DOHA NOTES 1

The Doha Round

The Doha Round is the round of trade negotiations among the WTO membership. Its aim is to
achieve major reform of the international trading system through the introduction of lower trade
barriers and revised trade rules. The work programme covers about 20 areas of trade. The Round
is also known semi-officially as the Doha Development Agenda as a fundamental objective is to
improve the trading prospects of developing countries. They are also called the Doha
Development Agenda, partly to emphasize that development is a main objective, and partly to
underscore that negotiations are one half of the work programme — the other half deals with
problems that developing countries face in the implementation of the present agreements.

The negotiations proper are described as a “single undertaking”. This means they form a single
package of about 20 subjects, to be signed by each country with a single signature without any
option to pick and choose between different subjects.

The Round was officially launched at the WTO’s Fourth Ministerial Conference in Doha, Qatar,
in November 2001. The Doha Ministerial Declaration provided the mandate for the negotiations,
including on agriculture, services and an intellectual property topic, which began earlier.
In Doha, ministers also approved a decision on how to address the problems developing
countries face in implementing the current WTO agreements.

How the negotiations are organized

The negotiations take place in the Trade Negotiations Committee and specific negotiating
groups. Other work under the work programme takes place in WTO councils and committees.
Virtually every item of the negotiation is part of a whole and indivisible package and cannot be
agreed separately. This is known as the “single undertaking”: “Nothing is agreed until everything
is agreed”.
Most of the subjects treated involve negotiations; other work includes actions under
“implementation”, analysis and monitoring.

The Doha Ministerial Declaration

Recognition of the contribution of the multilateral trading system to economic growth,
development and employment
to maintain the process of reform and liberalization of trade policies
reject the use of protectionism
role in the promotion of economic development and the alleviation of poverty.
place developing countrie needs and interests at the heart of the Work Programme adopted in this
Declaration -enhanced market access, balanced rules, and well targeted, sustainably financed
technical assistance and capacity-building programmes
reaffirm sustainable development,
In view of these considerations, we hereby agree to undertake the broad and balanced Work
Programme. This incorporates both an expanded negotiating agenda and other important
decisions and activities necessary to address the challenges facing the multilateral trading
system.

Implementation-related issues and concerns

(par 12)
“Implementation” is short-hand for problems raised particularly by developing countries about
the implementation of the current WTO Agreements, i.e. the agreements arising from the
Uruguay Round negotiations.
In Doha this important question was handled in two ways. First, ministers agreed to adopt around
50 decisions clarifying the obligations of developing country member governments with respect
to issues including agriculture, subsidies, textiles and clothing, technical barriers to trade, trade-
related investment measures and rules of origin.
In paragraph 12 of the Ministerial Declaration, ministers underscored that they had taken a
decision on the 50 or so measures in a separate ministerial document (the 14 November 2001
decision on “Implementation-Related Issues and Concerns”) and “negotiations on outstanding
implementation issues shall be part of the Work Programme” in the coming years.
The ministers established a two-track approach. Those issues for which there was an agreed
negotiating mandate in the declaration would be dealt with under the terms of that mandate.
Those implementation issues where there is no mandate to negotiate, would be the taken up as “a
matter of priority” by relevant WTO councils and committees. These bodies are to report on their
progress to the Trade Negotiations Committee by the end of 2002 for “appropriate action”.

WORK PROGRAMME
The 21 subjects listed in the Doha Declaration (and the paragraphs that refer to them). Most of
these involve negotiations; other work includes actions under “implementation”, analysis and
monitoring:
Agriculture
comprehensive negotiations aimed at: substantial improvements in market access; reductions of,
with a view to phasing out, all forms of export subsidies; and substantial reductions in trade-
distorting domestic support.
that special and differential treatment for developing countries shall be an integral part of all
elements of the negotiations and take account of their development needs, including food
security and rural development.
take note of the non-trade concerns also.

Services
The negotiations on trade in services shall be conducted with a view to promoting the economic
growth of all trading partners and the development of developing and least-developed countries.
on a wide range of sectors and several horizontal issues, as well as on movement of natural
persons.
reaffirm the Guidelines and Procedures for the Negotiations adopted by the Council for Trade in
Services.
Market access for non-agricultural products
negotiations which shall aim, by modalities to be agreed, to reduce or as appropriate eliminate
tariffs, including the reduction or elimination of tariff peaks, high tariffs, and tariff escalation, as
well as non-tariff barriers, in particular on products of export interest to developing countries.
Product coverage shall be comprehensive and without a priori exclusions.
take into account the special needs and interests of developing and least-developed country
participants, including through less than full reciprocity in reduction commitments, in
accordance with the relevant provisions of Article XXVIII bis of GATT 1994
Trade-related aspects of intellectual property rights
implementation and interpretation of the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual
Property Rights (TRIPS Agreement) in a manner supportive of public health, by promoting both
access to existing medicines and research and development into new medicines and, in this
connection, are adopting a separate declaration.
we agree to negotiate the establishment of a multilateral system of notification and registration of
geographical indications for wines and spirits by the Fifth Session of the Ministerial Conference.
to examine, inter alia, the relationship between the TRIPS Agreement and the Convention on
Biological Diversity, the protection of traditional knowledge and folklore, and shall take fully
into account the development dimension.
Relationship between trade and investment
Negotiations for a multilateral framework to secure transparent, stable and predictable conditions
for long-term cross-border investment, particularly foreign direct investment, that will contribute
to the expansion of trade, and the need for enhanced technical assistance and capacity-building
recognize the needs of developing and least-developed
Interaction between trade and competition policy
negotiations for a multilateral framework to enhance the contribution of competition policy to
international trade and development, and the need for enhanced technical assistance and
capacity-
the needs of developing and least-developed countries for enhanced support for technical
assistance and capacity building in this area, including policy analysis and development so that
they may better evaluate the implications of closer multilateral cooperation for their development
policies and objectives, human and institutional development
work in cooperation with other relevant intergovernmental organisations, including UNCTAD,
clarification of: core principles, including transparency, non-discrimination and procedural
fairness, and provisions on hardcore cartels; modalities for voluntary cooperation; and support
for progressive reinforcement of competition institutions in developing countries through
capacity building.

Transparency in government procurement

Negotiations for a multilateral agreement on transparency in government procurement and the
need for enhanced technical assistance and capacity building. Negotiations shall be limited to the
transparency aspects and therefore will not restrict the scope for countries to give preferences to
domestic supplies and suppliers.

Trade facilitation
negotiations for further expediting the movement, release and clearance of goods, including
goods in transit, and the need for enhanced technical assistance and capacity
identify the trade facilitation needs and priorities of members, in particular developing and least-
developed countries.
ensuring adequate technical assistance and support for capacity building in this area.

WTO rules
negotiations aimed at clarifying and improving disciplines under the Agreements on
Implementation of Article VI of the GATT 1994 and on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures,
while preserving the basic concepts, principles and effectiveness of these Agreements and their
instruments and objectives,
taking into account the needs of developing and least-developed participants

Dispute Settlement Understanding

 negotiations on improvements and clarifications of the Dispute Settlement Understanding

Trade and environment

negotiations for enhancing the mutual supportiveness of trade and environment, on:
(i) the relationship between existing WTO rules and specific trade obligations set out in
multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs). The negotiations shall be limited in scope to the
applicability of such existing WTO rules as among parties to the MEA in question
(iii) the reduction or, as appropriate, elimination of tariff and non-tariff barriers to environmental
goods and services.
to give particular attention to:
(i) the effect of environmental measures on market access, especially in relation to developing
countries, in particular the least-developed among them, and those situations in which the
elimination or reduction of trade restrictions and distortions would benefit trade, the environment
and development;
(ii) the relevant provisions of the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property
Rights; and
(iii) labelling requirements for environmental purposes.
.
Electronic commerce
continue the Work Programme on Electronic Commerce. The work to date demonstrates that
electronic commerce creates new challenges and opportunities for trade for members at all stages
of development, and the importance of creating and maintaining an environment which is
favourable to the future development of electronic commerce..

Small economies
a work programme, under the auspices of the General Council, to examine issues relating to the
trade of small economies to frame responses to the trade-related issues identified for the fuller
integration of small, vulnerable economies into the multilateral trading system, and not to create
a sub-category of WTO Members.
Trade, debt and finance
examination, in a Working Group under the auspices of the General Council, of the relationship
between trade, debt and finance, and of any possible recommendations within the mandate and
competence of the WTO to enhance the capacity of the multilateral trading system
durable solution to the problem of external indebtedness of developing and least-developed
countries
strengthen the coherence of international trade and financial policies, with a view to safeguarding
the multilateral trading system from the effects of financial and monetary instability.
Trade and transfer of technology
examination of the relationship between trade and transfer of technology, and of any possible
recommendations on steps that might be taken within the mandate of the WTO to increase flows
of technology to developing countries.

Technical cooperation and capacity building

Recognizing core elements of the development dimension of the multilateral trading system-
technical cooperation and capacity building and to support domestic efforts for mainstreaming
trade into national plans for economic development and strategies for poverty reduction

Least-developed countries
Take into account the concerns expressed by the least-developed countries (LDCs) in the
Zanzibar Declaration adopted by their ministers in July 2001. The integration of the LDCs into
the multilateral trading system by meaningful market access, support for the diversification of
their production and export base, and trade-related technical assistance and capacity building.

Special and differential treatment

Reaffirm that provisions for special and differential treatment are an integral part of the WTO
Agreements. All special and differential treatment provisions shall be reviewed with a view to
strengthening them and making them more precise, effective and operational

Organization and management of the work programme

The negotiations to be pursued under the terms of this declaration shall be concluded not later
than 1 January 2005.
entry into force of the outcome of the negotiations shall be treated as parts of a single
undertaking.
.The negotiations and the other aspects of the Work Programme shall take fully into account the
principle of special and differential treatment for developing and least-developed countries.
Focus areas for exam (suggestive not exhaustive)

What is DOHA development agenda?

Position and stand of India on Doha

Positions and stands of developing and developed countries on DOHA

Latest Push on new areas in Buenos Aires

Short note on TRIPS or agriculture or special focus on developing and LDC and DOHA.