Members take stock of latest discussions on WTO reform

The latest round of dedicated sessions on WTO reform addressing each of the four tracks were held during September.

The General Council Chair, Ambassador Clare Kelly, said: "At the kick-off sessions before the summer break, members spoke clearly about the importance of advancing this work without delay. The fact that our work on WTO reform continues to move forward steadily in all areas is a positive collective response to the expectations of our stakeholders." 

The facilitators are Ms Sumathi Balakrishnan (Malaysia) for foundational issues, Mr Katsuro Nagai (Japan) for decision-making issues, Ms Nthisana Motsete-Phillips (Botswana) for development issues and Mr Elmer Jose German Gonzalo Schialer Salcedo (Peru) for level playing field issues. 

Foundational issues: Ambassador Balakrishnan said that discussions focused on proposals concerning core WTO principles, such as most-favoured nation (MFN), non-discrimination, the role of the WTO Secretariat, special and differential treatment (S&DT), and plurilateral initiatives. She noted strong member engagement, and said further consideration of proposals were scheduled for October.

Decision-making: Ambassador Nagai said extensive discussions were held on how to strengthen WTO decision-making while preserving consensus as the cornerstone of the organization. Members exchanged views on practical ways to improve transparency, early engagement and participation of smaller delegations well in advance of decision-making.

Development:  Ambassador Motsete-Phillips said that members held in-depth discussions on development-related reform issues, including special and differential treatment, differentiation among developing members, and policy space for industrialization, among other topics. Given the differences of views, she stressed the importance of continued member engagement and the submission of concrete proposals to advance this area of the reform process.