GATT/AIR/2921 5 FEBRUARY 1990
SUBJECT: URUGUAY ROUND NEGOTIATING GROUP ON FUNCTIONING OF THE GATT SYSTEM
1. THE FIFTEENTH MEETING OF THE NEGOTIATING GROUP ON FUNCTIONING OF THE GATT SYSTEM WILL BEGIN ON 19 FEBRUARY 1990 AT 10 A.M. IN THE CENTRE WILLIAM RAPPARD AND WILL CONTINUE ON 21 FEBRUARY AS NECESSARY.
2. THE FOLLOWING AGENDA IS PROPOSED FOR THE MEETING:
(A) FURTHER NEGOTIATIONS AIMED AT DEVELOPING UNDERSTANDINGS AND ARRANGEMENTS:
(I) TO ENHANCE THE SURVEILLANCE IN THE GATT TO ENABLE REGULAR MONITORING OF TRADE POLICIES AND PRACTICES OF CONTRACTING PARTIES AND THEIR IMPACT ON THE FUNCTIONING OF THE MULTILATERAL TRADING SYSTEM;
(II) TO IMPROVE THE OVERALL EFFECTIVENESS AND DECISION-MAKING OF THE GATT AS AN INSTITUTION, INCLUDING, INTER ALIA, THROUGH INVOLVEMENT OF MINISTERS;
(III) TO INCREASE THE CONTRIBUTION OF THE GATT TO ACHIEVING GREATER COHERENCE IN GLOBAL ECONOMIC POLICY-MAKING THROUGH STRENGTHENING ITS RELATIONSHIP WITH OTHER INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS RESPONSIBLE FOR MONETARY AND FINANCIAL MATTERS.
(B) OTHER BUSINESS.
3. UNDER ITEM (A) IT IS PROPOSED THAT THE GROUP TAKE UP FIRST NEGOTIATING OBJECTIVE (I); ATTENTION IS DRAWN TO THE SUBMISSION FROM AUSTRALIA, CANADA, HONG KONG AND NEW ZEALAND CONCERNING DOMESTIC TRANSPARENCY (MTN.GNG/NG14/W/37) AND TO THE NOTE BY THE SECRETARIAT CONCERNING IMPROVEMENT OF NOTIFICATION PROCEDURES (MTN.GNG/NG14/W/39). IT IS THEN PROPOSED TO TAKE UP NEGOTIATING OBJECTIVE II; ATTENTION IS DRAWN TO THE COMMUNICATION FROM SWITZERLAND (MTN.GNG/NG14/W/38). IT IS THEN PROPOSED TO RESUME, AS AGREED AT THE LAST MEETING OF THE GROUP, DISCUSSION OF NEGOTIATING OBJECTIVE III. ATTENTION IS ALSO DRAWN TO MTN.GNG/NG14/W/34 AND TO PARAGRAPHS 53-60 OF THE SECRETARIAT NOTE ON THE LAST MEETING (MTN.GNG/NG14/14) WHICH CONCERN ADDITIONAL SUBJECTS THAT HAVE BEEN PROPOSED FOR DISCUSSION IN THE GROUP.
4. GOVERNMENTS PARTICIPATING IN THE MULTILATERAL TRADE NEGOTIATIONS WHICH WISH TO BE REPRESENTED AT THIS MEETING ARE INVITED TO INFORM ME OF THE NAMES OF THEIR REPRESENTATIVES.
A. DUNKEL
90-0143