World Trade Organisation (WTO) Ministerial in Hong Kong –
Outcomes
20 December 2005
What happened?
The big issues in the round are agriculture, non-agriculture market access (NAMA) and services. This was where we had hoped for a breakthrough at Hong Kong. The main successes were:
- All 150 member countries agreeing to end all forms of agricultural export support by 2013.
- The agriculture and NAMA talks also agreed on some broad principles, and a deadline of 30 April 2006 for agreeing modalities, which are the detailed framework of an agreement.
- The services talks agreed some new negotiating guidelines and a deadline of 31 July 2006 for revised offers for market access.
The UK and the EU had put a great deal of emphasis on a development package to complement progress on market opening. There were some achievements here also:
- All developed countries will now grant duty and quota-free market access for at least 97 per cent of tariff lines on products originating from the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) by 2008.
- Export subsidies on cotton will be eliminated in 2006 and all LDC cotton exports will be granted duty and quota-free market access as soon as the Doha round is concluded.
- A Task Force will provide recommendations by July 2006 on how to make Aid for Trade most effective.
The outcome from Hong Kong provides a road map for the conclusion of the Doha Development Round at the end of 2006. The UK Government remains committed to a successful round which has the potential to lift millions of people out of poverty.
