. /.RESTRICTEDWORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/SCM/W/509
19 April 2002
(02-2245)
Committee on Subsidies
and Countervailing Measures
MEMBERS' DIFFICULTIES IN
MAKING SUBSIDY NOTIFICATIONS
Note from the Chairman concerning budgetary
estimates for the planned subsidies notification seminar
1. Members will recall that I circulated, in document G/SCM/W/506, budgetary estimates and
other aspects relating to the planned subsidies notification seminar.  As the seminar is intended to take
place in November 2002, and as it is to be financed out of the Doha Trust Fund, a specific budget
request will need to be developed and approved at the Committee's 3 May regular meeting so that it
can be submitted to the Trust Fund for action immediately thereafter.
2. Most Members have indicated, in their responses to the questions in G/SCM/W/473, that they
favoured a two or three-day seminar.  As to the basis on which to determine which participants from
developing countries should receive financial sponsorship, a range of views had been expressed.  In
document G/SCM/W/506, on the basis of those views, I set out three possible scenarios for financial
sponsorship:
• Scenario 1:  Funding for one capital-based official from 36 least-developed country Members
and Observers to attend a two-day  seminar in Geneva.  (Estimated total cost:  CHF 243,000.)
• Scenario 2:  Funding for one capital-based official from the 40 developing and least-
developed country Members listed in G/SCM/37 as not having submitted a subsidy
notification to attend a two-day  seminar in Geneva (with the list of Members intended to
serve as a rough proxy for developing country Members having difficulties in making subsidy
notifications.  (Estimated total cost:  CHF 280,000.)
• Scenario 3:  Funding for one capital-based official from all developing country and least-
developed country Members and Observers to attend a three-day seminar in Geneva.
(Estimated total cost:  CHF 1,100,000.)
3. During the 11 April 2002 informal consultations dealing, inter alia , with this topic,
delegations that commented on these scenarios all took the view that funding should be provided at
least for one participant from each least-developed country Member or Observer (i.e., scenario 1).  On
the other hand, some delegations commented that  providing funding for one participant from each
developing country Member (scenario 3) would be excessive, as the focus should be on those whoreally needed financial assistance.  In this connection, using a list of non-notifying developing
countries as a proxy for those needing financial assistance to attend the seminar (scenario 2) was not
necessarily appropriate, as financial constraints very well might not be the reason for these Members'
failure to notify, and rewarding non-notifiers as such would send the wrong signal.  The suggestion
was made that one could start with scenario 1 (funding for LDCs), and then in addition providefunding for those developing country Members indicating an intention to attend the seminar and
demonstrating a need for financial sponsorship.  When asked what sort of criteria could be applied to
determine need, one Member stated that it was important to be as inclusive as possible, and suggestedG/SCM/W/509
Page 2
the following (non-cumulative) criteria:  developing country Members with small delegations, with
capacity constraints, with resource constraints, and non-resident in Geneva.  Members will recall that I
urged all Members to reflect on the points raised so that an appropriate decision could be developed
for adoption at the 3 May meeting.
4. Members will recall that the Working Party on Subsidies Notifications will discuss, at its
upcoming 30 April meeting, the budgetary and logis tical considerations relating to the subsidies
notification seminar for capital-based officials, and that, on the basis of this discussion in the Working
Party, I will make a proposal at the Committee's 3 May regular meeting on a Committee decision
concerning budgetary and logistical consider ations pertaining to the planned seminar.
5. Within this context, and on the basis of comments  by Members to date, I believe that it might be
most constructive to move forward on the basis of the following scenario for financial sponsorship:
(a) Funding to attend a two-day  seminar in Geneva for:
(i) one capital-based official from 36 least-developed country Members and
Observers; and
(ii) one capital-based official from a certain additional number (to be
determined)1 of developing country Members and Observers indicating an
intention to attend the seminar and demonstrating a need for sponsorship, onthe basis of, inter alia , the following non-cumulative considerations:
• Members with small delegations;
• Members with capacity constraints;
• Members with resource constraints;
• Members non-resident in Geneva.
(b) There could be an understanding that eligibility for financial sponsorship on the part
of developing country Members and Obse rvers would be primarily on the basis of
self-selection and that, to the maximum extent possible, developing country Members
and Observers would consider funding their own participation in the seminar.  TheCommittee might retain the ultimate ability to monitor the selection.
(c) Developing country Members and Observers intending to send a capital-based official
to participate in the seminar and considering that they might be in need of financial
sponsorship could be asked to identify themselves by a certain deadline, for example,
23 May 2002.  The Secretariat might then issue a list of Members and Observers thathave so identified themselves.  This woul d enable a stock-taking of the situation
before the finalization of the budget request for the seminar.  If, between the date of
issuance of the list and, for example, 6 June 2002, no Member were to indicate that it
has a difficulty with the list, the Committee might then be deemed to have approved
financial sponsorship for those included in the list.  If, however, within this time-
frame, a Member were to indicate that it has a difficulty with the list, the matter could
be discussed, with a view to its resolution, at the meeting of the Committee scheduled
for 17 June 2002.
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1 For information, of the developing country Members that regularly attend SCM Committee meetings,
approximately fifteen generally are not represented by capital-based officials.