The meeting was convened to sound members’ opinions on the way ahead to be reported to the next TNC on 6 October. In his concluding remarks, the chair said that there were three positions stated at the meeting:

• Some members want to continue work,

• Some members hope that consultations to break the current deadlock would be positive and would allow for the continuation of the work, and,

• Some members say that under the current circumstances work cannot continue as if nothing had happened.

The United States, Japan, the European Union, Australia, New Zealand, Norway, Canada and Switzerland held the view that work cannot continue because trust has been broken due to the failure to adopt the Trade Facilitation Agreement by 31 July, as was agreed at the Ministerial Conference in Bali last year.

China, Egypt, South Africa and India defended the notion to continue work in other areas of the Doha Development Agenda and in particular on establishing a work programme to that end because trade facilitation is not the only item on the agenda and there are other areas that are also important.

The chair said he did not have a clear view on what the members wanted and, referring to the report he has to produce for the TNC, added he did not see how work in NAMA can be advanced under the current circumstances.