WORLD TRADE WT/GC/7
20November 1996
ORGANIZATION(96-4946)
GENERAL COUNCIL
GENERAL COUNCIL
Annual Report (1996)
Thepresent report hasbeenprepared inpursuance oftheProcedures foranAnnual Overview
ofWTO Activities andforReporting under theWTO (WT/L/105), andsetsouttheactions taken by
theGeneral Council since theprevious overview ofWTO activities heldinDecember 1995.1
Incarrying outitstasks, theGeneral Council hasheldseven meetings since December 1995.
Theminutes ofthese meetings, which remain therecord oftheGeneral Council 'swork, arecontained
indocuments WT/GC/M/10-WT/GC/M/16.
Thefollowing subjects areincluded inthereport:
Page
1. 1996 Ministerial Conference 4
(a) Preparations fortheMinisterial Conference 4
(i) Reports bytheDirector-General 4
(ii) Schedule ofmeetings ofWTO bodies 6
(iii) Progress ofpreparatory work insubsidiary bodies oftheGeneral
Council 6
(iv) Reports of: 7
(a) Dispute Settlement Body andTrade Policy Review Body 7
(b) Councils forTrade inGoods, Trade inServices, and
TRIPS 7
(c) Committee onTrade andEnvironment 7
(d) Committees onTrade andDevelopment, Regional Trade
Agreements, Balance-of-Payments Restrictions, andBudget,
Finance andAdministration 8
(e) Committees andCouncils under thePlurilateral Trade
Agreements 8
(v) Election ofofficers oftheMinisterial Conference 8
(vi) Organizational matters 9
(b) Attendance ofobservers attheMinisterial Conference 10
(i) Governments 10
(ii) International intergovernmental organizations 10
(iii) Non-governmental organizations 11
1Theannual report oftheGeneral Council for1995 iscontained inWT/GC/5 andCorr.1.WT/GC/7
Page2
2. Finalization ofnegotiations onschedules ongoods andservices 12
- Decision ontheaccession of,andapproval ofprotocol ofaccession for,the
United Arab Emirates 12
3. Composition oftheTextiles Monitoring Body 12
4. Committee onBalance-of-Payments Restrictions 13
(a) Consultations 13
(b) Disinvocation ofthebalance-of-payments provisions oftheGATT 1994 by
Turkey andPoland 13
(c) Notifications bythePhilippines andIndia 13
(d) Notes onmeetings 13
(e) Adhocobserver status forinternational intergovernmental organizations 13
5. Committee onBudget, Finance andAdministration 13
- Reports 13
6. Committee onRegional Trade Agreements 14
(a) Establishment oftheCommittee andadoption ofitsterms ofreference 14
(b) Presiding officers oftheCommittee 14
7. Approval ofrules ofprocedure forsubsidiary bodies 14
- Committee onRegional Trade Agreements 14
8. Agreement onPreshipment Inspection -Review under Article 6oftheAgreement 15
- Establishment ofaworking party 15
9. Waivers under Article IXoftheWTO Agreement 15
(a) Harmonized System 15
- Bangladesh, Bolivia, Guatemala, Jamaica, Morocco, Nicaragua and
SriLanka 15
(b) Renegotiations ofSchedules 15
(i) Malawi -Renegotiation ofSchedule LVIII 15
(ii) Senegal -Renegotiation ofSchedule XLIX 15
(iii) Zambia -Renegotiation ofSchedule LXXVIII 16
(c) Decision ontheintroduction ofHarmonized System changes intoWTO
schedules oftariff concessions on1January 1996 16
- Extension oftime-limit 16
(d) Extension ofwaivers pursuant toparagraph 2oftheUnderstanding inrespect
ofwaivers ofobligations under GATT 1994 16
(i) - Canada -CARIBCAN 16
- Cuba -Article XV:6 ofGATT 1994 16
- European Communities -Fourth ACP-EC Convention of
Lomé 16
- France -Trading Arrangements withMorocco 16
- South Africa -Basedates under Article I:4 16
- United States -ANDEAN Trade Preference Act 16
- United States -Former Trust Territory ofthePacific
Islands 16
- Zimbabwe -Basedates under Article I:4
(ii) United States -Imports ofautomotive products 17WT/GC/7
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10. Status ofwaivers ineffect onthedateofentry intoforce oftheWTO Agreement 17
11. Accessions 17
(a) Bulgaria 17
(b) Georgia 18
(c) Kazakstan 18
(d) Kyrgyz Republic 18
(e) Mongolia 19
(f) Oman 19
(g) Panama 19
(h) Papua NewGuinea 20
(i) Saudi Arabia 20
(j) Seychelles 20
(k) Tonga 20
(l) Vanuatu 21
12. Brazil -Provisional safeguard measures concerning imports oftoys 21
13. Hungary -Invocation ofArticle 48oftheVienna Convention ontheLawofthe
Treaties 21
14. United States -Cuban Liberty andDemocratic Solidarity Actof1996 21
15. Compliance with theobligations ofArticles 70.8 and70.9 oftheTRIPS
Agreement 21
16. Notification requirements 22
17. World Bank study onMERCOSUR 22
18. WTO Press Release onTrade andForeign Direct Investment 22
19. Procedures forthecirculation andderestriction ofWTO documents 22
20. Status ofratification oftheWTO Agreement bycertain governments 23
21. Arrangements foreffective cooperation withother intergovernmental organizations 23
- RelationsbetweentheWTOandtheInternationalMonetaryFundandtheWorld
Bank 23
22. Guidelines forarrangements onrelations withnon-governmental organizations pursuant
toArticle V:2oftheWTO Agreement 23
23. Administrative matters 24
(i) Offices oftheDeputy Directors-General 24
(ii) Staff-related matters 24
(iii) Pensions andsalaries ofWTO staff 24
24. Observer status 24
(i) Governments 24
(ii) International intergovernmental organizations 24WT/GC/7
Page4
(iii) Guidelines onobserver status forinternational intergovernmental
organizations 25
25. Election ofChairperson 26
1. 1996 Ministerial Conference
(a) Preparations fortheMinisterial Conference
(i) Reports bytheDirector-General (WT/GC/M/11, 12,13,14,15,16)
AttheGeneral Council meeting on16April 1996, theChairman recalled thatataninformal
meeting oftheGeneral Council on5March, ithadbeenagreed thatpreparations fortheSingapore
Ministerial Conference would beundertaken inthefollowing manner:
1. TheGeneralCouncil,meetinginformallyonthatday,wouldinvitetheDirector-General,
Mr.Renato Ruggiero, inhispersonal capacity, tochair informal meetings open to
participation ofallMembers, inprinciple attheHead ofDelegation level. Thepurpose
ofthese meetings would betoenable Members toexchange views onthepreparation
oftheSingapore Ministerial Conference, with regard toboth substantive and
organizational matters.
2. Insodoing, theDirector-General would actinclosecooperation andcoordination with
theChairman oftheGeneral Council.
3. Inallmatters relating totheorganization oftheMinisterial Conference, theDirector-
General would work closely withtheHead oftheDelegation ofthehostcountry of
theMinisterial Conference.
4. TheDirector-General would submit progress reports onthiswork atthemeetings of
theGeneral Council.
5. TheGeneral Council would actuponthesereports oftheDirector-General asnecessary.
Inparticular, itwould consider anyproposals addressed toitandtakeanydecisions
itdeemed appropriate forthefurther preparation oftheSingapore Ministerial
Conference.
Itwasunderstood thatthedifferent WTO bodies would carry outthetasks assigned tothem
under thetextsagreed intheUruguay Round forthepurposes ofthefirstMinisterial Conference.
Inaccordance withparagraph 4oftheabove procedures, theDirector-General thenreported
ontheprocess thathadbeenundertaken thusfar.
TheChairman proposed thattheGeneral Council takenoteoftheDirector-General 'sstatement
andagree thattheSingapore Ministerial Conference takeplace from 9-13December 1996, thatthe
agenda fortheConference bedivided between general discussion andspecific business items, andthat
adecision onthespecific agenda items andtheexact timetobeallocated tothegeneral discussion
andthespecific items betaken atalaterdate.
TheGeneral Council soagreed.WT/GC/7
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AttheGeneral Council meetings on26June, 18July, 2October, and14October 1996, the
Director-General reported ontheprocess thathadbeenundertaken untilthen.
AttheGeneral Council meeting on7,8and13November 1996theDirector-General recalled
thattheHeads-of-Delegations process hadbeenformally putintoplace attheGeneral Council meeting
on16April. Atthatmeeting, theChairman hadoutlined thearrangements agreed ataninformal meeting
oftheGeneral Council on5March. Under thesearrangements, hehadalready reported totheGeneral
Council on16April, 26June, 18July, 2October and14October. Eight informal HOD meetings
hadbeenheldin1996: on18March, 15April, 15May, 17June, 16September, 7and22October,
and2November. Inaddition, aseries ofsixinformal consultations onspecific issues, open toall
interested delegations andfocusing mainly onwhatmight constitute thework programme oftheWTO,
hadbeenheldinthelatter partofJune. Intensive informal bilateral andplurilateral consultations had
alsobeen heldintheperiod from Julythrough early November ontheelements ofaministerial
declaration andonspecific issues. Ateachofthese meetings, bothimplementation questions andthe
future work programme oftheWTO hadbeendiscussed. Withregard toimplementation, delegations
hadbeen given thepossibility toaddress problems ornewideas concerning theimplementation
programme which could emerge incertain areas andwhich were notprovided forintheWTO
Agreements themselves ortheprogramme theyenvisaged. InApril, delegations hadagreed onthe
structureoftheSingaporeConference.Thestructuredivided,inanillustrativemanneronly,theavailable
timebetween general statements andspecific agenda items. Theexact division would bemade ata
laterdatedepending onthelikely number ofgeneral statements andthespecific agenda items, forwhich
several delegations hadalready made useful suggestions. Thatstructure hadbeenformally approved
bytheGeneral Council on16April.
Throughout theprocess, delegations hadintroduced non-papers onvarious subjects. Theissues
concerned were thefollowing: built-in agenda; competition policy; government procurement;
implementation ofUruguay Round Agreements; industrial tariff negotiations; investment; labour
standards; regionalism; rulesoforigin; services; state-trading; technical barriers totrade; textiles
andclothing; trade liberalization initiatives; TRIPS; trade facilitation; WTO rulesinaglobalizing
economy; andWorld Trade Summit in1998. TheSecretariat hadalsocirculated non-papers inthe
course ofOctober andearly November. These were: Outline oftheDraft Ministerial Declaration,
Draft Ministerial Declaration -PartI,andthefulltextoftheDraft Ministerial Declaration. Ofthe
non-papers submitted bydelegations, only thenon-papers concerning competition, investment,
government procurement, WTO rules, andlabour standards hadbeenretained forconsideration in
theHOD process. Atanearly stage hehadsubmitted alistofquestions withrespect totheaction
thatmightberequiredatSingaporeineachcase,suggestingthatMembersconsiderwhethertheproposals
called forspecific decisions tobeagreed bytheMinisters orrequired apolitical statement, suchas
inaministerial declaration. Theotherissues raised inthenon-papers hadallbeenreferred totherelevant
WTO bodies forconsideration therein. Theissue oftheWorld Trade Summit hadbeen leftfor
consideration atanappropriate laterstage, andthere hadbeennosubsequent discussion ofthisissue
intheHOD process.
Consultations heldinJulyandSeptember hadledtothecirculation ofanoutline ofadraft
ministerial declaration, based onthese consultations, which hadbeendiscussed ataninformal HOD
meeting on7October. Following thisdiscussion, allWTO Members hadbeenprovided withthedraft
ofapolitical statement which would constitute theintroductory partoftheministerial declaration.
Thisdrafttexthadbeendiscussed attheinformal HOD meeting heldon22October. Intensive bilateral
andplurilateral consultations hadbeenheldthroughout thelatter partofOctober ontheremaining parts
ofthedraftdeclaration, aswellasonother specific outstanding issues intheHOD process. Asaresult
oftheseconsultations, hehadcirculated adraftofthefulltextofthedraftdeclaration, which attempted
toreflect thepoints made bydelegations inthecourse oftheconsultations. ThistexthadbeendiscussedWT/GC/7
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attheinformal HOD meeting heldon2November. Headded thatwork ontheDeclaration andon
theoutstanding HOD issues wasstillcontinuing.
(ii) Schedule ofmeetings ofWTO bodies (WT/GC/M/11)
AttheGeneral Council meeting on16April 1996, theChairman drewattention totheschedule
ofend-of-year meeting forvarious WTO bodies forthepurpose ofadoption oftheirrespective reports
totheMinisterial Conference (WT/GC/W/32/Rev.1), andtotherevised Programme ofMeetings of
WTO bodies for1996 (WT/GC/4/Rev.1).
With regard toreporting procedures fortheMinisterial Conference, hesaidthathisinformal
consultations hadresulted inagreement onthefollowing textofastatement tobereadbyhim:
"1. Subsidiary bodies oftheGeneral Council areinvited toprepare theirreports onthe
basisoftheProcedures foranannual overview oftheWTO activities andforreporting
under theWTO laiddown bytheGeneral Council on15November 1995(WT/L/105).
Thesereportsshouldbesubmittedinaccordancewiththescheduleofmeetingscirculated
indocument WT/GC/W/32/Rev.1 inorder toenable theGeneral Council toadopt its
ownreport totheMinisterial Conference on7November 1996.
2. Given thedifferent mandates ofStanding Bodies oftheWTO itisdifficult toestablish
acommon format forreports ofthese bodies. Insome instances, forexample, efforts
toinclude inreports anassessment oranidentification ofproblems andissues could
leadtoundue difficulties. EachBody musttherefore ultimately decide ontheformat
ofreport which itdeems mostappropriate forconsideration ofrelevant issues bythe
superior Body.
3. While taking theabove intoaccount, Isuggest thatthese reports include atleastthe
following elements:
(a) asection onimplementation oftherelevant Agreements;
(b) progress concerning work under theBuilt-in Agenda;
(c) anindication asappropriate ofissues andproblems which havebeenidentified
andrecommendations ifany."
TheGeneral Council tooknoteoftheChairman 'sstatement onreporting procedures forthe
Ministerial Conference (WT/L/145), alsotooknotethattheChairman would consult withPakistan
onitsconcerns regarding thesecond sentence ofparagraph 2ofthestatement, andfurther tooknote
thatPakistan would havethepossibility torevert tothismatter atthenextmeeting.
TheChairman theninvited thechairpersons ofsubsidiary bodies toundertake thenecessary
arrangements forthepreparation oftheirrespective reports along thelinesofhisstatement.
(iii) Progress ofpreparatory work insubsidiary bodies oftheGeneral Council
(WT/GC/M/13, 14,15)
Atitsmeeting on18July1996, theGeneral Council heard reports ontheprogress ofpreparatory
workintheirrespective bodies, made under theirownresponsibility, bytheChairpersons oftheDispute
Settlement Body, theTrade Policy Review Body, theCouncil forTrade inServices, theCouncil forWT/GC/7
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Trade inGoods, theCommittee onTrade andDevelopment, theCommittee onTrade andEnvironment
andtheCommittee onRegional Trade Agreements, andbytheChairman onbehalf oftheChairman
oftheCouncil forTRIPS. TheGeneral Council alsoheard thattheChairmen oftheBudget andBalance-
of-Payments Committees hadnothing toreport atthisstage withregard topreparatory work forthe
Ministerial Conference intheirrespective Committees.
Atitsmeeting on2October 1996, theGeneral Council heard briefreports onthepreparatory
workintheirrespective bodies, made under theirownresponsibility, bytheChairpersons oftheCouncil
forTrade inGoods, theCouncil forTrade inServices andtheCouncil forTRIPS. TheGeneral Council
alsoheard thattheChairman oftheCommittee onTrade andDevelopment hadnothing toreport at
thisstage.
Atitsmeeting on14October 1996, theGeneral Council heard reports onthepreparatory work
intheirrespective bodies, made under theirownresponsibility, bytheChairpersons oftheTrade Policy
ReviewBody,theCouncilforTradeinGoods,theCouncilforTradeinServices,theCouncilforTRIPS,
theDispute Settlement Body, theCommittee onTrade andDevelopment, theCommittee onRegional
Trade Agreements andtheCommittee onTrade andEnvironment. TheGeneral Council alsoheard
thattheChairmen oftheBudget andBalance-of-Payments Committees hadnothing toreport atthis
stage withregard topreparatory work fortheMinisterial Conference intheirrespective Committees.
(iv) Reports of:
(a) Dispute Settlement Body and Trade Policy Review Body
(WT/GC/M/16)
Atitsmeeting on7,8and13November 1996, theGeneral Council considered theannual reports
oftheDispute Settlement Body (WT/DSB/8) andtheTrade Policy Review Body (WT/TPR/27). The
General Council tooknoteofthetworeports.
(b) Councils forTrade inGoods, Trade inServices, andTRIPS
(WT/GC/M/16)
Atitsmeeting on7,8and13November 1996, theGeneral Council considered theannual
reports oftheCouncils forTrade inGoods (G/L/134), Trade inServices (S/C/3), andTRIPS (IP/C/8).
TheGeneral Council tooknoteofthethreereports andapproved therecommendations contained therein.
Itagreed torevert atafuture meeting totherecommendations oftheCouncil forTrade inGoods
regarding notification obligations andprocedures, andtookseparate action atthemeeting onthe
recommendation regarding Preshipment Inspection.2
(c) Committee onTrade andEnvironment (WT/GC/M/16)
Atitsmeeting on7,8and13November 1996, theGeneral Council considered thereport of
theCommittee onTrade andEnvironment (WT/CTE/W/403).TheGeneral Council tooknoteofthe
report, approved therecommendations contained therein, andagreed toforward ittotheMinisterial
Conference forconsideration.
2Seepoint 8-"Agreement onPreshipment Inspection...".
3Thereport wassubsequently reissued asWT/CTE/1.WT/GC/7
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(d) Committees onTrade andDevelopment, Regional Trade Agreements,
Balance-of-Payments Restrictions, and Budget, Finance and
Administration (WT/GC/M/16)
Atitsmeeting on7,8and13November 1996, theGeneral Council considered theannual
reports oftheCommittees onTrade andDevelopment (WT/COMTD/9), Regional Trade Agreements
(WT/REG/2), Balance-of-Payments Restrictions (WT/BOP/R/19), andBudget, Finance and
Administration (WT/BFA/29).
TheGeneral Council adopted thereport oftheCommittee onTrade andDevelopment, approved
thedraftplanofAction fortheLeast-Developed Countries inWT/COMTD/W/20,4andagreed tosubmit
ittotheMinisterial Conference foradoption.
TheGeneral Council thentooknoteofthereports oftheCommittees onRegional Trade
Agreements, Balance-of-Payments Restrictions, andBudget, Finance andAdministration.
(e) Committees andCouncils under thePlurilateral Trade Agreements
(WT/GC/M/16)
Atitsmeeting on7,8and13November 1996, theGeneral Council considered andtooknote
oftheannual reports ofthefourCommittees andCouncils under thePlurilateral Trade Agreements
(Committee onGovernment Procurement (WT/L/190); Committee onTrade inCivil Aircraft
(WT/L/193); International Dairy Council (WT/L/178); International Meat Council (WT/L/179)).
(v) Election ofofficers oftheMinisterial Conference (WT/GC/M/14, 16)
AttheGeneral Council meeting on2October 1996, theChairman recalled thattheRules of
Procedure forSessions oftheMinisterial Conference (WT/L/161) provided fortheelection ofa
Chairperson andthree Vice-Chairpersons whowould holdoffice from theendofonesession until
theendofthenextregular session. Since theSingapore Ministerial Conference wasthefirstMinisterial
Conference, andtherewasnoelected Chairperson, heproposed thattheGeneral Council actonbehalf
oftheMinisterial Conference andelectaChairperson andthree Vice-Chairpersons atitsmeeting on
7November 1996. Ifthisproposal wereacceptable, hewould consult withMembers sothattheelection
oftheChairperson andthethree Vice-Chairpersons could takeplace attheGeneral Council meeting
on7November.
TheGeneral Council soagreed.
Atitsmeeting on7,8and13November 1996, theGeneral Council, acting onbehalf ofthe
Ministerial Conference, elected thefollowing asofficers ofthe1996 Ministerial Conference by
acclamation:
Chairperson: H.E. Mr.YeoCheo Tong
Minister forTrade andIndustry ofSingapore
Vice-Chairpersons: H.E. Mr.Enda Kenny
Minister forTourism andTrade ofIreland
4Subsequently reissued asWT/MIN(96)/W/2.WT/GC/7
Page9
H.E. Mr.Alvaro Ramos
Minister ofForeign Affairs ofUruguay
H.E. Mr.Mondher Zenaïdi
Minister ofTrade ofTunisia
(vi) Organizational matters (WT/GC/M/14, 16)
AttheGeneral Council meeting on2October 1996, theChairman addressed thefollowing
organizational matters pertaining totheMinisterial Conference:
1. Opening Session oftheConference
(a) Inaccordance withtheusual practice atMinisterial meetings, abriefinaugural
ceremony would beheldattheopening session towelcome thePrime Minister
ofSingapore.
(b) Theelected Chairperson oftheMinisterial Conference would invite thePrime
Minister ofSingapore toaddress theConference.
(c) Attheendofhisaddress totheConference, thePrime Minister ofSingapore
would declare thefirstMinisterial Conference oftheWTO formally opened.
(d) After thedeparture ofthePrime Minister ofSingapore, theChairperson would
takeupthefollowing business onthemorning ofMonday, 9December as
follows:
(i) Adoption oftheAgenda.
(ii) Agreement ontheOrder ofBusiness.
(iii) Introduction oftheReport oftheGeneral Council bytheChairman
oftheGeneral Council.
(iv) Introduction oftheReport onanoverview ofdevelopments in
international trade andthetrading system bytheDirector-General.
(v) Statements byMinisters.
2. ListofSpeakers
Members wishing tospeak attheMinisterial Conference should contact theSecretariat
andmake reservations notlaterthan1November 1996. Statements should belimited
toamaximum offiveminutes. Ifadelegation sowished, alonger textwould be
circulated indocument form totheConference.
Requestsforreservationsmadeafter1Novemberwouldbeaccommodatedinaccordance
withtheavailability oftime. Thepurpose ofthisprocedure wastoenable theSecretariat
toorganize inadvance thesequence ofplenary sessions oftheMinisterial Conference.
AttheGeneral Council meeting on7,8and13November 1996, theChairman informed
delegations, following consultations withtheSecretariat andwiththeauthorities ofthehostgovernment,
thatthebusiness oftheMinisterial Conference wasbeing planned onthefollowing basis: (a)Opening
Ceremony: Theopening ceremony would beheldonMonday, 9December aspreviously indicated
byhimon2October; (b)Plenary sessions: Plenary sessions would beheldonMonday morning
andafternoon, andthereafter onTuesday, Wednesday, Thursday andFriday mornings; (c)Special
meetings among Ministers: Theafternoons ofTuesday andWednesday, 10and11December, would
beleftopenforspecial meetings among Ministers todiscuss specific issues ofinterest tothem. Thursday
afternoon, 12December, would bereserved foranymeetings thatmight benecessary inaccordance
withtheadvancement oftheConference; and(d)Closure oftheMinisterial Conference: TheclosingWT/GC/7
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ceremony would takeplace onFriday, 13December. Immediately before theclosing ceremony at
theplenary oftheConference, Ministers would adopt theMinisterial Declaration andtakeanyother
actions thattheydeemed relevant under item2oftheProvisional Agenda oftheConference. Onthat
occasion, theywould alsotakenoteoftheGeneral Council report andendorse allrecommendations
therein. With regard tothespecial meetings among Ministers planned totakeplace onTuesday and
Wednesday afternoons, itwasproposed thattheybeorganized inthefollowing manner: (a)These
meetings would beopentoparticipation byallMinisters andtheiradvisers; (b)Although themeetings
would beinformal innature andwould takenodecisions oractions, records ofthediscussions could
bekeptbytheSecretariat ifsodesired; and(c)Inorder toensure anorderly discussion, Ministers
would beinvited toaddress thefollowing general topics: (i)implementation (onTuesday afternoon);
(ii)future work oftheWTO; and(iii) anyother matters which Ministers might wish toraise
(Wednesday, afternoon). Thepurpose ofthespecial meetings among Ministers would betoprovide
theopportunity foranexchange ofviews among Ministers onmatters relating totheWTO andthe
multilateral trading system, inanopenandinformal atmosphere.
(b) Attendance ofobservers attheMinisterial Conference
(i) Governments (WT/GC/M/14, 16)
AttheGeneral Council meeting on2October 1996, theChairman recalled theprocedures for
theattendance ofgovernments asobservers atmeetings oftheMinisterial Conference assetoutin
Annex 2oftheRules ofProcedure forSessions oftheMinisterial Conference (WT/L/161). Under
these procedures, governments thatwere presently accorded observer status intheGeneral Council
anditssubsidiary bodies would beinvited toattend sessions oftheMinisterial Conference asobservers.
Other governments thatwished tohaveobserver status attheMinisterial Conference, anddidnotat
present havesuchstatus intheGeneral Council anditssubsidiary bodies, would havetomake aformal
request inaccordance withtheprovisions ofparagraph 1oftheabove procedures. Anysuchrequests
would beexamined inaccordance withtheprocedures setout.Furthermore, observer governments
thatwished tospeak attheMinisterial Conference would beinvited todosoafterMembers hadspoken,
asprovided forintheprocedures.
Atitsmeeting on7,8and13November 1996, theGeneral Council considered requests for
observer status byIran(WT/L/191) andLaos (WT/L/192).5TheGeneral Council agreed togrant
therequest byLaos, andfurther agreed thattheChairman should inform Iranthattherewasnoconsensus
regarding thelatter'srequest.
(ii) International intergovernmental organizations (WT/GC/M/13, 14,15,16)
AttheGeneral Council meeting on18July1996, theChairman saidthat,ashehadindicated
todelegations ataninformal meeting on12July,heintended tostartconsultations ontheinternational
intergovernmental organizations tobeinvited asobservers totheMinisterial Conference onthebasis
ofthefollowing guidelines:
(a) organizationsthatwereobserverstotheGeneralCouncilwouldbeautomaticallyinvited;
(b) organizations thatwereobservers tosubsidiary bodies oftheWTO would beinvited
iftheyrequested toattend theConference;
5Carried inGeneral Council Minutes under "Iran -Request forobserver status atthe1996 Ministerial
Conference", and"Laos -Request forobserver status atthe1996 Ministerial Conference".WT/GC/7
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(c) consultations would becarried outtodetermine which other international
intergovernmental organizations thatwerenotobservers totheWTO andthatrequested
attendance attheConference should alsobeinvited.
Hehoped thatatitsmeeting scheduled forOctober, theGeneral Council would beinaposition
totakeadecision ontheinternational intergovernmental organizations tobeinvited asobservers to
theMinisterial Conference.
TheGeneral Council agreed withtheChairman 'sproposed approach.
Atitsmeeting on2October 1996, theChairman informed theGeneral Council thatthefollowing
organizations which werenotobservers totheWTO hadrequested attendance atthe1996 Ministerial
Conference: theCommon Market forEastern andSouthern Africa (COMESA), theCentral American
Bank forEconomic Integration, theCommon Fund forCommodities andtheIslamic Development
Bank. Heproposed thattheGeneral Council accept these requests andinvite these organizations as
observers totheMinisterial Conference.
TheGeneral Council soagreed.
Atitsmeeting on14October 1996, theChairman informed theGeneral Council thattheUnited
Nations Economic andSocial Commission forWestern Asia(ESCWA), which wasnotanobserver
totheWTO hadrequested attendance atthe1996Ministerial Conference. Heproposed thattheGeneral
Council accept thisrequest andinvite thisorganization asanobserver totheMinisterial Conference.
TheGeneral Council soagreed.
Atitsmeeting on7,8and13November 1996, theChairman informed theGeneral Council
thatthefollowing organizations which were notobservers totheWTO hadrequested attendance at
the1996Ministerial Conference: ASEAN, Asian Development Bank, Organization forAfrican Unity
(OAU), Organization oftheIslamic Conference, andtheSouthern African Development Community
(SADC). Heproposed thatallorganizations ofaregional orsub-regional nature thathadexpressed
awishtoattend theMinisterial Conference asobservers beinvited thereto.
TheGeneral Council soagreed.
(iii) Non-governmental organizations (WT/GC/M/13, 14,15)
AttheGeneral Council meeting on18July1996, theChairman saidhebelieved itwasnecessary
todetermine urgently howtoproceed withrequests from non-governmental organizations toattend
theMinisterial Conference inanobserver capacity and,onthebasis ofconsultations hehadheld,
proposed thefollowing method forproceeding:
(i) NGOs would beallowed toattend thePlenary Sessions oftheConference;
(ii) applications fromNGOs toberegistered would beaccepted onthebasis ofArticle V
oftheWTO Agreement, i.e.those NGOs "concerned withmatters related tothose
oftheWTO"; and
(iii) adeadline would beestablished fortheregistration ofNGOs thatwished toattend the
Conference. AlistoftheNGOs thathadapplied forattendance would becirculated
subsequently fortheinformation oftheGeneral Council. Attendance atplenary sessions
byNGOs would alsodepend upon theavailability ofspace.WT/GC/7
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TheGeneral Council agreed totheChairman 'sproposed procedure.
AttheGeneral Council meeting on2October 1996, theChairman drewattention toaninformal
document recently circulated bytheSecretariat which listed those NGOs which hadcomplied with
therequirements forattendance attheSingapore Ministerial Conference thathadbeenagreed inJuly.
TheGeneral Council agreed thattheSecretariat would prepare apaper outlining theagreed
modalities fortheattendance ofNGOs attheMinisterial Conference andthatthedeadline forregistration
ofNGOs beextended to15October.
AttheGeneral Council meeting on14October 1996, theChairman saidthatsince theGeneral
Council would notmeetagain before 7November, andinorder nottodelay unnecessarily theprocess
ofregistration forNGOs, agreement hadbeenreached ininformal consultations onawaytomove
theprocess forward, asfollows: (a)theSecretariat would establish for16October, asanaddendum
tothelistdistributed on2October, alistofthose additional NGOs which hadpresented requests for
registrationandwhichhadreceivedregistrationformssince2October,andwouldcirculateon22October
afinallistofthose NGOs towhom confirmation would besent; and(b)thefacilities provided for
NGOs attheSingapore Ministerial Conference might bereviewed bytheGeneral Council inthelight
oftheexperience gained from thisfirstMinisterial Conference.
TheGeneral Council agreed totheChairman 'sproposed procedure.
2. Finalization ofnegotiations onschedules ongoods andservices
- Decision ontheaccession of,andapproval ofprotocol ofaccession for,theUnited
Arab Emirates (WT/GC/M/10)
InDecember 1995, theGeneral Council hadapproved thegoods andservices schedules of
theUnited Arab Emirates.
Atitsmeeting on6February 1996, theGeneral Council approved thetextoftheProtocol of
Accession fortheUnited Arab Emirates (WT/L/129) and,inaccordance withtheDecision-Making
Procedures Under Articles IXandXIIoftheWTO Agreement agreed inNovember 1995(WT/L/93),
adopted theDecision ontheAccession oftheUAE (WT/L/128).
3. Composition oftheTextiles Monitoring Body (WT/GC/M/10)
InJanuary 1995, theGeneral Council hadadopted aDecision onthecomposition oftheTextiles
Monitoring Body untiltheendof1997(WT/L/26). With regard totheChina/Pakistan constituency,
afootnote totheDecision stipulated thatintheevent thatChina didnotbecome aWTO Member by
31December 1995, "aWTO Member, tobeproposed bytheWTO Members thataremembers of
theInternational Textiles andClothing Bureau, shallbeincluded inthisconstituency untilsuchdate
asChina becomes aWTO Member".
Atitsmeeting on6February 1996, theGeneral Council considered acommunication from
theITCB (WT/GC/W/28) proposing thatMacau beincluded intheChina/Pakistan constituency until
suchtimeasChina became aMember oftheWTO, oruntil31December 1997, whichever came first.
TheGeneral Council tooknoteoftheproposed nomination totheTMB (WT/L/26/Add.1).WT/GC/7
Page13
4. Committee onBalance-of-Payments Restrictions
(a) Consultations (WT/GC/M/10, 13,16)
Atitsmeetingon6February1996,theGeneralCouncilconsideredandadoptedtheCommittee's
report onitsconsultation withIndia (WT/BOP/R/11 -BOP/R/234).
Atitsmeeting on18July1996, theGeneral Council considered andadopted theCommittee 's
reports onitsconsultations withNigeria (WT/BOP/R/13), Tunisia (WT/BOP/R/14) andSlovakia
(WT/BOP/R/15).
Atitsmeeting on7,8and13November 1996, theGeneral Council considered andadopted
theCommittee'sreportsonitsconsultationswithHungary(WT/BOP/R/17)andNigeria(WT/BOP/R/18).
(b) Disinvocation ofthebalance-of-payments provisions oftheGATT 1994 byTurkey
andPoland (WT/GC/M/13)
Atitsmeeting on18July1996, theChairman oftheCommittee informed theGeneral Council
thatTurkey andPoland hadrecently communicated totheCommittee theirintention todisinvoke the
balance-of-payments provisions ofGATT 1994asof1January 1997(WT/BOP/N/7 andWT/BOP/N/8).
(c) Notifications bythePhilippines andIndia (WT/GC/M/13)
Atitsmeeting on18July1996, theGeneral Council tooknotethattheCommittee hadreceived
anotification from thePhilippines concerning thelifting ofrestrictions onagricultural products
(WT/BOP/N/9), andarecent submission from India containing alistofallquantitative restrictions
including those maintained forBOPpurposes (WT/BOP/N/11).
(d) Notes onmeetings (WT/GC/M/10, 13)
Atitsmeeting on6February 1996, theGeneral Council tooknoteoftheCommittee 'sdiscussion
ofitsongoing business reported inWT/BOP/R/12 -BOP/R/235.
Atitsmeeting on18July1996, theGeneral Council tooknoteoftheCommittee 'sdiscussion
ofitsongoing business reported inWT/BOP/R/16.
(e) Adhocobserverstatusforinternationalintergovernmentalorganizations(WT/GC/M/16)
Atitsmeeting on7,8and13November 1996, theGeneral Council tooknotethatatitsmeeting
on23,24and25September 1996, theCommittee hadrecognized theadhocobserver status ofthe
following international intergovernmental organizations: theACPSecretariat, EBRD, EFTA, OECD,
World Bank andUNCTAD.
5. Committee onBudget, Finance andAdministration
- Reports (WT/GC/M/10, 11,12,13)
Atitsmeeting on6February 1996, theGeneral Council considered theCommittee 'sreports
inWT/BFA/16 -L/7660 andWT/BFA/18 -L/7662, andadopted thetworeports.
Atitsmeeting on16April 1996, theGeneral Council considered theCommittee 'sreports in
WT/BFA/20, WT/BFA/21 andWT/BFA/22. TheGeneral Council approved theCommittee 'sspecificWT/GC/7
Page14
recommendations inparagraphs 12and14ofitsreport inWT/BFA/20, andadopted thereport. The
General Council thenapproved theCommittee 'sspecific recommendations inparagraph 8ofitsreport
inWT/BFA/21, andadopted thereport. TheGeneral Council thenapproved theCommittee 'sspecific
recommendations inparagraphs 5to11ofitsreport inWT/BFA/22, andadopted thereport.
Atitsmeeting on26June1996, theGeneral Council considered theCommittee 'sreport in
WT/BFA/24.TheGeneralCouncilapprovedtheCommittee'sspecificrecommendationinparagraph11
ofitsreport inWT/BFA/24, andadopted thereport.
Atitsmeeting on18July1996, theGeneral Council considered theCommittee 'sreport in
WT/BFA/26.TheGeneralCouncilapprovedtheCommittee'sspecificrecommendationsinparagraphs6
and8ofitsreport inWT/BFA/26, andadopted thereport.
6. Committee onRegional Trade Agreements
(a) Establishment oftheCommittee andadoption ofitsterms ofreference (WT/GC/M/10)
InDecember 1995, theGeneral Council hadagreed inprinciple toestablish acommittee on
regional trade agreements andthattheChairman would holdconsultations ontheterms ofreference
andother related matters concerning thecommittee.
AttheGeneral Council meeting on6February 1996, Mr.Weekes (Canada) reported onthe
consultations hehadheldonbehalf andattherequest oftheChairman, andproposed thatadraftdecision
thathadbeencirculated todelegations onthismatter beadopted withanamendment.
TheGeneral Council adopted theDecision establishing theCommittee onRegional Trade
Agreements withtheterms ofreference setouttherein (WT/L/127).
(b) Presiding officers oftheCommittee (WT/GC/M/11)
Atitsmeeting on16April 1996, theChairman informed theGeneral Council thatMr.Weekes
(Canada) hadagreed toserve asChairman oftheCommittee, andMr.Berthet (Uruguay) Mr.Harbinson
(Hong Kong), Mr.Ravaloson (Madagascar) andMr.Willems (Belgium) hadagreed toserve asVice-
Chairmen.
7. Approval ofrules ofprocedure forsubsidiary bodies
- Committee onRegional Trade Agreements (WT/GC/M/14)
Atitsmeeting on2October 1996, theGeneral Council approved therules ofprocedure for
meetings oftheCommittee onRegional Trade Agreements inWT/REG/1, which hadbeenadopted
bythatCommittee on2July.WT/GC/7
Page15
8. Agreement onPreshipment Inspection -Review under Article 6oftheAgreement
- Establishment ofaworking party (WT/GC/M/16)
Atitsmeeting on7,8and13November 1996, theGeneral Council, onthebasis ofa
recommendation bytheCouncil forTrade inGoods,6agreed toestablish aworking party under the
Council forTrade inGoods withthefollowing terms ofreference: "Toconduct thereview provided
forunder Article 6oftheAgreement onPreshipment Inspection andtoreport totheGeneral Council
through theCouncil forTrade inGoods inDecember 1997" (WT/L/196).
9. Waivers under Article IXoftheWTO Agreement
(a) Harmonized System
- Bangladesh, Bolivia, Guatemala, Jamaica, Morocco, Nicaragua andSriLanka
(WT/GC/M/13)
Atitsmeetingon18July1996,theGeneralCouncilconsideredrequestsbyBangladesh(G/L/77),
Bolivia (G/L/78), Guatemala (G/L/86), Jamaica (G/L/79), Morocco (G/L/80), Nicaragua (G/L/81)
andSriLanka (G/L/83) forextensions ofwaivers previously granted inconnection with their
implementation oftheHarmonized System, andtherelated draftdecisions.
TheChairman oftheCouncil forTrade inGoods reported ontheCouncil 'sconsideration of
these requests.
TheGeneral Council adopted theDecisions ontheextensions ofthewaivers (WT/L/164 -
Bangladesh; WT/L/165 -Bolivia; WT/L/172 -Guatemala; WT/L/166 -Jamaica; WT/L/167 -Morocco;
WT/L/168-Nicaragua;andWT/L/170-SriLanka)inaccordancewiththeDecision-MakingProcedures
Under Articles IXandXIIoftheWTO Agreement agreed inNovember 1995 (WT/L/93).
(b) Renegotiations ofSchedules
(i) Malawi -Renegotiation ofSchedule LVIII (WT/GC/M/10)
Atitsmeetingon6February1996,theGeneralCouncilconsideredarequestbyMalawi(G/L/51)
foranextension ofawaiver previously granted inconnection withitsrenegotiation ofitsschedule,
andadraftdecision tothiseffect (G/C/W/31).
TheChairman oftheCouncil forTrade inGoods reported ontheCouncil 'sconsideration of
thisrequest.
TheGeneral Council adopted theDecision ontheextension ofthewaiver (WT/L/131) in
accordance withtheDecision-Making Procedures Under Articles IXandXIIoftheWTO Agreement
agreed inNovember 1995 (WT/L/93).
(ii) Senegal -Renegotiation ofSchedule XLIX (WT/GC/M/13)
Atitsmeeting on18July1996, theGeneral Council considered arequest bySenegal (G/L/82)
foranextension ofawaiver previously granted inconnection withitsrenegotiation ofitsschedule,
andtherelated draftdecision (G/C/W/45).
6SeeWT/GC/W/41.WT/GC/7
Page16
TheChairman oftheCouncil forTrade inGoods reported ontheCouncil 'sconsideration of
thisrequest.
TheGeneral Council adopted theDecision ontheextension ofthewaiver (WT/L/169) in
accordance withtheDecision-Making Procedures Under Articles IXandXIIoftheWTO Agreement
agreed inNovember 1995 (WT/L/93).
(iii) Zambia -Renegotiation ofSchedule LXXVIII (WT/GC/M/13)
Atitsmeeting on18July1996, theGeneral Council considered arequest byZambia (G/L/84)
foranextension ofawaiver previously granted inconnection withitsrenegotiation ofitsschedule,
andtherelated draftdecision (G/C/W/47).
TheChairman oftheCouncil forTrade inGoods reported ontheCouncil 'sconsideration of
thisrequest.
TheGeneral Council adopted theDecision ontheextension ofthewaiver (WT/L/171) in
accordance withtheDecision-Making Procedures Under Articles IXandXIIoftheWTO Agreement
agreed inNovember 1995 (WT/L/93).
(c) Decision ontheintroduction ofHarmonized System changes intoWTO schedules of
tariff concessions on1January 1996
- Extension oftime-limit (WT/GC/M/13)
Atitsmeeting on18July1996, theGeneral Council considered adraftdecision extending
thetime-limit oftheDecision ontheintroduction ofHarmonized System changes intoWTO schedules
oftariff concessions on1January 1996 (G/MA/W/6).
TheChairman oftheCouncil forTrade inGoods reported ontheCouncil 'sconsideration of
thisextension ofthetime-limit.
TheGeneral Council adopted theDecision extending thetime-limit (WT/L/173) inaccordance
withtheDecision-Making Procedures Under Articles IXandXIIoftheWTO Agreement agreed in
November 1995 (WT/L/93).
(d) Extension ofwaivers pursuant toparagraph 2oftheUnderstanding inrespect ofwaivers
ofobligations under GATT 1994
(i) - Canada -CARIBCAN
- Cuba -Article XV:6 ofGATT 1994
- European Communities -Fourth ACP-EC Convention ofLomé
- France -Trading Arrangements withMorocco
- South Africa -Basedates under Article I:4
- United States -ANDEAN Trade Preference Act
- United States -Former Trust Territory ofthePacific Islands
- Zimbabwe -Basedates under Article I:4
(WT/GC/M/14, 15)
Atitsmeetingon2October1996,theGeneralCouncilconsideredrequestsbyCanada(G/L/100),
Cuba (G/L/89), theEuropean Communities (G/L/108, G/L/109), South Africa (G/L/104), theUnited
States (G/L/101, G/L/102) andZimbabwe (G/L/106) forextensions ofwaivers pursuant toparagraph 2WT/GC/7
Page17
oftheUnderstanding inrespect ofwaivers ofobligations under GATT 1994, andtherelated draft
decisions.
TheChairman oftheCouncil forTrade inGoods reported ontheCouncil 'sconsideration of
these requests.
TheGeneral Council agreed torevert tothismatter atitsnextmeeting.
Atitsmeeting on14October 1996, theGeneral Council again considered these requests and
adopted theDecisions ontheextensions ofthewaivers (WT/L/185 -Canada; WT/L/182 -Cuba;
WT/L/186 andWT/L/187 -European Communities; WT/L/188 -South Africa; WT/L/183 and
WT/L/184 -United States; andWT/L/189 -Zimbabwe) inaccordance withtheDecision-Making
Procedures Under Articles IXandXIIoftheWTO Agreement agreed inNovember 1995(WT/L/93).
(ii) United States -Imports ofautomotive products (WT/GC/M/16)
Atitsmeeting on7,8and13November 1996, theGeneral Council considered arequest by
theUnited States (G/L/103 andCorr. 1)foranextension ofitswaiver pursuant toparagraph 2ofthe
Understanding inrespect ofwaivers ofobligations under GATT 1994, andtherelated draftdecision
(GC/W/55).
TheChairman oftheCouncil forTrade inGoods reported ontheCouncil 'sconsideration of
thisrequest.
TheGeneral Council adopted theDecision ontheextension ofthewaiver (WT/L/198) in
accordance withtheDecision-making procedures under Articles IXandXIIoftheWTO Agreement
agreed inNovember 1995 (WT/L/93).
10. Status ofwaivers ineffect onthedateofentryintoforceoftheWTO Agreement (WT/GC/M/13)
Atitsmeeting on18July1996, theGeneral Council tooknotethatinconsultations heldrecently
bytheChairman onthestatus ofwaivers ineffect onthedateofentry intoforceoftheWTO Agreement,
there appeared tobebroad agreement thateachMember thatsought anextension ofsuchawaiver,
alistofwhich wasprovided inWT/L/153/Rev.1, should submit arequest foritsextension which should
bedealtwithunder theprovisions ofArticle IX:3oftheWTO Agreement andthat,pursuant tothose
provisions, suchrequests should firstbeconsidered bytheCouncil forTrade inGoods.
11. Accessions
(a) Bulgaria (WT/GC/M/14)
InNovember 1986 andFebruary 1990, theGATT 1947 Council hadestablished aworking
party toexamine Bulgaria 'srequest foraccession totheGeneral Agreement onTariffs andTrade.
Subsequently,inpursuanceoftheDecisionregardingrequestsforWTOaccessionadoptedbytheGeneral
Council on31January 19957,theGATT 1947 Accession Working Party hadbeentransformed into
aWTO Accession Working Party.
7SeeWT/GC/M/1, Item 4(g).WT/GC/7
Page18
Atitsmeeting on2October 1996, theGeneral Council considered theWorking Party'sreport
(WT/ACC/BGR/5 andCorr.1, Add.1 andAdd.2).
TheGeneral Council approved thetextoftheProtocol ofAccession (WT/ACC/BGR/7) and
thetextofthedraftdecision ontheAccession ofBulgaria and,inaccordance withtheDecision-Making
Procedures Under Articles IXandXIIoftheWTO Agreement agreed inNovember 1995(WT/L/93),
adopted theDecision ontheAccession ofBulgaria (WT/ACC/BGR/6). TheGeneral Council then
adopted thereport oftheWorking Party (WT/ACC/BGR/5 andCorr.1, Add.1 andAdd.2).
(b) Georgia (WT/GC/M/13)
Atitsmeeting on18July1996, theGeneral Council considered acommunication fromGeorgia
(WT/ACC/GEO/1) concerning itsinterest inacceding totheWTO Agreement pursuant toArticle XII
thereof.
TheGeneral Council agreed toestablish aworking party toexamine Georgia 'srequest, and
authorized itsChairman todesignate theChairperson oftheWorking Party inconsultation with
representatives ofMembers andwiththerepresentative ofGeorgia.
(c) Kazakstan (WT/GC/M/10, 11)
Atitsmeeting on6February 1996, theGeneral Council considered acommunication from
Kazakstan (WT/ACC/KAZ/1) concerning itsinterest inacceding totheWTO Agreement pursuant to
Article XIIthereof.
TheGeneral Council agreed toestablish aworking party toexamine Kazakstan 'srequest, and
authorized itsChairman todesignate theChairperson oftheWorking Party inconsultation with
representatives ofMembers andwiththerepresentative ofKazakstan.
TheChairman invited Kazakstan, onbehalf oftheGeneral Council, toattend meetings ofthe
General Council and,asappropriate, meetings ofother WTO bodies asanobserver during theperiod
when theWorking Party wascarrying outitswork.
Atitsmeeting on16April 1996, theChairman informed theGeneral Council thatMr.Ekblom
(Finland) hadagreed tochair theWorking Party.
(d) Kyrgyz Republic (WT/GC/M/11, 13)
Atitsmeeting on16April 1996, theGeneral Council considered acommunication from the
KyrgyzRepublic(WT/ACC/KGZ/1)concerningitsinterestinaccedingtotheWTOAgreementpursuant
toArticle XIIthereof.
TheGeneral Council agreed toestablish aworking party toexamine therequest oftheKyrgyz
Republic, andauthorized itsChairman todesignate theChairperson oftheWorking Party inconsultation
withrepresentatives ofMembers andwiththerepresentative oftheKyrgyz Republic.
TheChairman invited theKyrgyz Republic, onbehalf oftheGeneral Council, toattend meetings
oftheGeneral Council and,asappropriate, meetings ofother WTO bodies asanobserver during the
period when theWorking Party wascarrying outitswork.
Atitsmeeting on18July1996, theChairman informed theGeneral Council thatMr.Metzger
(France) hadagreed tochair theWorking Party.WT/GC/7
Page19
(e) Mongolia (WT/GC/M/13)
InOctober1991,theGATT1947CouncilhadestablishedaworkingpartytoexamineMongolia's
request foraccession totheGeneral Agreement onTariffs andTrade. Subsequently, inpursuance
oftheDecision regarding requests forWTO accession adopted bytheGeneral Council on31January
19958,theGATT 1947Accession Working Party hadbeentransformed intoaWTO Accession Working
Party.
Atitsmeeting on18July1996, theGeneral Council considered theWorking Party'sreport
(WT/ACC/MNG/9 andCorr.1, Add.1, Add.1/Corr.1, andAdd.2).
TheGeneral Council approved thetextoftheProtocol ofAccession (WT/ACC/MNG/11) and
thetextofthedraftdecision ontheAccession ofMongolia and,inaccordance withtheDecision-Making
Procedures Under Articles IXandXIIoftheWTO Agreement agreed inNovember 1995(WT/L/93),
adopted theDecision ontheAccession ofMongolia (WT/ACC/MNG/10). TheGeneral Council then
adopted thereport oftheWorking Party (WT/ACC/MNG/9 andCorr.1, Add.1 andAdd.1/Corr.1,
andAdd.2).
(f) Oman (WT/GC/M/12, 14)
Atitsmeeting on26June1996, theGeneral Council considered acommunication fromOman
(WT/ACC/OMN/1) concerning itsinterest inacceding totheWTO Agreement pursuant toArticle
XIIthereof.
TheGeneral Council agreed toestablish aworking party toexamine Oman 'srequest, and
authorized itsChairman todesignate theChairperson oftheWorking Party inconsultation with
representatives ofMembers andwiththerepresentative ofOman.
TheChairmaninvitedOman,onbehalfoftheGeneralCouncil,toattendmeetingsoftheGeneral
Council and,asappropriate, meetings ofother WTO bodies asanobserver during theperiod when
theWorking Party wascarrying outitswork.
Atitsmeeting on2October 1996, theChairman informed theGeneral Council thatMr.Akram
(Pakistan) hadagreed tochair theWorking Party.
(g) Panama (WT/GC/M/14)
InOctober 1991, theGATT 1947Council hadestablished aworking partytoexamine Panama 's
request foraccession totheGeneral Agreement onTariffs andTrade. Subsequently, inpursuance
oftheDecision regarding requests forWTO accession adopted bytheGeneral Council on31January
19959,theGATT 1947Accession Working Party hadbeentransformed intoaWTO Accession Working
Party.
Atitsmeeting on2October 1996, theGeneral Council considered theWorking Party'sreport
(WT/ACC/PAN/19 andCorr.1, Add.1 andAdd.2).
TheGeneral Council approved thetextoftheProtocol ofAccession (WT/ACC/PAN/21) and
thetextofthedraftdecision ontheAccession ofPanama and,inaccordance withtheDecision-Making
8SeeWT/GC/M/1, Item 4(g).
9SeeWT/GC/M/1, Item 4(g).WT/GC/7
Page20
Procedures Under Articles IXandXIIoftheWTO Agreement agreed inNovember 1995(WT/L/93),
adopted theDecision ontheAccession ofPanama (WT/ACC/PAN/20). TheGeneral Council then
adopted thereport oftheWorking Party (WT/ACC/PAN/19 andCorr.1, Add.1 andAdd.2).
(h) Papua NewGuinea (WT/GC/M/10, 11)
InNovember 1995, theGeneral Council hadadopted aDecision (WT/L/98) authorizing Papua
New Guinea toaccede totheWTO Agreement under terms setoutinitsProtocol ofAccession
(WT/L/99).
Atitsmeeting on6February 1996, theGeneral Council considered acommunication from
Papua New Guinea requesting thatthetime-limit foracceptance inparagraph 6ofitsProtocol of
Accession bechanged to13May1996(WT/GC/W/30), andadraftdecision tothiseffect intheAnnex
tothatdocument.
Therepresentative ofJapan reiterated hisGovernment 'sconcern withregard toPapua New
Guinea 'sapplied tariff oncanned mackerel thatwasinexcess ofthebound tariff.
TheGeneral Council adopted theDecision extending thetime-limit (WT/L/130).
Atitsmeeting on16April 1996, theGeneral Council considered acommunication fromPapua
NewGuinea requesting thatthetime-limit inparagraph 6ofitsProtocol ofAccession befurther extended
to13August 1996 (WT/GC/W/33), andadraftdecision tothiseffect intheAnnex tothatdocument.
TheGeneral Council adopted theDecision further extending thetime-limit (WT/L/148).
(i) Saudi Arabia (WT/GC/M/10)
InJuly1993,theGATT1947CouncilhadestablishedaworkingpartytoexamineSaudiArabia's
request foraccession totheGATT. Following therequest bySaudi Arabia foraccession totheWTO
Agreement(WT/ACC/SAU/1),thatworkingpartyhadbeentransformedintoaWTOAccessionWorking
Party.
Atitsmeetingon6February1996,theChairmaninformedtheGeneralCouncilthatMr.Weekes
(Canada) hadagreed tochair theWorking Party.
(j) Seychelles (WT/GC/M/13)
InJuly1995,theGeneralCouncilhadestablishedaworkingpartytoexamineSeychelles'request
foraccession totheWTO Agreement, andhadauthorized itsChairman todesignate theChairperson
oftheWorking Party inconsultation withrepresentatives ofMembers andwiththerepresentative of
Seychelles.
Atitsmeeting on18July1996, theChairman informed theGeneral Council thatMr.Ravaloson
(Madagascar) hadagreed tochair theWorking Party.
(k) Tonga (WT/GC/M/10)
InNovember 1995, theGeneral Council hadestablished aworking party toexamine Tonga 's
request foraccession totheWTO Agreement, andhadauthorized itsChairman todesignate the
Chairperson oftheWorking Party inconsultation withrepresentatives ofMembers andwiththe
representative ofTonga.WT/GC/7
Page21
Atitsmeeting on6February 1996, theChairman informed theGeneral Council that
Mr.Harbinson (Hong Kong) hadagreed tochair theWorking Party.
(l) Vanuatu (WT/GC/M/11)
InJuly1995, theGeneral Council hadestablished aworking partytoexamine Vanuatu 'srequest
foraccession totheWTO Agreement, andhadauthorized itsChairman todesignate theChairperson
oftheWorking Party inconsultation withrepresentatives ofMembers andwiththerepresentative of
Vanuatu.
Atitsmeeting on16April 1996, theChairman informed theGeneral Council that
Mrs. Syahruddin (Indonesia) hadagreed tochair theWorking Party.
12. Brazil -Provisional safeguard measures concerning imports oftoys(WT/GC/M/13)
AttheGeneralCouncilmeetingon18July1996,therepresentativeoftheEuropeanCommunities
expressed concern atBrazil 'srecent initiation ofasafeguard investigation andtheimposition ofa
provisional safeguard measure onimports oftoysoriginating inallthirdcountries.
13. Hungary -Invocation ofArticle 48oftheVienna Convention ontheLawoftheTreaties
(WT/GC/M/11)
Atitsmeeting on16April 1996, therepresentative ofHungary informed theGeneral Council
ofHungary 'sinvocation, on9April 1996, ofArticle 48oftheVienna Convention ontheLawofTreaties
withrespect toSection IIofPartIVofSchedule LXXI, andexpressed hisGovernment 'sreadiness
toholdconsultations withanyMembers onthismatter.
14. United States -Cuban Liberty andDemocratic Solidarity Actof1996 (WT/GC/M/11)10
AttheGeneral Council meeting on16April 1996, therepresentative ofCuba expressed concern
thattheUSHelms-Burton Actof1996 wasaviolation ofinternational trade rules andinternational
law,aswellasofundertakings entered intobytheUnited States when signing theFinal ActEmbodying
theResults oftheUruguay Round, andnoted thathisGovernment hadrecently circulated a
communication onthismatter (WT/L/142).
15. Compliance withtheobligations ofArticles 70.8and70.9oftheTRIPS Agreement
(WT/GC/W/10)
AttheGeneral Council meeting on6February 1996, therepresentative oftheUnited States
expressed concern thatanumber ofcountries hadnotcomplied withtheobligations ofArticles 70.8
and70.9oftheTRIPS Agreement andreserved hisdelegation 'srights forfuture action inthisregard.
10Carried inGeneral Council Minutes as"Statement byCuba ontheUnited States 'Helms-Burton Actof
1996."WT/GC/7
Page22
16. Notification requirements (WT/GC/M/11)
AttheGeneral Council meeting on16April 1996, theDirector-General noted thatMembers
hadrecently beenreminded oftheirunfulfilled notification requirements for1995andtheirnotification
requirements for1996, andunderlined theimportance offulfilling these obligations.
17. World Bank study onMERCOSUR (WT/GC/M/16)
AttheGeneral Council meeting on7,8and13November 1996, therepresentative ofBrazil
expressed concern ataWorld Bank study onMERCOSUR, which hesaidraised aproblem ofWorld
Bank action onamatter under WTO competence andnotforeseen under thecooperation established
byArticle III:5oftheWTO Agreement.
18. WTO Press Release onTrade andForeign Direct Investment (WT/GC/M/15)
AttheGeneral Council meeting on14October 1996, therepresentative ofIndia expressed
concern attherecent issuance bytheSecretariat ofaPress Release entitled "Trade andForeign Direct
Investment -New Report bytheWTO", which raised thefundamental andimportant issueoftherole
oftheSecretariat anditsrelationship withMembers.
19. Procedures forthecirculation andderestriction ofWTO documents (WT/GC/M/10, 12,13)
Atitsmeeting on6February 1996, theChairman informed theGeneral Council thatnofurther
progress onthismatter hadbeenachieved since themeeting oftheGeneral Council inDecember 1995
andthatheintended torefer tothismatter inastatement hewould make under aseparate Agenda
item.11
Atitsmeeting on26June1996, theChairman informed theGeneral Council thathewasstill
notinaposition tosubmit adraftdecision onthismatter forconsideration byMembers.
AttheGeneral Council meeting on18July1996, theChairman saidthatfollowing extensive
consultations heldsince thebeginning oftheyear, agreement hadnowbeenreached onacompromise
textthatappeared tobeagreeable toamajority ofdelegations. Heproposed thatthetextofthedraft
decision onthismatter, withparagraph (h)oftheAppendix redrafted toreflect thecompromise regarding
panel reports, beadopted atthepresent meeting.
TheGeneral Council adopted theprocedures forthecirculation andderestriction ofWTO
documents (WT/L/160/Rev.1).
TheChairman thenmade thefollowing statement: "Inadopting these procedures onthe
circulationandderestrictionofdocuments,theGeneralCounciltakesnotethatMembersattachparticular
importance totherestricted nature ofdocuments sodesignated, andthatindividual governments should
proceed accordingly intheirhandling ofsuchdocuments."
11Seeunder point 25-"Election ofChairperson".WT/GC/7
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20. Status ofratification oftheWTO Agreement bycertain governments (WT/GC/M/16)
Under theprovisions ofArticle XIV:1 oftheWTO Agreement, contracting parties totheGATT
1947 thathadotherwise completed therequirements tobeoriginal Members were allowed untilthe
endof1996 tocomplete theirratification oftheAgreement.
Atitsmeeting on7,8and13November 1996, theChairman informed theGeneral Council
thathewould consult onthequestion ofthreegovernments covered bytheprovisions ofArticle XIV:1
oftheWTO Agreement thathadstillnotratified theAgreement andwould havetonegotiate accession
iftheyfailed toratify bytheendof1996.
21. Arrangements foreffective cooperation withother intergovernmental organizations
- Relations between theWTO andtheInternational Monetary Fund andtheWorld Bank
(WT/GC/M/13, 16)
AttheGeneral Council meeting on18July1996, theChairman saidthatinformal consultations
ondraftarrangements forrelations between theWTO andtheIMFandtheWorld Bank werecurrently
under way, andproposed thattheGeneral Council revert tothisitematitsnextmeeting.
TheGeneral Council soagreed.
Atitsmeeting on7,8and13November 1996, theGeneral Council considered draftAgreements
oncooperation withtheIMFandtheWorld Bank contained inWT/GC/W/43, andadraftdecision
regardingtheapprovaloftheseAgreements(WT/GC/W/42andAddenda).TheGeneralCounciladopted
thedraftDecision (WT/L/194 andAddenda) approving theAgreements withtheIMFandtheWorld
Bank (WT/L/195).
22. Guidelines forarrangements onrelations withnon-governmental organizations pursuant to
Article V:2oftheWTO Agreement (WT/GC/M/10, 12,13)
Atitsmeeting on6February 1996, theChairman informed theGeneral Council thatnofurther
progress onthismatter hadbeenachieved since themeeting oftheGeneral Council inDecember 1995
andthatheintended torefer tothismatter inastatement hewould make under aseparate Agenda
item.12
AttheGeneral Council meeting on26June1996, theChairman recalled thatapproval ofthe
proposed guidelines onthismatter hadbeenlinked toagreement onderestriction procedures, onwhich
hewasstillnotinaposition tosubmit adraftdecision forconsideration.
AttheGeneral Council meeting on18July1996, theChairman drew attention tothedraft
guidelines forarrangements onrelations withnon-governmental organizations which hadbeenagreed
ininformal consultations heldin1995 andheldinabeyance pending adecision onprocedures forthe
circulation andderestriction ofWTO documents. Since thelatter hadbeenadopted earlier atthat
meeting13,heproposed thattheguidelines onrelations withnon-governmental organizations alsobe
adopted.
12Seeunder point 25-"Election ofChairperson".
13Seeunder point 19-"Procedures forthecirculation andderestriction ofWTO documents".WT/GC/7
Page24
TheGeneral Council soagreed (WT/L/162).
23. Administrative matters
(i) Offices oftheDeputy Directors-General (WT/GC/M/11)
AttheGeneral Council meeting on16April 1996, theDirector-General proposed thatsince
preparations fortheMinisterial Conference inDecember 1996 would require alltheattention of
Members, thecontracts ofthethree Deputy Directors-General, Messrs. Hoda, Lavorel andSeade,
which wereduetoexpire on31July1996, beextended foraperiod ofoneyear, andthatheinitiate
consultations onfurther renewals ornewappointments early in1997, wellinadvance ofthedateof
expiration oftheirterms ofoffice.
TheGeneral Council agreed toproceed assuggested bytheDirector-General ifthismatter
were notraised again atitsnextmeeting.
(ii) Staff-related matters (WT/GC/M/10)
Atitsmeeting on6February 1996, theDirector-General recalled theDecision oftheGeneral
Council atitsmeeting on30October 1995withregard tothereview ofthequestion ofsalaries, pensions
andother conditions ofservice ofWTO staff(WT/L/91), andoutlined reasons forwhich itwasurgent
fortheGeneral Council toresume consideration ofthese questions inorder toreach decisions assoon
aspossible. Heproposed thatinformal consultations bytheChairman would beappropriate forthis
purpose.
TheGeneral Council agreed thatitsChairman holdinformal consultations onthese matters.
(iii) Pensions andsalaries ofWTO staff(WT/GC/M/15)
AttheGeneral Council meeting on14October 1996, theChairman saidthatininformal
consultations heldrecently, noconsensus hadbeenpossible onthetextofadraftproposal onconditions
ofservice forWTO staffthathehadcirculated, andthathewould continue hisconsultations onthis
matter.
Atitsmeeting on7,8and13November 1996, theGeneral Council adopted aDecision
(WT/L/197) tocontinue itsconsideration ofthismatter withaviewtoreaching aconclusion thereto
by30June1997atthelatest. TheChairman saidthathewould consult shortly toestablish atime-table
toensure thataconclusion tothismatter wasindeed reached bythatdate.
24. Observer status
(i) Governments
- Georgia (WT/GC/M/12)
Atitsmeeting on26June1996, theGeneral Council granted observer status toGeorgia.
(ii) International intergovernmental organizations (WT/GC/M/10, 11,12,13,14,15,16)
AttheGeneral Council meeting on6February 1996, theChairman saiditwashisunderstanding
thatpending agreement onguidelines forobserver status forinternational organizations, theUnitedWT/GC/7
Page25
Nations, UNCTAD, IMF, World Bank, FAO, WIPO andOECD would beinvited tothenextmeeting
oftheGeneral Council, inaccordance withtheadhocarrangements approved on16March 1995.14
AttheGeneralCouncilmeetingon16April1996,theChairmanrecalledhisearlierunderstanding
onthismatter.
AttheGeneralCouncilmeetingon26June1996,theChairmanrecalledhisearlierunderstanding
onthismatter.
AttheGeneral Council meeting on18July1996, theChairman saiditwashisunderstanding
that,pending agreement ontheorganizations tobeaccorded observer status intheGeneral Council
inaccordance withtheguidelines forsuchstatus agreed on18July15,theUnited Nations, UNCTAD,
IMF, World Bank, FAO, WIPO andOECD would beinvited tothenextmeeting oftheGeneral Council.
AttheGeneral Council meeting on2October 1996, theChairman recalled hisprevious
understanding onthismatter.
AttheGeneral Council meeting on14October 1996, theChairman recalled hisprevious
understanding onthismatter.
AttheGeneral Council meeting on7,8and13November 1996, theChairman recalled his
previous understanding onthismatter.
(iii) Guidelines onobserver status forinternational intergovernmental organizations
(WT/GC/M/12, 13)
AttheGeneral Council meeting on26June1996, theChairman recalled thatagreement on
guidelines onobserver status forinternational intergovernmental organizations hadbeen awaiting
agreement ontheparticipation oforganizations asobservers intheDispute Settlement Body andthat
anessential aspect ofthiswould bethearrangements forcooperation between theWTO andtheIMF
andtheWorld Bank thatwerepresently under consideration. Theguidelines therefore could notyet
befinalized.
AttheGeneral Council meeting on18July1996, theChairman recalled thatMembers had
thusfarconsidered thatguidelines onobserver status forinternational organizations could notbeadopted
untilagreement hadbeenreached onarrangements forcooperation between theWTO andtheIMF
andWorld Bank. Pending theapproval ofthose arrangements, heproposed thatMembers agree on
thetextascontained inPC/IPL/W/14, withanamendment toparagraph 3thereof, which would not
prejudge theoutcome oftheconsultations ontheabove arrangements, butwhich would atthesame
timeenable theGeneral Council toadopt guidelines atthepresent time. Thiswould allow theWTO
tosettle thequestion oftheattendance ofinternational intergovernmental organizations inWTO bodies
intimefordecisions tobetaken regarding theparticipation ofobserver organizations attheMinisterial
Conference inSingapore.
The General Council adopted theguidelines onobserver status forinternational
intergovernmental organizations proposed bytheChairman (WT/L/161, Annex 3).
14SeeWT/GC/M/3, Item 3.
15Seeunder sub-point 24(iii) below -"Guidelines onobserver status forinternational intergovernmental
organizations".WT/GC/7
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25. Election ofChairperson (WT/GC/M/10)
AttheGeneral Council meeting on6February 1996, astheoutgoing presiding officer ofthe
General Council, theChairman made astatement onthework oftheGeneral Council in1995
(WT/GC(96)/ST/1).
TheGeneral Council thenunanimously elected Mr.Rossier (Switzerland) totheChair.