WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONWT/MIN(98)ST/107
20 May 1998
(98-2209)
MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE Original:  French
Second Session
Geneva, 18 and 20 May 1998
MOROCCO
Statement Circulated by Mr. Abderazzak El Mossadeq,
Secretary-General of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Handicrafts
REVIEW OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE AGREEMENTS RESULTING FROM THE
URUGUAY ROUND
Three years following the entry into forc e of the Agreements of the Uruguay Round
concluded at Marrakesh in April 1994, it is a useful exercise for the WTO to take stock of the
implementation of the commitments assumed by Member States under these Agreements.
In this regard, Morocco has always reaffirmed its commitment to the full and strict
implementation of these Agreements, which are the outcome of several years of arduous negotiations
that culminated in a consensus acceptable to all the contracting parties.  We believe that strict
observance of assumed commitments is an indication of both the nature and strength of a country’s
commitment to the multilateral trading system.
Today, Morocco can say that it has fully respected its undertakings vis-à-vis the WTO.  In
this connection, I should like to recall briefly the principal steps taken by Morocco to comply with the
provisions of the Agreements of the Uruguay Round.
1. Agricultural products
Morocco has implemented the tariff rollback envisaged under the Agreements (2.4 per cent
per annum).  Our country has also amended its foreign trade legislation to bring it into line with the
provisions of the Agreement on Agriculture and has deregulated domestic trade in farm produce.  We
have also fostered the process of analysis and shar ing of information and statistics preparatory to the
1999 negotiations, a process in which we are active participants and which we believe to be
progressing satisfactorily.
2. Textiles and clothing
Morocco has already completed the different stages of the integration process of bringing the
trade in textiles and clothing gradually under WTO rules and disciplines.
3. Customs Valuation Agreement
Morocco will apply this Agreement as of 1 July 1998, upon expiry of the transition period
allowed it as part of the special and differential treatment accorded to developing countries.WT/MIN(98)ST/107
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4. Rules of origin
Morocco has taken an active part in the work done in this regard, both within the WTO and
the World Customs Organization (WCO).  In this regard, Morocco has adopted measures that
demonstrate our full commitment to the strict and complete implementation of all the decisions takenat Marrakesh and Singapore.
5. Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS)
Under this Agreement, Morocco has been allowed until the year 2000 to implement it.
Nevertheless, we have already taken significant steps in that direction, in particular, by enacting a new
law on the protection of industrial property.
6. Basic telecommunications
Morocco is a signatory to the Agreement concluded in February 1998 and has introduced
major reforms with a view to liberalizing this sector.
7. Financial services
Morocco has made a very liberal offer in the banking and insurance sector.  A new banking
law was passed in 1993 and a draft law on a new in surance code is now in the process of adoption.
Furthermore, the financial system has already been considerably opened up and made more dynamic
for some years new.
8. Initiative for LDCs
At the High-Level Meeting held in October 1997, Morocco undertook to grant preferential
conditions to the LDCs in Africa.  Today we are ha ppy to report that these preferences will come on
stream in the weeks ahead. Details of this will shortly be notified to the WTO.
9. Notifications
Morocco has submitted the notifications stemming from its commitments under the Uruguay
Round Agreements in several fields.
Yet much remains to be done if the strategic objectives envisaged under the Marrakesh
Agreements are to be fully attained.  We believe that all WTO Member States should display the same
level of attachment to their assumed commitments, in particular, concerning special and differentialtreatment for developing countries.
Indeed, the developing countries, and Morocco among them, must be given an unequivocal
sign through the WTO that efforts at liberalization and observance of commitments are balanced, and
this should take the form of  the effective openin g of developed country markets.  The international
community should provide developing countries with solid support in putting their development
strategies into effect.
At this stage we would like to underscore the importance of this special and differential
treatment.  It is imperative, however, that we jointly consider a new approach that would translate thepositive impacts of these measures into reality.  The fact is that the implementation of some of these
measures has been prevented by the problems entailed in making them operational.
Allow me to bear this out with three examples:WT/MIN(98)ST/107
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- The rules of origin are of paramount importance to the further liberalization of the
world economy.  Morocco is deeply involved in the process under way in the
WTO/WCO.  It has become clear, however, that this process is posing many
problems by reason of the frequency of meetings and the scope of the deliberations,
which call for a considerable outlay of human, technical and material resources.  Wetherefore need to take account of these factors so that the process can yield optimum
results.
- Agricultural products: expectations of positive spin-offs from the liberalization of
agricultural trade for the advancement of Mo rocco's farming sector have been largely
thwarted by the persistence of protectionist measures in the major importing countries
(inter alia , market access and sanitary and phytosanitary measures), and by the level
of support given to farmers in most developed countries.
- Technical assistance: the implementation of our commitments under the Marrakesh
Agreements has brought to the fore the substantial needs of developing countries such
as Morocco for technical assistance in effecting the appropriate support measuressuch as those concerning anti-dumping, safeguard clauses, application of the
Agreement on Customs Valuation, rules of origin, and technical, sanitary and
phytosanitary standards.  A substantial increase in technical assistance to developing
countries is a prerequisite for the rapid implementation of  the undertakings made and
hence for the consolidation of an open and predictable multilateral trading system.
The efficiency of this system, specifically for developing countries, will thus be contingent on
the extent to which all Member States of our Organization can work together for greater transparency
and equitable and balanced liberalization.
To that end, and in the light of recent major changes in the world economy, it would today
seem necessary to give renewed impetus to the idea, put forward in April 1994 at Marrakesh by His
Majesty King Hassan II, for greater coherence of policies among the IMF, the World Bank and the
WTO, as the main underpinnings of the world eco nomy.  The complexities of international trade
would dictate that we incorporate this dimension into the strategy of the WTO.
Morocco therefore believes that the review of the implementation of the Marrakesh
Agreements should be guided by two major considerations:
- Respect for commitments assumed by Member States;- drawing up a new global and dynamic approach that takes account of the changed
international trading environment, especially as it affects developing countries.
FUTURE WORK OF THE WTO
The evolution of world trade is now at a cr ucial juncture.  The WTO should therefore take
account of this by providing all present or future Member States with conditions favouring sustainable
development that will generate employment and well-being for all.  With the entry into force of the
Marrakesh Agreements in 1995, the WTO became a forum for discussion and negotiation on the
range of international trade-related matters.  Therefore, at the first Ministerial Conference at
Singapore in 1996, WTO Member States agreed to set up working groups on the topics ofcompetition, interrelationships between trade and investment, simplification of procedures, and
transparency in government procurement.  These working groups come in addition to the timetable
already contained in the Built-in Agenda under the Marrakesh Agreements. Some Member States are
now proposing that new topics should be included in the future work of the WTO.WT/MIN(98)ST/107
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In this connection, Morocco believes that the WTO work programme should take account of
the following elements:
1. The implementation of the commitments contracted under the Marrakesh Agreements
must remain a basic priority.  It will no doubt be desirable to ensure that any approach
taken should be responsive to the changed international trading environment and
specifically to the "development" dimension of developing countries.
2. The new topics discussed or negotiated in the WTO should form part of a global
approach with a dual objective:
- To ensure that the overall "package" is balanced and that it caters to the
legitimate and strategic interests of all Member States;
- to avoid overloading the WTO work programme, so that developing countries
will be able to follow up regularly and effectively all the matters dealt with.
3. The WTO has a natural vocation to become a universal forum for discussion and
negotiation open to all countries.  We must therefore ensure that its work takes place
in a transparent manner.
On the basis of these principles and with the hindsight gained from an evaluation of three
years of compliance with the Marrakesh Agreements, the WTO should be able to embark on a new
phase of promoting a multilateral trading system based on fairness and predictability.
Morocco is firmly resolved to co mmit itself to this and to do its part to help ensure that the
future work programme of the WTO will be the result of a broad consensus and reflect the interests of
all.
Indeed, the credibility of the future work of our Organization will depend on its ability to
cater to the sensibilities of all Member countries an d further the quest for consensus, dialogue and the
balanced distribution of the benefits of growth.
We would like to advance the following proposals in this connection:
1. Bringing the implementation of the commitments assumed at Marrakesh into line
with the changed international trading environment, in particular, by paying attention
to the practical difficulties facing all Members (e.g. rules of origin, agriculturalproducts, technical assistance, among other things).
2. Studying the progress made on the matters emerging from the first Ministerial
Conference at Singapore, so as to dete rmine the corresponding follow-up in the future
WTO work programme.
3. The examination of any newly proposed items for the WTO agenda must be
predicated upon the observance of the rule of consensus and of the interests of all
Member countries.
We therefore endorse the idea that as of September 1998, the General Council should discuss
these options and report to the third Ministerial Conference of the WTO in 1999, at which a decision
should be taken on them.WT/MIN(98)ST/107
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Morocco intends to participate fully in thes e deliberations, not least by tabling specific
proposals on items to be included in a positive agenda that is responsive to the interests of and
approved by all.
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