00-0822 MOREPRESS RELEASE
PRESS/170
3 March 2000
SEMINAR ON SPECIAL AND DIFFERENTIAL TREATMENT
FOR DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
A seminar on special and differential treatment for developing countries will take place at the
WTO on Tuesday 7 March. It is organized under the auspices of the WTO Committee on Trade and
Development at the request of its Members. The seminar will explore different facets of special and
differential treatment. To allow a frank exchange of views on the issue, the seminar will take place
outside of a negotiating context and outside of the formal processes of the CTD.
The seminar will take the shape of a series of sessions, each comprising a presentation and a
discussion. The presentations will be given by authors from various institutions, and delegates from
different Geneva missions will operate as discussants. Participation is open to WTO Members and
Observers.
The proceedings of the conference and background papers will serve as input into the CTD's
consideration of the question. Background papers will be made available in the room as well as on the
WTO internet site (www.wto.org).
A limited number of seats will be available to the media on a first-come first-served basis.
You will find here attached a copy of the program.PRESS/170
Page 2/3
MORESeminar on Special and Differential Treatment for Developing Countries
Organized under the auspices of the WTO Committee on Trade and Development
7 March 2000
Programme
The objective of the seminar is to explore different facets of special and differential treatment,
outside of a negotiating context, and outside of the Committee on Trade and Development (CTD) in
order both to allow a frank exchange of views on the issue and to provide an input into the
Committee's consideration of the question.
Participation is open to WTO Members and Observers and to Inter-Governmental
Organizations with observer status in the CTD
Welcome: Mr. A. Ouedraogo, Deputy Director-General
09:30-10:45 First Session: Overview of S&D provisions and their objectives
The session would review the origins of special and di fferential treatment, as well as the various WTO
provisions.  How firm is the legal basis?  To what extent are these simply "best endeavours"?
Chair: Amb. A.C. Diallo (Senegal), Chairperson of the Committee on Trade and
Development
Panelists: Mr. E. Kessie (WTO), Mr. B. Gosovic (South Centre), Amb. R. Smith (Jamaica)
Background material:  Secretariat paper for 1999 HLS on Trade and Development.  E. Kessie,
Analysis of the Legal Provisions relating to Special and Differential Treatment underWTO Agreements (mimeo).
10:45-11:45 Second Session:  GSP and other forms of preferences and their future
The session would look at the importance of GSP and other forms of preferences.  What are its
limitations? Who are the beneficiaries?  How much value has the system been?  How does GSP
compare with other forms of preferences?  Is there a tendency for preference systems to evolvetowards reciprocal trade agreements?
Chair: Amb. N. Benjelloun-Touimi (Morocco),
Panelists: Mr. B. Onguglo (UNCTAD), Mrs. S.  Page (ODI), Ms S. Rudder (Barbados).
Background material: B. Onguglo, Developing Countries and Trade Preferences, in M. Rodriguez
Mendoza, P. Low and B. Kotschwar, Trade Rules in the Making, Organization of American
States and Brookings Institution Press, Washington DC.
11:45-13:00 Third Session: Technical Assistance as S&D
The session would look at technical assistance needs, including training, trade facilitation and
infrastructure? What is most effective? How can TA be best delivered? What are the roles of differentagencies?  How can coordination be improved?
Chair: Mr. O. Genee (Netherlands)
Panelists: Mr. S. Delgado (WTO), Amb. E. Custodio (Philippines), Mr. M.A. Mannan
(Bangladesh).PRESS/170
Page 4
ENDBackground material: WTO Programme for Technical Cooperation, Note by the WTO Secretariat
(WT/COMTD/W/64 of 15 October 1999), Report  on Technical Cooperation and Training,
Note by the WTO Secretariat (WT/COMTD/W/62 of 6 May 1999).
13:00-14:30 Lunch break
14:30-15:30 Fourth Session: Implementation of S&D under key WTO Agreements
The session would cover the difficulties of implementation by developing countries and experience of
application by trading partners (for example, in agriculture, anti-dumping, customs valuation, dispute
settlement).  What are the problems and how can they be resolved?
Chair: Amb. C.L. Guarda (Chile)
Panelists: Mr. C. Stevens (Institute of Development Studies), Amb. C. Perez del Castillo
(Uruguay), Amb. S. Narayanan (India)
Background material: Concerns Regarding Special and Differential Treatment Provisions in WTO
Agreement and Decisions,  Note by the WTO Secretariat (WT/COMTD/W/66 of
15 February 2000.
15:30-16:30 Fifth Session: Impact of S&D and developing country economic reforms
The session would cover the relationship between S&D and reforms being undertaken by developing
countries, autonomously or to comply with international obligations.  To what extent do S&D
provisions contribute to or detract from reform programmes?
Chair: Amb. K. Rana (Kenya)
Panelists: Mr R. Sharer (IMF), Mr B. Bora (UNCTAD), Amb. W. Corrales Leal (Venezuela).
Background material: Special and Differential Treatment and the Spaces for Policies in WTO:  Two
Elements of the Development Dimension in th e Multilateral Trading System, Proposal under
Paragraphs 9 and 10 of the Geneva Minister ial Declaration, Communication from Venezuela
(WT/GC/W/279 of 29 July 1999).  M. Gibbs, Special and Differential Treatment in the
Context of Globalization, note presented to the G15 Symposium on S&D Treatment in the
WTO Agreements, New Delhi, 10 December 1998.
16:30-17:30 Sixth Session:  The Future of Special and Differential Treatment
The session would cover various aspects of S&D, and its future.  Is there a case for the development
of economic indicators for the application of S&D?
Chair: Amb. G. Raby (Australia)
Panelists: Mr. C. Michalopoulos (World Bank), Amb. A. Akram (Pakistan),
Amb. D. Baichoo (Mauritius), Amb. R. Abbott (European Commission)
Background material: C. Michalopoulos, Trade and Development in the GATT and WTO: The Role of
Special and Differential Treatment for Developing Countries, mimeo.
17:30- 17:45 Closing Remarks: Amb. A.C. Diall o, Mr. A. Ouedraogo, Deputy Director-General