Multilateral Trade Negotiations: Doha to Bali and Beyond

Fasih Uddin Fasih Uddin

doi:10.13169/polipers.12.1.0081

Abstract

The latest round of multilateral trade negotiation under the World Trade Organization (WTO) – known as the Doha Development Agenda – has remained inconclusive for well over 13 years. There have been serious differences between the developed and developing countries on issues such as market access and agricultural subsidies. While a compromise deal was reached in the Bali ministerial conference of the WTO, making the round a success remains an uphill task as divergences are there and apparently reaching a consensus is hard. However, it will be in the interest of all the member nations and the global economy to take the round towards a successful conclusion.

Highlights

Notwithstanding short-term and cyclical ‘ups and downs’ in the last sixty years, the world output and trade expanded steadily
During 1950 and 2013 global output in real terms rose by annual average of over three per cent while merchandise trade in US dollars surged three hundred-times. This growth was facilitated by the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) that was concluded in September, 1947 and succeeded by the World Trade Organization (WTO) in December 1994
Agriculture a) General Services: With a view to promoting rural development and poverty alleviation, the Conference agreed that the General Services programs related to land reforms and rural livelihood security could be considered as falling within the scope of nonexhaustive list of General Services of Agreement on Agriculture

Summary

Introduction

Notwithstanding short-term and cyclical ‘ups and downs’ in the last sixty years, the world output and trade expanded steadily. Multilateral Trade Negotiations: Doha to Bali and Beyond countries on (i) Market Access, (ii) Export Subsidies and (iii) Domestic Support Measures. This meant focusing on elements of Doha Agenda that would allow members to reach agreement based on consensus earlier than full conclusion of Talks; enabling the Trade Negotiation Committee to prepare groundwork for identifying and fostering negotiations on such elements.

Results

Conclusion