APEC Ministers Urge Progress in World Trade Talks

Today's endorsement by APEC ministers of the World Trade Organisation's agreements to abolish all agricultural exports subsidies would help increase momentum in the Doha Round of trade negotiations, Trade Minister Mark Vaile said.

Speaking from the APEC Ministerial Meeting in Santiago, Chile, Mr Vaile said APEC ministers were continuing the kind of leadership they had shown at the Trade Minister's Meeting last July. WTO Director-General Dr Supachai also attended this week's meeting.

"We are now on the right track for a good result at next year's Hong Kong WTO Ministerial Conference," Mr Vaile said.

"Progress under the WTO framework in freeing up international trade remains the main game for APEC economies.

"Agreement in July to abolish all agricultural export subsidies was an historic event which will shape the global trading system for years to come. We now need a credible end date for this."

Mr Valie said APEC ministers were also determined to achieve substantial reductions in trade-distorting domestic subsidies and significant improvements in market access.

"We have also strongly endorsed calls for good results in services negotiations, and urged all WTO members to table their offers as soon as possible," Mr Vaile said.

"I am particularly pleased that trade facilitation is now firmly on the international trade agenda. APEC has for years been at the forefront of improvements in this area. APEC economies have set themselves concrete targets for bringing the cost of trade facilitation down, and this will immediately benefit business.

"Australia will host a trade facilitation workshop for APEC economies in Kuala Lumpur next year. This is practical support for the WTO negotiations and bodes well for further good progress in APEC," Mr Vaile said.

Contact: Matthew Doman (Ministerial) 02 6277 7420 - DFAT Media Liaison 02 6261 1555