Media release

Australian Minister for Trade, Mark Vaile

September 16, 1999

New Mechanism To Underpin Australia's WTO Export Rights In Global Markets

Trade Minister, Mark Vaile, today announced new measures to complement and extend the existing channels available to exporters seeking the Government's assistance in resolving market access problems.

A new domestic mechanism - The WTO Disputes Investigation and Enforcement Mechanism - will provide exporters with a formal means to request the Government to exercise Australia's WTO rights on their behalf.

"The Mechanism will involve a partnership between the private sector and the Government for the pursuit of Australia's WTO rights in over 130 export markets. The WTO dispute settlement system underpins some $ 100 billion of Australia's exports," Mr Vaile said.

"The Mechanism will operate in a way that establishes procedures and time frames for WTO experts in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) to work directly with an exporter to document the nature of the problem, identify any WTO legal basis for pursuing the access concerns and develop a possible road map for maximising identifiable WTO leverage.

"I will be actively involved in the mechanism. Within a defined time frame, I will respond to recommendations whether or not to initiate formal WTO dispute action, depending on assessments of likely outcomes and within the overall framework of Australia's national interest," Mr Vaile said.

"I want to make sure that the benefits of this system are maximised for all of Australia's exporters, including smaller companies and exporters in newer export sectors such as information technology and services.

A series of seminars will be conducted in capitals and regional centres to set the Mechanism in train.