WTO: 2010 NEWS ITEMS

GENERAL COUNCIL

Summary of General Council meeting of 14 December 2010

The following items were discussed by the General Council:

1. Transparency for Preferential Trade Arrangements

The General Council adopted a decision (WT/L/806) establishing a Transparency Mechanism for Preferential Trade Arrangements as a result of the mandate given be the General Council to the Committee on Trade and Development in 2006.  Delegations welcomed the adoption of the mechanism and emphasized its importance in enhancing transparency.  A number of delegations recalled that a decision on the permanent application of the mechanism would need to take into account the status of the Transparency Mechanism for Regional Trade Agreements, adopted in December 2006. 

2. Report by the Chairman of the Trade Negotiations Committee

The Director-General, as Chairman of the TNC, reported on the TNC's activities since his last report to the Council, including the informal meeting held on 30 November, at which delegations had welcomed the strong political signals from leaders to conclude the Round.  Delegations had stressed that the onus was on them to translate these instructions into real negotiations and to this end they had endorsed the intensive work programme for the beginning of 2011 proposed by the Chairs of the Negotiating Groups and himself. He called on delegations to ensure that negotiators were ready to engage, and prepared to move out of their comfort zones towards agreement.  He announced that the Third Global Review on Aid for Trade would be held on 18-19 July 2011 in Geneva.

Delegations welcomed the renewed momentum in the negotiations and generally endorsed the work programme mentioned by the TNC Chairman.  A number of delegations stressed that the capacity constraints of small delegations should be taken into account and the importance of transparency and full inclusiveness in the process.  Several participants re-affirmed the importance of the development dimension of the Round.

3. Work Programme on Small Economies

(a)  Report by the Chairman of the Dedicated Session of the Committee on Trade and Development

The Chairman of the Dedicated Session of the CTD noted that Members had recently discussed the latest revision of the Secretariat paper (WT/COMTD/SE/W/22/Rev.5) compiling all proposals concerning SVEs and the Small Economies Work Programme. 

(b) Graduation of Maldives from LDC status on 1 January 2011

Maldives informed the Council that it would graduate from the UN list of Least Developed Countries from 1 January 2011, and that it was the first time a WTO Member graduated from that list.  However, it remained a vulnerable economy at all levels: Maldives therefore called for Members' understanding with respect to flexibilities accorded to small economies in the various areas of the DDA.

4. Follow-Up to the 1 August 2004 General Council Decision and the Hong Kong Ministerial Declaration on the Doha Work Programme — Statement by the Director-General on the Development Assistance Aspects of Cotton

The Director-General, reporting on the state-of-play in cotton development assistance, recalled that the Doha mandate on cotton proceeded on two tracks: the trade policy aspect and the development assistance aspect.  On the latter, a recent round of consultations had taken place in which Members had considered the tenth version of the Evolving Table on Cotton Development Assistance (WT/CFMC/6/Rev.9), which showed that the value of specific development assistance to cotton stood at US$ 570 million.  On the trade policy aspects, progress was linked to overall progress in the agriculture negotiations, in the context of which intensified consultations were taking place, which had reaffirmed the consensus that cotton should be resolved building on the December 2008 draft modalities.

Audio:  Statement by Pascal Lamy on the Development Assistance Aspects of Cotton
  

5. Work Programme on Electronic Commerce — Review of Progress

In his report on the consultations he had recently held on the matter in line with the Ministerial Decision of December 2009, DDG Singh said that no work on E-Commerce had been done in 2010 under the Work Programme, but noted that some delegations had reported that work related to E-Commerce had been done in certain areas. In the consultations, delegations had called for a re-invigoration of the Work Programme and some had signalled their intention to submit proposals to take it forward. 

6. Review under Paragraph 8 of the Decision on the Implementation of Paragraph 6 of the Doha Declaration on the TRIPS Agreement and Public Health — Report of the Council for TRIPS

The General Council took note of a report by the TRIPS Council (IP/C/57 and Corr.1) on its seventh annual review of the functioning of the system set out in the Decision on the Implementation of Paragraph 6 of the Doha Declaration on the TRIPS Agreement and Public Health.  The report also provides an update on the status of acceptances of the Protocol Amending the TRIPS Agreement.  The TRIPS Council Chair called on Members who had not yet accepted the Protocol to carry out promptly the necessary internal procedures so that they could deposit their instruments of acceptance as soon as possible. Several delegations expressed appreciation of the way the review had been conducted and of the level of engagement of Members.  Some expressed concern over the limited application of the 2003 Decision and highlighted the difficulties that several countries faced in accessing affordable medicines.

7. Accessions

The Director-General introduced his 2010 Report on Accessions (WT/ACC/14), noting that 2010 had seen significant developments on accessions, with the re-activation of a number of Working Parties and progress on many individual accessions. Work was advancing on the completion of an Accession Commitments Database.  He also stressed that particular attention was accorded to LDCs' accessions, also in light of the upcoming UN LDC-IV conference to take place in May 2011. 

Zambia (on behalf of the LDC Group) updated the Council on the state-of-play of the three prioritized LDC accessions (Vanuatu, Samoa, and Yemen).  Several delegations expressed appreciation for the DG's report and also supported Zambia's statement on the accession of LDCs which should strictly adhere to the 2002 Guidelines established by the General Council.  The Minister of Trade of Yemen was present at the meeting:  he recalled the long accession process of his country and highlighted the progress made recently.

Audio:  2010 Report by Pascal Lamy on WTO accessions

8. Amendment to the procedures leading to the certification of HS 2002 changes

The General Council adopted a decision (WT/L/807) on proposed amendments to the procedures for the introduction of Harmonized System 2002 changes to schedules of concessions using the CTS Database.

9. Committee on Budget, Finance and Administration — Report on its meeting of November and 2010

The Council considered the Committee's reports on its meetings of November and December (WT/BFA/119, 120 and 121) and approved the Committee's specific recommendations therein.  The Director-General updated the Council on the improvements concerning Members in arrears.  In particular, he noted that they had reached the lowest level since 1995, with only 11 Members currently subject to administrative measures.

10. Waivers under Art. IX of the WTO Agreement

The General Council adopted decisions with regard to: (a) Introduction of Harmonized System 2002 changes into WTO Schedules of tariff concessions (WT/L/808), and (b) Introduction of Harmonized System 2007 changes into WTO Schedules of tariff concessions (WT/L/809).  The following waivers were reviewed: (i) Kimberley process certification scheme for rough diamonds;  (ii) Canada — CARIBCAN; and (iii) Cuba — Article XV:6 of GATT 1994.

11. Review of WTO Activities

The Chairman draw the Council's attention to the reports submitted by the relevant bodies, and to the fact that the Committee on Trade and Development and the Committee on Regional Trade Agreements had not been able to adopt their respective reports in time for the meeting.  The Council took note of the reports by the subsidiary bodies and adopted its own draft annual report.

12. Appointment of Officers to WTO bodies — Announcement by the Chairman pursuant to paragraph 7.1(A) of the Guidelines (WT/L/510)

The Chairman announced that, assisted by the Chairman of the DSB and the former Chairman of the General Council, he would be starting the selection process for the appointment of chairpersons to WTO bodies. 

The following matters were considered under “Other Business”

13. Chairmanship of the Special Session of the Committee on Trade and Development

The Chairman announced that, following consultations, consensus had emerged to appoint Amb. Bashir (Pakistan) as Amb. Sophastienphong's successor. 

14. Administrative Measures for Members in Arrears

The Chair of the Working Group on Administrative Measures for Members in Arrears, for the Chair of the Budget Committee, updated the Council of the Members that were under Administrative Measures in Categories II — IV. 

The next General Council meeting is scheduled for 22-23 February 2011

 

 

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