Summary of General Council meeting of 9 October 2013

1. Report by the Chairman of the Trade Negotiations Committee

The Director-General recalled the process under way to finalize the DDA deliverables for Bali and noted that, despite the improvement in the tenor of the negotiations, progress was still too slow and issues where convergence was lacking remained political. He stressed that the process would be intensifying further after the TNC meeting scheduled for 14 October, and that the moment of truth was fast approaching. The full statement can be found in JOB/GC/57. Three delegations took the floor. They expressed their respective groups’ commitment to a balanced Bali package.

 

2. Work Programme on Small Economies — Report by the Chair of the Dedicated Session of the Committee on Trade and Development

On small economies, the Chairman (on behalf of the CTD Chair) said that the main focus in the Dedicated Session’s work was presently on a workshop on Non-Tariff Measures to be held on 23 October, and on proposed language for a draft paragraph for consideration by Ministers at MC9 on the future of the Work Programme on Small Economies.

 

3. Ninth Session of the Ministerial Conference

 (a) Attendance of Observers from International Intergovernmental Organizations

The Chairman reported on his consultations on this issue and said that more consultations were needed. He stressed that the participation of IGOs at this Ministerial Conference was crucial and that every effort should be made to facilitate it. Egypt (for the Arab Group) made a proposal for the consideration of the Council.

(i) Request from the League of Arab States

The Chairman noted that more consultations were needed on the request from the League of Arab States to attend MC9.

(b) Request for Observer Status by Palestine to the Ninth Session of the Ministerial Conference (WT/L/884)

The General Council agreed to grant Palestine ad hoc observer status for MC9.

(c) Statement by the Chairman

The Chairman informed the Council about his consultations with the Chairs of regular bodies and said that work was on track in all areas with respect to the follow-up to MC8 mandates and preparation for MC9.  He gave an overview of relevant work in all areas. The EU made a statement concerning the participation of Parliamentarians at MC9.

 

4. Improving the Guidelines for Granting Intergovernmental Organizations Permanent Observer Status in the WTO – Statement by the Chairman

The Chairman reported on his consultations on this matter and urged all delegations to work together in a solution finding mode. Egypt (for the Arab Group) recalled the two proposals made by the Group on this issue. The two proposals can be found in WT/GC/W/643 and WT/GC/W/644.  

 

5. International Trade Centre UNCTAD/WTO — Report of the Joint Advisory Group on its Forty-Seventh Session (ITC/AG(XLVII)/251)

The General Council adopted the report of the Joint Advisory Group on ITC (ITC/AG(47)/251).

Under “Other Business”, the Chairman: (i) announced he would undertake consultations regarding the Chairmanship of the TRIPS Council in Special Session; (ii) recalled that Amb Chavez of Peru had been appointed Chairman of the Working Party on the Accession of Comoros; (iii) made an announcement regarding Members and Observers in arrears.