WORLD TRADE WT/MIN(98)/ST/45
18May1998
ORGANIZATION(98-2006)
Original: English MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE
Second Session
Geneva, 18and20May1998
NETHERLANDS
Statement Circulated byMrs. Anneke VanDok-Van Weele,
Minister forForeign Trade
TheNetherlands seesthesecond Ministerial Conference oftheWTO andthememorable
celebration ofthe50thAnniversary ofthemultilateral trading system asagoodoccasion forallparties
toconfirm theirattachment totheprocess ofworldwide trade liberalization. Weshould strive forthe
elimination ofbarriers tothefreeflowofgoods andservices tothemaximum possible extent, within
theframework ofarules-based multilateral system thatoffers fairandpredictable conditions toall.
Under suchconditions, international tradewillcontribute toanoptimal international division oflabour
andasaresult tosustainable development andprosperity forallparticipants.
TheWTO Agreements adopted atMarrakesh havestrongly contributed tothestrengthening
ofthemultilateral trading system byasubstantial further opening ofourmarkets andbyclarifying
andstrengthening therelevant disciplines. Acrucial element inthiscontext wastheestablishment
oftheWTO 'sdispute settlement mechanism. Fullimplementation oftheagreements, including loyal
implementation ofpanel rulings andofthefindings oftheAppellate Body, isessential forthecredibility
ofthemultilateral trading system andforsafeguarding thebenefits resulting from it.
TheWTO 'sMinisterial Conferences areofgreat importance formaintaining themomentum
fortheprocess oftrade liberalization. Inthepresent Conference weshould strike abalance between
ontheonehandfullimplementation oftheexisting agreements andontheother handlooking ahead
toourfuture work. Thisfuture work implies theagreed working programme, butatthesame time
weshould continue studying anddiscussing newissues thatdeserve theWTO 'sattention andseeif
additional WTO agreements maybeneeded. TheNetherlands favours theideaoflaunching anew
round ofcomprehensive multilateral tradenegotiations from2000, which should leadtoresults within
areasonable period oftimeinapackage thatisbeneficial forallparties.
However beneficial theprocess oftrade liberalization maybe,special efforts fromallparties
concerned areneeded toensure continuation ofthisprocess. Inthiscontext, Iwishtomention two
aspects more specifically: ontheonehandtheimportance offullintegration ofdeveloping countries
inthemultilateral trading system; ontheother handtheneedforacomprehensive dialogue withthe
general public andgreater transparency intheWTO, sothatthepublic getsabetter understanding
ofthebenefits oftrade liberalization andhastheopportunity toexpress itsinterests andconcerns.
FortheNetherlands Government, thefullintegration ofdeveloping countries intheworld trading system
isofutmost importance. Weshould notimpose ourideas andsolutions onoureconomically less
advanced partners, butshould maintain acontinuous dialogue inorder tobuild consensus forfurther
stepstowards fulltradeliberalization. Inthiscontext, Istress theimportance ofacomprehensive new
round resulting inbalanced package, which alsoreflects theinterests ofdeveloping countries. More
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specifically, weshould continue andintensify ourefforts aimed atfullintegration oftheleast-developed
countries, along thelinesagreed attheMinisterial Conference ofSingapore andtheHighLevel Meeting
onIntegrated Initiatives fortheLeast-Developed Countries 'Trade Development ofOctober 1997.
Iwelcome theDirector-General 'sReport onthisissue. This, however, should notbetheendofthe
process, butthestarting-point forafurther intensification ofourefforts toenhance market access for
these countries andtoassist them inreaping thefullbenefits ofinternational trade.
Itisofequalimportance,thatboththeWTOandnationalgovernmentsmaintainacomprehensive
dialogue withthegeneral public andwithnon-governmental organizations inorder toexplain thebenefits
ofthemultilateral trading system. WTO Members, primarily athome, butalsocollectively inthe
WTO, should listen tothequestions orconcerns thepublic mayhaveandbefullyaware oftheinterests
oftheconsumers, who, intheend,arethebeneficiaries oftheWTO process. Weshould absolutely
avoid asituation inwhich theWTO isperceived asafortress ofsingle-minded tradebureaucrats, who
strike dealsinsecrecy without having aneyefortheinterests ofthegeneral public. Greater transparency
ofWTO 'sdecision making willcontribute tothisobjective.
More specifically, theWTO andother relevant forashould address theconcerns ofconsumers
inthefieldoftheprotection oftheenvironment andofhuman, animal andplanthealth, labour rights,
etc.Asregards tradeandenvironment, itisimportant thattheworkintheCTEwillsoonleadtotangible
results inareas liketherelationship between WTO rulesandMultilateral Environmental Agreements
andlabelling. Asregards other consumer concerns, some ofthemrelate directly totradepolicy, others
onlyindirectly orremotely.
Awidevarietyofconcernswillhavetobeaddressedthroughavarietyofpolicies,notnecessarily
always within theframework oftheWTO. However, wewillhavetofacethatwehaveacommon
interestinaddressingseriouslythelegitimateconcernsofconsumersandconstructivelyseekingacommon
approach toaccommodate them. Attheveryleastgovernments andtheWTO should ensure that
consumers canmake informed choices forthemselves through certification, labelling, etc.
Whateverwedo,wecannotandshouldnotpretendthattradepolicycanbeconductedinisolation
fromother issues inoursocieties. Ifwefailhere, wemight seriously undermine thesupport forthe
multilateral trading system andwould jeopardize thefurther process oftrade liberalization.
Iamfullyconfident that,ifwesucceed inaddressing thechallenges mentioned above, wewill
beabletostrengthenthefoundationsoftheWTOandmaintainthemomentumforanongoingmultilateral
process oftrade liberalization forthebenefit ofall.
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