The Chair's report at the end of the 7th WTO MInisterial contains the following text:
"There was broad agreement that the growing number of bilateral and regional trade agreements is an issue for the multilateral trading system, and that there is a need to ensure that the two approaches to trade opening continue to complement each other. Some support was expressed for the eventual convergence of the two approaches. However, the idea of extending to all Members benefits offered in a regional context was questioned by some."
(which appears to be the only hint of any engagement in the course of the Ministerail with the purported topic of the Ministerial, the functioning of the WTO system)
Is anyone able to post any more detail on this? Did any Member put forward any specific proposal about how the WTO could adopt a mechanism which might reduce the size of preferences granted through discriminatory trade agreements? Which Member or members?
