Members review regional trade agreements, confirm meeting frequency, adopt annual report

Consideration of RTAs, future meeting frequency and annual report

The Chair of the Committee, Ambassador Clara Manuela da Luz Delgado Jesus of Cabo Verde, announced that this was her last meeting as Chair of the Committee due to her return to capital. She urged members to continue to make timely notifications, pointing to the considerable number of RTAs not yet notified.

Members adopted the annual report of the CRTA for 2026 and discussed how frequently the Committee should meet for deliberations going forward. They agreed on continuing to hold three meetings per year, as tested during a just concluded two-year trial period.

The Committee took note of the following notifications: 

• The Israel-Viet Nam Free Trade Agreement (VIFTA)
• The Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement between the Government of Ukraine and the Government of the United Arab Emirates
• The Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Government of India
• Entry into force of the accession of the United Kingdom to the comprehensive and progressive agreement for trans-pacific partnership (CPTPP) for Mexico and Canada
• Free Trade Agreement between the Pacific Alliance and Singapore, goods and services - Entry into force for Chile, Peru and Singapore
• Free Trade Agreement between Hong Kong, China and Peru, goods and services
• Free Trade Agreement between the EFTA States and Kosovo¹, goods and services
• Free Trade Agreement between the EFTA States and MERCOSUR, goods and services - Entry into force for Iceland and Brazil

Members also considered five RTAs among members based on factual presentations prepared by the WTO Secretariat, with representatives taking the floor:

• Economic Partnership Agreement between the European Union and Kenya, goods
• Interim Agreement on Trade between the European Union and Chile, goods and services
• Free Trade Agreement between the EFTA States and the Republic of Moldova, goods and services
• Free Trade Agreement between Ukraine and Kazakhstan, goods
• Free Trade Agreement between Israel and Colombia, goods and services

Similarly, they also considered three RTAs with non-members:

• Agreement between the European Union and the Faroe Islands, goods
• Free Trade Agreement between the United Kingdom and the Faroe Islands, goods
• Partnership, Trade and Cooperation Agreement between the United Kingdom and Kosovo, goods

More information on these and other agreements can be found in the WTO RTA Database.

Next meeting

The next Committee meeting is scheduled for 9 March 2027.