11 February 2004 CAMBODIA MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION
GENERAL COUNCIL 11 FEBRUARY 2004
WTO members extend Cambodia’s ratification
deadline
The General Council today (11 February) agreed to
give Cambodia another six months to ratify its membership agreement and
join the WTO. The decision extends the deadline from 31 March to 30 September 2004.
Cambodia explained in document
WT/GC/77, of 30 January
2004, that it needs the extension because it has not been able to form a new
government since last July’s elections.
Ratification is the final step before Cambodia can become a WTO member. The
negotiated package, which WTO members approved at the Cancún Ministerial
Conference’s on 11 September 2003, invited Cambodia to ratify the package by
31 March 2004 (in Article 7 of the Protocol of Accession of Cambodia to the
WTO.)
Cambodia will be a member 30 days after
it has informed the WTO that it has ratified the deal.
The General Council today (11 February) agreed to
give Cambodia another six months to ratify its membership agreement and
join the WTO. The decision extends the deadline from 31 March to 30 September 2004.