§ Mr. WeirTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions she has had with her counterparts in other nations represented at the World Trade Organisation mechanisms on reviewing the delivery of promised improvements to developing countries in(a) previous and (b) the current WTO rounds. [16798]
§ Ms Hewitt[holding answer 22 November 2001]: I refer to my statement to the House, reporting on the successful outcome of the WTO Ministerial Conference in Doha, on 15 November 2001, Official Report, columns 997–1008.
As well as agreeing a Ministerial Declaration launching a development-focused trade round, which we believe offers the best route for the developing world to escape from poverty, the WTO Ministerial Conference also agreed a Decision on Implementation-Related Issues and Concerns addressing many of the concerns raised by developing countries over the operation of existing WTO Agreements and, as part of the Ministerial Declaration itself, agreed that other outstanding concerns should be addressed as a matter of priority.