Statement to the WTO Informal Trade Negotiations Committee

Thank you Mr Chairman

I don’t intend to make a long speech.

Clearly we are facing an important – even a critical – moment in this round. What we do in the next few days may well determine the fate of the round.

We do not believe we can put negotiations to one side for some more weeks in the vague hope that things will get better.

If we don’t credibly advance our negotiations in the next few days then I see no basis to come back in a few weeks.

Its time we had a discussion about what numbers we need politically to do a deal.

I remain convinced that there is a landing zone that will work for all. We now need to reach out for it.

But we can not have a strong outcome on domestic support and only a modest outcome on market access.

It is not possible to use an ambitious benchmark in one area and the middle ground in another.

So let’s be frank, The G20 market access is middle ground. An average 51 or 54 % cut does not measure up to ambition, even when compared to the Uruguay Round.

This is even more the case when you look at the numerous flexibilities that have been agreed. - ie sensitive products, Special Products, SSM.

Without knowing precisely what market share sensitive products will deliver, or how Special Products will be used, we have no way of knowing what we will get on market access. To maintain balance in the market access pillar we need to address these issues early in these negotiations.

Mr Chairman, I am here to negotiate.

But we can not accept a situation where we ask for ambition and precision in one area and a modest outcome in another. We must maintain the level of ambition here that we launched the round with in Doha 5 years ago.

And let us not forget that this is the Doha Development round. We all agreed in Doha on the importance of market access for developing countries.

We must continue to seek an ambitious outcome on market access. Our domestic constituencies demand no less than an outcome which provides real new market access, to the benefit of all of us, including the developing world.

Contact: Mr Vaile's Office 02 6277 7420, Departmental 02 6261 1555