The collapse of a World Trade Organization ministerial meeting in Yaoundé has raised concerns about the stability of global trade and confidence in the multilateral system, European lawmaker Jörgen Warborn said on Tuesday.
Warborn, a member of the European Parliament and the EPP Group’s spokesman on international trade, said it was “deeply regrettable” that ministers failed to reach an agreement after days of negotiations at the WTO’s 14th Ministerial Conference.
“The outcome marks a serious failure to recognise businesses’ need for a reformed WTO and shows that current decision-making is not working,” he said.
He noted that several key issues remain unresolved, including the continuation of the e-commerce moratorium and the integration of plurilateral agreements into the WTO framework.
During the meeting, Warborn presented a set of reform priorities on behalf of parliamentarians from around the world, highlighting ongoing political pressure to modernise the World Trade Organization and restore its effectiveness.
He urged ministers to conclude outstanding negotiations at the next WTO General Council meeting, warning that businesses depend on progress and that the organisation’s credibility is at risk.
Warborn also called on the European Union to work closely with international partners to break the deadlock and secure a swift agreement, stressing the importance of maintaining a predictable, rules-based global trading system.
