Archive - jul 2004 - Article

Africa Group Proposes Changes To NAMA Annex

There is only one thing that developing country governments can do with he proposed July framework: dump it.

The Africa Group has submitted proposals to amend Annex B on non agriculture market access (NAMA) in the draft 'July package'.

As on the night of Monday 26 July, many delegations have reported that in their view there are still many deep differences among members and major groupings, and no breakthrough in the talks.

Ambassador Matthew Nwagwu of Nigeria, speaking on behalf of the Africa Group, said the Group expects an all inclusive and transparent process in further work on the draft.

The WTO has set itself an end-July deadline for a framework package to relaunch the negotiations, and an attempt to rush through the Oshima-Supachai package.

The reform proposed by the European Commission is not the one the European Farmers Coordination and the countries of the South need.

Although pared down - investment, competition and government procurement have been dropped - the framework is still likely to pose problems for many countries.

The development concerns are not given priority or even recognition and respect, in many areas (especially in NAMA, S and D, implementation and agriculture) and in overall balance.

The US in effect would like to create a 'special blue box' for itself, to accommodate the mandatory counter-cyclical payments provided by its post-Doha Farm legislation of 2002.