Strasbourg, 29/10/2001 (Agence Europe) - With the adoption by 434 votes to 10 and 2 abstentions of the report by French Socialist Harlem Désir on openness and democracy in international trade, the European Parliament notes that the world trading system currently suffers from unequal participation, unequal distribution of profit from international trade, ambiguity in certain rules and a lack of transparency. It therefore insists on the need to undertake a very broad reform with a view to improving the participation of the poorest countries, transparency of procedures (including the context of dispute settlement), the opening to civil society (mainly through the diffusion of documents) and parliaments. This would involve the creation of a consultative parliamentary body within the World Trade Organisation (WTO). On the content of the report, see also EUROPE of 13 October, p.14).
During the debate, Mr Désir stressed that the WTO remains an organisation dominated by trading powers, while recognising that the organisation has admitted the need to carry out reforms. He above all urged for technical assistance to be strengthened, and for support to regional groupings, the development of transparency, the creation of a fund allowing for all poor countries to be helped to have representation at the WTO, the reform of the dispute settlement procedure, the creation of a parliamentary forum, observer status at the WTO for all the other multilateral organisations, and real hierarchy of international norms.
Speaking on behalf of the EPP-ED Group, Paul Rübig from Austria appealed for the interests of the SME to be really taken into account in the organisation of international trade. Wolfgang Kreissl-Dörfler (SPD) insisted on behalf of the PES Group on the need for greater transparency of the WTO. British Liberal Democrat Nicholas Clegg found it an excellent report. "In some respects it is the WTO of tomorrow", he exclaimed, also pressing for greater transparency of the WTO, while acknowledging the fact that one cannot demand greater transparency without granting the EP a greater role. Speaking for the Greens/European Free Alliance, Claude Turmes from Luxembourg felt that the "parliamentary forum of the WTO is a façade" and that democratic control is only a reality if the national parliaments gain true control over their governments and the EP over the Commission. Luisa Morgantini, from Italy, pointed out that the GUE/NGL Group supports this report but considers that its recommendations are just a beginning.
According to Pascal Lamy, the Désir Report makes certain recommendations shared by the Commission. A certain number of suggestions have already made progress in reality, above all concerning the technical assistance provided for developing countries, and it is also the EU that has urged for rationalisation of the meetings in Geneva, in order to facilitate the participation of countries that do not have a permanent representation. Mr Lamy, however, noted some mitigation, if not divergence. Thus, he lodged a challenge against the "serious crisis of legitimacy" denounced in the report and recalled that the Marrakesh agreement was approved by the national parliaments and by the EP. Furthermore, Mr Lamy said he agreed with Mr Désir to open the panels up to the public, but also stressed that "developing countries do not have the same views as ourselves on this matter". "I do not believe there is need for indepth revision" of the TRIPS agreement but rather "clearer interpretation", he said finally.