WORLD TRADE WT/MIN(98)/ST/75
20May1998
ORGANIZATION(98-2126)
Original: English MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE
Second Session
Geneva, 18and20May1998
NORWAY
Statement Circulated byMr.Knut Vollebæk,
Minister ofForeign Affairs
Anincreasingly globalized world poses challenges tousall,togovernments, totheWTO system
andtotheinternational community asawhole. Butisalsooffers unprecedented opportunities. We
must make surethatthese opportunities areevenly distributed andthatinterests aresafeguarded in
abalanced way. Thustrade-induced growth willcontinue toplayanimportant partincombating poverty
andraising standards ofliving.
Since theconclusion oftheUruguay Round, theWTO hasdeveloped intoaninstitution with
unquestionable competence andintegrity. Although much hasbeenachieved during thepast50years,
therearestillimportant tasksahead withregard tostrengthening therulesandimproving market access.
Thisshould bedonewiththeinterests ofproducers andconsumers inmind, indeveloped anddeveloping
countries alike.
Ifwestartbylooking ahead, theoverriding challenge forthefuture istosecure therelevance
ofthemultilateral trading system toallMembers. Dueaccount should bepaidtotheobjective of
sustainable development asreflected inthepreamble totheWTO Agreement.
TheWTO 'sso-called built-in agenda gives certain directions forfurther development ofthe
multilateral trading system, inparticular onagriculture andservices. Letmebriefly comment onboth
issues.
Through theAgreement onAgriculture (Article 20)weareallcommitted toinitiate negotiations
forcontinuing theagricultural reform process withthelong-term objective ofsubstantial progressive
reductions insupport andprotection. However, while areduction could besubstantial, itsignifies
bynomeans anelimination ofagricultural subsidies. Thecoming negotiations could onlybeonestep
towards thisend. Anyreductions willalsodepend onthevarious factors andconditions speltoutin
Article 20,including theso-called non-trade concerns, specified as,interalia,foodsecurity andthe
needtoprotect theenvironment. Aspointed outduring theUruguay Round, forNorway non-trade
concerns continue tobevitalelements inouragricultural policies andextend notonlytofoodsecurity,
butcomprise alsoelements suchasenvironment, rural policies andsocial aspects. Theconcept of
multifunctionality paysample attention tonon-trade concerns. The1996World Food Summit stressed
theimportance offoodproduction inlowpotential areas. Suchproduction maydepend onconsiderable
levels ofsupport andprotection. Therefore, while maintaining thetrading system andsafeguarding
theinterests ofdeveloping countries, thismultifunctional character ofagriculture willhavetobea
keyfeature infuture deliberations. Norway intends tocontribute toabroad analytical process onthese
aspects.WT/MIN(98)/ST/75
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TheUruguay Round concluded withaframework agreement onservices. Wehavesince
succeeded inreaching agreements onincreased market access inimportant sectors. WTO Members
arecommitted tocontinue negotiations onallsectors, including maritime transport services, aswe
aimtomake GATS theglobal framework foralltrade inservices.
Work onseveral other issues, suchasenvironment, investment andcompetition policy, should
beintensified andconcluded wellintimeforthepreparations fortheMinisterial Conference in1999.
Weagree withtheDirector-General thatthere isaneedtoinject political impetus intothework on
trade andenvironment, andwould support theideaoforganizing aHigh-Level Meeting onthisissue.
Inaddition tothis,weshould consider taking onnewtasks inorder toimprove andexpand therule
oflawininternational trade, provided bytheWTO. Electronic commerce isincreasingly important
andoffers great opportunities inglobal trade. Wewelcome amandate fortheWTO toensure the
application ofWTO rules ofnon-discrimination andtransparency intheelectronic market.
Inorder tomaintain thecredibility ofthesystem andrespond tolegitimate concerns voiced
bythepublic, Iseeanobvious needtodiscuss inmore detail howwebestcould accommodate the
qualitative aspects -likehealth andenvironment -ofthemultilateral trading system. Thesubstantive
work onthese issues primarily takes place inother international institutions. Butisimportant that
weallstrive towards continued improvements oftheglobal framework inthisrespect.
TheOrganization -aswellasitsMembers -must alsoconsciously endeavour tocounter
marginalization ofthepoorer countries ininternational trade. Without thefullintegration ofthe
least-developed countries inthemultilateral trading system, theWTO willnever become agenuinely
global organization. Coordinated technical assistance from allrelevant institutions isoneimportant
means. Inorder toincrease predictability andthepossibilities forlong-term planning intheWTO,
ouraimsshould betocover suchactivities through theregular budget.
Inaddition totechnical assistance, market access forLDCs mustbeimproved. Inoted with
interest theideaputforward thismorning bytheDirector-General toeliminate alltariffs onLDC
products, andweshould all-developed aswellasthemore advanced developing countries -goas
faraspossible inorder toaccommodate thisrequest.
Accession, theprocess ofenlargement oftheWTO, isessential forachieving thegenuine global
character oftheOrganization. Thirty-one countries arecurrently applying formembership, ofwhich
several major countries. Norway supports theearly accession ofthese countries totheWTO onthe
basis ofacceptance oftheWTO rulesandonmeaningful market access terms. Special consideration
should begiven totheneedforleniency interms bywhich developing country Members, andin
particular theleast-developed developing countries, acceded totheWTO.
Inourdeclaration fromtheSingapore Ministerial Conference wemade clearourcommitment
totheobservance ofinternationally recognized corelabour standards. These arestandards subscribed
tobymost WTO Members. Important work isgoing onintheILO, work thatwillhopefully lead
totheadoption ofadeclaration onlabour standards attheILOconference inJune. Inthecontext of
thefollow-up ofthatdeclaration Norway intends totaketheinitiative toaseminar inGeneva, towhich
wewillrequest involvement oftheILO, andwiththeparticipation oftheSecretariats ofWTO and
UNCTAD. Ourchallenge istobuild aconsensus thatopentrade andglobalization should promote
notonlyeconomic wealth, butalsorecognized, corelabour standards. TheWTO hasalsoaroleto
playinthisconnection. Addressing theissue intheWTO willcontribute tomaintaining support for
themultilateral trading system andtopreventing thatunilateral sanction andprotectionist measures
areresorted to.Norway believes thatsuchstandards should beintegrated intotheWTO framework.WT/MIN(98)/ST/75
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Norway gives highpriority tothefullandtimely implementation oftheAgreements. The
credibility andsmooth functioning ofthemultilateral trading system isjustasdependent onMembers '
ability toimplement asontheircapability todealwithnewchallenges. Because thesystem cannot
function without fullsupport, allMembers -regardless oftheirlevelofdevelopment -aredemandeurs
when itcomes toimplementation.
Transparency isoneoftheWTO 'sbasic principles. Itcomprises notification ofnational laws
andregulations, andmodifications therein. Butisalsoencompasses theinclusion ofcivilsociety in
deliberations ontradepolicy, inparticular atnational levelbutalsointernationally. Lackofcompliance
withnotification requirements mustbepursued. Icallforincreased discipline. However, Irecognize
that,inparticular fortheleast-developed countries, imperfect notification isoften closely related to
administrative capacity. Efficient andrelevant technical assistance could hopefully remedy thissituation.
Finally, Mr.Chairman, letmeassure youofNorway 'scontinued support forthemultilateral
trading system. Asasmall country withaheavy dependence onforeign trade, wehavebothanational
andasystemicinterestinthis.Consequently,welookforwardtoparticipatingactivelyandconstructively
inthepreparations fortheupcoming negotiations, aswellasinthenegotiations themselves.
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