WORLD TRADE WT/MIN(96)/9
13December 1996
ORGANIZATION(96-5317)
MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE Original: English
Singapore, 9-13December 1996
CONCLUDING REMARKS BYH.E. MR.YEO CHEOW TONG
CHAIRMAN OFTHE MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE
MINISTER FOR TRADE AND INDUSTRY OFSINGAPORE
1. TheSingapore Ministerial Conference hasbeenanoutstanding event inallrespects. Practically
alltheWTO Members andObservers havebeenrepresented byMinisters. Iwanttopaytribute to
theapplication anddevotion which allmycolleagues haveshown throughout theConference. Due
tothelackoftime, Iregret nothaving beenabletoconsult witheachofyouatevery stage. Our
approach hasbeenempirical. Weshallneedtoimprove theprocedures tobeapplied inthenext
Ministerial Conference.
2. Unlike mostofitsGATT predecessors, thisConference isnotabout thestartorcompletion
ofamajor round oftrade negotiations. Indeed, theSingapore Ministerial Conference represents an
important point onacontinuum inthegrowth andevolution ofthemultilateral trading system. The
Ministerial Conference isnotonlythesupreme executive body oftheWTO butitisalsotheforum
toprovide political guidance andoverall coherence forthenewtrading system which wasestablished
justunder twoyears ago. Inthissense, theMinisterial Conference, ininstitutional terms, isthe
cornerstoneoftheglobaltradingsystem.Itembodies,institutionally,thevisionofMinistersatMarrakesh
thattheWTO should function asacommon institutional framework, bringing allcountries together
from allcorners oftheworld andfrom alllevels ofdevelopment.
3. Since webegan ourmeeting hereinSingapore onMonday, 129speakers havegiven their
assessments oftheoperation andfunctioning ofthemultilateral trading system. Theyhavetaken stock,
ontheonehand, oftheWTO 'sactivities initsfirsttwoyears ofexistence and,ontheother hand,
havearticulated thechallenges ahead andhowwecould meetthem.
4. Letmefirsthighlight thebasic factthattheestablishment oftheWTO, thefirstmajor
international institution tobecreated inthepost-Cold Warera,hasresulted inseveral important
advantages forall.Thebiggest gainofthepost-Marrakesh eraistheexistence andexpansion ofa
trading system based oninternationally agreed andenforceable rules anddisciplines tobothoversee
andguarantee progress ininternational trade. Theestablishment oftheWTO isdeservedly seenas
theoutstanding international achievement ofthedecade towhich allMember countries made substantial
contributions. Ithasbeenwidely noted thatthecredibility andeffectiveness ofthenewsystem rests
onMember governments 'fullcompliance withtherules, disciplines andcommitments resulting from
theMarrakesh Agreement.
5. Thecentral focus oftheWTO 'swork in1995 and1996 hasbeentheimplementation and
follow-up ofcommitments. TheReport oftheGeneral Council provides afullfledged panorama of
theactivities ofeachoftheCouncils andCommittees dealing withtrade ingoods, services and
trade-related aspects ofintellectual property rights. Itisbroadly recognized thatcontinual, day-to-day
efforts arerequired byallMembers toconsolidate theUruguay Round results andensure fullcompliance
which areessential totheproper functioning ofthesystem. Insystemic terms, theWTO 'sreinforcedWT/MIN(96)/9
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dispute settlement mechanism hasproved itseffectiveness andcanbejustly regarded asanoutstanding
success oftheOrganization 'sfirsttwoyears.
6. MinistershaveanalyseddevelopmentsininternationaltradehavingregardtotheReportsubmitted
bytheDirector-General which confirms positive rates ofgrowth andcontinued trade liberalization
inmany parts oftheworld.
7. TheMinisterial Declaration which wehavejustadopted asawhole hasanumber ofvery
significant components which provide thenecessary balance ofinterests. Alltheissues reflected in
theDeclaration areequally important. Nevertheless, Ifeelcompelled, because thisisacommitment
which Ihavemade toyou,tounderline certain elements oftheDeclaration.
8. Inthefirstplace, withregard toparagraph 4-Core Labour Standards -wehaveagreed on
atextwhich setsoutabalanced framework forhowthismatter should bedealtwith. Thetextembodies
thefollowing important elements: First, itrecognizes thattheILOisthecompetent body tosetand
dealwithlabour standards. Second, itrejects theuseoflabour standards forprotectionist purposes.
Thisisaveryimportant safeguard forthemultilateral trading system, andinparticular fordeveloping
countries.Third,itagreesthatthecomparativeadvantageofcountries,particularlylow-wagedeveloping
countries, mustinnowaybeputintoquestion. Fourth, itdoesnotinscribe therelationship between
trade andcorelabour standards ontheWTO agenda. Fifth, there isnoauthorization inthetextfor
anynewwork onthisissue. Sixth, wenotethattheWTO andtheILOSecretariats willcontinue their
existing collaboration, aswithmany otherintergovernmental organizations. Thecollaboration respects
fullytherespective andseparate mandates ofthetwoOrganizations. Some delegations hadexpressed
theconcern thatthistextmayleadtheWTO toacquire acompetence toundertake further work in
therelationship between trade andcorelabour standards. Iwanttoassure these delegations thatthis
textwillnotpermit suchadevelopment.
9. Inagesture ofsolidarity withtheleastdeveloped countries, Ministers haverecognized the
needtopayspecial attention totheinterests oftheleastdeveloped countries ineachofthenewissues.
They havefurther recognized theneedtoprovide predictable andfavourable market access conditions
forleastdeveloped countries products, tofoster theexpansion anddiversification oftheirexports to
themarkets ofalldeveloped countries; andinthecaseofrelevant developing countries inthecontext
oftheGlobal System ofTrade Preferences. Inthisregard Members willorganize ameeting with
UNCTAD andtheInternational Trade Centre assoonaspossible in1997, withtheparticipation of
aidagencies, multilateral financial institutions andleastdeveloped countries tofoster anintegrated
approach toassisting these countries inenhancing theirtrading opportunities.
10. During theConference, anumber ofWTO Members haveagreed totariffelimination fortrade
ininformation technology products onanMFN basis. Ministers havewelcomed thisinitiative which,
inmyopinion, represents animportant steptowards trade liberalization inoneofthemost dynamic
sectors oftrade ingoods.
11. Overall, atthisfirstMinisterial Conference, thesurvey oftheachievements ofthefirsttwo
years oftheWTO 'sexistence andthediscussion ofthechallenges wefaceinthefuture havemade
cleartheimportance oftheissues thathavebeenonthetable. TheConference hasprovided astrong
political message underlining opportunities inthenewglobal economy while notignoring thechallenges
thatoureconomies face. Themessage thisConference hassentisoneofconfidence inthemultilateral
trading system asitapproaches itsfiftieth anniversary in1998 andinitsability topromote growth
andguarantee stability.
12. Inallrespects, thisfirstWTO Ministerial Conference hasbroken newground. Wehadan
awesome responsibility butbybuilding onthetremendous amount ofwork carried outinGeneva byWT/MIN(96)/9
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theDirector-General andourAmbassadors towhom Ipayawarm tribute ofrecognition, andwith
enthusiasm, optimism andbonhomie wehaveaccomplished thetaskbefore usandsetouttheframework
fortheactivities oftheWTO inthenextfewyears. Iwould alsoliketopaytribute toalltheparticipants
fortheirselfless cooperation indealing witheachother inanexemplary spirit offriendship andgood
will,thusmaking theConference asuccess. Wearealsograteful totheobservers whose presence
hasgiven totheConference agenial touch ofuniversality.
13. Iamveryproud tosaythatwehavedelivered. Wehaveaccomplished thetasksetupon us
atthebeginning oftheConference. Wearenowready tocarry outthetasksthattheMinisters intheir
collective wisdom haveentrusted totheWTO inpursuance ofitsmandate toliberalize tradeandpromote
development, employment, stability andprosperity inalltheMembers.
14. Toconclude, letmesaythatithasbeenagreathonour forSingapore tohostsuchanimportant
ground-breaking Conference. Wehaveendeavoured tomake surethatphysical arrangements have
beenwelltaken careofandthatyouhavehadachance toexperience alittlebitofSingapore. While
many ofyoumaynothavehadthechance topartake ofourhospitality outside thisConference, we
hopeyouwillcome backagain, andsoon.