WORLD TRADE WT/MIN(98)/ST/22
18May1998
ORGANIZATION(98-1984)
Original: French MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE
Second Session
Geneva, 18and20May1998
ROMANIA
Statement Circulated byMr.Liviu Hagea,
Secretary ofState, Ministry ofIndustry andTrade
Asweallknow, withthecreation oftheWTO on1January 1995themultilateral trading system
acquired apermanent structure thatisclearly more solid thanthatofitspredecessor, theGATT.
Thus, thesignatories oftheAgreement Establishing theWorld Trade Organization achieved
oneofthemostimportant institutional goals inthefieldofeconomic cooperation among nations. This
waspossible thanks tothepolitical will,theconfidence andthehopethatcharacterized efforts toachieve
amultilateral trading system andshown bythemajority ofcountries intheworld inimplementing
theresults ofthemost ambitious round ofmultilateral trade negotiations inhistory.
Today, aswetakestock ofthefirstthree years ofactivity ofthenewOrganization, Romania
fullyassociates itself withthefamily ofWTO Members inreaffirming itscommitments tothebasic
principles ofthemultilateral trading system, inreiterating andreinforcing itsdetermination withrespect
totheimplementation oftheresults oftheUruguay Round, andinexpressing itspolitical willtocontinue
thevastprocess inwhich weareengaged withaviewtoachieving anopenandflexible multilateral
trading system based onagreed rules, asystem inwhich eachWTO Member isabletoidentify its
owninterests andplayanactive role.
ThisConference isofparticular significance inthatafterthreeyears, eachMember hasacquired
itsownexperience inthevarious areasofimplementation andinthereview processes conducted within
theframework oftheWTO. Butmostimportant, thisConference offers ustheopportunity toensure
thatwemaintain coherence between national interests andthemultilateral rulesanddisciplines, thus
helping tobuildupthelegalframework foropenandbalanced tradeasoneofthetruefactors ofprogress
andsustainable development andofconfidence andstability intheworld.
Itisuptoustomake thisaturning point intheactivities andorientation oftheWTO. The
Ministerial Conference mustrecognize thepositive results achieved during thefirstthree years ofthe
WTO 'sexistence andtheefforts byMembers toimplement thecommitments made, butatthesame
timeitmust identify certain objective difficulties encountered inthisprocess. Anditmust confirm
theworking programme andlaydown theWTO 'sobjectives forthefuture.
Asanoriginal Member oftheWTO andaGATT 1947contracting party since 1971, Romania
attaches great value andimportance tothisOrganization. Itdoessobecause ofthebinding roleof
theWTO forparticipants ininternational trade, betheylarge, medium orsmall, developed, intransition
ordeveloping. Each participant hasaplace inamultilateral trading system andisabletoparticipate
actively initsreinforcement anddevelopment.
Romania 'sefforts atintegration intothemultilateral trading system havebeendifficult for
acountry undergoing adualreform process, withtheinternal transition andstructural transformationWT/MIN(98)/ST/22
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towards amarket economy ontheonehand, andintegration intothemultilateral system ofstricter
andconsiderably more detailed rules anddisciplines ontheother.
Themostrecent developments inthepolitical lifeofmycountry willcontribute toaccelerating
thereform process, butwillalsorequire evengreater efforts.
Andyetinspiteofthese circumstances, Romania hastens toreaffirm itsstrong determination
torespect allofitscommitments taking account oftherights conferred byitsstatus asWTO Member,
onthebasis ofthemultilateral contract concluded.
RomaniahasmadeconsiderableeffortstoimplementtheWTOAgreement,focusingparticularly
onbringing itsdomestic legislation andtrade policy measures intolinewiththeprovisions ofthat
Agreement.
Themarket access commitments assumed withrespect togoods andservices havebeenapplied
inaccordance withtheagreed timetable. Weareopentoparticipation innewmultilateral negotiations
toachieve broader liberalization, keeping inmind ourinterests andourconcrete possibilities; and
itisinthatspirit thatwehavebeenparticipating inthenegotiations ontradeinhigh-technology products.
Inthesame spirit, Romania participated actively inthetelecommunications services negotiations and
accepted theProtocol thatwasconcluded inthatarea. Westress thatRomania hasmade asubstantial
offerintheframework ofthenegotiations onfinancial services, andwepredict thatthecommitments
made willberatified intimeforProtocol 5toenter intoforce ontheagreed date.
Atthesame time, mycountry isdetermined toparticipate actively intheimplementation of
theworking programme resulting from theWTO Agreement andtocontribute tothepermanent
consolidation ofthemultilateral trading system.
Wehavewelcomed thedevelopments thathavetaken placeintheCommittee onRegional Trade
Agreements aswellasitsworking programme. Regionalism hasalready given proof ofitspositive
roleintrade liberalization andthecreation ofnewtrade opportunities forallWTO Members. Far
from being contradictory, regionalism andmultilateralism arecomplementary andtendtoreinforce
eachother.
Asregards thenewsubjects, Romania attaches great importance tocontinuing thedialogue
andachieving progress towards concrete recommendations intheareas highlighted inSingapore such
asinvestment, competition, trade facilitation, andtransparency ingovernment procurement. These
newelements could contribute tothegradual opening upoftheWTO system towards areas which,
inourview, areclosely linked totrade andwould enable theWTO todevelop andstrengthen itsrole
intheworld economy.
Romaniaisincreasinglyinterestedinthesubjectofelectroniccommerce,andsupportstheefforts
ofWTO Members toinclude thesubject intheWTO 'sactivities. Weshare theopinion thatthereshould
benoobstacles toelectronic commerce andsupport theideaoftransparency intheregulations of
Members.
Wearefullydetermined tosupport efforts towards theuniversalization oftheWTO, andwe
expect theOrganization tostrengthen itsrole,andthesignificance andvalue ofthemultilateral trading
system based onrulesanddisciplines which make itunique andgiveititscontractually binding force.
TheaspectsIhavebrieflyoutlinedhighlightRomania'sdeterminationtoachievetotalintegration
intotheworld trading system andtosupport itsuninterrupted evolution anddevelopment. The
Conference documents andabove alltheMinisterial Declaration thatwearepreparing provide aclearWT/MIN(98)/ST/22
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outline oftheWTO 'sachievements thusfarandoftheOrganization 'sfuture asweenterthenextcentury,
andaretherefore ofconsiderable political andeconomic significance andvalue.
Thus, wehavetheopportunity tosubmit guidelines totheGeneral Council forthepreparation
oftheagenda oftheThird Ministerial Conference which istolaunch anewround ofmultilateral trade
negotiations.
Iwould liketoendbywishing theConference every success initswork. Itakethisopportunity
tocongratulate you,Mr.Chairman, foryourelection, tocongratulate theelected Conference Office
andtothank theother delegations fortheefforts andwisdom they have contributed toour
consensus-based action.
Iwould alsoliketoexpress mydelegation 'sgratitude forthecontribution ofthehostcountry
tothepreparation andsuccess ofthisConference andforthecordiality which hassurrounded us.
Last, butnotleast, Iwould like,onbehalf ofmydelegation andonmyownbehalf, tothank
theWTO Director-General, Mr.Renato Ruggiero, andtheSecretariat oftheWTO, whose competence,
devotion anduntiring assistance hereinGeneva hashelped topavethewaytowards achieving our
aspiration totheuniversality oftheWTO.
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