WORLD TRADE WT/MIN(96)/ST/26
9December 1996
ORGANIZATION(96-5192)
MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE Original: English
Singapore, 9-13December 1996
AUSTRALIA
Statement bytheHonourable TimFischer, M.P.
Deputy Prime Minister andMinister forTrade
Iwould liketostateattheoutset howpleased theAustralian Government isthatthisfirstWTO
Ministerial Conference istaking place intheheartofthedynamic Asia-Pacific region andinSingapore
which upholds sowelltheideals oftheoriginal GATT, andnowtheWTO, ofcreating wealth and
jobsthrough trade liberalization.
Infactsome timeagoIpublicly supported Singapore forheadquarters oftheWTO.
Thismeeting should sendastrong message about theWTO bybeing asuccessful, substantive
meeting about strengthening themultilateral trading system, furthering tradeliberalization andbuilding
stronger andfairer rules. Itneeds toproduce aclear, forward-looking work programme ofpractical
relevance tobusiness andtheeconomic aspirations ofoursocieties, especially thecreation ofsecure
jobs.
Thisisimportant insurance against thebreakdown ofthemultilateral system.
Weareheretoday atthefirstmeeting ofthe"Board ofDirectors" oftheWTO. Andthefirst
thing any"Board ofDirectors" doesisreview thefirm'soperations andthesecond thing itdoesis
setoutthegoals andplans forthefuture. These arethetwintasks before us.
Thisisespecially sointhefaceofthechallenges posed tothemultilateral system bythegrowth
ofregional trading arrangements, which canhaveasignificant, discriminatory effect.
ButAustralia believes thatthebestwayfortheWTO torespond tothese challenges istobe
more vigorous andambitious inpursuing trade liberalization.
Australia regards theimplementation oftheUruguay Round, including itsbuilt-in agenda, as
theprincipal taskforthenext2-3years, because:
- Implementing theUruguay Round delivers trade liberalization andmore jobs;
- completingthebasictelecommunicationsnegotiationsandconcludinganMFNagreement
onfinancial services willdeliver timely liberalization inthesetwokeysectors ofworld
tradewhich arethekeydrivers ofmany other sectors inaglobalizing world economy;
andWT/MIN(96)/ST/26
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- thebuilt-in agenda, inagriculture, services, intellectual property andadozen other
rulesissues, leadsnaturally toanewround ofcomprehensive global tradeliberalization
bytheendofthedecade.
Inagriculture, wearedetermined toseefullandeffective implementation ofUruguay Round
commitments onmarket access, domestic support andexport subsidies including theneedtolookat
disciplines onexport credits. Along withtheagreed agriculture work programme, thiswillthoroughly
prepare theground forthelaunch ofthemandated negotiations tofurther liberalize thisveryimportant
sector ofworld trade.
Anditiscritical thatbarriers toprocessed foodexports, anareawhere Australia hasastrong
comparative advantage, areseriously addressed attheearliest possible opportunity.
Australia ispleased thattheWTO 'swork programme willalsoincorporate analytical work
intheMarket Access Committee aimed atimproving theefficiency ofnegotiations onindustrial goods.
Thisisimportant work inakeyareaofWTO business andwewillcertainly belooking tothe
1998 WTO Ministerial toendorse further comprehensive negotiations onindustrial tariffs forthe
1999/2000 period.
Wehavealready begun toaddress further tradeliberalization withtheInformation Technology
Agreement. Australia hassaidthatitwilljoina"critical mass" onthis.
Ontextiles, itisimportant thatcountries implement theirUruguay Round obligations tothe
letter andspirit oftheagreement. Astheworld 'smajor exporter ofwool, Australia isparticularly
disadvantaged byrestrictions ontrade inwool garments.
Services isarapidly growing areaofAustralia 'strade, andthisiswhyAustralia hasledand
successfully driven apractical forward work programme onservices toprepare in1997 forthenext
round ofcomprehensive negotiations which arescheduled tobegin intheyear2000.
Andonprofessional services, weshould alsocommit toconcluding work onaccountancy by
theendof1997 andoffer oursupport totheorganizations developing international standards inthe
accounting sector.
Thetremendous success oftheGATT/WTO system overnearly 50years hasbeenbased on
thefundamental principles ofbalance andcomprehensiveness.
Australia ispleased withthereport oftheCommittee onTrade andEnvironment andthatthere
issuchwidespread recognition ofthecontribution thatcanbemade byglobal trade liberalization to
sustainable development. Thisisagood outcome forAustralia 'sresources industry, aworld leader
inthisfield.
Inaddition totheBuilt-In Agenda andMarket Access Committee work programmes, Australia
supports WTO work ontrade andinvestment andtrade andcompetition policy. TheWTO cannot
remain relevant tobusiness ifitkeeps itsheadinthesandonthese issues.
Australian firms willbenefit fromtransparency anddueprocess initskeymarkets andinthis
respect looks forward totheinterim agreement ongovernment procurement.
Butweneedtobeclearabout which newissues arecoreWTO business. ForAustralia, the
testofwhatisWTO business iswhether anissue ispotentially trade liberalizing.WT/MIN(96)/ST/26
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Onthistestwe,likemost WTO Members, donotsupport aworking rolefortheWTO on
labour standards orhuman rights. Thisissomething fortheILO.
Theestablishment oftheWTO andthecourse wearecharting fortheglobal trading system
should beregarded asaneweraforthemultilateral trading system. Anerawhere we,theWTO
Ministers, make veryclearthatthemultilateral trading system iscentral tothewell-being oftheworld
economy andourindividual economies.
Wecandothisbycommitting ourselves hereinSingapore todriving theWTO system forward
onatrade liberalizing paththrough thework programme weadopt thisweek andbylooking ahead
tothe1998Ministerial Conference, when wewillcelebrate 50years ofthemultilateral trading system.
Weshould hopethattheprocess westarthereinSingapore, andtakeforward in1998, should
leadtoanother comprehensive round oftrade negotiations forthenewmillennium.
Inconcluding, Iwould liketorecord mygreat appreciation ofthework andeffort ofthe
Singapore Government andmycolleague Minister YeoCheow Tong.
Ishould alsocongratulate theDirector-General oftheWTO andhishighly professional staff
fortheexcellent jobtheyhavedone insetting uptheWTO andincarrying outitswork during its
firsttwoyears.
LetushopethisMinisterial willtrulydeliver awin/win world tradeoutcome withmore trade,
freerandfairer, generating more jobs!