WASHINGTON DC – National Foreign Trade Council (NFTC) Vice President for Global Trade Policy Tiffany Smith today issued the following statement following the conclusion of the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) 13th Ministerial Conference in Abu Dhabi:
“The outcomes announced at the conclusion of last week’s WTO 13th Ministerial Conference in Abu Dhabi came together just in time to quell prognostications that the WTO and the rules-based trading system are on the brink of collapse. We congratulate WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and the United Arab Emirates for their leadership.
“While the vast majority of members were constructively engaged, it was frustrating to see, once again, that a small handful remain set on blocking greater progress, even on issues with broad developing country support like the Investment Facilitation for Development initiative. Dealing with this behavior once again underscores the need to find alternatives to the consensus basis approach so the WTO can advance outcomes on shared 21st century challenges like sustainability and digital trade.
“Ultimately, members delivered on the most urgent outcome on the agenda: an extension of the customs duty moratorium on electronic transmissions for two more years. In recognition of the tremendous opportunity that access to the digital economy provides to all people, the vast majority of WTO members, including unprecedented numbers of developing countries, actively supported this extension.
“Importantly, members did not expand the scope of the Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) waiver for COVID-19 vaccines to additional diagnostic and therapeutic products. While that is a relief for innovative industries, it is only temporary, and we must continue to push back on efforts to weaken intellectual property protections under the TRIPS Agreement on other fronts, including on existing discussions on future pandemic preparedness, technology transfer, and sustainability.
“We applaud the progress made on a range of other important issues, including fisheries subsidies and agriculture. A lack of final agreement on these issues and a decision to take additional time to get them right should not be viewed as a failure.
“We are heartened by the momentum coming out of the Ministerial for dispute settlement reform. It is absolutely critical for members to build on the significant work that has been done to date and finalize an agreement on the remaining issues and restore confidence in the system.
“Global businesses need to see that the WTO can uphold the international trading system by enforcing its rules and holding to account those who fail to follow them.
“U.S. leadership will remain critical to the future direction of the WTO. We encourage the Biden-Harris Administration to vigorously promote the interests of American companies at the WTO on issues from digital trade to IP to agriculture, and to intensify efforts to build consensus on a package of reforms that can be agreed to by the end of the year.”
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About the NFTC
The National Foreign Trade Council (NFTC) is the premier business association advancing trade and tax policies that support access to the global marketplace. Founded in 1914, NFTC promotes an open, rules-based global economy on behalf of a diverse membership of U.S.-based businesses.
