El Director General Roberto Azevêdo insta a que se actúe rápidamente en las cuestiones de Bali

El Director General Roberto Azevêdo acogió hoy con satisfacción el firme compromiso de los dirigentes del G-20 para aplicar todos los elementos del Paquete de Bali, incluida la elaboración lo más rápidamente posible de un programa de trabajo de la OMC sobre las cuestiones pendientes del Programa de Doha para el Desarrollo.

(de momento sólo en inglés)

The Director-General also took advantage of the G-20 Summit to thank Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Barack Obama for their leadership in reaching an understanding on two of the Bali Decisions: Trade Facilitation and Public Stockholding for Food Security Purposes. This understanding, which now needs to be discussed with all WTO members, was welcomed by G-20 Leaders as an important step in efforts to resolve the impasse which has paralyzed all multilateral negotiations in the WTO since July.

The Director-General said:

“We must now hold consultations in Geneva to ensure that this bilateral breakthrough helps to build consensus among all WTO members. This will help us get back on track so we can immediately start implementing all Bali Decisions and resume our talks on the post-Bali Work Programme. I urged the G-20 leaders in Brisbane, as I will urge all other WTO members in Geneva, to act with a sense of urgency and in strong support for the swift and full implementation of all elements of the Bali package.

“I also spoke to G-20 Leaders about another critical bilateral breakthrough in recent days between China and the US on the expansion of the WTO Information Technology Agreement. Once finalized by all participants, the agreement will cover up to $1.4 trillion in trade in information technology products that were not covered in the initial ITA deal implemented in 1997. Expansion of the ITA would be the first tariff reducing WTO agreement in 17 years — and it would benefit all WTO members.”

“If we can formalize both breakthroughs in Geneva in the next few weeks, then 2014 will have been a very good year indeed for the WTO and for multilateralism. It would provide a glimpse of what the WTO can do to support jobs, growth and development in the global economy.”

The Director-General is cutting short his current overseas travel so that he can return to Geneva in the coming days to begin immediate consultations with WTO Members aimed at translating this important new momentum into outcomes that can get the Bali package back on track.