Director-General of the World Trade Organization Roberto Azevêdo visited Lithuania
Updated 2018-11-28
Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO) Roberto Azevêdo visited Lithuania on November 20, 2018. It was the first time the head of the WTO visited Lithuania since country’s accession to this international organization in 2001.
WTO Director-General met with President Dalia Grybauskaitė to discuss international trade, WTO’s current situation and its future. D. Grybauskaitė outlined the value of the WTO for Lithuania as a small, open economy and for the country’s strategic engagement with the world. President stressed, that Lithuania fully supports the EU’s leadership seeking to reform the WTO and update the rules.
Mr. R. Azevêdo also visited Lithuanian Confederation of Industrialists, which unites the main associations of different sectors of economy. In the meeting with the representatives of business, the challenges of global trading system and issues that small export-orientated countries, such as Lithuania, face were discussed. Robertas Dargis, the President of Lithuanian Confederation of Industrialists, talking about the importance of the multilateral trading system for the business, stressed the role of the WTO in ensuring fair, predictable, rules based environment and fighting against discrimination and protectionism.
During Director-General R. Azevêdo meeting with Foreign Minister of Lithuania Linas Linkevičius the need for modernization of the WTO was outlined. According to the Foreign Minister, Lithuania fully supports stable and open international trading system based on WTO rules. At the same time, the realities of the 21st century require some improvements of the system, update of the rules and mechanisms for their implementation.
Also, during his visit WTO Director-General participated in the international high-level trade policy conference “Global Trade – what is in it for us?” organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Lithuania. In his keynote speech, Mr. R. Azevêdo congratulated Lithuania with the 100th anniversary of the restoration of country’s independence. WTO Director-General highlighted that with a range of reforms, together with membership of the European Union and the World Trade Organization, today Lithuania is an open and connected economy, well integrated with its neighbors and the wider world. R. Azevêdo appreciated Lithuania’s active and constructive engagement in WTO activities. He recalled that during Lithuania’s Presidency of the EU Council the historical outcome on Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) was achieved. TFA was the first multilateral deal ever done by the WTO and its impact could be greater than the abolition of all remaining tariffs around the world. Lithuania continues to be an active member of the WTO by chairing this year the Committee, which oversees the implementation of the TFA. According to WTO DG, this is an example of the leadership and support organization expects from its membership aiming that the trading system continues to underpin benefits from global trade.
