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Updates on WTO

The Director General of the WTO, Mr. Pascal Lamy visited the Philippines 22-23 February of 2007 and had an audience with President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo together with DTI Secretary Peter B. Favila and DA Secretary Arthur Yap. Geneva-based

negotiators from DTI and DA, and Ambassador Manuel Antonio J. Teehankee of the Philippine Mission to the WTO in Geneva were on hand for the visit. DG Lamy also had an occasion to speak to the PCCI and to meet with some NGOs.

The visit was part of the Jakarta-Manila leg of DG Lamy's quiet diplomacy to sustain momentum for the re-start of the suspended Doha Development Agenda (DDA) talks. DG Lamy wanted to see himself to what extent further negotiating flexibility is possible for Manila in particular.

It will be recalled that DG Lamy suspended the multilateral trade talks July last year. This was preceded by five years of negotiations since the launch of the talks in Doha in 2001. Members have so far found the goals set for the DDA to be truly elusive. DG Lamy was of the view that Members have already exhausted points for discussion and needed a time for reflection in order to progress. Quiet diplomatic efforts were then undertaken by the Director General visiting Members in order to understand their difficulties with a view to find a comfortable compromise.

DOHA WORK PROGRAMME

If you have any questions you may contact:

The Bureau of International Trade Relations
4/F DTI-International Trade Group Building
357 Senator Gil Puyat Avenue
Makati City
Philippines
Tel. No.: (632) 751-3257/3261
Fax No.: (632) 751-3258/3262
E-mail:

In APEC in November 2006, the Philippines supported a stand alone statement designed to provide a big push for the stalled talks by indicating a willingness to move beyond the current positions already taken. In January this year as host of the ASEAN Summit, the President also spearheaded an ASEAN stand alone statement focusing on shared responsibility and contributions from all WTO Members. Both statements reminded the developed Members nonetheless that the development dimension was central to the DDA.

The meeting between PGMA, DG Lamy, Secretaries Favila and Yap as well as Ambassador Bautista was described as a ?good exchange of views?.

Enclosed as references are a copy each of the materials used by the DTI to brief interested parties on the visit by DG Lamy consisting of:

The DTI welcomes comments and/or suggestions on these latest updates.

The creation of the Doha Development Agenda (DDA) website has been initiated to provide an accessible electronic medium to explain the ongoing multilateral trade talks to the interested public.

The text provides a simplified summary of the more substantive and contentious issues currently being negotiated. The objective mainly is to obtain interactive feedback that may serve as guide to the government negotiators. The content is a product of the suggestions received from the agency members of the Trade Related Matters (TRM) Technical Committee on WTO Matters (TCWM) chaired by the DTI.

The DTI wishes to express its appreciation to the TCWM members who participated in the preparatory meetings and to those in particular who submitted written suggestions on certain parts of the text that cover issues they are directly in charge of, namely, the Department of Agriculture (DA), the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), the Department of Labour and Employment (DOLE) and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). Colleagues at the Philippine Trade and Investment Center (PTIC) in Geneva provided the updates.

The DTI welcomes readers' comments and suggestions.

If you have any questions or comments, please click here.

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