Press Information Bureau

Government of India

Ministry of Commerce & Industry

12-December-2011 13:37 IST

Shri Anand Sharma, the Union Minister for Commerce, Industry & Textiles will be attending the ‘Eighth Ministerial Conference’ of World Trade Organization to be held in Geneva, Switzerland, from 15 to 17 December 2011. There will be three Working Sessions centered on the following themes: “Importance of the Multilateral Trading System and the WTO”, “Trade and Development” and “Doha Development Agenda”. The Conference will also take up the accessions of Russia, Samoa and Montenegro. In the final session, Ministers will adopt a number of decisions and the Chair will make a concluding statement.

The Eighth WTO Ministerial Conference will be open on Thursday 15 December. Following addresses by the Chair, the Director-General and the Chair of the General Council, the Chairman will propose the adoption of the Agenda. The Plenary provides an opportunity for Ministers to make prepared statements in accordance with the List of Speakers.

The Conference will take up the accessions of the Russian Federation, Samoa and Montenegro. These accessions will be taken up in separate sessions.

In parallel to the Plenary Session, Working Sessions will take place on 16 and 17 December, respectively. The Working Sessions will be aimed at providing an interactive forum for Ministers, giving them a platform for discussion under three broad themes: “Importance of the Multilateral Trading System and the WTO” for 16 December, and “Trade and Development” and “Doha Development Agenda” for 17 December.

In the final session on 17 December, Ministers will adopt a number of decisions on intellectual property, electronic commerce, small economies, least developed countries’ accession, a services waiver for least developed countries, and trade policy reviews (explained in the briefing notes). The Chair will conclude with a statement in two parts: a consensus statement on “elements for political guidance” and a factual summary of points that Ministers have made in the meeting.

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Multilateral trading system discussions to consider accessions and adopt decisions on intellectual property and electronic commerce. Eighth WTO Ministerial Conference convenes plenary and parallel working sessions to discuss the multilateral trading system, trade and development, and the Doha Development Agenda; it will consider the accession of three applicants and adopt decisions on intellectual property, electronic commerce, small economies, least developed country accession and a services waiver, concluding with a two-part Chair's statement comprising consensus elements for political guidance and a factual summary of ministerial points.