WTO: 2011 NEWS ITEMS

GENERAL COUNCIL

Summary of General Council meeting of 22 February 2011

The following items were discussed by the General Council:

1. Report by the Chairman of the Trade Negotiations Committee (TNC)

The Director-General reported on recent TNC activities including the gathering of Ministers in Davos, where he had noted that negotiating activities in Geneva were showing a change of gear both in the Negotiating Groups as well as in other configurations.  However, he had also stressed that the pace at which negotiations were proceeding was still too slow, and that substantive progress was lacking.  He recalled that at the TNC meeting on 2 February, delegations had expressed support for the roadmap — texts by Easter, comprehensive package by July and finalization by the end of the year — and had again emphasized the need of building on what was already achieved.  However, for this to be possible, delegations in the various negotiating settings had to stop waiting for others to move.  He strongly called on Members to urgently accelerate the negotiating process at all levels, in order to be able to produce real elements of progress that could be captured in texts.

All delegations agreed that an urgent acceleration of the negotiating process was needed and, in particular, a genuine willingness to engage in substance.  Some recalled the development mandate in the Round and also highlighted the priority areas for least-developed countries (LDCs), stressing that any agreement should contain provisions for technical assistance.  A number of delegations pointed out that negotiations carried out in various bilateral or plurilateral settings, while useful, should not replace the multilateral track.  Some participants again stressed the need for transparency and inclusiveness in the process and the need to take into account the constraints of small delegations.  Others stressed that delegations should take advantage of all possible avenues that could inject traction in the process. 

One delegation called on the Director-General, as Chairman of the TNC, to inform Ministers of the critical stage of the negotiations and ask for their renewed instructions to negotiators.  A further proposal to undertake a review exercise on the state-of-play of the Round at the end of March involving Senior Officials was supported by a number of Members.  A number of delegations also called for a display of leadership by key players and, in particular, for the need to show flexibility.  Some Members highlighted specific issues that they wished to see advance in the process ahead.

2. Work Programme on Small Economies

The Chairman of the Dedicated Session of the Committee on Trade and Development (CTD) stressed that small and vulnerable economies (SVE)s had responded to the increased work in the Doha Development Agenda (DDA) negotiations and were monitoring development in each negotiating area.  He pointed out that a Workshop for Small and Vulnerable Economies and Aid for Trade had recently taken place, focusing on regional aspects of Aid for Trade, on its role at industry level and how it could work for the private sector in small economies, as well as on its effectiveness in small economies. 

3. Review of the exemption provided under Paragraph 3 of the GATT 1994

The Chairman noted that, in line with the agreed procedure and pursuant to Paragraph 3 of GATT 1994, the General Council had to conduct the review of the exemption granted for the US legislation — the Jones Act — which prohibits the use, sale or lease of foreign-built or foreign-reconstructed ships in US national waters.  Statements made at General Council meetings in 2011, questions posed to the United States and related replies would form the basis of this year's review, together with the annual statistical report provided by the US (WT/L/801 and Corr.1).  The General Council would take up the matter again at its December meeting.

The US indicated its willingness to organize informal consultations in which interested delegations would be free to ask questions and discuss issues of interest.  A number of delegations expressed concerns about the exemption and called for a meaningful and substantive review which should consider if the conditions for the exemption still prevailed.

4. WTO Pension Plan — Election of Members to the Management Board — Proposal by the Chairman of the General Council

The General Council elected Mr Ken Schagrin (United States) and Mr Marhijn Visser (Netherlands) to serve as members on the Management Board of the WTO Pension Plan for the remainder of the Board's term (May 2011).

5. Appointment of Officers to WTO Bodies

In line with the Guidelines for Appointment of Officers (WT/L/510), the General Council took note of the consensus on the slate of names for chairpersons to WTO bodies.

6. Election of Chairperson

The General Council elected by acclamation Amb. Agah (Nigeria) as Chair for 2011.

Under “Other Business”

7. Chairmanship of the Working Party on the Accessions of Samoa

The General Council agreed that Mr Atsuyuki Oike (Japan) would serve as Chairperson of this Working Party, replacing Amb. Shinichi Kitajima (Japan).

8. Statement by the Chairman on consultations on the Eighth Ministerial Conference

The Chairman noted that in the preliminary consultations he had undertaken on the next Ministerial Conference there had been convergence on a number of issues.  The FIT principle (Full participation, Inclusiveness, and Transparency), applied at MC7, would continue to guide preparations as well as conduct of the next Conference.  In keeping with the principle, the Conference would be centred around Plenary Sessions in which all Ministers could participate equally.  Also, like the previous one, the next Ministerial Conference would be a lean and economical event, in view of budgetary and physical space constraints. 

9. Administrative Measures for Members in arrears

The Chairman of the Budget Committee informed the Council that Members had received their assessment letters for 2011 contributions and that, as at the start of every year, a number of Members had become subject to Administrative Measures. 

The next meeting of the General Council is scheduled for 3-4 May 2011.

 

 

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