Can the Bali Package Resolve the Doha Impasse and Secure the Future of the WTO?

This policy briefing examines whether the 'Bali Package'—a set of agreements reached at the 9th WTO Ministerial Conference in December 2013—can resolve the impasse of the Doha Development Round and secure the future of the World Trade Organization (WTO). The author argues that while the package restored faith in the multilateral system and introduced a novel approach to special and differential treatment (SDT), it fails to address the fundamental structural problems of the Doha Round and is overshadowed by the rise of mega-regional trade agreements.

• The Bali Package, agreed upon at the 9th Ministerial Conference in December 2013, represented the first time since the WTO's 1996 establishment that all members agreed on a trade agreement, primarily aimed at restoring faith in the multilateral trading system.
• The Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) is the most significant outcome of the Bali Package, introducing a staggered implementation process for developing countries and LDCs based on national needs assessments.
• The TFA introduces a novel approach to special and differential treatment (SDT) by linking the timing and extent of implementation to the provision of assistance from developed countries, departing from the traditional 'one size fits all' model.
• The Doha Round's impasse is attributed to three main factors: its broad designation as a 'development' round, the 'single undertaking' principle (where nothing is agreed until everything is agreed), and a lack of political leadership from major powers like the US, EU, Brazil, India, and China.
• Despite the Bali success, the package lacks depth in agriculture and the LDC package, and it does not resolve the core conflicts regarding industrial goods and services that have stalled the Doha Round.
• The rise of mega-regional trade arrangements, such as the TPP and TTIP, threatens the centrality of the WTO by negotiating new rules on regulatory issues (e.g., state-owned enterprises and intellectual property) outside the multilateral framework.

APA

Dube, M. (2014). Can the Bali Package Resolve the Doha Impasse and Secure the Future of the WTO? South African Institute of International Affairs. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Policy-Briefing-118.pdf

Chicago

Dube, Memory. Can the Bali Package Resolve the Doha Impasse and Secure the Future of the WTO? South African Institute of International Affairs, 2014. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Policy-Briefing-118.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Dube |first1=Memory |title=Can the Bali Package Resolve the Doha Impasse and Secure the Future of the WTO? |publisher=South African Institute of International Affairs |date=December 2014 |url=https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Policy-Briefing-118.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{dube2014can, author = {Dube, Memory}, title = {{Can the Bali Package Resolve the Doha Impasse and Secure the Future of the WTO?}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2014}, month = dec, url = {https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Policy-Briefing-118.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }