WORLD TRADE WT/MIN(96)/ST/52
10December 1996
ORGANIZATION(96-5209)
MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE Original: English
Singapore, 9-13December 1996
CZECH REPUBLIC
Statement byH.E. Mr.Vladimír Dlouh ý
Minister ofIndustry andTrade
Letmefirstexpress thedeepest appreciation oftheGovernment oftheCzech Republic to
H.E. Mr.GohChok Tong, Prime Minister oftheRepublic ofSingapore forhosting thefirstWTO
Ministerial Conference andthepeople ofSingapore fortheirmagnificent andgenerous hospitality.
Icongratulate you,Mr.Chairman, onyourelection andwishyousuccess inperforming yourduties.
More thantwoyears ago,inMarrakesh Ihadanenormous privilege ofbeing present atthe
conclusion ofthegreatest trade agreement inthehistory ofmankind. Lessthanayearlater, webuilt
upanewinstitution andthusgaveunprecedented stimulus toglobal trade. Today, Ifeelhonoured
toshare withyoumycountry 'sexperience oftheshort history oftheWTO.
Undoubtedly, thekeyword ofthefirstMinisterial isimplementation. Themostremarkable
achievement hasbeenasmooth transition from theGATT, which served fordecades asaninterim
tool,toagenuineorganization,offeringaboardinstitutionalframeworkbasedontheruleofinternational
lawandonlegally-binding dispute settlement.
TheCzech Republic hasacted strictly torespect allitsobligations induescope andtime. In
some areas, suchaspharmaceuticals, mycountry offered evenmore thanwasrequired. Weare
determined tocontinue ourefforts andexpect thesame from ourpartners. ThisConference should
reconfirm WTO Members 'commitments toeffective market opening andadherence torules.
Despite agenerally positive assessment ofimplementation thereisstillroom forimprovements.
Insufficient compliance withnotification obligations isofparticular concern. Insomesectors, expansion
oftrade opportunities isfarfrom being satisfactory. Inagriculture, further genuine efforts should
bemade tointegrate thissector more closely withWTO rules anddisciplines.
ThesuccessofconvertingtheletterandspiritofWTOAgreementsintoeverydayrealitiesdepends
onboththepolitical willandtheability ofthegovernments tofollow their commitments. The
preservation ofthehuman dimension ofWTO activities, istherefore, ofparamount importance. The
whole system would besidetracked ifMembers weredeprived ofWTO benefits onlybecause oftheir
insufficient capacities tohandle large quantities ofnewinformation. Ontheother hand, natural
differences insizeshould notconstitute anapriori pretext forsacrificing thelegitimately ambitious
goals ofthisinstitution.
There isabroad consensus thatthepurpose oftheConference isalsotosettle theWTO 'sfuture
work programme. Itsbalanced starting point stems fromtheUruguay Round Built-In Agenda, which
provides aframework forreviews ofexisting Agreements andforfuture talks. Webelieve insuccessful
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andtimely completion ofnegotiations onbasic telecommunications andfinancial services towhich
theCzech Republic hasalready made avaluable contribution. Ourexpectations goalsotofurther
expansion ofprotection intheareaofgeographical indications. Theideaoffurther liberalizing trade
ininformation technology products hasalsoattracted ourinterest.
TheConference should address waysofimproving theplaying fieldinwhich someoftheplayers
suffer frommarginalization. Wewelcome Mr.Ruggiero 'sproposal fortariff-free access toproducts
fromtheleastdeveloped countries. IntheCzech Republic, imports fromthesecountries enjoy duty-free
treatment. Ourcontribution goesevenfurther. Therecent meeting ofleastdeveloped countries '
Ministers wasmade possible alsothanks toafinancial assistance provided bymycountry.
Thework programme oftheWTO should reflect theforward-looking aspects ofitsactivities.
TheWTO should remain aconstantly evolving andvibrant framework, capable ofresponding tothe
needs oftheglobalizing world economy. New trade-related issues, generally supported byall
WTO Members, could serve asaninstrument toachieve thisobjective.
Mycountry takestheviewthattherelationship between tradeandinvestment, analysis oftrade
andcompetition rulesandatradefacilitation package comply withtheprincipal criterion which istheir
relevancemeasuredagainsttheWTO'smandate.Intheareaoftradeandinvestment,theCzechRepublic
hasbeenoneofthepromoters ofstarting ananalysis ofthiscomplex issueintheWTO. Therelationship
between thetwophenomena consists inalinear progression fromonetoanother, inwhich investment
doesnotreplace tradebutiscomplementary toit.Mycountry hasbeensupporting actively theanalysis,
intheWTO, oftradeandcompetition. Weseekabalanced discussion onhowtomake tradedisciplines
andcompetition policies more supportive andcoherent.
TheCzech Republic hasrepeatedly advocated thatthebestwaytheWTO anditsMembers
maycontribute toraising standards around theworld inareas likeenvironment andworking conditions
istopromote democracy andprosperity through openandfreetradeandthrough increased adherence
totheexisting rules anddisciplines. Thisiscertainly trueforbothenvironmental andcorelabour
standards.
Webelievethatthelinksbetweentradeobjectivesandenvironmentalconcernscannotbedisrupted
entirely. Atthesame time, mycountry hasrepeatedly maintained theposition according towhich
thelinkbetween trade andenvironment willnotbecome truly durable andcomplementary unless
unilateralism andprotectionism arehalted.
TheCzech Republic iscommitted toenhancing corelabour standards worldwide andisopposed
toabuses offundamental human rights suchasforced labour andexploitation ofchild labour. Itis
ourstrong view, however, thattheenforcement ofthelabour standards istheresponsibility ofthe
International Labour Organization. TheWTO isill-suited todealwiththismatter. Itisacommercial
contract ensuring trade liberalization andnotlabour standards. Ifthere isanylinkbetween trade and
working conditions, itisthatpossible trade restrictions arelikely tobring about lower, nothigher,
livingstandardsoftargetedcountries.TheWTOshouldnottolerateanyformoftradesanctionsdesigned
toimpose particular labour standards byforcing additional mandatory costsonthose WTO Members
which, duetotheirpastdevelopment, enjoy comparative advantages stemming fromthecost-effective
labour.
Inconclusion, allow metopaytribute toMr.Ruggiero andtotheWTO staffwhohavespared
noeffort incontributing skilfully tothepreparation ofthisConference.