Report

1.   Background

The Parliamentary Conference on the WTO is a joint undertaking of the Inter-Parliamentary Union and the European Parliament. Its primary objective is to enhance the external transparency of the WTO and make it accountable to parliamentarians as elected representatives of the people. The sessions of the Parliamentary Conference on the WTO are held once a year.

2.   Program

Inaugural session

·         Senator Donald H. Oliver (Canada), Member of the IPU Executive Committee

·         Mr. Georgios Papastamkos, Vice-President of the European Parliament

·         Ambassador Shahid Bashir (Pakistan), Chairperson of the WTO Dispute Settlement Body

 

Substantive theme
Trade as a tool of economic growth, job creation and poverty alleviation

Rapporteurs

·         Mr. Panacheril C. Chacko, MP (India)

·         Mr. Paul Rübig, Member of the European Parliament

Discussant

·         Ms. Marion Jansen, Counsellor, WTO Secretariat

 

Policy dialogue with members of the high-level panel designated by the
WTO Director-General to define the future of trade:

 

Analysing 21st century trade challenges

 

Moderator

·         Mr. Jörg Leichtfried, Member of the European Parliament

Panellists

·         Mr. Pradeep Singh Mehta, Secretary General, CUTS International

·         Ms. Sharan Burrow, Secretary-General of the International Trade Union Confederation

 

Hearing with the WTO Director-General, Mr. Pascal Lamy

 

Panel discussion
Trade in services: time for political decisions

 

Panellists

·         Ambassador Fernando De Mateo y Venturini, Permanent Representative of Mexico to the WTO, Chairperson of the Special Session of the Council for Trade in Services

·         Ambassador Joakim Reiter, Permanent Representative of Sweden to the WTO, Chairperson of the WTO Council for Trade in Services

·         Mr. Niccolò Rinaldi, Member of the European Parliament

·         Mr. Pascal Kerneis, Managing Director, European Services Forum

 

Outcome document

 

Rapporteur

·         Mr. Benoît Ouattara, MP (Burkina Faso)
(The document is appended)

3.   The Canadian delegation

The Hon. Donald H. Oliver, QC, Senator was presiding the Session. Mr. Joe Daniel, M.P. participated at the Session.

4.   The Meeting

The address by Senator Donald H. Oliver at the Inaugural Ceremony is appended as well as the Outcome Document.

 

Respectfully submitted,