Doc. 8641
4 February 2000

Need for a better functioning World Trade Organisation and for greater parliamentary involvement in the organisation's work

Motion for a resolution

presented by Mr Behrendt and others

This motion has not been discussed in the Assembly and commits only the members who have signed it

1. Following the collapse of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Summit in Seattle in December 1999, it is vital that world trade should not suffer. The joint EU-United States Declaration of 17 December calling for early new and wide-ranging talks is therefore to be welcomed.

2. Part of the reason for the failure at Seattle can no doubt be found in the widely differing views of the Summit participants. These include transatlantic divergences as regards, for instance, agriculture, food safety and culture, as well as disputes between richer and poorer countries over such things as intellectual property rights; liberalisation in services; greater access for exports from developing to industrialised countries; and social, labour and environmental standards.

3. However, the failure also highlights the need for the WTO process to be more transparent and more in touch with the concerns of populations at large. Greater parliamentary involvement could make an important contribution toward this end.

4. Against this background, and in order to enhance European parliamentary monitoring of the WTO and its work, the Assembly resolves to seek a more active involvement in the work of the WTO. It in particular asks its Committee on Economic Affairs and Development - whose Sub-Committee on International Economic Relations holds regular meetings with the Organisation - to suggest ways in which the WTO process could be improved so as to be better equipped to meet the challenges of globalisation. Special emphasis should be laid on greater negotiation fairness, transparency and efficiency; better communication with the public; and the incorporation of areas such as labour and social standards, environmental protection and cultural diversity in the negotiating outcome.

Signed (see overleaf)

Signed : ¹

Behrendt, Germany, SOC

Blaauw, Netherlands, LDR

Connor, Ireland, EPP/CD

Davis, United Kingdom, SOC

Degn, Denmark, SOC

Durrieu, France, SOC

Elo, Finland, SOC

Frey, Switzerland, LDR

Gonzalez Laxe, Spain, SOC

Gusenbauer, Austria, SOC

Gylys, Lithuania, SOC

Hoffmann, Germany, SOC

Kirilov, Bulgaria, SOC

Obuljen, Croatia, EPP/CD

Pozza Tasca, Italy, LDR

Squarcialupi, Italy, SOC

¹        SOC: Socialist Group

      EPP/CD: Group of the European People’s Party

      EDG: European Democratic Group

      LDR : Liberal, Democratic and Reformers’ Group

      UEL: Group of the Unified European Left

      NR: not registered in a group