The Way Froward: Work Plans prepared by Ag and NAMA Chairs, the required preparatory work and by who

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The Way Froward Work Plans prepared by Ag and
NAMA Chairs, the required preparatory work and by
whom

• Presentation by Mohamed Abulkheir,
• Counsellor, Permanent Mission of Egypt to the WTO
  in Geneva.
• In Egypts capacity as Coordinator of the African
  Group to the WTO in Geneva

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I - The Work Program of the Chair of the
Negotiating Group on Agriculture

• The Chair indicated before the summer break
  that he intends to
• Intensify consultations on pending issues in the
  last Draft Modalities text, mentioning Cotton,
  SSM, Tariff Simplification, Tropical Products,
  Sensitive Products.
• Those consultations would be in the form of
• Small Groups on Specific Issues.
• Room E.
• Open Ended Transparency Sessions.
• Continue Discussions on Templates for Schedules.

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I - The Work Program of the Chair of the
Negotiating Group on Agriculture

• The Chair circulated a Memo on September 1st
  2009, inviting delegates to the next open ended
  meeting on Templates for Schedules. It will start
  on September 25 (Export Competition), and
  continue on October 1st and 2nd (Domestic Support
  and Market Access).
• During the first half of the week of September
  28, the Chair intends to hold further
  consultations with delegations on issues to be
  identified among those bracketed or otherwise
  annotated in the documentation before the
  Negotiating Group.

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II - The Work Program of the Chair of the NAMA
Negotiating Group

• The Chair indicated before the summer
  break that he intends to
• Continue consultations on outstanding issues,
  namely Country Specific Issues South Africa
  (SACU), Argentina , Bolivia, Sectorals, NTBs ,
  Preferences, Disproportionately affected
  countries (DACs).
• Those consultations would be in the form of
• Bilateral Consultations.
• Small Groups on Specific Issues.
• Open Ended Transparency Sessions.

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• But these work programs may change
• in light of the outcome of the
• New Delhi Ministerial Meeting
• (3-4 September 2009)

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III- The outcome of the New Delhi Ministerial
Meeting

• The Chairs summary indicates that there was
  unanimous affirmation on the need to conclude the
  Round by 2010, and that there was a strong
  reaffirmation that Development remains at the
  heart of the Doha Round.

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III- The outcome of the New Delhi Ministerial
Meeting

• It further mentions that the Ministers
• Called Upon Chief Negotiators to meet in Geneva
  beginning September 14, 2009 to draw up a process
  of engagement for the next 2-3 months, and to
  work with the Chairs of the Negotiating Groups to
  prepare an overall plan of action.
• Agreed that the Chairs of Ag and NAMA would be
  requested to draw up issue based work plans in
  consultations with Chief Negotiators, for
  intensifying engagement to complete negotiations.

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III- The outcome of the New Delhi Ministerial
Meeting

• Agreed that the Chairs of other Negotiating
  Groups, in consultations with chief Negotiators,
  would also draw up work plans, including, where
  applicable, tabling, discussions and finalization
  of texts where required and the timelines for
  submission of revised offers (Services), in line
  with the overall agenda of action.
• Agreed that the negotiations should resume on the
  basis of progress achieved so far.

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III- The outcome of the New Delhi Ministerial
Meeting

• Agreed that the work agenda for LDCs covering all
  specific issues across the entire spectrum should
  be put on a faster track for negotiating
  convergence with DG Lamy and Chairs of
  Negotiating Groups taking the lead in this
  process.
• Were of the view that the multilateral process
  should continue to be the main process of
  negotiations for the strength of its
  inclusiveness and transparency. Other forms of
  engagement can work as an adjunct for developing
  a better understanding among members.

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III- The outcome of the New Delhi Ministerial
Meeting

• Agreed to review progress and provide further
  guidance on how to complete negotiations within
  expected 2010 timeline. All opportunities for
  political guidance, including at the level of
  leaders to be used between now and November 2009.
• Agreed that all efforts must be made to bring the
  Round to an ambitious and development oriented
  conclusion within 2010.

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IV-The African Group in the Delhi Meeting

• Egypts Minister of Trade and Industry
  stressed on the following African positions in
  his statement
• The Groups readiness to work on putting a
  concrete road map to allow us to conclude the
  round in 2010.
• It is fundamental to resume the Geneva process as
  soon as possible in order to advance the
  negotiations.
• Concluding the round should not come at the
  expense of its developmental components.
  Development outcomes in each of the negotiating
  tracks remain the raison d'être of the Doha Round.

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IV-The African Group in the Delhi Meeting

• The Groups concerns about attempts to change or
  reinterpret the mandates in any of the
  negotiating tracks.
• The need to preserve and build on progress
  achieved so far in the negotiations, and to avoid
  any backtracking.
• Future negotiations in Agriculture and NAMA
  should be based on the last draft modalities
  texts issued in December 2008. Adhering to the
  mandates entails that priority be given to the
  conclusion of modalities in agriculture and NAMA.

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IV-The African Group in the Delhi Meeting

• African countries remain concerned that no
  significant progress has been made in some key
  issues of interest to them.
• Calls on all relevant parties to work
  constructively to resolve the cotton issue and
  others of priority to Africa in the Doha
  negotiations.
• The negotiating process must remain multilateral
  and fully transparent, with a bottom-up approach.
  Bilateral and plurilateral consultations may be
  useful in enhancing mutual understanding, but
  should not replace the multilateral negotiations,
  nor should they affect the consensus reached
  within the multilateral context.

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IV-The African Group in the Delhi Meeting

• There are concerns that such consultations may be
  used to selectively reopen stabilized elements of
  the negotiations, or to compromise developing
  countries' interests.
• Urge members to show reciprocal flexibilities and
  to demonstrate their commitment to the
  multilateral trading system.

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IV-The African Group in the Delhi Meeting

• Noteworthy to mention, the African Group
• Supported the C4 demands to give priority to the
  cotton issue.
• Reaffirmed with the ACP Group the need for
  the Banana issue to be specifically addressed
  outside of the modalities on Agriculture, in
  order to reach a just and balanced outcome.
• The two Groups also expressed disappointment that
  understandings reached in July 2008 on preference
  erosion modalities had not reached fruition.

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V- DG Lamy in the Delhi Meeting

• Pascal Lamy indicated that the Chairs of the
  Negotiating Groups already have a work plan that
  can be implemented.
• Negotiations should be intensified in
  Agriculture, NAMA, Services, Rules and Trade
  Facilitation.

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VI - Guidance to the Coordinator

• In addition to the principles stressed on in
  the Delhi meeting, the coordinator will seek
  guidance from the group on additional principles
  and positions that the Group would work upon
  during the Senior Official meetings in mid
  September and in the coming months.

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VII Preparatory Work needed and by whom

• The need to reach a common position on Process
• Should time lead the process or substance.
• Should there be a list of outstanding issues.
• Should there be a list of issues to be given
  priorities.
• On Substance, preparatory work needed was
  mentioned by focal points on AG, NAMA, Rules,
  Services and Trade Facilitation yesterday.
• On schedules, the need for the participation of
  Capital Based Experts in relevant meetings. The
  Coordinators of the African, ACP, LDC groups
  requested the WTO to fund the participation of
  Capital based experts in those meetings for they
  will be responsible for scheduling.

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• Thank you for your attention