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Unit 2: World Trade Organization

The areas and issues covered at the conference included the following: Notes
Agriculture Working Group: Two positions emerged during the discussions. One position
favoured complete integration of agricultural trade into the same rules as other products, the
total elimination of export subsidies and substantial increases in market access. The opposite
position was that agriculture differed from other sectors and therefore did not favour the notion
of integrating agricultural trade with that of other products. The proponents of this position did
not accept the elimination of export subsidies and stressed the need to take into account the
several important societal functions that came under the purview of the agricultural sector.
Working Group on Implementation and Rules: Many developing countries expressed concern
and called attention to:

1. Difficulty in implementing certain WTO agreements and asked for extension of deadlines
in TRIPS, TRIMS, Customs Valuation, and

2. Imbalance in certain agreements and called for changes in certain provisions of the anti-
dumping, subsidies and textiles agreements.

Working Group on Market Access: The position of draft declaration on market access (reductions
in import duties, access to service markets, etc.) contained a number of unresolved issues that
included-coverage, scope and methodology of the negotiations; the extent to which tariffs on
non-agricultural products should be reduced and whether members should cut tariffs on a
‘request-offer’ bilateral basis as in the Uruguay Round or there should be a common multilateral
approach at harmonising tariffs aspect or a mix of both; Non-tariff measure; concerns of
developing country members with regard to a proposal that exports from Least Developed
Countries (LDCs) should be given ‘ground zero’ tariffs in richer countries.

Systemic Issues: Issues raised by member governments were related to De-restriction of
documents, Improvement in transparency and decision making; improvements in information
flows, and establishment of public understanding and participation in the workings of the
organisation.
Trade and Labour Standards: A new working group was set up on the last day of the conference
to discuss proposals for creating a labour standards working group within the WTO or a body
operated jointly by a number of international organisation. Opinions differed, with a number of
developing countries opposing the creation of either type of body.

Fourth Ministerial Conference

It was held in Doha in Persian Gulf nation of Qatar in November, 2001 in which Ministers from
the 142 member countries participated.

At the Fourth Ministerial Conference WTO member governments agreed to launch new
negotiations. They also agreed to work on other issues, in particular the implementation of the
present agreements. The entire package is called the Doha Development Agenda (DDA). It
consist of three major issues: (i) on the negotiating agenda for the new WTO round, (ii) on some
40 implementation concerns of the developing countries and (iii) on the political statement
dealing with patents and public health.

The negotiations take place in the Trade Negotiations Committee and its subsidiaries, which
are usually, either regular councils and committees meeting in “special sessions”, or specially-
created negotiating groups. Other work under the work programme takes place in other WTO
councils and committees.

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