In order to stimulate some discussions on the issues of the Doha Round, let me summarize and comment some aspects of the nineteen chapters as follows.

Future of the Doha Round

There are a lot of indications that the Doha talks will be continued and resumed in the near future; there may be questions about the size of the final package. Because of the principle of Single Undertaking, which is also applicable for the Doha Round, nothing is agreed until everything is agreed. Thus the agreements reached so far in the Doha talks (see Chapter 1b) are conditional on the conclusion of the entire DDA negotiations themselves. This is why resuming and concluding the Doha Round is imperative for the world community. On the other hand, if a WTO Member wishes to implement a few of these agreements now, it must not wait until the entire DDA negotiations are legally binding. Peter Mandelson (Chapter 1a) reminds us of the high chances of Doha: largest liberalisation of fair trade in history, elimination of all remaining industrial peaks and a very substantial development component and sees a win-win situation for industrial and developing nations.

Development aspect 1: Agricultural access

A significant reduction in tariffs and in the high level of domestic subsidies and especially of export subsidies in industrialized countries, which may increase the market access of some developing countries, is a key issue to most developing countries.