The next Round of multilateral negotiations is due to commence in 1999. Countries have already learned a lot from the shortcomings of the previous agricultural negotiations in the implementation of the agriculture negotiations and in the Analysis and Information Exchange meetings since 1997. The ministerial meeting of developed countries (OECD), has revealed that their future development of agricultural policy has changed little as a result of policy changes in the 1990s. In the next Round the EU is expected to be mainly on the defensive to try and maintain subsidy provisions. The main players that are expected to fuel the upcoming negotiations are the Cairns Group of agricultural export countries as well as the United States. The main task of reformers would be related to substantial further reduction of distortive trade measures, the covering of matters left unresolved in the Uruguay Round and to close the loopholes of the previous agreement. In general, reformers would like to push for a fairer system with more equal benefits to all.