Summary of General Council meeting of 8 May 2018

1. Report by the Chairman of the Trade Negotiations Committee (TNC) and Report by the Director-General

The Chairman referred to the Director-General's report at the 8 May Informal TNC and Heads of Delegation (HODs) meeting subsequently circulated in JOB/GC/186. At that meeting, the Negotiating Group Chairs also reported and 54 delegations intervened. Under this item, Zambia spoke.

2. Implementation of the Bali, Nairobi and Buenos Aires Outcomes – Statement by the Chairman

The Chairman reported on the work taking place in WTO regular bodies to fulfil the Bali, Nairobi and Buenos Aires Ministerial mandates. Among others, he reported that the final Aid for Trade Work Programme 2018-2019 had been circulated on 7 May in document WT/COMTD/AFT/W/75. His full statement can be found in JOB/GC/187. South Africa (African Group) and the European Union spoke.

3. Work Programme on Small Economies – Report by the Chairman of the Dedicated Session of the Committee on Trade and Development (CTD)

The CTD Chairman recalled the Buenos Aires Ministerial Decision on this matter and reported that preparations were under way to hold another meeting in early June to discuss the challenges of the fuller integration of small, vulnerable economies (SVEs) in the multilateral trading system and the reduction of trade costs posed to SVEs. Guatemala (SVEs) spoke.

4. Selection of New Appellate Body Members – Statement by China

China made a statement on the issues surrounding the Selection of New Appellate Body Members. Thirty-four other delegations spoke.

5. United States of America – Section 232 Investigations and Measures on Steel and Aluminium Products – Statement by China

China made a statement on "United States of America – Section 232 Investigations and Measures on Steel and Aluminium Products". The United States and 17 other delegations spoke. Thereafter, China again took the floor.

6. United States of America – Investigations and Measures under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 – Statement by China

China made a statement on "United States of America – Investigations and Measures under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974". The United States and ten other delegations spoke. Thereafter, China and the United States again took the floor.

7. Committee on Budget, Finance and Administration – Report on Meeting of March 2018

The General Council adopted the Report of the Budget Committee in WT/BFA/171 and approved the specific recommendations contained therein. The Central African Republic spoke.

8. WTO Pension Plan Management Board – Election of a Member and an Alternate – Proposal by the Chairman of the General Council

The General Council elected Ms. Darija Sinjeri (Croatia) to serve as a member and Ms. Paula Chiung-Fang Hsu (Chinese Taipei) to serve as an alternate following the Chairman's proposal in WT/GC/W/743.

Under "Other Business", the Chairman announced that he would begin consultations on the date and venue of the Twelfth Session of the Ministerial Conference and that consensus was reached in appointing Ambassador Luis Cancela (Uruguay) to serve as the Chairman of the Working Party on the Accession of Algeria to the WTO and Mr. Andrew Staines (United Kingdom) to serve as the Chairman of the Working Party on the Accession of the Bahamas to the WTO. The Bahamas (as an Observer) and Algeria (as an Observer) spoke. The Chairman also made an announcement regarding the Members and Observers in arrears.