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CANCUN SESSION OF THE PARLIAMENTARY CONFERENCE ON THE WTO Cancun (Mexico), 9 and 12 September 2003 |
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| Organised jointly by the Inter-Parliamentary Union and the European Parliament with the support of the Mexican Parliament |
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The Cancún session of the Parliamentary Conference on the WTO was held on the occasion of the fifth WTO Ministerial Conference (10-14 September 2003). It was a joint undertaking of the Inter-Parliamentary Union and the European Parliament, prepared under the auspices of the Post-Doha Steering Committee as a follow-up to the February 2003 Geneva session of the Parliamentary Conference on the WTO.
The parliamentary session in Cancún took place on 9 and 12 September 2003. More than 320 delegates from 70 countries and 5 regional parliamentary assemblies took part in the session (see List of Participants). By holding a parliamentary session as a parallel event of the Ministerial Conference in Cancún, the Steering Committee sought to advance the process of the establishment of a parliamentary dimension of the WTO as a means of enhancing the transparency and democratic accountability of this organization. It also sought to make the voices of parliamentarians, the legitimate representatives of the people, heard loud and clear by government negotiators who gathered in Cancún for a mid-term review of the Doha Round of multilateral trade negotiations, including the implementation of the Doha Development Agenda. The format of the Cancún session of the Parliamentary Conference on the WTO was established by the Post-Doha Steering Committee at its session on 17 June 2003 in Geneva (see Summary of the Committee decisions). The agenda and programme of the session are reproduced below. Other relevant documents (invitation, registration form, practical information note, discussion papers, advance information notes circulated to parliaments with regard to participation in the session and accommodation in Cancún) can be downloaded from this page in PDF format.
At the end of its work, the Parlimentary session adopted a Declaration which was subsequently transmitted to the Chairman of the fifth WTO Ministerial Conference, Mr. Luis Ernesto Derbez Bautista.
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| PROVISIONAL ANNOTATED AGENDA | ||
| 1. | Adoption of the agenda | |
| 2. | Dialogue with Ministers and senior WTO Officials | |
| 3. | Statements by representatives of civil society | |
| 4. | Report on developments since the Parliamentary Conference on the WTO held in February 2003 in Geneva | |
| 5. | Debate on substantive themes: | |
| As a mid-term review event, the WTO Ministerial Conference in Cancún will have to deal with a number of burning issues, including a growing number of missed deadlines in the Doha Round of multilateral trade negotiations. Participants in the parliamentary session will be able to receive first-hand information on the current stage of negotiations and have an in-depth discussion on some of the topical issues treated by the WTO at present. |
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| (a) | Trade in agriculture and reduction in subsidies | |
| Agriculture is part of the single undertaking agreed to in Doha. It is also one of the most controversial subjects, and has direct implications for millions of farmers around the world. Market access for agricultural products, phasing out of export subsidies, and substantial reductions of domestic support are all under negotiation in WTO. Conference participants are invited to discuss the role of parliaments in providing momentum for the negotiations that aim at correcting and preventing restrictions and distortions in world agricultural markets. |
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| (b) | TRIPS and public health | |
| Recognizing the gravity of the public health problems afflicting many developing and least-developed countries, the WTO Conference in Doha adopted a special declaration on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS Agreement) and public health. Flexible application of the TRIPS Agreement in a manner supportive of each country's right to protect public health and, in particular, to promote access to essential pharmaceutical products for all, appears to be a realistic path to take. Conference participants will discuss how to help nurture the political will needed for the negotiations to be concluded. | ||
| (c) | Trade in services | |
| Negotiations on services were already almost two years old when they were incorporated into the new Doha agenda. Bearing in mind that certain advances were made in this field on the basis of commonly agreed negotiating guidelines and procedures, the objective of the discussion will be to identify remaining problems and see how parliaments can help to resolve them. | ||
| 6. | Adoption of the Declaration | |
| At the end of Conference, the participants will be called on to adopt a Declaration, the draft of which will be prepared by the Post-Doha Steering Committee. | ||
| Updated on 4 September 2003 | |
| PROVISIONAL PROGRAMME | |
| TUESDAY, 9 SEPTEMBER | |
| 9.30 - 10 a.m. | Inaugural session |
| 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. | Working session |
| Adoption of the agenda and other organisational issues | |
| Report on developments since the Parliamentary Conference on the WTO held in February 2003 in Geneva | |
| Debate on substantive themes | |
| Substantive theme (a) | Trade in agriculture and reduction in subsidies |
| Rapporteur - Mr. Kharabela Swain, MP (India) Discussants - Mr. Toshikatsu Matsuoka, MP (Japan) - Mr. Joseph Daul, Member of the European Parliament | |
| 11.15 a.m. - 12.15 p.m. | Dialogue with Ministers and senior WTO Officials |
| 12.15 p.m. - 1 p.m. | Continuation of the debate on substantive theme (a) * * * |
| 1 - 2.30 p.m. | Lunch break (buffet reception offered by the Mexican hosts) * * * |
| 2.30 - 6 p.m. | Debate on substantive themes (b) and (c) |
| Substantive theme (b) | TRIPS and public health |
| Rapporteur - Mr. Jean Bizet, MP (France) Discussants - Ms. Paddy Torsney, MP (Canada) - Mr. Jimmy N. Angwenyi, MP (Kenya) | |
| Substantive theme (c) | Trade in services |
| Rapporteur - Mr. Kimmo Kiljunen, MP (Finland) Discussants - Ms. Elly Plooij-Van Gorsel, Member of the European Parliament - Ms. Lydia Madero, Senator, (Mexico) | |
| 6 p.m. | Adjournment of the working session |
FRIDAY, 12 SEPTEMBER | |
| 9.30 a.m. - 1 p.m. | Steering Committee (in camera meeting) * * * |
| 2.30 p.m. | Resumption of the plenary working session |
| Reports from discussions on the three substantive themes | |
| Update on negotiations at the WTO Ministerial Conference | |
| 4 - 4.30 p.m. | Statements by representatives of civil society |
| 4.30 - 5.30 p.m. | Continuation of the debate |
| 5.30 - 6 p.m. | Adoption of the Declaration |
| Rapporteur - Ms. Erika Mann, Member of the European Parliament | |
| 6 p.m. | Closure of the session |
| POST-DOHA STEERING COMMITTEE |
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