Outreach Contact with the business community 146 Contact with the media 155 Trade Dialogues 147 Contact with the public 156 Relations with non-governmental Economic research activities 162 organizations 148 Statistics activities 164 Contact with parliamentarians 149 Cooperation with academic institutions 166 Cooperation with other intergovernmental organizations 152 Outreach Spotlight Spotlight Public Forum 2019 150 Open Day 2019 160 8 The WTO maintains regular dialogue with the business community, non-governmental organizations, parliamentarians, other international organizations, the media and the general public to enhance cooperation and raise awareness of trade issues. Outreach Contact with the business community • Over 350 business representatives attended the WTO Public Forum, nearly 50 per cent more than in 2018. The business community held 25 sessions during the event. • The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and the B20 presented ideas on the 12th Ministerial Conference (MC12) and WTO reform. Background on Business backs reform of the enhancing the functioning of the WTO. These contact with the global trading system include strengthening WTO governance and business community accountability, updating the existing WTO At a high-level session at the WTO Public Forum rulebook and accelerating new rule-making. Business and the WTO (see page 150) in October, the ICC and the have always been closely He also invited business representatives to B20, the business arm of the G20 economies, connected. The private express their views in the online “Trade Dialogue”, spelled out their expectations for an outcome sector is a major beneficiary a digitally enabled platform, launched by the ICC at MC12. Business representatives also put of transparent and in May 2019 to facilitate debate on an achievable forward ideas on changes they would like to see predictable trade rules and outcome for MC12. obligations. Business is an to the functioning of the WTO. The session was important interlocutor for attended by DG Azevêdo, who welcomed the Other contact with businesses both governments and the business community’s support for strengthening Throughout the year, WTO officials met with WTO. It is actively involved the trading system. in the multilateral trading members of the business community in Geneva or system and participates in The WTO’s 2019 Public Forum drew more than elsewhere. The issues most frequently discussed public activities of the WTO. 350 business representatives – almost 50 per included the state of play in the WTO’s trade cent more than in 2018 – to its debates and negotiations (see page 34), trade tensions and the meetings on the theme of “Trading Forward: Appellate Body impasse (see page 122). Adapting to a Changing World”. The business In a speech at the launch of the Association of community organized 25 sessions during Bilateral Chambers of Commerce on 29 October the four-day event, covering topics such as 2019 at the WTO, DG Azevêdo highlighted the sustainability, e-commerce, services, millennials’ role of chambers of commerce in bringing the expectations from trade, digitalization and the voice of businesses to the trade debate. The DG future trade agenda. also attended the centenary summit of the ICC in ICC Secretary General John Denton presented a Paris on 28 May and a meeting organized in Paris paper entitled: “Reforming the multilateral trading by the Mouvement des Entreprises de France system – The outcomes we want for people and the ICC, also in May. and planet”, with a set of recommendations on The ICC and the B20 organized a high-level session at the WTO Public Forum. Contact with the business community 146 World Trade Organization Annual Report 2020 www.wto.org/business Trade Dialogues • The WTO facilitated the first “Trade Dialogue” with consumer organizations, bringing together consumer groups and private sector representatives. • Consumer groups expressed support for multilateral trade. • Consumers focused on the challenges and opportunities provided by e-commerce and how the WTO can help address consumers’ concerns. Background on On 6 May, the WTO facilitated the first meeting to trade negotiations and policy-making. Participants Trade Dialogues be organized solely for consumer organizations as expressed interest in the ongoing work at the The “Trade Dialogues” part of the WTO’s “Trade Dialogues” initiative. The WTO, in particular in the negotiations on fisheries initiative was launched in meeting was held at the request of Consumers and agriculture. 2016 to bring together a International, which has more than 200 member “Consumers are central to the success of trade wide range of stakeholders, organizations in over 100 countries. including consumer bodies, and it is in everyone’s interests that their voices business and academics, The event brought together senior representatives are heard in the development of trade rules … to discuss trade concerns. of more than a dozen consumer organizations These trade dialogues are a good start towards Events were held at the from around the world and a number of private an open process that will allow consumer WTO in May 2016, June sector representatives. Participants discussed advocates to engage with negotiators and ensure 2018 and May 2019. Each consumer issues in the trade arena, focusing on the consumer perspective is heard,” Consumers of these meetings identified the challenges and opportunities provided by International Director-General Helena Leurent pressing issues and resulted e-commerce and how the WTO can help address told the opening session. in recommendations that consumers’ concerns in this area. were presented to WTO In his address, DG Azevêdo said: “We are very members. The Trade Dialogue initiative aims to bring together conscious of the duty we have to consumers, and a wide range of stakeholders, including labour the need to ensure that trade functions in a way organizations, consumer bodies, business and that is good for all. The voices of consumers must, academics, to discuss trade concerns. The first therefore, be heard in the trade debate – especially dialogue was held in 2016. at this crucial moment where trade tensions are A Trade Dialogue rising, and governments are discussing potential At the opening session, the consumer with consumer reforms to the trading system.” organizations organizations sent a strong message of support was held at the for the WTO and the multilateral trading system. The opening session was followed by a discussion WTO in May 2019 They stressed the importance of ensuring on the work of the WTO on e-commerce, led at the request consumers’ concerns are taken into account in by Helena Leurent. Consumer groups noted of Consumers that there will be more than 2 billion online International. consumers by 2021. The ongoing discussions on e-commerce at the WTO (see page 59) are a window of opportunity to put policies in place that make the world fair, safe and sustainable for them, participants said. At the final session, also attended by WTO members, the consumer organizations presented their priorities for e-commerce and their recommendations for how these should be addressed at the WTO. Among them is the need for transparency in the negotiations, with consumer groups asking to be informed about 8 proposals and included in consultations with their respective governments to ensure their interests are represented. In addition to reducing prices and enhancing choice, consumer groups would also like the e-commerce negotiations to address steps to strengthen consumer protection. Trade Dialogues www.wto.org/tradedialogues World Trade Organization Annual Report 2020 147 Outreach Relations with non-governmental organizations • Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) arranged 42 sessions at the 2019 Public Forum, twice as many as in 2018. NGOs were the third-largest group at the Forum after business and academia. • NGOs were kept informed of WTO work through regular WTO Secretariat briefings and workshops. Background on In 2019, NGOs attended regular WTO Secretariat NGOs could also attend seven dispute hearings relations with NGOs briefings on trade negotiations and other WTO at the WTO related to six cases, including three The WTO maintains regular work. Six briefings were held following meetings on US steel and aluminium products, brought dialogue with civil society of the Trade Negotiations Committee and the individually by Switzerland, Norway and the organizations to enhance General Council. In 2019, 18 local NGOs (61 European Union, and another involving the cooperation and increase individuals) had WTO-NGO badges, which European Community and certain member states their awareness of WTO facilitate participation in events at the WTO that in a compliance complaint over large civil aircraft activities and the multilateral are public or dedicated to NGOs, such as WTO brought by the United States. trading system. Maintaining Secretariat briefings. and strengthening the At the 2019 Public Forum, NGOs organized relationship with civil society In partnership with the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung 42 sessions (over double the number in 2018) remains important for (FES), the WTO held a three-day regional dialogue and accounted for 12 per cent of over 2,500 increasing transparency and in Johannesburg, South Africa, in October for participants – the third-largest group after increasing public awareness civil society and the media. The 54 participants business and academia (see page 150). of the work of the WTO. discussed the WTO’s