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World Trade Organisation Trade Negotiations: Doha Development Agenda
Treaty Type:
Multilateral
Common Name:
WTO DDA
Responsible Department:
Foreign Affairs and Trade
Administering Department:
Foreign Affairs and Trade
Treaty Summary:
These negotiations are for a further round of multilateral trade liberalisation under the WTO known as the Doha Development Agenda, or DDA, and which follow on from the Uruguay Round. The DDA is intended to address cuts in tariffs and subsidies in agricultural and non-agricultural goods, expanded commitments on market access in services and improvements to various aspects of WTO rules.
The future of these negotiations is unclear given WTO Members’ different views on the DDA. As reflected in the Nairobi Ministerial Declaration from the Tenth Ministerial Conference in 2015, some Members reaffirmed the DDA and their intention continue to seek to conclude the DDA negotiations. Other Members were unwilling to reaffirm the Doha mandates and were instead interested in new approaches to achieve meaningful outcomes in multilateral negotiations.
This split in the Membership manifested in the lack of substantive multilateral outcomes from the 11th WTO Ministerial Conference held in Buenos Aires in December 2017. Meanwhile, the Buenos Aires Conference saw the launch of a range of plurilateral Joint Statement initiatives (on services domestic regulation, e-commerce, investment facilitation, Micro-Small and Medium Sized Enterprises and Women’s Economic Empowerment) responding to the interest in new ways of working.
Regardless of the format, and whether framed as a “negotiating round” (where in WTO tradition, nothing is agreed until the whole package is agreed), there is ongoing work in Geneva on a range of issues from the DDA, including fisheries subsidies, agriculture and services.
NZ Adherence Status:
In Progress
Negotiation Status:
Multilateral. The negotiations were launched on the basis of decisions taken at the World Trade Organisation (WTO) ministerial meeting in Doha in November 2001. New Zealand’s efforts have been focused on bringing the negotiations to an ambitious and balanced conclusion. The core negotiations are currently stalled but there has been some progress with WTO members concluding the Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) in 2015. At the 10th Ministerial Conference in Nairobi in December 2015, WTO members agreed to the elimination of agricultural export subsidies, and a group of WTO members agreed to an expansion of product coverage under the WTO Information Technology Agreement (ITA). At the 11th WTO Ministerial Conference in Buenos Aires in December 2017 WTO members agreed to conclude negotiations to discipline fisheries subsidies by the time of the next Ministerial conference scheduled to be held in late 2019. The 12th WTO Ministerial Conference was subsequently postponed due to COVID-19 and will now take place in Geneva from 30 November to 3 December 2021. Fisheries subsidies negotiations are aiming for an earlier conclusion by the end of July 2021.
Organisation:
World Trade Organisation
Is Signed By NZ:
No
Signature Date:
Ratified or Signed:
No
Requires Ratification:
No
NZ Territorial Applications:
None
Information about required Legislation:
Impacts on Maori:
To the extent that trade liberalisation and the removal of regulatory barriers and trade distorting subsidies improves New Zealand's export opportunities and thereby enhances export growth, Māori would expect to benefit along with other members of the New Zealand workforce and other New Zealand business groups. There may also be limited impacts on specific companies or sectors if New Zealand cuts tariffs as a result of commitments under any new WTO treaty. Previous analysis suggests that liberalisation of trade in agriculture; fisheries and forestry will have larger benefits for Māori than some other groups in the population because of the level of their participation in these sectors of the economy.
Impacts on Stakeholders:
The DDA covers a wide range of sectors. There has been consultation with interested groups across the range of sectors.
Link To Legislation:
Treaty Text Link:
Contact Information:
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