Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 22 Mar 2001

Vol. 533 No. 2

Written Answers. - World Trade Organisation Agreements.

Michael D. Higgins

Question:

68 Mr. M. Higgins asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will ensure greater equity in the negotiating process through technical and financial support for developing countries at the World Trade Organisation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8381/01]

Minister for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Cowen)

Negotiations undertaken at the World Trade Organisation have significant implications for development. It is essential that developing countries, particularly the least developed, have the capacity to participate fully in the negotiations and are assisted in implementing the WTO Agreements.

In October 1997 a high level meeting at the WTO established an integrated framework, IF, to provide trade related technical assistance to least developed countries. The framework brought together the six major agencies – the WTO, the UN Conference on Trade and Development, the International Trade Centre, the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and the UN Development Programme, involved in the provision of trade related technical assistance in order to co-ordinate their activities on the basis of needs assessments compiled by the LDCs.

A review of the IF in 2000 by the World Bank pointed to a number of weaknesses in the framework, not least the fact that it had not been underpinned by adequate financing from donors. In February 2001, the EU presented a proposal at the WTO to establish a pilot trust fund for the IF. The proposal was accepted and the trust fund is now being established. Ireland is giving sympathetic consideration to a contribution.

The EU has also allocated one million euro to establish an office for its African, Caribbean and Pacific developing country partners in Geneva to help them to co-ordinate in the WTO and to support those ACP countries which have no offices in Geneva. This office will be opened before summer 2001 and will be operated by the ACP secretariat.

The EU has also been active in calling for the technical assistance activities of the WTO to be put on a firm financial footing. Such activities are funded almost exclusively from voluntary contributions.

At a national level, Ireland has joined together with other donors in supporting the establishment of the Advisory Centre on WTO Law. This is an independent body, existing outside the WTO, which will help developing countries with legal advice to enable them to take full advantage of their rights under the WTO agreements. The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment contributed $1 million to help establish the centre while Ireland Aid has committed $250,000 per year for five years to help finance the running costs of the centre.

Ireland Aid has also contributed $100,000 to the Global Trust Fund of the WTO which provides trade related technical assistance for developing countries.

The UN Conference on Trade and Development, to which Ireland Aid has given several contributions, including $180,000 to its trust fund for LDCs, is closely working with developing countries to defend their interests in the WTO. UNCTAD has helped prepare the so-called, positive agenda, which sets out the key concerns of developing countries in relation to a new global trade round. The positive agenda has played an important role in discussions at the WTO where it has been successful in focusing attention on the development aspects of a future global trade round.

Question No. 69 answered with Question No. 6.