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MARKET ACCESS: WORK IN THE WTO

Non-agricultural market access negotiations

At Doha, Ministers agreed to initiate negotiations to further liberalize trade on non-agricultural goods. To this end, the Negotiating Group on Market Access (NGMA) was created at the first meeting of the Trade Negotiations Committee, in early 2002.

> Original mandate: GATT Article XXVIII bis (opens in pop-up window)
> The Doha mandate: Paras. 16, 50, and 31 (iii) (opens in pop-up window)
> The Doha mandate explained
> Hong Kong Ministerial Declaration

See also:
> Tariffs

News  back to top

Introduction  back to top

The negotiations aim to reduce or eliminate tariffs, including tariff peaks, high tariffs, tariff escalation and non-tariff barriers for non-agricultural goods, in particular on products of export interest to developing countries. The product coverage shall be comprehensive and without a priori exclusions. Special and Differential treatment for developing and least developed Members shall be fully taken into account, including through less than full reciprocity in the reduction commitments and measures to assist LDCs to participate effectively in the negotiations.

A simple guide — NAMA Negotiations

The Negotiating Group’s work  back to top

Current chairperson of the negotiating group on market access.

Tariffs

Work is ongoing to update and complete the information in the Integrated Data Base (IDB).

Non-Tariff Barriers

As first step, Members have agreed to identify difficulties encountered by their exporters when exporting to various markets. Discussions will be pursued on the scope of NTBs to be addressed by this Negotiating Group.

Environmental goods

Paragraph 31 (iii) of the Doha Ministerial Declaration foresees that negotiations be held “on the reduction or, as appropriate, elimination of tariff and non-tariff barriers to environmental goods …”. At the first meeting of the Committee on Trade and Environment Special Session, held in March 2002, there was broad support for the idea that the negotiations on environmental goods be conducted by the Negotiating Group on Market Access. 

> Negotiations on trade and environment

Special and Differential treatment

Capacity-building measures
The Secretariat organized a “Market Access Seminar” in May  2002 in order to identify better the issues under negotiations. Three issues in particular were discussed: Tariffs, NTBs and Databases.

Appropriate studies prepared by the Secretariat
As requested by the Members, the Secretariat has prepared different technical studies in order to address the issues under negotiation. Among others, there are studies on Members' tariff profiles, formula approaches to negotiations and data availability and software tools for tariff negotiations. The complete updated list of studies can be retrieved from the search link below.

Members' submissions  back to top

The complete and updated list of the written documents submitted by the Members, which includes proposals, communications and contributions, can be retrieved from the search link below.

> 2008 revised draft negotiating text