Trade Ministers Provide Political Support for WTO Doha Development Agenda Negotiations
Unlocking the WTO Doha Development Agenda (DDA) Negotiations was of paramount importance at the recent APEC Ministers Responsible for Trade Meeting in Pucón, Chile. Ministers from APEC's 21 Member Economies sent a strong message of support to the WTO, encouraging all parties to find ways to successfully conclude negotiations. "We have reached agreement on a Ministerial statement of political support to provide momentum to the Doha Development Agenda. This is intended to send a powerful signal to negotiators at the WTO," commented Chile's Foreign Minister, and MRT Chair for 2004, H.E. Maria Soledad Alvear.
APEC's Ministerial Statement on DDA Negotiations aims to provide a clear way forward for Doha negotiations and sets out key issues to be addressed by WTO members by July, 2004. Noting that, "the development dimension permeates all areas of the negotiation", APEC Ministers committed to five key results -
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a negotiating framework for agriculture that provides an ambitious approach to market access with the necessary flexibility; substantial reductions of trade-distorting domestic support; and includes a specific commitment to abolish all forms of export subsidies by a certain date;
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a negotiating framework for non-agricultural market access, on the basis of the Derbez text, that is balanced and provides for real improvements in market access and addresses non-tariff barriers;
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an agreement to launch negotiations on trade facilitation within the single undertaking, recognizing APEC's special contribution in this area;
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the tabling of services offers by members that have not done so by July 2004, a timeframe for improving offers, as well as making progress in the rule-making areas of services; and
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a reaffirmation on the need to make substantial progress in all areas, including work in the Negotiating Group on Rules in accordance with the Doha mandate and the Bangkok Leaders' Declaration.
Ministers made it clear that the key results should be achieved expeditiously with an emphasis on development. Prompt results are expected by Ministers in, "on-going efforts aimed at making existing special and differential treatment more precise, effective and operational." Reflecting their desire to refocus the DDA negotiations on development issues, Ministers committed to enhance technical assistance and capacity building for developing economies.
APEC Trade Ministers provided clear directions to the APEC Geneva Caucus to support the key issues contained in the Ministerial Statement on DDA Negotiations, which is a move welcomed by Ambassadors from APEC Member Economies to the WTO. "After the failure of Cancún, negotiations in Geneva have attempted to re-launch talks, now we are in a critical position that requires broad support and political endorsement. APEC Member Economies are in a strong position to send a message of endorsement and call for flexibility of the various positions so that negotiations may continue," was the opinion of Chile's Ambassador to the WTO, Alejandro Jara.
Following the release of the Ministerial Statement on Doha Development Agenda (DDA) Negotiations and the Statement of the Chair, Ministers answered questions from the media on subjects including APEC's role in progressing WTO negotiations, agricultural subsidies, proliferation of Free Trade Agreements in the APEC region, links between Latin America and other Asia-Pacific economies and APEC Business Advisory Council's (ABAC) suggestion of an Asia-Pacific Free Trade Agreement. Click here to listen to the audio webcast. Featured speakers include -
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H.E. Maria Soledad Alvear, Minister of Foreign Affairs - Chile
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Ambassador Robert E. Zoellick, Trade Representative - United States
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Mr Shoichi Nakagawa, Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry - Japan
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Hon Mark Vaile, Minister for Trade - Australia
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Mr. Bo Xilai, Minister of Commerce - China
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Mr. George Yeo Yong-Boon, Minister for Trade and Industry - Singapore
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Mr. Hwang Doo-Yun, Minister of Trade - Korea
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Dato' Seri Rafidah Aziz Minister of International Trade and Industry - Malaysia
To read the full Ministerial Statement on Doha Development Agenda (DDA) Negotiations and the Statement of the Chair, click on Find Out More below.