WTO holds its 2005 annual Public Symposium — “WTO After 10 Years: Global Problems and Multilateral Solutions” 

The World Trade Organization will host its annual public symposium from 20 to 22 April 2005. This year's event takes on special significance as it coincides with the 10th Anniversary of the WTO. Participants from governments, parliaments, civil society, the business sector, academia and the media are invited to analyse and reflect upon these past ten years and discuss the challenges the organization faces into the future.

“Over the years, the WTO Public Symposium has proven to be an extremely useful platform for dialogue and reflection among all stakeholders of the multilateral trading system. The objective of the public symposium in 2005, a year that marks the 10th Anniversary of the WTO, is to have a stimulating public debate on where we are and what is expected from the WTO and its Member governments” said WTO Director-General Dr. Supachai Panitchpakdi. “There have been important achievements in the multilateral trading system over the last decade but a number of challenges remain ahead of us, including completion of the Doha Development Agenda negotiations, which require active input and support from all of our stakeholders. I therefore hope that an honest and thorough assessment of our first ten years and our hopes for the future, will contribute to building political support for the DDA and the multilateral trading system. I invite participants at the public symposium to share with us their thoughts and ideas on future directions”, he said.

The 2005 symposium will take place at the WTO's headquarters in Geneva and will feature dedicated high-level work sessions on the WTO's economic, legal and institutional functions, as well as work sessions on key subjects being negotiated in the Doha Round. The report of the Director-General's Consultative Board “The Future of the WTO — Addressing institutional challenges in the new millennium” should serve as an interesting basis for discussion. Other topics include trade and development, non-agricultural market access and trade and environment. As was the case during previous symposia, much time will be set aside for governments, civil society and parliamentarians to organize their own events during the symposium.

> Registration
REGISTRATION IS CLOSED. REQUESTS FOR REGISTRATION WILL NO LONGER BE ACCEPTED, INCLUDING REQUESTS FOR ON-SITE REGISTRATION DURING THE SYMPOSIUM. PLEASE NOTE THAT REPRESENTATIVES OF WTO MEMBERS AND OBSERVERS, AS WELL AS ANY OTHER PERSON HOLDING A REGULAR WTO ENTRY BADGE, DO NOT NEED SEPARATE REGISTRATION FOR THE SYMPOSIUM.

> Draft programme (MS word format, 10 pages; 1184KB, opens in a new window)

For more information please contact:

Bernard Kuiten — External Relations Division
Tel: 00 41 22 739 56 76 or 739 56 77
email: [email protected]