Statement of Canada - Trade Negotiations Committee - July 20, 2023
In our view, a successful Senior Officials Meeting would be one that sets up the agenda for MC13 so our ministers can truly engage on issues, both new and those we have been discussing for some time. These include industrial policy, together with how best to support industrialization for developing Members, and trade and climate change, in addition to some of the issues we have been discussing for years.
We should also set up the MC13 agenda so that ministers will be able to provide clear direction for future work at the WTO on these issues.
We should also continue to explore what a trade and inclusion agenda could look like, and how we can build on the discussions we are already having in this area.
On substance for MC13, we agree with the Director General that we must use the Senior Officials Meeting to decide together what outcomes are realistic, to build convergence, and to start to take the measure of difficult issues where convergence is not yet apparent.
We also agree with ACP Group on the importance of narrowing the issues for MC13 consideration.
On process for the coming months, Canada is a firm believer in the power of informal discussions between diverse groups of members.
Yesterday, Ambassador Theodore hosted just such an informal discussion, here at the WTO. It was both productive and rewarding.
We heard Members’ views on both substance and process, for the Senior Officials Meeting, the lead-up to MC13, for MC13, and beyond.
We encourage others to organize your own discussions like this.
We will also continue to work within the framework of the Ottawa Group to support reform and ensure the long-term strength and value of the multilateral trading system.
