WRITTEN QUESTION E-0342/00 by Glenys Kinnock (PSE) to the Commission. Reform of the WTO.
C 330 E/102 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 21. 11. 2000 (2000/C 330 E/112) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0207/00 by Glenys Kinnock (PSE) to the Commission (4 February 2000) Subject: WTO reform What is the Commission doing to contribute to the essential work to be done on the root and branch reform of the WTO? Will the Commission set a deadline of one year in order to ensure that attention is given to the need to build credibility for the organisation? (2000/C 330 E/113) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0342/00 by Glenys Kinnock (PSE) to the Commission (14 February 2000) Subject: Reform of the WTO What is the Commission doing to contribute to the essential work to be done on the root and branch reform of the WTO? Will the Commission set a deadline of one year in order to ensure that urgent attention is given to the need to build credibility for the organisation? Joint answer to Written Questions E-0207/00 and E-0342/00 given by Mr Lamy on behalf of the Commission (29 February 2000) As the Honourable Member is aware, the Commission made extensive proposals before the Seattle Ministerial Conference for more transparent procedures in the World trade organisation (WTO). Following the Seattle Ministerial Conference, the member responsable for trade outlined the Commissionís views on this subject to the committee for industry, external trade, research and technology during his intervention on 25 January 2000. Whilst acknowledging that clear deficiencies of processes became visible during the Seattle Conference, the Commission nonetheless also believes that it would be counterproductive to launch a complete overhaul of the WTO at least until we have launched a new Round. Many of the problems that surfaced in Seattle were clearly attributable to differences on substance and punctual problems such as insufficient preparation of the Conference. The Commission therefore favours a two-stage approach, in which a first step could lead to improvements in the preparation and organisation of ministerial conferences, improved participation particularly of developing countries, and increased transparency for the broader public interest. More in-depth reforms, such as for instance the reform of structures and decision-making systems would need to be explored in a second stage (perhaps by a group of eminent people entrusted with this task by the General Affairs Council) to examine what might be feasible before launching any concrete proposals. It should need no mention that all short term and long term reform measures will have to be discussed and agreed with the partners in the WTO