Canada’s interventions – WTO General Council

October 6 and 7, 2022

2. IMPLEMENTATION MATTERS FROM MC12:

1. WTO REFORM – STATEMENT BY THE CHAIR
2. WORK PROGRAMME ON ELECTRONIC COMMERCE – STATEMENT BY THE CHAIR

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

I will be brief. I start with restating Canada’s strong condemnation of the unprovoked and unjustifiable invasion of Ukraine by Russia, its efforts to deny Ukraine's existence as an independent state, and its blatant violation of the international norms that guarantee international peace, security, and the territorial integrity and sovereignty of all states. The purported annexations of Ukrainian territory has NO legitimacy and will never be recognized. Canada stands in our unwavering support for Ukraine’s right to defend itself against Russia’s war of aggression

Moving to the agenda at hand, as you requested Chair, we will share the remarks we made at the informal meeting and will not be repetitive here today. I will add three things based on what I have heard today:

1. First, on implementation matters from MC12, beyond what we have already said on the importance of a functioning dispute settlement system by 2024 and the need to keep separate our efforts to improve the workings of the WTO from any discussion of re-negotiating economically substantive commitments, we would underscore Canada’s firm belief that development objectives must be integrated across our reforms of the WTO, and we support your proposed approach of having a retreat like meeting.
2. Second, on the e-commerce moratorium and the way forward that you have outlined, Canada supports your approach and we look forward to contributing.  
3. Third, I would like to express Canada’s support for the DG’s suggestion for increased engagement with business and non-business stakeholders. The packed sessions last week during the very successful Public Forum, in particular sessions on trade and climate, trade and gender and inclusive trade, is evidence that the world is truly interested in the intersection between trade and the world’s most pressing global challenges. More engagement with stakeholders will only increase this institution’s relevancy.

5. TRADE RELATED CHALLENGES OF THE LEAST DEVELOPED COUNTRIES AND WAY FORWARD: PROPOSAL FOR A WTO SMOOTH TRANSITION PACKAGE IN FAVOUR OF COUNTRIES GRADUATED FROM THE LDC CATEGORY (WT/GC/W/807/REV.1) – REQUEST FROM DJIBOUTI ON BEHALF OF THE LDC GROUP

• Canada thanks the LDC Group for its revised proposal.
• We are broadly supportive of efforts to smooth the transition for graduating LDCs here in the WTO and elsewhere.
• We believe it is important that consideration of any extensions of LDC-specific special and differential treatment should be based on identified needs.
• We look forward to further discussion.