Madam Deputy Speaker, I move:
That the House-
1) notes-
a) the possible convening in the near future of a Ministerial meeting aimed at reaching agreement on modalities on the main subjects on the agenda of the World Trade Organisation, WTO, Doha Round negotiations; and
b) that the Doha Round is mandated to "place the needs and interests of developing countries at the heart of its work programme";
2) further noting that-
( South Africa is particularly vulnerable in the industrial tariff (Non-Agricultural Market Access or Nama) negotiations because of the historical injustice that led to our country being classified as a developed country in the Uruguay Round negotiations;
(b) this means that South Africa's, and Sacu's, bound industrial tariffs are uniquely lower than would otherwise be the case, and that the application of a Swiss formula with low coefficients would therefore result in deep cuts in applied industrial tariffs on a scale greater than commitments that would be made by other WTO members in either Nama or agriculture; and
(c) in recognition of this, the Chair of the Nama negotiating group has proposed that South Africa be given additional flexibilities allowing an extra one to six per cent of tariff lines to be cut by less than the full formula cut;
3) calls on our negotiators and WTO members in general to ensure -
(a) a balanced, fair and developmental outcome to the negotiations;
(b) the recognition that agriculture is the locomotive of the Round and that agriculture remains the sector most distorted to the disadvantage of developing countries, and that these distortions continue to impede an adequate production response to the current global food crisis and that therefore the commitments undertaken by developed countries in cutting export and production subsidies as well as providing new agricultural market access to developing countries will set the level of ambition of the round as a whole;
(c) comparability between the level of ambition in agriculture and Nama and respect for the principle of less than full reciprocity in reduction commitments made by developed and developing countries;
(d) a fair and reasonable set of obligations for developing countries taking formula cuts in NAMA that ensures that they retain policy space to promote industrial development; and
(e) adequate recognition for the specific situation of South Africa and Sacu, meaning -
i) a reasonable coefficient that gives effect to the principle of less than full reciprocity in reduction commitments; and
ii) additional flexibilities meaning that no less than an additional six per cent of tariff lines will be subject to less than the full formula cut to take account of the effects of South Africa's classification as a developed country in the Uruguay Round and the fact that its obligations will apply to all members of the customs union, Sacu, that includes three Small Vulnerable Economies and a Least Developed Country that would otherwise not be obliged to take formula cuts.
Agreed to.
Consideration of request for approval of candidates recommended for appointment to council of independent communications authority of South Africa