BRIDGES Weekly Trade News Digest | Volume 3, No. 38 | September 27, 1999
Members of the Group of 77 (G-77, comprised of 132 developing countries) and China met from 13-16 September in Marrakech, Morocco for the IX Ministerial Conference of the G-77. Discussions focused on major issues of trade and related economic issues, and on co-ordinating and harmonising positions for the upcoming Third WTO Ministerial Conference scheduled for Seattle 30 November-3 December. Ministers also discussed preparations for negotiations for UNCTAD X, UNCTAD's highest policy-making body, formulating major policy guidelines and deciding on the UNCTAD programme of work. UNCTAD X is scheduled for February 2000 in Bangkok.
Regarding the WTO, G-77 ministers adopted as part of their final declaration a Message of the G-77 Ministers to the Third WTO Ministerial Conference in Seattle. In this ministers confirmed the G-77's commitment to liberal and open trade policies which integrate the development dimension, and called for the Third WTO Ministerial to focus on delivering equitable benefits to developing countries.
The G-77 Declaration expressed serious concern over imbalances in the world trading system and the non-realisation of benefits thus far to developing countries in areas of interest to them.
"[T]he benefits of the existing multilateral trading system continue to elude developing countries. Progress towards full liberalisation in sectors of particular interest to them is lagging behind, and significant imbalances between rights and obligations exist in multilateral trade agreements (MTAs), as well as in conditions of market access," the statement said.
The G-77 said the issue of implementation of WTO Agreements, both with respect to the difficulties faced by developing countries and with respect to developed countries' fulfilment or failure to fulfil their obligations (e.g. regarding textiles and clothing), should be addressed and resolved at the Seattle Ministerial.
The G-77 statement did not take a formal position on the introduction of new issues for negotiations (e.g. investment, government procurement, competition), but said generally that the G-77 "will collectively pursue a positive agenda for future multilateral trade negotiations."
With regard to the built-in WTO negotiations on agriculture, ministers noted that the talks should focus on "addressing the particular problems of predominantly agrarian and small island developing economies and net food-importing developing countries."
The G-77 took a strong stance against linking trade to labour and environment. "We therefore firmly oppose any linkage between trade and labour standards. We are also against the use of environmental standards as a new form of protectionism. We believe that issues relating to such standards should be dealt with by the competent international organisations and not by the WTO." At a later meeting, UNCTAD Secretary-General Rubens Ricupero elucidated the G-77 stance, saying: "The position taken reflects a lot of mistrust and caution on how developing countries are approaching the issue of trade and environment." He stressed the importance of confidence-building between North and South, but cautioned that: "it is difficult to reinforce confidence-building when official development assistance continues to decline."
Ministers also called for "a transparent, streamlined and accelerated accession process" for developing countries trying to join the WTO.
"Le tiers-monds denounce un jeu inegal," LE FIGARO, 23 September 1999; "Development: G77 Ministerial ends with wide-ranging declaration;" "Trade: G77 Ministers 'message' to Seattle WTO meet," SUNS, 16 September 1999; ICTSD Internal Files.BRIDGES Weekly Trade News Digest:
