Many of the Uruguay Round agreements set timetables for future work. Part of this “built-in agenda” started almost immediately. In some areas, it included new or further negotiations. In other areas, it included assessments or reviews of the situation at specified times. Some negotiations were quickly completed, notably in basic telecommunications, financial services. (Member governments also swiftly agreed a deal for freer trade in information technology products, an issue outside the “built-in agenda”.)
The agenda originally built into the Uruguay Round agreements has seen additions and modifications. A number of items are now part of the Doha Agenda, some of them updated.
There were well over 30 items in the original built-in agenda. This is a selection of highlights:
1996
Maritime services: market access negotiations to end (30 June 1996, suspended to 2000, now part of Doha Development Agenda)
Services and environment: deadline for working party report (ministerial conference, December 1996)
Government procurement of services: negotiations start
1997
Basic telecoms: negotiations end (15 February)
Financial services: negotiations end (30 December)
Intellectual property, creating a multilateral system of notification and registration of geographical indications for wines: negotiations start, now part of Doha Development Agenda
1998
Textiles and clothing: new phase begins 1 January
Services (emergency safeguards): results of negotiations on emergency safeguards to take effect (by 1 January 1998, deadline now March 2004)
Rules of origin: Work programme on harmonization of rules of origin to be completed (20 July 1998)
Government procurement: further negotiations start, for improving rules and procedures (by end of 1998)
Dispute settlement: full review of rules and procedures (to start by end of 1998)
1999
Intellectual property: certain exceptions to patentability and protection of plant varieties: review starts
2000
Agriculture: negotiations start, now part of Doha Development Agenda
Services: new round of negotiations start, now part of Doha Development Agenda
Tariff bindings: review of definition of “principle supplier” having negotiating rights under GATT Art 28 on modifying bindings
Intellectual property: first of two-yearly reviews of the implementation of the agreement
2002
Textiles and clothing: new phase begins 1 January
2005
Textiles and clothing: full integration into GATT and agreement expires 1 January