Canada’s interventions – WTO General Council

February 23 and 24, 2022

3. IMPLEMENTATION OF THE BALI, NAIROBI AND BUENOS AIRES OUTCOMES – STATEMENT BY THE CHAIR

• Canada is pleased to deliver this statement on behalf of Switzerland and Canada. 
• We wish to take this opportunity to provide an update on the draft decision, contained in document WT/GC/W/831.Rev5, proposing to extend the Work Programme and Moratorium on Electronic Commerce.
• While we are both strong supporters for a permanent moratorium, we believe the most realistic option for MC12 is to maintain the longstanding practice of extending the moratorium and the work program until MC13.
• We are pleased with the broad support our proposed approach has received so far. 63 WTO Members have formally co-sponsored this draft decision and several other delegations are consulting internally.
• While MC12 has been postponed, we have continued our outreach activities, and we wish to thank other Members for their respective efforts.
• As indicated at previous occasions, we acknowledge that some WTO Members have questions about the effects of the digitalization of their economies and are concerned by the digital divide. While we recognize the importance of the Work Program for developing Members, we do not share the view that the non-renewal of the moratorium, and the eventual use of traditional tariff measures will stimulate the digital economy. 
• Instead, we believe it would create further uncertainty within the multilateral trading system, and eventually open the way for new trade barriers that will negatively impact investment flows and domestic consumers.
• The current global trade context calls for enhanced predictability and transparency for businesses and consumers. We strongly believe Members should work on solidifying the existing e-commerce regulatory framework and not taking it apart.
• Switzerland and Canada are looking forward to continuing our engagement, under various configurations, with other Members on this important issue. We remain open to consider ways to further reflect in the draft decision some development-related aspects. We certainly welcome additional co-sponsors

6. WTO RESPONSE TO THE PANDEMIC – REPORT BY THE CHAIR 

• Thank Chair for initiative to advance an outcome on this matter.
• We are broadly supportive of all efforts to achieve an ambitious WTO Response to the Pandemic.
• For Canada, the text in JOB/GC/281 is balanced and we must not weaken it further if we are to have a credible outcome.
• We have heard of the value of transparency over these past two years and the declaration needs to reflect this fact.
• In addition, as China has mentioned a few minutes ago, looking to introduce controversial issues that are under discussion elsewhere will not help us reach an outcome.
• In the meantime, Canada looks forward to further engagement with other Members to find common grounds and ways to address expressed concerns

10. IMMEDIATE ACTION TO SUPPORT THE MULTILATERAL TRADING SYSTEM IN PREPARATION FOR A SUCCESSFUL MC12 – COMMUNICATION FROM ARGENTINA; AUSTRALIA; BRAZIL; BRUNEI DARUSSALAM; CANADA; CHILE; COLOMBIA; COSTA RICA; DOMINICA; DOMINICAN REPUBLIC; ECUADOR; EL SALVADOR; EUROPEAN UNION; GUATEMALA; HONDURAS; HONG KONG, CHINA; ICELAND; ISRAEL; JAPAN; KAZAKHSTAN; KENYA; REPUBLIC OF KOREA; LAO PEOPLE'S DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC; LIECHTENSTEIN; MEXICO; REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA; MONGOLIA; MONTENEGRO; MOROCCO; NEW ZEALAND; NORWAY; PANAMA; PERU; PHILIPPINES; QATAR; SINGAPORE; SWITZERLAND; THE SEPARATE CUSTOMS TERRITORY OF TAIWAN, PENGHU, KINMEN AND MATSU; THAILAND; TURKEY; UKRAINE; UNITED KINGDOM; URUGUAY AND VANUATU (WT/GC/W/841/REV.1)

• Like others who have already spoken today, Canada condemns the egregious attack on Ukraine.
• These unprovoked attacks are a clear violation of sovereignty and territorial integrity and existing obligations under international law.
• On this specific agenda item, Canada thanks Vanuatu for its presentation of the statement on behalf of the co-sponsors
• Canada shares the co-sponsors’ commitment to a successful MC12 and will continue to engage with all Members to ensure that the WTO can fulfill its role in ensuring a rules-based multilateral trading system that meaningfully contributes to global challenges facing the members.
• These challenges include our common efforts to agree on the WTO’s response to the pandemic, to conclude our negotiations on harmful fisheries subsidies and on agriculture, and to work on WTO reform, including dispute settlement.  
• On this last point, we want echo the sentiment expressed in the statement on the urgent and necessary need for reform of this organization.
• We view these reforms as crucial to ensure the WTO continues to be useful for all Members and can respond to current and emerging trade issues.
• We urge all Members to come together now to truly begin the hard work required to achieve meaningful, realistic and pragmatic reforms to the WTO.
• Thank you, Chair

11. WORK PROGRAMME ON ELECTRONIC COMMERCE AND MORATORIUM ON IMPOSING CUSTOMS DUTIES ON ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSIONS – REQUEST FROM INDIA AND SOUTH AFRICA

• Canada continues to question the value of having an additional agenda item in the General Council to discuss the moratorium given interested Members can use existing mechanisms, including the structured discussions.
• We remain convinced that an informal, open-ended setting is more appropriate for technical and in-depth discussion on the moratorium.
• As indicated before, Canada continue to see the value of continuing discussion on issues of Members’ interests related to digital trade and digital divide, in the context that the e-commerce moratorium is also extended.
• Canada is looking forward to continuing its active participation in discussions related to digital trade.

14. STRENGTHENING THE WTO TO PROMOTE DEVELOPMENT AND INCLUSIVITY – COMMUNICATION FROM THE AFRICAN GROUP; CUBA AND INDIA (WT/GC/W/778/REV.4)

• Canada thanks the delegations for this communication on strengthening the WTO to promote development and inclusivity.  
• We continue to discuss reform issues like this one in the Ottawa Group and look forward to engaging Members from all levels of development on this important issue.
• On a separate note, Canada wishes to register its appreciated for the value the Secretariat brings to Members, including through its analytical work.