The Ministers in charge of trade negotiations for Brazil (Mr. Antonio Patriota), China (Mr. Chen Deming), India (Shri Anand Sharma), and South Africa (Mr. Rob Davies) met today in Davos (Switzerland), at the margins of the 41st Meeting of the World Economic Forum. 

The Ministers seized the opportunity to exchange views about the current efforts to conclude the Doha Round. They recalled the political message issued by their leaders during the G-20 Seoul Summit and reiterated their commitment to the negotiations. The Ministers recognised that, although the July 2008 negotiating package embodies a careful balance of concessions strenuously negotiated since the launching of the Round in 2001, it should be improved to strengthen its development dimension. 

In particular, the Ministers noted that, under the existing draft modalities, developing countries would be required to offer a level of contribution without precedent by any Member in any of the previous negotiating rounds. The ministers also agreed that such contributions are not being reciprocated by developed countries, some of whom still seek further exceptions and flexibilities to continue with their existing trade barriers and trade distorting policies, adversely affecting the developing countries’ interests. 

The Ministers believe that any effort to finalize the Round cannot ignore past trade-offs nor require new disproportionate and unilateral concessions from developing countries, ignoring the existing mandate. In this context, the Ministers cautioned against demands that clearly change the nature and scope of negotiations, jeopardising the present efforts to conclude the Doha Development Round. 

Development mandate: avoid disproportionate unilateral concessions by developing countries that would change the Doha Round's scope. Ministers reaffirmed commitment to concluding the Doha Development Round while insisting the outcome must strengthen the development dimension; they warned that current draft modalities would impose unprecedented contributions on developing countries without reciprocal concessions from developed countries and criticised requests that preserve trade barriers. They emphasised that finalization must respect past trade offs and the existing mandate and must not demand new disproportionate or unilateral concessions or change the nature and scope of negotiations.