WORLD TRADE WT/MIN(96)/ST/18
9December 1996
ORGANIZATION(96-5203)
MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE Original: English
Singapore, 9-13December 1996
PORTUGAL
Statement byMr.Francisco Seixas daCosta
Secretary ofState forEuropean Affairs
Iwould liketostartbythanking theGovernment ofSingapore ashostofthisfirstMinisterial
Conference oftheWTO foritswarm andkindhospitality.
Theconclusion oftheUruguay Round negotiations andthesignature oftheFinal Agreement
inMarrakesh inApril 1994 have played amajor roleinproviding onward stable conditions for
developing trade atinternational level.
Wearenow, inthisfirstConference, inaposition toconfirm thatthecreation oftheWTO
wasofcrucial importance toassure economic development andthemaintenance ofpeace.
TheWTO embodies theestablishment ofanewworld economic system, based ontheprinciple
ofmultilateral agreed rules forinternational trade.
Forthese reasons weconsider today thatthekeyword isimplementation.
Ensuring thatallWTO Members willcontinue toimplement, inacorrect way, allthe
commitments accepted inMarrakesh should beourmajor priority forthisfirstMinisterial Conference.
Iwould liketostatethatmycountry, inglobal terms, evaluates positively thepresent level
ofimplementation.
Nevertheless, weshould nothidethatinsome sectors, namely textiles, some parties havenot
yetfullymettheirobligations interms ofmarket access.
Irecall thattheprogressive integration oftextiles intheWTO requires, asamajor condition,
thatallWTO Members opentheirmarkets.
Itshould notbeforgotten thattheevaluation ofthiscommitment isoneofthemajor goals of
thisMinisterial Conference.
Thetextile sector specificity anditspolitical relevance wasclearly acknowledged byallthe
participating countries intheUruguay Round, through anAgreement thatspecifies different modalities
andtime-frames fortheprogressive phase-out oftheMultifibre Agreement.
Inthissense, Istress thattheEuropean Union isalready themostopentradespace intheworld,
andwillintegrate, on1January 1998, asetoftextiles andclothing products representing, forthesecond
stage, abroader opening thanitisrequired under theAgreement.WT/MIN(96)/ST/18
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Thiseffort should provide animpulse leading allWTO Members tocommit themselves into
aneffective market opening andintothestrengthening offairtrade rules.
Forallthereasons Ihavepointed out,implementation oftheUruguay Round commitments
should bepursued, since thecredibility ofWTO depends onitandonthecapacity tomaterialize the
built-in agenda.
Iwould alsoliketostress thatPortugal considers thatthisMinisterial Conference should clearly
demonstrate aparticular solidarity towards leastdeveloped countries andshould alsorecognize the
needforspecial measures inorder tofacilitate theirintegration intoworld trade.
Weshouldcreatenewtradeopportunitiesforthesecountriesandprovidethenecessaryconditions
sothattheycanalsofullybenefit from theadvantages oftheUruguay Round results.
TheAction Planandtheorganization ofamultilateral meeting, in1997, withtheparticipation
ofaidagencies andfinancial institutions areimportant initiatives forthispurpose.
WetrulyhopethatallWTO Members, withnoexception, willbeabletogivearealcontribution
tosupport theleastdeveloped countries.
Within theEU,Portugal willfavour initiatives aiming atadapting existing policies toensure
abetter integration ofLLDCs inthemultilateral system.
Wearealsoready toconsider further improvements regarding market access, onanautonomous
basis.
Finally, Iwould liketopoint outsome aspects regarding thefuture WTO agenda.
Thecredibility ofWTO willdepend onitsability topromote newdebates and,ifnecessary,
tolaunch negotiations onissues thatprove toberelevant forinternational trade infairconditions.
Inouropinion, thisisclearly thecaseofsocial rights and,more generally, therespect for
internationally recognized human rights.
TheWTO willmissfuture challenges ifitcannot adjust tochanging realities andfailstoaddress
themain concerns ofcitizens. Present international trade development isseenbymany asaffecting
jobopportunities attheexpense ofunjust labour conditions.
Forthisreason, itiscrucial thatallMembers show thenecessary political determination to
startadebate ontheissue ofsocial rights andtheirrelevance forfreeandfairtrade.
Thebestwaytoavoid unilateral measures inthisandother areas istobring thedebate tothe
multilateral system, namely theWTO.
Weareaware thatsome Members fearthatthistopic might raiseprotectionist pressures.
Itmust becrystal clear thatPortugal excludes thiskindofapproach.
Inthisrespect, weagree thatILOshould continue tobethecentral forum todevelop thecore
work onsocial rights.WT/MIN(96)/ST/18
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However, ILOandWTO should develop acreative formofcooperation sothattheycanbenefit
from eachothers experience.
Mycountry hopes thatthismeeting willgiveanimpulse toenable ourOrganization tobetter
facepresent future challenges.
Forthisreason, Ithink wecannot misstheopportunity tohaveacollective reflection about
some ofthemostessential issues ontheinternational trade agenda, however divisive orpolemic they
maybe.
Weneedtohavethecourage tofaceourdifferences andtoshow thepolitical willtobridge
those differences through dialogue.