is the doha round over?, simon lester

Question 1

what does the text titled “ is the doha round over” by simon lester discuss?

Answer 1

The document discusses the state and future of the Doha Round of World Trade Organization (WTO) negotiations, particularly in the aftermath of the Nairobi Ministerial Conference in December 2015.

Question 2

what is the backgroung on the doha round?

Answer 2

• The Doha Development Agenda (Doha Round) launched in 2001 aimed to address trade issues affecting both developed and developing countries, covering areas like agriculture, services, non-agricultural market access, and intellectual property.
• Negotiations faced persistent stalemates due to disagreements between developed and developing countries, resulting in low expectations and limited progress.

Question 3

what were the nairobi outcomes?

Answer 3

1. Agriculture Trade:
   
   • A key achievement was the decision to phase out export subsidies. However, its impact is tempered by carve-outs and the potential for subsidies to be restructured as domestic subsidies.
   • Domestic agriculture subsidies remain unresolved, with contributions from both developed and emerging economies like India and Brazil.
   • Issues like food security stockpiling and food aid practices remain contentious. The U.S.’s food aid mechanisms raised concerns about unfair competition.
2. Trade Facilitation:
   
   • Progress was made on ratifying the Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA). By the Nairobi conference, 63 members had ratified it, short of the two-thirds required for enactment.
3. Information Technology Agreement (ITA-II):
   
   • An agreement among 53 members was reached to lower tariffs on IT products. Although not part of the Doha agenda, it demonstrated the WTO’s capability to promote trade liberalization.

Question 4

how do countries feel about the doha agenda?

Answer 4

Opinions diverge on whether to continue with the Doha agenda or adopt new approaches:
- Developed nations like the U.S. and EU favor moving beyond Doha, focusing on emerging issues such as e-commerce, digital trade, and investment.
- Developing countries, including India and China, advocate completing the Doha agenda, emphasizing commitments to its original goals.

Question 5

what are the new issues vd old agenda?

Answer 5

• The U.S. and EU suggest integrating new trade topics like digital commerce and regulatory disciplines while revisiting Doha’s unresolved matters with fresh strategies.
• Developing nations resist this shift, emphasizing unresolved issues in agriculture and other Doha topics.

Question 6

what are the potential paths for negotiations?

Answer 6

• Broad Agreements:A comprehensive deal balancing cuts in agricultural subsidies with disciplines on issues like e-commerce and state-owned enterprises.
• Sectoral Agreements:Focused agreements similar to ITA-II, targeting specific areas like environmental goods or services.
• Protectionism:A critical issue is governments’ unwillingness to address their own protectionist measures, which hampers meaningful progress.

Question 7

what is the wto’s role?

Answer 7

• While the WTO remains vital as a global trade rule enforcer, its role as a forum for trade liberalization is at risk unless members commit to addressing protectionism multilaterally.
• Bilateral and regional trade agreements proliferate but often fail to address broader systemic issues.

Question 8

conclusion of the text:

Answer 8

The document underscores the importance of a reinvigorated WTO capable of fostering multilateral trade liberalization while addressing both longstanding and emerging trade issues. However, achieving consensus among members remains the central challenge.