On the “Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area concluded as a part of the Association Agreement between the EU and the Republic of Moldova”, the parties replied to written questions submitted by Canada, Colombia, Mexico and Thailand.

On the “Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area concluded as a part of the Association Agreement between the EU and Georgia”, the parties replied to written questions from Colombia, Mexico and Thailand.

A third agreement, the “Framework Agreement on Comprehensive Economic Cooperation between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and China, Services”, was dropped from the agenda because the parties failed to provide written answers to members’ questions within the agreed deadline. It will be considered at the next meeting of the Committee. The United States and the EU expressed disappointment and hoped this would not become a precedent in the Committee.

The Chair, Ambassador Francisco Pirez Gordillo (Uruguay), gave a status report on the Committee’s work. He noted delays in the preparation of factual presentations due to lack of comments from the parties (WT/REG/W/94) and presented an updated list of some 67 regional trade agreements (RTAs) that have been mentioned in factual presentations but not yet notified to the WTO (WT/REG/W/93). He urged the members concerned to notify these RTAs as soon as possible.

At the end of the meeting, the Committee elected by acclamation Ambassador Amr Ramadan (Egypt) as its chair for 2015. The US, El Salvador and the EU commended the leadership of Ambassador Pirez during his tenure.