doha_sdi12-e7ac09058dbef973.pdf

This research paper by Maria Julia Oliva of the Center for International Environmental Law examines the 'Development Agenda' of the World Trade Organization's (WTO) Doha Work Programme. The author evaluates whether the subsequent July framework maintains the original commitment to prioritize the needs of developing countries, specifically analyzing sectors such as agriculture, non-agricultural market access (NAMA), services, and the intersection of trade and environment.

• The Doha Ministerial Declaration aimed to correct imbalances in the multilateral trading system by placing the needs of developing countries at the center of the Work Programme and committing to sustainable development.
• The 'Development Agenda' was structured around three primary clusters: solving imbalances in areas of interest to developing countries (such as agriculture), providing meaningful special and differential (S&D) treatment to account for uneven playing fields, and addressing implementation challenges from the Uruguay round.
• In agriculture, the Doha Round committed to three pillars: improving market access, phasing out export subsidies, and reducing trade-distorting domestic support. However, the author notes that the July framework lacks a tariff reduction formula and allows developed entities like the EU and US to use 'Sensitive Products' or new payment categories to circumvent reductions.
• Non-Agricultural Market Access (NAMA) negotiations are viewed as potentially problematic for developing countries because their higher industrial tariffs mean a mandate to reduce or eliminate them primarily benefits developed nations.
• The 'request-offer' approach to services negotiations has subjected developing countries to bilateral pressure and ignores their need for time to assess requests and develop negotiating positions.
• Developing countries achieved a significant victory in the July framework by confirming that three of the 'Singapore issues'—trade and investment, trade and competition policy, and transparency in government procurement—are not part of the Doha Work Programme.
• Negotiations on the link between trade and environment focus on the relationship between WTO rules and multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs), as well as the elimination of barriers to environmental goods and services.

APA

Center for International Environmental Law (n.d.). doha_sdi12-e7ac09058dbef973.pdf. https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Doha_SDI12.pdf

Chicago

Center for International Environmental Law. doha_sdi12-e7ac09058dbef973.pdf. n.d. https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Doha_SDI12.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Center for International Environmental Law |title=doha_sdi12-e7ac09058dbef973.pdf |url=https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Doha_SDI12.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{centerforinternationalenvironmentallawnddohasdi12e7ac09058dbef973pdf, author = {{Center for International Environmental Law}}, title = {{doha\_sdi12-e7ac09058dbef973.pdf}}, institution = {Center for International Environmental Law}, url = {https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Doha_SDI12.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }