. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  WT/MIN(09)/ST/59 
1 December 2009 
 (09-6131) 
MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE 
Seventh Session Geneva, 30 November - 2 December 2009 Original:   English 
 
  
POLAND 
 
Statement by Mr Marcin Korolec
 
Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Economy  
   Let me first of all pay tribute to the Government of Switzerland, authorities of Geneva and the WTO Secretariat for organizing this Conference.  It  is a great honour and privilege to be here and 
contribute to the discussion which should pave the way to the new perspectives of the world economy, 
contribute to overcoming the current economic and fi nancial crisis and describe the new challenges to 
the World Trade Organization in the coming years.   We are still observing the effects of the financial crisis which struck all major world economies, also those in Europe.  Poland is one  of the few countries which succeeded to resist 
recession and where the consequences of the economic crisis  are limited, at least at present, to a slight 
decline in employment and a relatively small growth  of unemployment.  Therefore, according to the 
latest figures presented by OECD in the beginning of November, Poland should manage to attain a 
positive 1.4 GDP growth in 2009 which is unique  among other European economies.  According to 
the OECD analyses, in 2010 we should notice the growth of 2.5 per cent and at 2011 - 3.1 per cent.  It 
looks like we are successfully overcoming the current crisis. 
  There are few reasons of such situation.  First, in the early 90's we had implemented in Poland a serious number of deep and comprehensive market  reforms in order to establish the solid ground for 
modern market economy and develop predictable conditions for entrep reneurs, exporters, investors, 
new initiatives, innovative technologies.  These reform s, broad and far-reaching were successful.  We 
established a solid basis for well-organized production- net, we observed in more than decade a stabile 
growth of newly established enterprises which have  been and still are competitive on the European 
and world market.  These reforms have clearly resu lted in an effective and pragmatic approach to 
changing market realities.  Second, we have intr oduced after the year 2000 some important reforms 
oriented mainly into tax reductions - also for en trepreneurs.  While the world crisis was already 
visible we have not decided to implement meaningful  internal stimulating package, which have been a 
rule in many other countries - including major economies - rather than an exemption.  Poland introduced in 2008 and 2009 a series of law drafts  and modifications which enhanced the Polish 
Government's response to the financial and economic  crisis.  They were created according to the 
following goals:  greater accessibility of loans for en terprises;  higher limit of guaranties;  support for 
institutions of the financial mark et;  improvement of the system of guaranties for SMEs, acceleration 
of investments co-financed with EU funds;  higher investment relief for ne w companies;  removing 
burdens to investments in the ICT infrastructure and support to investments in renewable energy 
sources.  Since January 2009 personal income taxe s were cut significantly that caused positive input 
to internal consumption in Poland.  These elements  should be describe as positive issues in the overall 
assessment of the fight with the crisis. 
 WT/MIN(09)/ST/59 
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   Concerning the crisis as such, the general ques tion arises what is an exit strategy.  How we 
should strengthen the multilateral system in order to avoid or at least minimize the outcomes of future 
economic and financial disturbances.  We should try to  involve more the WTO in this global process.  
Otherwise other non-trade world organizations will ta ke over the momentum.  We clearly see here a 
perspective for the WTO to improve the system.  Th e Doha Development Agenda plays here a crucial 
role.  These negotiations must be fully reactivated and real liberalization should take effect.  The 
DDA is a remedy for a crisis, no one can deny it.   Full engagement must be shown in this resp ect.  Final agreement has to ensure balance 
between defensive interests in agriculture and offensive interests in NAMA, Services and Trade 
Facilitation.  We support acceleration of presenting revised offers in Services.  There is a need to keep 
a single-undertaking approach.  We should accept the outcome of the DDA WTO negotiations in a common, single package.   There is a need to take a coordinated and timel y action at international level to put the global 
trade back on track towards recove ry.  To make this struggle more effective at global level it is 
necessary to put in place an effective WTO monito ring system of measures taken recently by all 
countries justified by the current economic crisis.  That is why we pay special attention to the 
significance of strengthening the role of the Trade Policy Review Body and the trade measure review 
mechanism which should allow, to monitor closel y, all the measures taken by the WTO Members, 
make appropriate recommendations if necessary and follo w proper implementation.  This is a real step 
forward, an achievable goal, which should be ser iously considered by all Members and proper 
decisions should be taken up.  Strengthening the role of the regular Committees (like TBT, SPS, Market Access and others) is a nother issue worth to consider. 
  Mr Chairman, I sincerely hope that this Minist erial Meeting will give all of us new impetus 
for deep engagement in the DDA negotiations, that this new momentum will provide a better scenario 
for 2010 and that this Round will be successfully c oncluded by the end of next year.  This is an 
important goal.  I also hope that the new WTO pers pective will also mean new challenges ahead of us, 
strengthening this Organization, describing new opportunities, but also new commitments and new 
responsibilities.  
 Let me finally hope that this  Geneva meeting will be a real cornerstone of the new, solid 
foundations of the WTO, which will still play an im portant role not just as a "guardian of trade 
treaties" but also as an organization successfully challenging new world market realities.  
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