January 24, 2019 - Ottawa, Ontario - Global Affairs Canada
Global economic prosperity benefits citizens of all nations. But it can only happen when countries adhere to a rules-based approach that ensures trade flows as smoothly, predictably and freely as possible. The World Trade Organization (WTO) is an important forum for maintaining such an approach by addressing international trade issues and ensuring a level playing field for all its members.
Today in Davos, the Honourable Jim Carr, Minister of International Trade Diversification, chaired a meeting of the representative group of WTO members committed to improving and strengthening the multilateral trading system. In October 2018, Minister Carr hosted the inaugural meeting of the group in Ottawa, where ministers discussed reforms and the modernization of the rules-based order.
As a follow-up to commitments made in Ottawa, the group of ministers discussed next steps and the need to conclude ongoing WTO negotiations, including those reducing harmful fisheries subsidies. These negotiations will deliver economic, environmental and development benefits.
The Ottawa Group, comprising representatives from Australia, Brazil, Chile, the European Union, Japan, Kenya, Mexico, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore, South Korea and Switzerland, concluded their session by issuing a joint statement which announced the beginning of a process, open to all WTO members, to discuss how to improve the deliberative functions of a number of WTO bodies.
The Ottawa Group identified four initial bodies to be reviewed. Each review will be led by a volunteer country: Brazil will lead the review of the Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures Committee, Singapore that of the Technical Barriers to Trade Committee, Switzerland that of the Rules of Origin Committee and Australia that of the Council for Trade in Services. In addition, as part of the Ottawa Group's work, Norway has indicated that it will coordinate efforts on the development dimension of WTO reform.
"Canada is committed to its leadership role in finding solutions to the 21st-century challenges to the multilateral trading system. We recognize the need for reform and remain steadfast in our resolve to maintain a rules-based order that benefits Canada and global economic prosperity."
- Jim Carr, Minister of International Trade Diversification
Quick facts
Canada was one of the founding members of the WTO in 1995 and before it the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade. Today, the organization has 164 members around the world.
The value of global trade in goods and services in 2017 was estimated at $29.8 trillion.
On October 24 and 25, 2018, Canada hosted ministers from 12 WTO members at the Ottawa Ministerial on WTO Reform.
The objective of the Ottawa Group is to identify concrete and tangible ways the operation and functioning of the WTO could be enhanced and improved over the short, medium and long term.
