WTO Ministerial Section • Volume 5 • Number 36 • 23rd October 2001

Full Steam Ahead For Doha As Prep Talks Refine Ministerial Text

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Following renewed commitments by the US over the weekend, the WTO’s Fourth Ministerial Conference looks set to take place as scheduled in Doha, Qatar on 9-13 November. Meantime, talks over how environment should be dealt with in the Ministerial Declaration have isolated European Members just as a second draft Ministerial text is in the making.

Doha solidifies as WTO Ministerial venue

Following comments made by US President George W. Bush at the APEC summit over the weekend in support of Qatar’s bid to host the WTO Ministerial, speculation about the venue for the event was effectively quashed. The decision was confirmed on 22 October by WTO Director- General Mike Moore after a meeting with senior Qatari officials. Moore said that the Ministerial would take place in the Qatari capital "unless something seismic or catastrophic happens".

Uncertainty had previously been rife over the Ministerial venue due to security concerns. Singapore and Geneva had been suggested as backups in the event that Doha was deemed an unsuitable location due to the US- led anti-terrorist strikes in Afghanistan. Sources say Bush’s decision appears to have been partly influenced by a concern that holding the event in Singapore could weaken the anti-terrorist coalition by antagonising a friendly Muslim country.

According to the WTO, Ministerial accreditation letters for non- governmental organisations are scheduled to be sent out this week.

Europeans at odds with other Members on environment

The EC — supported by Norway, Switzerland, and some Eastern European Members — last week was taken to task by other WTO Members for its desire to start negotiations on clarifying and implementing environmental rules in the context of a potential future round.

Speaking at an informal session on environment, the EC said that it had substantial domestic environmental constituencies that it needed to respond to, and that it was willing to give as many safeguards against protectionism as other Member countries wanted. Developing countries in particular are concerned that more or stronger WTO rules on environment could lead to disguised protectionism against their exports. Australia, supported by many other Members, accused the EC of trying to weaken the rules by clarifying the agreements.

Some middle ground emerged after the US and Hong Kong-China suggested a ‘two-stage process’ for environment. Trade sources say this would involve an analytic/study phase between now and the next Ministerial in 2003. At that point Members would then decide whether or not to engage in negotiation on environment-related issues. The analytical stage would most likely involve the WTO Committee on Trade and Environment, but talks would not necessarily have to continue in this forum.

Diplomats said the text on environment in the forthcoming second draft Ministerial Declaration is likely to reflect these discussions, with some expecting mention of the two-stage idea. Language on labelling could also be included, they said. This could meet with some resistance from the US, Canada, and many developing countries, which have previously resisted stronger rules on ecolabelling and precaution. The EC is pushing to have both these areas clarified in the WTO Agreements.

A meeting of the EU environment ministers next week may point to where things are headed in this area and to whether or not text on environment contained in the draft Declaration is acceptable to EU member states.

Draft Text expected by Friday

The second draft text of the ministerial declaration is expected to be released by General Council Chair Stuart Harbinson by the end of this week. Notably, trade officials indicate the text will include new language on agriculture, environment and special and differential treatment for developing countries. The latter will be contained in paragraphs 33-35 (see related story, this issue). Along with the new draft Declaration, an updated version of the draft Decision on Implementation is expected, as well as a draft Decision on Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPs) and health (see related article this issue). The texts that emerge are also expected to be those that are used by Ministers as the basis for negotiations on a new round at the Doha Conference in November.

A copy of the current draft Ministerial Declaration is available at: http://www.ictsd.org.

"WTO chief says key ministers’ meet stays in Qatar," REUTERS, 22 October 2001; "WTO meeting set to stay in Doha after US backing," FINANCIAL TIMES, 22 October 2001; ICTSD Internal Files.