Members take stock of latest discussions on WTO reform
The latest round of dedicated sessions on WTO reform addressing each of the four tracks were held during September.
The General Council Chair, Ambassador Clare Kelly, said: "At the kick-off sessions before the summer break, members spoke clearly about the importance of advancing this work without delay. The fact that our work on WTO reform continues to move forward steadily in all areas is a positive collective response to the expectations of our stakeholders."
The facilitators are Ms Sumathi Balakrishnan (Malaysia) for foundational issues, Mr Katsuro Nagai (Japan) for decision-making issues, Ms Nthisana Motsete-Phillips (Botswana) for development issues and Mr Elmer Jose German Gonzalo Schialer Salcedo (Peru) for level playing field issues.
Reports by the facilitators
Foundational issues: Ambassador Balakrishnan said that discussions focused on proposals concerning core WTO principles, such as most-favoured nation (MFN), non-discrimination, the role of the WTO Secretariat, special and differential treatment (S&DT), and plurilateral initiatives. She noted strong member engagement, and said further consideration of proposals were scheduled for October.
Decision-making: Ambassador Nagai said extensive discussions were held on how to strengthen WTO decision-making while preserving consensus as the cornerstone of the organization. Members exchanged views on practical ways to improve transparency, early engagement and participation of smaller delegations well in advance of decision-making.
Development: Ambassador Motsete-Phillips said that members held in-depth discussions on development-related reform issues, including special and differential treatment, differentiation among developing members, and policy space for industrialization, among other topics. Given the differences of views, she stressed the importance of continued member engagement and the submission of concrete proposals to advance this area of the reform process.
Level playing field issues: Ambassador Schialer Salcedo said constructive discussions focused on transparency, notifications, and compliance with WTO commitments, which were held as an entry point to broader discussions on level playing field issues. He highlighted members' broad recognition that transparency is essential for trust and the functioning of the WTO, noting that members discussed the causes of notification gaps and the approaches to improve compliance.
All of the facilitators encouraged members to deepen substantive discussions by submitting additional proposals. They also encouraged members to make use of informal consultations and bilateral exchanges to bridge differences and build understanding. The facilitators underlined their broad commitment to inclusive participation across reform discussions and urged members to use the October cluster of meetings to advance substantive discussions.
Ambassador Kelly said: "Ultimately, the success of this process depends on you, the members, who determine the direction and outcomes of this work. I therefore encourage all members to continue to engage proactively, in an open, constructive and solutions-oriented manner."
Ambassador Kelly acknowledged concerns raised by members regarding the scheduling and the pace of the discussions across the various reform tracks. She said she will take into account the needs and capacity constraints of smaller delegations as the work progresses, particularly when scheduling future meetings and advancing work under the reform process. WTO reform will be discussed at the upcoming General Council meeting on 5-6 October.
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
