The Fourth Ministerial Conference of WTO was held at Doha, Qatar from 9-14 November 2001. Main implications of the Ministerial Declaration are as under:-
- WTO Agreements are generally size neutral. Hence, SSIs don’t have any special dispensation under the Agreements.
- As per the Ministerial Declaration at the Doha Meet, it has been agreed that further negotiations with regard to market access for non-agricultural products shall take place.
- The negotiations shall aim, 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 the developing countries.
- Further, product coverage shall be comprehensive and without a priori exclusions.
- The negotiations shall take into account the special needs and interests of the developing and least-developed countries. The least developed and developing countries need not provide full reciprocity in their reduction commitments during such negotiations. To this end, modalities will be worked out and will include appropriate studies and capacity-building measures to assist least-developed countries to participate effectively in the negotiations.
- As per para 50 of the declaration, 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.
- In view of the above, though there will be reduction in tariffs but this would be after appropriate studies and capacity building. Negotiations would also result in the elimination of tariff peaks and tariff escalations for areas of interests to the SSIs.
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