WORLD TRADE WT/MIN(98)/DEC/1
25May1998
ORGANIZATION(98-2149)
MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE
Second Session
Geneva, 18and20May1998
MINISTERIAL DECLARATION
Adopted on20May1998
1. ThisSecond Session oftheMinisterial Conference oftheWTO istaking place ataparticularly
significant timeforthemultilateral trading system, when thefiftieth anniversary ofitsestablishment
isbeing commemorated. Onthisoccasion wepaytribute tothesystem 'simportant contribution over
thepasthalf-century togrowth, employment andstability bypromoting theliberalization andexpansion
oftradeandproviding aframework fortheconduct ofinternational traderelations, inaccordance with
theobjectives embodied inthePreambles totheGeneral Agreement onTariffs andTrade andtheWorld
Trade Organization Agreement. Weagree, however, thatmore remains tobedonetoenable allthe
world 'speoples toshare fullyandequitably inthese achievements.
2. Weunderline thecrucial importance ofthemultilateral rule-based trading system. Wereaffirm
thecommitments andassessments wemade atSingapore, andwenotethatthework under existing
agreements anddecisions hasresulted insignificant newstepsforward sincewelastmet.Inparticular,
wewelcome thesuccessful conclusion ofthenegotiations onbasic telecommunications andfinancial
services andwetakenoteoftheimplementation oftheInformation Technology Agreement. Werenew
ourcommitment toachieve progressive liberalization oftrade ingoods andservices.
3. Thefiftieth anniversary comes atatimewhen theeconomies ofanumber ofWTO Members
areexperiencing difficulties asaresult ofdisturbances infinancial markets. Wetakethisopportunity
tounderline thatkeeping allmarkets open must beakeyelement inadurable solution tothese
difficulties. Withthisinmind, wereject theuseofanyprotectionist measures andagree toworktogether
intheWTO asintheIMFandtheWorld Bank toimprove thecoherence ofinternational economic
policy-making withaviewtomaximizing thecontribution thatanopen, rule-based trading system can
make tofostering stable growth foreconomies atalllevels ofdevelopment.
4. Werecognizetheimportanceofenhancingpublicunderstandingofthebenefitsofthemultilateral
trading system inorder tobuild support foritandagree towork towards thisend. Inthiscontext
wewillconsiderhowtoimprovethetransparencyofWTOoperations.Weshallalsocontinuetoimprove
ourefforts towards theobjectives ofsustained economic growth andsustainable development.
5. Werenew ourcommitment toensuring thatthebenefits ofthemultilateral trading system are
extended aswidely aspossible. Werecognize theneedforthesystem tomake itsowncontribution
inresponse totheparticular trade interests anddevelopment needs ofdeveloping-country Members.
Wewelcome thework already underway intheCommittee onTrade andDevelopment forreviewing
theapplication ofspecial provisions intheMultilateral Trade Agreements andrelated Ministerial
Decisions infavour ofdeveloping country Members, andinparticular theleast-developed among them.
Weagree ontheneedforeffective implementation ofthese special provisions.WT/MIN(98)/DEC/1
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6. Weremain deeply concerned overthemarginalization ofleast-developed countries andcertain
small economies, andrecognize theurgent needtoaddress thisissuewhich hasbeencompounded by
thechronic foreign debtproblem facing many ofthem. Inthiscontext wewelcome theinitiatives taken
bytheWTO incooperation withother agencies toimplement inanintegrated manner thePlanofAction
fortheleast-developed countries which weagreed atSingapore, especially through theHigh-Level
Meeting onLeast-Developed Countries heldinGeneva inOctober 1997. Wealsowelcome thereport
oftheDirector-General onthefollow-up ofthisinitiative, towhich weattach great importance. We
commit ourselves tocontinue toimprove market access conditions forproducts exported bytheleast-
developed countries onasbroad andliberal abasisaspossible. WeurgeMembers toimplement the
market-access commitments thattheyhaveundertaken attheHigh-Level Meeting.
7. Wewelcome theWTO Members whohave joined since wemetinSingapore: Congo,
Democratic Republic ofCongo, Mongolia, Niger andPanama. Wewelcome theprogress made with
31applicants currently negotiating theiraccession andrenew ourresolution toensure thattheaccession
processes proceed asrapidly aspossible. Werecall thataccession totheWTO requires fullrespect
ofWTO rulesanddisciplines aswellasmeaningful market access commitments onthepartofacceding
candidates.
8. Fullandfaithful implementation oftheWTO Agreement andMinisterial Decisions isimperative
forthecredibility ofthemultilateral trading system andindispensable formaintaining themomentum
forexpanding global trade, fostering jobcreation andraising standards ofliving inallparts ofthe
world. When wemeetattheThird Session weshallfurther pursue ourevaluation oftheimplementation
ofindividual agreements andtherealization oftheirobjectives. Such evaluation would cover, inter
alia,theproblems encountered inimplementation andtheconsequent impact onthetrade and
development prospects ofMembers. Wereaffirm ourcommitment torespect theexisting schedules
forreviews, negotiations andother work towhich wehavealready agreed.
9. Werecall thattheMarrakesh Agreement Establishing theWorld Trade Organization states
thattheWTO shallprovide theforum fornegotiations among itsMembers concerning theirmultilateral
trade relations inmatters dealtwithunder theagreements intheAnnexes totheAgreement, andthat
itmayalsoprovide aforum forfurther negotiations among itsMembers concerning theirmultilateral
trade relations, andaframework fortheimplementation oftheresults ofsuchnegotiations, asmay
bedecided bytheMinisterial Conference. Inthelightofparagraphs 1-8above, wedecide thataprocess
willbeestablished under thedirection oftheGeneral Council toensure fullandfaithful implementation
ofexisting agreements, andtoprepare fortheThird Session oftheMinisterial Conference. Thisprocess
shallenable theGeneral Council tosubmit recommendations regarding theWTO 'swork programme,
including further liberalization sufficiently broad-based torespond totherange ofinterests andconcerns
ofallMembers, within theWTO framework, thatwillenable ustotakedecisions attheThird Session
oftheMinisterial Conference. Inthisregard, theGeneral Council willmeet inspecial session in
September 1998 andperiodically thereafter toensure fullandtimely completion ofitswork, fully
respecting theprinciple ofdecision-making byconsensus. TheGeneral Council 'swork programme
shallencompass thefollowing:
(a) recommendations concerning:
(i) theissues, including those brought forward byMembers, relating to
implementation ofexisting agreements anddecisions;
(ii) thenegotiationsalreadymandatedatMarrakesh,toensurethatsuchnegotiations
begin onschedule;WT/MIN(98)/DEC/1
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(iii) future workalready provided forunder otherexisting agreements anddecisions
taken atMarrakesh;
(b) recommendations concerning other possible future work onthebasis ofthework
programme initiated atSingapore;
(c) recommendations onthefollow-up totheHigh-Level Meeting onLeast-Developed
Countries;
(d) recommendations arising fromconsideration ofother matters proposed andagreed to
byMembers concerning theirmultilateral trade relations.
10. TheGeneral Council willalsosubmit totheThird Session oftheMinisterial Conference, on
thebasisofconsensus,recommendationsfordecisionconcerningthefurtherorganizationandmanagement
ofthework programme arising from theabove, including thescope, structure andtime-frames, that
willensure thatthework programme isbegun andconcluded expeditiously.
11. Theabove work programme shallbeaimed atachieving overall balance ofinterests ofall
Members.
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