Doha (Qatar), November 10

Agriculture, Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) and public access to medicines, implementation issues, subsidy, antidumping measures and Singapore issues emerged as most contentious issues as World Trade Organisation (WTO) trade ministers today pushed forward discussion on the WTO work programme for the next two years. In his speech, the Indian Minister for Commerce and Industry Murasoli Maran strongly protested inclusion of new issues in the WTO agenda. He accused the developed countries of forcing their agenda on the table. The draft Doha declaration calls for working out a negotiations framework on two subjects for the next Ministerial to be held in two years form now. This will be the beginning of a formal agreement on the subject on the lines of the ones for goods, services and intellectual property rights.

In his address earlier, US trade representative Robert Zoellick underscored the need for a new trade round in view of the slowing global economy. He specifically brought out the significance of a new trade round for developing countries saying they would be major losers if Doha negotiations failed. Zoellick sought to drive home the point that multilateral trade liberalization was the only source of hope for developing countries that critically depended on exports for their economic development.

Zoellick made the point that major trade powers like the US, the European Union (EU) and Japan would not lose much if Doha met the fate of the Seattle Ministerial as they could alternatively promote their trade interests through bilateral and regional trade deals.

While addressing the inaugural session of the Fourth Ministerial Conference, WTO Director General Mike Moore admitted that the benefits of trade liberalization have not been equally shared by all members. He, however, refuted claims that developing countries have not benefited from the Uruguay Round. Moore cited trade statistics showing a 24 per cent growth in developing countries' merchandise exports in 2000. Nevertheless, he pointed out that this impressive export performance was limited to only those developing countries that are heavily engaged in the export of manufactured goods. By the same logic, he said, further reductions in industrial tariffs would bring tremendous benefits to developing countries. He, however, noted that developing countries dependent on exports of agricultural and primary products have performed poorly.

TRIPS and Public Health
The central element of these negotiations is the scope of the TRIPS Agreement's flexibility: should those flexibilities apply to all measures taken for public health reasons or only those in response to national health crises? For many, a meaningful declaration on access to medicines will be the measure of Doha's success.

Implementation Issues
The most difficult topics in this area concern market access for developing countries' textile products, curbing the abuse of anti-dumping measures and the imbalances in subsidy rules. Many other of their priorities have been made contingent on new negotiations on other subjects that developing countries do not support.

Agriculture
This is the number one priority for most WTO Members. Negotiations will largely be aimed at forcing industrialised countries, the EU, Norway, Switzerland, Japan and Korea in particular, to open their agricultural markets through tariff reductions and quota removal, the gradual elimination of export subsidies and drastic reductions in domestic support.

Environment
A relatively new potential deal- maker. The EU - with very few allies - still stands firm that it cannot sign off on an outcome without a specific environmental mandate, aimed at clarifying such controversial issues as the relationship between international trade and environmental regimes or the application of the precautionary principle within the WTO framework.

Singapore Issues
Here the EU has a wider support base, but a large group of developing countries remain adamantly opposed.

Rule-making
Rule-making refers to two particularly controversial topics for the US that also loom large in the implementation discussions: reform/clarification of anti- dumping and subsidy rules, including fisheries subsidies.

Six-track Negotiations
Negotiations are to proceed at the head-of-delegation level on six tracks that reflect the areas where members' views differ the most. The negotiations are to be chaired by ministers in their personal capacity. The central element of these negotiations is the scope of the TRIPS agreement's flexibility on "public health" reasons. Implementation, chaired by Switzerland. Textile products, abuse of anti-dumping measures and the imbalances in subsidy rules are main concerns here.

All negotiations will be conducted at the "Minister plus Two" sessions open to all members, and no meetings will held simultaneously on different tracks. This means the "green room" concept, where the attendance was limited to a few representative countries, will be given up. However, informal consultations will also take place.

The Negotiating Drafts
Three texts will form the basis of negotiations:
A. The main draft ministerial declaration running into 45 paragraphs
B. A separate declaration on intellectual property going into 11 paragraphs
C. The 14-paragraph declaration on implementation issues.

The final drafts for these documents were released on 27 October. On 5 November, Moore and Harbinson attached cover letters to the Draft Declaration and the Draft Ministerial Decision on Implementation Concerns, explaining that these were not agreed texts.