Focus on services in WTO negotiations

Today, Saturday 26 July 2008, the Foreign Minister participated in a mini-ministerial meeting on services at the WTO in Geneva. The meeting was attended by ministers from around 30 countries.

“The WTO negotiations are in a crucial phase. Following yesterday’s negotiations on agricultural and industrial products, we have today negotiated on trade in services, which is an important part of the negotiations aimed at concluding a new WTO agreement,” said Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Støre.

“In line with the Government’s policy platform, Norway has emphasised that a new WTO agreement must safeguard the interests of developing countries, also as regards trade in services. Many developing countries today expressed a desire for changes that would facilitate their access to other countries’ markets, particularly those of rich countries. I have today given clear support for this aim, and Norway is giving priority to efforts to safeguard the interests of the least developed countries,” Mr Støre continued.

“Services are becoming increasingly important, for both value creation and world trade. In Norway, for example, the services sectors account for two thirds of total value creation and more that 70% of employment. Norway therefore has clear offensive interests in several services sectors, for example maritime transport, telecommunications, energy and insurance services, and this was something I emphasised in my address today,” said the Foreign Minister.

“I feel there is good reason to hope that the meeting will increase the chances of concluding a new WTO agreement. It is in both Norway’s and the developing countries’ interests that such an agreement is concluded,” the Foreign Minister added.