South Korean Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo told POLITICO that ministers have decided to move on without waiting for unanimous agreement, emphasizing the urgency of the matter. He described it as a “practical approach” where more members will join over time and consensus will integrate this into the WTO. The implementation of the deal should happen quickly to allow members to benefit.
WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala expressed that by advancing the E-commerce Agreement, participating economies are showing that the multilateral trading system can tackle new challenges.
However, many delegates remain skeptical. Chris Southworth, Secretary General of the International Chamber of Commerce UK, viewed this as an acknowledgment of the WTO’s inability to deliver broad agreements soon, suggesting countries will need to negotiate independently.
Pascal Kerneis, managing director of the European Services Forum, mentioned past unsuccessful attempts for WTO integration regarding the JSI. He noted members explored alternatives, like an international treaty using the WTO Secretariat as a depository, with hopes of employing the WTO’s dispute settlement system for any conflicts.
Members are now set to undertake their domestic procedures for legislation implementation.
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