WTO activities

In January 2007, WTO members returned to full negotiating mode in the multilateral process, following the suspension of the negotiations in July 2006. A major development in July 2007 was the circulation of draft blueprints – or “modalities” texts – by the Chairs of the negotiating groups for agriculture and non-agricultural market access (NAMA). These papers set out areas of convergence and areas where gaps would need to be bridged. The Chairs underlined that these texts were to be revised in light of members’ views. Subsequent informal sessions of the negotiating groups gave members the opportunity to comment on these texts.