. /.  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION   
WT/MIN(11)/ST/15 
15 December 2011  
 
(11-6552) 
MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE 
Eighth Session Geneva, 15 - 17 December 2011 Original:   English 
 
  
AUSTRALIA 
 
Statement by the Hon. Craig Emerson 
Minister for Trade 
 
 
I want to say at the outset that I am not a diplomat and therefore I will speak very frankly.  
The Doha Round is blocked.  It is at an impasse.   Ten years of a business-as-usual approach has 
failed - has failed. 
 
This is deeply disappointing for all of us but most particularly for the poorest countries on 
earth.  This has been an abrogation of respons ibility on the part of WTO Members to the poorest 
countries on earth.  
We have, particularly in the northern hemisphe re, very slow economic growth.  We need a 
new sustainable source of stimulus to ensure th ere is a global economic recovery and the only 
sustainable source of stimulus is  through trade liberalization. 
 
At the same time, while we are we are seek ing to liberalize trade, we must resist 
protectionism in all its forms. 
 
There are many paths to the mountain top and Australia has been advocating a new pathway 
in recognition of the fact that the Round has stalled.  
So, we strongly support the WTO General C ouncil statement of 30 November, which has 
actually been agreed by all Members, and it has several essential features. 
 
First, it embraces the notion of different approaches, of a new pathway. 
 
Second, it provides a focus on components of the Doha Declaration where we can reach 
agreement on a provisional or definitive basis earlier  than full conclusion of the single undertaking. 
 
And third, it says we fully respect the development component of the Doha Round. 
 
This argues for breaking the Round into its component parts and it would allow the least 
developed countries to benefit earlier instead of wa iting for some grand bargain, magically, like a bolt 
from the blue, to strike us from the sky.  This is  not going to happen.  It has eluded us for a decade. 
 
So what are the sorts of priorities that we should consider? 
 
Well, least developed countries - it is obvious and Australia has committed to 100 per cent 
duty-free quota-free access for the least developed countries of the world. 
 WT/MIN(11)/ST/15 
Page 2  
 
  Trade facilitation will be of benefit to all c ountries of the world, but including the least 
developed and other developing countries of the world.  
As Chair of the Cairns Group, of course, we would advocate agricultural trade liberalization 
in all its forms. 
 
Other items that can be considered for priority  and early harvest are services, environmental 
goods and services, non-tariff barriers, strengtheni ng anti-dumping disciplines, fisheries subsidies 
and, we would argue, for regional trade agreements  to ensure that they are of high quality and 
contribute to the multilateral system. 
 
We need a strong statement on resisting protec tionism.  We will be making a strong statement 
on resisting protectionism after this meeting.  
We are very concerned about statements such as policy space if that means an excuse to 
increase tariffs and non-tariff barriers. 
 
We will commit AUD 18 million to trade facilitati on to support the least developed countries 
on earth in this great endeavour.  
We have a responsibility. 
 
We should support the Director-General.  We should support the Chairman. 
 
We should support the system and get on with th e job of liberalizing trade around the world 
for the benefit of everyone but, most particularly, for the poorest countries on earth. 
 
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