December 14, 2021
A WTO joint statement on investment facilitation for development was issued in Geneva, Switzerland on December 10 (Fri.).
Outline
- At the WTO, negotiations on a multilateral agreement on investment facilitation for development are taking place among participating members (chaired by Chile).
- This statement was originally planned to be adopted and issued on the margins of the 12th WTO Ministerial Conference (MC12), but it was issued as a joint statement after the MC12 was postponed due to COVID-19.
- In the statement, members commended the substantial progress made since the formal launch of the negotiations in September last year, noted their aim to conclude the text negotiations by the end of 2022, and encouraged all WTO members to participate in the negotiations.
- Topics discussed in the negotiations include improving the transparency of investment measures, streamlining and speeding-up administrative procedures, and enhancing international cooperation, information sharing, and the exchange of best practices.
- More than 110 countries and regions are participating in the negotiations, which means conclusion of this agreement will make investing more convenient for investors even with countries with which Japan has not concluded bilateral investment agreements.
