Offer of a Truce: The Peace Clause Agreement on Food Stockholding in Bali

The Bali Ministerial Decision on Public Stockholding for Food Security Purposes provides legal shield to some developing countries with public food stockholding programmes, albeit in the form of a temporary respite until a permanent solution is agreed upon by the 11th Ministerial Conference in 2017. This briefing paper explores implications of the Peace Clause and uncertainties arising from a scenario whereby WTO Members fail to reach a permanent solution between now and 2017.