WORLD TRADE WT/TPR/23
18September 1996
ORGANIZATION(96-3658)
Trade Policy Review Body
TRADE POLICY REVIEW MECHANISM
COLOMBIA
Arrangements forReview Meetings
Communication from theChairperson oftheTrade Policy Review Body
1. Inpursuance ofArticle IV,paragraph 4andAnnex 3oftheWTO Agreement, meetings of
theTrade Policy Review Body arescheduled for25-26 September toconduct thereview ofthetrade
policies andpractices ofColombia (WTO/AIR/405).
2. Thiscommunication setsoutarrangements concerning thereview meetings. Inthisconnection,
attention isalsodrawn totheprocedures fortheconduct ofreviews contained intherulesofprocedure
formeetings oftheTrade Policy Review Body (WT/TPR/6).
(i) Questions inwriting inadvance ofthemeeting
3. Where possible, Members shallsubmit written questions totheMembers under review atleast
oneweek before thereview meeting, toallow timetoprepare replies. Forthese forthcoming reviews,
suchquestions should therefore beinthehands oftheSecretariat byWednesday 18September .All
questions submitted willbemade available toMembers atthebeginning ofthemeetings.
(ii) Discussants
4. Inconsultation withtheMembers under review, theChairperson oftheTrade Policy Review
Body maychoose discussants who, intheirpersonal capacity, willintroduce thediscussions inthe
Body. H.E. Mr.Alejandro delaPeña(Mexico) andMr.RicWells (Australia) willactasdiscussants
forthereview ofColombia. Documents summarizing themainpoints toberaised bythediscussants
willbecirculated oneweek inadvance ofthemeetings.
(iii) Structure ofthemeeting
5. Trade policy review cover fourbroad headings:
(a) appreciation ofthefullrange oftheMember 'strade policies andpractices;
(b) relevant background: wider economic anddevelopmental needs, including theexternal
environment;
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Page2
(c) impactoftheMember'stradepoliciesandpracticesonthefunctioningofthemultilateral
trading system; and
(d) general comments bywayofassessment andevaluation.
Meetings takeplace intwosessions. Thefirstsession isdevoted totheopening statements bythe
Member under review, discussants andremarks fromthefloor. Thediscussion onthesecond session
when replies aremade bytheMember under review, isbased onmainthemes identified aftertheopening
meeting bytheChairperson, discussants andSecretariat inconsultation withtheMember.
(iv) Documentation andpress arrangements
6. Reports bytheMembers under review andtheSecretariat arecontained inthefollowing
documents:
WT/TPR/G/18 Report bytheGovernment ofColombia
WT/TPR/S/18 Colombia: Report bytheSecretariat
7. Thepress embargoes forthereview ofColombia willendat13.00 GMT (14.00 localtime)
onThursday 26September 1996.
(v) Minutes
8. Minutes ofthemeeting willbecirculated promptly andwillbepublished together withthe
reports bytheGovernment andtheSecretariat.
(vi) Answers inwriting bythecontracting parties under review afterthespecial Council meetings
9. Inthecourse ofthediscussions atthereview meeting, theMember under review mayindicate
thatitintends toprovide supplementary information, inwriting, onspecific points raised. Upon receipt,
theSecretariat willcirculate adocument containing thisinformation toallMembers. Suchinformation
willnotbereflected intheminutes ofthemeeting.