. /.  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION   
WT/MIN(11)/ST/35 
16 December 2011  
 
(11-6594) 
MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE 
Eighth Session Geneva, 15 - 17 December 2011 Original:   English 
 
  
THE NETHERLANDS 
 
Statement by Mr Simon Smits 
Director-General International Relations, 
Ministry for Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation 
  
The Netherlands welcomes the historic accessi on of Russia to the WTO, alongside Samoa, 
Vanuatu and Montenegro.  We are glad to ha ve you with us!  You will benefit from your 
WTO Membership, as we all will.  For your accession w ill help us remove barriers to trade and fight 
protectionism.  
This is crucial.  Especially now.  The WTO and its secretariat have been playing a crucial role 
in fighting protectionism.  It is telling that WTO Members have avoided the disastrous policies of the 
past.  As it is telling that protectionist measures that have been  taken, were taken mainly in areas that 
are not yet covered by the WTO.  Or not fully covered.  Areas like investment, competition and 
procurement.  
But even in areas covered by the WTO, protectionism remains a threat.  As unemployment 
rises, pressure on all of our governments to protect jo bs and companies at home will continue to grow.  
We need to resist those pressures.  For protectioni sm is the wrong answer.  It can only make things 
worse.  
Make no mistake.  This is not some far-fetche d scenario.  Several count ries, small and large, 
are embarking on industrial policies that aim for impo rt substitution;  set requirements for more local 
content;  and restrict access for foreign companies to public procurement.  This is a trend that we must 
fight actively.  And urgently.  As a first step, we  must increase the WTO's effectiveness at monitoring 
protectionism.  
Obviously, a new multilateral trade agreement woul d be the best way to guarantee free trade 
and fair global trading rules.  We are extremely disappointed and frustrated by the lack of progress.  
But we are at an impasse.  Nothing seems to work.  
Can we afford to give up on Doha?  No, we cannot. 
 
And the lack of progress in the Doha Round must not be an excuse for total inaction either.  
That is why the Netherlands is pushing for provisiona l trade agreements.  To be concluded as quickly 
as possible.  In the interests of both developing an d developed countries we need to start working on 
trade facilitation and on agreements in other areas as soon as possible in 2012. 
 WT/MIN(11)/ST/35 
Page 2  
 
  We also need to work hard to make sure the WTO stays relevant in the future.  By including 
areas that are not yet fully covered by WTO ru les, like competition and investment.  And by 
addressing global challenges such as energy, climate change and food security.  The scope of current 
multilateral rules is not adequate to deal with these issues.  But if the WTO does not deal with them, 
they will deal with the WTO.  And re duce it to irrelevance in the long run. 
 
We cannot afford to let that happen.  Just lik e we cannot afford protectionism.  For trade is 
the surest way out of the crisis.  What is more, trad e is a free stimulus to the global economy.  It costs 
governments nothing.  In current times of budget austerity, trade is an opportunity we all need to embrace. 
 
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