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WTO Negotiations: December Deal in Hong Kong Now Seen Difficult
Doha Development Round of the World Trade Organization (WTO) failed to see any major progress at informal meetings of ministers held in Europe till November 9, and the chances of striking a full accord on agriculture modalities during the Council meeting at Hong Kong in December have become very slim.
Japan was back to the major country talk table, and Agriculture Minister Shoichi Nakagawa and Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Toshihiro Nikai attended these meetings.
In the run-up to these meetings, the climate was positive with expectations for further advancement of the talks as proposals had been tabled from all the major countries and groups of countries. However, talks, at this time, failed to solve the difference between the United States, the European Union and the G20 on agricultural issues including i) the level of and products to apply "tariff cap," which it was proposed will impose a ceiling on tariff over a wide range of products, ii) the range of "sensitive products" which will not be subjected to substantial reduction of tariff, iii) the question of domestic agricultural subsidies, and so forth. The meetings had to close with these issues of agriculture put on the shelves.
WTO director-general Pascal Lamy suggested at an ambassador level meeting held at the WTO head office in Geneva on November 10 a prospect to present draft agreement on modalities (stangards for the reduction of protective measures) including tough ones on agriculture by November 25. At the same time, he suggested that, due to difficulty of agricultural negotiations etc., an agreement on full modalities may have to wait till sometime after the Hong Kong Council meeting.
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