Qatar Chamber helps secure future of ICC World Trade Agenda

  • 19 November 2015
ICC World Chambers

The International Chamber of Commerce and the Qatar Chamber have embarked on a second phase of the ICC World Trade Agenda, marking the occasion today in Paris by signing a renewed partnership agreement between the two organizations.

ICC, in partnership with Qatar Chamber of Commerce and Industry, launched the ICC World Trade Agenda (WTA) in 2012 to address the stalemate in multilateral trade negotiations under the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) Doha Round.

The initiative aims to define global  trade negotiation priorities from the perspective of the private sector and advance multilateral trade talks beyond the Doha Round by urging WTO Members to prioritize areas where tangible results can be achieved. These areas include:

1. Liberalizing trade in services

2. Multilateralizing trade liberalization under the WTO framework

3. Fostering ‘greener’ economic activity through trade

4. Moving towards a high-standard multilateral framework on investment

5. Reforming the WTO Dispute Settlement System

The support of the Qatar Chamber has allowed ICC to play a central role in driving the landmark Trade Facilitation Agreement through to implementation. We look forward to the next phase of this initiative to support the development of the multilateral trading system for the benefit of all.

Signing the agreement on behalf of the world business organization, ICC Secretary General John Danilovich thanked Qatar Chamber of Commerce & Industry Chairman Sheikh Khalifa Bin Jassim Al Thani for his steadfast support over several years and said: “The support of the Qatar Chamber has allowed ICC to play a central role in driving the landmark Trade Facilitation Agreement through to implementation. We look forward to the next phase of this initiative to support the development of the multilateral trading system for the benefit of all.”

Mr Danilovich said that Qatar Chamber support had greatly contributed to ICC endeavours to push governments to reach the historic Trade Facilitation Agreement during the 9th World Trade Organization (WTO) Ministerial Conference in Bali in 2013.

The signing of the ICC/Qatar Chamber agreement took place at ICC Global Headquarters in Paris today during a meeting of the ICC Executive Board led by ICC First Vice-Chairman Sunil Mittal.

Opening the meeting, Mr Mittal took time to express solidarity with the people of Paris in the wake of terrorist attacks that shook the city less than a week ago.

Click here to go to ICC World Trade Agenda.