WTO達成近20年來最大規模關稅減讓協議
More than 50 members of the World Trade Organisation have concluded the biggest tariff-reduction deal in almost two decades, eliminating restrictions on the $1.3tn trade of 201 IT products.
世界貿易組織(WTO)的50餘個成員國達成近20年來規模最大的關稅減讓協議，取消了對201項IT產品1.3萬億美元貿易的限制。
Yesterday’s expansion of the 1996 Information Technology Agreement will increase global gross domestic product by $190bn a year, according to IT experts, as the costs are cut in trading goods from GPS devices and video game consoles to next-generation semiconductors.
據IT專家稱，昨日對1996年簽署的《信息技術協定》(ITA)的擴大，將令全球國內生產總值(GDP)每年增加1900億美元，從全球定位系統(GPS)設備和視頻遊戲機，到下一代半導體，多種產品的貿易成本將降低。
Trade ministers said it would also help reinvigorate the WTO, which is deeply divided over its failure to break the years-long deadlock in negotiations over the 2001 Doha Development Agenda.
貿易部長們表示，這還將有助於重振WTO，該組織因未能打破圍繞2001年多哈發展議程(Doha Development Agenda)的持續多年的談判僵局而產生嚴重分歧。
Many developed nations at the WTO’s biennial conference in Nairobi this week have called for the DDA to be shelved or augmented to include new issues. Most developing nations want to retain the framework in a bid to secure more concessions from advanced economies, especially on agricultural subsidies.
在本週WTO在內羅畢召開的雙年會上，很多發達國家呼籲擱置多哈發展議程或者擴大該議程以納入新的議題。多數發展中國家希望保留這一框架，以爭取從發達經濟體獲得更多讓步，特別是在農產品補貼方面。
Barriers will be eliminated in three stages under the expanded ITA. 65 per cent of the new tariff lines representing 88 per cent of imports will be cut immediately on implementation of the deal in July 2016.
根據擴大後的ITA協議，關稅壁壘將分3個階段取消。在2016年7月該協議生效時，65%的新關稅細目（代表88%的進口）將立即取消。
Three years later, additional cuts will mean 89 per cent of tariff lines representing 95 per cent of imports will have been cut. The remaining tariffs will be eliminated by January 2024.
3年後，更多的減稅意味着89%的稅收細目（代表95%的進口）將取消。其餘關稅將在2024年1月之前取消。
Roberto Azevêdo, director-general of the WTO, defended the staggered implementation of the deal, despite the fast pace of change in the IT industry. “The staging was part of the deal from the beginning,” he said.
儘管IT行業變革迅速，但ITA協議卻要分階段落實，世貿組織總幹事羅伯特阿澤維多(Roberto Azevêdo)對此做出辯護稱：“從一開始，分階段實施就是該協議的一部分。”
“In every single agreement you have to have flexibility enshrined in it or it’s very difficult to strike a compromise.”
“每一項協議都必須納入靈活性，否則就很難達成妥協。”
Agreement on the 201 products to be included was reached in July, but the conclusion was delayed after China declined to submit its timeframe for phasing out selected products’ tariffs.
今年7月，各國就納入201項產品達成協議，但由於中國拒絕遞交分階段取消特定產品關稅的時間表，協議的達成被推遲。
Beijing finally submitted its list yesterday afternoon.
中國在昨日下午終於遞交了清單。
Although some important classes of products are not included, among them LED displays and lithium ion batteries, experts hailed the deal as a big breakthrough for multilateral trade negotiations.
儘管一些重要產品類別沒有納入（包括LED顯示屏和鋰電池），但專家們仍稱讚該協議是多邊貿易談判的一項重大突破。
