Authors : Bill Carmichael, Saul Eslake, Charles Finny, Roger Kerr

Governments around the world have done little to explore ways of protecting future international trade negotiations against the developments that have stalled progress in the Doha Round. There are, however, two possible exceptions: the Australian government and the incoming New Zealand government.

During the Uruguay Round New Zealand’s trade representative in Geneva ( now spokesperson on trade in New Zealand’s incoming government), Tim Groser, championed an approach to future multilateral trade negotiations that recognised the domestic source of the problems threatening progress in the World Trade Organization. For its part, the Australian government recently commissioned a review of trade policy by David Mortimer, before deciding how it should meet its commitment to support the WTO – its highest trade policy priority. The Mortimer report is now with the Australian government.

The release of the report coincides with an international review by the WTO of the way forward, initiated by Director-General Lamy. Both reviews have occurred at a time when progress in opening world markets through multilateral trade negotiations has stalled.

To help reduce the risk that Australia’s commitment to the multilateral system will fall through the policy cracks left by the Mortimer report, academic and professional economists (who are best able and qualified to help public understanding of the report’s prescription for future trade policy) are urged to make a contribution.

A summary of major developments that have stalled progress in multilateral trade negotiations, and the response by the Mortimer panel in its final report, can be found here.