Brussels, 23/09/2013 (Agence Europe) - The new head of the WTO, Roberto Azevedo, notices a “positive engagement” of the delegations a little over two months away from the WTO conference in Bali, which is due to conclude a partial agreement on the Doha round - in particular on trade facilitation.
Azevedo welcomed the engagement of high level officials from the WTO member countries, who met in Geneva on 19 September to prepare for the 9th WTO ministerial conference, which will be held at the beginning of December and which should tie up a partial agreement on three key issues - trade facilitation, special and differentiated treatment including the needs of LDCs, and certain elements of the agricultural chapter (see EUROPE 10862 and 10900).
The meeting in Geneva followed a period of intensification in work ahead of Bali - a period that started with Azevedo taking up his role on 1 September. The first round of meetings will finish with the meeting of the trade negotiations committee on 23 September, after which Azevedo will conduct a second session of consultations on Bali issues.
Azevedo was said to be “encouraged by the positive engagement”, shown last week. “Over the past week, the dynamic has changed profoundly. Delegations are no longer talking past each other but are seriously engaged in finding compromises on the issues that divide them. Senior officials from capitals and ambassadors are making good progress that has improved our prospects for a negotiated outcome by Bali”, he said. (EH/transl.fl)