WT/MIN(17)/ST/14  
 
13 December 2017  
(17-6892) Page: 1/2 
Ministerial Conference  
Eleventh Session  
Buenos Aires, 10 -13 December 2017  Original: English  
 
 
STATEMENT BY MR STEVEN CIOBO, MP  
MINISTER FOR TRADE, TOURISM AND INVESTME NT 
AUSTRALIA  
Chairman, Vice Chairs, Ministerial Colleagues, Director -General Azevêdo and other respected 
guests,  I am honoured to address the eleventh Ministerial Conference of the World Trade 
Organization. I want to start by thanking the Government of Argentina for its hospitality and 
leadership in hosting this important Ministerial.  
 
The WTO is the bedrock of the global trading system that has helped deliver prosperity and trade 
growth since its inception. It has helped lift millions out of poverty and improve living standards 
for many millions more.  It creates opportunities for business and, of course, it creates jobs. 
 
In recent years the WTO has shown that international agreements with real economic impact are 
possible – such as the Trade Facilitation Agreement at MC9 and the outcome on agricultural export 
subsidies at MC10. Such outcomes have been possible when WTO members have been flexible and 
pragmatic about seizing opportunities to make progress in our collective interests.  
 
We must build on these achievements at MC11. We need to work together to strive for real 
outcomes at this conference that will benefit o ur stakeholders  and, we must deliver some clear 
guidance by the end of this conference on the course of negotiations in 2018 and beyond.  
 
Agriculture is a major priority for Australia. There is a clear need for us to address problems with 
the existing rule s on domestic support and to reduce the trade -distorting impact of some of these 
domestic support policies . This is an area of deep interest to the majority of the WTO membership 
and we need to show collective leadership in this area.  
 
On services, Austral ia is advocating for improvements in the area of domestic regulation – 
improvements that would result in real world benefits for all service suppliers . We encourage 
members to be open to a productive discussion in this area and to commit to advancing 
negot iations that would benefit services providers across the globe and unlock the growth potential 
of this sector.  
 
We need to make sure that WTO rules address the opportunities and challenges of the 21st 
century. Today’s world is dominated by digital innovati on and we should be thinking about how the 
trading system can support businesses trading in a digital environment . There is a lot that can be 
achieved in this space – we need to can work collaboratively.  
 
On fisheries subsidies, we have seen significant pr ogress in recent weeks which is encouraging and 
an outcome in this area is clearly within reach for Buenos Aires.  
 
Outcomes in these areas are important to the future of the WTO. At the same time we need to 
reinvigorate the system . There is scope to strengthen the system but we must be pragmatic in 
how we target and execute reform to ensure it is constructive and effective and has – at its heart 
the objective of protecting and preserving the rules -based multilateral trading system.  In addition, 
we must all take responsibility for ensuring the benefits of international trade are shared across 
the entire WTO membership, particularly those on lower income levels.  
 WT/MIN(17)/ST/14  
 
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  Australia is committed to helping developing countries, particularly least  developed countries, 
better integrate into the multilateral trading system. Australia remains committed to working with 
these countries to make progress on these issues at MC11 and beyond.  
 
Australia is committed to developing a way forward for the WTO th at serves the interests of all 
members, but equally responds to the reality of the contemporary global trading environment.  
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