RESTRICTEDWORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONWT/GC/W/100
30 September 1998
(98-3790)
ACCESSION TO THE WTO - STATE OF PLAY
Note by the Secretariat
I. INTRODUCTION
The establishment of the World Trade Organization on 1 January 1995 marked also the
coming into force of a more structured, transparent and predictable accession process.  Article XII of
the WTO Agreement sets out the guidelines for this process, and Article IX of the WTO Agreement
and the Understanding on its application (Decision-making Procedures Under Articles IX and XII ofthe WTO Agreement - WT/L/93) lay down the decision-making procedures involved.
To give further predictability and transparency to the process of accession, the Secretariat, in
consultation and agreement with WTO Members, has been taking specific initiatives.  The Secretariat
notes WT/ACC/1 ("Procedures for Negotiations under Article XII"), WT/ACC/4 ("Information to beProvided on Domestic Support and Export Subsidie s in Agriculture") and WT/ACC/5 ("Information
to be Provided on Policy Measures Affecting Trade in Services") provide a detailed description of the
information required from acceding governments at each stage of the negotiations and outline the
expectations that WTO Members have from the new entrants on both systemic issues as well as
market access opportunities in goods and services.  Acceding governments are now, therefore, better
able to prepare themselves on all these fronts.
In accordance with WT/ACC/1, the starting-point of an accession process under Article XII
of the WTO Agreement is the establishment of a Working Party with standard terms of reference by
the General Council.  The applicant then submits a Memorandum on the Foreign Trade Regime, the
format and information requirements for whic h are set out in WT/ACC/1.  There follows a
clarification process through questions and replies, both oral and written.  As this evolves, theaccession process at the multilateral level increasingly focuses on the terms and conditions of entry
and the commitments to be undertaken by the acceding government in the Report of the Working
Party and the Protocol of Accession.  In parallel, the applicant and interested members of the Working
Party commence bilateral market access negotiations in goods and services, the results of which are
finally compiled into Schedules of Concessions and Commitments.  The Working Party concludes itsmandate by adopting on an ad referendum  basis its Report, Schedules of Concessions and
Commitments and Protocol of Accession containing the precise terms and conditions of accession
upon which the applicant may be invited to accede to the WTO.  The entire package of Report,
Schedules and Protocol are then forwarded to the General Council for decision.
It must be remembered of course, that each accession is principally a negotiation between the
WTO Members and the applicant.  Each accession is, therefore, unique and must be considered on its
own merits.  The pace of each accession depends in large measure on the capacity of the acceding
government to negotiate actively at the bilateral and multilateral level.  Even more importantly, it
depends on the acceding government's ability and commitment to put the needed legal andWT/GC/W/100
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administrative infrastructure in place to ensure that once it becomes a Member it is able to participate
in the WTO framework of rights and obligations.
The overall guiding principle of all accession negotiations is to achieve the right balance in
determining the terms of entry, keeping in view the capacities of individual acceding governments onthe one hand, and the need to maintain the credibility of the WTO system on the other.
To facilitate the negotiations, the Secretariat provides technical assistance before, during and
after accession.  This ranges from providing expert advice in the preparation of necessary
documentation, to facilitating market access negotiations and the drafting of laws and regulations.  In
consultation with WTO Members, the Secretariat has also succeeded in streamlining the accession
processes for least developed and small island developing economies, through reducing the number ofWorking Party meetings, ensuring that maximum possible progress is achieved in between meetings
without the acceding governments concerned having to undertake frequent visits to Geneva, and
through expediting to the extent possible the bilateral market access negotiations in goods and
services.  In addition to this highly focussed assistance specifically oriented towards the process of
accession, the Secretariat has been providing broad ranging technical assistance to all accedinggovernments, including the small economies, through workshops, and (technical) seminars at a
regional and national level, and through trade policy courses for officials.  Also, the least-developed
countries are benefitting from a WTO  initiative to establish Reference Centres on the multilateral
trading system and provide information technologies to help decision-makers better understand and
utilise the rules and mechanisms of the WTO.  Moreover, all least-developed countries can benefitfrom activities provided for within the framework of  the follow-up to the high-level meeting held in
the WTO in October 1997. To ensure that the most m eaningful assistance is available to the applicant
governments, the Secretariat has been increasingly coordinating its activities with other international
and regional agencies who are active in this field and most notably the IMF, World Bank, UN,
UNCTAD, ITC and WIPO.  Although all possible efforts are underway to help acceding governmentsin light of the Secretariat's financial and human resource constraints, it is clear that more assistance
needs to be provided to ensure their speedy integration into the WTO system.
There are currently 32 applicants for accession.  These include many large- and medium-sized
economies.  Most of these applicants are also economies in transition, with similar problems in topics
like transparency, agriculture, trading rights, State trading, legal and administrative structures,
industrial subsidies, TRIMs and TRIPS.  A number of applicants for accession are alsoleast-developed and small developing economies w ith their own special capacity building problems.
II. CURRENT STATUS OF INDIVIDUAL ACCESSIONS
Albania
Albania's Working Party was established on 2 December 1993.  It met last in October 1996.
Bilateral market access negotiations will be held on the basis of comprehensive market access offers.
Topics under discussion in the Working Party include:  the administration and implementation ofnecessary laws, agriculture, customs valuation, transparency, State trading and TRIPS.  Conditions
and terms of entry have not been discussed.
Algeria
Algeria's Working Party was established on 17 June 1987.  The Working Party met last in
April 1998.  Initial contacts on market access in goods have taken place.  Topics under discussion inWT/GC/W/100
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the Working Party include.  agriculture, the customs system, State trading, transparency and legal
reform, and TRIPS.  Conditions and terms of entry have not been discussed.
Andorra
Andorra's Working Party was established on 22 October 1997.  The Working Party has not
met.  Andorra has not submitted a Memorandum on its Foreign Trade Regime.  Bilateral market
access negotiations have not commenced.
Armenia
Armenia's Working Party was established on 17 December 1993.  The Working Party last met
in December 1997.  Bilateral market access negotiations on goods and services are close to
completion.  Topics under intensive discussion in the Working Party include:  agriculture, the customs
system, industrial subsidies, State trading, SPS and TBT, and TRIPS.  The Draft Report of the
Working Party setting out the terms and conditions of entry and transitional periods has been
intensively discussed and work is at an advanced stage.  The next meeting of the Working Party isscheduled for November 1998.
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan's Working Party was established on 16 July 1997.  The Working Party has not
met.  Azerbaijan has not submitted a Memorandum on its Foreign Trade Regime.
Belarus
Belarus' Working Party was established on 27 October 1993.  The Working Party last met in
April 1998.  Bilateral market access negotiations in goods have commenced.  Topics under discussion
in the Working Party include:  agriculture, barter  trade, the customs system and Economic Union with
the Russian Federation and agreements with other CIS States, industrial subsidies, transparency of
legal reform, SPS and TBT, State trading and TRIPS.
Cambodia
Cambodia's Working Party was established on 21 December 1994.  The Working Party has
not met.  Cambodia has not submitted a Memorandum on the Foreign Trade Regime.
China
China's Working Party was established on 4 March 1987.  The Working Party last met in
July 1998.  Bilateral market access negotiations on goods and services are well advanced, though a
large number of issues remain open.  Topics bein g discussed in the Working Party in the context of
the Protocol of Accession include:  agricultur e, the customs system, import licensing, industrial
subsidies, predictability and transparency of the legal system and legislative reform, SPS and TBT,non-tariff barriers, State trading, trading rights, TRIMs and TRIPS.
Croatia
Croatia's Working Party was established on 27 October 1993.  The Working Party last met in
January 1998.  The accession process is advanced, including the market access negotiations in goods
and services.  Major topics under discussion in the Working Party include:  agriculture, the customs
system, State trading, TRIPS and transition periods.   A Draft Report is under discussion in the
Working Party.  The next meeting is scheduled for October 1998.WT/GC/W/100
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Estonia
Estonia's Working Party was established on 23 March 1994.  The Working Party last met in
October 1997.  Work on all fronts is advanced.  On the market access side negotiations are stillcontinuing in the sectors of services and agriculture.  Discussions on the Draft Report of the Working
Party are well advanced.
Georgia
Georgia's Working Party was established on 18 July 1996.  The Working Party will next meet
in October 1998.  Bilateral market access negotiations on goods and services are actively engaged.Topics under discussion in the Working Party include:  agriculture, the customs system, SPS and
TBT, State trading, transparency and legal reform, transitional periods and TRIPS.  The first draft of
the Working Party Report will be discussed by the Working Party in October.  Overall, Georgia's
accession process is advancing smoothly and rapidly.
Jordan
Jordan's Working Party was established on 25 January 1994.  The last meeting of the
Working Party was in July 1998.  The accession process has advanced smoothly.  Bilateral market
access negotiations in goods and services commenced in July 1998, on the basis of comprehensiveoffers in goods and services.  Topics under discussion in the Working Party include:  agriculture, the
customs system, import licensing, SPS and TBT, State trading, services and TRIPS.  The first draft of
the Working Party Report will be discussed at the next meeting, tentatively scheduled for
February 1999.
Kazakstan
The Working Party on Kazakstan was established on 6 February 1996.  The last meeting of
the Working Party was in October 1997.  Bilateral market access negotiations in goods and services
commenced in October 1997, and will continue based on a revised goods offer and the existing
services offer.  Topics under discussion in the Working Party include:  agriculture, the customs
system (and customs union arrangements), price controls, import licensing, industrial subsidies, SPSand TBT, transparency of the legal system and legislative reform, services and TRIPS.  The next
meeting will be held in October 1998.
Kyrgyz Republic
The Working Party on the Kyrgyz Republic was established on 16 April 1996.  The Working
Party completed its work in July 1998 with the ad referendum finalisation of the Schedules of
Concessions and Commitments in goods and services, the Protocol of Accession and the Report of the
Working Party.   The General Council is scheduled to consider the accession of the Kyrgyz Republic
on 14 October 1998.
Lao People's Democratic Republic
The Working Party on the Lao People's Democratic Republic was established on
19 February 1998.  Laos has not submitted a Memorandum on the Foreign Trade Regime.WT/GC/W/100
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Latvia
Latvia's Working Party was established on 17 December 1993.  The Working Party Report,
Protocol of Accession a nd Schedules of Concessions and Commitments in Goods and Services were
adopted at a final meeting of the Working Party in September 1998.  The General Council is expectedto consider the accession of Latvia on 14 October 1998.
Lithuania
Lithuania's Working Party was established on 22 February 1994.  The next meeting is
scheduled in October 1998.  Bilateral market access negotiations in goods and services are advanced -
although negotiations in agriculture and services continue.  The Working Party is engaged indiscussing the Draft Report and Protocol of Accession.
Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
The Working Party on the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia was established on
21 December 1994.  The Memorandum on the Foreign Trade Regime has not been circulated.  Market
access negotiations have not commenced.
Moldova
Moldova's Working Party was established on 17 December 1993.  The last meeting of the
Working Party took place in March 1998.  Bilateral market access negotiations on goods and services
are actively engaged.  Topics under discussion in the Working Party include:  agriculture, the customs
system, excise taxation and national treatment, import licensing, industrial subsidies, SPS and TBT,
State trading, transparency and legislative reform, services and TRIPS.  The next meeting is scheduledfor November 1998.
Nepal
The Working Party on the accession of Nepal was established on 21 June 1989.  Nepal
submitted a Memorandum on the Foreign Trade Regime in August 1998.
Oman
The Working Party on the accession of Oman was established on 26 June 1996.  It last met in
October 1998.  Bilateral market access negotiations on goods and services were held in July 1998 on
the basis of revised offers.  The next meeting of the Working Party is scheduled for 2 October 1998.Topics under discussion in the Working Party include:  agriculture, the customs system, SPS and
TBT, services and TRIPS.  The Working Party will also be focussing on a Draft Report and Protocol
of Accession.
Russian Federation
The Working Party on the accession of the Russian Federation was established on
16 June 1993.  The Working Party last met in July 1998.  The next meeting is scheduled for
December 1998.  Bilateral market access negotiations on goods have commenced.  In the Working
Party topics under discussion include:  agriculture, the customs system (and customs union and othertrade arrangements with CIS States), excise taxation and national treatment, import licensing,
industrial subsidies, national treatment, SPS and TBT, TRIMs, TRIPS and services.WT/GC/W/100
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Samoa
The Working Party on the accession of Samoa was established on 15 July 1998.  Samoa has
not submitted a Memorandum on the Foreign Trade Regime.
Saudi Arabia
The Working Party on the accession of Saudi Arabia was established 21 July 1993.  The last
meeting of the Working Party was in December 1997.  The next meeting will be held in
November 1998.  Bilateral market access negotiations on goods and services are continuing on the
basis of revised offers.  Topics under discussion in the Working Party include:  agriculture,
preshipment inspection, SPS and TBT, TRIPS and services.
Seychelles
The Working Party on the accession of the Seychelles was established on 11 July 1995.
Members agreed to keep meetings to the minimum necessary and to accelerate the accession processas much as possible at both the bilateral and multilateral level.  Extensive consultations have
facilitated the negotiating process.  An initial draft of the Working Party Report has been circulated to
Working Party members.  Consultations on terms and conditions of accession are continuing.
Sudan
The Working Party on the accession of Sudan was established on 25 October 1994.  Sudan's
Memorandum on the Foreign Trade Regime has not been circulated.
Chinese Taipei
The Working Party on the accession of Chinese Taipei was established on
29 September 1992.  The last meeting of the Working Party was held in May 1998.  Bilateral market
access negotiations in goods and services are in an advanced stage.  Topics under discussion in the
Working Party include:  amendments to legislation, agriculture, the customs system, import licensing
and industrial subsidies.  The Draft Report and Protocol of Accession are under discussion.
Tonga
The Working Party on the accession of Tonga was established on 15 November 1995. The
Memorandum on the Foreign Trade Regime of Tonga was circulated in May 1998.
Ukraine
Ukraine's Working Party was established on 17 December 1994.  The last meeting of the
Working Party was held in June 1998.  Bilateral market access negotiations are continuing on the
basis of initial offers in goods and a revised services offer.  Topics under discussion in the WorkingParty include:  agriculture, the customs system, excise and value added tax,  import licensing and
other non-tariff measures, industrial subsidies, national treatment, services, State trading, transparency
and legal reform, and TRIPS.
Uzbekistan
The Working Party on the accession of Uzbekistan to the WTO was established on
21 December 1994.  Uzbekistan submitted its Memorandum on the Foreign Trade Regime in
September 1998.  Bilateral market access contacts have been initiated.WT/GC/W/100
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Vanuatu
The Working Party on the accession of Vanuatu was established on 11 July 1995.  Members
of the Working Party agreed to keep meetings to the minimum necessary and to accelerate the
accession process as much as possible at both the bilateral and multilateral level.  The last meeting of
the Working Party was held in May 1998.  Extensive consultations have facilitated the negotiating
process.  An initial draft of the Working Party Report has been circulated to Working Party members.
Consultations on terms and conditions of accession are continuing.
Vietnam
The Working Party on the accession of Vietnam was established on 31 January 1995.
Bilateral market access contacts have been initiated.  Topics under discussion in the Working Party
include:  agriculture, the customs system, import licensing, national treatment, SPS and TBT, State
trading and trading rights.  The next meeting will take up examination of the services and TRIPS
sector of Vietnam's foreign trade regime.
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