

 

 

Resolution of the Council [C(2017)39 and C/M(2017)6, item 66]

MANDATE OF THE COMMITTEE FOR AGRICULTURE

THE COUNCIL,

   Having regard to the Convention on the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development of 14 December 1960;

   Having regard to the Rules of Procedure of the Organisation;

   Having regard to the Revised Resolution of the Council on Partnerships in OECD Bodies [C(2012)100/REV1/FINAL];

   Having regard to paragraphs 21, 22, 23, 26 and 89 of the Report of the Preparatory Committee concerning the creation of a Committee for Agriculture, whose mandate was last revised in 2008 [C(2008)182 & CORR1] and extended in 2016 [C(2016)94];

   Having regard to the Communiqués of the meetings of the Committee for Agriculture at Ministerial level in 1992, 1998 and in 2010;

   Having regard to the Declaration on Better Policies to Achieve a Productive, Sustainable and Resilient Global Food System adopted at the meeting of the Committee for Agriculture at Ministerial level on 8 April 2016 [C(2016)71] (hereafter the “Ministerial Declaration”), which raises the urgent need for integrated policy approaches that will better enable farmers and the food sector to simultaneously improve productivity, increase competitiveness and profitability, improve resilience, access markets at home and abroad, manage natural resources more sustainably, contribute to global food security, and deal with extreme market volatility, while avoiding trade distortions;

   Having regard to the results of the 2nd Cycle In-depth Evaluation of the Committee for Agriculture [C(2016)27], approved by the Council on 6 April 2016 [C/M(2016)5, Item 72];

   Having regard to the proposed revision of the mandate of the Committee for Agriculture [C(2017)39];

   DECIDES:

A.    The Committee for Agriculture (hereafter “the Committee”) is renewed with the following revised mandate, to be implemented in accordance with the Ministerial Declaration:

I.    Objectives

1.   The overarching objective of the Committee is to help Members and Partners to define and implement the integrated policy approaches needed to underpin competitive, sustainable, productive and resilient farm and food businesses;

2.    The mid-level objectives of the Committee are to:

a)define and promote guidelines, best practices and policy approaches which are coherent with economy-wide objectives, transparent, targeted, tailored, flexible, consistent and equitable, while ensuring value for money for scarce government resources;

b)assist Members and Partners in the process of shifting policy focus towards emerging priorities in respect of improving economic and environmental performance, innovation, resilience, risk management, plant, animal and human health, rural development, sustainability, climate change, natural resources, as well as food and nutrition security;

c)facilitate inclusive growth and development and support a better functioning market and multilateral trade system enabling the further integration of the agriculture and agri-food sectors, domestically and internationally.

II.    Methods

3.    In order to achieve these objectives, the Committee shall:

a)provide the evidence to support policy processes, and a forum for sharing and comparing policy experiences;

b)evaluate coherence between sectoral objectives and policies and economy-wide measures, to advise on how to build comprehensive and consistent policy packages, reflecting, where appropriate, the diversity of economic, environmental, social and food security situations across and within countries;

c)monitor and evaluate agricultural policy and agricultural trade policy developments using the best available qualitative and quantitative tools, to assess alignment with agreed shared goals;

d)provide forward looking policy and market information, covering short, medium and long-term perspectives of both Members and Partners;

e)monitor and analyse structural, economic and policy developments throughout the supply chain from farm to consumer, their implications for the farm sector and for farm and food sector policies.

f)build support for policy change through communication and dissemination of the Committee’s data, analysis and policy advice to a wide range of governmental, both Members and Partners, and civil-society actors.

III. Co-operation Arrangements

4.    The Committee shall:

a)collaborate closely with other relevant bodies of the OECD on cross-cutting issues related to food and agriculture, including on trade, investment, environment, development, territorial development, health, innovation science and technology;

b)engage Partners and stakeholders in the analytical work and policy dialogue of the Committee as appropriate in accordance with the Committee’s Global Relations Strategy and the outreach priorities agreed OECD-wide;

c)consult and share information, as appropriate, with the Business and Industry Advisory Committee (BIAC) and the Trade Union Advisory Committee (TUAC), as well as with civil society stakeholders in the food and agriculture sector and academia;

d)co-operate with other international organisations, such as the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Trade Organization (WTO) and others as determined by the needs of the Committee’s work and its Global Relations Strategy.

B.    The mandate of the Committee for Agriculture shall remain in force until 31 December 2021.