The Comparative Research Of International "Green Box" Policy

After the implementing of Agricultural Agreement, the frame of the world trade organization agricultural trade becomes better and better. Being controlled by the multilateral trade system, all countries have to take the obligation to reduce the domestic support of agriculture. In order to obey the agricultural rule of WTO, it is essential for all the countries to adjust their policies, and look for the new domestic support measures which match the new trade rules. In this situation, "Green Box" policy becomes the main way to protect domestic agriculture, as it is free from being reduced according to the rule of WTO. Consequently, it is significant for adjusting our agricultural policies to summarize experiences about executing Green Box in foreign countries and to learn from others' strong points to offset our weakness.With the abundant documents about agricultural domestic support in different countries, this article calculates the level of Green Box since 1995 and concludes the general characteristics of Green Box in the developed countries (including United States, European Union, Japan) and the developing countries (including Korea, Brazil, and India). The level of Green Box from 1996 to 2002 in China is also computed on the basis of improved method for policy classification. The main conclusions are as follows: (1) the performance of agricultural policy reform is not outstanding in developed countries since Uruguay Round. The levels of Green Box are becoming higher, and the measures adopted are more complicated and more versatile than before because a great of support in Amber Box are converted into Green Box in these countries. (2) the developing countries are still embarrassed to implement Green Box for poor finance. The level of Green Box not only is low but also fluctuates frequently, and the measures available to them are limited. The design of programs in Green Box in Agricultural Agreement also goes against advancing the reform of agricultural policy in developing countries. (3) whether the market-oriented reform is advocated in agricultural policy greatly depends on the current level and the structure of domestic support. We should insist on capping the level of Green Box and developing a Green Box system in favor of the agricultural policy reform in developing countries.(4)the level of Green Box in China is higher than common developing countries, but far behind such developed countries as U.S., Japan, etc. Furthermore, there exist many problems of Green Box in China, for example, inharmonious structure, lack of measures and low efficiency in management. (5) Considering economic development and agricultural resources in China, the adjustment of Green Box should facilitate its stability, and improve its structure, and promote its efficiency, in stead of seeking high support level blindly.