|
||
|
TWN
Info Service on WTO and Trade Issues (Feb26/05) Geneva, 4 Feb (D. Ravi Kanth) — The Director-General of the World Trade Organization, in her capacity as chair of the Doha Trade Negotiations Committee (TNC), on 3 February issued a revised roadmap for the WTO’s 14th Ministerial Conference (MC14), which appears to shift the negotiations away from the unresolved Doha issues such as agriculture toward controversial WTO reforms being pushed by the developed countries, seemingly in an attempt to appease the United States, said people familiar with the development. Instead of dismantling the Doha TNC, which was specifically established to negotiate issues in the Doha Work Programme, it appears to be a travesty that WTO reform issues are being framed as a make-or-break issue of a ministerial conference that is being held for the second time on the African continent, following MC10 held in Nairobi, Kenya in December 2015. It is an open secret that the WTO reform issues are being pushed by the developed and some middle-income countries (grouped under the so-called “Friends of the System”) to appease the US. There appears to be nothing in the proposed roadmap that would address the development-oriented issues that are being raised by African countries in their proposals, said trade envoys who asked not to be quoted. “Although the DG continues to work under the mandate of the Doha Work Programme since 2002, it appears somewhat alarming that the core Doha issues – particularly the most important unresolved issue of agriculture for more than 30 years – are being swept away to push a set of controversial reforms being framed by the Norwegian facilitator,” said a trade envoy, preferring not to be identified. The chair of the Doha agriculture negotiations, Ambassador Ali Sarfraz Hussain of Pakistan, is attempting to promote a declaratory statement prepared by Jamaica rather than issue a draft decision based on other proposals, such as the Indonesian or African Group proposals, said people familiar with the development. Apparently, Ambassador Hussain on 3 February issued a revised document on the way forward in agriculture, said people familiar with the development. In a restricted document (Job/TNC/127/Rev.2/Add.1) issued on 3 February, seen by the SUNS, the DG, Ms. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, addressed procedural issues such as creating listening facilities and holding one plenary session to discuss all reform issues, as per China’s proposal. Following a “green room” meeting with delegations during the week of 26 January, the DG said that: “I have reflected on your input together with the General Council Chair and the WTO Reform Facilitator and have made some revisions to the working draft of the Schedule of MC14 Sessions, which is being circulated for Members’ information.” She made several adjustments for the meetings taking place from 26 to 29 March in Yaounde, Cameroon. They include: Starting Time: On 26 and 27 March, sessions will begin at 10h00. On 28 and 29 March, sessions will start at 09h00. These adjustments respond to concerns raised about the previous 07h00 start time. Length of Opening Session: In response to concerns about its length, and balancing the Host’s request not to cut it too short, the Opening Session is now proposed to last three hours instead of four. Breaks: Lunch and other breaks are now clearly indicated. On Friday, 27 March, an hour is dedicated for Members who observe Jummah (Friday) Prayer. Meeting rooms will be available during breaks for bilateral or group coordination meetings. Breakout Sessions: These have been streamlined as follows: Ministerial Conversation on Foundational Issues [amending the principle of consensus-based decision-making, weakening special and differential treatment provisions and Most-Favoured Nation (MFN) treatment, as raised by the United States and the European Union]. “Decision-making and past mandates” have now been combined. A trade envoy, speaking on background, suggested that “past mandates ought to have taken precedence before other controversial reforms … MC14 must address why past mandates in agriculture and other development- oriented issues are being stalled by powerful industrialized countries.” Breakout Session on Development and S&DT. Breakout Session on Level-Playing-Field Issues [primarily targeted against China]. The DG said: “Regarding the number of breakout groups and listening-in facilities: in response to your feedback, we have scaled back the number of groups to six … this enables us to also have six listening-in rooms to cover the six ministerial groups.” This change followed demands from the African Group and the LDC group for such facilities. “With respect to the number of Ministerial Facilitators,” who were criticised at MC12 in Geneva in June 2022 and MC13 in Abu Dhabi in February-March 2024 for pushing a “pre-cooked” narrative, the DG said “there will be one Minister-Facilitator per group instead of two.” Following concerns raised by China about holding separate meetings on the three reform issues, the DG stated: “There will also be only one WTO Reform transparency plenary meeting to hear the takeaways from all topics discussed on 26 and 27 March, now scheduled for Friday, 27 March at 19h30.” Ministerial Sessions According to the DG, “All Ministerial Sessions on specific areas will be held in plenary format on Saturday, 28 March. In response to the feedback, we have included a session to discuss specific development issues and allow more time for agriculture while reallocating time for other sessions as follows:” DS [Dispute Settlement] Reform update: 30 minutes. “The most important reform issue hanging fire since MC12 in Geneva is now being accorded only half an hour, while the seemingly coercive reform issues are being given considerable time – a gross inequity,” said a trade envoy who asked not to be identified. Fisheries subsidies: 1 hour. IFDA [Investment Facilitation for Development Agreement] incorporation: 1.5 hours. [The IFDA is a Joint Statement Initiative which critics argue is procedurally and systemically inconsistent with the core WTO provisions.] Agriculture: 2.5 hours. “In the face of growing concern that agriculture is being pushed under the carpet, it is being granted 2.5 hours, perhaps for optics,” a South American trade envoy said. Development (Doha Work Programme): 2 hours for discussions on making Special and Differential Treatment (S&DT) simple and effective. The S&DT issues, on which the African Group submitted several proposals, are likely to be buried on African soil by a concerted push from the Norwegian facilitator overseeing the WTO reforms, said several trade envoys who preferred not to be quoted. The DG noted that “some members suggested the moratorium on TRIPS Non-Violation and Situation Complaints be discussed alongside the e-commerce moratorium session.” [The US and Switzerland oppose renewing the TRIPS moratorium, while the US seeks a permanent moratorium on customs duties on electronic transmissions.] Revised Schedule of MC14 Sessions – Working Draft The restricted document includes a table “to ensure a business-like, transparent, inclusive conference – with full participation of all Ministers in all sessions.” DATE – MINISTERIAL SESSIONS & ACTIVITIES Tue 24 -Wed 25 Mar: Time for side events, bilateral and group meetings. Thur 26 Mar: Opening Ceremonial Session. Fri 27 Mar: Decision-making; Jummah Prayer; WTO Reform breakout sessions on Development/S&DT and “level playing field issues”; WTO Reform Transparency Plenary. Sat 28 Mar: Update on Dispute Settlement Reform (30 min); Ministerial Sessions on Fisheries Subsidies, IFDA Incorporation, E-commerce Work Program & Moratorium, and Development (including LDC issues). Sun 29 Mar: Formal Closing Session. In summary, as several trade envoys who asked not to be quoted stated, “MC14 appears to be a meeting for burying the multilateral trading system on African soil, unless developing and poorest countries insist on decisions regarding their core developmental issues, particularly agriculture.” +
|
||
