The WTO has equipped its new council chamber with a public gallery and invited representatives of more than 150 NGOs to its ministerial meeting next month. Some diplomats favour making disputes panel hearings public. However, it is uncertain whether such moves will be enough to satisfy the critics. Most officials admit they are in a dilemma over how to deal with the NGOs' demands, and how to assess their political strength. One problem is deciding which organisations to listen to, and whom they represent.
Governments agree that many such groups hold views that reflect a broad swathe of public opinion.
But they also believe much pressure is exercised by fringe movements that espouse extreme positions, with little public support. The trouble is, as officials concede, that good organisation and strong finances enable such groups to wield much influence with the media and members of national parliaments. The desire to neutralise the impact of such lobbying may push governments to work more energetically to drum up business support for liberalisation agreements. The OECD's failure to do so in the case of the MAI is an important reason for its problems. Business lobbies which trade negotiators have traditionally suspected of being mainly interested in preserving protection are becoming more active as proponents of free trade.