CIEL and other NGOs call on trade ministers to reject unofficial and exclusive mini-ministerials and green room meetings prior to and during the World Trade Organization's Fifth Ministerial

A statement by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) and various civil society organizations calling on WTO member states to reject exclusive 'mini-ministerials' and 'Green Room' meetings, arguing these processes are undemocratic and lack transparency.

• Civil society groups are urging the 145 WTO member states to reject the use of exclusive 'mini-ministerials' and 'Green Room' meetings, which are held by invitation only for approximately twenty-five countries, as these meetings discuss critical matters affecting all members.
• The document identifies four primary flaws in these exclusive meetings: the selection criteria for participating countries are unknown, no written records of discussions are kept, decisions affecting the entire membership are made in the absence of most members, and a select group illegally assumes leadership to build a 'consensus'.
• The statement claims that major developed powers use these meetings to pressure developing countries into accepting positions contrary to development interests, often through threats of suspending trade preferences to EU and US markets, or affecting investment and aid.
• The document alleges a lack of neutrality within the WTO Secretariat, specifically citing Stuart Harbinson, who served as Chair of Agriculture negotiations while also acting as the Director General’s Chef de Cabinet.
• The statement highlights the high cost of WTO compliance for developing nations, citing a World Bank report by Michael Finger that estimates the administration costs for implementing just three WTO agreements can reach $150 million per year.
• The signatories demand several reforms, including the creation of written, accountable, and democratic decision-making rules, the requirement that all countries be notified of and allowed to attend all consultations, and the prohibition of Secretariat staff chairing WTO committees.

APA

Center for International Environmental Law (2002). CIEL and other NGOs call on trade ministers to reject unofficial and exclusive mini-ministerials and green room meetings prior to and during the World Trade Organization's Fifth Ministerial. https://www.ciel.org/news/ciel-and-other-ngos-call-on-trade-ministers-to-reject-unofficial-and-exclusive-mini-ministerials-and-green-room-meetings-prior-to-and-during-the-world-trade-organizations-fifth-ministerial/

Chicago

Center for International Environmental Law. CIEL and other NGOs call on trade ministers to reject unofficial and exclusive mini-ministerials and green room meetings prior to and during the World Trade Organization's Fifth Ministerial. 2002. https://www.ciel.org/news/ciel-and-other-ngos-call-on-trade-ministers-to-reject-unofficial-and-exclusive-mini-ministerials-and-green-room-meetings-prior-to-and-during-the-world-trade-organizations-fifth-ministerial/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Center for International Environmental Law |title=CIEL and other NGOs call on trade ministers to reject unofficial and exclusive mini-ministerials and green room meetings prior to and during the World Trade Organization's Fifth Ministerial |date=1 November 2002 |url=https://www.ciel.org/news/ciel-and-other-ngos-call-on-trade-ministers-to-reject-unofficial-and-exclusive-mini-ministerials-and-green-room-meetings-prior-to-and-during-the-world-trade-organizations-fifth-ministerial/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{centerforinternationalenvironmentallaw2002ciel, author = {{Center for International Environmental Law}}, title = {{CIEL and other NGOs call on trade ministers to reject unofficial and exclusive mini-ministerials and green room meetings prior to and during the World Trade Organization's Fifth Ministerial}}, publisher = {Center for International Environmental Law}, year = {2002}, month = nov, url = {https://www.ciel.org/news/ciel-and-other-ngos-call-on-trade-ministers-to-reject-unofficial-and-exclusive-mini-ministerials-and-green-room-meetings-prior-to-and-during-the-world-trade-organizations-fifth-ministerial/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }