This article examines one of the major systemic issues in the process of negotiation under the Doha Round of the World Trade Organization (WTO): the tariff lines with non-ad-valorem (NAV) duties in agricultural and allied products (A&AP) and further the process of ad-valorem equivalent (AVEs) calculations. By analyzing the trade policy instruments of the QUAD countries (the United States, the EU, Canada and Japan), plus Switzerland, and comparing them with those of eight developing countries, it clearly reveals how the QUAD Plus countries have added to the overall imbalances in both tariff and non-tariff measures, thereby further constraining market access for developing countries’ exports in agriculture and allied sectors.
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