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WTO members kick off negotiations with decisions on organization
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The TNC agreed there should be seven negotiating bodies, on
agriculture, services, non-agricultural market access, rules, trade
and environment, geographical indications for wines and spirits under
the agreement on Trade-Related Intellectual Property and reform of the
Dispute Settlement Understanding. Negotiations on agriculture,
services, environment, TRIPS, and the DSU reform will all be conducted
in Special Sessions of the regular committees and councils where these
issues are discussed. New negotiating groups will be created for
negotiations in non-agricultural market access and rules. The TNC and
all other negotiating bodies and groups will operate under the
authority of the General Council, as mandated by Ministers in Doha.
“This
is another critically important step in maintaining the momentum the
WTO generated with our success at the Doha Ministerial Conference,
following closely on the heels of the prompt decision on the venue of
the next Ministerial Conference, the approval of a significant
increase in our budget and the re-deployment of some of the
Secretariat staff,” said Director-General Mike Moore. “Over the
course of the last two months or so Member governments have worked
hard to give us the tools to carry out the instructions Ministers
spelled out in Doha last November. In establishing a sound basis for
our work through these rules and procedures, governments have put in
place the necessary framework for completing our negotiations within
the tight deadline set by Ministers. Much work remains to be done, but
governments have given themselves a fighting chance.”
The
TNC elected the Director-General ex officio as its chairperson.
“I am deeply honoured to have the chance to chair the first few TNC
meetings in WTO history and I shall fulfill my responsibility with all
my energy and commitment.” said Mr. Moore.
Chairpersons
for the other negotiating bodies and groups will be selected largely
from WTO delegations based in Geneva. Those posts will be filled in
the coming weeks.
Member
Governments agreed that the negotiations would be conducted in the TNC
and the other negotiating bodies in a transparent manner in line with
the best practices established over the past two years. The TNC will
report to the General Council on its work and the work of the
negotiating bodies and groups. It will monitor the calendar of
meetings to ensure that, as far as possible, only one negotiating body
meets at a time. Minutes of meetings will be circulated as quickly as
possible, in all three official WTO languages, so that delegations and
capitals are fully informed of all developments related to the
negotiations.
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