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| WTO Ninth Ministerial Conference | |
|---|---|
| Name | WTO Ninth Ministerial Conference |
| Date | 2013-12-03 – 2013-12-07 |
| Location | Bali, Indonesia |
| Venue | Bali Nusa Dua Convention Center |
| Chair | Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono |
| Participants | 159 World Trade Organization members |
| Result | Bali Package |
WTO Ninth Ministerial Conference The Ninth Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization convened in Bali, Indonesia, from December 3 to December 7, 2013, bringing together ministers and delegates from member World Trade Organization delegations to negotiate multilateral trade measures. The meeting produced the landmark Bali Package, addressing trade facilitation, agricultural subsidies, and development issues, following intense diplomacy among leaders such as Barack Obama, Xi Jinping, and Angela Merkel. The conference occurred amid shifting dynamics involving G20 summit, BRICS, and regional arrangements such as the Trans-Pacific Partnership and Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership.
Preparations built on years of multilateral discussions originating from the Doha Development Round launched at the World Trade Organization Ministerial Conference of 2001 in Doha, and negotiations at the World Trade Organization Ministerial Conference of 2003 in Cancún and Hong Kong Ministerial Conference in 2005. Indonesia, under President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, worked with Director-General Pascal Lamy and his successor-designate Roberto Azevêdo to bridge divides among blocs including the European Union, the United States, the Group of 77, the African Union, and the Alliance of Small Island States. Preparatory sessions in Geneva engaged envoys from India, China, Brazil, South Africa, and Australia, and consultations included representatives from the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development.
The conference assembled ministers, ambassadors, and trade negotiators from 159 World Trade Organization members, with prominent attendance by heads of state and government delegations such as Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono for Indonesia, Indira Gandhi was not present as historical figure, while ministers from India, United States, China, European Commission President representatives, and envoys from Brazil and South Africa played high-profile roles. Leading trade officials included Director-General Pascal Lamy, Director-General-designate Roberto Azevêdo, and chief negotiators from blocs like the G20 members and the Least Developed Countries group. Observers from the African Union Commission, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, and civil society organizations such as Oxfam and Greenpeace monitored proceedings.
The formal agenda prioritized a multilateral trade facilitation agreement, disciplines on agricultural subsidies and public stockholding for food security, special and differential treatment for Least Developed Countries, and measures to streamline customs procedures and reduce trade costs. Delegations debated rules on trade remedies, non-tariff measures, and intellectual property implications intersecting with Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights. Negotiations reflected tensions between major players: the United States and the European Union sought binding commitments on trade facilitation, while India and the Group of 77 pushed for safeguards for public stockholding and permanent solutions for food security linked to agricultural subsidies. Parallel discussions involved development assistance themes referenced by the World Bank and International Monetary Fund.
The conference concluded with adoption of the Bali Package, comprising the Trade Facilitation Agreement, decisions on public stockholding for food security purposes, measures for Least Developed Countries including preferential treatment and duty-free quota-free market access, and a ministerial declaration endorsing implementation timelines. The Trade Facilitation Agreement mandated reforms to expedite customs procedures and reduce red tape, supported by provisions for technical assistance and capacity building for Least Developed Countries administered through the WTO Secretariat and cooperating institutions like the World Bank. A temporary compromise on public stockholding provided interim protections for India and other food-security-focused members, and the package included commitments from members such as the European Union and United States to assist developing partners.
Reactions spanned praise and critique: leaders from Indonesia, Brazil, and New Zealand hailed the package as a breakthrough for multilateralism, while civil society groups such as Oxfam and farmer organizations in India expressed concerns about adequacy of protections for food security and impacts on smallholders. Financial markets and shipping interests, including firms in Singapore and Hong Kong, anticipated reductions in trade costs following implementation, and think tanks like the Peterson Institute for International Economics and the Centre for Economic Policy Research analyzed potential gains in global trade flows. Some members, notably India, sought legal clarifications at subsequent WTO meetings, and disputes over interpretation later involved panels under the WTO dispute settlement mechanism.
Implementation required ratification of the Trade Facilitation Agreement by two-thirds of members to enter into force and establishment of national trade facilitation committees and submission of category A, B, C notifications for commitments. Technical assistance and capacity building programs were coordinated among the WTO Secretariat, the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, the African Development Bank, and bilateral donors including Japan and United States Agency for International Development. Follow-up ministerial sessions, Geneva-based negotiations, and regional workshops assessed progress, while legal work continued on a permanent solution for public stockholding culminating in later WTO decisions and domestic legislative adjustments in members such as India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. The Bali outcomes influenced subsequent plurilateral talks including the Trans-Pacific Partnership and informed multilateral discourse at the G20 and United Nations forums.