In no other trading sector negotiated in the WTO do different interests appear so irreconcilable as in agriculture – with conflicting interests between South and North, export-oriented and food import-dependent countries, small family farmers and large agribusinesses.. The EcoFair Trade Dialogue, initiated by the Heinrich-Boell-Foundation in co-operation with Misereor and facilitated by the Wuppertal Institute, aims to push the debate about the WTO and the agricultural trade system further. Although there seems to be a widespread NO to the neo-liberal trade-agenda, a common understanding on what the future agenda should be is widely lacking.

 
Taking due note of the various interests and opinions through a broad and inclusive dialogue process, the EcoFair Trade Dialogue wants to achieve a coherent and integrative reform proposal which responds to the 21st century's social and ecological challenges to global agriculture. The normative basis for this proposal are the economic, social and cultural human rights, ecological sustainability and gender equity. The project additionally aims to link normative, civic demands (guiding principles) with political decision-making (instruments) and thus to influence policy making processes on agricultural trade in the medium and long term.

 
The EcoFair Trade Dialogue deals with measures fitting into the current structure of the WTO's Agreement on Agriculture, such as tariffs and subsidies, but looks beyond the current trade-regime. Potential approaches for trade regulation include supply management, qualified market access and meta-standards for sustainability.