HC Deb 02 February 1993 vol 218 cc141-2W
Mr. Llwyd

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make it his policy to make representations to the GATT to secure that clear and explicit commitments to(a) the environment, (b) the promotion of sustainable development and (c) to raise incomes of the poor in third-world countries are written in to the preamble and articles of the Multilateral Trade Organisation.

Mr. Needham

It is not open to the United Kingdom to negotiate directly on the text establishing the proposed Multilateral Trade Organisation (MTO). The European Commission, which negotiates in the Uruguay round of GATT on behalf of the European Community and the member states, has made proposals to include language on sustainable development, including environmental protection, in the preamble of the proposed MTO text.

Mr. Llwyd

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what recommendations have been made by his Department to GATT concerning(a) revisions to the disputes procedures of the Multilateral Trade Organisation and (b) the accountability of MTO panel members.

Mr. Needham

It is not open to the United Kingdom to negotiate directly on the text establishing the proposed Multilateral Trade Organisation (MTO), which is being negotiated in the Uruguay round in GATT. The European Commission acts as sole negotiator on behalf of the EC and the member states. Dispute settlement is not, in any case, part of the MTO proposal, but is covered by a separate draft understanding. No proposals have been made to change this understanding since the draft Final Act was tabled in December 1991. Under the terms of this understanding, dispute settlement panel members would act for, and be accountable to, the Governments who are members of the MTO, acting collectively through a special dispute settlement body.