. /.  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  WT/MIN(05)/ST/163 
17 December 2005 
 (05-6182) 
MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE 
Sixth Session Hong Kong, 13 - 18 December 2005 Original:   English 
 
  
SERBIA 
 
Statement by HE Dr Dusko Lopandic
 
Assistant Minister for International Economic Relations  
 
(Speaking as an Observer) 
 
It is the great honour to me to address this distinguished group of leaders under auspices of 
the Sixth Ministerial Conference here in this lovely centre in Hong Kong.  We have gathered here to 
make a substantive progress, which will take us to th e end of the current negotiations by the end of the 
next year.  On behalf of my country, Serbia, I w ould like to point out several issues that are important 
to us.  
We have a common goal here, Member countries,  observers, developed countries, developing 
countries, countries in transition, LDCs and that is to create better living opportunities for our people. 
 
Ministers in Doha thought that by creating a mo re open trading environment, they would pave 
the way for raising the living standard in the world.  And we all share the same view.  Members of the 
WTO have worked to achieve that goal.  We need se veral additional efforts in order to reach the final 
point of the negotiating process. 
 At the same time, we noted with concern the ex istence of decelerating trends in world trade 
growth during this year.  We all know that by in creasing market access opportunities for the export of 
goods and services, enhanced trade will increase overall we lfare gains.  By concentrating at the same 
time to the development dimensions of the current  trade round we can also collectively fight the 
poverty in the world. 
 Serbia, as a customs territory, which is a part of the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro, 
has started the process of accession to the WTO.  As  an observer to the WTO, Serbia is oriented 
towards speedy transition into developed market ec onomy.  This process implies the reform of a large 
amount of laws, as well as deep, structural adjust ments in the economy and society as a whole.  On 
the way towards full inclusion into the multilateral trading system Serbia has made significant progress in the field of foreign trade, including unila teral customs liberalization.  Thus, in the period 
between 2001 and 2005, there were two unilateral cuts  in customs tariffs which, on average, have 
decreased from 14.9 to 8.6 per cent in this year.  A few weeks ago, we have adopted a new Foreign 
Trade Law, which would further liberalize our system.  At the same time, the adoption of series of 
bilateral free trade agreements with neighbouring countries, has enabled the establishment of the free-
trade area in the whole of South Eastern Europe. 
 All of the legal and other reforms that I have mentioned have significantly contributed to the 
affirmative assessment of the progress Serbia had ach ieved lately.  For instance, in a recent World 
Bank Report and the EBRD report, Serbia was poin ted out as a country, which is the fastest in 
realization of reforms and improvement of business conditions for investment.  The credit rating of 
Serbia has been improved twice within just one year. WT/MIN(05)/ST/163 
Page 2  
 
  
We should not miss the opportunity here in Hong Kong to build a better future for all of us.  
We have to be responsible to preserve the multilatera l trading system and the credibility of the WTO.  
On our side, Serbia is committed to do the necessary t asks and to fully adapt its trading system to the 
multilateral rules and thus to complement the univ ersal character of the World Trade Organization. 
 
__________