. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONWT/MIN(99)/ST/7
1 December 1999
(99-5244)
MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE
Third SessionSeattle, 30 November - 3 December 1999Original:  English
AUSTRALIA
Statement by the Honourable Mark Vaile, MP
Minister for Trade
Australia is a strong and enthusiastic supporter of the WTO.  We recognize the vital role the
WTO has played in underpinning global prosperity for the last 50 years.
We now have the opportunity this week in Seattle to build on this success and shape the
international trade agenda into the next century.
I come to Seattle strongly supporting the launch of a new Multilateral Trade Round.A new round will deliver major economic benefits to us all – not only in agriculture, which
has for far too long been excluded from genuine reform, but also from lower tariff barriers tomanufactured exports and better access conditions for our export of services.
Work commissioned by Australia shows potentially massive global economic gains of around
US$400 billion annually from a 50 per cent cut in support and protection.
Negotiations on our Ministerial Declaration setting out a mandate for a New Round are at a
critical stage.  We are approaching the eleventh hour.
Agriculture is one of the major sticking points.  In my former job as Australia's Minister for
Agriculture I often wondered how some of the riches t countries in the world could justify huge trade
distorting subsidies in agriculture.  For Austra lia, meaningful reform leading to the end of
discrimination against agriculture is essential.  I have yet to hear anyone who has been able to justifywhy this should not be the case.  For over 50 years we have seen the elimination of tariffs, subsidies
and other barriers to trade in other sectors, yet agriculture has not been addressed.
We need to remember that the main game of th e multilateral trading system is to maintain a
stable framework of rules, to deliver the progressive opening of markets across the board, and toprevent the emergence of new restraints to trade.
It is also in all our interests to ensure that the WTO remains a stable and respected institution.The WTO is accused of a multitude of sins – whether that is in terms of the environment,
jobs, income disparities or economic development.  This shows that we are not doing enough to
promote the WTO as an institution vital to everyone's economic prosperity.
We have responded to this by more actively seeking to highlight the benefits of international
trade to our domestic constituency as an integral part of Australia's overall trade policy.  I urge othersto do the same.WT/MIN(99)/ST/7
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Beyond this, we can help the WTO as an institution by not broadening its agenda too much.
We need to avoid becoming bogged down with is sues over which the WTO has only marginal
influence and which belong elsewhere.  Similarly, we need to avoid introducing issues which can be
misused for protectionist purposes.
At the same time, WTO Members have already recognized that there are some areas where
our work clearly overlaps with other policy domains.  This includes the links between trade and
environment and between trade and development.  We need to continue to ensure that our efforts to
free up trade are mutually supportive with environm ental goals, and advance the broad objectives of
sustainable development.
Seattle should mark the beginning of a negotiating process that will reinforce and strengthen
the WTO and the trading system we have built since the 1940s.
I remain confident of a positive outcome through agreement on a balanced mandate proving
real gains for us all.
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