WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  WT/BFA/W/111 
18 March 2004 
 (04-1218) 
Committee on Budget, Finance and Administration  
  
 
 
VOLUNTARY CONTRIBUTIONS, GIFTS OR DONATIONS FROM 
NON-GOVERNMENTAL DONORS 
  
1. Upon the recommendation of the Committe e on Budget, Finance and Administration 
(WT/BFA/51), the General Council approved, on 15 December 2000, Guidelines on Voluntary Contributions, Gifts or Donations from Non-Governmental Donors (WT/GC/M/61).  The original guidelines are attached as Annex II.  
2. In accordance with paragraph 9 of the Gu idelines, the Committee on Budget, Finance and 
Administration started its review of the guidelin es in October 2002 and continued the discussions on 
the issue in the course of 2003.  3. At its meeting on 25 September 2003, some me mbers expressed the point of view that the 
approved Guidelines had proven to be too elabor ate given the number and the level of donations 
proposed and accepted since December 2000 and re quested the Secretaria t to propose ideas on 
streamlining this process before formulating its recommendations to the General Council. 
 4. In this context, the Committee might consider draft revised guidelines contained in Annex I.   
 WT/BFA/W/111 
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 ANNEX I 
 
DRAFT REVISION
 
 
VOLUNTARY CONTRIBUTIONS, GIFTS OR DONATIONS FROM 
NON-GOVERNMENTAL DONORS 
 
 
Given that voluntary contributions, gifts or dona tions (hereafter "donations") from non-governmental 
donors could be of benefit and since Members are co mmitted to ensuring that no conflict of interest 
should arise through the acceptance of such donat ions, it is herein affirmed that the process with 
regard to such donations will be go verned by the following guidelines. 
 
1. Donations proposed by private individuals a nd non-governmental, non-profit organizations or 
foundations (non-governmental donors)  may be considered.  These ma y include donations of goods or 
services "in kind";  however, secondment of staf f from non-governmental donors to the WTO is 
prohibited. 
2. Donations from non-governmental donors, which are for-profit organizations or companies, 
shall not be accepted. 
3. The activities, aims and motivations of the non-governmental donors mentioned under 1 
above shall not be incompatible with the policies, aims and activities of the WTO and, as mentioned 
above, shall not give rise to a conflict of interest. 
4. While non-governmental donors shall be enc ouraged to make donations to the Doha 
Development Agenda Global Trust Fund at large,  the donor may specify one or more activities 
associated with WTO programs as the purpose of the donation. 
5. Proposed donations from non-governmental donor s, which fulfil the above-mentioned criteria 
shall be notified to the Committee on Budget, Finance and Administration. 
6. The notification shall include full details regard ing the activities, aims and motivations of the 
non-governmental donors mentioned under 1 above and the intend ed uses(s) of the donation. 
7. The Director-General may accept a proposed donation if no objection is raised by Members 
15 days after the date of the notification.   
8. At the request of a Member, acceptance of the donation will be deferred and placed on the 
agenda of the next meeting of the Comm ittee on Budget, Finance and Administration. 
9. All accepted donations from non-governmental donors  shall be placed in a trust fund and be 
disbursed in a manner that takes into account the broad objectives of the Committee on Trade and 
Development, the Memorandum of Understanding  Establishing the Global Trust Fund and any 
additional modalities to be established for the purpose of disbursing the resources of the trust fund. 
10. Donations shall not entitle non-g overnmental donors to use of the WTO name or logo in any 
way. 
11. Full details relative to all accepted donations from non-governmental donors and their uses 
shall be included in the Director General’s Budg etary and Financial Report on extra-budgetary funds.  WT/BFA/W/111 
 Page 3 
 
 
 ANNEX II 
 
VOLUNTARY CONTRIBUTIONS, GIFTS OR DONATIONS FROM 
NON-GOVERNMENTAL DONORS (WT/BFA/51) 
 
(Revised 21-11-00 ) 
 
 
Given that voluntary contributions, gifts or donations (hereinafter "donations") from 
non-governmental donors could be of benefit and sin ce Members are committed to ensuring that no 
conflict of interest should arise through the accept ance of such donations, it is herein affirmed that 
WTO Members will take all decisions  relating to the acceptability of such donations and their uses.  
The process  in this area will be governed  by the following guidelines. 
 
 1. Donations proposed by private individuals and non-governmental, non-pr ofit organizations or 
foundations (non-governmental donors)  may be considered.  These ma y include donations of goods or 
services "in kind"; however, secondment of staff from non-governmental donors to the WTO is 
prohibited.  2. Donations from non-governmental donors whic h are for-profit organizations or companies 
shall not be accepted. 
 3. The activities, aims and motivations of  the non-governmental donors mentioned under 1 
above shall not be incompatible with the policies, aims and activities of the WTO and, as mentioned 
above, shall not give rise to a conflict of interest.  
 
4. All proposed donations from non-governmental dono rs shall be notified to the Committee on 
Budget, Finance and Administration which shall promptly consider the proposals. The Director-General shall accept a proposed donation only after the Committee has approved
* the 
proposed donation and its intended use(s). It is re cognized that the Committee may wish to consider 
establishing a subsidiary working group to make recommendations to it relative to proposed 
donations. 
 5. All accepted donations from non-governmental donors shall be placed in a single trust fund 
and be disbursed in an manner that takes into account the broad objectives of the Committee on Trade 
and Development, the Memorandum  of Understanding Establishing the Global Trust Fund and any 
additional modalities to be established for the purpose of disbursing the resources of the trust fund.  
Non-governmental donors shall be encouraged to make donations to the trust fund at large.   The 
non-governmental donor may specify one or more activity associated with the WTO Programme for 
Technical Cooperation or other WTO-sponsored cap acity building and training activities not covered 
by the regular budget supported training programme  as the purpose of the donation.  More specific 
earmarking shall be strongly discouraged by the WTO.  Donations from non-governmental donors 
covered by these guidelines may also be utilized fo r other activities which Members may decide by 
consensus should be supported through the trust fund.  6. Full details relative to all accepted donations  from non-governmental donors and their uses 
shall be entered into a public registry which shall be readily accessible including through the WTO 
internet web site. 
 
                                                     
 
* Pursuant to Regulation 19:1 of the WTO Financia l Regulations.  All donations of a type covered by 
these guidelines are deemed to involve a certain additional financial liability for the WTO. WT/BFA/W/111 
Page 4  
 
 7. Donations shall not entitle non- governmental donors to use of the WTO name or logo in any 
way.  8. The WTO Secretariat shall report regularly to the Committee on Budget, Finance and Administration on the administration of the trust fund and the actual use of the resources therein. 
 
9. A review of these guidelines and any additiona l modalities established for the purpose of their 
implementation shall be initiated by the Committee on Budget, Finance and Administration not later 
than January 2003.  The review shall be comple ted within twelve months of its initiation. 
 
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