WORLD TRADE WT/GC(95)/ST/3
9February 1996
ORGANIZATION(96-0287)
Original: French GENERAL COUNCIL
13and15December 1995
SWITZERLAND
Statement byH.E. Mr.P.-L. Girard
Ambassador, Federal Office forExternal Economic Affairs
TheWTO iscompleting thefirstyearofitsexistence atatimeofmajor change inworld
economic relations. Theinternationalization ofproduction activities andtheglobalization ofmarkets
are,among other factors, thefoundations ofthenewdealintheworld economy. Tovarying degrees,
mostoftheissues facing ustoday atnational levelhaveaninternational dimension. Thesolution to
these problems inevitably means closer harmonization ofindividual policies atmultilateral level. The
conclusion oftheUruguay Round andtheestablishment oftheWTO were afirstresponse tothe
challenges posed bythese changes. Wemustnowconsolidate achievements. Moreover, wemustbe
ablerightaway toanticipate thefuture adaptations thatwillbeneeded byamultilateral trading system
which hastocopewithincreasingly rapid economic change.
Toachieve thatend,anumber ofimportant tasksmustbeaccomplished. Newinitiatives will
alsohavetobetaken. Wemustmaintain theimpetus thatthecreation oftheWTO hasgiven totrade.
Inparticular, itisessential toensure thattheresults oftheUruguay Round areimplemented faithfully
andintheirentirety. Lastly, compliance withtherulesandprocedures ofdispute settlement mustbe
resolutely ensured.
Inthesame spirit, wemust already startreflecting onhowexisting rules canbeadapted to
therapidly evolving economic situation. Additional negotiations areplanned inmany areas: rules
oforigin, intellectual property, agriculture, subsidies, government procurement, services, particularly
maritime transport andtelecom, etc.Theywillhavetobecompleted within theprescribed time-limits.
Itisonlyproper thattheWTO should havethebroadest possible geographical base. Numerous
countries haveapplied toaccede, many ofthem areintransition toamarket economy system. These
future accessions willenhance theOrganization 'suniversality andconsolidate thereforms being
implemented intheStates concerned. Wemustbearthisinmind andatthesame timestrive toensure
thebalance ofrights andduties which areintrinsic totheWTO.
Withgrowing frequency, theglobalization ofmarkets andtheinternationalization ofproduction
havegonehand-in-hand withtheemergence ofnewregional initiatives. Thisphenomenon isgenerally
regarded asafirststeptowards wider liberalization. Itisuptoustoensure thatsuchagreements comply
withtheletter andthespirit oftheprovisions oftheWTO. Regional initiatives must remain an
instrument fortheliberalization oftrade andtheopening upofmarkets. Inthepast, GATT made
itpossible, forthemost part, toavoid inconsistencies between themultilateral trading system and
regionalism. TheWTO mustdolikewise. Inthisconnection, wefindtheWTO Secretariat 'sproposal
for"open regionalism" tobeinteresting andconstructive. Thisissue could beentrusted totheWTO
committee onregional economic agreements which Canada hasproposed should beestablished.
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Inthecontext ofthenewinterdependencies, theconcept ofmarket access isbecoming farwider
thanthemere issue ofborder measures. Increasingly itincludes, inparticular, terms ofinvestment
andtheexercise ofcommercial activities. TheTRIMS Agreement wasafirstmajor steptowards the
preparation ofamultilateral framework togovern investments. Thatframework mustbestrengthened
andimproved inorder toadapt itnotonlytotheneeds ofenterprises butalsototheconditions for
theexercise ofeconomic activities ingeneral. Thisshould alsobethecasefortheissues ofcompetition
andregulatory measures atnational level. Webelieve thatthisisamatter fordiscussion within the
WTO attheearliest possible date,especially bearing inmind theproximity oftheSingapore meeting.
Asregards themeeting inSingapore, itisamajor event since itwillenable theMinisterial
Conference oftheWTO tomeetforthefirsttime.
Onthatoccasion, wemustfirstmake certain thatcommitments made under theUruguay Round
arebeing implemented inaccordance withtheestablished timetable andmodalities, failing which the
Ministers would havetotakesteps toremedy anyshortcomings thatmayhavebeennoted.
Asforfuture developments intheWTO, ourwork should bebased onsound analysis andour
approachonmultilateralismandconsensus,inthesamespiritthatprevailedinGATTfornearly50years.
Ourapproach mustbebothambitious andrealistic toensure thesuccess ofthefirstmeeting atMinisterial
levelanddefine straightway courses ofaction forthemedium andlongterm.
Anassessment oftheWTO 'sactivities initsfirstyearofexistence bears outourideathatthe
Organization hasgotofftoagood start.
Many taskshavebeenaccomplished. Councils andCommittees havebeensetupinaccordance
withtheprovisions oftheAgreement establishing theWTO. They havedoneconsiderable work under
themandates entrusted tothem. Thestructures oftheOrganization arenowinplace. Inthisrespect,
Members havehadeffective backing from theSecretariat, towhich weextend ourwarmest thanks.
Asforservices, theconclusion oftheadditional negotiations onfinancial services andthe
temporary movement ofnatural persons supplying services confirms theWTO 'seffectiveness asaforum
fornegotiation. Now, wemustensure thattheAgreements come intoeffect within thesettime-limits.
Itisimportant, tothisend,thatallMembers which havesubmitted revised offers accept assoonas
possible theSecond andThird Protocols totheGATS (final date: 30June1996). Likewise, itis
essential thatacritical massofparticipants submit theiroffers inbasictelecommunications andmaritime
transport attheearliest possible date.