GATT/AIR/2535

GATT/AIR/2535 14 JANUARY 1988

SUBJECT: NINTH MEETING OF THE SUB-COMMITTEE ON TRADE OF LEAST-DEVELOPED

COUNTRIES

1. THE SUB-COMMITTEE ON TRADE OF LEAST-DEVELOPED COUNTRIES WILL HOLD ITS NINTH MEETING ON 11 FEBRUARY 1988 IN THE CENTRE WILLIAM RAPPARD. THE MEETING WILL START AT 10 A.M.

2. ON THE BASIS OF THE WORK PROGRAMME OF THE SUB-COMMITTEE AND THE DECISION TAKEN AT THE SIXTY-FIRST SESSION OF THE COMMITTEE ON TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT ON 22 JUNE 1987, THE FOLLOWING AGENDA IS PROPOSED:

i) REVIEW OF DEVELOPMENTS IN THE URUGUAY ROUND OF INTEREST TO THE LEAST-DEVELOPED COUNTRIES;

ii) REVIEW OF RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN INTERNATIONAL TRADE RELATING TO

THE TRADE OF LEAST-DEVELOPED COUNTRIES AND OF RECENT COMMERCIAL

POLICY MEASURES IN THEIR FAVOUR;

iii) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE;

iv) OTHER MATTERS.

3. AT THE SIXTY-FIRST SESSION OF THE COMMITTEE ON TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT IN JUNE 1987 IT WAS DECIDED THAT THE SUB-COMMITTEE ON TRADE OF LEAST-DEVELOPED COUNTRIES SHOULD, INTER ALIA, CARRY OUT A REGULAR REVIEW OF ISSUES IN THE URUGUAY ROUND OF PARTICULAR INTEREST TO THE LEAST DEVELOPED COUNTRIES IN THE LIGHT OF PARAGRAPH (VII) OF THE GENERAL PRINCIPLES GOVERNING THE NEGOTIATIONS: TWO SECRETARIAT NOTES, ONE REVIEWING DEVELOPMENTS IN THE URUGUAY ROUND (COM.TD/LLDC/w/32) AND THE OTHER PROVIDING INFORMATION ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE 1982 MINISTERIAL DECISIONS CONCERNING LEAST-DEVELOPED COUNTRIES (COM.TD/LLDC/W/33) HAVE BEEN PREPARED.

4. AS PART OF ITS REGULAR PROGRAMME OF WORK THE SUB-COMMITTEE WILL REVIEW RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN INTERNATIONAL TRADE RELATING TO THE TRADE OF LEAST-DEVELOPED COUNTRIES AS WELL AS RECENT COMMERCIAL POLICY MEASURES TAKEN IN FAVOUR OF LEAST-DEVELOPED COUNTRIES. SECRETARIAT NOES COM.TD/LLDC/W/35 AND COM.TD/LLDC/W/34 HAVE BEEN PREPARED AS BACKGROUND DOCUMENTATION. DELEGATIONS ARE INVITED TO NOTIFY ANY SUCH MEASURES WHICH HAVE RECENTLY BEEN TAKEN OR ARE BEING CONTEMPLATED BY THEIR GOVERNMENTS.

5. PART OF THE SECRETARIAT NOTE COM.TD/LLDC/W/34 PROVIDES BACKGROUND INFORMATION FOR A REVIEW OF TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE ACTIVITIES RELATING TO LEAST-DEVELOPED COUNTRIES.

6. AN ANNOTATED PROVISIONAL AGENDA WILL BE ISSUED.

7. IT IS RECALLED THAT MEMBERSHIP OF THE SUB-COMMITTEE ON TRADE OF LEAST-DEVELOPED COUNTRIES IS OPEN TO ALL INTERESTED CONTRACTING PARTIES TO GATT. ALL OTHER INTERESTED LEAST-DEVELOPED COUNTRIES MAY, UPON NOTIFICATION TO THE DIRECTOR-GENERAL, ALSO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE SUB-COMMITTEE.

A. DUNKEL