Doha Mandate

The document outlines the ongoing negotiations within the WTO's Negotiating Group on Market Access to reduce industrial tariffs and non-tariff barriers. It details various proposed 'modalities'—including formula-based, sectoral, and request-offer approaches—and highlights the tension between developed nations seeking broad liberalization and developing nations concerned about revenue loss, de-industrialization, and the impact of tariff peaks and escalation. Specific focus is given to the EU's flexible approach, the US's zero-tariff proposal, and the emerging discussions on environmental goods.

• The Doha Mandate aims to reduce or eliminate tariffs and non-tariff barriers, specifically targeting 'tariff peaks, high tariffs, and tariff escalation', with a particular focus on products of export interest to developing countries.
• Developing countries, including Kenya, express concern that linear tariff reductions could lead to 'de-industrialisation' and a loss of government revenue due to their weak industrial bases.
• The European Union proposes a flexible approach to bridge the gap between applied and bound tariffs, suggesting the compression of tariffs into a flatter range to eliminate peaks (defined as tariffs over 15 percent) and advocating for tariff- and quota-free access for least-developed countries by May 2003.
• The United States proposed a two-phase plan to eliminate all industrial tariffs by 2015, with a target for all tariffs to be five percent or less by 2010. This proposal faced resistance from Brazil, India, and the EU, who argued it was 'unrealistic' and ignored the needs of developing countries.
• Negotiations on environmental goods are in an 'information gathering' stage, with conflict arising over the EU's attempt to include goods based on 'production and process methods' (PPMs), a move opposed by India and Malaysia.
• St. Lucia has raised concerns that current negotiating modalities, such as request-offer or across-the-board approaches, fail to address the specific circumstances of small exporting Members, arguing against a 'one-size-fits-all' formula.

APA

International Institute for Sustainable Development (2003). Doha Mandate. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/wto_doha_market_access.pdf

Chicago

International Institute for Sustainable Development. Doha Mandate. 2003. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/wto_doha_market_access.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=International Institute for Sustainable Development |title=Doha Mandate |date=13 February 2003 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/wto_doha_market_access.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{internationalinstituteforsustainabledevelopment2003doha, author = {{International Institute for Sustainable Development}}, title = {{Doha Mandate}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2003}, month = feb, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/wto_doha_market_access.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }