Abstract
For many observers, the Doha Round cannot be concluded in the form it was originally envisaged by WTO Members in November 2001. Some even go as far as to say that the Doha Round has been dead for some time and that the stench will become too powerful to conceal with the passing of time and that individual WTO Members, particularly the key players, just do not want to admit for fear of being blamed for its demise. The failure of the April 2011 texts to gain any traction among the Members and encourage them to work hard to bridge their differences signaled that the Eighth WTO Ministerial Conference in December 2011 was not going to produce any breakthrough in the negotiations and that, if anything at all, it was going to confirm what had been obvious all along that the Round was beyond redemption and that it was high time to think seriously about the next steps. Pretending that the Round was alive and that it could be concluded on the basis of the single undertaking was wishful thinking and did not reflect the reality on the ground.
The views expressed in this paper are those of the author and should not in any way be attributed to the OCTA or the WTO.
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Notes
- 1.
Lehmann, End the Charade in Talks on Global Trade, Financial Times, 24 August 2011.
- 2.
The April 2011 texts were comprehensive and presented a complete picture of where the negotiations stood in different areas. As noted by WTO Director-General Pascal Lamy: “This document is the product of work since the launch of the negotiations in 2001. For the first time in 10 years, Members have had the opportunity to consider the entire Doha package in all market access and regulatory areas. The package includes texts in areas where these had not been possible before. It reflects extensive work in vital technical issues and presents options that show the commitment and creativity of negotiators. In sum, the documents leave no-one in doubt about the value of what is on the table, but also reveals the issues that still divide Members”: Report of WTO Director General to the Ministerial Conference, WT/MIN(11)/5; 18 November 2011, p. 4.
- 3.
WTO, Elements for Political Guidance, WT/MIN(11)/W/2; 1 December 2011, p. 3.
- 4.
WTO, Elements for Political Guidance, WT/MIN(11)/W/2; 1 December 2011, p. 3.
- 5.
WTO, Elements for Political Guidance, WT/MIN(11)/W/2; 1 December 2011, p. 3.
- 6.
See, for example, http://www.exportnz.org.nz/news-and-info/features/trade-update-services-trade-negotiations-to-go-plurilateral. See further, WTO official Argues Against Services Plurilateral Favoured by the US in Inside US Trade, 16 December 2011.
- 7.
- 8.
See, for example, http://www.exportnz.org.nz/news-and-info/features/trade-update-services-trade-negotiations-to-go-plurilateral. See further, WTO official Argues Against Services Plurilateral Favoured by the US in Inside US Trade, 16 December 2011.
- 9.
See reported comments of the Ambassador of Brazil to the WTO, Mr. Roberto Azevedo, that Brazil does not support the plurilateral negotiations on services, as it leaves the DDA aside and leaves no room for trade-offs: http://itrade.gov.il/switzerland/plurilateral-trade-agreements-session-by-the-graduate-institute.
- 10.
See comments of Mr. Marc Vanheukelen, Head of Cabinet of the European Union’s Trade Directorate, reported in the Washington Trade Daily. See further http://www.ecipe.org/media/publication_pdfs/ISA-revised30mar.pdf and http://www.mutrap.org.vn/en/Newsletter/Doha%20Round%20Bulletin%20Vol.%201-2%202012.pdf.
- 11.
Gallagher, Challenging Opportunities for the Multilateral Trade Regime, in: Heléndez-Orliz et al. (eds.), The Future and the WTO: Confronting the Challenges, 2012.
- 12.
Ancharaz, Can the Doha Round be Saved?, in: Heléndez-Orliz et al. (eds.), The Future and the WTO: Confronting the Challenges, 2012.
- 13.
Interview with the Washington Trade Daily, 10 July 2012.
- 14.
See generally Kessie, The Doha Development Agenda at a Crossroads: What are the Remaining Obstacles to the Conclusion of the Round—Part III?, in: Herrmann/Terhechte (eds.), European Yearbook of International Economic Law Vol. 3, 2012.
- 15.
- 16.
Gallagher, Challenging Opportunities for the Multilateral Trade Regime, in: Heléndez-Orliz et al. (eds.), The Future and the WTO: Confronting the Challenges, 2012.
- 17.
Petri/Plummer, The Trans-Pacific Partnership and Asia-Pacific Integration: Policy Implications. Available at: http://www.piie.com/publications/pb/pb12-16.pdf.
- 18.
Petri/Plummer, The Trans-Pacific Partnership and Asia-Pacific Integration: Policy Implications. Available at: http://www.piie.com/publications/pb/pb12-16.pdf.
- 19.
WTO, Elements for Political Guidance, WT/MIN(11)/W/2; 1 December 2011, p. 3.
- 20.
The Agreements were the Agreement on Trade in Civil Aircraft, Agreement on Government Procurement, International Dairy Agreement, and the International Bovine Meat Agreement. The latter two are no longer in force since December 1997.
- 21.
See statement of Pascal Lamy on the 15th anniversary of the entry into force of the Information Technology Agreement. Available at: http://www.wto.org/english/news_e/sppl_e/sppl228_e.htm.
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Kessie, E. (2013). The Future of the Doha Development Agenda. In: Herrmann, C., Krajewski, M., Terhechte, J. (eds) European Yearbook of International Economic Law 2013. European Yearbook of International Economic Law, vol 4. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-33917-2_18
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