site.btaBulgarian Delegation Attends 13th Ministerial Conference of World Trade Organization in UAE

Minister of Economy and Industry Bogdan Bogdanov participated in the EU Foreign Affairs and Trade Council meeting, which was held on the sidelines of the 13th Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization (WTO) in UAE. He also attended the 13th WTO Trade and Development Conference in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

At the meeting, ministers responsible for trade in EU member states discussed and adopted the Council's proposals in various areas to be supported by the European Union at the 13th WTO Ministerial Conference.

In his address to the Council, Minister Bogdanov pointed out that it is of the utmost importance for the credibility of the WTO that the 13th MC reaches a meaningful package of agreements that covers the most pressing issues to be addressed, and sets the necessary political course for future work on reforming and modernising the organisation.

He said it was crucial for the EU to continue to take a constructive stance and play a leading role in the process of strengthening the multilateral trading system, enhancing the credibility of the WTO and consolidating its role in the face of economic and geopolitical crisis.

"For the Conference to be successful, it is important for us to achieve balanced results in what have emerged as priority areas for the EU, including the dispute settlement system, where in particular a clear commitment should be agreed to continue negotiations on reforming the appellate body, to continue the moratorium on duties on electronic transmissions, and to provide guidance for a discussion on trade and industrial policy," Bogdanov pointed out.

Minister Bogdanov and his EU counterparts took part in a solidarity event with Ukraine. The event confirmed the continued support to Ukraine after two years of military aggression by Russia.

The Minister of Economy and Industry is the head of the Bulgarian delegation to the 13th WTO Ministerial Conference in Abu Dhabi, which also includes Deputy Minister of Economy and Industry Nikolay Pavlov, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food Alexander Yotsev, and experts.

The 13th MC is expected to take decisions on WTO dispute settlement system reform, agriculture and food security, development and LDC issues, fisheries subsidies, WTO reform, e-commerce, trade and environmental sustainability, accession of new countries, and other important issues.