WORLD TRADE WT/MIN(98)/ST/100
20May1998
ORGANIZATION(98-2106)
MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE Original: French
Second Session
Geneva, 18and20May1998
BELGIUM
Statement Circulated bytheDelegation
Fifty years ofamultilateral trading system
1. Belgium isproud tobeoneofthe23founding members oftheHavana Charter, whose
50thAnniversary wecommemorated on19May.
Wehavethuscontributed totheprodigious growth intrade, thebedrock ofoureconomic
development sincetheSecond World War,withtheobjectives ofemployment, stability andwell-being.
From theveryoutset, wehaveincluded developing countries inthisenterprise, thereby underlining
itsuniversal character.
2. Belgium expects agreat dealofthemultilateral trading system, which must produce wealth
thatisshared through universal participation. IftheWTO istolayclaim toitsuniversal mission, it
mustinclude thepoorest countries inworld trade. Special measures mustbetaken tomeettheirneeds.
Theprotection ofthefundamental human righttowork mustbetaken intoaccount, together withthe
concerns ofgovernments andsociety withregard totheenvironment andhealth protection. Through
constructive dialogue, public opinion mustbeshown thatresponsible liberalization isbeneficial even
ifitmust gohand inhand withcertain adjustment costs. Thisistheprice foracceptance ofthe
globalization oftheeconomy.
3. Belgium welcomes theresults recently achieved bythemultilateral trading system. Theyear
1997 wasafruitful oneandsawthesuccessive conclusion ofagreements oninformation technology,
telecommunications andfinancial services.
4. Belgium wasanactive participant intheUruguay Round andwelcomed thecreation ofthe
World Trade Organization in1994, inparticular forthefollowing reasons:
- Itintroduced asingle actofaccession withtheobligation forallitsmembers tocomply
withalltheagreements;
- ithasalegal andbinding dispute settlement mechanism. Since itsinception, this
mechanism hasshown itseffectiveness andwehaveaccepted theconsequences. It
isusedasmuch bydeveloping countries asbyindustrialized countries. Itwillgive
birth tointernational caselawintheareaoftrade andconstitutes theremedy to
unilateralism;
- ithasbecome apermanent forum fortrade negotiation.
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5. Inthisregard, theWTO anditsbodyofrulesarealogical conclusion tothework oftheGATT
andthesuccessive negotiation rounds heldsince 1948. Thepriorities havenowmoved fromthetariff
tothenon-tariff sector, fromgoods toservices andintellectual property, towards thenewformoftrade
represented byelectronic trade, towards theneedfornewregulatory frameworks thatarearesponse
toaglobal society. Fairrulesoninvestment, government procurement, theorganization ofcompetition,
relations between theenvironment andtrade ...,respect forbasic labour standards.
Thisiswhywewould liketheWTO tohaveabalanced programme capable offacing upto
these newchallenges.
6. Belgium isdetermined tocontribute toliberalization whose main goalisnotmaterial gainor
unfettered growth butwhose priority istoimprove mankind 'slot.
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