WTO Conferences

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WTOCONFERENCES

Efforts By :

Sumedha Gupta

A02Sanjita TandonA14

Rahul GuptaA34


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WTO

The World Trade Organization is the only globalinternational organization dealing with the rules oftrade between nations.

Its main function is to ensure that trade flows as

smoothly, predictably and freely as possible.

As its heart are the WTO agreements, negotiated andsigned by the bulk of the worlds trading nations andratified in their parliaments.

The goal of WTO is to help producers of goods andservices, exporters, and importers to conduct theirbusinesses.

Essentially, the WTO is a place where 153 member


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WTO Ministerial Conferenceof 1996

The World Trade Organisations Ministerial Conference of1996 was held in Singapore on 9 - 13 Dec, 1996. Theevent was hosted by the govt. of Singapore at theSingapore International Convection and ExhibitionCentre in Suntec City. The Conference was the first since

the WTO entered into force on 1 January, 1995. Itincluded plenary meetings and various multilateral,plurilateral and bilateral business sessions. 120 membercountries participated in this conference.

Issues: This conference examined issues related to the work ofthe WTO's first two years of activity,

Implementation issues of Agreements on Agriculture ,Textiles, Information Technology.


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Discussions on controversial issues - Core laborstandards, Investment and Competition policy,Government procurement,

Examine developments in world trade, and

Address the challenges of an evolving worldeconomy.

Outcomes: Conclusion of Information Technology Agreement

was made,

Working Groups on Trade & Investment, Trade &Competition, Government Procurement (these aregenerally termed as Singapore issues),


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WTO Ministerial Conferenceof 1998

The second ministerial conference of the World TradeOrganisation was held in Geneva, Swizerland between18 and 20 May, 1998. On that occasion, the World Tradeorganisation also celebrated the 50th anniversary of themultilateral trading system. However, 1998 was also ayear dominated by the global financial crisis, of whichthe damaging and destabilising effects has been felt.130 member countries participated in this conference.

Issues:At the WTOs second Ministerial Conference in Geneva in1998, a significant number of governments raised thematter and since that meeting the issue has been on theagenda of the General Council and its subsidiary bodies.

Some other issues were:


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How to advocate the advantages of a open trading

system which will pave the way for better livingstandards . Issues on Implementation of Electronic Commerce.

Outcomes: The outcome of the Second Ministerial Conference ofthe WTO (Geneva, 18-20 May 1998) was that the

Ministers, through their main Declaration, paved the

way for their WTO Ambassadors to prepare for more

significant negotiations in the next 18 months thatcould lead to further liberalization, and to new issues

being pushed onto the WTO. This result was very much

in line with the plan of Northern countries, who are

spreading the liberalization movement.


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WTO Ministerial Conference of1999

The WTO Ministerial Conference of 1999 was ameeting of the World Trade Organization, convened atthe Washington State Convention and Trade Centerin Seattle, Washington, USA, over the course of fourdays, beginning November 29, 1999. 132 member

countries participated in this conference.

Issues:

The focus of the Conference was a decision onlaunching of the so-called New Rounds , which wasthe Programme on newround of negotiations.


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Other development issues were also included in thisconference - intellectual property protection, and

many other subjects like Core Labor Standards.

Outcomes:

The four days meeting did not reach anyconclusion,

Huge demonstration against New Round, talks

Suspended,At the same time, the launching of the newround was frozen and the Ministerial Declaration wasnot issued, and

It was decided that the discussion is suspended and

will resume.


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Thank You . . . !

Documents

WTO Conferences