The current situation of the WTO is no longer viable. This is the conclusion of thirteen ministers and heads of delegation from different continents who nevertheless share the same ideas to strengthen and update the WTO (see EUROPE 12124).
Meeting in Ottawa on 24 and 25 October, Canada, Australia, Brazil, Chile, the European Union, Japan, Kenya, South Korea, Mexico, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore and Switzerland identified paths to progress swiftly towards a reform that has become inevitable.
The USA and China were not invited to the meeting (see EUROPE 12125), even if "there can be no meaningful reform of the WTO without the Americans and Chinese", according to the Canadian trade minister, Jim Carr, who spoke at the end of their work.
Carr also underlined the fact that no country was individually responsible for the current situation.
In their joint declaration, the thirteen jurisdictions note that the rise in protectionism and trade tension is "linked to major shifts in the global trading landscape". They say they "share a common resolve for rapid and concerted action to address these unprecedented challenges" but they do not give details of the measures envisaged.
Three areas for priority action are identified. Firstly, the system for settling disputes, which is intended to arbitrate trade disputes between states. Following Washington's blockage of the appointment of new judges (see EUROPE 11971), the Appellate Body is being whittled away. Taking note of the concerns expressed as to the functioning of this system, the thirteen states say they are ready to seek solutions.
Another area for work is the need to "reinvigorate" the negotiations within the WTO, beginning with the conclusion, in 2019, of the negotiations on fishing subsidies.
While the negotiations need to produce results on "pending and unfinished business", they need to be able to tackle "modern economic and trade issues", via more flexible negotiation methods – in other words, plurilateral, the declaration states.
The group also wants "to address market distortions caused by subsidies and other instruments".
In addition, the thirteen jurisdictions say they are concerned by the WTO member countries' lack of respect for their reporting obligations – a subject also dear to the USA. "It is possible to bring precise improvements to this in the short term", the declaration states.
The thirteen commit to continuing their discussions on these points at the technical level and will meet again at the annual WTO mini-meeting in Davos in January 2019. (Original version in French by Hermine Donceel)