When Ministers adopted the Marrakesh Agreement they also
decided to include a specific reference to
Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) in Article
V:2.
On 18 July 1996 the General Council further clarified the
framework for relations with NGOs by adopting a set of
guidelines (WT/L/162)
which "recognizes the role NGOs can play to
increase the awareness of the public in respect of WTO
activities". These guidelines are instrumental
for both Members and the WTO Secretariat in maintaining
an informal and positive dialogue with the various
components of civil society. Since 1996 arrangements for
NGOs have essentially focused on attendance at
Ministerial Conferences, participation in issue-specific
symposia, and the day-to-day contact between the WTO
Secretariat and NGOs. More recently, the Director-General
has announced a number of new
initiatives
designed to improve the dialogue with civil society.Ministerial
Conferences
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Immediately
after adopting the guidelines for relations with NGOs WTO
Members agreed on procedures for such organizations to
attend the Singapore Ministerial Conference. Hence, it
was decided that (i) NGOs would be allowed to attend the
Plenary Sessions of the Conference and (ii) NGO
applications to register would be accepted by the WTO
Secretariat on the basis of Article V:2, i.e. NGOs had to
demonstrate that their activities were "concerned
with matters related to those of the WTO".
The
Singapore Ministerial Conference in December 1996
represented the first experience with NGO attendance at a
major WTO meeting. In total 159 NGOs registered to attend
the first Ministerial Conference of the WTO. The 108 NGOs
(235 individuals) that made it to Singapore included
representatives from environment, development, consumer,
business, trade union and farmer interests. The NGO
Centre in Singapore provided the NGOs with a large number
of meeting rooms, computer facilities and documentation
from the official event.
The
Geneva Ministerial Conference and 50th Year
Celebration of the multilateral trading system in many
ways epitomised the evolving relationship with NGOs and
underlined the growing interest of civil society in the
work of the WTO. 152 NGOs registered for the Geneva
event. In the end a total of 128 NGOs (362 individuals)
came to the second Ministerial of the WTO. The NGO
Centre, several meeting rooms and a computer facility
were also reserved for NGOs in the Palais des Nations.
Throughout the three-day-event NGOs were briefed
regularly by the WTO Secretariat on the progress of the
informal working sessions – a feature which was
welcomed by NGOs as a genuine sign of commitment to
ensure transparency and the recognition of civil society
as an entity which deserves attention in its own right.
Symposia
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Since
1996 a number of symposia have been arranged by the
Secretariat for NGOs on specific issues of interest to
civil society, i.e. three on trade and the environment,
one on trade and development and one on trade
facilitation. These symposia have provided, on an
informal basis, the opportunity for NGOs to discuss
specific issues with representatives of WTO Member
countries.
Day-to-day
Contact
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The
WTO Secretariat receives a large number of requests per
day from NGOs from all over the world and Secretariat
staff meets with NGOs on a regular basis - both
individually and as a part of NGO organized events.
New
Initiatives
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During
the General Council on 15 July 1998 the Director-General
informed Members of certain new steps he was taking to
enhance the dialogue with civil society. Beginning in the
autumn of 1998 the WTO Secretariat will provide regular
briefings for NGOs and will establish a special NGO
Section on the WTO web site with specific information for
civil society, e.g. announcements of registration
deadlines for ministerial meetings and symposia. In
addition, a monthly list of NGO position papers received
by the Secretariat will be compiled and circulated for
the information of Members.
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