The Proposed Agenda can be found in document WT/GC/W/727 and contains the following items:

1. Federal Republic of Somalia — Request for accession pursuant to Article XII

The General Council will be taking up the item on the establishment of a Working Party to examine the request for accession of the Federal Republic of Somalia.

2. Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste — Request for accession pursuant to Article XII

The General Council will be taking up the item on the establishment of a Working Party to examine the request for accession of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste.

3. Report by the Chairman of the Trade Negotiations Committee

The Director-General will report, in his capacity as Chairman of the TNC, on activities in this area since his last report to the Council.

4. Implementation of the Bali and Nairobi Outcomes — Statement by the Chairman

The General Council Chairman will provide an update on the implementation work concerning the Bali and Nairobi Decisions in the respective Councils and Committees.

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

The Chairperson of the CTD will provide a report on the progress in the Work Programme on Small Economies.

6. Work Programme on Electronic Commerce — Review of Progress

In line with the Decision on the Work Programme on Electronic Commerce (WT/L/977) adopted by Ministers at the Tenth Session of the Ministerial Conference, the General Council will hold a review of the progress on the work programme.

7. The Development Assistance Aspects of Cotton — Statement by the Director-General

The Director-General will report on the state-of-play in cotton development assistance since his last report to the Council in November 2015.

8. WTO Accessions: 2016 Annual Report by the Director-General — Statement by the Director-General

The Director-General will introduce his report on WTO accessions contained in WT/ACC/28.

9. Date of the Eleventh Session of the Ministerial Conference

The General Council is expected to formally agree on the dates of the Eleventh Ministerial Conference.

10. Review under Paragraph 8 of the Decision on the Implementation of Paragraph 6 of the Doha Declaration on the TRIPS Agreement and Public Health — Report of the Council for TRIPS

The Chairman of the TRIPS Council will report on its annual review on the functioning of the system set out in the Decision on the Implementation of Paragraph 6 of the Doha Declaration on the TRIPS Agreement and Public Health.

11. Procedure for the Introduction of HS 2017 changes to Schedules of Concessions using the tariff schedules (CTS) database — draft decision

The General Council is expected to take a decision on this matter.

12. WAIVERS UNDER ARTICLE IX OF THE WTO AGREEMENT⁽¹⁾

The following waivers will be before the General Council for consideration:

a. Introduction of Harmonized System 2002 changes into WTO Schedules of Tariff Concessions — draft decision

b. Introduction of Harmonized System 2007 changes into WTO Schedules of Tariff Concessions — draft decision

c. Introduction of Harmonized System 2012 changes into WTO Schedules of Tariff Concessions — draft decision

d. Introduction of Harmonized System 2017 changes into WTO Schedules of Tariff Concessions — draft decision

e. United States — Former Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands — Extension of Waiver — draft decision

f.  United States — Trade Preferences granted to Nepal — draft decision

g. European Union — Application of Autonomous Preferential Treatment to the Western Balkans — Extension of Waiver — draft decision

h. Cuba — Article XV:6 of GATT 1994 — Extension of Waiver — draft decision

i.  Review of waivers pursuant to Article IX:4 of the WTO Agreement

• (i)  Preferential treatment to services and service suppliers of least-developed countries, granted on 17 December 2011 until 31 December 2030

  (ii) Kimberley process certification scheme for rough diamonds, granted on 12 December 2012 until 31 December 2018

  (iii)   European Union — Application of autonomous preferential treatment to the West Balkans, granted on 30 November 2011 until 31 December 2016

  (iv)   Cuba — Article XV:6 of GATT 1994, extension of waiver, granted on 14 February 2012 until 31 December 2016

13. Committee on Budget, Finance and Administration — Reports on meetings of November 2016

The Chairman of the Budget Committee will introduce the Committee's report on its two meetings in September (WT/BFA/158 and WT/BFA/160).

14. International Trade Centre UNCTAD/WTO — Report of the Joint Advisory Group on its 50th session

Following a report on the CTD's consideration and action on this matter, the Council is expected to adopt the Joint Advisory Group report.

15. WTO Pension Plan

The General Council will consider the following items related to the WTO Pension Plan:

A. Amendments to the Administrative Rules of the WTO Pension Plan and of Rules of Procedure of the Management Board, as contained in document WT/GC/W/725.

B. Chairmanship of the Management Board — Statement by the Chairman

16. Review of WTO Activities

The General Council will conduct its annual review of WTO activities, in line with the Decision concerning procedures for an annual overview of WTO activities and for reporting under the WTO (WT/L/105).

17. Appointment of Officers to WTO bodies

The General Council will consider the following items related to the Appointment of Officers to WTO Bodies:

A. Consultations on the Guidelines for the Appointment of Officers — Report by the Chairman

B. Announcement pursuant to paragraph 7.1(a) of the Guidelines

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1. In connection with this item, the attention of Members is drawn to the Decision-Making Procedures under Articles IX and XII of the WTO Agreement agreed by the General Council on 15 November 1995 (WT/L/93). back to text