Brussels, 22/01/2015 (Agence Europe) - European Commissioner for Trade Cecilia Malmström will take part in an informal WTO ministerial meeting organised by Swiss Federal Councillor Johann Schneider-Ammann, on the sidelines of the world economic forum at Davos on Saturday 24 January. Around 30 ministers are expected alongside WTO Director General Roberto Azevedo in order to review implementation of the series of measures decided upon at the last WTO ministerial conference in Bali in December 2013. They will also review preparations for the post-Bali agenda for continuing the Doha round negotiations.
At the WTO headquarters on Wednesday 21 January, Azevedo launched a new consultation process with the delegations of 160 member countries with a view to agreeing a work programme by July on the outstanding issues of the Doha agenda (including agriculture, industrial products, services and rules). Azevedo urged the delegations to progress on the basis of progress made in 2014,“maintaining a sense of urgency” and “a high level of commitment”. (EH)