NEWS RELEASES
PETTIGREW TO CHAIR WORKING GROUP ON TRADE AND DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
December 1, 1999 (12:00 p.m. EST) No. 260
PETTIGREW TO CHAIR WORKING GROUP ON TRADE
AND DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
International Trade Minister Pierre S. Pettigrew today announced that Canada has been asked to chair a World
Trade Organization (WTO) working group that will examine how existing Uruguay Round agreements are
implemented and can work better for developing countries.
United States Trade Representative Charlene Barshefsky, chair of the Seattle ministerial meeting, and Mike
Moore, Director General of the WTO, asked Mr. Pettigrew to take on the new role.
Canada's role as chair of the Working Group on Implementation means that Minister Pettigrew will work closely
with the conference chair and the director general of the WTO in ensuring the success of the Seattle ministerial
conference on one of its most complex issues.
"Canada has been offered the opportunity to play a constructive role in helping developing nations to better
benefit from their WTO membership," said Minister Pettigrew. "We will work with great energy to narrow
differences between members this week. This issue is not only central to reaching consensus at the WTO, but
is a concern to citizens in many of our members' countries."
Implementation is considered one of the most difficult issues assigned to working groups at the WTO because it
covers every existing Uruguay Round agreement, and because the group will be open to all members.
Other working groups created so far are related to market access, agriculture, and competition policy.
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For further information, media representatives may contact:
Sylvie Bussières
Office of the Minister for International Trade
(613) 992-7332
Media Relations Office
Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade
(613) 995-1874
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