[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: WILLIAM J. CLINTON (1999, Book II)]
[December 17, 1999]
[Page 2314]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



[[Page 2314]]


United States-European Union Summit Statement on the World Trade 
Organization
December 17, 1999

    The United States and the European Union consider the multilateral 
trading system one of the world's principal bulwarks of peace, 
sustainable development, and economic growth; and a primary engine for 
rising living standards and broad-based prosperity in the future. As we 
approach the new century, we must ensure that the trading system retains 
its dynamism and ability to respond to changing needs of an increasingly 
diverse membership.
    Accordingly, both sides note their disappointment at the failure to 
reach agreement on a new Round of trade negotiations at Seattle, but 
they agree it is now important to find a way forward. In this context, 
the EU and the US both pledge continued readiness to work with Director 
General Mike Moore and our partners to launch an 
inclusive new Round as soon as possible. A new Round has to be 
definitively different from its predecessors. It should encompass the 
built in agenda of agriculture and services, further and effective 
market access liberalization, support our efforts to harness 
globalization by strengthening and extending WTO rules, and address the 
concerns of both developing countries and civil society.
    With the Director General and all other 
members of the WTO, we need to take full account of the lessons of 
Seattle. In particular, work should be directed towards a set of 
measures that will: provide better opportunities for wider participation 
by all members (including developing countries) in the decisionmaking 
processes of the WTO; offer greater transparency (both within the 
organization and vis a vis the outside world); and improve public 
access, including through broader access to WTO documents and enhanced 
consultation procedures with civil society. This work should also 
consider measures to improve the efficiency of the WTO, and to boost 
overall public support for the organization. We should also seek 
agreement by all members on the separate review of WTO dispute 
settlement procedures, including measures to enhance transparency.
    The US and EU are committed to maximizing the benefits developing 
countries gain from being in the WTO. We agreed to take forward a 
preferential market access initiative for least developed WTO members, 
initially with our Quad partners. We will work with other WTO Members to 
establish as soon as possible a new, revitalized program for capacity 
building and technical assistance undertaken by the WTO, beginning with 
the Integrated Framework established in 1996, and in cooperation with 
other international institutions. We also agreed to consider what we 
would do to address the concerns of a number of developing countries 
with implementation of existing multilateral trade agreements.
    On issues of interest to our civil societies, we agreed that changes 
to global economy have brought new challenges to the trading system. 
Nowhere is that evident than the debate that is now joined regarding the 
relationship between trade and labor. The US and EU are committed to 
working with our partners to engage the WTO and ILO in a constructive 
dialogue, including consideration of the relationship between core labor 
standards, further liberalization, trade policy and social development, 
in order to foster understanding and consensus. And on trade and 
environment, we will work together to ensure that trade rules support 
and do not undermine the ability of governments to establish and achieve 
high levels of environmental protection.
    The cooperative relationship between the US and the EU has been 
crucial to the development of the multilateral trading system over the 
past 50 years. We recognize our shared responsibilities to continue this 
work, but also the need to involve all our WTO partners more directly. 
This will pave the way for continued prosperity, sustainable 
development, and long-term growth for the 21st century.

Note: An original was not available for verification of the content of 
this joint statement.