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TWN
Info Service on WTO and Trade Issues (Apr20/13) Geneva, 17 Apr (D. Ravi Kanth) – Attempts at the World Trade Organization to carry on with “business as usual”, by conducting negotiations and taking decisions through “virtual meetings”, appear to have suffered a setback. Several members at the World Trade Organization have opposed taking decisions through virtual meetings on grounds that they need to consult with their capitals and stakeholders, trade envoys told the SUNS. At an informal virtual heads of delegations (HoD) meeting on 17 April, 54 countries took the floor to voice their varying concerns on the two questions posed by the WTO Director-General. The HoD meeting had been convened by the WTO Director-General Roberto Azevedo, chair of the Doha trade negotiations. In his email to members on 9 April, the DG had asked members to address two questions: A. Is your “delegation comfortable with the conduct of informal meetings and exchange of views (i.e. without formal decision-making) through virtual meetings?”, B. What are your views on where decisions are required and whether we are open to the use of virtual platforms to take decisions, or alternatively to written procedures for the adoption of decisions? (The precise modalities for such procedures would need to be agreed through further discussion with Members)”. The DG, in his concluding remarks at the end of the more than two-hour meeting, claimed that members showed “flexibility” by suggesting that while they are open to continue with virtual meetings for information-gathering only, they “would not like to see that procedure being used for negotiating decisions”, said trade envoys, who asked not to be quoted. The DG said members’ response to the first question was that they are okay with virtual meetings for information- gathering only, but not for entering into negotiations to finalize decisions. He said that he is fine with members’ response, the trade envoys said. Azevedo admitted that several members had expressed concern over the virtual platforms, particularly on confidentiality grounds. However, he said, “no virtual meeting is secure”. But “we have to do our best”, he said, arguing that even “physical meetings” are also vulnerable to breaches. As regards the second question, the DG said several delegations categorically said that the virtual platforms “would not be acceptable” to them, as it is difficult to consult with capitals and stakeholders. Several members also said the virtual platforms would not enable them to coordinate with other members in their respective regional coalitions and like-minded groups, according to trade envoys who spoke to the SUNS. The DG said that “there is no commonalities of views” on the second question, suggesting that more consultations are needed to resolve this issue. Azevedo said that he understood from the members’ views that they are willing to consider “deciding a case by case” approach, said trade envoys, who asked not to be quoted. Speaking at the end of the meeting, the chair of the WTO’s General Council, Ambassador David Walker of New Zealand, said “a number of members voiced concern to virtual meetings for taking decisions.” However, at the same time, some delegations also expressed the need to engage so as to ensure that WTO remains active, Ambassador Walker said, according to trade envoys, who asked not to be quoted. Several countries also cautioned that information-sharing must be carried out in a calibrated manner, as some areas of information sharing/gathering could involve a constant dialogue with capitals and respective stakeholders.
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