. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  TN/C/W/56 
25 November 2010 
 (10-6343) 
Trade Negotiations Committee Original:   English 
  
 
STATEMENT ON ADVANCING WTO DOHA DEVELOPMENT AGENDA 
NEGOTIATIONS AND RESISTING PROTECTIONISM 
 
THE 22
ND APEC MINISTERIAL MEETING 
 
Yokohama, Japan  
 
10-11 November 2010 
 
 
 We, the APEC Ministers, gathering for our  XXII meeting in Yokohama, Japan express our 
strong commitment to the multilateral trading system  and our strong commitment to bring the Doha 
Development Agenda (DDA) to a successful conclusion as soon as  possible.  
  A strong multilateral trading system is an ess ential source of economic growth, development, 
and stability.  An ambitious and balanced conc lusion of the DDA will provide a much-needed 
stimulus for the global economy.  The delay in c oncluding the DDA negotiations is therefore a source 
of continuing concern.  In this regard, we strongly reiterated the importance of translating our political 
commitment into concrete actions toward a fi nal conclusion, delivering meaningful new trade 
opportunities in all areas and substantial reductions in  trade distortions, in light of the development 
dimension as mandated. 
 
 We reaffirmed our resolve to achieve a balan ced and ambitious conclusion to the negotiations 
as promptly as possible, consistent with the Doha  mandate, built on the progress achieved, including 
with regard to modalities. We agreed to endorse the progress made by negotiating groups in Geneva 
and to take steps to direct and empower represen tatives in Geneva and Senior Officials with the 
necessary flexibilities to further enga ge in active and substantive nego tiations in all the appropriate 
fora and configurations. Bearing in mind that  2011 will be a critically important “window of 
opportunity,” we are resolved to engage in compre hensive negotiations with a sense of urgency in the 
end game. APEC economies will make a due contri bution toward a successful DDA outcome.  We 
affirmed our commitment to win domestic support in  our respective systems for a strong agreement.  
 
 Recognizing that the prompt conclusion of  DDA will benefit all WTO members, especially 
developing members, we reaffirmed that all WTO members should work together, with a sense of collective responsibility, to advance the DDA negotiati ons.  Also, we reaffirmed that “Aid for Trade 
(AfT) ” is an important element in helping deve loping members increase their participation in and 
realize the benefit of the multilateral trading system. We will continue to work together to support this 
initiative, including the 3rd AfT Global Revi ew Meeting to be held in July 2011. 
 
 Open markets are vital for growth and job crea tion, enabling strong and sustainable growth in 
this region.  While world economy is on its way to recovery; however, there still remains a possibility 
of increasing protectionist pressures in the future. We agreed to extend the commitment on standstill 
made by Ministers Responsible for Trade in June in Sapporo for another year until 2011. We further 
agreed to recommend our leaders to re-extend thei r commitment on standstill made in 2008, to refrain 
from raising new barriers to investment or to trade in goods and services, imposing new export TN/C/W/56 
Page 2  
 
  restrictions, or implementing WTO-inconsistent measures in all areas, including those that stimulate 
exports, until the end of 2013.  We reiterated the importance of complying with the basic principles of the WTO agreements as well as continuing to ensure  transparency and predictability in implementing 
measures that impact trade and investment.  We al so remain committed to taking steps to rollback 
trade distorting measures introduced during the crisis .  Furthermore, we will continue to exercise 
maximum restraint in implementing measures that ma y be considered to be consistent with WTO 
provisions if they have a significant protectionist effect and promptly rectify such measures where 
implemented.  
 We considered the Trade Review report comp iled by the APEC Secretariat with inputs from 
the WTO, ABAC and other relevant bodies, and revi ewed the trade, fiscal and monetary measures 
undertaken by APEC economies since the June 2010 MRT.  We welcomed the report’s findings 
showing a decline in trade restricting or distor ting measures and a marked increase in the number of 
new measures introduced to facilitate trade. In th is connection, we recognize that trade monitoring 
efforts in the WTO have been functioning effectivel y so far, and appreciate the degree to which APEC 
has been involved in information-sharing. We w ill continue to support the monitoring activities of 
relevant international organizations incl uding the WTO, and cooperate with them. 
 
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