Concluding the WTO's Doha Round: The post Hong Kong Roadmap

A statement by WTO Director General Pascal Lamy delivered on February 10, 2006, in Johannesburg, South Africa, outlining the progress made at the Hong Kong Ministerial Conference and the roadmap for concluding the Doha Development Agenda (DDA) by the end of 2006.

• The Hong Kong Ministerial Conference achieved modest progress focused on developing countries, including a commitment to eliminate agricultural export subsidies by 2013, with a substantial portion removed by 2010. It also established 'effective cuts' in trade-distorting domestic subsidies, with the US, EU, and Japan expected to make the largest reductions.
• Specific agreements were reached regarding cotton, where rich countries committed to eliminating all export subsidies in 2006 and implementing deeper and faster reductions in domestic subsidies than the general formula. Additionally, rich countries and participating developing countries agreed to provide duty-free and quota-free access for cotton exports from Least Developed Countries (LDCs).
• For the 32 Least Developed Countries (LDCs), rich countries agreed to provide lasting duty-free and quota-free market access for all LDC products, though some flexibilities may be granted during the transition period.
• In the area of industrial products (NAMA), members reaffirmed the goal of reducing trade barriers for goods that represent over 80% of world trade. It was agreed that the coefficient used for tariff reductions would be more favorable for developing countries than for developed countries to address issues like tariff peaks and escalation.
• The Hong Kong conference enabled plurilateral negotiations for services, allowing countries to choose which sectors to open to foreign providers. Lamy noted that services represent 70% of South Africa's GDP, 68% of employment, and 74% of capital formation, suggesting South Africa has offensive interests in this sector despite not yet presenting an offer.
• An 'Aid for Trade' package was agreed upon to help developing countries build supply-side and trade-related capacity. Lamy emphasized that this is a complement to, not a substitute for, the development round, and is particularly relevant to trade facilitation efforts to reduce bureaucratic costs, which could potentially save approximately €300 billion annually.
• To conclude the Doha Round by the end of 2006, Lamy stated that members must move 'in concert' from their current positions. Specifically, the EU must move on agricultural market access, the US on domestic agricultural subsidies, and large developing countries like Brazil and India on services and industrial product market access.

APA

Lamy, P. (2006). Concluding the WTO's Doha Round: The post Hong Kong Roadmap. South African Institute of International Affairs. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/Lamy-Statement_Feb-2006.pdf

Chicago

Lamy, Pascal. Concluding the WTO's Doha Round: The post Hong Kong Roadmap. South African Institute of International Affairs, 2006. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/Lamy-Statement_Feb-2006.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Lamy |first1=Pascal |title=Concluding the WTO's Doha Round: The post Hong Kong Roadmap |publisher=South African Institute of International Affairs |date=10 February 2006 |url=https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/Lamy-Statement_Feb-2006.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{lamy2006concluding, author = {Lamy, Pascal}, title = {{Concluding the WTO's Doha Round: The post Hong Kong Roadmap}}, publisher = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2006}, month = feb, url = {https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/Lamy-Statement_Feb-2006.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }