Webinar—20 February 2013 Geneva, Switzerland

 Record of WTO under Pascal Lamy  Review of business survey  Election timeline for Director-General  Overview of the nine candidates on business engagement  Panel discussion on leadership prospects and implications

 Doha Round impasse  Growing membership of the WTO (158)  Fighting protectionism  Strong dispute settlement regime  New research on value added and on non- tariff measures

 Prospects for Ninth Ministerial Conference in Bali, 3-6 December 2013 ◦ Trade facilitation ◦ Aid for trade ◦ Agriculture and special and differential treatment  Parallel initiatives on ◦ Services ◦ Information technology ◦ US-EU bilateral trade negotiations ◦ Trans Pacific Partnership

 Over 300 respondents ◦ Mostly doing business in Europe and Eurasia but also all other regions  Positive views on ◦ 95% agree WTO does vital work for business ◦ 97% agree trade generates growth and jobs ◦ 72% look to the WTO to ensure compliance by governments ◦ 62% still believe the Doha Round can deliver benefits to business

Priorities for improving the global economy  Conclude the Doha Round  Adopt a trade facilitation package  Go ahead on information technology and services  Reduce tariffs and non-tariff barriers  Reform dispute settlement system to make it better  Keep protectionism at bay

Options for working better with business:  52% would like more networking events  56% favor business participation in WTO technical assistance and training  61% would like business representation in WTO meetings  +90% favor a business role for training and capacity building of parliamentarians

 Nine candidates nominated by end of December 2012  Interviews with General Council end of January 2013  Selection process to start 1 April  To be completed by 31 May  New Director-General starts 1 September 2013

 Alan John Kwadwo Kyerematen – Ghana  Anabel Gonzalez – Costa Rica  Maria Elka Pangestu – Indonesia  Tim Groser – New Zealand  Amina Mohamed - Kenya  Ahmad Thougan Hindawi – Jordan  Herminio Blanco – Mexico  Taeho Bark – Republic of Korea  Roberto Carvalho de Azevedo - Brazil

 WTO needs to be proactive ◦ Information flow, research and reporting ◦ Dispute settlement ◦ Trade negotiations  Define what is meant by the business sector ◦ Sectoral differences ◦ Regional differences ◦ Size differences

 Mechanisms for outreach ◦ Liaison office within the WTO Secretariat ◦ Business advisory council ◦ Global business forum  Engagement with all non-state actors ◦ Policy forum with larger business role ◦ Links with other development institutions ◦ Partnership with the International Trade Commission

 Clear rules of engagement with ◦ Open markets ◦ Removing barriers to trade  Looking to 21 st century issues ◦ Different trading blocs ◦ Investment and competition ◦ Government procurement ◦ Climate change and natural resources ◦ No mention of food security?

 Ricardo Melendez-Ortiz ◦ Chief Executive Officer, International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development  Mark Halle ◦ Director, Trade and Investment, and European Representative, International Institute for Sustainable Development

 What difference will it make to the WTO to have a new Director-General?  What are the official and unofficial criteria that are likely to play a role in the selection process?  Do you have any preferences? If so, why? If not, why not?  What are the implications for WTO leadership of the trade-related initiatives within and outside of the Doha Round?

Making a difference with a new Director- General?  Likelihood of developing country origin  Balancing and alignment of different geographic blocs  Coping with regional trade agreements  Introducing new trade issues  Other implications?

Criteria in the selection process  Scope and rank of experience in trade policy world  Record of accomplishments  Geographic rotation  Alignments of sponsoring country  Campaign presentations  Actual policy positions?