G20 Parliamentary Leaders Speak Against Politically-Motivated Tariffs, Corruption
The speakers of parliaments of the G20 member states on Monday released a joint statement following the summit in Tokyo in which they confirmed their commitment to countering corruption and promoting multilateralism, particularly through the non-acceptance of protectionism and politically-motivated tariffs in international trade
"Tariffs and non-tariff measures should never be imposed arbitrarily or unilaterally based on political objectives," the statement read.
The authors further urged all countries "to refrain from protectionist measures" and trade practices inconsistent with the WTO rules and undermining the principles of multilateralism.
"We reaffirm our commitment to continue to combat corruption in all its forms, to deny safe haven to corrupt persons and their corruption proceeds, and ensure open, transparent and accountable governance at all levels," the statement read.
This fight will be carried out by means of supporting the enactment of legislation and anti-corruption measures aimed at restoring the confidence of people in the institutions of their respective states, the authors added.
According to one of the Russian delegates to the summit, first deputy speaker of the lower house Alexander Zhukov, the WTO-administered dispute settlement procedure, although "being close to a collapse," is currently the only existing option. "So everyone spoke in favor of upholding the WTO [dispute settlement gateway] and adjusting it to the current political reality," Zhukov said.
The sixth summit of what is often referred to as P20, the parliamentary speakers of the world's 20 largest economies, was held in Japan, the country which holds the G20 chairmanship this year, in collaboration with the Inter-Parliamentary Union. The previous P20 summit was held in November 2018 in Buenos Aires, Argentina.