GENERAL COUNCIL:

Proposed Agenda


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Note:
This document has been prepared under the Secretariat’s own responsibility and is without prejudice to the positions of Members or to their rights or obligations under the WTO.

The Proposed Agenda can be found in document WT/GC/W/684 and contains the following items:

    1. Report by the Chairman of the Trade Negotiations Committee

    This is a standing item on the Agenda.  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 in May 2014.

    2. Preparatory Committee on Trade Facilitation — Report by the Chairman

    The Council will hear a report by the Chairman of the Preparatory Committee.

    3. WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement Facility — Statement by the Director-General

    The Director-General will make a statement on the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement Facility launched on 22 July 2014.

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

    The General Council Chairman will provide an update on the implementation work concerning the Bali 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

    Under this standing item, 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 (S/C/43, G/C/54)

    In line with the Decision on the Work Programme on Electronic Commerce (WT/L/907) adopted by Ministers at the Ninth Session of the Ministerial Conference, the General Council will hold a review of the progress on the work programme.

    7. Trade and the post-2015 Development Agenda — Statement by the Director-General

    The Director-General would make a statement on the WTO activities in support of the post-2015 Development Agenda.

    8. Tenth Session of the Ministerial Conference — Date and Venue

    The General Council Chairman will provide an update on his consultations on the date and venue of the Tenth Ministerial Conference.

    9. Improving the Guidelines for Granting Intergovernmental Organizations Permanent Observer Status in the WTO — Communication from the Arab Group

    The request from the Arab Group to include this item in the Agenda can be found in document WT/GC/159.

    10. Waivers under Article IX of the WTO Agreement

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

    1. Special Treatment for Rice of the Philippines — Draft Decision (G/C/W/665/Rev.4)

    2. Review of Waivers Pursuant to Article IX:4 of the WTO Agreement:

      1. LDCs - Article 70.9 of the TRIPS Agreement with respect to Pharmaceutical Products, granted on 8 July 2002 until 1 January 2016 (WT/L/478)

      2. Preferential Treatment for Least-Developed Countries, granted on 27 May 2009 until 30 June 2019 (WT/L/759)

      3. United States - Former Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, granted on 27 July 2007 until 31 December 2016 (WT/L/694, WT/L/927)

      4. United States — Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act, granted on 27 May 2009 until 31 December 2014 (WT/L/753, WT/L/928)

      5. United States — African Growth and Opportunity Act, granted on 27 May 2009 until 30 September 2015 (WT/L/754, WT/L/929)

      6. United States — Andean Trade Preference Act, granted on 27 May 2009 until 31 December 2014 (WT/L/755, WT/L/930

    11. Derestriction of Historical Bilateral Negotiating Documentation of the Kennedy Round — Draft Decision

    The Council is expected to adopt the draft Decision in G/MA/W/113, which has been forwarded to it by the Committee on Market Access through the Council for Trade in Goods.

    12. Committee on Budget, Finance, and Administration — Report on Meeting of July 2014

    The Chairman of the Budget Committee will introduce the Committee’s report on its meeting in April (WT/BFA/143).

    13. WTO Pension Plan

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

    1. Annual Report of the Management Board and Report of the External Auditor thereon for the year ending 31 December 2013 (WT/L/924) and Letter of Final Comments on the Financial Statements of the WTO Pension Plan for the Financial Year ended 31 December (WT/L/925/Rev.1)

    2. Agreement on the Transfer of Pension Rights of Participants in the WTO Pension Plan (WTOPP) and in the Coordinated Agencies Plans (WT/GC/W/682)

    3. Election of a member — Proposal by the Chairman of the General Council

The Council will be invited to elect a member to the Management Board of the WTO Pension Plan until the end of its term, as per Chairman’s proposal in WT/GC/W/683.

 

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