Hong Kong Update

The document assesses the progress and deadlocks of the Doha Round negotiations as of November 2005. It highlights significant stalemates in agricultural market access, non-agricultural market access (NAMA), and services, while detailing specific disputes over fisheries subsidies, intellectual property rights (TRIPS), and the implementation of special and differential treatment for developing countries. It also reviews the impact of the 2005 expiry of textile and clothing quotas and the ongoing efforts to improve the WTO's Dispute Settlement Understanding.

• WTO Members agreed in late November 2005 that their positions on key issues were too far apart to meet the original goals of the Hong Kong Ministerial Conference.
• Agriculture negotiations faced a significant delay in early 2005 due to technical difficulties in converting 'specific' agricultural tariffs into 'ad valorem equivalents' (AVEs).
• The European Union's revised agriculture proposal was rejected by most WTO members because it demanded significant reductions in industrial tariffs and market opening in nearly 100 services sectors from trading partners.
• In services negotiations, a divide exists between proponents of 'benchmarks' (mandatory minimum market access commitments), such as the US, EU, and Australia, and the majority of developing countries who oppose them.
• Non-agricultural market access (NAMA) negotiations are deadlocked, as many members refuse to commit to a level of ambition without knowing the extent of agricultural trade reform.
• The expiry of the Agreement on Textiles and Clothing (ATC) on 1 January 2005 led to mixed results: while China and Pakistan profited, countries in Sub-Saharan Africa experienced factory closures and job losses.
• Negotiations on the relationship between the TRIPS Agreement and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) are stalled over requirements for the disclosure of origin of genetic resources and benefit-sharing.
• Regarding fisheries subsidies, a 'traffic light' approach is being discussed, but members are divided between a 'top-down' (positive list) approach favored by the 'Friends of Fish' and a 'bottom-up' (negative list) approach supported by Japan, Korea, and Taiwan.
• The review of the Dispute Settlement Understanding (DSU) is moving slowly, with a focus on third-party rights, sequencing problems between non-compliance and retaliation, and the potential for a permanent roster of panel members.
• Efforts to make Special and Differential Treatment (SDT) more 'precise, effective and operational' have stalled, with disagreements over whether to prioritize agreement-specific proposals or cross-cutting issues.
• Trade facilitation negotiations are proceeding with a focus on clarifying GATT Articles V, VIII, and X, though tensions exist regarding the sequencing of technical assistance versus the establishment of disciplines.

APA

International Institute for Sustainable Development (2005). Hong Kong Update. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/trade_doha_hk_update.pdf

Chicago

International Institute for Sustainable Development. Hong Kong Update. 2005. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/trade_doha_hk_update.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=International Institute for Sustainable Development |title=Hong Kong Update |date=November 2005 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/trade_doha_hk_update.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{internationalinstituteforsustainabledevelopment2005hong, author = {{International Institute for Sustainable Development}}, title = {{Hong Kong Update}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2005}, month = nov, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/trade_doha_hk_update.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }