Hong Kong: The sixth ministerial conference of the World Trade Organisation got under way here on Tuesday with lowered optimism about the nearly 150 member countries arriving at a consensus on the future course of multilateral trade.

An indication of the possibility of a not-so-good outcome came when WTO Director-General Pascal Lamy urged the member countries to commit themselves to the improvement of WTO rules for it to maintain and increase its activities, "through the success of the current negotiations."

Democratic process

Addressing the inaugural session of the six-day meet, he said though it took time for WTO agreements to be reached, decision-making was democratic. "It takes more time, it is more burdensome and cumbersome, but I am convinced it remains the best way to take decisions that impact directly the lives of billions of people," he said.

Members should be proud of the "healthy and democratic common institution ... but like any stakeholder, you should also look beyond your immediate needs. You should think prospectively, you should care about the future."

Mr. Lamy's remarks came hours after the G-20 — a group of developing countries including India, Argentina, Brazil, China and Pakistan, which together account for 60 per cent of the world's population — finalised its ministerial declaration.

The group, whose members account for one-fourth of the world's agricultural exports, said negotiations on the Doha Development round should be targeted at substantive progress in Hong Kong.

"A development round requires the removal of distortions in international agricultural trade rules. The largest structural distortion in international trade occurs in agriculture through the combination of high tariffs, domestic support and export subsidies that protect inefficient farmers in developed countries. Removing these anti-development measures is a core objective of the Doha round. Agriculture is the central issue," the declaration said.

It said the G-20 had from the beginning fought for these objectives and continued to stand united to reach out to other developing country groups that shared the same purpose. "We must move in agriculture for the other areas to move," it said.

"At the heart of these proposals is the imperative to ensure substantial reductions in trade distorting domestic support through both reductions and disciplines. These proposals seek the elimination of all forms of export subsidies by 2010."

The group's proposals also call for substantial improvements in market access, simultaneously securing policy space through a special and differential treatment for developing countries.

"The Ministers should agree to a clear and specific work programme in agriculture for 2006 so as to conclude the round by the end of next year. For this purpose, modalities will need to be agreed [upon] no later than early April and draft schedules based on these submitted not later than three months thereafter," the declaration said.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail