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The Forum will take place
against the backdrop of the global financial crisis. The
downturn in the global economy, a rise of protection and
protectionism, the uncertainties in the outcome of the
Doha negotiations, and concerns regarding the relevance
of the multilateral trading system in the midst of the
crisis are becoming increasingly more prominent. In
light of the above, this year’s Forum will provide an
opportunity to assess the role of the multilateral
trading system within the context of the current global
economic crisis. It aims at confirming the continuing
importance of trade as well as the meaningful
contribution that a rules-based multilateral trading
system can provide in stimulating the slumping world
economy. In addition, the forum will offer the
possibility to debate and reflect upon the post-crisis
agenda for the WTO, putting the multilateral trading
system in the best possible situation to deal with the
post-crisis environment.
The following are the leading sub-themes within the
context of the Public Forum:
Sub-theme I: Finding global solutions to global
problems: The way forward towards better global
governance
Sub-theme II: The role of
the WTO and the Doha Round negotiations in the midst
of the current financial crisis
Sub-theme III: The impact of the global
economic crisis on developing countries, in particular LDCs, and the role of trade financing
Sub-theme IV: The main challenges facing the
multilateral trading systems and reflections on the
post-crisis agenda for the WTO
Below, a brief description of
the questions that will be dealt with in the Forum’s
various sessions:
Sub-theme I: Finding global solutions to global
problems: The way forward towards better global
governance
Session 1: The role of business leadership in creating
better global governance for world trade
Organized by: The Evian Group at IMD
Date: Monday 28 September, 12:30 – 14:00
There has been little progress
since 2001 in developing and enhancing the multilateral
trading system. The Doha Round of negotiations, in
particular, has been in the doldrums. The rhetoric has
not only been from governments, but also from the
business community. Business has failed to provide the
support needed to move the trade agenda forward.
This session proposes to
assess the state of the business community in relation
to the current crisis and will invite panellists to share their thoughts on the role of business
leadership in promoting and strengthening an open global
market economy, and on the rules-based multilateral
system generally and concluding the Doha Round
specifically.
The questions to be addressed
during the session are as follows:
-
What is the business case
for the multilateral trading system?
-
How can business leadership
be developed as a means for promoting the multilateral
trading system?
-
What is the short-term
impact of the crisis on global business and global
trade and how can it best be mitigated?
-
What is the possible
long-term impact of the crisis on the global business
paradigm?
-
How can the global trade
regime and global finance be better coordinated and
developed in a 21st century architecture of global
economic governance?
Session 2: International Trade, Speculation and
Agricultural Commodity Price Spikes
Organized by: WTO — Agriculture and Commodities Division
Date: Monday, 28 September, 14:00 - 17:00
Price fluctuations are a normal feature of agricultural commodity markets. Nevertheless, the international food price spike in 2007-2008 generated concerns regarding the potential poverty implications of these price changes due to the rapidity of the price increases and the size of the price spike for specific commodities. The objective of this session
is to discuss the extent to which trade policies and
financial speculation contributed to the food price spike in
2008 and to explore possible policy and institutional innovations to address the needs of vulnerable populations. The panellists will focus on the following types of questions:
-
To what extent was 2008 an
unusual year in terms of the volatility of food
prices?
-
What factors contributed to
the rapid increase in prices towards the end of the
year?
-
What was the relative role
of financial speculation in this rapid increase in
prices?
-
What can we expect in the
future in terms of price rises and price volatility?
-
What types of mechanisms
would be effective in protecting the poor against
possible future price spikes?
Session 10: Climate Change Policies and Trade Rules: Conflict or Coherence?
Organized by: Center for International Environmental Law
(CIEL) and Friends of the Earth Europe (FOEE)
Date: Tuesday 29 September, 9:00 – 11:00
This panel will address the critical question: of whether the interpretation of WTO Aagreements ensures sufficient policy space to adopt effective climate-change measures.
A discussion amongst lawyers from different backgrounds and with different perspectives will focus on the state of WTO law regarding international trade and climate change. Panellists will examine the challenges and opportunities of the link between climate and trade and address questions such as:
- What is the relationship between multilateral climate-change rules and WTO rules?
- What is the contribution of the liberalization of energy services to key energy reforms and measures to combat climate change? Do trade rules support or undermine efforts to establish necessary energy sector reforms or measures to combat climate change?
- Are intellectual property rights a prerequisite of — or a threat for — measures to combat climate change?
Session 13: Protectionism — What does it Mean for
Foreign Direct Investments? Implications for Global
Governance
Organized by: AmCham EU (American Chamber of Commerce to
the EU)
Date: Tuesday, 29 September, 11:15 – 13:15
There is a wide range of
restrictions and mounting protectionist measures that
have a paralysing effect on foreign direct investment (FDI).
All affect the free flow of goods and services and of
capital, to the detriment both of potential investors
and of the economic growth that is particularly at stake
in the current global economic crisis. This affects the
objectives of the WTO agreements.
This session will address the
following questions:
-
What are the current and
anticipated protectionist barriers to FDI in various
sectors and across different regions or countries?
-
What is the business impact
of such measures?
-
Which global solutions can
address these global challenges to ensure sustainable
recovery and long-term economic growth (e.g. new
General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS)
commitments, recourse to the Agreement on
Trade-Related Investment Measures (TRIMs), any other
international discipline or agreement or bilateral
investment treaties)?
-
What are the implications
for global governance?
Session 14: Interaction between Competition and Trade
Policy
Organized by: Federal Competition Commission, Mexico
(CFC)
Date: Tuesday, 29 September, 11:15 – 13:15
This session will analyse the
complex relationship that exists between trade and
competition policies, and provide examples of how these
policies contribute to economic development. It will
also offer recommendations on how governments can
promote greater coherence between trade and competition
policies, especially in a time of global economic
crisis, when countries are being subjected to strong
protectionist pressures.
The thematic structure of the
session will address the following questions:
-
To what extent are trade and
competition reforms complementary? Do their objectives
overlap? Have they achieved the objectives of
promoting economic development?
-
How has policy coherence
been achieved in different jurisdictions? What are
some of the tensions or contradictions that arise when
designing trade and competition policies?
-
Should governments seek to
strengthen competition provisions in regional trade
agreements, or are they better off promoting more
active international cooperation between competition
authorities, while strengthening their domestic
competition legislation? In times of crisis, how
should countries deal with protectionist pressures
that will simultaneously demand the establishment of
trade barriers, as well as “behind the border”
barriers in the form of domestic anti-competitive
regulation? When putting together pro-competitive
market reforms that include both trade liberalization
and the strengthening of the domestic competition
regime, what kind of policy sequencing is adequate?
Session 16: Promoting Global Governance by Strengthening
the Rule of Law
Organized by: Appellate Body Secretariat
Date: Tuesday, 29 September, 14:15 – 17:15
The world is in the midst of a dramatic economic
slowdown. There is a growing recognition of the need for
a stronger global regulatory and institutional
framework.
This session will explore how
strengthening the rule of law can contribute to global
governance. It will take a thematic approach, with
speakers representing diverse fields of the
international system, such as finance, environment,
trade, and labour. The discussion will seek to identify
how the rule of law can be strengthened in each field in
order to make global governance more effective. This
session will also examine the interplay of international
regulation in different fields, as well as opportunities
for cooperation.
Session 21: Trade and Employment in Times of Crisis
Organized by: International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC)
Date: Tuesday, 29 September, 16:30 – 18:30
This session will address the
impact of the current financial crisis on trade and
employment, and in particular the impacts on employment
in export sectors. It will look at the different
governments’ responses so far, their impact on
maintaining employment levels and quality and the future
employment outcomes of trade.
Questions that will be
addressed by the panel include the following:
-
The crisis has led to
reduced demand, reduced trade and reduced employment,
but how do these interrelate and affect one another?
-
Where did job losses occur,
and are export industries particularly affected?
-
What have been the responses
to the crisis in both developed and developing
countries in terms of stimulus packages and recovery,
and how has this affected employment?
-
What have been the trade
policies to safeguard employment that countries have
used to respond to the crisis, and what “policy space”
do countries need to effectively respond to the
crisis?
-
What has been the impact of
the crisis on wages and working conditions in the
export sectors? Has there been any deterioration, and
how has this been addressed by governments?
The outcome of the discussion
on policy guidance and packages would provide useful
information for governments in shaping their current and
future responses.
Session 22: Sharing and Promoting Innovative Technology
in Public-Private Global Development Partnerships
Organized by: CropLife International
Date: Tuesday, 29 September, 16:30 – 18:30
In agriculture, technological advances can play a
particularly important role in addressing the
agricultural challenges — such as drought or destructive
pests — that nations may face.
Meeting these challenges sustainably will require new ideas, tools and
technologies. CropLife International would like to
initiate this discussion by assembling a panel of
members from diverse backgrounds, and with substantial
on-the-ground experience, to offer their views on
innovative solutions to critical global problems.
Specifically, the panellists will discuss questions
concerning:
-
the increasing importance of
public-private partnerships for development
-
how such partnerships
stimulate, protect, and disseminate innovation
-
the case of agricultural
innovation as an example of the role of public-private
global development partnerships in stimulating,
protecting, and sharing innovation.
Session 24: Global Problems, Global Solutions: Towards
Better Global Governance in the Agro-Food Chain
Organized by: European Liaison Committee for the
Agricultural and Agri-Food Trade (CELCAA); Confederation
of Food and Drink Industries of the EU (CIAA); European
Meat and Livestock Trading Union (UECBV)
Date: Wednesday, 30 September, 16:30 – 18:30
This session will address challenges the food chain will have to face resulting from long-term and actual developments. Issues such as
climate change, globalization and urbanization, highly
fluctuating energy prices, and the increasing world
population, all have an impact on the food chain at the
global and local level. In this context four topics of
the highest-priority for the food-chain operators have
been identified:
-
access to finance for
economic operators;
-
food security and the
affordability of food;
-
climate change and the
environmental sustainability of production and
consumption; and
-
food safety and the threat
of large-scale sanitary problems.
The discussion will lead at
finding responses to these urgent challenges, by mapping
global and local solution strategies for food chain
operators.
Session 25: Regulating
Agricultural Markets: A Necessity Made Clear by Crises
Organized by: Food
Strategy Group (Collectif Stratégies Alimentaires,
CSA), Belgium; Canadian Dairy, Poultry & Egg
Producers, Canada; Network of West African Farmer and
Producer Organizations (Réseau des Organisations
Paysannes et de Producteurs de l'Afrique de l'Ouest,
ROPPA), West Africa; Federation of Rural Workers and
Family Farmers in South Brazil (Federação dos
Trabalhadores na Agricultura Familiar da Região Sul (FETRAF),
Brazil; Eastern Africa Farmers Federation (EAFF),
Kenya; Asia Adhra-AFA
Date:
Wednesday, 30 September, 09:00 – 11:00
The crises that we are
currently experiencing all plead in favour of new
governance in agriculture and in the exchange of
“agri-food” products. The need to establish new
solutions for trade in the agri-foods sector is becoming
increasingly clear. The following questions will be
examined during this session:
-
How should international rules be established in order to develop local and regional agricultural production and food markets, reducing the dependence on the volatile world markets?
-
Is the use of regulatory and
security instruments compatible with the directions of
the Agreement on Agriculture and the terms and
conditions currently being negotiated?
-
Wouldn't everyone's food security be better assured through a multilateral governance process that recognizes market power imbalances in the agri-food chain (farmers, agribusiness, supermarket distribution, etc.)?
-
Shouldn't the regulation of the agricultural and food markets, which are crucial to ensuring access to food, rest on the establishment of a hierarchy of international treaties and agreements reflecting the primacy of human rights, in particular the right to food?
Session 26: Human Rights Impact Assessment (HRIA): A
Pertinent Tool for Informing and Improving Trade
Governance?
Organized by: 3D → Trade — Human Rights — Equitable
Economy
Date: Wednesday, 30 September, 09:00 – 11:00
There is little consensus
among the actors in the trade and human rights
communities about the nature of interactions between
trade liberalization and the human rights framework and
the extent of actual conflicts that occur.
Today’s multilateral trading
system has much to gain from opening its doors to human
rights concerns and aspirations to respond efficiently
to the new global challenges. HRIAs have the potential
to provide empirical evidence of the real and potential
impacts of international trade agreements on the
enjoyment of human rights, in particular on the most
vulnerable and marginalized populations.
The aim of this session is to
explore key issues related to the conceptualization and
implementation of HRIAs, their specificity and their
potential to govern and shape trade policy. Panellists
will provide an overview of the latest methodologies and
tools for organizing, implementing and evaluating an HRIA. They will establish a clear distinction between HRIAs and other impact assessments, such as social or
environmental impact assessments, and will bring to
light the benefits of a human rights-based approach. As
the added value of an HRIA is conditioned by the use of
a rigorous methodological framework, the debate will pay
particular attention to methodological issues pertaining
to HRIAs, with an emphasis on human rights indicators
and analysis of the causal chain. This session will also
look into current practices in the HRIA field. Speakers
will share their experiences in the use of this
evaluation mechanism, and look for lessons permitting
its enhancement. The session participants will weigh the
benefits and risks of HRIAs in order to draw conclusions
on the relevance of a systematic use of HRIAs by states
and other actors.
Session 28: Is it Time to Bury the “Washington
Consensus”? Implications for Today’s Development
Challenges
Organized by: Oxfam International
Date: Wednesday, 30 September, 11:15 – 13:15
The “Washington Consensus” has
dominated the shape of global economic governance over
the last 25 years. The current economic crisis presents
an opportunity to rethink this approach.
Developing country governments
have been the main focus of the Washington Consensus
based policy prescriptions, and for over 30 years civil
society organizations have campaigned against the
concepts of the deregulation model and the ability of
markets to self-correct, arguing that such approaches
only increase the incidence of poverty.
This session will discuss the
question: It is time to bury the Washington Consensus as
a critical next step in overcoming today’s development
challenges.
The discussion will consider
elements of the various policies related to the
Washington Consensus, such as the WTO Director-General’s
Geneva Consensus and United Kingdom Prime Minister
Gordon Brown’s London Consensus, and will-assess what is
needed for pro-poor global economic governance.
Session 31: Increasing transparency of SPS measures
Organized by: International Food & Agricultural Trade
Policy Council (IPC)
Date: Wednesday 30 September, 11:15 – 13:15
Sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures are necessary
for the protection of human, animal and plant health and
are important for international trade. Yet businesses
and exporting countries also express concern about
having insufficient harmonization and advance notice of
new measures, and about a perceived lack of transparency
in the development and application of some measures.
This session will explore how such concerns could be
addressed.
The issues covered will
include:
-
Making better use of the SPS
notification system
-
The WTO’s Trade Policy
Review Mechanism and treatment of SPS measures
-
Efforts to track the use of
international standards
-
Perspective from business
-
WTO perspective
-
Perspective from an
international standard setting body
The session will close with a
set of recommendations on whether to advance some (or
all) of the proposals in the international trade debate,
and if so, how this may be achieved.
Session 39: Private Environmental Standards:
Opportunities and Challenges
Organized by: WTO — Trade and Environment Division
Date: Wednesday, 30 September, 09:00 – 11:00
The focus of this session will
be on environmental “standard-followers”, and in
particular small producers in developing countries.
The session will first
discuss:
-
the opportunities that these
environmental standards can offer in terms of market
access
-
the challenges posed by the
implementation of these standards: e.g. their
diversity and proliferation, their criteria, and their
costs, in particular their conformity assessment and
labelling costs
-
the relevance of WTO work
will also be outlined.
The recent non-coordinated
proliferation of private environmental standards poses
unique trade-related challenges to the design of global
governance in the environment field.
Sub-theme II: The role of the WTO and the Doha Round
negotiations in the midst of the current financial
crisis
Session 7: International Trade in Services: WTO
Commitments and GATS Rules in the Context of the Current
Financial and Economic Crisis
Organized by: European Services Forum (ESF) and Foreign
Trade Association (FTA)
Date: Monday, 28 September, 16:15 – 18:15
Services account for more than
50% of GDP in over 85% of WTO member countries, and
account for more than 20% of global exports. The
liberalization of trade in services encourages
development, generates export opportunities and attracts
foreign investment.
This session will cover the
following aspects:
Service companies support a
multilateral WTO dispute settlement system that gives
them legal security through fair and transparent
interpretation and application of the agreements.
Session 18: Why Global Trade Matters: World Business
Perspectives on the Role of the Multilateral Trading
System and the Doha Round in the Context of the Current
Economic Crisis
Organized by: International Chamber of Commerce (ICC)
Date: Tuesday, 29 September, 14:15 – 16:15
The current global crisis
makes it more urgent than ever to fight protectionist
pressures, revive international trade, strengthen the
rules-based multilateral trading system, and conclude
the Doha Round of trade negotiations.
This session will address the
following key issues:
-
the role of the WTO and the
Doha Round in guarding against protectionism
-
the role of the WTO and the
Doha Round in creating new trade opportunities
-
the role of the WTO and the
Doha Round in strengthening the rules-based
multilateral trading system
By concluding the Doha Round,
governments can send a strong signal to traders,
investors and consumers that they intend to resist
protectionist pressures and stimulate global growth and
employment.
Session 20: Can the WTO instruments provide shield against protectionism in times of crisis?
Organized by: DLA Piper UK LLP
Date: Tuesday, 29 September, 16:30 – 18:30
The economic crisis that
accelerated throughout the second semester of 2008
inevitably resulted in a dilemma about whether to pursue
short-term policies and measures to protect domestic
production and employment from external competitors, or
to remain open to international competition in order to
stimulate overall economic growth. This dilemma poses a
significant challenge to decision-makers and to the
multilateral trading system.
We propose to analyse the
extent to which the WTO has helped to contain
protectionism, by assessing three levels of
applicability of the WTO rules:
-
The value of WTO membership,
and its importance for applicants negotiating
accession
-
The value of membership
through an assessment of the Government Procurement
Agreement. Does the coverage of the Agreement result
in non-discrimination and meaningful protection of
market openness? Are the members of the GPA
substantially better-off than non-members?
-
A brief review of measures
adopted by some of the members will illustrate the
extent to which implementation of WTO-compatible rules
and completion of the Doha Round of negotiations are a
sufficient response to the economic slowdown. This
review will allow the identification of areas that
require ambitious negotiations in order to result in a
multilateral trading system that is responsive to
crisis situations.
Session 23: Can Protectionism Protect Trade?
Legislators’ Perspective
Organized by: The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and
the European Parliament
Date: Wednesday, 30 September, 09:00 – 11:00
As the world becomes more
deeply mired in the economic crisis and collapsing
international trade, parliaments are faced with
pressures from various sectors of the economy and the
population, who demand protection from economic hardship
and social recession. This panel will consider, from a
parliamentary perspective, policy responses to growing
pressures to restrict trade as a way of surviving the
global crisis.
The session will respond to
the following questions:
-
What room for manoeuvre is
there for policymakers to support national producers
without awakening the demons of all-out protectionism?
-
What is the responsibility
of parliaments in the face of trade-restricting
measures taken by other countries that appear to be
merely shifting their problems to their neighbours?
-
How can uninterrupted
aid-for-trade flows be ensured for developing
countries, and in particular the least developed
nations, which bear no responsibility for the current
economic crisis, but rely heavily on exports to drive
their growth?
-
What is the role of the WTO
in providing a mechanism to monitor trade and
trade-related measures taken in the context of the
crisis, and how can legislators make effective use of
this mechanism?
The parliamentary panel is
intended primarily for elected representatives, but is
open to all other participants at the WTO Forum, subject
to the availability of seats in the room.
Session 27: WTO as a Crucial Component of the Global
Governance Architecture: Past Lessons and Future
Challenges
Organized by: University of Windsor
Date: Wednesday, 30 September, 09:00 – 11:00
The fundamental premise of this session is the
recognition that the WTO plays a crucial role in the
global economic architecture. The panellists will focus
on identifying and examining the challenges currently
impacting the world trading system and, by extension,
the global economic governance, with the objective of
proposing solutions to these challenges.
The session will examine
different aspects of the current economic crisis with
regard to international trade flows and the WTO as an
organization. The focus will be on:
-
The state of the Doha Round
of negotiations and the impact of the financial
crisis.
-
The role of developing
countries, the concept of reciprocity plurilateralism,
the principle of single undertaking, and the WTO
negotiating process. With respect to reciprocity plurilateralism, one specific question is whether and
how free riding needs to be contained, and whether the
distinction between negotiations on market access and
on rules is important in approaching this issue.
-
Submission of a set of
policy recommendations aimed at strengthening the
global governance architecture.
Session 40: The Global Financial Crisis — WTO Rules and
the Role of the State
Organized by: White & Case LLP
Date: Wednesday, 30 September, 16:30 – 18:30
This session will examine
national responses to the global financial crisis in the
light of the relevant WTO rules and the
trade-liberalizing objectives of the WTO. The session
will address the underlying question of the continued
relevance and role of the WTO as an institution, and the
principles on which the multilateral trading system is
based.
This session will examine four
key issues that relate to the way WTO members have
responded to the challenges posed by the economic
crisis:
-
Do the interventions of
governments in the real economy over the past year
raise concerns under WTO subsidy rules? Is there a
risk that the rescue operations of today will become
the trade disputes of tomorrow?
-
Do WTO rules discipline the
policy autonomy of governments that undertake rescue
operations in the financial services sector? Would
such rules be desirable? If so, what is hindering the
development of such rules?
-
Will the economic crisis
lead to increased resort to trade remedies,
particularly in the steel sector? What role do trade
remedies play in the context of the current crisis —
are they a legitimate safety valve or a problem in
their own right?
-
Will the global crisis have
a negative impact on the institutional credibility of
the WTO and on the continued adherence of members to
the basic principles on which the multilateral trading
system is based?
Session 41: How do Agreements on Trade in Services Have
a Role in the Financial Crisis and the Measures to Deal
with the Economic Crisis?
Organized by: Third World Network (TWN) and Centre for
Research on Multinational Corporations (SOMO)
Date: Wednesday, 30 September, 16:30 – 18:30
While there has been much talk about measures to deal
with the financial crisis and prevent future similar
crises, there has been very little discussion about what
role trade in services agreements can play.
Particularly, the role of liberalizing financial
services through agreements has received little
attention in many international fora.
In order to discuss the past and future role of the WTO
and the Doha Round negotiations in the midst of the
current financial crisis, this session will examine the
impacts on crisis measures, such as:
-
whether the current General
Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS), as well as free
trade agreements (FTAs) and bilateral investment
treaties (BITs) that regulate trade in services,
influence the ability of governments to take necessary
measures to deal with the current financial and
economic crisis and to avoid similar crises in the
future;
-
how the proposed and
implemented new financial regulations, bailouts and
stimulus packages relate to GATS and other trade in
services agreements.
The session will look at areas
requiring further research, and lessons which can be
applied for the current Doha Round and FTA negotiations
and for the future role of the WTO. The session will
conclude with implications for increasing coherence
across different government ministries and building
global solutions to deal with global problems, such as
the current economic crisis.
Session 42: Formulating and Implementing Governance on
Health: The Case of Access to Medicines in the
Developing and Least-Developed Countries
Organized by: Centre for Socio-Economic Development (CSEND)
Date: Wednesday, 30 September, 16:30 – 18:30
The Doha Declaration on the
TRIPS Agreement and Public Health and its subsequent
decisions were a major breakthrough in the adoption of
the Doha Development Agenda (DDA). But, to date, this
newly created legal architecture has yet to receive full
and effective implementation, especially in the
beneficiary developing and least-developed countries.
This session will discuss the institutional issues, from
the perspective of all stakeholders involved in
providing better access to medicines, and will cover the
following key points:
-
impediments from a policy
coordination perspective that hinder the
implementation of the Doha Declaration on TRIPS and
Public Health;
-
the impact of provisions
related to intellectual property rights and standards
in regional agreements on access to medicines;
-
presentation of findings and
evidence from current experiences, success stories and
failures;
-
offensive and defensive
interests of developing countries (DCs) and the
least-developed countries (LDCs) in the health sector,
in relation to investments and technology transfers in
the sector;
-
special and differential
treatment for the DCs and LDCs, in particular on the
transition period to implement the TRIPS Agreement:
what measures have been taken to ensure a smooth
transition and to cope with competition?
-
management of the
negotiating and implementation strategies on
intellectual property issues.
The session will look at these
issues from the national, regional and multilateral
levels. It will also consider ways forward and
strategies to assist the beneficiary countries to
domesticate the legal multilateral framework and ensure
effective use of the flexibilities on access to
medicines.
Session 43: Controversy at Customs: The Detention of
Medicines in Transit: What Impact on Access to
Medicines?
Organized by: Médecins sans Frontières (MSF) Campaign
for Access to Essential Medicines
Date: Wednesday, 30 September, 14:15 – 16:15
Recent detainments by EU countries' customs authorities
of legitimate generic medicines transiting through
Europe on their way to developing countries, have
attracted the criticism of some member states and of
civil society.
The incidents highlight
questions about the compatibility of EC customs
Regulation 1383/2003 and proposed provisions in free
trade agreements with WTO Member States obligations
under the TRIPS Agreement, in particular the Doha
Declaration on the TRIPS Agreement and Public Health,
and in relation to GATT.
MSF will explore the legal and
practical effect of these issues for access to medicines
in developing countries, in a roundtable with academics,
member states, suppliers of medicines, civil society
organizations and representatives of the pharmaceutical
industry.
Sub-theme III: The impact of the global economic crisis
on developing countries, in particular LDCs, and the
role of trade financing
Session 5: The BRICs at the Doha Round: Comparing
Crisis-Born Agendas and Strategies
Organized by: The North-South Institute and the German
Marshall Fund (US)
Date: Monday, 28 September, 14:00 – 16:00
This panel will analyse how
the domestic impact of the crisis on the “BRIC nations”
(Brazil, Russia, India and China) is changing (or not)
their interests and preferences, as well as influencing
their leadership roles, at the Doha Round of
negotiations. This analysis will provide suggestions as
to what these large trading economies are likely to
consider essential, negotiable or non-relevant for the
Doha Round to conclude successfully. It will be based on
three variables:
-
their leadership capacity to
coordinate with other countries at the negotiations
-
their policy learning from
previous crises (such as the ones affecting their
Uruguay Round positions in the early 1990s or their
WTO accession in the midst of the Asian Crisis)
-
how their development
strategies are being affected by the current crisis.
The panel will provide a common mapping of what the
BRIC countries have, as a result of this crisis, as
common and diverging positions. This will, in turn, be
compared with the same aspects from other main
participants at the Round.
Session 6: Globalized Supply Chains and Trade in Value
Added
Organized by: WTO — Economic Research and Statistics
Division
Date: Monday, 28 September, 16:15 – 18:15
For the past 20 years,
globalization has caused increased geographical
fragmentation of industries, with important
restructuring within companies and entire manufacturing
sectors, which has resulted in the outsourcing,
offshoring and relocation of activities. For many
developing countries, toll manufacturing has provided a
unique opportunity to insert themselves in the
globalized economy and create employment opportunities.
However, greater interdependence has also created larger
and faster propagation of adverse external shocks, whose
role in the present global recession is not yet
completely understood. The outsourcing discussion has
also fuelled political debate on the economic and social
effects of globalization.
This session will first
provide:
-
Relevant data for resizing
the global trade figure and shed some light on the
real value-added content of the international trade
flows
-
A closer look at the role of
this new mode of industrial production in explaining
the industrialization process in emerging Asia to help
understand the local effects of industrial supply
chains in developing countries, and their role in
fostering a new type of regional integration.
-
An analysis of the new
challenges created by the global crisis and their
implications for the global supply chains.
Session 9: Finance for Trade: Effort to Restart the
Engine
Organized by: WTO — Information and External Relations
Division: High Level Trade Finance Panel
Date: Tuesday, 29 September, 09:00 – 12:00
Most world trade relies on some form of trade finance.
The potential damage to the real economy from shrinking
finance is enormous. The mobilization of political will
over the issue by the Director-General of the WTO, and
his counterparts at the World Bank and in regional
development banks, resulted in the G20 Summit in London,
which proposed a package aimed at “ensuring the
availability of at least US$ 250 billion in trade
finance” to help stabilize markets and fill the
necessary gaps, particularly in developing countries.
In this context, the Director-General will lead a
high-level session in the WTO Public Forum 2009 on trade
finance, aimed at:
-
reviewing the progress
achieved by the international community in providing a
response to an important problem for international
trade and finance
-
considering the challenges
ahead for the rest of 2009 and early 2010
-
drawing lessons for other
areas of global governance from this relatively
successful episode of inter-governmental cooperation
involving a dense network of institutions, at the edge
of finance and trade.
Session 32: Developing-Country Safeguards Fly below the
WTO Radar
Organized by: Agency for International Trade Information
and Cooperation (AITIC) and the International Law
Institute
Date: Wednesday, 30 September, 11:15 – 13:15
All countries, but especially
developing countries, are facing demands from local
industries for “protection” from import competition.
Realistically, many developing countries cannot afford
the cost of adopting and administering a system for the
application of antidumping or countervailing duties that
would be consistent with the requirements of the GATT
Agreements applicable to those measures. This session
will debate
-
whether it is in fact the
case that the antidumping and countervailing duty
mechanisms are, in practice, unavailable to countries
that cannot afford these measures, and whether there
is a need for special and differential treatment
concerning their application by developing countries
-
whether the Safeguards
Agreement should have more accessible procedures to
scrutinize the WTO consistency of developing-country
safeguards that primarily affect other developing
countries
The session will end with
discussions on the feasibility of special and
differential treatment provisions for the application of
antidumping/countervailing duty and safeguard measures
by developing countries.
Session 35: The Global Economic Crisis and Small and
Medium Enterprises (SMEs)
Organized by: The International Trade Centre (ITC)
Date: Wednesday, 30 September, 14:15 – 16:15
Throughout the developing
world, SMEs have suffered from a drop in trade due to a
breakdown in global demand, an increase in market
protectionism and the drying up of trade finance. In
this session, SME managers and representatives of
chambers of commerce from developing and least-developed
countries will share their experiences on the impact of
the crisis on specific sectors, and on coping
strategies, and will present their expectations with
regard to the role of governments, and multilateral
institutions.
The key issues addressed will
include:
-
Experiences of the impact of
the global economic crisis on SMEs in developing
countries.
-
Business practices adopted
by SMEs in order to cope with the crisis will be
tackled from sector- and enterprise-specific points of
view.
-
Representatives from
chambers of commerce will address the impact of the
crisis and will outline what SMEs expect from their
governments and multilateral institutions in order to
mitigate the impact of the crisis.
This session will examine how
the current crisis has provided an opportunity to look
at the entire value-chain and search for efficiency
gains. It will also highlight innovative ways of
improving access to trade finance, lowering its cost and
enhancing its predictability, as well as examining the
case for deepening regional integration.
With regard to SMEs’
expectations from international organizations — and the
WTO in particular — the session will stress both the
need for mechanisms to prevent protectionist tendencies
and the need for an outcome of the Doha Round of
negotiations which will address the above-mentioned
objectives.
Session 37: Multilateralism, our Global Crises and
Strategies for the Future
Organized by: South Centre and the Global Development
and Environment Institute, Tufts University
Date: Wednesday, 30 September, 14:15 – 16:15
Developing countries are
deeply impacted by the global financial and economic
crisis. Food issues and climate change also remain
extremely acute problems for many of the poorest
countries. Will the Doha Round of negotiations, if
completed, facilitate or hinder countries in reducing
their vulnerability during these crises?
To determine this point, this
session will examine the following issues:
-
What is happening to
developing countries in the areas of food and
agriculture, industrialization, and also in terms of
the challenges of climate change?
-
What is being asked of
developing countries in the Doha negotiations in
agriculture, non-agricultural market access (NAMA) and
services?
-
Will the Doha Development
Agenda be a help or a hindrance in increasing the
resilience of vulnerable countries during these
tumultuous times?
-
Are there some fresh
approaches to trade rules that can better support
developing countries through these crises, and also
assist them in achieving their long-term development
goals?
Session 38: Special and Differential or Equal and
Equitable? Systemic Logic and the Tailored Integration
of Developing Countries and Least-Developed Countries
into the World Trading System
Organized by: WTI Advisors and the World Trade Institute
Date: Wednesday, 30 September, 16:30 – 18:30
The term “special and differential treatment” (S&D)
suggests that the task is to provide charitable
accommodation for the weak in the form of friendly
exceptions, whereas the real challenge may be to
integrate differently situated players into the system,
for the political and economic benefit of all. However,
often there are merely exchanges of stock phrases, while
significant potentials in developing countries (DCs) and
least-developed countries (LDCs) may remain untapped
because the system does not find effective ways to
“treat unequal things unequally”. What may be needed is
the courage to unapologetically fine-tune the system so
that it generates maximum results for all. Creative but
feasible solutions have been proposed, but there is
obviously a need for more ideas and a wider, more
creative debate.
The panellists will present
their ideas and discuss the search for the best way to
foster the progressive integration of developing
countries, and in particular LDCs, into 21st century
trading systems. Issues that will feature in the
discussion include:
-
Where and when one size does
fit all, and where and when it does not.
-
Use of indicators and
indices: Using and combining data, existing and
future.
-
Combining substantive rules
and procedural mechanics to tailor flexibilities.
-
Smart flexibilities and
assessing net benefits: Offsetting overall losses
through overall gains.
-
S&D and variable geometry —
What’s in it for the system?
-
Exceptions confirming the
rules? Core principles and their (in)ability to
adjust.
Sub-theme IV: The main challenges facing the
multilateral trading systems and reflections on the
post-crisis agenda for the WTO
Session 3: Between Negotiations and Litigation:
Reinventing the "Middle Pillar" in the WTO
Organized by: European Commission DG Trade
Date: Monday, 28 September, 14:00 – 16:00
The WTO has been hailed as one of the most successful international organizations. However, ten years after its successful institutionalization, repeated calls were made in favour of the need for strengthening the “middle pillar” in the WTO architecture, beyond trade negotiations and litigation. A set of “missing middle”, consensus-building and transparency-enhancing instruments could provide the middle ground for a more effective functioning of the WTO system. The panel will explore this "third" function for the WTO and will provide a number of proposals on how to strengthen the effectiveness of the WTO. Themes for discussion will include:
-
Developing a dynamic
“missing middle” is important for systemic issues and
in order to preserve a proper “constitutional balance”
in the WTO. The panel will consider the case, in
certain areas, for moving from potentially ineffective
hard law to an enhanced use of soft law.
-
Using the “missing middle”
is also a way to pursue more specific objectives that
are part of the core WTO mandate. This may concern the
functioning of various WTO committees, as well as a
more constructive dialogue among WTO members on
various trade-related issues.
The discussion will look at
possible means of establishing the “missing middle”,
such as:
Session 4: Is the WTO out of touch with business? What
subjects the WTO needs to address, notwithstanding the
negotiating stalemate
Organized by: BUSINESSEUROPE
Date: Monday, 28 September, 14:00 -16:00
In the current difficult
global economic circumstances, the role of the WTO is
becoming increasingly important. Given the fact that
companies today increasingly face various barriers to
trade, it is important that the WTO discusses its role
in tackling these issues. The session should assess
whether the WTO is capable of, and is still, dealing
with the real concerns of business.
The discussion will focus on
how the WTO should deal with business issues within the
DDA, as well as in a post-DDA context:
-
Is the WTO ready to
negotiate and agree on new trade rules or will it end
in paralysis even after a successful DDA conclusion?
-
What would be the
consequences of not agreeing new rules — a global
recourse to bilateral free trade agreements?
The discussions shall
therefore give some orientation on the WTO’s future role
and positioning.
Session 8: The Universe of Standards: Legitimate
Protection, Sophisticated Protectionism, or Potential
Development Opportunity?
Organized by: Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES)
Date: Monday, 28 September, 16:15 – 18:15
The WTO sets out general rules for product standards in
the Agreements on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) and
Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Measures. However, the
universe of standards is much broader and more complex.
The session aims to:
-
broaden awareness and
increase transparency about the universe of standards
and their growing importance in international trade;
-
depoliticize the debate on
standards and allow for a more objective view on the
issue, by comparing the potential costs and benefits
that arise from the implementation of standards;
-
present good practices on how
the application of standards works on the ground, and
how they can transform into potential export and
development opportunities for small and medium-sized
enterprises in developing countries.
The session seeks to explore
the positive potential which standards might have as
leverage for exports and development perspectives for
developing countries, based on empirical evidence.
Session 11: Global Networking
to Increase Member-State Capacity within the Dispute
Settlement Process
Organized by: Centre for Democratic Network Governance,
Roskilde University
Date: Tuesday, 29 September, 09:00 – 11:00
Since 1995, the WTO Dispute
Settlement mechanism has emerged as a cornerstone of
global trade governance, helping to build member states’
confidence in the legal character of the trade
agreements they have negotiated. While the mechanism is
intergovernmental, WTO Dispute Settlement would not be
possible without the involvement of a wider network of
stakeholders. Private firms, legal counsel, and
non-governmental organizations all provide invaluable
assistance to member states hoping to overcome
disagreement via the mechanism.
The purpose of this panel is
to consider, from a development perspective:
-
the role of non-state actors
in WTO disputes up to the present time
-
whether they present a
threat to the system by undermining its
intergovernmental character
-
how they are used, and might
be used further, to help increase the capacity of
member states to engage in the process.
Session 12: Understanding WTO Disciplines on
Agricultural Domestic Support
Organized by: International Food Policy Research
Institute (IFPRI)
Date: Tuesday, 29 September, 09:00 – 11:00
Formulating new rules for
agricultural domestic support to reduce international
market distortions remains one of the critical
challenges facing the multilateral trade system. High
food prices in 2008, although dampened by subsequent
global developments, brought renewed attention to
domestic support in a different way: how can agriculture
be strengthened to meet future food demand and
environmental goals?
The presenters and discussants will focus on four
issues:
-
Has the WTO been successful
in increasing policy transparency?
-
Have the WTO rules motivated
countries to shift their policies in ways that lessen
distorting economic impacts?
-
The ongoing negotiations
could establish domestic support rules and
commitments. Will the new rules translate into a more
effective set of incentives to reduce distortions in
production and trade?
-
Even if an agreement is
reached, substantial issues will remain to be
addressed in domestic support. Areas for potential
further attention include: making notification
requirements more binding; altering the rules to
prevent changes in domestic price support measures
from being claimed as reductions if they have no
effect on market prices; and more directly addressing
distortional policies that raise world agricultural
prices to the detriment of food importers.
Session 15: Strengthening Global Trade Governance:
Lessons From Latin America
Organized by: Programa de Comercio y Pobreza en América
Latina (Latin American Trade and Poverty Program);
Overseas Development Institute (ODI, United Kingdom);
Latin American Trade Network (LATN); Economic and Social
Research Consortium (CIES, Peru)
Date: Tuesday, 29 September, 11:15 – 13:15
This session will address the contradictions within the
multilateral trading system between broadening trade
liberalization while increasing investment protection,
on the one hand; and the need to provide “policy space”
to governments, on the other. The panellists will
address several questions on how national governments
can face up to short- and long-term development
problems, without “beggaring their neighbour”, in the
light of ongoing Latin American practice.
-
National policy-making and
inter-state cooperation: How are Latin American
governments coping with the domestic consequences of
exogenous shocks? How can governments resist
protectionist temptations? Do they resist them? How
does the multilateral trading system stand up to
domestic job destruction?
-
Flexibility to protect and
in-depth liberalization: Does the resilience of the
multilateral trading system depend on the “binding
overhangs” that remain in the Uruguay Round
commitments? Would a broader, more “ambitious”
liberalization in non-agricultural market access (NAMA)
help governments to solve the current crisis, and lead
their economies to a new growth path? How?
-
Lessons from Latin American
experience: What were the good practices observed in
Latin America? Which lessons were learned?
The discussion should result in concrete propositions
on ways both to strengthen the Latin American position
in the multilateral trading system and to strengthen
global trade governance.
Session 17: A new Global Contract for Food and
Agriculture: What Can the WTO Contribute?
Organized by: The Institute for Agriculture and Trade
Policy (IATP)
Date: Tuesday, 29 September, 14:15 – 16:15
In 2009, more than one billion people will suffer from
hunger according to the Food and Agriculture
Organization (FAO), and the unfolding global economic
crisis is only making matters worse. It is vital to
reform the international governance of food and
agriculture so as to remedy this situation. Reforming
agriculture and trade policies will be part of this
global effort — whether in the form of a partnership, a
contract, or a convention — and the WTO has a
contribution to make to the reform. This session will:
-
present innovative ideas for
reforming the global governance of food and
agriculture;
-
define the role the WTO
might play in such a new framework; and
-
discuss possible next steps
for this discussion.
This session will aim at discussing the role of the
WTO in a renewed system of governance of agriculture
and food. It will build on the variety of perspectives
and the expertise of the participants whom the public
forum brings together.
Session 19: The Collapse of Global Trade: Avoiding
“Murky” Protectionism in Times of Crisis
Organized by: Graduate Institute's Centre for Trade and
Economic Integration
Date: Tuesday, 29 September, 14:15 – 16:15
Trade is experiencing a sudden, severe and globally
synchronized collapse. Protectionist tendencies have
already emerged, and as the recession worsens, they
strengthen. These protectionist tendencies, however, do
not manifest themselves as 1930s-style tariffs. Instead,
it is a “murky” or ambiguous protectionism — seemingly
benign, crisis-linked policies, but which are twisted to
favour domestic firms, workers, and investors. A
negative feedback between recession and protectionism is
no longer merely a memory from the 1930s; it is now a
possible — though hopefully of low probability —
scenario in the months and years to come
Drawing on research undertaken
for a recent World Bank study, this session will discuss
trends in protectionist measures, and put forth several
concrete proposals that world leaders can follow to
avoid this “murky” protectionism.
Session 29: Labour and Environment Provisions in
Bilateral and Regional Agreements: Challenges for the
Multilateral Trading System
Organized by: International Centre for Trade and
Sustainable Development (ICTSD)
Date: Wednesday 30 September, 11:15 - 13:15
The number of regional trade agreements (RTAs) that have
been notified to the WTO is growing. One of the main
reasons for the increasing number of such agreements is
that they allow WTO members to progress toward trade
liberalization which they cannot otherwise attain
through the multilateral trading system. Among the
issues being covered by RTAs, several new issues are
becoming more important. Furthermore, concerns about the
regulatory aspects of the relationship between
environment and labour standards are starting to grow.
While developing countries tend to look at these issues
with some level of distrust, consumer and market
preferences are reshaping these perceptions.
The main questions that this
session will address include:
-
Legal and systemic issues in
economic partnership agreements (EPAs), or contested
issues in interim EPAs and WTO rules: What are the
alternatives for African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP)
countries?
-
What are the implications of
new environmental and labour standards for developing
countries?
-
What would be the content of
a positive agenda in environment and labour issues?
Session 30: Intellectual Property, Sustainability and the Food System: Trends and New Directions
Organized by: Quaker United Nations Office
Date: Wednesday, 30 September, 11:15 – 13:15
This session will describe the way in which intellectual property rules impact on the availability of seeds, as well as on the adaptability of our food system to new challenges, such as climate change. Panellists on this session will describe the way that these rules are coming into force, and propose some alternative visions for shaping an agriculture and food system that is genetically diverse and responsive to the livelihood needs of people around the world.
Much of the session will build on the prize-winning book published by the Quaker International Affairs Programme, the International Development Research Centre and Earthscan, entitled “The Future Control of Food” (G. Tansey & T. Rajotte, eds, 2008).
Session 33: Strengthening Multilateralism in Trade for Sustainable Development: Preparing the WTO for the Future
Organized by: Global Economic Governance Programme,
University College, Oxford and the International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development (ICTSD)
Date: Wednesday, 30 September, 14:15 – 16:15
The session will address the challenges of strengthening the multilateral trading system for trade and sustainable development As the Doha Development Agenda inches ahead, there is growing interest in the challenges the multilateral trading system will face in the longer term, and the reforms they will demand of the global economic governance of the WTO.
The starting point for discussion will be that the WTO is a vital and valuable institution, but that improvements need to be made to ensure the multilateral trading system addresses the changing political and economic realities of the trading system, the global financial crisis, and the pressing challenges of sustainable development. The specific issues the panel will
address will include:
-
the WTO’s position and role
in global economic governance, including its
relationships to other international organizations and
processes;
-
the improvement of trade
monitoring and surveillance mechanisms;
-
improvements to the WTO
negotiating process;
-
reforms to the governance of the WTO’s functions and activities, ranging from Aid for Trade and technical assistance to research; and
-
innovations in governance
that might improve accountability to citizens around
the world, and to international commitments such as
the Millennium Development Goals.
In each area, the panel will
focus special attention on addressing the needs of
developing countries and on sustainable development
considerations, such as poverty reduction, environmental
sustainability, and social justice.
Session 34: How Food Security and Sustainable
Agriculture will Change the Post-Crisis Agenda of WTO
Organized by: The International Federation of
Agricultural Producers (IFAP)
Date: Wednesday, 30 September, 14:15 – 16:15
This session will examine the changes to the WTO
Agreement on Agriculture that will be necessary in order
to meet renewed world food security targets, to meet
climate-change goals, and to re-launch the global
economy. The session will consider the following
questions:
-
We need to feed 1 billion
hungry people. Farmers need special programmes of
investment in local food production. Are such
programmes in conflict with WTO trade rules?
-
Meeting climate-change goals
means encouraging agricultural development in places
where it has the lowest carbon footprint. Do WTO rules
need to be adjusted to provide for this?
-
Opportunities for
employment-creation in the fiscal stimulus packages of
many countries could focus on “green jobs”. Are such
“green” or “natural resource management” criteria
compatible with WTO trade rules?
In addition, the panel will
consider how uncontrolled speculation on farm
commodities reportedly contributed to nearly a third of
price increases during the recent food crisis.
-
What steps need to be taken
to limit “unhealthy” speculation on commodity markets?
-
What can be done to better
regulate the food value chain, and how can farmers
cooperate internationally on market management to
create fairer and more sustainable systems?
The first G8 agriculture
ministers’ meeting in Treviso supported a “Global
Partnership for Agriculture, Food Security and Nutrition
within the UN system”. What are the impliacations for
the post-crisis agenda of WTO?
Session 36: New and Old Challenges to Inclusiveness in a
Recessionary Global Economic System
Organized by: CUTS International, India; and
Commonwealth Secretariat, United Kingdom
Date: Wednesday, 30 September, 14:15 – 16:15
This session will focus on key
challenges faced by the multilateral trading system,
such as how to improve the inclusiveness of trade policy
making and implementation, particularly in times of
economic crisis, to facilitate stakeholders’ buy-in in
developing countries, and will look at what actions have
been taken, and what remains to be done.
The main focus of this session
will be:
-
Improvements in the
inclusiveness of the multilateral trading system,
particularly for LDCs and African countries.
-
The impact of trade
financing gaps on developing countries.
-
The research findings of
CUTS studies on inclusive trade policy making in
Africa.
-
Possible solutions to the
remaining inclusiveness.
Some relevant questions that
the panellists and discussions will endeavour to answer
include:
-
What have been the main WTO
improvements in inclusiveness? What key concerns still
remain in this regard?
-
What has been the impact of
trade financing gaps due to the economic crisis on
developing countries, particularly in South Asia?
-
How can the Inclusive Trade
Policy Making Index (ITPMI) be used to benefit
developing countries at the multilateral level?
-
What constructive ways exist
to deal with inclusiveness in the post-crisis WTO
agenda?
-
Whether and how the WTO can
deal with the issue of trade financing on a regular
basis to assist developing countries in their
integration into the multilateral trading system?
Session 44: Fundamental Human Rights at Work and the
Role of the WTO: Operational routes
Organized by: European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC)
Date: Wednesday 30 September, 14:15 – 16:15
From the economic and political standpoints, the early years of the 21st Century have been marked by the emergence of new global powers, dominated by the two most densely populated countries on the planet — China and India. This new historical phenomenon has given birth to a new world order which overall raises the question of the values that will govern the international scene in the decades to come.
While economic growth has driven back poverty in some — though ultimately very few — emerging countries, development as a source of wellbeing and better living conditions for the population at large has yet to be achieved. All the more so since violations of human rights at work are still rife and possibly even spreading.
To address these issues, this session will look into:
The legal route, explored on the basis of two questions
- What are the arguments in favour of including core labour rights in WTO law?
- How and on what terms can trade union players assert their points of view in the WTO?
The economic routes
- Is social dumping justified in economic terms?
- Does the emergence of competitive advantages call for deeper negotiation to minimize the risk of interference?
The contractual route
- What are the scope and limits of international framework agreements that propose seemingly promising labelling standards and programmes?
The political and institutional routes
- Sustainable development: a demanding concept that requires new coherence among global governance institutions.
- Sustainable development as a lever in bringing about compliance with fundamental human rights at work.
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