RESTRICTED
WORLD TRADE WT/COMTD/W/18
1October 1996
ORGANIZATION(96-3975)
Original: English Committee onTrade andDevelopment
Eleventh Session
DRAFT GUIDELINES FOR WTO TECHNICAL COOPERATION
CHAIRMAN 'SNOTE
Thepresent Note contains theDraft Guidelines forTechnical Cooperation drawn uponthe
basis ofextensive consultations bytheChairman. They reflect thecomments made bydelegations
anddiscussions heldintheSessions oftheCommittee onTrade andDevelopment of24May, 7June,
12Julyand12September 1996. They alsotakeintoaccount written comments submitted byanumber
ofdelegations andthus, reflect abroad measure ofsupport.
WTO Technical Cooperation istobeprovided todeveloping countries, andmaybeextended
toeconomies intransition, inconformity withtheprinciples setoutbelow:
I. OBJECTIVES AND PRINCIPLES
- Contribute totheexpansion oftrade ofdeveloping countries;
- Strengthen andenhance institutional andhuman capacities inthepublic sector foranappropriate
participation inthemultilateral trading system; whenever possible andinconsultation with
thegovernmentconcerned,capacitybuildingactivitiescouldincluderepresentativesoftheprivate
sector;
- Bedemand-driven andadapted torecipient needs, inparticular withrespect tothebestsuited
modes ofdelivery;
- Becomplementary toandsupportive ofrecipients efforts toidentify theirownrequirements;
- Keepageographical balance, while giving thepriority toleast-developed countries, inparticular
African countries, andtolow-income economies;
- Cover subject matters within thecompetence andexpertise oftheWTO, inparticular:
- Toimprove knowledge ofmultilateral trade rulesandWTO working procedures and
negotiations; and
- Toassist intheimplementation ofcommitments inthemultilateral trading system and
fulluseofitsprovisions,includingtheeffectiveuseofthedisputesettlementmechanism;WT/COMTD/W/18
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- Befullyandclosely coordinated withother assistance provided bymultilateral andbilateral
institutions;
- Beadministered bytheSecretariat andreviewed byMembers, inaccordance withoperational
directives andimplementation modalities established bytheCommittee onTrade and
Development.
II. OPERATIONAL DIRECTIVES
1. Modes ofDelivery
- Themodes ofdelivery shallbechosen tofitboththerequirements oftherecipient country
andtechnical cooperation programmes;
- Modes ofdelivery shallbeassessed inthelightofprinciples anddirectives agreed upon by
theCommittee onTrade andDevelopment andontheprogress indevising newmeans foran
efficient dissemination ofknowledge;
- Modes ofdelivery shallbeelaborated withtheaimof:
- Extending assistance asbroad andcost-effective aspossible, e.g.:
- Training courses ofaregional orlinguistic format;
- Development ofinformation andtraining material, inparticular withthehelp
oftechnology based aids;
- Emphasizing in-depth andconcrete training onWTO matters suchas:
- Specialized technical seminars andworkshops ofaregional orlinguistic format;
- Practical training programmes, including internships intheWTO Secretariat.
2. Long-Term Engagement
- Follow-up ofindividual programmes andassessment oftheireffectiveness;
- Development oftraining capabilities withparticular emphasis onthetraining oflocal
trainers, theuseoflocalorregional technical expertise, andtheestablishment oflinks
withacademic andresearch institutions.
3. International Coordination
a) International andRegional Institutions Dealing withTrade-Related Matters
- Close institutional dialogue withother international organizations, inparticular with
ITCandUNCTAD, andwithother regional institutions toensure acoherent approach,
toidentifyareasofcompetenceandcomplementarity,todefineandexecutejointprojects
andavoid duplication;WT/COMTD/W/18
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- Dissemination ofinformation ontheWTO technical cooperation programmes, and
establishment withother relevant organizations ofacentral inventory ofprogrammes.
b) Bilateral Development Assistance inTrade-Related Matters
- Exchange ofinformation withdonor andrecipient governments, including participation
inbilateral programmes.
4. Management
a) Transparency
- Three yearplanadjusted onanannual basis, including budgetary implications, tobe
approved bytheCommittee onTrade andDevelopment andtobesubmitted tothe
appropriatebodiesofWTO,accordingtoagreedproceduresanddecisionsoftheGeneral
Council;
- Annual Secretariat reporting onprogramme implementation, andfinancial report;
- AdhocSecretariat status reports.
b) Funding
- Regular Budget oftheWTO;
- WTOTrustFundfortechnicalcooperation:Extra-budgetarycontributionsbyMembers,
international financial institutions andnon-governmental organizations;
- International ornational cost-sharing, whenever appropriate.
c) Monitoring andEvaluation
- BytheCommittee onTrade andDevelopment based onannual evaluation oftheresults
oftechnical assistance activities inorder toensure optimum useofresources according
toappropriate evaluation criteria;
- TheWTO Trust Fund shallbemanaged according totherecommendations contained
inthedecision taken bytheGeneral Council of18July1996 (WT/GC/M/13) andto
theFinancial Regulations andFinancial Rules indocuments WT/L/156 andWT/L/157
of5August 1996.