Brendan Smith
Ceist:213 Mr. B. Smith asked the Minister for Tourism and Trade the number of countries which have ratified the agreement on GATT; the names of those countries; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1364/94]
Written Answers. - General Agreement on Trade and Tariffs.
As of 12 October, the following 24 countries-territories had either signed definitively, or formally deposited instruments ratifying, the Marrakesh Agreement establishing the World Trade Organisation, which embodies the results of the GATT Uruguay Round of multilateral trade negotiations:
|
Antigua and Barbuda |
Mali |
|
Bahrain |
Mauritania |
|
Barbados |
Mauritius |
|
Belize |
Mexico |
|
Central Africa |
Morocco |
|
Republic |
Namibia |
|
Gabon |
Qatar |
|
Greece |
Sri Lanka |
|
Guinea Bissau |
Suriname |
|
Guyana |
Tanzania |
|
Hong Kong |
Uganda |
|
Kuwait |
Zambia. |
|
Malaysia |
The target date for entry into force of the Agreement is 1 January 1995. Current indications are that a substantial number of countries — including major international traders such as the European Union, the USA and Japan — will have ratified the Agreement by the end of this year. This would justify a decision by the intergovernmental Implementation Conference, which is due to be held in December, to confirm the date of 1 January as the date of entry into force of the Agreement.
As I indicated in my reply to Question No. 92 on 11 October, I hope that the Dáil will shortly approve a motion approving the terms of the Agreement, following which the Government will arrange to formally ratify it on behalf of Ireland. As I also indicated in that reply, the process of ratification by the European Union is in progress and should be completed by the 1 January target date.