Lamy requests members to break deadlock soon over Doha round WTO talks

03 Jul '06

4 min read

Ministers have failed to narrow their differences on the “modalities” or template agreements that are needed to compile detailed cuts in tariffs and agricultural subsidies, and members have asked Director-General Pascal Lamy to try to broker a compromise “as soon as possible”. Members also shared his assessment that the negotiations are now in crisis.

A formal meeting on 1 July 2006 of the Trade Negotiations Committee, which comprises the entire WTO membership, brought to an end about three days of discussions among a representative group of ministers. No progress was made in trying to narrow the gaps on formulas for reducing tariffs and subsidies, various flexibilities, and other disciplines that would be in the “modalities”.

Members agreed that Mr Lamy should consult members intensively and widely in order to establish “modalities” urgently — the term several used was to “facilitate” and act as a “catalyst”. He agreed with them that members will remain the main actors, and the principles will continue to be “bottom-up” (input coming from members rather than from above), transparent and include all members. The consultations will be based on the draft texts in agriculture and non-agricultural market access. The director-general will report back to the members as soon as possible.

In statements, members said they remain committed to completing the negotiations by the end of the year.

The “modalities” are needed so that countries can list their new commitments to reduce tariffs on thousands of products and to cut farm subsidies. The lists will be in documents known as “schedules” that will run to several hundred pages per country and to tens of thousands of pages for the whole membership. These lists will take several months for each member to compile and in each case for other members to examine and possibly negotiate.

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