. /.  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  WT/MIN(05)/ST/36 
15 December 2005 
 (05-6012) 
MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE 
Sixth Session Hong Kong, 13 - 18 December 2005 Original:   English 
 
  
AUSTRIA 
 
Statement by HE Dr Martin Bartenstein
 
Federal Minister of Economics and Labour  
   Firstly, I would like to associate myself fully with the words of gratitude for the authorities and people of Hong Kong for graciously hosting this Mi nisterial Conference.  My appreciations also 
go to you Mr Chairman, to the Director-General of  the WTO, and to the Chairman of the General 
Council.  Furthermore, let me warmly welcome the accession of the new Members Nepal, Cambodia, 
Saudi Arabia and Tonga.   The global economic system needs substantial and successful progress in trade.  Therefore, an 
ambitious outcome of the Doha Round is crucially  important to create employment and through that, 
prosperity and economic growth in all parts of the wo rld.  Trade has to contribute to the development 
goal of this Round to combat poverty in the developing world.   This is my third WTO Ministerial Conference.  I was in Doha when this Round was launched 
in 2001, I witnessed how the global negotiation landscape has been adapted after Cancún, I 
appreciated the positive momentum and the dyna mics created by the July framework 2004 and I 
followed with great interest the intensiv e negotiations in the run up to Hong Kong. 
  The encouraging leaps forward of the last decade have shown that the multilateral trading 
system is the only platform to cope effectively with the rapid economic and technical developments 
and the resulting challenges we are facing today.  In  that spirit, the WTO is the vehicle to achieve 
trade liberalization and improved market access on the basis of transparency, non-discrimination and 
rule of law.   In the course of the negotiations, the Eu ropean Communities have made a number of 
substantial contributions.  Austria, as a member of the EC, fully supports their overall objectives and 
goals in the context of the single undertaking.  It is  our firm belief that the negotiations will result to 
greater liberalization of international trade.   Development is core to this Round and to the Sixth Ministerial Conference.  Austria is 
prepared to engage in a meaningful and effec tive way to deliver on the promises of the Doha 
Development Agenda.  A number of issues of utmost  importance and interest to many developing 
country Members and in particular to LDCs are on the table and seek for strong and clear political guidance.  Among these we have to work to deliv er on aid for trade, cotton, duty- and quota-free 
market access, as well as on TRIPS and health.  We should be  willing to advance the principles of 
sustainable development and to move an important  step forward towards achieving the Millennium 
Development Goals. 
 
 In the three central market access areas of  agriculture, NAMA and services we need to 
achieve a high and balanced level of ambition.   So what are our most urgent duties? WT/MIN(05)/ST/36 
Page 2  
 
  
 In agriculture and NAMA we need to achieve  further substantial progress by bridging the 
existing divergences.  We have to build on the ex isting momentum and to agree on a date [spring, 
Easter, early next year, in the first half of next year] to deliver full modalities.  
 At the same time we have to ensure that the existing gap to the services negotiations is filled.  
Until now, the bilateral request offer process does not deliver the expected results.  Therefore, we 
should be open-minded to further explore alterna tive and flexible procedures and benchmarks to 
achieve progressively higher levels of liberalization.  
 In trade facilitation our Geneva negotiators alr eady provided us with a respectable result that 
will allow us to start text based negotiation early next year.  Furthermore, remarkable progress can 
also be noted in the Rules area.   This Conference must establish the parameters  for the final phase of this Round throughout 
2006.  We must not miss this opportunity and chance  to create an appropriate launching pad here in 
Hong Kong to push next year's negotiations in the right direction.  At the end of this Round the 
outcome of all our efforts must be balanced and contain gains for all Member States.  Therefore, flexibility and willingness to compromise will be key for our success.   Time is running out, both for my statement and for the Doha Round.  If we went to conclude 
by the end of 2006, we need to define the co mmon ground for ope n, fair and rules-based trade 
liberalization according to Member States individual  possibilities.  Member States must seize on this 
opportunity to boost the global economy and give confidence to governments, economic operators 
and peoples.  Preparing for the future starts now!  
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