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RCEP & agriculture

The RCEP trade deal will significantly impact agriculture and possibly deepen the damage to food sovereignty caused by previous trade agreements including those of the WTO.

The RCEP would threaten livelihoods in sectors like dairy, meat and other agricultural products by allowing duty free imports of subsidised products from Japan, New Zealand and Australia. India, with 100 million small scale dairy producers, and Vietnam are among the countries that will be most affected.

A leaked IP chapter proposed for the RCEP pushes for accession by all RCEP member states to the 1991 Act of the International Convention for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV 1991). Among the RCEP’s 16 countries, only seven are members of UPOV– the other nine (including Thailand, India, Indonesia and Philippines) would have to change their laws. UPOV 1991 provides monopoly rights to plant breeder rights at the cost of farmers’ rights. It makes it illegal, even criminal, for farmers to save seeds of protected varieties. CSOs have calculated that as a result of UPOV 1991, seed prices would go up by 200-600% in Thailand and by 400% in the Philippines.

Agrochemical sales and use in the Asia and Pacific region would also be boosted as a result of RCEP’s market access rules expanding trade in goods. Data exclusivity provisions in the IP chapter may also extend the patent protection periods of such products, putting upward pressure on food prices.

Another clear threat is land grabbing. If adopted, the leaked investment chapter and services chapter of RCEP may each provide that RCEP members may not discriminate against foreign corporations that want to buy local farmland. In many RCEP countries, this is not possible under current law and could have serious repercussions for agrarian reform in the region.


RCEP conditionalities critical for agriculture
The Philippines’ membership in RCEP is conditional on implementing six measures in the agriculture sector. The Senate hearing is an important activity to ensure that these conditionalities are implemented. If not met, the ratification states: “The Senate of the Philippines may recommend to the President the withdrawal of the agreement.”
Philippines’ RCEP ratification: a deadly blow for the country’s agriculture
The country’s economic sovereignty that will supposedly provide a ground for the flourishing of local agriculture and production has been once again gnawed by global corporate interests.
No to RCEP! don’t make the Philippines an “ukay-ukay” Republic!!
The Senate should withhold its concurrence with the treaty until the necessary policies, strategies, and programs are emplaced so that the RCEP benefits, and does not harm, the agricultural sector and the economy as a whole.
Farmers make a final appeal to Senators to reject RCEP
The Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas said the Philippines’ agriculture sector stands to lose the most under the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) trade agreements.
Senate to resume RCEP deliberations
Farmer groups maintain their opposition against the Regional Comprehensive Economic Cooperation (RCEP) as Senate resumes its deliberations Tuesday, Feb. 7, on the country’s participation in the mega trade deal.
Agricultural groups say RCEP trade deal to hurt local farmers
Several agricultural groups reiterated their opposition to the ratification of the Philippine participation in the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) saying it could hurt local farmers.
Marcos backing for RCEP premature, think tank says
President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr.’s declaration of support for the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) is premature pending the resolution of the agriculture industry remaining unresolved, a think tank said.
Why is the agriculture sector against RCEP?
The current Senate should defer further action on RCEP. President-elect Bongbong Marcos and the incoming Congress can then review the agreement and craft the country’s trade policy, consistent with an overall plan for the revitalization and competitiveness of Philippine agriculture.
Farmer union rep vows Indian people will resist FTAs
Interview with Vijoo Krishnan, joint secretary of All India Kisan Sabha (or All India Peasants Union) regarding current India FTAs negotiations.
RCEP deferment: An opportunity to re-think trade policy
The Senate bowed to the wishes of over 100 peasant organizations and 200 mayors of municipalities engaged in organic farm production. The senators deferred to May the chamber’s decision on whether to ratify or not the RCEP.
Food producers reject RCEP
Local fish, pork and chicken producers formed a united front against the RCEP and urged the Philippine Senate to defer ratification of the "lopsided" international trade accord.
Groups, mayors oppose RCEP trade agreement
Over 60 groups of farmers, fishers, workers, civil society organizations and 186 mayors oppose the Senate’s concurrence to the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) trade agreement.
Farmers urged senators to junk RCEP
A group of farmers has threatened not to support re-electionist senators if they will not junk the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), a mega trade deal.
RCEP: Weighing the good, bad in world’s biggest free trade pact
A group of farmers, fishers, civil society organizations, and the private sector has expressed opposition to the ratification of the world’s largest free trade agreement—the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).
Reject the RCEP trade agreement
The RCEP agreement was finalized without consulting agri-fisheries stakeholders, many of whom are directly affected by the treaty’s trade rules and concessions
Agriculture interest groups declare opposition to RCEP
Farmers, nongovernment organizations, and some members of the private sector said they oppose the ratification of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) trade agreement.
New Asia-Pacific free trade deal harmful to PH food producers, groups say
The country’s agricultural groups urged the government to step on the brakes and review the condition of the farm sector before signing up to a new Asia-Pacific free trade deal that will worsen the already dire state of domestic food producers.
Gov’t yet to consult with farmers on RCEP
The Federation of Free Farmers (FFF) urged the Senate to defer the ratification of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) trade agreement pending the conduct of consultations with farmers.
Senate approves draft laws on RCEP, bilateral FTA with China
The senate on September 20 unanimously passed (38-0) two draft laws authorising the ratification of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement and the bilateral Cambodia-China Free Trade Agreement (CCFTA).
The people of Asia against free trade: “society endures the trauma of debt”
The struggle against free trade has been strategic for social movements, especially La Via Campesina, which has actually built a proposal for food sovereignty to counter the capitalist free trade model for agriculture.