WT/MIN(99)/ST/10
30 November 1999WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATION
(99-5189)
MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE
Third Session
Seattle, 30 November - 3 December 1999Original:  French
FRANCE
Statement by H.E. Mr. Christian Sautter
Minister for the Economy, Finance and Industry
Today, the debate is no longer whether or not we want the development of trade and
economic globalization.  These are already facts.  Twenty years ago, the world economy onlycomprised the rich countries and a handful of emerging countries.  Nowadays, it covers almost the
whole planet, except for a few inward-looking dictatorships.
There is no reason to regret this process.  It is a factor of democracy:  economic openness and
political emancipation go hand in hand.  It is a factor of growth:  the opening-up of economies helpsto break away from strategies of autarchic developm ent that are doomed to failure.  It is a factor of
progress:  the mobility of persons, goods and capital has often led to higher living standards.
However, we should not have any illusions.  Globalization has also been accompanied by a
worrying growth in inequalities.  The least-devel oped countries have been left behind.  Criminal
gangs or corruption have come to fill the gap sometimes left by States.
France and Europe do not accept that these are some of the obviously harmful, but inevitable
effects of globalization.  They want the World Trade Organization to be one of the instruments of a
collective strategy of shared growth based on fair rules of the game.  In a word, a charter forglobalization, drawn up by all and in the interests of all.
1. An objective:  shared growth
For 25 years now, a spiral of inequality has been developing:  per capita GDP in developed
countries has increased by 71 per cent as against 6 per cent in the least-developed countries.  And this
is not the result of chance:  life expectancy in the one is only 51 years as against 71 years in the other.
If we are to break this vicious circle, we need a new policy that links aid and trade.  Old
protectionist reflexes may have led us to play off aid against openness, but such reflexes have
fortunately disappeared:  France wants both trade and aid.  Together with Europe, it is proposing
totally open trade for almost all the goods of the least-developed countries.  It is encouraging their
regional integration so that they can develop their domestic markets and their exports.  And it willcontinue to be generous in providing development aid, as is shown by the size of its contribution
towards cancelling the debts of the poor countries.
The WTO can be at the heart of this project because it is global in scope.  In this regard, the
many applications to join the Organization, including that from China, are positive features;  itsmission is not restricted to the technical accountin g involved in dismantling customs duties and it can
make arbitration prevail over arbitrariness.WT/MIN(99)/ST/10
Page 2
2. A means:  fair rules of the game
Playing the game of globalization also means having rules.  The European proposals are
based on this concern for openness and fairness.
Our aim is to free energies for growth and ch annel them for the common good.  It is for this
reason that Europe is demanding that increased openness be accompanied by real health safety and the
recognition of the multifunctional role of agriculture.  It is also why we are asking that fundamental
social standards be taken into account, not in order to establish a worldwide minimum wage, but in
order to combat child labour and prison labour.  Finally, it is the reason why we are demanding that
enterprises be allowed to develop within a framew ork of fair and transparent rules for investment,
competition and government procurement.
The mandate entrusted to the European Commission by all the countries of the European
Union – without exception – reflects this determination.  It has my total support.  Here are some of the
basic principles.
As far as agriculture is concerned, we wish to keep the tools developed at Marrakesh,
including the "boxes", the special safeguard clause or the peace clause;  treat all forms of support in a
balanced way and take into account the multifunctional dimension of modern agriculture.  With
regard to services, we are proposing that work now under way be completed and that the framework
of rules and disciplines be improved.  As regards the environment, the WTO is not the place to define
the rules in this field.  However, the links between the multilateral environmental agreements and theWTO need to be clarified so that it fully respects the provisions.  It must also take into account the
precautionary principle.
With regard to intellectual property, we need  to strengthen the protection of geographical
indications and clarify the rules for registering trademarks.  As far as basic social standards areconcerned, we prefer an approach based on incentives and encouragement through the creation of a
permanent forum between the WTO and the International Labour Organization.  With regard to
government procurement, we would like to extend the present Agreement and improve transparency.
Finally, we need to make sure that cultural diversity is preserved and that the capacity of each State to
define its cultural and audiovisual policy freely is guaranteed.
3. A method:  democracy and consultation
"Law is the expression of the general will."  This great principle bequeathed to us by the
French Revolution must be at the heart of our action.  This applies in two ways: there must be an
agreement by all and an agreement on all.  The European Union therefore wants a broad round of
negotiations based on the principle of a single undertaking whose outcome would ensure a balance
between countries and issues.
To guarantee success, France is open to dialogue with all its partners.  It has proved that daily
in the course of preparations for this Conference and I am convinced that the misunderstandings that
have sometimes been mentioned have now disappeared.  There is no protectionism in our vision of
society, no doubt about our generosity towards the poorest countries, no hesitation concerning theimplementation of the Marrakesh work programme or the review of the operation of the Uruguay
Round Agreements, and, in short, no ambiguity in our aspiration to achieve controlled globalization.
The French Government is approaching this dialogue with the strength of conviction resulting
from an intense debate with Parliament and a willingn ess to listen to the views of civil society.  Prior
consultation has replaced a posteriori justification.  I prefer responsibility and transparency, rather
than secrecy and ignorance.WT/MIN(99)/ST/10
Page 3
In the same spirit, the WTO must accept a more transparent way of operating in order to give
it greater legitimacy.  The time for carrying on negotiations in the secrecy of closed rooms and
embassies is past.  The same is true of dispute procedures that only a few experts can understand.  The
WTO must be an effective and transparent instit ution at the heart of globalization involving the
citizen, working more closely with the other organiza tions, in particular the IMF and the World Bank.
*
**
The World Trade Organization is an institution that is still new on the world stage.  It now has
the opportunity to assert itself fully through this "charter for globalization" that I have outlined.  The
European Union proposals put forward by Pascal Lamy are along the same lines.  France hopes thatthe Seattle Conference will draw up a programme for negotiations which will give priority to
universality over unilateral action and which in the next century will place the economy at the service
of mankind, whereas spontaneous developments often move in the opposite direction.
__________