Transcript OVERVIEW OF WTO AND THE BALI MINISTERIAL

Presented by Clarisse Morgan, Senior Counsellor
World Trade Organization
FAO/InfoSamak Regional Workshop
Casablanca, Morocco
Monday, 2 June 2014
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Born of GATT 1947, which covered only goods
trade
Basic concepts established therein
◦
Non-discrimination
 Most Favoured Nation
 National Treatment
◦ Progressive reduction of trade barriers
 Tariff cuts were the initial principal focus
 Also rules on trade-affecting measures (trade remedies,
subsidies, QRs, STEs…)
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Uruguay Round
◦ Created numerous specific Agreements with
detailed rules to elaborate on basics in GATT
 Agriculture, SPS, TBT, SCM, AD, Customs valuation,
etc….
◦ Expanded into non-goods areas
 TRIPS
 Services (parallel “General Agreement”)
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Comprehensive trade round launched in 2001
Negotiating mandate(s) contained in the Doha
Ministerial Declaration (WT/MIN(01)/DEC/1)
“Development” round – aim is to reshape/reform the rules so that developing
countries can obtain maximum benefits from
trade
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Scope
◦ The Big 3 – “Core” issues
 Agriculture
 Subsidy reform
 Enhanced market access
 Non-ag market access (tariffs etc.) “NAMA”
 Reduction or elimination of tariff peaks, high tariffs, and
tariff escalation
 Reduction or elimination of non-tariff barriers
 Especially on products of interest to developing countries
 Services – continued liberalization through scheduling
of specific commitments
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Scope – cont’d
◦ TRIPS
 Geographical indications – wines/spirits
 Relationship of TRIPS with CBD etc.
◦ Government procurement – negotiations
anticipated, subject to consensus to launch at next
Ministerial (completed)
◦ Trade facilitation – negotiations anticipated, subject
to consensus to launch at next Ministerial
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Scope – cont’d
◦ Rules
 Anti-dumping and countervailing measures
 Subsidies including fisheries subsidies
 RTAs
◦ Least-developed countries
◦ Other issues: dispute settlement, trade &
environment, e-commerce, small economies, S&DT,
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Fisheries subsidies - 2001 negotiating
mandate (only explicit reference to fish in the
Declaration)
◦ “Clarify and improve WTO disciplines on fisheries
subsidies, taking into account the importance of
this sector to developing countries.”
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Fish & fish products – explicitly excluded
from Agreement on Agriculture
◦ Therefore included in the NAMA negotiations
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A “breakthrough”
◦ Trade Facilitation Agreement adopted – now being
implemented
 Simplification/streamlining/transparency of customs
procedures
 Includes provisions on perishable goods
◦ Agriculture – certain agreed elements, including on
public stockholding for food security – main issues
not addressed
◦ Cotton – dedicated discussions
◦ Development and LDC issues
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And the other issues in the DDA?
◦ By end-2014, a Work Programme must be
developed for concluding the DDA
◦ Focus is on the Big 3 – without a clear, integrated
approach for finishing work in these areas, the
other issues cannot move
◦ Currently the discussions are preliminary
◦ NG Rules met in mid-May
 Many want to resume work on fisheries subsidies, but
recognize it is unrealistic before finding way to
progress on Big 3
THANK YOU VERY MUCH
FOR YOUR ATTENTION!