Bridges Weekly Trade News Digest • Volume 7 • Number 36 • 30th October 2003
WTO ‘GREEN ROOM’ MEETS ON NON-AG MARKET ACCESS; SINGAPORE ISSUES FORTHCOMING
Market Access informal mirrors Cancun, pre-Cancun discussions
On 28 October, approximately 30 WTO Members gathered for the first ‘green room’-style informal meeting since Cancun on non- agricultural market access (NAMA). Country delegates focused on how to move forward with the NAMA text that was included as an annex in the 13 September Draft Ministerial Text (JOB(03)/150/Rev.2, available at http://www.ictsd.org/ministerial/cancun/docs/draft_cancun_minist_text_re v2.pdf) tabled by Cancun Ministerial Chair Luis Ernesto Derbez. The meeting was preceded by several smaller informal consultations among groups of countries. Comments on the text for the most part reflected concerns voiced prior to and at Cancun on the annex, which sets out a framework for modalities for non-agricultural tariff and non-tariff liberalisation.
Many developing countries — particularly African Members — said that the Derbez text did not take into account proposals submitted earlier in the process by poorer countries (see BRIDGES Weekly, 21 August 2003). They cited serious concerns around the text’s specification of a non-linear formula applied on a line-by-line basis, saying that there was no need for the framework to go into what type of formula Members should use, and that the text lacked references to special and differential treatment and to less than full reciprocity for developing countries. They further urged that the language around sectoral tariff liberalisation/elimination should be made voluntary for developing countries, and that the overall framework should be one that allows benefits for all Members.
For their part, developed countries felt that the text needed to reflect a higher level of ambition in dismantling trade barriers. Many countries also said that progress in NAMA would be contingent on progress in the agriculture discussions.
Singapore Issues Up Next
According to sources, Members are set to discuss the Singapore Issues (investment, competition, trade facilitation and transparency in government procurement) next week. Some countries have expressed confusion here, saying the EC, which has been the main demandeur in this area, has not been clear as to its intentions, and that after Cancun Members are not sure which issues are still up for discussion (see BRIDGES Daily Update, 15 September 2003). At the 28 October NAMA green room meeting, Costa Rica reportedly suggested linking progress in NAMA to progress on the Singapore Issues. This was roundly rejected by some other developing countries, which object to launching negotiations on any of the four areas.
However, according to a statement issued by trade ministers meeting earlier this month at the Asia Pacific Economic (APEC) forum, APEC member countries "underlined their willingness to show flexibility in advancing" trade facilitation negotiations, and "urged their trading partners to do the same" (see also BRIDGES Weekly, 23 October 2003). In the final hours of the Cancun Ministerial, the EC proposed unsuccessfully to abandon all Singapore issues except the relatively less contentious topic of trade facilitiation.
ICTSD reporting.
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