DOHA MINISTERIAL DECLARATION

We, the undersigned civil society organizations participating in the WTO’s Doha Ministerial Conference, are concerned at the absence of any reference to an assessment of trade in services in the draft Ministerial Declaration.

Paragraph 15 of the Doha draft Ministerial Declaration states that current GATS market access negotiations should continue as they have done since March 2001 - and contains no reference to the need for a full and thorough assessment of the likely impact of services trade liberalization. Yet recent research has shown that liberalization of trade in certain service sectors in itself poses serious threats to vulnerable communities and to public policy objectives. In view of this research, we believe a full, thorough and independent assessment of services liberalization is a crucial prerequisite to further market access negotiations under GATS - noting that while Article XIX of GATS itself calls for an assessment of trade in services prior to the market access phase of negotiations, the WTO Council for Trade in Services (CTS) has failed to conduct one.

Developing countries have repeatedly underlined the importance of an assessment of trade in services - most recently in a communication to the special session of the CTS in October 2001. Yet their concerns have been sidelined. The CTS has acknowledged the need for an assessment of trade in services, but has made no progress towards one. Instead, assessment has been relegated to a standing agenda item within the CTS.

Paragraph 15 of the Doha draft Ministerial Declaration also attempts to introduce a time schedule for the current market access negotiations on trade in services. The negotiating modalities agreed in March 2001 mandated the Council for Trade in Services to develop time schedules for the conduct of the negotiations "when appropriate". Given the absence of any assessment to date, it is clearly not appropriate to force the pace of negotiations at this early stage.

Signed:

Save the Children UK
World Development Movement
Public Services International
ICFTU
Education International
UNISON
European Public Health Alliance
EQUATIONS, India
OXFAM
CAFOD
Christian Aid
Consumers International
Third World Network
Africa Trade Network
Focus on the Global South
Diverse Women for Diversity
CUTS
Friends of the Earth International
Greenpeace International
WWF International
Green/EFA Group in European Parliament
Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy
Council of Canadians
Germanwatch
War on Want