WTO Reform Talks Gain Momentum
as Members Review Progress Across Key Areas
At a transparency session on 30 September, facilitators for the discussions
on WTO reform reported on recent meetings among members on the four tracks of reform:
foundational issues, decision- making, development and level playing field. The
facilitators noted a high level of engagement with members' written and oral proposals
submitted in recent weeks. They acknowledged that momentum is building across all
four tracks, but substantial work remains.
·
WTO members reviewed progress on reform efforts
during a transparency session held on 30 September.
·
Facilitators reported growing engagement
and momentum across the four main WTO reform tracks:
o Foundational
Issues
o Decision-Making
o Development
o Level
Playing Field
·
General Council Chair Ambassador Clare Kelly welcomed
the steady progress and stressed the importance of continuing reform efforts without
delay.
Updates
on Reform Tracks
·
Foundational Issues:
Discussions focused on core WTO principles, including Most-Favoured-Nation (MFN)
treatment, non-discrimination, special and differential treatment (S&DT), the
WTO Secretariat's role, and plurilateral initiatives.
·
Decision-Making:
Members explored ways to strengthen WTO decision-making while maintaining consensus
as the organization's foundation. Proposals included improving transparency and
participation by smaller delegations.
·
Development:
Members examined issues such as S&DT provisions, differentiation among developing
countries, and policy space for industrialization. Significant differences remain,
requiring further discussions and concrete proposals.
·
Level Playing Field:
Talks concentrated on transparency, notification requirements, and compliance with
WTO commitments. Members broadly agreed that transparency is essential for trust
and effective WTO operations.
Calls
for Greater Engagement
·
Facilitators encouraged members to submit
additional proposals, engage in bilateral consultations, and seek practical solutions
to bridge differences.
·
They emphasized the importance of inclusive
participation in all reform discussions.
Concerns
and Next Steps
·
Some members raised concerns about the pace
of discussions and scheduling pressures, particularly on smaller delegations.
·
Ambassador Kelly pledged to consider these
capacity constraints when planning future meetings.
·
WTO reform discussions will continue at the
upcoming General Council meeting on 5-6
October.
[ABS News Service/03.10.2026]
The latest round of dedicated
sessions on WTO reform addressing each of the four tracks were held during September.
The General Council Chair, Ambassador
Clare Kelly, said: "At the kick-off sessions before the summer break, members
spoke clearly about the importance of advancing this work without delay. The fact
that our work on WTO reform continues to move forward steadily in all areas is a
positive collective response to the expectations of our stakeholders."
The facilitators are Ms Sumathi
Balakrishnan (Malaysia) for foundational issues, Mr Katsuro Nagai (Japan) for decision-making
issues, Ms Nthisana Motsete-Phillips (Botswana) for development
issues and Mr Elmer Jose German Gonzalo Schialer Salcedo
(Peru) for level playing field issues.
Foundational
issues: Ambassador
Balakrishnan said that discussions focused on proposals concerning core WTO principles,
such as most-favoured nation (MFN), non-discrimination, the role of the WTO Secretariat,
special and differential treatment (S&DT), and plurilateral initiatives. She
noted strong member engagement, and said further consideration of proposals were
scheduled for October.
Decision-making:
Ambassador
Nagai said extensive discussions were held on how to strengthen WTO decision-making
while preserving consensus as the cornerstone of the organization. Members exchanged
views on practical ways to improve transparency, early engagement and participation
of smaller delegations well in advance of decision-making.
Development: Ambassador Motsete-Phillips
said that members held in-depth discussions on development-related reform issues,
including special and differential treatment, differentiation among developing members,
and policy space for industrialization, among other topics. Given the differences
of views, she stressed the importance of continued member engagement and the submission
of concrete proposals to advance this area of the reform process.
Level playing
field issues: Ambassador Schialer Salcedo said
constructive discussions focused on transparency, notifications, and compliance
with WTO commitments, which were held as an entry point to broader discussions on
level playing field issues. He highlighted members' broad recognition that transparency
is essential for trust and the functioning of the WTO, noting that members discussed
the causes of notification gaps and the approaches to improve compliance.
All of the facilitators encouraged
members to deepen substantive discussions by submitting additional proposals. They
also encouraged members to make use of informal consultations and bilateral exchanges
to bridge differences and build understanding. The facilitators underlined their
broad commitment to inclusive participation across reform discussions and urged
members to use the October cluster of meetings to advance substantive discussions.
Ambassador Kelly said: "Ultimately,
the success of this process depends on you, the members, who determine the direction
and outcomes of this work. I therefore encourage
all members to continue to engage proactively, in an open, constructive and solutions-oriented
manner."
Ambassador Kelly acknowledged
concerns raised by members regarding the scheduling and the pace of the discussions
across the various reform tracks. She said she will take into account the needs
and capacity constraints of smaller delegations as the work progresses, particularly
when scheduling future meetings and advancing work under the reform process. WTO reform will be discussed at the upcoming General
Council meeting on 5-6 October.