World Trade Organization (WTO)
Current WTO Negotiations
Trade ministers call for immediate re-launch of formal discussions
in the WTO Doha Development Agenda Negotiations
On January 27, 2007, representatives from nearly thirty WTO Members
met in Davos, Switzerland for an informal ministerial meeting concerning
the WTO Doha Development Agenda negotiations. Canada was represented
by the Honourable David Emerson, Minister of International Trade,
and the Honourable Chuck Strahl, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
and Minister for the Canadian Wheat Board. Ministers at Davos clearly
expressed renewed commitment to put the negotiations back on track,
recommending to WTO Director-General Pascal Lamy to immediately
re-launch full-scale negotiations.
Members agreed to suspend the negotiations in July 2006 after
the negotiations became blocked around the issues of domestic support,
agricultural market access and non-agricultural market access. Quiet
diplomacy has taken place during the months since the suspension
and in November 2006, WTO Director-General Pascal Lamy recommended
(with WTO membership support) that negotiations informally re-engage.
Recent quiet discussions amongst key Members have renewed momentum
in the process, leading ministers to call for a formal re-launch
of the negotiations.
Canada was very disappointed at the suspension of the talks and
welcomes the renewed momentum to conclude a broad-based agreement.
We encourage all Members to work together in the coming months to
ensure a successful and ambitious conclusion to the round.
Canada remains committed to more liberalized trade, the rules-based
multilateral trading system, and the objectives of the Doha Development
Agenda, which will advance Canadian objectives of increased access
to global markets for Canadian producers, manufacturers and service
providers, strengthened global trade rules, and easing the flow
of trade by cutting red tape at borders. Canada also strongly supports
the issues of importance to the developing countries and is seeking
an outcome that will help them better integrate and benefit from,
the global trading system.
Canada will continue to work with other WTO Members and Director-General
Pascal Lamy to seek an ambitious conclusion to the Doha Development
Agenda negotiations, one that benefits Canada as well as all WTO
Member nations. We will continue to promote our interests in the
multilateral trade system, as well as consult with other levels
of government and Canadian stakeholders.
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