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1. The multilateral trading system embodied in the World
Trade Organization has contributed significantly to economic growth,
development and employment throughout the past fifty years. We are
determined, particularly in the light of the global economic
slowdown, to maintain the process of reform and liberalization of
trade policies, thus ensuring that the system plays its full part in
promoting recovery, growth and development. We therefore strongly
reaffirm the principles and objectives set out in the Marrakesh
Agreement Establishing the World Trade Organization, and pledge to
reject the use of protectionism.
2. International
trade can play a major role in the promotion of economic development
and the alleviation of poverty. We recognize the need for all our
peoples to benefit from the increased opportunities and welfare
gains that the multilateral trading system generates. The majority
of WTO members are developing countries. We seek to place their
needs and interests at the heart of the Work Programme adopted in
this Declaration. Recalling the Preamble to the Marrakesh Agreement,
we shall continue to make positive efforts designed to ensure that
developing countries, and especially the least-developed among them,
secure a share in the growth of world trade commensurate with the
needs of their economic development. In this context, enhanced
market access, balanced rules, and well targeted, sustainably
financed technical assistance and capacity-building programmes have
important roles to play.
3. We
recognize the particular vulnerability of the least-developed
countries and the special structural difficulties they face in the
global economy. We are committed to addressing the marginalization
of least-developed countries in international trade and to improving
their effective participation in the multilateral trading system. We
recall the commitments made by ministers at our meetings in
Marrakesh, Singapore and Geneva, and by the international community
at the Third UN Conference on Least-Developed Countries in Brussels,
to help least-developed countries secure beneficial and meaningful
integration into the multilateral trading system and the global
economy. We are determined that the WTO will play its part in
building effectively on these commitments under the Work Programme
we are establishing.
4. We
stress our commitment to the WTO as the unique forum for global
trade rule-making and liberalization, while also recognizing that
regional trade agreements can play an important role in promoting
the liberalization and expansion of trade and in fostering
development.
5. We
are aware that the challenges members face in a rapidly changing
international environment cannot be addressed through measures taken
in the trade field alone. We shall continue to work with the Bretton
Woods institutions for greater coherence in global economic
policy-making.
6. We
strongly reaffirm our commitment to the objective of sustainable
development, as stated in the Preamble to the Marrakesh Agreement.
We are convinced that the aims of upholding and safeguarding an open
and non-discriminatory multilateral trading system, and acting for
the protection of the environment and the promotion of sustainable
development can and must be mutually supportive. We take note of the
efforts by members to conduct national environmental assessments of
trade policies on a voluntary basis. We recognize that under WTO
rules no country should be prevented from taking measures for the
protection of human, animal or plant life or health, or of the
environment at the levels it considers appropriate, subject to the
requirement that they are not applied in a manner which would
constitute a means of arbitrary or unjustifiable discrimination
between countries where the same conditions prevail, or a disguised
restriction on international trade, and are otherwise in accordance
with the provisions of the WTO Agreements. We welcome the WTO´s
continued cooperation with UNEP and other inter-governmental
environmental organizations. We encourage efforts to promote
cooperation between the WTO and relevant international environmental
and developmental organizations, especially in the lead-up to the
World Summit on Sustainable Development to be held in Johannesburg,
South Africa, in September 2002.
7. We
reaffirm the right of members under the General Agreement on Trade
in Services to regulate, and to introduce new regulations on, the
supply of services.
8. We
reaffirm our declaration made at the Singapore Ministerial
Conference regarding internationally recognized core labour
standards. We take note of work under way in the International
Labour Organization (ILO) on the social dimension of globalization.
9. We
note with particular satisfaction that this conference has completed
the WTO accession procedures for China and Chinese Taipei. We also
welcome the accession as new members, since our last session, of
Albania, Croatia, Georgia, Jordan, Lithuania, Moldova and Oman, and
note the extensive market-access commitments already made by these
countries on accession. These accessions will greatly strengthen the
multilateral trading system, as will those of the 28 countries
now negotiating their accession. We therefore attach great
importance to concluding accession proceedings as quickly as
possible. In particular, we are committed to accelerating the
accession of least-developed countries.
10. Recognizing
the challenges posed by an expanding WTO membership, we confirm our
collective responsibility to ensure internal transparency and the
effective participation of all members. While emphasizing the
intergovernmental character of the organization, we are committed to
making the WTO's operations more transparent, including through more
effective and prompt dissemination of information, and to improve
dialogue with the public. We shall therefore at the national and
multilateral levels continue to promote a better public
understanding of the WTO and to communicate the benefits of a
liberal, rules-based multilateral trading system.
11. In
view of these considerations, we hereby agree to undertake the broad
and balanced Work Programme set out below. This incorporates both an
expanded negotiating agenda and other important decisions and
activities necessary to address the challenges facing the
multilateral trading system.
WORK
PROGRAMME
Implementation-related
issues and concerns back to top
12. We
attach the utmost importance to the implementation-related issues
and concerns raised by members and are determined to find
appropriate solutions to them. In this connection, and having regard
to the General Council Decisions of 3 May and
15 December 2000, we further adopt the Decision on
Implementation-Related Issues and Concerns in document WT/MIN(01)/17
to address a number of implementation problems faced by members. We
agree that negotiations on outstanding implementation issues shall
be an integral part of the Work Programme we are establishing, and
that agreements reached at an early stage in these negotiations
shall be treated in accordance with the provisions of
paragraph 47 below. In this regard, we shall proceed as
follows: (a) where we provide a specific negotiating mandate in
this declaration, the relevant implementation issues shall be
addressed under that mandate; (b) the other outstanding
implementation issues shall be addressed as a matter of priority by
the relevant WTO bodies, which shall report to the Trade
Negotiations Committee, established under paragraph 46 below,
by the end of 2002 for appropriate action.
Agriculture
back to top
13. We
recognize the work already undertaken in the negotiations initiated
in early 2000 under Article 20 of the Agreement on
Agriculture, including the large number of negotiating proposals
submitted on behalf of a total of 121 members. We recall the
long-term objective referred to in the Agreement to establish a fair
and market-oriented trading system through a programme of
fundamental reform encompassing strengthened rules and specific
commitments on support and protection in order to correct and
prevent restrictions and distortions in world agricultural markets.
We reconfirm our commitment to this programme. Building on the work
carried out to date and without prejudging the outcome of the
negotiations we commit ourselves to comprehensive negotiations aimed
at: substantial improvements in market access; reductions of, with a
view to phasing out, all forms of export subsidies; and substantial
reductions in trade-distorting domestic support. We agree that
special and differential treatment for developing countries shall be
an integral part of all elements of the negotiations and shall be
embodied in the schedules of concessions and commitments and as
appropriate in the rules and disciplines to be negotiated, so as to
be operationally effective and to enable developing countries to
effectively take account of their development needs, including food
security and rural development. We take note of the non-trade
concerns reflected in the negotiating proposals submitted by Members
and confirm that non-trade concerns will be taken into account in
the negotiations as provided for in the Agreement on Agriculture.
14. Modalities
for the further commitments, including provisions for special and
differential treatment, shall be established no later than
31 March 2003. Participants shall submit their
comprehensive draft Schedules based on these modalities no later
than the date of the Fifth Session of the Ministerial Conference.
The negotiations, including with respect to rules and disciplines
and related legal texts, shall be concluded as part and at the date
of conclusion of the negotiating agenda as a whole.
Services
back to top
15. The
negotiations on trade in services shall be conducted with a view to
promoting the economic growth of all trading partners and the
development of developing and least-developed countries. We
recognize the work already undertaken in the negotiations, initiated
in January 2000 under Article XIX of the General Agreement
on Trade in Services, and the large number of proposals submitted by
members on a wide range of sectors and several horizontal issues, as
well as on movement of natural persons. We reaffirm the Guidelines
and Procedures for the Negotiations adopted by the Council for Trade
in Services on 28 March 2001 as the basis for continuing
the negotiations, with a view to achieving the objectives of the
General Agreement on Trade in Services, as stipulated in the
Preamble, Article IV and Article XIX of that Agreement.
Participants shall submit initial requests for specific commitments
by 30 June 2002 and initial offers by
31 March 2003.
Market
access for non-agricultural products back to top
16. We
agree to negotiations which shall aim, by modalities to be agreed,
to reduce or as appropriate eliminate tariffs, including the
reduction or elimination of tariff peaks, high tariffs, and tariff
escalation, as well as non-tariff barriers, in particular on
products of export interest to developing countries. Product
coverage shall be comprehensive and without a priori exclusions. The
negotiations shall take fully into account the special needs and
interests of developing and least-developed country participants,
including through less than full reciprocity in reduction
commitments, in accordance with the relevant provisions of
Article XXVIII bis of GATT 1994 and the provisions cited
in paragraph 50 below. To this end, the modalities to be agreed
will include appropriate studies and capacity-building measures to
assist least-developed countries to participate effectively in the
negotiations.
Trade-related
aspects of intellectual property rights back to top
17. We
stress the importance we attach to implementation and interpretation
of the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property
Rights (TRIPS Agreement) in a manner supportive of public health, by
promoting both access to existing medicines and research and
development into new medicines and, in this connection, are adopting
a separate declaration.
18. With
a view to completing the work started in the Council for
Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (Council for
TRIPS) on the implementation of Article 23.4, we agree to
negotiate the establishment of a multilateral system of notification
and registration of geographical indications for wines and spirits
by the Fifth Session of the Ministerial Conference. We note that
issues related to the extension of the protection of geographical
indications provided for in Article 23 to products other than
wines and spirits will be addressed in the Council for TRIPS
pursuant to paragraph 12 of this declaration.
19. We
instruct the Council for TRIPS, in pursuing its work programme
including under the review of Article 27.3(b), the review of
the implementation of the TRIPS Agreement under Article 71.1
and the work foreseen pursuant to paragraph 12 of this
declaration, to examine, inter alia, the relationship between the
TRIPS Agreement and the Convention on Biological Diversity, the
protection of traditional knowledge and folklore, and other relevant
new developments raised by members pursuant to Article 71.1. In
undertaking this work, the TRIPS Council shall be guided by the
objectives and principles set out in Articles 7 and 8 of
the TRIPS Agreement and shall take fully into account the
development dimension.
Relationship
between trade and investment back to top
20. Recognizing
the case for a multilateral framework to secure transparent, stable
and predictable conditions for long-term cross-border investment,
particularly foreign direct investment, that will contribute to the
expansion of trade, and the need for enhanced technical assistance
and capacity-building in this area as referred to in
paragraph 21, we agree that negotiations will take place after
the Fifth Session of the Ministerial Conference on the basis of a
decision to be taken, by explicit consensus, at that session on
modalities of negotiations.
21. We
recognize the needs of developing and least-developed countries for
enhanced support for technical assistance and capacity building in
this area, including policy analysis and development so that they
may better evaluate the implications of closer multilateral
cooperation for their development policies and objectives, and human
and institutional development. To this end, we shall work in
cooperation with other relevant intergovernmental organisations,
including UNCTAD, and through appropriate regional and bilateral
channels, to provide strengthened and adequately resourced
assistance to respond to these needs.
22. In
the period until the Fifth Session, further work in the Working
Group on the Relationship Between Trade and Investment will focus on
the clarification of: scope and definition; transparency;
non-discrimination; modalities for pre-establishment commitments
based on a GATS-type, positive list approach; development
provisions; exceptions and balance-of-payments safeguards;
consultation and the settlement of disputes between members. Any
framework should reflect in a balanced manner the interests of home
and host countries, and take due account of the development policies
and objectives of host governments as well as their right to
regulate in the public interest. The special development, trade and
financial needs of developing and least-developed countries should
be taken into account as an integral part of any framework, which
should enable members to undertake obligations and commitments
commensurate with their individual needs and circumstances. Due
regard should be paid to other relevant WTO provisions. Account
should be taken, as appropriate, of existing bilateral and regional
arrangements on investment.
Interaction
between trade and competition policy back to top
23. Recognizing
the case for a multilateral framework to enhance the contribution of
competition policy to international trade and development, and the
need for enhanced technical assistance and capacity-building in this
area as referred to in paragraph 24, we agree that negotiations
will take place after the Fifth Session of the Ministerial
Conference on the basis of a decision to be taken, by explicit
consensus, at that session on modalities of negotiations.
24. We
recognize the needs of developing and least-developed countries for
enhanced support for technical assistance and capacity building in
this area, including policy analysis and development so that they
may better evaluate the implications of closer multilateral
cooperation for their development policies and objectives, and human
and institutional development. To this end, we shall work in
cooperation with other relevant intergovernmental organisations,
including UNCTAD, and through appropriate regional and bilateral
channels, to provide strengthened and adequately resourced
assistance to respond to these needs.
25. In
the period until the Fifth Session, further work in the Working
Group on the Interaction between Trade and Competition Policy will
focus on the clarification of: core principles, including
transparency, non-discrimination and procedural fairness, and
provisions on hardcore cartels; modalities for voluntary
cooperation; and support for progressive reinforcement of
competition institutions in developing countries through capacity
building. Full account shall be taken of the needs of developing and
least-developed country participants and appropriate flexibility
provided to address them.
Transparency
in government procurement back to top
26. Recognizing
the case for a multilateral agreement on transparency in government
procurement and the need for enhanced technical assistance and
capacity building in this area, we agree that negotiations will take
place after the Fifth Session of the Ministerial Conference on the
basis of a decision to be taken, by explicit consensus, at that
session on modalities of negotiations. These negotiations will build
on the progress made in the Working Group on Transparency in
Government Procurement by that time and take into account
participants’ development priorities, especially those of
least-developed country participants. Negotiations shall be limited
to the transparency aspects and therefore will not restrict the
scope for countries to give preferences to domestic supplies and
suppliers. We commit ourselves to ensuring adequate technical
assistance and support for capacity building both during the
negotiations and after their conclusion.
Trade
facilitation back to top
27. Recognizing
the case for further expediting the movement, release and clearance
of goods, including goods in transit, and the need for enhanced
technical assistance and capacity building in this area, we agree
that negotiations will take place after the Fifth Session of the
Ministerial Conference on the basis of a decision to be taken, by
explicit consensus, at that session on modalities of negotiations.
In the period until the Fifth Session, the Council for Trade in
Goods shall review and as appropriate, clarify and improve relevant
aspects of Articles V, VIII and X of the
GATT 1994 and identify the trade facilitation needs and
priorities of members, in particular developing and least-developed
countries. We commit ourselves to ensuring adequate technical
assistance and support for capacity building in this area.
WTO
rules back to top
28. In
the light of experience and of the increasing application of these
instruments by members, we agree to negotiations aimed at clarifying
and improving disciplines under the Agreements on Implementation of
Article VI of the GATT 1994 and on Subsidies and
Countervailing Measures, while preserving the basic concepts,
principles and effectiveness of these Agreements and their
instruments and objectives, and taking into account the needs of
developing and least-developed participants. In the initial phase of
the negotiations, participants will indicate the provisions,
including disciplines on trade distorting practices, that they seek
to clarify and improve in the subsequent phase. In the context of
these negotiations, participants shall also aim to clarify and
improve WTO disciplines on fisheries subsidies, taking into account
the importance of this sector to developing countries. We note that
fisheries subsidies are also referred to in paragraph 31.
29. We
also agree to negotiations aimed at clarifying and improving
disciplines and procedures under the existing WTO provisions
applying to regional trade agreements. The negotiations shall take
into account the developmental aspects of regional trade agreements.
Dispute
Settlement Understanding back to top
30. We
agree to negotiations on improvements and clarifications of the
Dispute Settlement Understanding. The negotiations should be based
on the work done thus far as well as any additional proposals by
members, and aim to agree on improvements and clarifications not
later than May 2003, at which time we will take steps to ensure
that the results enter into force as soon as possible thereafter.
Trade
and environment back to top
31. With
a view to enhancing the mutual supportiveness of trade and
environment, we agree to negotiations, without prejudging their
outcome, on:
(i) the
relationship between existing WTO rules and specific trade
obligations set out in multilateral environmental agreements
(MEAs). The negotiations shall be limited in scope to the
applicability of such existing WTO rules as among parties to the
MEA in question. The negotiations shall not prejudice the WTO
rights of any Member that is not a party to the MEA in question;
(ii) procedures
for regular information exchange between MEA Secretariats and
the relevant WTO committees, and the criteria for the granting
of observer status;
(iii) the
reduction or, as appropriate, elimination of tariff and
non-tariff barriers to environmental goods and services.
We
note that fisheries subsidies form part of the negotiations provided
for in paragraph 28.
32. We
instruct the Committee on Trade and Environment, in pursuing work on
all items on its agenda within its current terms of reference, to
give particular attention to:
(i) the
effect of environmental measures on market access, especially in
relation to developing countries, in particular the
least-developed among them, and those situations in which the
elimination or reduction of trade restrictions and distortions
would benefit trade, the environment and development;
(ii) the
relevant provisions of the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of
Intellectual Property Rights; and
(iii) labelling
requirements for environmental purposes.
Work
on these issues should include the identification of any need to
clarify relevant WTO rules. The Committee shall report to the Fifth
Session of the Ministerial Conference, and make recommendations,
where appropriate, with respect to future action, including the
desirability of negotiations. The outcome of this work as well as
the negotiations carried out under paragraph 31(i)
and (ii) shall be compatible with the open and
non-discriminatory nature of the multilateral trading system, shall
not add to or diminish the rights and obligations of members under
existing WTO agreements, in particular the Agreement on the
Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures, nor alter the
balance of these rights and obligations, and will take into account
the needs of developing and least-developed countries.
33. We
recognize the importance of technical assistance and capacity
building in the field of trade and environment to developing
countries, in particular the least-developed among them. We also
encourage that expertise and experience be shared with members
wishing to perform environmental reviews at the national level. A
report shall be prepared on these activities for the Fifth Session.
Electronic
commerce back to top
34. We
take note of the work which has been done in the General Council and
other relevant bodies since the Ministerial Declaration of
20 May 1998 and agree to continue the Work Programme on
Electronic Commerce. The work to date demonstrates that electronic
commerce creates new challenges and opportunities for trade for
members at all stages of development, and we recognize the
importance of creating and maintaining an environment which is
favourable to the future development of electronic commerce. We
instruct the General Council to consider the most appropriate
institutional arrangements for handling the Work Programme, and to
report on further progress to the Fifth Session of the Ministerial
Conference. We declare that members will maintain their current
practice of not imposing customs duties on electronic transmissions
until the Fifth Session.
Small
economies back to top
35. We
agree to a work programme, under the auspices of the General
Council, to examine issues relating to the trade of small economies.
The objective of this work is to frame responses to the
trade-related issues identified for the fuller integration of small,
vulnerable economies into the multilateral trading system, and not
to create a sub-category of WTO Members. The General Council shall
review the work programme and make recommendations for action to the
Fifth Session of the Ministerial Conference.
Trade,
debt and finance back to top
36. We
agree to an examination, in a Working Group under the auspices of
the General Council, of the relationship between trade, debt and
finance, and of any possible recommendations on steps that might be
taken within the mandate and competence of the WTO to enhance the
capacity of the multilateral trading system to contribute to a
durable solution to the problem of external indebtedness of
developing and least-developed countries, and to strengthen the
coherence of international trade and financial policies, with a view
to safeguarding the multilateral trading system from the effects of
financial and monetary instability. The General Council shall report
to the Fifth Session of the Ministerial Conference on progress in
the examination.
Trade
and transfer of technology back to top
37. We
agree to an examination, in a Working Group under the auspices of
the General Council, of the relationship between trade and transfer
of technology, and of any possible recommendations on steps that
might be taken within the mandate of the WTO to increase flows of
technology to developing countries. The General Council shall report
to the Fifth Session of the Ministerial Conference on progress in
the examination.
Technical
cooperation and capacity building back to top
38. We
confirm that technical cooperation and capacity building are core
elements of the development dimension of the multilateral trading
system, and we welcome and endorse the New Strategy for WTO
Technical Cooperation for Capacity Building, Growth and Integration.
We instruct the Secretariat, in coordination with other relevant
agencies, to support domestic efforts for mainstreaming trade into
national plans for economic development and strategies for poverty
reduction. The delivery of WTO technical assistance shall be
designed to assist developing and least-developed countries and
low-income countries in transition to adjust to WTO rules and
disciplines, implement obligations and exercise the rights of
membership, including drawing on the benefits of an open,
rules-based multilateral trading system. Priority shall also be
accorded to small, vulnerable, and transition economies, as well as
to members and observers without representation in Geneva. We
reaffirm our support for the valuable work of the International
Trade Centre, which should be enhanced.
39. We
underscore the urgent necessity for the effective coordinated
delivery of technical assistance with bilateral donors, in the OECD
Development Assistance Committee and relevant international and
regional intergovernmental institutions, within a coherent policy
framework and timetable. In the coordinated delivery of technical
assistance, we instruct the Director-General to consult with the
relevant agencies, bilateral donors and beneficiaries, to identify
ways of enhancing and rationalizing the Integrated Framework for
Trade-Related Technical Assistance to Least-Developed Countries and
the Joint Integrated Technical Assistance Programme (JITAP).
40. We
agree that there is a need for technical assistance to benefit from
secure and predictable funding. We therefore instruct the Committee
on Budget, Finance and Administration to develop a plan for adoption
by the General Council in December 2001 that will ensure
long-term funding for WTO technical assistance at an overall level
no lower than that of the current year and commensurate with the
activities outlined above.
41. We
have established firm commitments on technical cooperation and
capacity building in various paragraphs in this Ministerial
Declaration. We reaffirm these specific commitments contained in
paragraphs 16, 21, 24, 26, 27, 33, 38-40, 42 and 43, and
also reaffirm the understanding in paragraph 2 on the important
role of sustainably financed technical assistance and
capacity-building programmes. We instruct the Director-General to
report to the Fifth Session of the Ministerial Conference, with an
interim report to the General Council in December 2002 on the
implementation and adequacy of these commitments in the identified
paragraphs.
Least-developed
countries back to top
42. We
acknowledge the seriousness of the concerns expressed by the
least-developed countries (LDCs) in the Zanzibar Declaration adopted
by their ministers in July 2001. We recognize that the
integration of the LDCs into the multilateral trading system
requires meaningful market access, support for the diversification
of their production and export base, and trade-related technical
assistance and capacity building. We agree that the meaningful
integration of LDCs into the trading system and the global economy
will involve efforts by all WTO members. We commit ourselves to the
objective of duty-free, quota-free market access for products
originating from LDCs. In this regard, we welcome the significant
market access improvements by WTO members in advance of the Third UN
Conference on LDCs (LDC-III), in Brussels, May 2001. We further
commit ourselves to consider additional measures for progressive
improvements in market access for LDCs. Accession of LDCs remains a
priority for the Membership. We agree to work to facilitate and
accelerate negotiations with acceding LDCs. We instruct the
Secretariat to reflect the priority we attach to LDCs’ accessions
in the annual plans for technical assistance. We reaffirm the
commitments we undertook at LDC-III, and agree that the WTO should
take into account, in designing its work programme for LDCs, the
trade-related elements of the Brussels Declaration and Programme of
Action, consistent with the WTO’s mandate, adopted at LDC-III. We
instruct the Sub-Committee for Least-Developed Countries to design
such a work programme and to report on the agreed work programme to
the General Council at its first meeting in 2002.
43. We
endorse the Integrated Framework for Trade-Related Technical
Assistance to Least-Developed Countries (IF) as a viable model for
LDCs’ trade development. We urge development partners to
significantly increase contributions to the IF Trust Fund and WTO
extra-budgetary trust funds in favour of LDCs. We urge the core
agencies, in coordination with development partners, to explore the
enhancement of the IF with a view to addressing the supply-side
constraints of LDCs and the extension of the model to all LDCs,
following the review of the IF and the appraisal of the ongoing
Pilot Scheme in selected LDCs. We request the Director-General,
following coordination with heads of the other agencies, to provide
an interim report to the General Council in December 2002 and a
full report to the Fifth Session of the Ministerial Conference on
all issues affecting LDCs.
Special
and differential treatment back to top
44. We
reaffirm that provisions for special and differential treatment are
an integral part of the WTO Agreements. We note the concerns
expressed regarding their operation in addressing specific
constraints faced by developing countries, particularly
least-developed countries. In that connection, we also note that
some members have proposed a Framework Agreement on Special and
Differential Treatment (WT/GC/W/442). We therefore agree that all
special and differential treatment provisions shall be reviewed with
a view to strengthening them and making them more precise, effective
and operational. In this connection, we endorse the work programme
on special and differential treatment set out in the Decision on
Implementation-Related Issues and Concerns.
Organization
and management of the work programme back to top
45. The
negotiations to be pursued under the terms of this declaration shall
be concluded not later than 1 January 2005. The Fifth
Session of the Ministerial Conference will take stock of progress in
the negotiations, provide any necessary political guidance, and take
decisions as necessary. When the results of the negotiations in all
areas have been established, a Special Session of the Ministerial
Conference will be held to take decisions regarding the adoption and
implementation of those results.
46. The
overall conduct of the negotiations shall be supervised by a Trade
Negotiations Committee under the authority of the General Council.
The Trade Negotiations Committee shall hold its first meeting not
later than 31 January 2002. It shall establish appropriate
negotiating mechanisms as required and supervise the progress of the
negotiations.
47. With
the exception of the improvements and clarifications of the Dispute
Settlement Understanding, the conduct, conclusion and entry into
force of the outcome of the negotiations shall be treated as parts
of a single undertaking. However, agreements reached at an early
stage may be implemented on a provisional or a definitive basis.
Early agreements shall be taken into account in assessing the
overall balance of the negotiations.
48. Negotiations
shall be open to:
(i) all
members of the WTO; and
(ii) States
and separate customs territories currently in the process of
accession and those that inform members, at a regular meeting of
the General Council, of their intention to negotiate the terms
of their membership and for whom an accession working party is
established.
Decisions
on the outcomes of the negotiations shall be taken only by WTO
members.
49. The
negotiations shall be conducted in a transparent manner among
participants, in order to facilitate the effective participation of
all. They shall be conducted with a view to ensuring benefits to all
participants and to achieving an overall balance in the outcome of
the negotiations.
50. The
negotiations and the other aspects of the Work Programme shall take
fully into account the principle of special and differential
treatment for developing and least-developed countries embodied in:
Part IV of the GATT 1994; the Decision of
28 November 1979 on Differential and More Favourable
Treatment, Reciprocity and Fuller Participation of Developing
Countries; the Uruguay Round Decision on Measures in Favour of
Least-Developed Countries; and all other relevant WTO provisions.
51. The
Committee on Trade and Development and the Committee on Trade and
Environment shall, within their respective mandates, each act as a
forum to identify and debate developmental and environmental aspects
of the negotiations, in order to help achieve the objective of
having sustainable development appropriately reflected.
52. Those
elements of the Work Programme which do not involve negotiations are
also accorded a high priority. They shall be pursued under the
overall supervision of the General Council, which shall report on
progress to the Fifth Session of the Ministerial Conference.
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Doha
Development Agenda 