General statements

Director-General Pascal Lamy told WTO members in the General Council on 25 July 2012 that they should “change gears” after the summer break and engage seriously to produce results. He told members that an “all or nothing” strategy is the best way to ensure paralysis and added that the “ball lies in your court”.

Hos WTO i Genève er stater på vei opp og stater på vei ned, makt flyttes og allianser inngås, men utsikt til enighet glipper stadig. Kronikk av Utenriksminister Jonas Gahr Støre

Ten years of negotiations without agreeing means ten years of not delivering on the development promise. While members remain committed to the Doha mandate, we differ on how much, how fast and for whom.

WTO’s 8th Ministerial Conference takes place in Geneva 15 to 17 December 2011. The Ministerial Conference is the WTO’s top level decision-making body and it meets at least once every two years. Foreign Minister Støre heads the Norwegian Delegation to the Ministerial Conference, which will discuss the way forward for the Doha Development Agenda as well as welcoming Russia as a new member, among other issues

The Doha Round is a Development Round. This has to be reflected not only in the modalities for Agriculture and NAMA but also in all other areas integral to the Single Undertaking, Norwegian Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Støre said at the meeting of the Trade Negotiations Committee on 21 July. See the full text of Mr Støre's statement below:

At the meeting of the Trade Negotiations Committee on 17 April 2008 the Norwegian WTO Ambassador Eirik Glenne underscored the importance of sufficiently addressing the level of comfort for all Members. In the Rules negotiations Ambassador Glenne said, the comfort Norway needs will only be achieved if the Chair of the Negotiating Group provides the Members with a revised text in line with the mandate given by Ministers in Hong Kong.

The Norwegian Ambassador to the WTO, H.E. Mr. Eirik Glenne, made the following statement at the meeting of the Trade Negotiations Committee on 30 November 2007.