NEWS RELEASES
December 18, 2005 (3:00 p.m. EST)
No. 247
WTO HONG KONG MINISTERIAL: REAL PROGRESS BUT MUCH WORK REMAINS
International Trade Minister Jim Peterson and Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister Andy
Mitchell today issued the following joint statement at the conclusion of the World Trade
Organization (WTO) Ministerial Conference in Hong Kong, which took place from
December 13 to 18, 2005:
“Canada and 148 other members of the WTO came to Hong Kong to advance
negotiations on the ambitious global trade agenda negotiated in Doha, Qatar, in 2001.
“With 70 percent of our gross domestic product and one in five jobs linked to trade,
Canadian businesses and agricultural producers need transparent and predictable rules
and increased market access. The WTO is the place where this can happen.
“This text provides scope for Canada to achieve its objectives in key areas. A number of
Canadian proposals and ideas are reflected in the Declaration, specifically on
non-agricultural market access and domestic support to agriculture. We are also
pleased that Canada’s objectives have been met on the treatment of sensitive products
and on exporting state trading enterprises.
“While the Hong Kong Ministerial Conference did achieve real progress in the areas of
market access for non-agricultural products, services, export subsidies for agriculture,
and duty-free, quota-free market access for least-developed countries, much remains to
be done. We will work aggressively with members and domestic stakeholders toward
completing the negotiations by the end of 2006.
“Doha is the right thing to do. It is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to advance global
prosperity and development and to lift millions of people out of poverty. Developing
countries need to access the benefits of global trade.
“Regular and open dialogue with provinces, territories, business groups and agri-food
stakeholders on Canada’s negotiating positions—before, during and after the Hong
Kong Ministerial Conference—means that Canada will continue to have a strong
presence at the negotiating table. The advice received from these groups was essential
to both informing and strengthening our approaches, and we thank them for their
ongoing contribution.”
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Media Relations Office
International Trade Canada
(613) 995-1874
http://www.international.gc.ca
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
(613) 759-7972
1-866-345-7972
http://www.agr.gc.ca
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