WTO DG Lamy: Road To Bali Ministerial Clearer

World Trade Organization Director General Pascal Lamy today said the road to the next WTO ministerial, in Bali, Indonesia in December, has become clearer. He gave a detailed update on issues under negotiation, and included a positive mention of the recent agreement to extend the period for least-developed countries to adopt WTO rules on trade and intellectual property.

“I believe that today, we have a much sharper sense of the key issues that remain for urgent decision and the links between… I would say that the glass is two-thirds full,” Lamy told the WTO Trade Negotiations Committee (TNC). “But it would also be fair to say that [members] are not yet there.” He urged increased momentum when members return in September for the final run-up to Bali.

Lamy’s remarks to the TNC are here.

Lamy said a “meaningful” package for least-developed countries (LDCs) is being put together for Bali. He then added, “although this is not within the TNC framework, I would like to welcome the Decision adopted by the regular session of the Council for TRIPS on the extension of the transition period for LDCs under Article 66.1 of the TRIPS Agreement. It shows that Members are able to surmount their differences and negotiate to close gaps.”

LDCs were granted an extension of their waiver on the enforcement of the WTO Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) in June (IPW, WTO/TRIPS, 12 June 2013).

Lamy also spoke extensively on agriculture and food security/food aid. He said consultations since April on a new proposal show that, “Overall there seems to be some convergence emerging around declaration/communiqué language for Bali,” on an aspect of the proposal, and varying degrees of progress on other parts.