WTO members discuss proposals on key trade and development issues

The proposal on trade as an engine for economic growth, submitted by Japan and Switzerland, calls for exchanges of experiences and best practices on trade policies that support economic growth and integration into global value chains. The communication on the integration of trade and investment for industrialization, submitted by Benin, China, Comoros, The Gambia, Mali and Togo, seeks to deepen discussions on how trade and investment can jointly support industrialization and development. The new proposal on capacity building for the mutual recognition of professional qualifications, submitted by Bangladesh, India, the Kyrgyz Republic, Nepal and Pakistan, calls for targeted technical assistance to help developing and least-developed countries participate more effectively in international services trade.

The Report of the 60^th Session of the Joint Advisory Group of the International Trade Centre (ITC), providing an overview of the ITC's work, was presented by H.E. Mr. Erwin Bollinger, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Switzerland to the WTO and Chair of the session.  The Committee also discussed information and tools available to members relating to special and differential treatment (S&DT) provisions in WTO agreements and decisions, with a view to making further progress in these discussions. The Committee also welcomed updates on WTO technical assistance activities from the WTO's Institute for Training and Technical Cooperation (ITTC).

At a Dedicated Session on Small Economies, members continued work towards implementing the Work Programme on Small Economies, focusing on the theme of digital inclusion of micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs). The session included presentations by the ITC and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) on tools, insights and outreach on digital trade and inclusion. In addition, Belize and Sri Lanka shared their experiences with digital inclusion initiatives. Members also reviewed progress under the Work Programme and discussed next steps.

The Committee took note of new notifications from the European Union and the United Kingdom concerning their preferential trade schemes for developing economies and least-developed countries (LDCs) at a Dedicated Session on Preferential Trade Arrangements. The Committee also reviewed developments relating to regional trade agreements and the monitoring mechanism on special and differential treatment at dedicated sessions on these matters.

Next meeting

The next meeting of the Committee, including dedicated sessions, is expected to take place on 15-16 March 2027.