World Trade Organization (WTO)
Current WTO Negotiations
Sixth WTO Ministerial Conference in Hong Kong, China
Summary of the Sixth Ministerial Conference
Ministers and officials from the WTO’s 149 member economies
gathered in Hong Kong, China, for the WTO’s 6th Ministerial
Conference from December 13-18, 2005. Canada was represented at
the meeting by International Trade Minister Jim Peterson, Agriculture
and Agri-Food Minister Andy Mitchell, and Senator Jack Austin, Leader
of the Government in the Senate.
At Hong Kong, WTO members reached several important decisions that
will permit the negotiations to proceed on track, most importantly:
-
agreement on an end date for the elimination of agricultural
export subsidies (by the end of 2013), a structure for the reduction
of agricultural domestic support and for the reduction of tariffs
for improved market access;
-
elements of an agreement on cotton, including elimination
of all export subsidies for cotton by developed countries in
2006;
-
the outline of a tariff-cutting formula in NAMA and reaffirmation
of the importance of sectoral agreements in this area, alongside
flexibilities for developing countries;
-
approval for a framework for intensifying the services negotiations;
-
agreement to intensify negotiations on trade rules and trade
facilitation; and
-
an agreement on “aid for trade” for developing
countries and a commitment to offer duty-free and quota-free
market access to least-developed country (LDC) products.
In Hong Kong, WTO members also set April 30, 2006 as the date by
which full modalities (detailed rules and commitments) in the agriculture
and NAMA negotiations should be completed. For more information
and details on what was agreed to in Hong Kong, please refer to
the full text of the final Ministerial
Declaration.
In a December 18 News
Release, Ministers Peterson and Mitchell provided their reactions
to the outcome of the conference:
“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.”
In Canada’s view, the Declaration from the sixth WTO Ministerial
Conference in Hong Kong is positive, although it is not as comprehensive
or ambitious as Canada would have liked. Canada and other WTO members
had hoped to achieve full modalities (detailed rules and commitments)
in the core negotiating areas by the time of the Hong Kong Ministerial
Conference. WTO negotiations will resume in early 2006 with the
aim of reaching agreement on full modalities in the core negotiating
areas so that the negotiations can be successfully concluded by
the end of 2006.
Regular and open dialogue with parliamentarians, provincial, territorial,
and municipal representatives, and with Canadian business, industry
and public interest groups present in Hong Kong was an essential
part Canada’s participation in the 6th WTO Ministerial Conference.
Twice-daily briefing sessions took place during the conference to
ensure that Canadian stakeholders were well informed on the state-of-play
in the negotiations, and to solicit advice from these groups to
inform and strengthen the approaches of Canadian negotiators. In
addition, a full program of liaison
and engagement activities related to the negotiations took place
for Canadians present in Hong Kong.
Canada’s overall objective is to reach an ambitious conclusion
to the Doha Development Agenda (DDA) that creates a level playing
field for the agriculture and agri-food sector; increases market
access for goods and services; provides improved and clarified trade
rules, and strong, binding rules on trade facilitation; and provides
real benefits to developing countries. Canada remains committed
to working energetically with WTO members and with domestic stakeholders
in 2006 to achieve these goals.
|
