WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION   
WT/MIN(11)/ST/61 
16 December 2011  
 
(11-6625) 
MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE 
Eighth Session Geneva, 15 - 17 December 2011 Original:   English 
 
  
AUSTRIA 
 
Statement by H.E. Ms Bernadette Gierlinger 
Vice Minister 
 
 
First of all, let me convey my thanks to Di rector-General Pascal Lamy and his team for 
organizing the Eighth WTO Ministerial Confer ence, to our host, Fe deral Councillor Johann 
Schneider-Ammann and to the Chair of the Conference, Olusegun Aganga. 
 
While Austria is very pleased to welcome four new Members to the WTO, the adoption of the 
GPA amendment and the decisions to be taken, th ere is still much to be done.  Ten years after 
launching the Doha Round we have reached a critical impasse.  Therefore this Ministerial Conference should send a strong and credible signal on the relevance of the multilateral trading system. 
 
The current state of global economic and financ ial affairs gives reason for concerns.  The 
global crisis persists and there is  no clear strategy for a way out.  Even highly reputed experts have 
difficulties in giving long-term guidance.  At the same  time we are also experiencing that markets are 
becoming increasingly globalized and showing a high degree of sensitivity and volatility.  There is no 
doubt that the situation is unstable and even dange rous for our economies and threatens to wipe out 
recent achievements.  
In recent years we have all made tremendous e fforts to balance the negative impacts of the 
crisis on our national economies a nd have tried to counteract produc tion shut-downs and job losses.  
Our people, their jobs and their economic perspect ives depend, among other factors, on an efficient 
multilateral trading system.  Transparent and predic table rules, a reduction of systemic obstacles and 
further liberalization of trade in goods and services are key elements in this regard.  
During the last decade, Austria has undergone ambitious reforms and has initiated various 
competitivity measures.  A comprehensive overhau l of our industrial and SME policy has made 
Austria an even more attractive place for inv estment in both production and services.  Continued 
liberalization of Austrian economic laws, especially  in the energy and telecommunications sectors, a 
reduction of corporate tax rates and a tailor-made  policy on innovation and technology were first 
steps.  A second step has been the implementati on of an internationalization initiative aimed at 
broadening our export markets and diversifying our export structures with a clear emphasis on 
services. 
 
Together with our European partners we are striving to implement Europe 2020 - Strategy, 
which has set ambitious targets for employment, innova tion, education, social inclusion, climate and 
energy - on a sustainable and inclusive basis.  We hope that our endeavours will lead to an additional 
economic boost especially in this time of crisis, by making our economies even more competitive and 
successful.  The European Internal Market has shown us the value of deep regional integration, both WT/MIN(11)/ST/61 
Page 2  
 
  economically and politically.  However, on the global level, cooperative efforts to strengthen further 
the multilateral trading system ha ve remained rather limited. 
 
It is certainly correct that the existing rulebook of the WTO already offers substantial benefits 
to its Members - even without concluding the Doha Round.  This fact, in connection with an effective 
and respected dispute settlement me chanism between Members, account s for two of the current main 
pillars of the multilateral trading system.  But the WTO must continuously adapt to current 
developments as agreed a decade ago in Doha and in addition take on board new challenges.  This 
means that we have to maintain and even st rengthen the negotiating arm of the WTO and its 
objective, the continuation of trade liberalization. 
 
Apparently we have no other option than to slightly adapt our negotiating approach.  New 
issues can and should be discussed, although the main fo cus in this context might be directed towards 
identifying a frame for future trade negotiations.  For the current Round, we should concentrate on the 
following three aspects: 
 
- Let us preserve what has been achieved so far in the last ten years of negotiations.  
This represents our common ground on whic h we should build an d which should not 
be wasted; 
 
- let us work towards a specific roadmap on DDA issues for 2012 with a view to 
identifying areas where an early agreement seems within reach; 
 
- let us be aware of additional issues and openings like climate change or energy that 
might be of interest to WTO Members, without leaving the common ground of our mandate. 
 
We recognize that in the light of stagnati on and high unemployment many WTO Members 
are facing political difficulties to agree upon a furthe r market opening.  However, the Doha Mandate 
covers the essential negotiating interests of WTO Memb ers.  In my view the final conclusion of the 
Doha Round is imperative.  
Let me at this stage honour the efforts Dir ector-General Lamy has undertaken to monitor 
trade measures adopted during the crisis.  The WTO h as a vital role to play in the fight against all 
forms of protectionism;  a standstill commitment would be helpful.  Austria clearly sees further merit 
in continuing this monitoring exercise and extending it to notification issues. 
 
We recognize and appreciate the promin ent role of development in this 
Ministerial Conference.  Austria would have str ongly supported a substantial DDA "early harvest" for 
LDCs, in particular duty-and quot a-free market access.  However, there are some LDC issues we 
could finally agree upon, such as the services waiver or the decision on accessions.  
Food security is an important concern for ne t-food importing developing countries.  We 
support political guidance by WTO with relation to food-export barriers and humanitarian aid by the 
World Food Programme.  
Austria has closely followed the recent deve lopments in the area of Aid for Trade and 
congratulates the Director-General on a well-executed Global Review in July.  This event has set the 
ground for further work.  Now we have to implement the decisions in a coherent and effective way.  
This requires that we maintain the current level of financial contributions while recipient countries 
should streamline their efforts, to further integrate trade into their national development strategies and 
to improve transparency.   WT/MIN(11)/ST/61 
 Page 3 
 
 
  Four countries are ready to join this organization.  Austria whole-heartedly supports the 
decisions on the accession of the Russian Federation and Montenegro as well as Vanuatu and Samoa.  
With Vanuatu and Samoa, the group of LDCs will be reinforced.  Montenegro's eagerly expected 
accession will bring us closer to the Balkans, and hopefully Serbia and Bosnia-Herzegovina will 
follow suit.  Finally, the accession of the Russian Federation after almost two decades of negotiation 
is overdue.  This huge country holds a prominent place among the top 20 nations in world trade, with 
exports over US$400 billion in merchandise a nd imports of almost US$250 billion. 
 
In conclusion, Austria sees no alternative to the multilateral trading system.  In my view, 
bilateral and plurilateral agreements, which ar e popular these days and growing in numbers, will 
always rank second to multilateral solutions.  Therefore we deem it essential to set up a 
work programme on the interaction of regionalism with the multilateral trading system.  
It is our duty to ensure that real progress in mu ltilateral trade negotiations is achieved in 2012.  
Trade openness must remain a stable anchor of  the world economy, to the benefit of all 
WTO Members. 
 
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