   
  
WT/GC/W/873/Rev.1  
 
13 July  2023 
(23-4754) Page: 1/2 
General Council  Original: English  
 
 
MAXIMISING THE VALUE OF WTO MINISTERIAL CONFERENCES  
COMMUNICATION FROM AUSTRALIA ; CANADA ; CHINA ; JAPAN ; NEW ZEALAND; NORWAY ; 
AND THAILAND  
Revision  
The following communication, dated 13 July  2023, is being circulated at the request of the 
delegation s of Australia , Canada, China, Japan, New Zealand, Norway and Thailand . 
 
_______________  
 
 
1.  Ministerial Conferences play a critical role in carrying out the functions of the WTO. There is 
growing in terest in maximising the value of future WTO Ministerial Conferences1 to make them better 
fit for purpose for the challenges facing the multilateral trading system.  
2.  The WTO reform mandate is an opportunity to consider how Ministerial Conferences can best 
serve the interests of Members. While Ministers are ultimately responsible for taking political 
decisions to conclude or endorse  negotiations, we need to find new way s of ensuring steady, 
constructive negotiations intersessionally  to support the ir decision -making . We need to maximise 
the value of ministerial exchanges on rulemaking and acknowledge the value to the Membership of 
regular political input and exchange on i ssues of shared interest. Elevating the engagement of 
Ministers would give them the opportunity to review rule -making and deliberate on how the WTO 
can contribute to the major challenges impacting the global commons. Changing the approach to 
Ministerial Co nferences will minimise the risks posed to the credibility of the Organization  while 
continuing the WTO 's important work on  rulemaking . 
3.  There are at least five new approaches that would help the Membership better use Ministerial 
Conferences:  
• Deeper policy engagement:  Ministerial Conferences could be used for Ministers to engage 
more seriously with and deliberate on emerging policy issues facing the global trade regime 
on a thematic basis. Building on the successful 'challenges ' thematic session at the WTO 's 
Twelfth Ministerial Conference, future Conferences could spotlight global challenges that 
intersect with trade policy, including climate change, inclusivity, gender, health and 
development.  
 
• A focus on WTO reform:  World leaders and trade ministers consistently list WTO reform 
as a top priority for the Organization. For the next few Ministerial Conferences, Ministers ' 
engag ement should focus on reforming the WTO to address future trade challenges.  
 
• Deliberative and rulemaking work:  Ministerial Conferences could continue to be used for 
Ministers to consider emerging trade policy issues and launch new rule -making projects 
where deemed appropriate. In doing so, Ministers could provide officials with early direction 
 
1 The role of Ministerial Conferences is set out in the Marrakesh Agreement. Article IV states that: "There 
shall be a Ministerial Conference composed of representatives of all the Members, which shall meet at least once 
every two years. The Ministerial Conf erence shall carry out the functions of the WTO and take actions necessary 
to this effect. The Ministerial Conference shall have the authority to take decisions on all matters under any of 
the Multilateral Trade Agreements… In the intervals between meeting s of the Ministerial Conference, its functions 
shall be conducted by the General Council. " WT/GC/W/873/Rev.1  
 
- 2 - 
 
  to guide their negotiations, as well as to bring further attention to the WTO 's contribution to 
important trade policy debates.  
 
• Intersessional Ministerial gathering s: As necessary, the Director -General, as Chair of 
the Trade Negotiations Committee, could call a gathering of Ministers – as she did on the 
fisheries subsidies negotiations in mid -2021, or in other configurations. As needed, such 
Ministerial gatherings co uld occur between Ministerial Conferences on an ad hoc  basis.  
 
• Endorsing outcomes and negotiating guidance : Ministerial Conferences could endorse 
negotiations concluded in substance, building on im proved processes to foster convergence 
in relevant WTO bod ies in Geneva. In those cases where negotiating gaps have been 
narrowed considerably by officials , Ministers may, on occasion, be in a position to close 
negotiations.  Ministers could also provide guidance during Ministerial Conferences for 
ongoing negotiations. This approach would avoid the challenges associated with short, often 
high-pressure and unpredictable Conferences, which can impact negatively on the credibility  
of outcomes.  
 
4.  As a first step, there is an opportunity for Ministers to use the Thirteenth Ministerial Conference 
in Abu  Dhabi to reflect upon and consider options for reforming the Membership 's approach to future 
Ministerial Conferences. A Decision on t his issue in Abu Dhabi could ensure that MC13 becomes our 
first genuine WTO Reform Ministerial.  
 
__________  