Interviews
Doha Round - wait for December, Lamy
23 Jun '11
6 min read
It is clear that by December you will not be able to reach consensus on all areas under the Doha agenda and, therefore, we will not be able to get a final view on ambition and balance. This will only be possible at the end of the Round.
It is also clear that a discussion on deliverables for December cannot be a negotiation of a “single undertaking” within the “single undertaking” which is the Doha mandate. What we are aiming at is no more and no less than setting in place a negotiating process to achieve a set of deliverables in accordance with paragraph 47 of the Doha Declaration.
In order to facilitate an outcome which our least developed Members have been waiting for since Hong Kong in 2005, and which would include Duty-Free Quota-Free and the associated rules of origin, a step forward on cotton and the services waiver, I have explored the possibility of a so-called LDC Plus package.
In my judgment, and this is merely an indicative list, this plus could include issues such as Trade Facilitation, export competition, S&D Monitoring Mechanism, a step forward on fisheries subsidies and a step forward on environmental goods and services. Again, this is not an exhaustive set of issues and it does not preclude other issues from being worked upon and eventually delivered by the end of the year. This is very much something which is in Members' hands. It is certainly my expectation that we will work as hard as we can to advance as many issues as possible by the end of the year — as a signal of credibility of the negotiations still to come on the remainder of the topics.
I think it would be fair to describe the attitude of the delegations with whom I have consulted as constructive, but cautious. Approached in isolation, each of the issues I have mentioned has its own problems, but there is also a sense that when linkages are taken into account — and there are linkages being drawn by some Members in these issues — perhaps there is some room for manoeuvre. In other words, I believe that delegations consider it worthwhile trying to move ahead and further explore these issues and test whether an acceptable balance can be found.
It is also very clear from my consultations that we need to consider the post-MC8 work on the DDA. As many delegations have said, we will need to establish a shared view of the process post-MC8 for advancing negotiations on issues that remain outstanding, including the cluster of market access issues in NAMA, agriculture and services.
In terms of immediate process, I suggest that the negotiating groups focus on some of these specific issues I have tried to identify. Chairs and myself will consult on the best way to do that, depending on the issues. TNCs will review the overall situation and ensure transparency. I also intend to complement this with smaller groupings in variable geometry, at Ambassador level, and also with Green Rooms to encourage and facilitate movement. As usual, I strongly recommend that Ambassadors remain fully engaged throughout and in every aspect of this process.
We will also need to keep our progress under review and be prepared to evaluate it realistically. I am well aware of the dangers of drifting towards the ministerial with a collection of unresolved issues. However, on this, the evaluation will depend very much on you all and the convergence you can reach. The time for discussion is gone — you now need to negotiate.
It is also clear that a discussion on deliverables for December cannot be a negotiation of a “single undertaking” within the “single undertaking” which is the Doha mandate. What we are aiming at is no more and no less than setting in place a negotiating process to achieve a set of deliverables in accordance with paragraph 47 of the Doha Declaration.
In order to facilitate an outcome which our least developed Members have been waiting for since Hong Kong in 2005, and which would include Duty-Free Quota-Free and the associated rules of origin, a step forward on cotton and the services waiver, I have explored the possibility of a so-called LDC Plus package.
In my judgment, and this is merely an indicative list, this plus could include issues such as Trade Facilitation, export competition, S&D Monitoring Mechanism, a step forward on fisheries subsidies and a step forward on environmental goods and services. Again, this is not an exhaustive set of issues and it does not preclude other issues from being worked upon and eventually delivered by the end of the year. This is very much something which is in Members' hands. It is certainly my expectation that we will work as hard as we can to advance as many issues as possible by the end of the year — as a signal of credibility of the negotiations still to come on the remainder of the topics.
I think it would be fair to describe the attitude of the delegations with whom I have consulted as constructive, but cautious. Approached in isolation, each of the issues I have mentioned has its own problems, but there is also a sense that when linkages are taken into account — and there are linkages being drawn by some Members in these issues — perhaps there is some room for manoeuvre. In other words, I believe that delegations consider it worthwhile trying to move ahead and further explore these issues and test whether an acceptable balance can be found.
It is also very clear from my consultations that we need to consider the post-MC8 work on the DDA. As many delegations have said, we will need to establish a shared view of the process post-MC8 for advancing negotiations on issues that remain outstanding, including the cluster of market access issues in NAMA, agriculture and services.
In terms of immediate process, I suggest that the negotiating groups focus on some of these specific issues I have tried to identify. Chairs and myself will consult on the best way to do that, depending on the issues. TNCs will review the overall situation and ensure transparency. I also intend to complement this with smaller groupings in variable geometry, at Ambassador level, and also with Green Rooms to encourage and facilitate movement. As usual, I strongly recommend that Ambassadors remain fully engaged throughout and in every aspect of this process.
We will also need to keep our progress under review and be prepared to evaluate it realistically. I am well aware of the dangers of drifting towards the ministerial with a collection of unresolved issues. However, on this, the evaluation will depend very much on you all and the convergence you can reach. The time for discussion is gone — you now need to negotiate.
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