NAMA
What is NAMA?
Non-Agricultural Market Access (NAMA) negotiations were launched at the Doha Ministerial Meeting in 2001 as part of the Doha Round. It is commonly perceived that agriculture is the most important issue in tackling poverty in poor countries, but trade in industrial goods represents about 75% of world trade. The NAMA is often referred to as negotiations about industrial goods, but it also includes forestry and fishing products.The aim of NAMA is to reduce tariffs in these areas, particularly industry. Developing countries tend to have the highest tariffs, usually in place to protect national industries. Those arguing for reductions in these tariffs say that only free trade can lead to the creation of efficient new industries and forestry and fishing sectors. However, others argue that nearly all developed countries, and the emerging economies of Asia used tariffs to protect new industries, and that there is a case for tariff protection for infant industries that are not yet profitable. Tariffs are also an efficient and effective way of raising government revenue in the form of taxes.
Recommended reading
- The WTO negotiations on non-agricultural market access: gender and the removal of industrial tariffs
- ( M. Williams / International Gender and Trade Network , 2005)
- This paper assesses the implications of the current non-agricultural market access (NAMA) negotiations for developing countries with a particular focus on the impact on women. It highlights that if th...
- Bound and tied: the developmental impacts of industrial trade liberalisation negotiations at the World Trade Organisation
- ( ActionAid International , 2005)
- This report explores global trade negotiations in the Doha Round, in particular current negotiations on non-agricultural market access (NAMA). It t argues that it is the short term commercial interest...
- The Doha deindustrialisation agenda: non-agricultural market access negotiations at the WTO
- ( J. Hilary / War on Want , 2005)
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This brief critically assessed the non-agricultural market access (NAMA) negotiations currently conducted at the World Trade Organisation (WTO).
The brief finds that:NAMA negotiations are be...
- Why developing countries need tariffs: how WTO NAMA negotiations could dent developing countries' right to a future
- ( H. Chang / South Centre , 2005)
- This report argues, in the light of NAMA negotiations, that if the developed countries force the developing countries to massively cut (or even altogether eliminate) industrial tariffs on a line-by-li...
