WT/MIN(22)/ST/15  
12 June 2022 
(22-4451) Page: 1/2 
Ministerial Conference  
Twelfth Session  
Geneva, 12 -15 June 2022  Original:  French  
 
  
STATEMENT BY H.E.  MR. DAVID CLARINVAL  
MINISTER FOR THE MIDDLE CLASS, SELF -EMPLOYED, SMES AND AGRICULTURE, 
INSTITUTIONAL REFORMS AND DEMOCRATIC RENEWAL,  
IN CHARGE OF FOREIGN TRADE  
BELGIUM  
Allow me to begin by thanking the Kazakh and Swiss co -chairs for such a well -organized conference . 
I would also like to congratulate our Director -General, Dr. Ngozi, for her leadership.  
 
Like the European Union, Belgium believes it is important for as ambitious an agreement as possible 
to be reached during this Twelfth Ministerial Conference . More than four years on from the previous 
conference, it is essential to achieve tangible results and to show, yet again, that a rules -based 
multilateral trading system adds value . The credibility of our organization – this cornerst one of 
international trade – is at stake.  
 
Coming after the pandemic, which forced the postponement of this conference on two occasions, 
this Twelfth Ministerial Conference is taking place, sadly, against a backdrop of major geopolitical 
tensions  arising f rom Russia's unprovoked and unwarranted military aggression against Ukraine . 
Belgium, like its European partners, condemns this invasion in the strongest of terms . I would like 
to take this opportunity to remind our Ukrainian friends that they can continue  to count on our full 
support in this battle for their sovereignty and freedom.  
 
One of the top priorities of this Conference is to reach an agreement on food security . The effects 
of Russia's invasion of Ukraine are being felt on a global scale, in partic ular with respect to the supply 
of agricultural goods to many countries in the world that are suffering as a direct result of this 
aggression . Belgium and the European Union are committed to doing everything to ensuring that 
food currently blockaded by Rus sia in Ukraine can be transported to our partners . Given the current 
food security pressures, all restrictions on agricultural exports must be banned.  
 
Health  is also one of the priority topics of this Ministerial Conference, given the pandemic that has 
hit all of us over the past two years . Although vaccines are now widely available, it is imperative to 
adopt a holistic, balanced and ambitious text that will allow us to prepare for future pandemics . The 
WTO must be capable of playing its role in this area.  
 
Beyond these two crucial short - and medium -term issues, in the longer term the way our 
organization is run and structured should be brought in line with the needs of the 21st century . 
Reforming the WTO  is a priority for Belgium . We all need a credible system with rules that are 
implemented effectively and adhered to by all . The WTO's roles in monitoring and negotiating also 
need to be strengthened, as does adherence to a level playing field for all.  
 
Ambitious as they are, these reforms – more than ever before – are vital . They must also be 
inclusive . The WTO's benefits and duties should apply to all 164 WTO members, with their different 
capacities and levels of economic development taken into account . Belgium also supports the 
development of pl urilateral agreements where multilateral progress is impossible, though our 
preference remains, of course, for a strong, effective and inclusive WTO.  
 
During this conference, it is also essential to conclude our negotiations on fisheries subsidies , 
which h ave now been dragging on for more than 20 years . Such an agreement would show that we WT/MIN(22)/ST/15  
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  are still capable of negotiating new multilateral agreements and would constitute a major 
contribution to sustainable development by the WTO.  
 
It is also imperative to ex tend the moratorium  on customs taxes on electronic commerce , as 
has been done for many years . It would be preferable to work together through a common 
framework, rather than allowing measures to be taken at the national level that would impose new 
trade ba rriers and benefit no one.  
 
More broadly, Belgium welcomes the growing attention being given to sustainable development and 
the increasing gender perspective in the work of the WTO . We also encourage stronger cooperation 
with other international organizati ons, in particular the International Labour Organization, to 
promote coherence between our social policies and our trade policies.  
 
In closing, I would like to underline Belgium's unwavering support for the rules -based multilateral 
system . This Twelfth Min isterial Conference is an opportunity that we cannot miss to show that the 
multilateral trading system is very much alive and is expected to fully play its essential role in the 
21st century.  
 
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