26/02/2019 (Agence Europe) – At an informal meeting of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Committee on Agriculture on Monday 25 February, agricultural negotiators agreed to conclude the review of tariff rate quota administration so that they can submit their conclusions to the General Council by June. The latter will then be able to submit its recommendations, by 31 December 2019 at the latest, in order to initiate a process to improve the use of tariff rate quotas. This is due, in particular, to the under-utilisation of tariff rate quotas, which results in actual imports well below the fixed quota. WTO Members also wish to improve transparency in the use of these quotas, in particular with regard to notifications relating to them and their use. Under a tariff rate quota system, agricultural products imported within a quota benefit from a lower tariff rate than that applied to imports above the quota. (HD)