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WT/BFA/W/607  
 
23 September  2022 
(22-7190) Page: 1/49 
Committee on Budget, Finance and Administration    
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
WTO 2022 -2023 MID-TERM BUDGET REVIEW  
 
 
  WT/BFA/W/607  
 
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  1  INTRODUCTION BY THE DIRECTOR -GENERA L 
1.1.  I am honoured to present the mid -term review for the 2022 -23 budget. This is the first mid -
term budget review under my stewardship of the WTO. I am proud to lead a Secretariat that is 
dedicated to the mandate that our Members have set. As the complexities of trade have expanded, 
so too has that mandate. Our successful outcomes in MC12 and the considerable work that Members  
have launched for completion by MC13 create an important context for this budget review.  
1.2.  Global trade has transformed significantly since the Zero Nominal Growth budgeting began in 
2012. The volume of trade has increased, and the share of trade in service s in global trade has 
increased exponentially, now reaching almost a quarter. Supply chains have become the lifeblood of 
trade and economic activity, and their size, complexity, and significance have grown. Technological 
developments have led to a signific ant upswing in digital trade, further bolstered by the COVID -19 
pandemic.  
1.3.  Moreover, trade is no longer seen a mere exchange of goods and services. Instead, it is also 
part of the solution to the immense challenges of the global commons, including climate c hange, 
food security, and emerging pandemic threats. Trade is also an important instrument in promoting 
gender equality and ensuring inclusive and sustainable economic growth. Dealing with the new 
modalities of trade requires new approaches, tools, and res ources, including human resources.  
1.4.  The mandate of the WTO has evolved together with the nature and modalities of global trade. 
As economic, political, and environmental crisis threaten the livelihoods of so many, particularly the 
world's poor, the WTO has proven, most recently in MC12, that multilateralism is a treasure worth 
protecting, nurturing, and expanding. But doing so means that Members must commit to our future. 
Our existence cannot be taken for granted.  
1.5.  In the face of the ever -changing landscape o f international trade, the WTO Secretariat has 
strived to meet the needs of Members even though its resources have been capped for eleven years 
and heading into year twelve , including setting the staffing level at 645. 5 posts .1 To respond to 
Member concerns and reduce costs to meet the cap, the Secretariat has taken other steps, such as 
replacing retiring staff in senior grades by recruiting staff at much more junior grades, including 
short-term staff hires ; imposi ng a freeze on p romotions from 2012 to 2016 ; and making minimal 
promotions from 2016 to date . Furthermore, it was necessary  to maintain roughly 40 vacancies in 
our regular posts to meet rising costs after such an extended period of no growth, thereby not fully 
utilizing o ur already limited staffing resource allocation. We have also  increased efficiencies and  
imposed  cost-saving measures  and achieved savings , in particular  on energy conservation.  
1.6.  When we prepared the budget proposal last year for 2022 -23, we exercised prude nce and sound 
resource management, not requesting an increase in the Zero Nominal Growth budget that Members 
established in 2011. We did so in recognition of the profound impact of the current health and 
economic crises on Members' economies and public fin ances. Indeed, as custodians of our Member 
contributions, we even returned to Members on a one -off basis in 2022 a portion of the 2020 
budgetary surplus, which we had acquired principally because of the effects of the pandemic. We did 
so in recognition of the special needs of developing countries as they deal with the consequences of 
the pandemic.  
1.7.  However, after 11 years of a Zero Nominal Growth budget, the strain on the Organization has 
become quite intense. The longstanding budget cap, plus the policies i mposed to meet it, have 
constrained our ability to hire and maintain the best specialists and, fundamentally, challenged our 
capacity to provide expertise in new areas of trade as demanded by Members . Zero Nominal Growth 
has had profound consequences for t he Secretariat and the Members we serve. Simply put, we have 
exhausted our ability to make adjustments to deliver more with less. For the Organization to keep 
pace with current developments and anticipate future challenges, a budget increase is necessary.  
1.8.  We know that we are obliged to prove this case to Members. Therefore, in the context of this 
mid-term review, we have undertaken a comprehensive analysis of various operational and financial 
challenges of the functioning of the Secretariat, which we provid e to Members in this document. This 
analysis includes the evolution of the Organization's expanding mandate and increasing costs 
 
1 See WT/BFA/139, para. 3.24.  WT/BFA/W/607  
 
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  since 2011, the first year of the Zero Nominal Growth budget. We also describe how savings and 
efficiencies implemented since that time have been outstripped by these costs.  
1.9.  Many of the projected increases are unavoidabl e because they stem from significant and 
unpredictable external fiscal and economic challenges beyond our control. In particular, we are facing 
difficult economic circumstances, intensified by rise in year -on-year inflation for Switzerland to 3.5%, 
as of 31 August 2022. This is a sharp increase from the average inflation rate of 0.58% in 2021, 
when I presented our budget for the current biennium. According to the Swiss Federal Statistics 
Office, today's inflation rate is the highest since October  1993. Furthermore, this rate is considerably 
higher than the inflation rates registered since Zero Nominal growth budgeting began in 2011, which 
ranged fr om negative 1.14% in 2015 to positive 0.94% in 2018. As a result, s ince the 2022 -23 
budget was approved, there has been a significant increase in prices of electricity  and gas, which will 
amount to additional CHF 1.2 million. Moreover, there has been a  rise in the cost of  travel  and 
subscriptions,  as well as  contract ual costs with service providers who are increasing their prices to 
reflect the market realities and rising salaries negotiated by industry unions in Switzerland. While we 
will discipline the us e of staff travel, impose additional energy conservation measures, and cut costs 
wherever we can, we will still see costs increase by millions – costs that we cannot control.  
1.10.  The same exogenous shocks have also affected  WTO Members, especially developing and 
least-developed  countries . In an increasingly complex world with multiple overlapping crises , 
including an accelerating food crisis , growing  geopolitical tension s, and a rapid ly changing trade 
policy landscape, Members' demand for high quality, innovative , and independent research, 
intelligence, and data has skyrocketed.  The Secretariat responds to this increased demand by 
generating forward -looking  research and data to enable Member s to make better -informed decisions.  
The Secretariat  takes particular pride in assisting those developing Members with limited capacity to 
perform such analysis on their own, especially given that these Members are often the most 
vulnerable to the effects of the crises the world is experiencing . 
1.11.  In addition  to these external pressures , we are facing certain unavoidable increases under 
staff expenditure, including a mandatory increase in staff salaries of 1%, as well as  mandatory 
adjustments to staff salary and annual increments, amounting to CHF 3.25 million. Furthermore, the 
cost of retiree health insurance has been revised upwards to reflect the projected number of new 
retirements, and the cost of staff health and inva lidity insurance under a new contract has increased. 
The cost for interpreters has doubled due to the use of virtual meetings, which is also beyond our 
control.  
1.12.  Finally, we also must maintain our existing IT capabilities and improve them to deliver for 
Members. For example, we are facing obsolescence in critical but deteriorating audio -visual 
technology, disrupt ing important meetings.  That system must be replaced.  
1.13.  Part of the budget pressure we face is due to the expansion of our mandate by Members – a 
good "problem" to have, and one that I enthusiastically welcome. In particular, since 2011, two new 
multilateral agreements (the Trade Facilitation Agreement and the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies) 
as well as other instruments have been added to the WTO rule book, and new committees and working 
groups have been created. Demands for Secretariat monitoring, activities, and reports on new 
economic trends impacting world trade have increased significantly, particularly in recent years given 
the impact of the pande mic and growing food insecurity. At our very successful MC12, Members gave 
us the mandate not only to implement the outcomes in the areas of fisheries subsidies, intellectual 
property, and food security, but also to continue negotiations in those and other  areas and to explore 
critical emerging issues, such as trade and health, supply chains disruptions, trade and climate 
change , and trade and women's economic empowerment. Furthermore, Members are calling on the 
Secretariat to assist Members in their commit ment to reform the WTO, including dispute settlement 
– a significant and fundamental undertaking.  
1.14.  In response to this context, three strategic priorities shape the 2022 -2023 Mid -Term Budget 
Review and the need for increased budgetary resources for 18 addit ional staff posts so that the 
Secretariat can create more value and deliver desired output to Members:  
• Reinforc ement of human resources  capabilities is ne eded to improve support to priority 
areas identified by Member s in MC12 outcomes , and in the  lead-up to MC13, including 
areas related to fisheries subsidies, food security, intellectual property rights, digital 
trade, environment, women in trade , and trade and health, as well as WTO reform.  WT/BFA/W/607  
 
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  • Given the evolving nature of global trade, capitalizing on the Sec retariat's global and 
geographical expertise will help the Organization operate in the conditions of  high 
uncertainty and volatility.  
• Building a state -of-the-art Secretariat managerial capacity, including strategic planning  
and risk management , is necessary  to improve strategic allocation of resources and 
enable risk -aware decision -making.  
1.15.  The implementation of these priorities must be accompanied by a strengthening of the WTO's 
Human Resources and Operations. Aligning human resources with strategic  and operational priorities 
will play a key role in helping the Secretariat deliver on Member priorities today while building 
capabilities to respond to tomorrow's priorities.  
1.16.  In addition, current staffing levels in the Secretariat's support divisions deal ing with 
information technology and digitalisation, data, finance, risk, and legal and internal oversight 
functions are critically insufficient. Allocation of new human resources to these areas is necessary to 
improve performance, engagement, and innovatio n within the Secretariat to better serve Member s' 
interests.  
1.17.  A further consequence of the Zero Nominal Growth budget is the large increase in the use of 
short-term staff as a necessary corrective measure to cope with constraints on regular staffing posts. 
Such hiring is an initially attractive mechanism to bring in staff talent quickly and with lower costs, 
at first glance, than regular staff. But such hiring generates more managerial and sunk organisational 
costs than budgetary savings. In particular, high er recruitment costs due to constant churn of these 
posts, loss of institutional knowledge, constant need for training, and the use of less -experienced 
staff drain the Secretariat's resources in less -visible ways than the budget outlay for more 
experienced  regular staff.  
1.18.  We have already in recent months imposed significant disciplines on the use of short -term 
staff to assure that such hiring is used only when necessary. Moreover, we plan to cut the use of 
such short -term staff by half from the 2022 level. H owever, we still require an increase from the 
historic budgeted levels to respond to Member s' needs and the evolution of our mandate. The 
increase in the use of short -term staff is a symptom of the real problem, which is the freeze in the 
number of regular  posts at the same level as of 2011, compounded by the need to leave vacant 
dozens of posts simply to pay for other essential resources such as technology.  
1.19.  Deepening these staffing challenges is an incipient but discernible "brain drain" among our 
regular staff. As valuable staff hits the low ceiling in their professional development due to lack of 
promotion opportunities, we see frustration and low morale, which sometimes lead s to a decision to 
leave the Organization.  
1.20.  Our biggest asset in the Secretariat i s our staff, both professional and support. Without them, 
we can't m eet our Members' needs. We must stand up for them and give them a reason to stay, or 
they will leave us for better opportunities.  
1.21.  A change in our ways of working in the past two plus years  has also negatively affected the 
budget. In the first months of the pandemic, we installed virtual platforms to conduct meetings and 
enable business continuity, resulting in additional expenses – regarding the technology itself and the 
technicians operati ng it. However, we did not have any budget specifically allocated for this purpose. 
The move to virtual and hybrid meetings has also doubled the cost of interpretation, as the rules of 
the profession have cut in half the number of hours freelance interpret ers are permitted to work in 
a day if covering virtual meetings . Moreover, although travel has resumed, some events, meetings , 
and technical assistance activities  will continue taking place virtually due to the convenience of this 
technology and a demand f or its use by Members and staff. Relying on virtual platforms will help 
respond to Members ' needs and requests. Retaining this technology is therefore essential  to the 
proper functioning of the Organization.  
1.22.  In th e face of ever -increasing demands, the Secr etariat has develop ed efficiencies by 
implementing new technological hardware and software, databases, websites, and digital tools. While 
some of these tools required significant initial investments, they have modernized the way the 
Secretariat functions a s it serves Members, allowing it to create greater efficiencies  to produce more. WT/BFA/W/607  
 
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  Some have resulted in a budgetary savings. However, many improv e the ways of doing business 
without cost savings , so they are not a reliable means to lower costs . 
1.23.  In view of the new areas of work, expansion of the Secretariat's deliverables, as well as non -
discretionary cost increases emanating from inflation for the Organization to operate efficiently in 
the future , a modest budget increase of CHF 15.25 million is necessary. This budget increase is equal 
to 7.7 percent of the Zero Nominal Growth budget amount of CHF 197.2 million that has been in 
place since 2011.2 
1.24.  As foreseen in Financial Regulation 6, revisions for the second year of the biennium, as may 
be neces sary, are to be presented to the Committee at least eight weeks prior to the last scheduled 
meeting of the year of the General Council.  
1.25.   In light of the above, we are submitting a request for the  Organization's  budget to 
be increased  as of 2023 by 7.7 perce nt, from CHF 197.2 million to CHF 212. 45 million. Half 
of this increase is linked to contractual, external, and unavoidable costs (or a 3.9 percent 
increase over the Zero Nominal Growth Budget). The remainder is a modest sum to 
improve the Secretariat's re sources and expertise to better serve all Members.  
1.26.  I call on you, esteemed Members, to favourably consider and approve this request, thus 
empowering the Secretariat to fulfil the valuable mission you have entrusted to us.  
2  EVOLUTION OF THE WORK  OF THE SECRE TARIAT  SINCE 201 2 
2.1.  Since 201 2, when Zero Nominal Growth budgeting began at the WTO, the evolution of 
international trade and the addition of new instruments to the WTO rulebook  have increase d the 
need for deep, sophisticated, and agile Secretariat expertise in various complex fields, requiring the 
expan sion of the scope of many Divisions. Sections  2.1-2.3 below describe the significant growth in 
the Secretariat's work since January 201 2, the new co mmittees and working groups established since 
then, and new and expanded areas of work deriving from MC12.  
2.1  New Areas of Work and Responsibilities of the Secretariat Since 201 2 
2.2.  Given Member mandates and the need for the Secretariat to keep pace, the Secreta riat has 
developed new areas of work and responsibilities. An illustrative list of major developments follows.  
2.3.  The areas of  intellectual property, government procurement  and competition , 
integrated work at the intersection of trade and health, especially collaborative technical assistance, 
capacity building , and policy support for Members, ha ve experienced expanded and diversified 
demand over the past decade, with a dramatic increase since the outbreak of t he pandemic. Work 
intensified in the TRIPS Council, including negotiations on the trade -related response to the pandemic 
and the role of intellectual property, as well as under the WHO, WIPO , and the WTO Trilateral 
initiative on health, trade, and intellec tual property. Negotiations are continu ing concerning the 
extension of the MC12 outcome on intellectual property aspects of the pandemic to diagnostics and 
therapeutics. Furthermore, there has been an increase in dispute settlement proceedings addressing 
complex issues, including the pursuit of TRIPS complaints by developing countries. Work also 
intensified due to the pronounced diversification, both geographically and economically, of Members' 
engagement with the Government Procurement Agreement . 
2.4.  In the ar ea of trade in agriculture and commodities , work  has increased significantly as a 
result of:  the intensification of the agriculture negotiations in 2013 ; escalation of activities in the 
Committee on Agriculture  and SPS Committee, particularly resulting fro m increased notifications ; 
new processes resulting from the Bali and Nairobi Ministerial Decisions;  participation in the 
Agriculture Market Information System launched in 2011 by  the G20;  active development of cotton -
related activities under the trade and development assistance related tracks ( e.g., cotton portal 
launch in 2017 and first World Cotton Day launch event in 2019);  and development of STDF activities . 
 
2 This request does not account for  corrective measures needed to reduce the actual gap in the WTO 
Pension Plan amounting to CHF 350 million. The Pension Board is in the process of developing measures to 
reduce the actuarial gap. Once the Board makes its recommendations, it will consult wit h Members , staff and 
retirees . WT/BFA/W/607  
 
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  2.5.  In the area of economic research and statistics , the Secretariat  has responded to the 
significantly increased Member  demand for research and data  through developing  new, cutting -edge 
analytical tools such as : the Global Trade Model ; trade forecasting and nowcasting instruments , such 
as the Goods and Services Trade Baro meters ; and indicators and other products such as the Global 
Trade Cost Index and the G lobal Value Chains  development report . The Secretariat has also been  
regular ly collaborat ing with other international organization s to produce joint reports, including w ith 
the OECD, the World Bank, the IMF , and UNCTAD . Moreover, the Secretariat has created many new 
products that utilize advanced statistical processes and methods, improved data, and modern 
visualization and analytical techniques . Finally, the Secretariat has developed new types of data  on 
Global Value Chains, services trade , and other areas  (e.g., vaccine supply and transportation data).  
2.6.  High-quality economic research, analysis , and data is necessary to facilitate work emerging 
from MC12, including on WTO reform. The following areas of work are particularly salient:  
• Ex-ante quantification of the effect of various trade policy scenarios with the Global 
Trade Model (GTM) and econom etric evaluation of trade policies. This type of analysis 
is critically important to inform Members' trade policy decisions, including on the 
benefits of cooperation in specific areas of work mandated by MC12. Beyond that, this 
analysis is needed to better  understand the forces reshaping the global trade landscape 
in areas such as trade and climate change, subsidies, trade decoupling, trade and 
investment facilitation , and trade and gender. Work on the GTM requires a very specific 
skill set (C omputable General Equilibrium  modelling).  
• Digital trade data and LDC services statistics to comply with the MC12 LDC services 
waiver. This work requires expertise in trade in services and digital trade data.  
• TiVA/GVC indicators and analytical reports to assist Members' policymaking towards 
more resilient and sustainable supply chains. This effort will require staff experienced 
in supply chains data and analysis.  
• Data and analysis on COVID therapeutics and diagnostics to support discussions related 
to MC12 decision. This work will require additional analytical resources.  
• Transposition of Members' tariff schedules. Accelerating this work and reducing the 
backlog accumulated over the years requires an experienced statistician with good 
knowledge of the Harmonized System.  
• New alternative data sources to provide real -time trade intelligence and to support 
research and analysis. The development and use of such sources requires data 
scientists/engineers with solid experience in cloud computing and big data analytics.  
2.7.   There has b een a  significant increase in  work on trade monitoring . In particular, the areas 
covered by the monitoring exercise  have expanded , including crises -related topics , such as the 
regular monitoring of measures implemented by Members in the context of the COVI D-19 pandemic, 
the war in Ukraine, and the global food crisis . Over the past few years, trade monitoring has 
expanded , and it now include s, in addition to trade in goods,  other areas , such as services, 
intellectual property, and market access conditions. More recent  reports  also includ e continuous 
coverage of crisis -related measures. Thanks to this enhanced and continuous monitoring of trade 
measures, the Secretariat was able to not on ly provide comprehensive b iannual Reports to Members 
but also to make available on its Webpage up -to-date relevant information.  Furthermore , the 
Committee on Regional Trade Agreements has faced an increased workload due to  the increased 
number of RTAs that  have been signed and notified  (e.g., there has been a substantial increase  of 
"new" RTAs entered into by the UK following its exit from the EU ). 
2.8.  In the area of trade and environment , following a marked increase in activity and 
engagement (in particular by  developing and LDC Members) in the Committee on Trade and 
Environment (CTE), the following three new environmental initiatives were launched in 
November  2020: Trade and Environmental Sustainability Structured Discussions; Informal Dialogue 
on Plastics; and Fossil Fuel Subsidy Reform.  
2.9.  With respect to standards , the "ePing SPS & TBT platform " has been created, a digital one -
stop-shop for tracking and discussing changes in product requirements affecting trad e. Members are WT/BFA/W/607  
 
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  increasingly reliant on ePing. The platform has around 18,000 registered users, around half of whom 
are from the private sector. Key Members are discontinuing their own national systems and directing 
subscribers to ePing instead.  
2.10.  The Secreta riat's work on transparency  has also increased. In April 2022, the TBT Committee 
establish ed a new Working Group on Transparency to make progress with respect to  the 
19 transparency -related recommendations adopted during the latest Triennial Review of the TBT 
Agreement. Many of the recommendations require active engagement and inputs from the 
Secretariat, for example in drafting guidelines for specific procedures, revising notifications formats , 
and further enhanc ing digital tools.  In a related move, the Secretariat  created an internal 
transparency network to provide a regular forum for staff from 17 Divisions to collaborate towards 
improving the coherence and effectiveness of the WTO's transparency framework, for the benefit of 
Members and the public at large.  
2.11.  An increase in dispute settlement  activity  since 201 2, particularly in the Rules area, resulted 
in the need for additional Dispute Settlement legal staff to address the "queue" - a period of 
significant delay - that was occurr ing in the D ispute Settlement  pipeline of cases.  Although the 
workload in dispute settlement has generally  decreased since the Appellate Body  stopped functioning 
in December 2019,  disputes are still being brought before WTO panels ( seven  new disputes  were 
initiated in 2022  alone ). Furthermore,  in the absence of a functioning Appellate Body, Members have 
resorted to alternative appeal mechanisms. Specifically,  Members have signalled increasing resort to 
Article 25 arbitrations and MPIA procedures to appeal panels' decisions . Such alternative appeal  
mechanisms have been agreed upon in 10 disputes , requir ing rapid and expert legal staff work  if 
they proceed .3 Finally, as Members agreed  at MC12  to restore a fully and well -functioning WTO 
dispute settlem ent system accessible to all Members by 2024 , resources may be needed to support 
Member work on dispute settlement reform.  
2.12.  There was a major surge in Rules negotiations, especially between 2015 and 2022, 
particularly focused on fisheries subsidies  negotiat ions. Since 2017 the successive Chairs pursued 
increasingly intensive work programmes , ultimately resulting in the new Agreement on Fisheries 
Subsidies  at MC12 . In addition, rules -related work has become  more technology -driven, requiring 
staff to acquire specialized skills  to meet Member needs (e.g., the  development and implementation 
of a major e -learning course on Anti -Dumpin g). 
2.13.  In the area of market access , the 2013 Bali and 2015 Nairobi Ministerial Decisions initiated 
a new stream of work in th e Committee on Rules of Origin on preferential rules of origin, establishing 
new notification obligations  for which Members, particularly developing countries, have required 
information and assistance . The LDC Ministerial Decisions on Rules of Origin taske d the Secretariat 
with developing new and extensive cross-divisional research on preference utilization  for least 
developed Members . 
2.14.  Work on development  issues in the Committee on Trade and Development (CTD) and its 
various incarnations has been steadily i ncreasing since 2012, providing an important forum for 
discussion and action. On special and differential treatment (S&DT), negotiations in the CTD's Special 
Session (CTD SS) led to the establishment, at MC9 in 2013, of a new subsidiary body of the CTD – 
the Dedicated Session on the Monitoring Mechanism on S&DT. Intense work in the CTD SS also took 
place in the run -up to the previous three Ministerial Conferences and can be expected to continue in 
the post -MC12 period on the basis of instructions given by M inisters. In addition, Members agreed, 
in 2013, for the CTD's Regular Session to resume its periodic reviews of the implementation of S&DT 
provisions in the WTO Agreements and Decisions on the basis of a background document by the 
Secretariat. All the abov e-mentioned work on S&DT is serviced by the same team within the 
Secretariat (the CTD Unit) that also deals with all other CTD issues, many of which have also seen 
an increase in work in the past decade. Another notable example in this regard concerns the Work 
Programme on Small Economies, reflecting the special needs of small economies. All recent WTO 
Ministerial Conferences have had a specific outcome on the Work Programme on Small Economies in 
the form of Ministerial Decisions. These Ministerial Decision s contain instructions for specific work to 
 
3 Currently, there is no staff in the Secretariat specifically dedicated to work on appeal arbitrations. 
While t he Secretariat is mindful of its obligations to staff such work , staffing appeal arbitrations is difficult 
because existing Secretariat legal resources  working on other matters must be deployed , including former staff 
of the Appellate Body Secretariat wh o were seconded or transferred to other Divisions after the Appellate Body 
ceased being operatio nal in 2019. In staffing such arbitrations, they must put other work aside for months, 
creating staffing shortfalls in their divisions.  WT/BFA/W/607  
 
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  be undertaken by the Secretariat, which is then discussed in the CTD's Dedicated Session on Small 
Economies.  
2.15.  The Secretariat's work aimed at supporting the integration of least -developed countries 
(LDCs)  into the multilateral trading system has evolved considerably since 2012 due to: (i) an 
increased, and more proactive, engagement of LDC members in the work of the WTO; (ii) the special 
attention that WTO members attach to LDC trade priorities and their w ish to see results delivered on 
these LDC priorities; and (iii) the recognition by the international community on the role of trade for 
the economic development of LDCs. This is reflected in the different LDC -specific decisions taken by 
WTO Members since 2 012, which aim both at increasing export opportunities for LDCs as well as 
giving them necessary policy flexibilities. The LDC unit has been supporting the implementation of 
these decisions, all of which are regularly reviewed and discussed in the Sub -comm ittee on LDCs, 
while its staffing level has not evolved. More recently, new work based on new LDC priorities has 
emerged. For example, since 2018, LDC graduation has become a key priority for the WTO LDC 
Group, which is referenced in the MC12 Outcome docum ent. A significant part of the LDC Unit's 
resources is now focused in assisting the graduating LDCs mainly with the objective of addressing 
the apprehensions related to graduation and better preparing these LDCs for the post -graduation 
phase. In addition, and in response to requests from LDCs, the WTO Secretariat has been ensuring 
targeted support to the LDC members by providing analytical work, raising awareness of the evolving 
trading landscape, and strengthening partnerships. WTO signed a partnership wit h UN-OHRLLS to 
better support LDCs in implementing trade elements of the Doha Programme of Action for LDCs 
(2022 -2031), which mirror the aspirations of LDCs in the WTO. Greater effort from the Secretariat 
will be required to timely respond to different str eams of LDC work.  
2.16.  In addition, t he entry into force of the Trade Facilitation Agreement  in 2017 led to the 
establishment of the Trade Facilitation Committee (TFC) , which has led to a significant increase in 
workload  of the Market Access Division . While i n 2017 the TFC met 4 times, by 2021 it met 18 times  
as the substantive nature of the discussions in the Committee expanded . 
2.17.  The Committee on Market Access has been preparing analytical information notes on measures 
taken as a result of the pandemic  as well as organizing several experience -sharing sessions cover ing 
both restrictive and trade -easing measures and issues such as classification of essential goods. Such 
experience -sharing, which is expected to continue, has helped Members learn about othe r Members' 
best practices , in particular assisting developing countries in addressing their particularly acute 
challenges . 
2.18.  In the area of technical assistance , the Result -based Management (RBM) strategy for 
technical assistance  was adopted in 2012 by M embers, and a new TA Management System  (TAMS)  
was launched in 201 8 in a pilot phase  to support the implementation of RBM. TAMS is an ambitious 
project, involving most of the Secretariat  and open to Members and external experts. It covers the 
full life cycle of  TA activities from request to reporting, through planning, budgeting, authorization, 
implementation, and e valuation. Due to the lack of budget and limited human resources devoted to 
the project at the initial stage, higher costs were incurred later in the  implementation. Furthermore,  
the demand and share of TA provided through e -Learning increased . In addition to traditional topics  
and training for implementation of WTO Agreements , new areas of interest to developing country 
and LDC Members  have emerged , leading to additional demand for training and workshops . 
2.19.  The work on trade and gender  has increased substantially after the creation of the Informal 
Working Group (IWG) on Trade and Gender. Currently, only o ne permanent staff Member is dedicated 
to work on this topic in the Secretariat, whereas the demand for data and research in this area has 
been steadily growing. In particular, the WTO is implementing an ambitious work plan to support 
Members' work on trad e and gender to facilitate gender -responsive trade policymaking through the 
training of national officials. The WTO is also developing a set of gender -responsive trade policy tools, 
which include two databases available to Members: (i) the Research Databas e on Trade and Gender 
to facilitate Members' access to recent research and findings on trade and gender linkages; and (ii) 
the Database on Gender Provisions in RTAs to provide analysed information on gender equality 
commitments in trade agreements. In 2021 , the WTO established the Gender Research Hub to foster 
information sharing and research partnerships in the field. Finally, the WTO supports Members' 
efforts to integrate gender considerations into Aid for Trade programmes. The WTO has reformed 
the Aid fo r Trade monitoring and evaluation exercise in 2022 and will develop additional Aid for Trade 
tools and methodologies to assist Members in mainstreaming gender in their Aid for Trade 
programmes.  WT/BFA/W/607  
 
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  2.20.  Since 2012, the workload on accessions  has expanded due to: (i ) the addition of five new 
accession Working Parties established under the General Council i.e. Somalia (2016), 
Timor -Leste  (2016), South Sudan (2017), Curacao (2020), and Turkmenistan (2022), bringing the 
total number of accessions to 24; and (ii) the man agement of on -going accessions , which have last ed 
over 17 years on average (in contrast to 10.5 years for the average length of 36 accessions 
completed since the establishment of the WTO). More than half of the ongoing accessions are 
classified as LDCs and /or conflict -affected states (FCS) whose capacity is severely limited, therefore 
calling for greater involvement of the Secretariat, not only in providing technical assistance and 
training in every step of the accession process, but also in coordinating  assistance to acceding 
governments  with bilateral, regional, and multilateral partners. Of the latter, in response to the 
specific requests from acceding FCS (and recently acceded FCS, including Afghanistan, Liberia, and 
Yemen), the Secretariat has increased  targeted support to address their specific needs and 
challenges through the Trade for Peace Initiative/Programme since 2017, in coordination with the 
peace and humanitarian communities.  
2.21.  Activities in the area of information and external relations  have gro wn significantly over 
time. In particular, the Open Day and Trade Dialogues were recently introduced , and the Public 
Forum has become significantly larger and more sophisticated over the years, now attracting 
thousands of participants. The demand for audio -visual  services has multiplied, for WTO internal and 
external  outreach , formal and informal meetings, events , and promotional activities. This increased 
demand require d up-to-date technology and skills and a modernized WTO studio. Furthermore, t he 
use of social media is now part of the standard communication toolbox of the WTO and  has led to an 
increase in activity and visibility on Facebook, Twitter , and Linkedin. To be present and recognizable 
on newer platforms such as TikTok, Weibo , and even Insta gram, new skills and a better 
understanding of the use and effects of these social media spheres were required. The website  was 
modernized and expanded to allow for the use by Members for meeting registration and Documents 
Online (DOL) , creating efficienci es, but equally more demand on the Secretariat . In the future , more 
outreach events are expected to be held ( e.g., through the recently launched Presidential Lecture 
Series), increasing the worldwide profile of the WTO and its Members' work . 
2.22.  The Legal Affa irs Division's role has greatly expanded since 2011 as it provides assistance to 
Members, particularly developing countries, on the legal issues  surrounding depositing instruments 
concerning the new WTO Agreement on Trade Facilitation, new commitments on A griculture Export 
Subsidies, and most recently the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies.  
2.23.  The d evelopment and availability of new technological tools has changed the information 
technology  landscape of the Secretariat. Members and staff expect services in line with their 
consumer habits (available all the time, everywhere , and on any device ). To meet this demand, s ince 
2012, the WTO has gradually but steadily shifted towards the digital world . The consumption of 
digital tools and products has multiplied , the quantity of digital assets  has increased , and  every 
service has been digitalized, with its own specific application . For example , all WTO documents  were 
converted to PDF and made available through the  DOL platform . Furthermore, s ince 2013 , the 
Documents for Meetings Service (DMS) has provid ed documents to delegates  electronically . 
Since  2017, the E-Subscription service has become the default distribution method of documents to 
delegates , replacing paper.  This change also shifted the role of the Central Repository for Notifications  
to a common rich metadata repository , feeding multiple systems across the WTO and streamlin ing 
real-time access to notification status.  
2.24.  Technology  more broadly has also  chang ed, necessitating reliance on new and more 
specialized competencies (Artificial Intelligence, Internet of Things , Big Data, Applications 
Programming Interfaces, Graph Databases , etc. ). The number of technologies and the 
interdependencies has also kept growing , making the control of the complete architecture  more 
difficult  and time -consuming . Providers of IT services have been changing their delivery model 
(Cloud, Agile delivery, Software as a Service) , which  requir es different approaches and skills  by the 
Secretariat, as well as flex ibility and adaptability . The recent pandemic  has accelerated the need to 
adapt , including introducing  infrastructure solutions to support staff working from home , reliance on 
remote participation in meetings , and more reliance  on e-learning and remote par ticipation 
capabilities . 
2.25.  The library  has also digitally transformed from primarily print -books and journals to mainly 
online services , thus  improving finding, collating , and providing data via interactive websites. In the 
same vein, i ncreas ed digitization of data ensures  proper records and archives management , WT/BFA/W/607  
 
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  which is  critical for preserving WTO institutional memory  and providing a fact base  for Members  and 
staff. 
2.26.  The COVID -19 pandemic has transformed the conference services  to meet Member needs . 
In 2020, virtual platforms  were installed to enable the Organization's business continuity , and 
six short-term staff were hired to support this new way of work ing. Virtual platforms have brought 
the following benefits for WTO Members : wider participation from capital -based officials; reduced 
travel; broader participation in outreach events; and availability of TA to more Members . When  
restrictions eased , some delegates resumed coming to the WTO premises for meetings whilst other 
deleg ates continued to use virtual platforms. Therefore, the servicing of both in -person , hybrid,  and 
virtual meetings has become the norm. Moreover, t he move to virtual and hybrid meetings has also 
doubled the cost of interpretation, as the rules of the profes sion have cut in half the number of hours 
freelance interpreters can work in a day if covering virtual meetings . 
2.27.  With respect to improving efficiencies with regard to translation , in 2018 , artificial 
intelligence was introduced in the WTO using the neural machine translation system. Since 2020, an 
AI based speech -to-text pilot project was implemented . It is now being used in internal meetings 
and tested through  use in  a few Committees.  Deployment of the voice recognition technology behind 
automatic transcription or speech -to-text (S2T) significantly reduces  the time spent by staff from the 
substantive divisions on listening to audio recordings and converting delegates' statements into 
written transcripts needed for the preparation of committee meetin g minutes. Therefore, 
transcriptions of meetings can become  more quickly available for Members. A scaling up of this 
technology is already possible from the technical infrastructure standpoint. However, it would require 
specialist resources in LDSD to corr ect the raw transcriptions and translate them into all the working 
languages.  
2.28.  The functions of the Office of the Legal Counsel  (OLC)  have significantly evolved since 
2012. Previously , the Legal Counsel focused mainly on internal staff administrative disput es. The 
work progressively expanded to institutional matters, including  under  the WTO Headquarters 
Agreement  and on ensuring the privileges and immunities required for the WTO and its staff. Over 
the past years, OLC has intensified its efforts  in reducing WTO legal risk and preventing litigation. 
OLC now provides continuous legal advisory services to the DG, Senior Management, AGSD, HRD, 
Pension Plan, and several WTO entities. It also provides legal clearance for agreements, procurement 
contracts, staff pol icies, and security -related matters involving the WTO. It continues to represent 
the WTO in legal matters before the Swiss authorities and in all disputes between the Organization 
and staff members (including before the Administrative Tribunal of the Inter national Labour 
Organization) as well as in external disputes with procurement contractors.  
2.29.  The Office of Internal Oversight  (OIO)  was established in November 2015. It deliver s audits 
using a risk -based approach . The number of ethical concerns raised by st aff has been increas ing year 
on year , which requires response . Led by the new OIO head, t he OIO is developing new areas 
reflective of international standards around whistleblowing arrangements, fraud risk assessment, 
ethical leadership training , and investigations. Responding to staff concerns and 2022 gender audit 
findings, the OIO is also seeking to expand the WT O's capability to address root causes of sexual 
harassment through formal and informal mechanisms. In addition, the OIO is now signifi cantly 
revising policies on theft, fraud, corruption , and duty to report as well as raising awareness of conflict -
of-interest  disclosure. All of this new work is required to assure that the Secretariat is operating with 
appropriate rigor . 
2.30.  Transforming the Secretariat  is a focus of vital importance  to assure it is fit for purpose 
and meeting Member mandates . The Transformation Office  was created in February 2022  to drive 
transformation work to strengthen the Secretariat and ensure that the Secretariat is pre pared and 
able to meet Members' future needs . Specific areas for action were identified in the 2021 diagnostic 
review of the Secretariat and encompass modernising various talent management policies and 
practices, improving specific ways of working and internal processes , and leveraging opportunities 
related to data, technology, and innovation. The reforms to be undertaken are designed to ensure 
that Secretariat staff possess the skills and experience needed to best serve Members' needs and 
can respond a s those needs evolve in a changing world and trade landscape. Members will be best 
served by a Secretariat in which information and best practices are shared across the institution, and 
staff are motivated to fulfil the WTO's mandate and  build their career  within the Secretariat. However, 
many of the fundamental tools for progression and career development  either do not exist or are 
seriously outdated , diminishing staff motivation and effectiveness in serving Members. The WT/BFA/W/607  
 
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  Secretariat is developing enhanced procurement services to increase transparency and contribute 
to ensuring best value and accountability in the use of Member contributions , consistent with best 
practices . An ongoing digital transformation  effort , such as an intelligent search engine for our 
Internet pages and a single window for notifications, will directly improve the digital tools and 
services offered to Members . A modern risk management function  will help protect the WTO in 
the face of uncertainty  and enable risk -aware decision making . Furthermore, a strategy planning 
function  will enable the Organization to formulate its vision and identify medium - to long -term 
priorities, which would help to optimize the use of the Secretariat's resources.  
2.2  New Committees and W orking Groups  Established Between 2012  and MC12  
2.31.  As a result of the conclusion of new WTO Agreement s and other instruments, many new 
committees and working groups have been created , increasing considerably the Secretariat's 
responsibilities , activities , and scope of serv ices provided to Members . 
2.32.  The entry into force of the Trade Facilitation Agreement  in 2017 led to the establishment 
of the Trade Facilitation Committee , which o versees the operation and implementation of the Trade 
Facilitation Agreement and provides WTO Me mbers with a forum to consult and share experiences . 
2.33.  The CTD's Dedicated Session on the Monitoring Mechanism on Special & Differential 
Treatment  provisions was set up at the 9th Ministerial Conference in 2013.  Three new series of 
meetings were convened und er the auspices of the Committee on Agriculture Special Session : (i) the 
biannual Dedicated Discussions on Cotton to examine relevant trade -related developments, pursuant 
to the Bali Ministerial Decision on cotton; (ii) the Dedicated Sessions on PSH, pursu ant to the 2014 
General Council Decision and Nairobi Ministerial Decision on Public Stock Holding; and  (iii) the 
Dedicated Sessions on the Special Safeguard Mechanism, pursuant to the Nairobi Ministerial Decision.  
In addition, t he Director -General's Consul tative Mechanism Framework on Cotton has been 
established to monitor cotton related development assistance aspects.  
2.34.  At the 10th Ministerial Conference, a new Ministerial Declaration on the Expansion of Trade 
in Information Technology Products (ITA II)  was adopted. This new sectoral Agreement entered 
into force in 2015 and, so far, has 28 Participants (representing 55 WTO Members). The "Group of 
2015 ITA Expansion" was set up as a quasi -Committee to undertake Agreement -related activities. 
The Group was mandated to monitor implementation and operation of ITA II, and to review and 
approve draft Schedules of new ITA II participants.  
2.35.  The Informal Working Group on Trade and Gender  was established in September 2020. 
Its mandate is to make trade work for women by developing Members' trade and gender policy -
making expertise, applying a gender lens to WTO, reviewing analytical work, integrating gender into 
aid for trade programmes , and improving data collection on women in trade.  
2.36.  A subsidiary body, the Anti-Dumping Committee's Working Group on Implementation , 
was reinvigorated in 2016 following many years of low activity due to focus on the A nti-Dumping  
negotiations in the Doha Round.  
2.37.  In addition to the new structures  and sessions identified above, groups of WTO Members 
launched new initiatives on e -commerce, investment facilitation for development, services domestic 
regulation, and micro, small, and medium -sized enterprises (MSMEs)  at the 11th Ministerial 
Conference in Buenos Aires.  
2.3  New Work and Institutions Deriving from  MC12  
2.38.  The successful conclusion of MC12  by Members  in June  2022 secured significant multilaterally 
negotiated outcomes on a broad series of key trade initiatives, which has created new areas of work  
and requirements within the Secretariat  to serve Member interests . 
2.3.1   Fisheries Subsidies  
2.39.  The Rules, Legal Affairs, and other Divisions are actively working to encourag e and execute 
the early adoption of the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies so that it may enter into force  as soon 
as possible , providing technical assistance where needed . Staff of the Rules Division is also beginning WT/BFA/W/607  
 
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  to map out its implementation, including provision of technical assistance, and technical work to set 
up the institutional framework (new Committee, procedures, notification formats, etc.).  That work 
will greatly accelerate once the Agreement has entered into effect, which is anticipate d within a year.  
2.40.  A Fisheries Funding Mechanism  will be established as required in the Agreement , following the 
process established under the WTO's Financial regulations . In parallel, the Division will continue 
staffing the next wave of negotiations mandated in the Agreement to address outstanding issues.  
2.41.  Once the Agreement on Fisheries Subs idies enters into force, the new Committee on Fisheries 
Subsidies will become operational  and will be staffed by the Rules Division . In the meantime, existing 
staff is managing the new work and responsibilities  emanating from the new Agreement, the 
establi shment of the Trust Fund, and the second wave of negotiations.  
2.3.2   Pandemic response  
2.42.  The Ministerial Declaration on the WTO Response to the COVID -19 Pandemic and Preparedness 
for Future Pandemics specifically refers to the Secretariat's extensive collaboration  and cooperation 
with other international organisations, and its analytical work on trade and health matters. The 
Intellectual Property Division has a central role in coordinating and substantively contributing to this 
work, which is vital to support ing informed and empirically  grounded  policymaking and discussion s 
in an area of fundamental importance to all Members. Necessary skills to meet this Member - goal 
include specialis ed IP knowledge in the public health field, capacity for economic analysis in the trade 
and health field, and capacity to integrated statistical data from diverse fields including health, trade , 
and IP . 
2.43.  The Ministerial Decision on the TRIPS Agreement establishes a new flexibility for developing 
countries within the TRIPS framework, crea ting a need for highly specialised technical assistance and 
policy support for Members and groups of Members seeking to address the systemic imbalances and 
inequities in access to vaccines. In this regard, the CTD must analyse lessons learned and challenge s 
experienced referring to proposals by Members, gaining appreciation of the impact of the pandemic 
on small economies and other developing countries.  
2.44.  The Ministerial Decision on TRIPS  Agreement has  also initiated negotiations on its extension 
to the field s of therapeutics and diagnostics. These are complex, multifaceted areas of medical 
technology undergoing rapid transformation and development. Highly special ized technical 
knowledge is therefore needed to back these negotiations, along with the extensive resources that 
are necessary  for the TRIPS Council negotiation processes.  
2.3.3   Food Security and SPS  
2.45.  As a result of the Ministerial Declaration on the response to modern SPS challenges, Members 
instructed the SPS Committee to further enhance the implementation of the SPS Agreement , 
including through  undertaking a work programme consisting of new efforts to identify challenges in 
the implementation of the SPS Agreement and the mechanisms available to address them , as well 
as the impact of emerging challenges on the application of the Agreement.  
2.46.  Members agreed , in the Ministerial Declaration on the emergency response to food insecurity , 
to initiate a dedicated work programme in the Committee on Agriculture to examine how the 
Marrakesh Decision on Mea sures Concerning the Possible Negative Effects of the Reform Programme 
on Least -Developed and Net Food -Importing developing countries could be made more effective and 
operational. The Secretariat was also invited to provide regular updates on trade and mar ket 
developments in the wake of the current food price spikes and excessive price volatility, in 
cooperation with other relevant international organizations.  
2.3.4   Work Arising from  the MC12 Outcome Document  
2.47.  In the Outcome Document, Members committed to undertak e the necessary work to reform  
the WTO and to ensure the WTO's proper functioning. In particular , Ministers agreed on the goal of 
restoring a fully and well -functioning WTO dispute settlement system  accessible to all Members 
by 2024.  This is a key area tha t will require significant legal expertise . Informal level discussions are WT/BFA/W/607  
 
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  already taking place among Members . As the intensity of the work increases, significant legal 
expertise will be required to assist the Members so that they may realize their mandate . 
2.48.  The MC12 outcomes put services  and services trade squarely at the centr e of WTO work. 
Additional work mandated at MC12 includes:  further work by the Council for  Trade in Services on the 
operationalization of the LDC Services Waiver, including by exploring improvements in LDC services 
export data ; reviewing information on LDC services suppliers and consumers of LDC services in the 
markets of preference -granting Members assess ing best practices in facilitating the use of the 
preferences;  and continu ing work related to services in the context of the WTO response to the 
COVID -19 pandemic and preparedness for future pandemic s. 
2.49.  Following the recognition by Members of women's economic empowerment  and the 
contribution of MSMEs  to inclusive and sustainable economic growth , the Informal Working Group 
on Trade and Gender will be intensifying its work on gender . 
2.50.  Members have also recognized global environmental challenges  including climate change 
and related natural disasters, loss of biodiversity and pollution , as well as  the importance of the 
contribution of the multilateral trading system to promot ing the UN 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable 
Development Goals, insofar as they relate to WTO mandates . The Secretariat will continue to support 
Members' work in this  area by serv icing the Committee on Trade and Environment and other relevant 
bodies as well as undertaking research and analysis and data collection in these areas.  
2.3.5   Other areas  
2.51.  The MC12 Decision on the Work Programme on Small Economies calls for work to be  
undertaken in the Committee on Trade and Development's Dedicated Session on Small Economies 
on integrating small economies into the post COVID -19 economy.  
2.52.  Given the n ew topics emerg ing before and after MC12, many developing country Members  
and LDCs  have reached out to the Secretariat to request training and technical assistance to help 
them understand these new issues . The number of such requests is expected to continue its strong 
growth. 
3  TECHNOLOGICAL AND OTHER MODERNIZATION S OF THE SECRET ARIAT SINCE 2012  
3.1.  In the face of ever-increasing  demands, the Secretariat has spent resources to develop and 
acquire efficiencies by implementing new technological hardware and software , databases, websites , 
and digital tools. While some of these tools have required significant initial investments, they  have 
modernized the way the Secretariat functions as it serves Members , allowing it to produce more, 
create greater efficiencies, and expand inclusivity. In some ways, these approaches have also 
reduced c osts, allowing staff to focus on higher value -added tasks.  
3.2.  Many technological advancements have taken place since 201 2. For example, the centralised 
portal ( the WTO Notifications Portal) allows for a one -stop-shop to submit notifications , while 
providing a  clear picture of the current state of notifications , with user -friendly access to information. 
Automatic data exchange is also simplifying the procedures for submitting import and tariff data to 
the WTO.  Moreover, to provide new up to date services and to benefit from economies of scale, Public 
Cloud with Software as Service  has been used  to host modern tools and larger datasets ; virtual 
platforms, some with interpretation facilities, have been implemented; and e-registration for 
Ministerial  Conferences and other large events has been developed and installed.  
3.3.  The development and implementation of various digital platforms and information systems , 
e.g., the e -Registration, e -TRIPS, AGIMS, database for RTAs, monitoring of trade measures , and 
e-GPA, has greatly enhanc ed efficiencies for both Secretariat staff and Members.  
3.4.  Use of virtual tools to provide remote delivery of technical assistance and training and to 
organize events has expanded and improved on -line consultation and meeting practices.  This has 
enabled the Secretariat to reach a much wider cross -section of officials and other stakeholders in 
Member countries across the globe, with savings in travel costs and time  out of the office . 
Furthermore, d igital tools  enable  capital -based delegat es to participate more regular ly in Committee 
meetings. This has led to more engagement by Members , as well as to additional notifications and WT/BFA/W/607  
 
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  responses to questions. Nevertheless, in some instances, an in -person format for events and training 
is more effe ctive, so all approaches must be available . 
3.5.  Efficiencies have been achieved in dispute settlement through  IT developments . In particular,  
the recently introduced  Disputes Online Registry Application  e-filing system  has seen a marked 
improvement in terms of its user -friendliness and adaptability. A virtual platform was installed for  
secure dispute settlement  proceedings  where physical hearings were not viable.  
3.6.  The shift to electronic dissemination, through DOL, has brought significant economies by 
reducing paper distribution and considerably reduced the number of queries to the Secretariat to 
provide relevant documentation. Over 845 delegates are registered to e -subscription , and 35 million 
official documents are downloaded yearly from DOL.  
3.7.  The pilot project for Speech to Text (S2T) speeds up the production of a verbatim record of 
proceedings of Committee meetings. Extending S2T to additional Committees would provide 
Members with an accelerated means of referring to the discussions and a text -based sea rch engine.  
3.8.  To ensure a steady flow of deliverables while managing multiple projects  in parallel, the IT 
Solutions Division  brought in industry standard best practices to its project management, all under 
the control of its project portfolio management off ice, and new agile development technologies . 
3.9.  The s tatistical production chain has been improved, with the double objective to increase 
productivity and free up time for new projects. New statistical software and visualization technology 
have been adopted f or data processing, analysis , and dissemination of  information . 
3.10.  In the area of trade policy review s, one approach to allow the review of more Members with 
fewer resources has been  to conduct "joint TPR reviews" of several Members at the same time  (e.g. 
joint TPRs of Switzerland and Lichtenstein) . This approach provides an opportunity to save financial 
resources and time for Secretariat staff and Members.  
3.11.  Some Divisions, Sections and Units were merged, thus leading to efficiency gains. For 
example, t he merge r of the External Relations Division and the Information and Media Relations 
Division has led to increased  efficiency in terms of internal cooperation and less bureaucracy.  
3.12.  Some services were outsourced to reduce costs or gain economies of scale. Examples include 
the service centr e; shifting supplementary development resources to nearshore locations at 
significantly lower cost s than in Switzerland ; sourcing large portions of infrastructure services from 
United Nations International Computing Centre  (UNICC),  the UN cooperative for IT services ; and 
handling cyber security t hrough  a Security Operating Centr e. WT/BFA/W/607  
 
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  4  MAJOR SAVINGS AND COST INCREASES  COMPARING 2012 TO 2021  
Table 1 Comparisons of the 2012 and 2021 Expenditure Showing Savi ngs (in kCHF)  
Item  Expenditure 
2012  Expenditure 
2021  Difference 
2012 -2021  % Saving 
since 2012  
Documents Reproduction  863  153  -711  -82% 
Security Outsourcing ( 2012-2019) 3,738  3,185  -553  -15% 
Post & Freight  617  118  -499  -81% 
Supplies  921  463  -458  -50% 
Electricity (2012-2019) 492  283  -209  -43% 
Gas & Fuel  479  320  -159  -33% 
Telecommunication  500  380  -120  -24% 
Switchboard  141  35  -106  -75% 
Insurance  186  121  -65  -35% 
Archives  39  7  -32  -82% 
Total  7,976  5,064  -2,912  -37%   
This table highlights the major savings that the Secretariat has experienced , quite often at the 
Secretariat's initiative, since Zero Nominal Growth began. However, these accumulated savings are 
outstripped by increased costs and expenditure s, as demonstrated by the next table.  
 
4.1  Documen ts Reproduction - The savings incurred under Documents Reproduction between 
2012 and 2021 amount to CHF  0.7 million , which corresponds to 82% of the expenditure in this 
category since 2012. These savings are due to the progressive reduction in the operating costs of 
reproduction equipment by more than 50% , driven by replacing the existing machines by more 
powerful and l ess expensive ones. In parallel , since 2013 streamlining measures have been 
introduced  aimed  to significantly reduce paper consumption in the Secretariat , including the 
discontinuation of internal distribution of official documents within the Secretariat, the creation of an 
electronic subscription model for official documents, the electronic distribution of documents to 
Members instead of printed form, the establishment of the platform Documents for Meetings, 
providing electronic packs containing all the do cuments for specific meetings, the discontinuation of 
certain document series , and the discontinuation of the distribution of official documents in meeting 
rooms.  
4.2  Security Outsourcing  (2012 -2019)  - The savings  on the external security provider between 
2012 and 2019 (before the pandemic) amounted to CHF 0.6 million (15% of the expenditure in this 
category in 2012). Th ese savings are due to a better management of the workforce, as well as the 
re-negotiation of the contract.  
4.3  Post & Freight - Due to the streamlining measures introduced in 2013, the distribution by mail 
of various types of documents has been discontinued and replaced by electronic distribution. In the 
realm of technical assistance -related training activities, postal expenditur e was reduced by providing 
USB keys to the participants instead of sending out voluminous paper document packs. In addition, 
the contracts have been re -negotiated and a new service provider for the mailing services has been 
chosen, providing lower rates. These measures , together with  the general trend of using electronic 
exchange instead of mail , led to savings of CHF 0.5 million (81%) since 2012.  
4.4  Supplies - Due to a very strict management of purchase s of office supplies and efficiencies in 
document reprodu ction, the expenditure has decreased by CHF 0.5 million (50%) since 2012.  
4.5  Electricity - Since 2012, the WTO has taken various measures to reduce the electricity 
consumption. Despite the fact that the WTO moved into a new  building , which  has been occupied 
since 2013, the  overall  electricity consumption across the campus gradually reduced between 2012 
and 2019 (pre -pandemic). This was due to the systematic replacement of conventional lighting with 
LED lighting together with the introduction of sensors, as wel l as the optimization of hours of 
functioning of the circulation pumps for electricity according to office hours. The overall savings on 
electricity from 2012 to 2019  amounted to CHF 0.2 million (43% of the expenditure of 2012).  
However, please see the discussion  below noting that the rate for electricity is now increasing  
significantly . While the Secretariat will maximize its energy conservation efforts, the significant 
increase in rate is beyond the Secretariat's control.  WT/BFA/W/607  
 
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  4.6  Gas &  Fuel - Several measures have been undertaken to reduce consumption of gas for 
heating. Similar to the measures for electricity, the functioning of the heating system has been 
optimized according to office hours. At the same time, the prior system allowing  only turning the 
heating either on or off has been replaced by a variable control ( e.g., turn the heating on at a lower 
rate). In addition, a comprehensive search for heat leakages in the building has been undertaken, 
followed by insulation of those areas . These measures led to a reduction in the consumption of gas 
by 33% (0.16 million) ) since 2012.  However, please see the discussion below showing that the rate 
for gas is now increasing significantly, While the Secretariat will maximize its energy conserva tion 
efforts, the significant increase in rate is beyond the Secretariat's control.  
4.7  Telecommunication - Since 2012, the WTO has rationalized its telephone policy with the 
restriction of benefits to cover certain zones. In addition, the introduction of cell phones with e -mail 
capabilities has allowed staff to use e -mail services in lieu of making many phone c alls. Use of IT -
approved applications with end -to-end encryption has further reduced telecommunication costs. The 
various subscriptions have also been re -negotiated several times. All of these measures have led to 
an overall saving of CHF 0.12 million (24% ) since 2012.  
4.8  Switchboard - Since 2014, the WTO Switchboard has been outsourced to a private company , 
result ing in savings of CHF 0.1 million, representing 7 5% of the expenditure  in 2012 . 
4.9  Insurance - The re -negotiation of the WTO insurance policies (building, third -party,  and 
vehicles) and their grouping under a main supplier led to savings of CHF 65,000 (35% of the cost in 
2012).  
4.10  Archives - Following the construction of the new premises of the WTO, the cost for the rental 
of outside archives has bee n reduced by CHF 3 2,000 (82% of the 2012 expenditure)  
Table 2 Increases in Expenditure Comparing 2012 to 2021  (in kCHF)  
Item  Expenditure 
2012  Expenditure 
2021  Difference 2012 -
2021  % Increase 
since 2012  
Interpreters  974 3,251  2,277  234%  
Retiree Health Insurance  2,089  3,561  1,472  70% 
ICC 1,561  2,892  1,331  85% 
Computing Software  123 1,322  1,199  974%  
Panellist Fees (2012 -2019)  209 1,142  933 446%  
Travel overall (2012 -2019)  6,537  7,345  808 12% 
Equipment Maintenance  869 1,674  805 93% 
Bank charges  19 712 693 3669%  
Travel Panellists  274 833 559 204%  
Translation  5,776  6,322  546 9% 
Service Desk (2015 -2021)  893 1,152  259 29% 
SOS Travel Insurance  111 215 104 94% 
Total  19,434  30,421  10,987  57%   
 
This table demonstrates the increase in expenditures between 2012 and 2021, the latest year for 
which audited data is available. While full expenditures  for 2022 are not yet available, the trends 
indicate significant increases in many of these categories, as described below.  
 
4.11  Interpreters - Since 2012, the expenditure on interpreters has increased by CHF 2.3 million 
(234%) due to the proliferation of virt ual meetings and continuation of in -person meetings. A 
significant part of the increase is due to the fact that  the profession's rules cut in half the number of 
hours an interpreter can work in a virtual or hybrid mode , thus increasing costs for Freelance 
Interpreters . That trend has continued in 2022 . The increased cost represents a "mandatory" 
increase – that is, a cost that the Secretariat is unable to control given the continued significant 
demand for hybrid and virtual meetings.  
4.12  Retiree Health Insuranc e - The premiums for the Retiree Health Insurance have increased 
by CHF 1.5 million (70%) since 2012. The average year -on-year increase since 2012 was 5%. This 
is primarily due to the steady increase in the population of retirees as well as the increase in  medical 
premiums over this period of time.  This trend has continued in 2022  and will rise even fur ther. WT/BFA/W/607  
 
- 17 - 
 
  4.13  Computing Software - Since 2012, the expenditure for Computing Software has increased 
exponentially  due to the increased availability of new products and the demand for them  as these 
tools become a commonplace means for conducting the Secretariat's business and serving Members . 
The WTO has continuously increased its software tools from a limited number of standard licences in 
2012 to a wide variety of software licences . While t his has resulted in additional costs, it has ensured 
a more efficient functioning of the Secretariat . Below are some examples of new initiatives  
implemented by ITSD over the past 1 0 years , which explain the benefits of the increased 
expenditures : 
• To respond to an increased need for professionalisation of IT and to benefit from 
economies of scale, ITSD has been outsourcing ever larger portions of its infrastructure 
services to the UN  cooperative for IT services (the United Nations International 
Communications Centre ( UNICC )). The cost for such services has increased from  
CHF 600,000 in 2012  to nearly CHF 3 million  per year in 2021, a trend that is continuing 
in 2022 . Some of these costs were shift ed from other parts of the IT budget , but the 
overall increase in consumption of digital services translated into a net cost increase in 
the ITSD budget between 2012 and 2022.  This is another expense beyond the 
Secretariat's control.  
• To develop its capability to monitor all security events, ITSD engaged a new company 
to provide a 24X7 Security Operating Center. To provide new up to date services and 
to benefit from economies of scale, ITSD is increasing its use of the Public Cloud with  
Software as Service like Microsoft 365 or Workday and with the use of Amazon Web 
Services and Azure to host its modern new tools and larger datasets. The cloud offers 
some opportunities for cost decreases , but more importantly offers the ability to delive r 
new and improved services  where appropriate . 
• To increase its operational efficiency and provide measurable outcome s, ITSD 
outsourced its Service Center. Today, the Service Center's cost s are lower than in 2012 , 
and it deliver s more, better , and more meas urable services.  
• To increase the involvement of business partners when delivering new applications and 
to deliver rapidly, ITSD introduced  new agile development technologies. At the same 
time, it shifted supplementary development resources to nearshore loc ations at a 
significantly lower cost than Switzerland. Also, when using contractors, ITSD has been 
moving from working with individuals to working with companies to add scalability to 
its application development capability.  
4.14  International Computing Centre ( ICC) - The UN International Computing Centre ( UNICC) 
was established in 1971 pursuant to the resolution of the United Nations General Assembly, as an 
inter-agency facility providing Information and Communication Technology Services on a cost 
recovery basis. The WTO is using a multitude of services from UNICC, which include managed hosting 
for applications such as Documents On -Line (DOL), the WTO website, E -Registration for Members, 
e-Training, Integrated Databases, Dispute Online Registration Application, Enterprise Communication 
Services (Email and Teams Telephony), Data Storage and its Backup, Desktop imaging, Application 
packaging, IT Security Services, Enterprise Management Services , and Active Directory Federation 
Services. UNICC also serv es as the provider of Internet , remote access, mail gateway, anti -spam , 
and firewall  services to the WTO . The services of the UNICC have evolved significantly  since 2012 , 
from simply providing managed hosting services to incorporating Virtual meeting platf orms, Teams 
Telephony , and new Security Services. This resulted in a cost increase of CHF  1.3 million ( 85%) 
since 2012.  
4.15  Panellists' Fees - Panellists' Fees were adjusted by Members in 2016, with an increase of the 
daily fee paid to non -governmental panelli sts from CHF 600 to CHF 900 , and the introduction of a 
daily fee of CHF 300 for governmental panellists , who previously did not receive any remuneration 
for panel work. The increase of the fees and the increase of the activity until 2019 has resulted in an  
overall  increase of CHF 0.9 million or 446% at the peak of the activity in 2019.  While these 
expenditures decreased in 2021 with the pandemic, they rose again in 2022 as dispute -related work 
re-intensified . WT/BFA/W/607  
 
- 18 - 
 
  4.16  Travel - The overall travel expenditure has evolved since 2012, due to  the inflation in travel 
costs over this period as well as the necessary increase in the number of missions  due to the 
expanded workload . The overall cost increase from 2012 to 2019 (pre -pandemic) amounts to 
CHF 0.8 million (12%). Due to the recent increase in the price of fuel, travel costs for most 
destinations have risen by 30 -40%, outstripping inflation, and a further increase of up to 60 % is 
expected in 2023.  
Notably, in line with the increased dispute settlement activity, the travel expenditure of panellists  
also increased over the years. Between 2012 and 2019, the expenditure for panellists' travel 
increased by CHF 0. 6 million or 204% compared to  2012.  
4.17  Equipm ent Maintenance IT - In parallel with the increase in the use of software since 2012, 
the maintenance cost for IT equipment , a necessary expenditure,  has increased by CHF 0.8 million 
or 93%.  
4.18  Bank charges - Since the introduction of negative interest by the  Swiss banks in 2015, bank 
charges have been a significant financial burden to the WTO. Despite continued negotiations with the 
WTO's various banks, the expenditure increased by CHF 0.7 million (3669%) since  2012. Due to the 
introduction of negative intere st by the Swiss banks in 2015, combined with successful results from 
intense negotiations between the Secretariat and the banks, the budget allocation for 2023 can be 
reduced.  
4.19  Translation - The translation expenditure has evolved steadily since 2012. Due t o very strict 
management, the cost has increased only by CHF 0. 5 million (9%) since 2012 . 
4.20  IT Service Desk - The IT Service Desk was outsourced in 2015 and provides mainly four  types 
of services: Service Desk, Deskside Support, Drop -in Desk and Printer & Photocopier Services. 
Since  2015, the cost has increased by 0.3 million (29%).  Previously, the service desk was manned 
by full time WTO Secretariat employees.  Outsourcing to an e xternal provider helped reduce the 
number of short -term and fixed  term staff performing this function.  
4.21  SOS Travel Insurance - The SOS Travel Insurance covers medical evacuation, repatriation , 
and medical assistance. The budget increased by close to CHF 100 ,000 due to an increase of the  
insurance  cover age as well as an overall increase in the cost of insurance . 
5   STATISTICS ON ORGANIZATIONAL EVOLUTION FROM 1995 TO 2022  
5.1  Budget Evolution  
5.1.  Table 3 Budget Evolution 1995 -2022 shows that since the establishment of the WTO in 1995, 
there were regular annual budget increases, which stopped with the decision taken by Members to 
impose Zero Nominal Growth for the 2012 budget. The budget was adjusted in 2013 to include the 
yearly instalments of CHF  1.2 million for the repayment of the CHF 50 million loan from the Swiss 
government for the new administrative building of  the WTO . Therefore, the budget has effectively 
been stagnant since the approval of the 2012 budget in 2011.  
  WT/BFA/W/607  
 
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  Table 3 Budget Evolution 1995 -2022 
Year  Total Budget in CHF  Cumulative  Increase (CHF)  Year -on-Year % Increase  
1995 105,389,500  -   
1996 115,693,503  10,304,003  9.78%  
1997 115,692,750  -753 0.00%  
1998 115,978,850  286,100  0.25%  
1999 122,195,450  6,216,600  5.36%  
2000 127,697,010  5,501,560  4.50%  
2001 134,083,610  6,386,600  5.00%  
2002 143,129,850  9,046,240  6.75%  
2003 154,954,350  11,824,500  8.26%  
2004 161,776,500  6,822,150  4.40%  
2005 168,703,400  6,926,900  4.28%  
2006 175,000,150  6,296,750  3.73%  
2007 181,976,450  6,976,300  3.99%  
2008 184,891,500  2,915,050  1.60%  
2009 189,257,600  4,366,100  2.36%  
2010 193,989,500  4,731,900  2.50%  
2011 196,003,900  2,014,400  1.04%  
2012 196,003,900  0 0.00%  
2013 197,203,900  1,200,0004 0.61%  
2014 197,203,900  0 0.00%  
2015 197,203,900  0 0.00%  
2016 197,203,900  0 0.00%  
2017 197,203,900  0 0.00%  
2018 197,203,900  0 0.00%  
2019 197,203,900  0 0.00%  
2020 197,203,900  0 0.00%  
2021 197,203,900  0 0.00%  
2022 197,203,900  0 0.00%  
Total    91,814,400    
 
5.2  Evolution in Number of Posts  
5.2.  Table 4 Post Evolution 1995 -2022shows that from 1995 to 2011 , the number of fixed posts 
funded from the regular budget was steadily increased. But since 2011, when Zero Nominal Growth 
began, the number of posts has been frozen at 645.5 posts .5  
Table 4 Post Evolution 1995 -2022 
Year  Posts  New Posts  Total  % Increase  
1995 445.0  0 445.0    
1996 445.0  68 513.0  15.3%  
1997 513.0  0 513.0  0.0%  
1998 513.0  0 513.0  0.0%  
1999 513.0  20 533.0  3.9%  
2000 533.0  6 539.0  1.1%  
2001 539.0  13 552.0  2.4%  
2002 552.0  8 560.0  1.4%  
2003 560.0  6 590.0  5.4%  
2004 590.0  2 608.0  3.1%  
2005 608.0  -4.5 608.5  0.1%  
2006 608.5  3 635.5  4.4%  
2007 635.5  2 637.5  0.3%  
2008 637.5  2 639.5  0.3%  
 
4 See para. 5.1.  . 
5 WT/BFA/W /139, para. 3.24. WT/BFA/W/607  
 
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  Year  Posts  New Posts  Total  % Increase  
2009 639.5  0 639.5  0.0%  
2010 639.5  2 641.5  0.3%  
2011 641.5  4 645.5  0.6%  
2012 645.5  3 648.5  0.5%  
2013 648.5  -3 645.5  -0.5%  
2014 645.5  0 645.5  0.0%  
2015 645.5  0 645.5  0.0%  
2016 645.5  0 645.5  0.0%  
2017 645.5  0 645.5  0.0%  
2018 645.5  0 645.5  0.0%  
2019 645.5  0 645.5  0.0%  
2020 645.5  0 645.5  0.0%  
2021 645.5  0 645.5  0.0%  
2022 645.5  0 645.5  0.0%  
 
  WT/BFA/W/607  
 
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  6  EXPENDITURE PROJECTION TO THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2022  
Table 5 2022 Projected Budget Performance to the Year Ended 31 December 2022  
(in thousand Swiss Francs)  
Part Section  Line Budget  Expendi -
ture 
31/07/22  Committed 
Funds+ 
Further 
Expected 
Expenditure  Projected 
Balance 
31/12/22  % Exp  
A Staffing 
Resources  1. Staff 
Expenditure  i) Staff 
Remuneration  88,520  48,671  34,767  5,082  94% 
    ii) Staff Pension & 
Post-Employment 
Benefits  23,430  10,307  11,425  1,698  93% 
    iii) Staff Health & 
Invalidity 
Insurance  6,794  3,397  2,638  759 89% 
    iv) Staff Family & 
International 
Benefits  10,921  5,129  5,523  269 98% 
    v) Other Staff 
Expenditure  1,900  1,551  1,216  -866 146%  
  2. Temporary 
Assistance  i) Short -Term Staff  9,850  9,270  10,409  -9,829  200%  
    ii) Consulting  6,424  2,944  3,571  -91 101%  
    iii) Panellists  1,000  356 391 254 75% 
A Staffing Resources Total   148,840  81,625  69,939  -2,724  102%  
B Other 
Resources  3. General 
Services  i) 
Telecommunication 
& Post  541 164 355 22 96% 
    ii) Contractual 
Services & 
Maintenance  11,613  6,012  5,539  62 99% 
    iii) Energy & 
Supplies  1,966  598 1,213  155 92% 
    iv) Documentation 
& Publication  1,458  614 984 -140 110%  
    v) Other / 
Miscellaneous  48 5 23 20 58% 
  4. Travel & 
Hospitality  i) Travel  7,693  1,185  3,873  2,636  66% 
    ii) Hospitality  214 30 141 42 80% 
  5. 
Implementin
g Partners  i) Implementing 
Partners  213 82 120 11 95% 
  6. Capital 
Expenditure  i) Procurement of 
Fixed Assets  2,555  1,119  1,718  -281 111%  
    ii) Rental & Leasing 
of Equipment  540 128 391 21 96% 
  7. Financial 
Expenditure  i) Bank & Interest 
Charges  880 398 300 182 79% 
    ii) Building Loan 
Reimbursement  1,200  1,200  0 0 100%  
B Other Resources Total   28,921  11,533  14,656  2,732  91%  
C 
Operating 
Funds and 
ITC 8. 
Contributions 
to ITC & 
Special 
Reserves  i) Contribution to 
ITC 18,243  10,642  7,601  0 100%  
    iii) Ministerial 
Conference 
Operating Fund  600 600 0 0 100%  
    iv) Building 
Renovation Fund  600 600 0 0 100%  
C Operating Funds and ITC Total   19,443  11,842  7,601  0 100%  
Grand Total     197,204  105,001  92,196  7 100%  
 WT/BFA/W/607  
 
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  6.1.  At the end of 2022, the overall expenditure rate for the budget of the WTO is estimated at 
100%  -- full expenditure of all resources. This projection is based on the available information as at 
mid-August  2022. This expenditure rate appears to indicate that the WTO is able to function with 
existing resources because it is not in deficit. However, th is expenditure rate masks fundamental a nd 
unsustainable problems with 12 years of Zero Nominal Growth, as described in the sections below . 
6.1  Part A - Staffing Resources  
6.2.  Under  Staff Remuneration, the projected savings are mainly linked to the number of vacant 
posts resulting from departures and re tirement throughout 2022. However, these savings are 
artificial because the vacant posts provide savings essential to balancing the budget.  
6.3.  As explained in paras. 7.27-7.30, the projected  savings under Staff Remuneration are more 
than offset by the extraordinarily high expenditure under Temporary Assistance, due to the 
significant increase in short-term Staff in the Secretariat due in part to the cap on regular posts, as 
well as the increased spending under Interpreters  due to virtual meetings . 
6.4.   Moreover, the high number of retirements also results in overspending under Annual Leave, 
Travel , and Removal and Separation Grant , which is contractually required . The replenishment  of the 
reserve for the After Service Health Insur ance has not yet been reflected in the table. The premium 
of the Death and Invalidity Insurance increased by CHF 0.5 million, which also has to be absorbed 
by the savings.  
6.2  Part B - Other Resources  
6.5.  Under Telecommunication and Post, a small saving is expecte d under postal expenditure, which 
is partly offset by an overspending on telephone communications.  
6.6.  Under Contractual Services and Maintenance, the overspending is mainly due to the increased 
expenditure linked to the International Computing Centre , which i s partly offset by savings under 
Building Maintenance and Insurance.  
6.7.  Under Energy and Supplies, the overspending under electricity and gas is offset by savings 
under IT and office supplies.  
6.8.  The overspending under Documentation and Publication is related to  library subscriptions, 
particularly for subscriptions to big databases necessary for growing work.  
6.9.  The travel budget includes all expenditure for official missions, technical missions, trade -related 
technical assistance as well as travel related to the Hu man Resources Training Program, recruitment, 
external auditors , and dispute settlement. The anticipated savings at this point are linked to the 
impact of the pandemic in the first quarter of 2022. However, many official missions are planned and 
projected f or the second half of the year, and inflation has increased travel costs. Therefore, much 
of the savings are likely to evaporate as the year progresses . 
6.10.  The expenditure for Implementing Partners is projected to remain on track . 
6.11.  The budget for Procurement o f Fixed Assets is estimated to be overspent due to the high 
expenditure rate under Computing Software. This is mainly due to the deployment of various virtual 
meeting tools as well as several ongoing IT projects. This overspending is partly offset by a sav ings 
under audio -visual and security equipment.  
6.12.  Financial Expenditure includes bank charges and the reimbursement of the loan for the new 
administrative building. Due to the change in market conditions and subsequent negotiations with 
the WTO's banks, the negative interest charged is projected to be low er than originally expected.  
6.3  Part C - Operating Funds & ITC  
6.13.  This item comprises the contribution to the International Trade Centre (ITC), which will be 
fully expen ded at the end of the year. It also includes the annual replenishment of the Ministerial 
Operating Fund (MOF) and the Building  Renovation Fund (BRF).  WT/BFA/W/607  
 
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  7  MID-TERM REVIEW OF THE 2023 BUDGET  
7.1.  As highlighted in the introduction, the Director -General hereby submits a revision to the second 
year of the biennium 2022 -2023 and requests that the budget be increased  by 7.7 percent, from 
CHF 197.2 million to CHF 212. 45 million.  This proposal has been prepared in accordance with the 
Financial Regulations of the WTO (WT/L/156/Rev.3), with specific reference to Financial 
Regulations  5, 6, 7, 9 , and 11. 
Table 6 2023 Budget Estimates   
(in thousand Swiss Francs)  
Part 2023 
Approved 
Budget  Adjustments  2023 Revised 
Budget  % Inc  
A. Staffing Resources  149,140  11,550  160,690  7.7% 
B. Other Resources  28,621  3,700  32,321  12.9% 
C. Operating Funds and ITC  19,443  0 19,443  0% 
Grand Total  197,204  15,250  212,454  7.7% 
7.2.  The proposed financing of the budget amount of CHF 212,453,900  for 2023 is as follows:  
a. Assessed contributions from Members amounting to CHF  210,800,000 ; and  
b. Miscellaneous income estimated at CHF 1,653,900 . 
7.3.  Members' contributions are assessed on the basis of annually updated trade statistics, in 
accordance with Financial Regulation 12.  
7.4.  Contributions from Members are considered due and payable in full on 1  Janua ry 2023.  
7.5.  Table 7 Sources of Funding for the 2023 Budget  depicts the sources of funding for the budget.  
Table 7 Sources of Funding for the 2023 Budget  
(in thousand Swiss Francs)  
Income  2023 
Approved 
Budge t 2023  
Revised 
Budge t Increase / 
Decrease  % 
Increase / 
Decrease    
Assessed Contributions from 
WTO Members  195,500  210,800  15,300  7.8%  
Miscellaneous Income  1,704  1,654  -50 -2.9%  
Grand Total  197,204  212,454  15,250  7.7%  
 
7.6.  Table 8 2023 Proposed Revised WTO Budget  shows the consolidated budget by category of 
expenditure.  
  WT/BFA/W/607  
 
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  Table 8 2023 Proposed Revised WTO Budget  
(in thousand Swiss Francs)  
Part Section  Line 2023 
Approved 
Budget  Increase/
Decrease  2023 
Revised 
Budget  % 
Inc/ 
Dec 
A Staffing 
Resources  1. Staff 
Expenditure  i) Staff Remuneration  88,520  6,550  95,070  7.4%  
    ii) Staff Pension6 & 
Post-Employment 
Benefits  23,480  0 23,480  0.0%  
    iii) Staff Health & 
Invalidity Insurance  6,894  400 7,294  5.8%  
    iv) Staff Family & 
International Benefits  10,871  0 10,871  0.0%  
    v) Other Staff 
Expenditure  1,800  400 2,200  22.2%  
  2. Temporary 
Assistance  i) Short -Term Staff  9,850  3,700  13,550  37.6%  
    ii) Consulting  6,724  500 7,224  7.4%  
    iii) Panellists  1,000  0 1,000  0.0%  
A Staffing Resources Total   149,140  11,550  160,690  7.7%  
B Other 
Resources  3. General 
Services  i) Telecommunication & 
Post 541 0 541 0.0%  
    ii) Contractual Services 
& Maintenance  11,613  900 12,513  7.7%  
    iii) Energy & Supplies  1,966  1,150  3,116  58.5%  
    iv) Documentation & 
Publication  1,458  100 1,558  6.9%  
    v) Other / 
Miscellaneous  48 0 48 0.0%  
  4. Travel & 
Hospitality  i) Travel  7,393  750 8,143  10.1%  
    ii) Hospitality  214 0 214 0.0%  
  5. Implementing 
Partners  i) Implementing 
Partners  213 0 213 0.0%  
  6. Capital 
Expenditure  i) Procurement of Fixed 
Assets  2,555  1,300  3,855  50.9%  
    ii) Rental & Leasing of 
Equipment  540 0 540 0.0%  
  7. Financial 
Expenditure  i) Bank & Interest 
Charges  880 -500 380 -56.8%  
    ii) Building Loan 
Reimbursement  1,200  0 1,200  0.0%  
B Other Resources Total   28,621  3,700  32,321  12.9%  
C 
Operating 
Funds and 
ITC 8. Contributions 
to ITC & Special 
Reserves  i) Contribution to ITC  18,243  0 18,243  0.0%  
    iii) Ministerial 
Conference Operating 
Fund 600 0 600 0.0%  
    iv) Building Renovation 
Fund 600 0 600 0.0%  
C Operating Funds and ITC Total   19,443  0 19,443  0.0%  
Grand Total     197,204  15,250  212,454  7.7%  
 
 
6 The Pension Board is in the process of developing measures to reduce the actuarial gap in the WTO 
Pension Plan. Once the Board makes its recommendations, it will consult with Members , staff and retirees.  Such 
measures are not accounted for in this request  because it would be premature to assume a particular outcome. 
These recommendations will be presented to Members separately by the Board.  WT/BFA/W/607  
 
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  7.1  Budget Proposal by Section  
7.7.  The Budget is divided into the following three parts: Part A - Staffing Resources; Part B - Other 
Resources; and Part C - Operating Funds & International Trade Centre (ITC). Part C includes the 
WTO's contribution to the budget of  the ITC as well as the allocations for the Ministerial Conference 
Operating Fund and the Building Renovation Fund.  
7.1.1   Part A "Staffing Resources"  
7.8.  Part A of the budget comprises the expenditure for staff funded through the regular budget. 
This includes salary, pension, health insurance, death and invalidity insurance, staff benefits , and 
expenditure related to travel on recruitment or separation, removal and installation. Expenditure for 
short-term staff, consultants , and panellists also fall un der this part of the budget.  
Table 9 Section 1: Staff Expenditure  
(in thousand Swiss Francs)  
Section  
Line 2023 
Approved 
Budget  Increase*  2023 
Revised 
Budget  % 
Increase  
1. Staff 
Expenditure  i) Staff Remuneration  88,520  6,550  95,070  7.4%  
  ii) Staff Pension7 & Post -
Employment Benefits  23,480  0 23,480  0.0%  
  iii) Staff Health & Invalidity 
Insurance  6,894  400 7,294  5.8%  
  iv) Staff Family & International 
Benefits  10,871  0 10,871  0.0%  
  v) Other Staff Expenditure  1,800  400 2,200  22.2%  
Grand 
Total    131,565  7,350  138,915  5.6%  
 
* The proposed increase of CHF 7.35 million comprises mandatory adjustments to staff salary 
and annual increments  totalling CHF 3.25 million, an d non-mandatory adjustments of CHF 4 .1 million  
that derive from the proposed additional 18 posts and an increase in the number of staff to be 
promoted  from 30 to 60 . 
 
Table 10 Staff Remuneration  
(in thousand Swiss Francs)  
Line Account 
Description  2023 Approved 
Budget  Increase  2023 Revised 
Budget  % 
Increase  
i) Staff 
Remuneration  Staff / Salary  87,983  6,300  94,283  7.2%  
  Staff / Annual 
leave  262 250 512 95.5% 
  Staff / Overtime  107 0 107 0.0%  
  Staff / 
Representation 
Allowance  168 0 168 0.0%  
i) Staff Remuneration Total   88,520  6,550  95,070  7.4%  
 
7.9.  Staff Remuneration covers the expenditure for salaries of regular staff as well as overtime paid 
to fixed  term staff and outstanding leave payments at separation from service.  
7.10.  The allocation under Staff/Salary is based on the established salary methodology 
(WT/GC/M/63) and the provision for the Performance Appraisal System (WT/GC/M/80). It also 
includes a provision for an estimated statutory (mandatory) increase in salaries of 1 %; a mandatory 
step-increase in salaries; an allocation for 18 proposed new posts; and 30 additional promotions.  
 
7 See footnote 6.  WT/BFA/W/607  
 
- 26 - 
 
  The cost of new posts is estimated based on an average cost at Grade 8 . Mandatory  expenditures 
amount for 37% of the budget increase request in  this line item.  
7.11.  In 2012, the Zero Nominal Budget Growth  took effect, and the maximum number of staff posts 
under the regular budget was capped at 645.5 posts . Staffing expenditures were capped at 
74 percent of the budget .8 Over time, this cap has profoundly complicated the Secretariat's human 
resources operating model, and the situation has become increasingly unsustainable in recent years. 
A modest amount of relief – an additional 18 posts or a 2. 8 % increase  in posts  – would help address 
the negative effects, allow the Secretariat to better meet its Member s' mandate, and improve 
accountability and transparency within the Organization.  
7.12.  To cope with ever -increasing needs and costs, the Secretariat had to resort to the follow ing 
measures to reconcile Members' decision to maintain zero nominal growth , cap staff expenditures, 
and impose a ceiling on the number of posts: 
• Adopting the "Ideal Staffing Structure "9, making it extremely difficult to strategically 
shift resources to a dapt to changing priorities.  
• Reversing the "Inverted Pyramid "10 to reduce the number of grade 10 posts, ostensibly 
to accrue financial savings, by hiring all new professional staff at "default"  lower grades 
6-7, even for staff with advanced degrees (such a s PhDs and law degrees) and 
substantial experience.11 
• Imposing a promotion freeze between 2012 and 2015 and enforcing a limited number 
of promotions12 since 2016, leading to limited career pathways and staff frustration.  
• Maintain ing approximately  40 vacancies in regular posts  to meet rising costs after 
eleven years of no growth, thereby not fully utilizing the existing  staffing resource 
allocation.  
7.13.  The Secretariat's human resources operating model is no longer sustainable and 
puts future work and services to Members at significant risk . While the current model helped 
earn an apparent CHF 12.5 million in savings over the past 11 years, it has  also generat ed perverse 
effects , financial and non -financial,  on the Secretariat's human resources and operations that require 
immediate and sustained attention . These  include:  
• The use of short-term staff  to fill in long-term resourc e gaps, including  to reinforce 
teams coping with an increased demand for services – an unsustainable practice.  While 
hiring short -term staff leads to financial gains in the short term given that costs are 
lower than  for regular posts, long -term managerial and recruitment costs, as well as 
loss of knowledge and institutional memory , are significant  and untenable . 
• A profound decline in s taff morale  due to l imited promotions and low prospects for 
career progressio n. 
• Suboptimal e ngagement with  Ambassadors, delegates, and external stakeholder s 
because g rades 6 -7 staff do not  always have the same gravita s, expertise, and 
experience as  grades 9 -10. 
 
8 See WT/BFA/139, para. 3.4.  
9 Under the leadership of Director -General Roberto Azevêdo, the Secretariat undertook a divisional 
structure and grading restructure exercise that fixed the allocation of the 645.5 posts across divisions and 
units.  
10 See WT/BFA/W/30 9 (2014 -2015 budget proposals) with reference to WTO Secretariat's 
implementation of a policy established under the leadership of Director -General Azevêdo to reverse the so -
called "inverted pyramid," in which the Secretariat had more staff at higher levels  than lower. Members had 
expressed concern with this structure.  
11 See WT/BFA/W/606 HR, 2020 and 2021 Annual Report on Grading Structure in the WTO Secretariat.  
12 An average of 25 per year across all grades, encompassing both professional and support.  WT/BFA/W/607  
 
- 27 - 
 
  • Staff attrition in critical areas , including legal, economics, research, statistics, technical 
assistance, and development , risking the ability to deliver quality product to 
Members .13  
7.14.  Establishing a more strategic and sustainable approach to human resources will 
drive improvements in services provided to Members and make human resources 
management more agile and resilient . Aligning human resources with strategic and operational 
priorities will play a key role in helping the Secretariat to deliver on Member priorities today while 
building capabilities to respond to Member priorities tomorrow.14, 15 We need to establish a new 
human resources operating  mode l to serve Members better and  to improve financial management 
and overall accountability of human resources.  
7.15.  Renewing our human resources framework will start with introducing corrective 
measures in four areas:  
• Reducing the use of short -term staff by 50% compared to the level of actual 
use in 2022 . While an increase of CHF 2.2 million in the allocated amount for short -
term staff is necessary while the Secretariat transitions to a more sustainable staffing 
model with a modest increase in posts and promo tions, this request would represent a 
cut in the actual use of short -term staff from over CHF 11 million to CHF 5 .5 million.  
• Leveraging the first wave of the transformation exercise to improve staff 
motivation, engagement, and value.  In the short-term, a new reward system 
focused on talent management  will be established without budgetary cost . In addition, 
a new promotions framework and the development of internal and external mobility 
opportunities will contribute to restoring staff motivati on, engagement, creativity, and 
innovation , also without additional budgetary cost.  At the same time, t o boost staff 
morale, offer better career progression, and retain talent in the Secretariat , an increase 
in the number of promotions per year , spread thr ough all grades, is envisaged (from 
30 in 2022 to 60 in 2023) , representing a cost of only CHF 500,000 . 
• Strengthening capabilities for today and tomorrow. Current staffing levels in the 
Secretariat's technical and support areas, including economic research  and statistics, 
environment, data analytics, trade finance, and gender, are insufficient  to adequately 
meet Members ' needs and expectations . In particular:  
• Augmenting and reinforcing capabilities is needed to improve support to 
Member priority areas as i dentified in MC12 outcomes and leading to MC13 , 
including areas related to fisheries subsidies, food security, intellectual property rights, 
digital trade, environment, gender, and health, as well as WTO reform. Allocation of 
new human and operating resour ces to these areas is necessary to maintain and 
improve productivity, including value, engagement, and innovation within the 
Secretariat to better serve Member interests.  
• Importantly, the Organization does not have a gender policy  even though such a 
policy  is considered best practice. Accordingly, the Secretariat intends to introduce such 
 
13 While turnover of staff has been traditionally low, as indicated in the 2020 -2021 Annual Report on 
Diversity at the WTO Secretariat, overall trends show that turnover has generally been higher for professional 
staff. For example, in 2018 -2022, there were 40 staff voluntary resignations, principally in professional 
categories working in the fields of economic research and statistics, rules, legal affairs, languages and 
documentation services, and technical cooperation and development.  
14 The Secretariat has sou ght to fill in the existing resource gaps by leveraging and redeploying 
resources through secondments and permanent transfers to Divisions where needs have increased. For 
example, after the Appellate Body ceased being operational in December 2019, Appellat e Body staff were 
redeployed to Divisions with increased staffing needs.  At the same time, there are significant limitations as to 
redeployment of professional staff with specialized qualification s. 
15 The Secretariat has effectively redeployed staff, where possible, for particular purposes and then 
returned them to their divisions when the work is done, not layering on additional structures that no longer 
serve a purpose. For example, the Delivery Unit was created to p rovide essential support work for MC12. Once 
MC12 was successfully concluded, the unit was no longer needed, so it was dismantled.  WT/BFA/W/607  
 
- 28 - 
 
  a policy in the coming months . At least one new officer will be needed in the HRD to 
work on the implementation of such policy.  
• Given the evolving nature of global trade, capitalizing on the Secretariat's global and 
geographical expertise will help the Organization operate under high uncertainty and 
volatility . Demands for Secretariat monitoring, activities, and reports on new 
economic global and regional trends impacting w orld trade have increased significantly. 
To respond to these demands, the Secretariat must strengthen internal coordination 
and build new capabilities to capitalize on existing WTO data and analysis (e.g., trade 
policy reviews, trade policy monitoring mech anism, World Trade Reports, WTO 
databases etc.) for improving advisory and forecasting services to Members and 
Secretariat staff (e.g., identifying new trends and generating new insights). To this 
end, the creation of a Global and Geographical Coordination  Unit is envisaged to 
coordinate expertise throughout the Secretariat.  
• Building a state -of-the-art Secretariat managerial capacity, including 
strategic planning to improve strategic allocation and human resource use 
accountability . Creating a new Strategy Planning Unit will enable the Organization to 
formulate its vision and identify medium - to long -term priorities, which would help to 
optimize the use of the Secretariat's financial, human, and other types of resources. In 
addition, as demonstrated  most recently by the COVID pandemic, risk management 
expertise is necessary to identify, assess, and control threats to the Organization and 
enable risk -aware decision making. Furthermore, additional staffing is needed to fill in 
existing gaps affecting t he Office of the Legal Counsel, Office of Internal Oversight, and 
Human Resources. These additions will help build a more agile and responsive human 
resources model focused on mobilizing human resources internally in ways that deliver 
more value and better  services to Members. It will also help enhance the strategic 
planning, budgeting, management of current and future human resources, thereby 
increasing the Secretariat's performance, accountability, and overall staff well -being.  
7.1.1.1   Regular Posts per Division  
7.16.  Table 11 Regular Posts Per Division as at 31 August 2022  and Proposed New Posts shows the 
distribution of the current 645.5 posts across the Secretariat's Divisions. Table 12 Additional Posts  
provides the details with respect to the proposed  new posts.  
Table 11 Regular Posts Per Division as at 31 August 2022  and Proposed New Posts   
Department / 
Division  Grades 
3-10 Grades 11 -
12 Senior 
Manage -
ment  Grand16 
Total  Proposed17 
New Posts 
(Grades 3 -
10) Proposed 
Grand Total  
Offices of Director -
General and Deputy 
DDGs  24  2  5  31  1  32 
Accessions Division  8  1   9   9 
Administration and 
General Services 
Division  67  1   68   68 
Agriculture and 
Commodities Division  22  1   23   23 
Council and TNC 
Division  13  1   14   14 
Development Division  19  1   20  1 21 
Economic Research 
and Statistics Division  36  1   37  4 41 
Human Resources 
Division  27  1   28  1 29 
Information and 
External Relations 
Division  27  1   28   28 
 
16 Posts are rounded to full numbers. This also includes vacant posts  
17 The details of the proposed posts are in Table 12 Additional Posts . WT/BFA/W/607  
 
- 29 - 
 
  Department / 
Division  Grades 
3-10 Grades 11 -
12 Senior 
Manage -
ment  Grand16 
Total  Proposed17 
New Posts 
(Grades 3 -
10) Proposed 
Grand Total  
Information 
Technology Solutions 
Division  38  1   39   39 
Institute for Training 
and Technical 
Cooperation  29  1   30   30 
Intellectual Property, 
Government 
Procurement and 
Competition Division  14  1   15   15 
Knowledge and 
Information 
Management, 
Academic Outreach 
and WTO Chairs 
Programme  18  1   19   19 
Language and 
Documentation 
Services Division  99  1   100   100 
Legal Affairs Division  36  1   37   37 
Market Access 
Division  19  1   20   20 
Office of Internal 
Oversight  3    3  1 4 
Rules Division  37  1   38  1 39 
Trade and 
Environment Division  18  1   19  3 22 
Trade in Services and 
Investment Division  14  1   15   15 
Trade Policies Review 
Division  52  1   53   53 
Strategy and Planning 
Unit     2 2 
Risk Management 
Unit     1 1 
Regional Coordination 
Unit (Develop trade 
capabilities)      3 3 
Grand Total  620  21  5  646  18 664 
 
7.1.1.2   Additional Posts  
7.17.  The proposed additional 18 posts are as shown in Table 12 Additional Posts below : 
Table 12 Additional Posts  
Strategic Priority  Division/Office/Unit  Number of Posts  
1. Building managerial capacity and 
management systems  Strategy and Planning Unit  2 
2. Building managerial capacity  and 
management systems  Risk Management  1 
3. Building managerial capacity  and 
management systems  Office of Internal Oversight  1 
4. Building managerial capacity and 
management systems  Office of Legal Counsel  1 
5. Strengthening capabilities  Trade and Environment Division  3 
6. Building managerial capacity and 
management systems   Human Resources Division  1 
7. Strengthening capabilities  Trade and Gender Unit  1 
8. Strengthening capabilities  Global and Geographical Coordination  3 
9. Strengthening capabilities  Rules Division  1  
10. Strengthening capabilities (Digital trade ; 
blockchain)  Economic Research and Statistics 
Division  2  WT/BFA/W/607  
 
- 30 - 
 
  Strategic Priority  Division/Office/Unit  Number of Posts  
11. Strengthening capabilities  (economic 
modelling)   Economic Research a nd Statistics 
Division  2 
 
7.18.  The proposed addition of 18 new posts to the total number of fixed posts is a very conservative 
approach given the post stagnation that has been in place since 2011. These additional posts are a 
small step to ensure that the Secretariat is staffed in a manner that is commensurate with the 
expansion of its deliverables to Members since 2012.  
Figure 1 Post Evolution 1995 - 2023  
 
 
7.19.  The allocation under Staff Remuneration /Annual Leave is adjusted upwards, as a high number 
of retirements is anticipated for 2023 and the affected staff must be paid for their accumulated leave 
balances.  This is a mandatory, contractual obligation.  
Table 13 Staff Pension and Post -Employment Benefits  
(in thousand Swiss Francs)  
Line Account 
Description  2023 
Approved 
Budget  Increase  2023 Revised 
Budget  % 
Increase  
ii) Staff Pension & Post -
Employment Benefits  Staff / Pension18 19,355  0 19,355  0.0%  
  Staff / Retiree 
Health Insurance  4,125  0 4,125  0.0% 
Grand Total    23,480  0 23,480  0.0% 
 
7.20.  Staff Pension and Post -Employment Benefits relate to the WTO's contributions for pension and 
health insurance for regular budget staff as well as health insurance contributions for retired staff.  
Table 14 Staff Health and Invalidity Insurance  
(in thousand Swiss Francs)  
Line Account 
Description  2023 
Approved 
Budget  Increase / 
Decrease  2023 
Revised 
Budget  % 
Increase / 
Decrease  
iii) Staff Health & 
Invalidity Insurance  Staff / Health 
Insurance  6,397  -100 6,297  -1.6% 
 
18 See footnote 6. 
WT/BFA/W/607  
 
- 31 - 
 
  Line Account 
Description  2023 
Approved 
Budget  Increase / 
Decrease  2023 
Revised 
Budget  % 
Increase / 
Decrease  
  Death and Invalidity 
Insurance  497 500 997 100.6% 
Grand Total    6,894  400 7,294  5.8% 
 
7.21.  Staff Health and Invalidity Insurance relates to the health insurance contributions for fixed 
term staff and their dependents , death and invalidity insurance premiums , and the insurance 
premium for service -incurred accidents.  
7.22.  The allocation for Health Insurance  that had been increased by CHF 100,000 in the original 
budget pr oposal for 2023 does not seem necessary, as the anticipated premium increase in 2022 
was lower than expected. Under the Death and Invalidity insurance, a new insurance contract was 
entered into, which resulted in a premium increase of CHF 500,000. This was  partly due to the WTO 
claim history and t he increase in coverage.  This is an unavoidable expense.  
Table 15 Staff Family and International Benefits  
(in thousand Swiss Francs)  
Line Account Description  2023 
Approved 
Budget  Increase  2023 
Revised 
Budget  % 
Increase  
iv) Staff Family & 
International Benefits  Staff / Child Allowance  3,411  0 3,411  0% 
  Staff / Spouse 
Allowance  1,509  0 1,509  0% 
  Staff / Secondary 
Dependence Allowance  340 0 340 0% 
  Staff / Education Grant  4,062  0 4,062  0% 
  Staff / Home Leave  1,236  0 1,236  0% 
  Staff / Rental Subsidy  314 0 314 0% 
Grand Total    10,871  0 10,871  0% 
 
7.23.  Staff Family and International Benefits includes Child Allowances, Spouse Allowances, 
Secondary Dependency Allowances, Rental Subsidy, Home Leave , and Education Grant for eligible 
staff member s and are not expected to change.  
Table 16 Other Staff Expenditure  
(in thousand Swiss Francs)  
Line Account Description  2023 
Approved 
Budget  Increas e 2023 
Revised 
Budget  % 
Increase  
v) Other Staff 
Expenditure  Staff / Travel and Removal  424 200 624 47.2% 
  Staff / Installation Grant & 
Medical Examinations  285 0 285 0% 
  Staff / Separation Grant  602 200 802 33.2% 
  Staff / Negotiated Termination 
Indemnity  140 0 140 0% 
  Staff / Taxes Pertaining to US 
Taxpayers  350 0 350 0% 
Grand Total    1,800  400 2,200  22.2% 
 
7.24.  Other Staff Expenditure includes the following elements for eligible staff: installation grant, 
negotiated termination indemnities, separation grants, expenditure for travel and removal at 
appointment and termination , and expenditure linked to the different methodologies applied for the 
reimbursement of taxes pertaining to US taxpayers . 
7.25.  Due to the high number o f projected retirements for 2023, the allocations under Travel and 
Removal and Separation Grant are revised upwards  to reflect the expected expenditure.  These are 
mandatory, contractual obligations.  WT/BFA/W/607  
 
- 32 - 
 
  Table 17 Section 2: Temporary Ass istance  
(in thousand Swiss Francs)  
Section  Line 2023 
Approved 
Budget  Increase  2023  
Revised 
Budget  % 
Increase  
2. Temporary Assistance  i) Short -Term 
Staff 9,850  3,700  13,550  37.6% 
  ii) Consulting  6,724  500 7,224  7.4% 
  iii) Panellists  1,000  0 1,000  0% 
2. Temporary Assistance Total  17,575  4,200  21,775  23.9% 
 
Table 18 Short -Term Staff  
(in thousand Swiss Francs)  
Line Account Description  2023 
Approved 
Budget  Increase  2023 
Revised 
Budget  % 
Increase  
i) Short -Term Staff  Short -Term Staff / Salary  2,191  2,20019 4,391  100.4% 
  Short -Term Staff / 
Pension  725 0 725 0.0% 
  Short -Term Staff / Health 
Insurance  200 0 200 0.0% 
  Translators / Daily and 
Monthly  2,434  0 2,434  0.0% 
  Translators / Special 
Service Contract  2,029  0 2,029  0.0% 
  Interpreters  1,755  1,500  3,255  85.5% 
  Interns  516 0 516 0.0% 
Grand Total    9,850  3,700  13,550  37.6% 
 
7.26.  The budget for Short -Term Staff encompasses the gross salary of temporary staff as well as 
related pension and health contributions, untaken leave at termination , and overtime. Furthermore, 
translators, interpreters , and interns are included under this category.  
7.27.  Over the last two years, there has been a significant  increase in the use of short -term staff as 
a necessary co rrective measure to cope with constraints on regular staffing posts  and meet  the 
greatly expanded scope of deliverables required by Members . Such hiring is an initially attractive 
mechanism to bring in staff quickly and , in the beginning,  at a lower cost  than regular staff. However, 
it generates more managerial and sunk costs than budgetary savings. In particular, higher 
recruitment costs due to constant churn of these posts, loss of institutional knowledge, constant need 
for training, and the use of less -experienced staff drain the Secretariat's resources in less  visible 
ways than the budget outlay for more experienced regular staff. In recent months , senior  
management has  imposed significant disciplines on the use of short -term staff to assure that such 
hiring is used only when necessary.  The aim of this effort is to cut the use of such short -term staff 
by half from the actual 2022 expenditure level. 
7.28.  However, even if the use of short -term staff is reduced compared to current levels,  an increase 
from the his toric budgeted levels  would still be required  to respond to Member needs and the 
evolution of the Secretariat's mandate. The increase in the use of short -term staff is a symptom of 
the real problem, which is the freeze in the number of regular posts since 2011, compounded by the 
need to leave vacant dozens of posts simply to pay for other essential resources such as technology.  
7.29.  Therefore, t he allocation for Short -Term Staff is increased by CHF 2.2 million. This amount 
recognizes the need to recruit temporar y staff in times of workload peaks, given the fact that the 
number of fixed term posts is finite.  
7.30.  The expenditure for Interpreters over the last two years has nearly doubled. This is linked to 
the introduction of virtual meeting tools with interpretation a nd to the fact that the actual number of 
 
19 This increase in allocation effectively represents a 50% cut in actual expenditure for 2023 compared to 
the level of 2022.  WT/BFA/W/607  
 
- 33 - 
 
  interpreted meetings has increased20. Since the introduction of virtual meeting tools, the additional 
cognitive load for interpreters , as well as the negative impact of bad audio quality on the auditory 
health of interpreters, has led to a requirement imposed by the professional association of 
interpreters such that a team that covered two 3 -hour sessions per day before the pandemic now 
covers only one 3 -hour-session per day.  The increase of CHF 1.5 million for such freelance 
interpreters is an unavoidable expense given the high Member demand for hybrid meetings  with 
interpretation . 
Table 19 Consulting  
(in thousand  Swiss Francs)  
Line Account Description  2023 
Approved 
Budget  Increase  2023 
Revised 
Budget  % 
Increase  
ii) Consulting  Consulting Firms & 
Employment Agencies  3,253  500 3,753  15.4% 
  Special Service Agreement  1,315  0 1,315  0.0% 
  Translators / External 
Translator Contract  2,156  0 2,156  0.0% 
ii) Consulting Total   6,724  500 7,224  7.4% 
 
7.31.  Consulting includes temporary assistance provided by companies such as employment 
agencies and consulting firms, special service agreements with individuals , and external translator 
contractors.  
7.32.  The allocation to Consulting Firms & Employment Agencies mainly includes the budget for IT 
consultants, the allocation for consultants working for the Human Resources Training Program , and 
consultants for  Technical Assistance Related Activities.  
7.33.  The allocation under Special Service Agreements includes individual consultants for specialized 
technical related courses, the Human Resources Training courses, trade & gender , and knowledge 
management.  
Table 20 Panellists  
(in thousand Swiss Francs)  
Line Account Description  2023 
Approved 
Budget  Increase  2023 
Revised 
Budget  % 
Increase  
iii) Panellists  Panellist Fees  1,000  0 1,000  0.0% 
Grand Total   1,000  0 1,000  0.0% 
 
7.34.  The budget for Panellists' Fees includes special service agreements with panellists and related 
experts.  
7.1.2   Part B - Other Resources  
7.35.  Part B of the budget relates to expenditure for General Services, Travel and Hospitality, 
activities jointly funded by the WTO and third part ies, as well as Capital and Financial Expenditure.  
Table 21 Section 3: General Services  
(in thousand Swiss Francs)  
Section  Line Account Description  2023 
Approved 
Budget  Increase  2023 
Revised 
Budget  % 
Increase  
3. General 
Services  i) Telecommunication 
& Post  Telecommunication  324 0 324 0.0%  
    Post & Freight  217 0 217 0.0%  
  ii) Contractual Services 
& Maintenance  Contractual Services  7,659  900 8,559  11.8%  
 
20 Between 2012 and 2021, meetings with interpretation have increased by 58%.  WT/BFA/W/607  
 
- 34 - 
 
  Section  Line Account Description  2023 
Approved 
Budget  Increase  2023 
Revised 
Budget  % 
Increase  
    Equipment Maintenance  2,312  0 2,312  0.0%  
    Building Maintenance  1,433  0 1,433  0.0%  
    Insurance  194 0 194 0.0%  
    Rental of Premises  15 0 15 0.0%  
  iii) Energy & Supplies  Electricity  570 1,000  1,570  175.4%  
    Water  54 0 54 0.0%  
    Gas & Fuel  411 150 561 36.5%  
    Supplies  931 0 931 0.0%  
  iv) Documentation & 
Publication  Books  15 0 15 0.0%  
    Subscriptions  385 100 485 26.0%  
    Printing  320 0 320 0.0%  
    Publications  438 0 438 0.0%  
    Media & Public 
Relations  300 0 300 0.0%  
  v) Other / 
Miscellaneous  Membership and 
Registration Fees  15 0 15 0.0%  
    Advertising  20 0 20 0.0%  
    Other / Miscellaneous  13 0 13 0.0%  
Grand Total     15,626  2,150  17,776  13.8%  
 
7.1.2.1   "Mandatory " or Unavoidable I ncreases  
7.36.  Increases are forecast for several budget lines under Contractual Services & Maintenance, 
Energy and Supplies, and Documentation & Publication. Most of such increases stem from significant 
and unpredictable external fiscal and economic challenges  that are  beyond the Organization's control. 
In particular , there  has been a significant increase in rates for electricity  and gas. Furthermore,  costs 
of contracts  with external  service have increased, reflect ing the current  market realities such as 
inflation and rising salaries negotiated by industry unions in Switzerland.  
7.37.  The line for Contractual Services refers to outsourced service contracts related to buildings  
and plant and equipment . These are  the cleaning contract (CHF  0.9 million), the contract for the 
outsourced security provider (CHF  3.7 million), the contribution to the International Computing 
Centre (CHF  2.9 million) , and the IT Service Desk (CHF  1.1 million).  
Contractual services and maintenance  
7.38.  The WTO uses UNICC for hosting of IT services, which require 24/7 support. UNICC also s erves 
as the firewall for all WTO public facing applications that it hosts. The increase in the budget is due 
to additional new hosted applications and services . In particular,  increased data storage and backups 
are required for data growth and new applica tions, such as Active Directory Federation Service 
integration for virtual meeting platforms; Teams telephony; Enterprise Service Management; new 
cyber security services; the expansion of data links between the WTO and UNICC to address the 
increase bandwid th needs for virtual conference; and cloud services. Th ese new applications and 
services, which are essential to the services that the Secretariat provides, are forecast to result in 
an increase of costs by CHF 0.8 million for 2023.  
7.39.  With respect to the outsourced security provider, local salary increases of 2.9% negotiated by 
the Geneva worker's union result in an increase of CHF 0.1 million for security services.  
Energy and Supplies  
7.40.  Energy and Supplies includes electricity, gas, fuel, water , and supplie s for documents 
reproduction, IT , and office supplies. Due to the surge in inflation on the energy market, the prices 
of electricity, gas , and fuel have increased significantly . While the Secretariat is seeking to increase 
its energy conservation efforts  further , the increased rates will nonetheless  result in an unavoidable 
additional allocation of CHF 1 million to electricity and CHF 150,000 for Gas & Fuel.  Between 2019 
and 2022, the price of the kwH of electricity has increased by 583%. Between 2019 and 2 023, the  WT/BFA/W/607  
 
- 35 - 
 
  expected  increase is even higher, with a total increase of 1279%.  The prices for gas between 2019 
and 2022 have increased by 56%.  
Documentation and Publications  
7.41.  Documentation and Publications relates to the purchase of books, subscriptions to magazines 
and newsfeed, the outsourced printing arrangements for publications, the cost of sales for 
publications , and rental of photography and filming services. It is proposed to increase the budget 
for library subscriptions by CHF 100,0 00. This is linked to the increased  prices of some subscriptions 
and the  need to access additional online databases to conduct new work  for Members . 
7.1.2.2   Lines under which no increase is expected  
7.42.  Telecommunications and Post includes expenditure s relating to fix ed and mobile phones and 
postal and freight services.  
7.43.  Equipment maintenance refers to all maintenance and repair expenditure that is not related 
to the building infrastructure such as IT equipment, security equipment, conference equipment and 
documents rep roduction equipment.  
7.44.  Building maintenance relates to the contracts for the maintenance and servicing of installations 
(maintenance of lifts, cooling units, fire detection systems etc.), various repair work such as painting, 
flooring, plumbing, the maintena nce and servicing of the heating system and the electrical 
installations, and the maintenance of the green spaces within the WTO security perimeter.  
7.45.  Insurance includes all building, vehicle, IT equipment, inventory , and third -party insurance.  
7.46.  Rental of pre mises mainly relates to the rental of archives and storage facilities.  
7.47.  Other/Miscellaneous includes aspects such as advertising for recruitment, membership , and 
registration fees for staff training events and other expenditure of a general nature.  
Table 22 Section 4: Travel and Hospitality  
(in thousand Swiss Francs)  
Section  Line Account 
Description  2023 
Approved 
Budget  Increase  2023 
Revised 
Budget  % 
Increase  
4. Travel & 
Hospitality  i) Travel  Air & Rail 
Transportation  4,878  750 5,628  15.4% 
    Other Travel 
Related 
Expenditure / Out 
of Pocket  895 0 895 0.0% 
    Accommodation / 
Hotel / Meeting 
Facilities  1,400  0 1,400  0.0% 
    Insurance / 
Participants  220 0 220 0.0% 
  ii) 
Hospitality  Hospitality & 
Meeting 
Refreshments  214 0 214 0.0% 
4. Travel & Hospitality Total   7,607  750 8,357 9.9% 
 
7.48.  Travel includes the cost of transportation, per diem , and travel insurance for official missions, 
trade-related technical assistance, staff training, panellists, recruitment,  and the external auditors. 
The allocation under Air & Rail Transportation is increased by CHF 750,000, which is a conservative 
amount necessary  to cover  a part of  the significant increase in the cost of airplane tickets due to 
energy prices and inflation , which are beyond the Organization's control.  
7.49.  Insurance/Participants relates to the travel insurance for WTO staff on mission as well as 
participants in trade policy co urses.  WT/BFA/W/607  
 
- 36 - 
 
  7.50.  Hospitality covers the divisional hospitality budget as well as hospitality related to technical 
assistance training courses and the Human Resources Training Program.  
Table 23 Section 5: Implementing Partners  
(in thousand Swi ss Francs)  
 
Section  Line Account 
Description  2023 
Approved 
Budget  Increase  2023 
Revised 
Budget  % 
Increase  
5.Implementing 
Partners  i) Implementing 
Partners  Implementing 
Partners  213 0 213 0.0% 
5. Implementing Partners  Total   213 0 213 0.0% 
 
7.51.  Implementing Partners covers activities or events partly or jointly funded by the WTO and 
executed by third -party organizations. Examples are the WTO's contribution to the running costs of 
the International Labour Organization Administrative Tribunal, the International Service for 
Remunerations and Pensions of the Coordinated Organizations, the UN Joint Purchasing Unit, the 
International Organization for Standardization (ISO) for the publishing of the ISO/WTO Directory of 
Standardizing Bodies Accepting the WTO Code of Good Practice, certain professional networks, the 
WTO Essay Award , and the contribution to the WTO Staff Assistance Fund.  
Table 24 Section 6: Capital Expenditure  
(in thousand Swiss Francs)  
Section  Line Account 
Descriptio n 2023 
Approved 
Budget  Increase  2023 
Revised 
Budget  % 
Increase  
6. Capital 
Expenditure  i) Procurement of 
Fixed Assets  Office Furniture 
and Equipment  75 0 75 0.0% 
    Computing 
Hardware  630 0 630 0.0% 
    Computing 
Software  1,400  300 1,700  21.4% 
    Audio Visual & 
Telecommunication 
Equipment  250 1,000  1,250  400.0% 
    Security 
Equipment  180 0 180 0.0% 
    Vehicles  20 0 20 0.0% 
  ii) Rental & Leasing 
of Equipment  Rental and Leasing 
of Equipment  540 0 540 0.0% 
6. Capital Expenditure Total    3,095  1,300  4,395  42.0% 
 
7.52.  Capital Expenditure comprises the purchase of audio -visual and telecommunications 
equipment, computing hardware and software, office furniture, security equipment, vehicles , and 
reproduction equipment and other equipment.  
7.53.  The allo cation for Computing Software is increased by CHF 300,000 to partly fund the 
increased need for software in various areas of the WTO. The major projects in this area for 2023 
are the continuation of the implementation of the new documents management system ; the 
enhancement of the Documents Online system; the continuation of the implementation of a new 
Human Resources Information System; software for virtual meetings with interpretation; the change 
of hosting for the WTO e -mail system; the extension of e -agenda to additional Committees; the 
launch of new on -line Notifications on Safeguards; and the alignment of payment procedures to ISO 
standards.  
7.54.  With respect to audio -visual equipment, t he WTO conference rooms are equipped with an 
audio discussion and interp retation systems. The systems allow the transmission of audio between 
discussants and with interpreters in meeting rooms. This system was installed in 2013 as part of the 
renovation project in the CWR building. This equipment is now four years over the man ufacturer 
recommended shelf -life and is no longer supported by the original vendor.  Rooms S1 and W are 
experiencing major problems  with the audio discussion system , including microphones that turn on 
by themselves  and the inappropriate and uncontrolled switching of languages in the Interpreters' 
system. Because the audio discussion and interpretation systems are outdated, they are no longer WT/BFA/W/607  
 
- 37 - 
 
  compatible with audio -visual technologies over Internet Protocol that the IT Division implemented 
on the IT Network infrastructure. The total cost of the project , which also requires new software as 
well as new cabling, amounts to approximately CHF 3 million. The budget allocation of CHF 1 million 
is planned as the first phase of the project  in 2023 . 
7.55.  The item Re ntal and Leasing of Equipment primarily includes the rental of reproduction 
equipment, security equipment for fire protection , and photocopiers.  
Table 25 Section 7: Financial Expenditure  
(in thousand Swiss Francs)  
Section  Line Account 
Description  2023 
Approved 
Budget  Increase / 
Decrease  2023 
Revised 
Budget  % 
Increase / 
Decrease  
7. Financial 
Expenditure  i) Bank & Interest 
Charges  Bank charges  880 -500 380 -56.8% 
  ii) Building Loan 
Reimbursement  Building Loan 
Reimbursement  1,200  0 1,200  0.0% 
7. Financial Expenditure Total    2,080  -500 1,580  -24.0% 
 
7.56.  Financial Expenditure includes bank fees and charges as well as the repayment of the building 
loan. 
7.57.  With respect to bank charges, the negative interest, which had been introduced by the 
Swiss  banks in 2015, is now projected to decrease. Due to this  development , together with successful 
results from Secretariat negotiations with the banks, the budget allocation for 2023 is reduced.  
7.58.  The original interest -free building loan from the Swiss Government was CHF 60 million and is 
payable over 50 years, at a rate of CHF 1.2 million per year.  
7.59.  Part C of the WTO budget is related to the contributions to the International Trade Centre, the 
Ministerial Confer ence Operating Fund , and the Building Renovation Fund.  
Table 26 Section 8: Contributions to ITC and Special Reserves  
(in thousand Swiss Francs)  
Section  Line Account 
Description  2023 
Approved 
Budget  Increase  2023 
Revised 
Budget  % 
Increase  
8. 
Contributions 
to ITC & 
Special 
Reserves  i) Contribution 
to ITC  Contribution to 
ITC 18,243  0 18,243  0.0% 
  iii) Ministerial 
Conference 
Operating Fund  Ministerial 
Conference 
Operating Fund  600 0 600 0.0% 
  iv) Building 
Renovation 
Fund Building 
Renovation Fund  600 0 600 0.0% 
8. Contributions to ITC & Special Reserves Total   19,443  0 19,443  0.0% 
 
7.60.  The allocation to the budget of the International Trade Centre is in accordance with a decision 
taken by the contracting parties on 22 November  1967 (SR.24/14) and Resolution 2297 (XXII) 
adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on 12  December  1967. As of 1  January  1968, the 
ITC has been operated jointly by UNCTAD and GATT. The WTO has since assumed the responsibilities 
of the GAT T in this respect (WT/GC/M/3, item 6). Details of the ITC budget proposal for 2022 -2023 
are prepared by the ITC and considered separately by the United Nations and the WTO.  
7.61.  The Ministerial Conference Operating Fund was established in 1999 (WT/BFA/44) to ev en out 
the budget allocation for costs associated with Ministerial Conferences. The yearly allocation of 
CHF 600,000 has remained unchanged since 2005. Despite increasing costs, the proposed budget 
for 2023 does not include an increase for the Ministerial Conference  Operating Fund . WT/BFA/W/607  
 
- 38 - 
 
  7.62.  The Building Renovation Fund was established at the end of 2015 to provide for the renovation 
costs for buildings and infrastructure over the medium - and long - term.  
7.2  Mid-Term Budget Review By Output Chapter  
7.63.  Members may recall that Output Reporting was introduced during the biennium 2016 -2017. 
Therefore, the 2022 -2023 budget represents the fourth biennium presented by Outputs.  
Table 27 Mid-term Review of the 2023 Budget by Output Chapt er 
(in thousand Swiss Francs)  
Output Chapter (in 
kCHF)  2023  
Approved 
Budget  % of Total 
Approved 
Budget  2023 
revised  
Budget  % of 
Revised 
Total Increase / 
Decrease  
1  Facilitating 
Negotiations  9,500  5% 11,000  5% 1,500  
2  Administering 
Agreed WTO Rules  53,200  27% 61,000  29% 7,800  
3  Monitoring Trade 
Policies  26,000  13% 27,500  13% 1,500  
4  Settling Disputes  32,000  16% 28,000  13% -4,000  
5  Capacity building  42,000  21% 43,000  20% 1,000  
6  Assisting 
Accessions  5,000  3% 5,500  3% 500 
7  Conducting 
Research  15,000  8% 19,250  9% 4,250  
8  Reaching out  14,504  7% 17,204  8% 2,700  
Grand Total  197,204  100%  212,454  100%  15,250  
 
7.2.1   Facilitatin g Negotiations - This output chapter includes all committees and negotiating 
groups related to Negotiations such as the Trade Negotiations Committee and other negotiating 
bodies. The projected revised expenditure for 2023 amounts to CHF 11 million. At MC12, Members 
have ma ndated the WTO to continue negotiations on fisheries subsidies and on the extension of the 
outcome on intellectual property to diagnostics and therapeutics. Members have also undertaken to 
work towards WTO reform, including the reform of dispute settlement . Members will also continue 
work in other areas of negotiations, such as agriculture, building up to MC13. As a result,  the 
expenditure for 2023 is projected to be CHF 1 .5 million higher than originally projected.  
7.2.2   Administering  Agreed WTO Rules - This out put chapter includes the Ministerial 
Conference, all committees related to the General Council and its Bodies, Committees related to the 
Council for Trade in Goods and its Subsidiary Bodies, Committees related to the Council for Trade in 
Services and its S ubsidiary Bodies, and the Council for Trade -Related Aspects of Intellectual Property. 
The expenditure is estimated at CHF 61 million for 2023. As under Output Facilitating Negotiations, 
the expenditure for 2023 is projected to be higher than originally pla nned for 2023, by 
CHF 7.8 million, as negotiations mandated by MC12 continue and preparations for MC13 intensify.  
7.2.3   Monitoring  Trade Policies - This output chapter mainly comprises expenditure related to 
the WTO Trade Policy Review Body, Trade Policy Reviews and Trade Policy Monitoring, as well as 
Notifications on WTO Agreements. The projected expenditure is revised upwards, by CHF 1 .5 million, 
to CHF 27 .5 million for 2023, taking into account the anticipated higher cost of travel due to inflation.  
7.2.4   Settling Disputes - This output chapter includes the Dispute Settlement Body, as well as 
pre-dispute activities, panels, and arbitrations. The expenditure is estimated at CHF  28 million for 
2023. The allocation has been reduced to reflect the new projections based on lower current 
expenditure rates.  
7.2.5   Capacity  Building - This output chapter comprises all activities related to capacity building 
courses and training; the Aid for Trade work program; trade and gender activities; the development 
and monitoring of the  TA Plan; and the contribution to the budget of the International Trade Centre. 
The expenditure is estimated at CHF  43 million for 2023.  
7.2.6   Assisting  Accessions - This output chapter includes all activities related to accessions. The 
expenditure is estimated at CHF 5.5  million for 2023.  WT/BFA/W/607  
 
- 39 - 
 
  7.2.7   Conducting  Research - This output chapter relates to the WTO's publications such as the 
World Trade Report, the WTO Annual Report and other research reports and papers ; trade statistics 
and monitoring ; as well as the support of WTO publications. The projected expenditure is 
CHF 19.3 million for 2023, as research has increased significantly over the last two years.  
7.2.8   Reaching  Out - This output chapter includes all outreach activities of the WTO, such as 
general press relations, general outreach to Members and the private sector, key outreach events 
such as the Public Forum and the Open Day , and work done with other international organizations. 
Many of these activities have greatly expanded to exceed level s before the pandemic. The 
expenditure is projected to be CHF  17.2 million for 2023.  
Table 28 2023 Revised Miscellaneous Income Budget  
(in thousand Swiss Francs)  
 
Item  2023 Approved 
Miscellaneous 
Income  2023 Revised 
Miscellaneous 
Income  Increase / 
Decrease  
Contributions from Observer Countries  600 640 40 
Sale of Publications and Royalties  250 190 -60 
Trust Fund – Participation in Direct Costs  190 190 0 
Refund from Prior Years' Expenditure  200 200 0 
Rental of Meeting Rooms & Office Space  125 85 -40 
Other  339 349 10 
Total  1,704  1,654  -50 
 
7.64.  The projection of Miscellaneous Income for 2023 is revised due to several factors . The 
projected receipt of contributions from Observers has increased. The receipts for the Sale of 
Publications are decreased due to an overall decrease of the sale of publications over the past years. 
The allocation for the participation of Trust Funds in d irect costs is also slightly decreased due to 
lower expenditure under extra -budgetary funds. Under the rental of meeting rooms, the allocation 
is equally decreased because the bank formerly housed in the WTO has moved out.  
7.3  Request  
7.65.  In view of the new areas of work, expansion of the Secretariat's deliverables, as well as non -
discretionary cost increases emanating from inflation for the Organization to operate efficiently in 
2023, a modest budget increase of CHF 15.25 million is necessary. This budget increase  is equal to 
7.7 percent of the Zero Nominal Growth budget amount of CHF 197.2 million that has been in place 
since 2011 , with over 50% half of this increase linked to contractual, external , and unavoidable costs  
(or a 3.9 percent increase over the Zero No minal Growth Budget) . 
8  ASSESSED CONTRIBUTIONS  
8.1  Assessed Contributions for Members  
8.1.  The proposed assessed contributions for Members amount to CHF 210,800,000  for 2023 , an 
increase of  7.8 percent . This figure represents a 7.7 percent increase in the budget plus a small 
decrease in Miscellaneous Income as explained in Table 7 Sources of Funding for the 2023 Budget . 
The following scale of contributions has been prepared based on a minimum contribution of 0.015% 
as per Financial Regulation 12.  
 WT/BFA/W/607  
 
- 40 - 
 
  Table 29 Proposed Scale of Assessed Contributions for 2023  
(in Swiss Francs)  
Member  2022 
Contribution  
CHF 2022  
Net 
Contribution  
CHF 
(after 
application 
of the 2020 
surplus)  2022  
Contribution  
% 2023 
Assessed 
Contributions  
CHF 2023  
Contribution  
% 
Afghanistan  39,100  37,140  0.020%  40,052  0.019%  
Albania  43,010  40,854  0.022%  48,484  0.023%  
Angola  273,700  259,980  0.140%  259,284  0.123%  
Antigua and Barbuda  29,325  27,855  0.015%  31,620  0.015%  
Argentina  670,565  636,951  0.343%  687,208  0.326%  
Armenia  43,010  40,854  0.022%  48,484  0.023%  
Australia  2,525,860  2,399,244  1.292%  2,729,860  1.295%  
Austria  1,927,630  1,831,002  0.986%  2,095,352  0.994%  
Bahrain, Kingdom of  226,780  215,412  0.116%  242,420  0.115%  
Bangladesh  412,505  391,827  0.211%  453,220  0.215%  
Barbados  29,325  27,855  0.015%  31,620  0.015%  
Belgium  3,560,055  3,381,597  1.821%  3,910,340  1.855%  
Belize  29,325  27,855  0.015%  31,620  0.015%  
Benin  31,280  29,712  0.016%  35,836  0.017%  
Bolivia, Plurinational State 
of 93,840  89,136  0.048%  94,860  0.045%  
Botswana  62,560  59,424  0.032%  65,348  0.031%  
Brazil  2,107,490  2,001,846  1.078%  2,276,640  1.080%  
Brunei Darussalam  50,830  48,282  0.026%  56,916  0.027%  
Bulgaria  332,350  315,690  0.170%  366,792  0.174%  
Burkina Faso  35,190  33,426  0.018%  42,160  0.020%  
Burundi  29,325  27,855  0.015%  31,620  0.015%  
Cabo Verde  29,325  27,855  0.015%  31,620  0.015%  
Cambodia  158,355  150,417  0.081%  181,288  0.086%  
Cameroon  64,515  61,281  0.033%  67,456  0.032%  
Canada  4,721,325  4,484,655  2.415%  5,023,364  2.383%  
Central African Republic  29,325  27,855  0.015%  31,620  0.015%  
Chad 33,235  31,569  0.017%  33,728  0.016%  
Chile 666,655  633,237  0.341%  714,612  0.339%  
China  20,593,970  19,561,638  10.534%  22,677,864  10.758%  
Colombia  488,750  464,250  0.250%  495,380  0.235%  
Congo  68,425  64,995  0.035%  69,564  0.033%  
Costa Rica  166,175  157,845  0.085%  185,504  0.088%  
Côte d'Ivoire  107,525  102,135  0.055%  118,048  0.056%  
Croatia  240,465  228,411  0.123%  263,500  0.125%  
Cuba 113,390  107,706  0.058%  109,616  0.052%  
Cyprus  142,715  135,561  0.073%  166,532  0.079%  
Czech Republic  1,442,790  1,370,466  0.738%  1,574,676  0.747%  
Democratic Republic of the 
Congo  121,210  115,134  0.062%  134,912  0.064%  
Denmark  1,520,990  1,444,746  0.778%  1,675,860  0.795%  
Djibouti  33,235  31,569  0.017%  35,836  0.017%  
Dominica  29,325  27,855  0.015%  31,620  0.015%  
Dominican Republic  177,905  168,987  0.091%  187,612  0.089%  
Ecuador  205,275  194,985  0.105%  215,016  0.102%  
Egypt  502,435  477,249  0.257%  541,756  0.257%  
El Salvador  82,110  77,994  0.042%  86,428  0.041%  
Estonia  173,995  165,273  0.089%  196,044  0.093%  WT/BFA/W/607  
 
- 41 - 
 
  Member  2022 
Contribution  
CHF 2022  
Net 
Contribution  
CHF 
(after 
application 
of the 2020 
surplus)  2022  
Contribution  
% 2023 
Assessed 
Contributions  
CHF 2023  
Contribution  
% 
Eswatini  29,325  27,855  0.015%  31,620  0.015%  
European Union21 0 0 0.000%  0 0.000%  
Fiji 29,325  27,855  0.015%  31,620  0.015%  
Finland  844,560  802,224  0.432%  921,196  0.437%  
France  7,464,190  7,090,026  3.818%  7,966,132  3.779%  
Gabon  50,830  48,282  0.026%  50,592  0.024%  
The Gambia  29,325  27,855  0.015%  31,620  0.015%  
Georgia  76,245  72,423  0.039%  80,104  0.038%  
Germany  13,997,800  13,296,120  7.160%  15,158,628  7.191%  
Ghana  183,770  174,558  0.094%  204,476  0.097%  
Greece  633,420  601,668  0.324%  678,776  0.322%  
Grenada  29,325  27,855  0.015%  31,620  0.015%  
Guatemala  142,715  135,561  0.073%  153,884  0.073%  
Guinea  33,235  31,569  0.017%  46,376  0.022%  
Guinea -Bissau  29,325  27,855  0.015%  31,620  0.015%  
Guyana  29,325  27,855  0.015%  31,620  0.015%  
Haiti 29,325  27,855  0.015%  31,620  0.015%  
Honduras  78,200  74,280  0.040%  82,212  0.039%  
Hong Kong, China  5,561,975  5,283,165  2.845%  5,931,912  2.814%  
Hungary  1,038,105  986,067  0.531%  1,140,428  0.541%  
Iceland  87,975  83,565  0.045%  92,752  0.044%  
India 4,574,700  4,345,380  2.340%  4,934,828  2.341%  
Indonesia  1,644,155  1,561,737  0.841%  1,753,856  0.832%  
Ireland  3,362,600  3,194,040  1.720%  3,956,716  1.877%  
Israel  881,705  837,507  0.451%  978,112  0.464%  
Italy 4,991,115  4,740,921  2.553%  5,326,916  2.527%  
Jamaica  52,785  50,139  0.027%  54,808  0.026%  
Japan  7,487,650  7,112,310  3.830%  7,991,428  3.791%  
Jordan  162,265  154,131  0.083%  164,424  0.078%  
Kazakhstan  435,965  414,111  0.223%  465,868  0.221%  
Kenya  125,120  118,848  0.064%  132,804  0.063%  
Korea, Republic of  5,430,990  5,158,746  2.778%  5,769,596  2.737%  
Kuwait, the State of  537,625  510,675  0.275%  552,296  0.262%  
Kyrgyz Republic  35,190  33,426  0.018%  35,836  0.017%  
Lao People's Democratic 
Republic  56,695  53,853  0.029%  61,132  0.029%  
Latvia  164,220  155,988  0.084%  183,396  0.087%  
Lesotho  29,325  27,855  0.015%  31,620  0.015%  
Liberia  29,325  27,855  0.015%  31,620  0.015%  
Liechtenstein  64,515  61,281  0.033%  71,672  0.034%  
Lithuania  303,025  287,835  0.155%  343,604  0.163%  
Luxembourg  1,008,780  958,212  0.516%  1,142,536  0.542%  
Macao, China  252,195  239,553  0.129%  248,744  0.118%  
Madagascar  35,190  33,426  0.018%  35,836  0.017%  
Malawi  29,325  27,855  0.015%  31,620  0.015%  
Malaysia  1,859,205  1,766,007  0.951%  1,981,520  0.940%  
Maldives  29,325  27,855  0.015%  31,620  0.015%  
 
21 The European Union is not subject to contributions. H owever, its 27 members are assessed 
individually. The total share of members of the European Union represents 31.05% of the total assessed 
contributions for 2023.  WT/BFA/W/607  
 
- 42 - 
 
  Member  2022 
Contribution  
CHF 2022  
Net 
Contribution  
CHF 
(after 
application 
of the 2020 
surplus)  2022  
Contribution  
% 2023 
Assessed 
Contributions  
CHF 2023  
Contribution  
% 
Mali 35,190  33,426  0.018%  44,268  0.021%  
Malta  154,445  146,703  0.079%  170,748  0.081%  
Mauritania  29,325  27,855  0.015%  31,620  0.015%  
Mauritius  54,740  51,996  0.028%  54,808  0.026%  
Mexico  3,964,740  3,765,996  2.028%  4,243,404  2.013%  
Moldova, Republic of  37,145  35,283  0.019%  42,160  0.020%  
Mongolia  60,605  57,567  0.031%  69,564  0.033%  
Montenegro  29,325  27,855  0.015%  31,620  0.015%  
Morocco  377,315  358,401  0.193%  411,060  0.195%  
Mozambique  62,560  59,424  0.032%  65,348  0.031%  
Myanmar  138,805  131,847  0.071%  147,560  0.070%  
Namibia  46,920  44,568  0.024%  46,376  0.022%  
Nepal  60,605  57,567  0.031%  67,456  0.032%  
Netherlands  5,739,880  5,452,152  2.936%  6,231,248  2.956%  
New Zealand  467,245  443,823  0.239%  501,704  0.238%  
Nicaragua  54,740  51,996  0.028%  56,916  0.027%  
Niger  29,325  27,855  0.015%  31,620  0.015%  
Nigeria  537,625  510,675  0.275%  564,944  0.268%  
North Macedonia  62,560  59,424  0.032%  71,672  0.034%  
Norway  1,219,920  1,158,768  0.624%  1,271,124  0.603%  
Oman  322,575  306,405  0.165%  328,848  0.156%  
Pakistan  373,405  354,687  0.191%  402,628  0.191%  
Panama  236,555  224,697  0.121%  238,204  0.113%  
Papua New Guinea  60,605  57,567  0.031%  65,348  0.031%  
Paraguay  111,435  105,849  0.057%  118,048  0.056%  
Peru 424,235  402,969  0.217%  455,328  0.216%  
Philippines  866,065  822,651  0.443%  940,168  0.446%  
Poland  2,408,560  2,287,824  1.232%  2,736,184  1.298%  
Portugal  815,235  774,369  0.417%  881,144  0.418%  
Qatar  658,835  625,809  0.337%  682,992  0.324%  
Romania  801,550  761,370  0.410%  900,116  0.427%  
Russian Federation  3,235,525  3,073,335  1.655%  3,461,336  1.642%  
Rwanda  29,325  27,855  0.015%  31,620  0.015%  
Saint Kitts and Nevis  29,325  27,855  0.015%  31,620  0.015%  
Saint Lucia  29,325  27,855  0.015%  31,620  0.015%  
Saint Vincent and the 
Grenadines  29,325  27,855  0.015%  31,620  0.015%  
Samoa  29,325  27,855  0.015%  31,620  0.015%  
Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of  1,933,495  1,836,573  0.989%  1,983,628  0.941%  
Senegal  50,830  48,282  0.026%  52,700  0.025%  
Seychelles  29,325  27,855  0.015%  31,620  0.015%  
Sierra Leone  29,325  27,855  0.015%  31,620  0.015%  
Singapore  4,824,940  4,583,076  2.468%  5,267,892  2.499%  
Slovak Republic  785,910  746,514  0.402%  857,956  0.407%  
Slovenia  332,350  315,690  0.170%  368,900  0.175%  
Solomon Islands  29,325  27,855  0.015%  31,620  0.015%  
South Africa  879,750  835,650  0.450%  923,304  0.438%  
Spain  3,792,700  3,602,580  1.940%  4,047,360  1.920%  
Sri Lanka  189,635  180,129  0.097%  193,936  0.092%  
Suriname  29,325  27,855  0.015%  31,620  0.015%  
Sweden  2,007,785  1,907,139  1.027%  2,181,780  1.035%  WT/BFA/W/607  
 
- 43 - 
 
  Member  2022 
Contribution  
CHF 2022  
Net 
Contribution  
CHF 
(after 
application 
of the 2020 
surplus)  2022  
Contribution  
% 2023 
Assessed 
Contributions  
CHF 2023  
Contribution  
% 
Switzerland  3,681,265  3,496,731  1.883%  4,057,900  1.925%  
Chinese Taipei  3,055,665  2,902,491  1.563%  3,250,536  1.542%  
Tajikistan  29,325  27,855  0.015%  31,620  0.015%  
Tanzania  84,065  79,851  0.043%  86,428  0.041%  
Thailand  2,420,290  2,298,966  1.238%  2,573,868  1.221%  
Togo 29,325  27,855  0.015%  31,620  0.015%  
Tonga  29,325  27,855  0.015%  31,620  0.015%  
Trinidad and Tobago  87,975  83,565  0.045%  84,320  0.040%  
Tunisia  177,905  168,987  0.091%  185,504  0.088%  
Türkiye  2,003,875  1,903,425  1.025%  2,133,296  1.012%  
Uganda  56,695  53,853  0.029%  65,348  0.031%  
Ukraine  506,345  480,963  0.259%  564,944  0.268%  
United Arab Emirates  3,032,205  2,880,207  1.551%  3,195,728  1.516%  
United Kingdom  7,380,125  7,010,175  3.775%  7,843,868  3.721%  
United States of America  23,149,155  21,988,737  11.841%  24,594,036  11.667%  
Uruguay  130,985  124,419  0.067%  134,912  0.064%  
Vanuatu  29,325  27,855  0.015%  31,620  0.015%  
Venezuela, Bolivarian 
Republic of  488,750  464,250  0.250%  436,356  0.207%  
Viet Nam  1,941,315  1,844,001  0.993%  2,272,424  1.078%  
Yemen  72,335  68,709  0.037%  67,456  0.032%  
Zambia  76,245  72,423  0.039%  77,996  0.037%  
Zimbabwe  50,830  48,282  0.026%  50,592  0.024%  
TOTAL  195,500,000  185,700,000  100.000%  210,800,000  100.000%  
 
 
 
  WT/BFA/W/607  
 
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  ANNEX I MANDATE OF THE WTO SECRETARIAT  
1. Under the leadership of the WTO Director -General, the  responsibility of the WTO Secretariat is to 
provide top -quality, independent support to WTO Member s with respect to  all of the activities carried 
out by the Organization, and to serve the WTO with professionalism, impartiality , and integrity. The 
Secretariat's main duties include provid ing technical and professional support for the various 
councils, c ommittees, and bodies; providing  technical assistance for developing countries; monitoring  
and analysing developments in world trade; pro viding information to the public and the media; and 
organising  Ministerial Conferences. The Secretariat also provides legal assistance in the dispute 
settlement process and assists governments in the process o f accession to the WTO.  The Director -
General of the WTO  is responsible for supervising and directing the Organization's administrative 
operations and providing advisory and managerial services to Members.  
2. The Secretariat consists of the Office of the Di rector -General (DGO), Offices of the Deputy 
Directors -General (DDGs), 19 Divisions, and the Office of Internal Oversight. The mandates of the 
DGO, the DDGs, and each Division in the Secretariat are summarized below.  
3. The DGO provides support to the Direc tor-General in the exercise of her functions as head of the 
Secretariat, in a manner that fulfils the WTO's mandate, advances its role and functions, and best 
serves Organization's Members and Observers.  Offices of the four DDGs support the DDGs in their 
respective portfolios.  
4. The Accessions Division  facilitates negotiations between Members of an accession working party 
and acceding governments. S pecifically, the Division prepares and updates documenta tion for 
multilateral negotiations; coordinates, upon request, bilateral market access negotiations between 
Members and acceding governments; and prepares draft accession packages for adoption, ad 
referendum, by accession working parties, and for considera tion for formal adoption by the General 
Council/Ministerial Conference. The Division coordinates activities of the Informal Group on Accessions 
and provides a framework for systemic coordination, guidance, and exchange of information on WTO 
accessions.  
5. The Administration and General Services Division  is responsible for providing administrative 
and general services for the Secretariat and Members. The Division's responsibilities encompass 
budgeting , financial management , procurement , review and signature of contracts for services and 
goods , conference and interpretation services , safety and security , administration of trust funds, 
review and signature of contribution agreements and project partnership grants , travel management , 
management of buildings  and premises,  administration of the WTO Pension Plan , and logi stics 
management  for Ministerial Conferences. Furthermore, the Division  serves  the needs of WTO 
Members by  providing relevant information to and  supporting the work of the CBFA.  
6. The Agriculture and Commodities Division is responsible for agricultural trade issues. 
Specifically, the Division  administers and monitors the WTO Agreement on Agriculture and the SPS 
Agreement,  as well as related decisions , and provides support to WTO panels  examining issues under 
those Agreements. It  also service s negotiations on agriculture , support s Members' work on cotton 
under trade and development assistance tracks , and run s the Standards and Trade Development 
Facility  (STDF)  to help developing countrie s comply with SPS requirements and facilitate safe trade.  
7. The Council and Trade Negotiations Committee Division provides support to the Ministerial 
Conference, the General Council, the Trade Negotiations Committee, and the Dispute Settlement Body. The 
Division is responsible for ensuring the efficient management of all formal, informal and other 
consultative meetings of these bodies, as well coordinating follow -up activities. It provides advice and 
support to the Director -General and Chairs of these bodi es and other members of senior management 
in connection with their responsibilities and prepares and circulates the WTO Basic Instruments and 
Selected Documents. The Division liaises with the WTO Conference Services Section (Administration 
and General Serv ices Division) in the scheduling and conduct of formal, informal, and consultative 
meetings of WTO bodies, symposia, workshops, and seminars organized under the auspices of WTO 
bodies.  
8. The Development Division  services the Committee on Trade and Develop ment in regular session 
as well as its dedicated sessions on small and vulnerable economies and its special session on special 
and differential treatment. The Division also serv ices the Sub -Committee on LDCs and the Working 
Group on Trade and Transfer of Technology. In addition, it facilitates meetings of the African Group, WT/BFA/W/607  
 
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  the LDC Group, and the Informal Group of Developing Countries.  The Division also serves as the WTO 
focal point on work related to monitoring achievement of the Millennium Development Goals, improving 
integration of landlocked developing countries into the multilateral trading system, and the UN Right 
to Development. The Division reviews the Development Assistance A spects of Cotton through its work 
on the Director -General's Consultative Framework Mechanism on Cotton. The Division is also 
responsible for coordinating the Aid for Trade initiative and the Geneva Week (a technical -assistance 
activity where representative s from non -resident Members and Observers are briefed about the latest 
developments in various areas of the  WTO's  work). Furthermore, the Division serves as the focal point 
for the WTO's participation in the Enhanced Integrated Framework (EIF).  
9. The Econ omic Research and Statistics Division  provide s economic, policy, and statistical 
research, analysis , and expertise on trade and trade policies to the DGO,  DDGs, and  other Secretariat 
Divisions  and WTO Members , in line with  the WTO's goals. The Division  aims to be forward looking, 
providing insights and analysis that inform current trade -related debates with an aim to strengthen 
the case for continued multilateral efforts to address both current and future  economic development 
challenges for developed, devel oping , and least -developed countries. To fulfil its mandate, the 
Division  works with a broad range of stakeholders , such as the World Bank, IMF, OECD , and UNCTAD, 
as well as business, NGOs, and academic institutions.  
10. The Human Resources Division's responsibilities include human resources management ; 
performance management, development , and training ; management of staff benefits and entitlements ; 
and mobility. The key aim of the Division is to respond to the evolving needs of the WTO  by aligning 
the workforce with the needs of the Organization.  
11. The Information Technology Solutions Division offers information technology and 
communication services for the Secretariat to deliver its mandate effectively in a secure manner. Its 
solutions support the in ternal functioning of the WTO, the technological and information services 
delivered to Members, and outreach to the general public.   
12. The Information and External Relations Division  ensure s the prompt dissemination of 
accurate, useful , and well-presente d information to a wide range of WTO audiences. The information 
is mostly built on or related to Members' activities and official WTO events, meetings , and functions. 
The Division also builds and expand s relations with civil society, business, parliamentar ians, media , 
and international organizations.  
13. The Institute for Training and Technical Cooperation (ITTC)  is responsible for manag ing 
WTO Technical Assistance activities and related financial resources . In addition to designing courses 
based on a progr essive learning str ategy, ITTC is also responsib le for coordinating technical 
assistance requests from beneficiaries with different Divisions of the Secretariat  and identifying  
experts to deliver the se activities . The ITTC is also in charge of  monitoring and evaluating the 
implementation of TA activities and reporting on the latter to the Committee on Trade and 
Development ( CTD), and on financial aspects to the Committee on Budget, Finance and 
Administration (CBFA).  
14. The Intellectual Propert y, Government and Competition Division is responsible for the WTO's 
work in the areas of trade -related intellectual property rights (TRIPS), government procurement, and 
competition policy. The Division assists the TRIPS Council and dispute settlement panel s, supports 
negotiations on intellectual property matters, and serves Members through technical cooperation, 
including in cooperation with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and other relevant 
international organizations. It develops and m aintains lines of communication with other 
intergovernmental organizations, non -governmental organizations, intellectual property practitioners, 
and the academic community. In the area of government procurement, the Division services the 
Committee establis hed under the plurilateral Agreement on Government Procurement and dispute 
settlement panels that may be established under that Agreemen t and provides technical assistance 
and information more generally to WTO Members. In the area of competition policy, th e Division 
monitors developments at the international level.  
15. The Knowledge and Information, Academic Outreach and WTO Chairs Programme 
Division is the catalyst for systematic and effective knowledge sharing; generating research and 
capacity -building fo r Secretariat and Members/stakeholders; and promoting internal and external 
sharing of knowledge management  best practices, lessons learned , and streamlining processes. The 
Division  works towards a Secretariat where critical knowledge, publications, applied research , and WT/BFA/W/607  
 
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  policy analyses are generated and disseminated; institutional memory and records are preserved 
and shared between WTO divisions; knowledge gaps are filled ; and relev ant information sources are 
delivered to divisions and Members quickly, and in accessible formats.  
16. The Language and Documentation Services Division  ensures that WTO documents, 
publications , and other materials are available in the WTO's three official languages — English, 
French , and Spanish — both in hard copy and in electronic form. To achieve this, the Division  operates 
in two complementary areas:  Language Services  - for translation management of linguistic assets 
and technology and other such servic es; and Documentation Services  - for document management 
and production , including event and graphic design, and the electronic, print , and physical 
dissemination of documentation and publications.  
17. The Legal Affairs Division  is responsible for providing legal, technical, and secretarial support 
for WTO panel and arbitration dispute settlement processes. The Division provides legal advice to 
the Director -General, the wider Secretariat , and WTO bodies on WTO Agreements and rela ted 
matters. It also  provides technical assistance to Members on dispute settlement and  serves as the 
deposit ary for WTO legal instruments.  
18. The Market Access Division  is responsible for the  Agreements on Trade Facilitation, Rules of 
Origin, Import Lice nsing, Customs Valuation, Pre -shipment Inspection , and the Information 
Technology Agreement , and services their respective Committees.  Furthermore, it is responsible for 
the Trade Facilitation Agreement Facility (TFAF)  Trust Fund . The Division also deals w ith all matters 
pertaining to WTO schedules of concessions and their modification, tariff negotiations, and 
quantitative restrictions - subjects covered by the Committee on Market Access.  In addition, the 
Division services the Doha Development Agenda Negot iating Group on Market Access and supports 
the Council for Trade in Goods, which oversees the work of all subsidiary bodies handling trade in 
goods.  
19. The Office of Internal Oversight  (OIO)  assists the Director -General in fulfilling her internal 
oversight responsibilities in respect of management, staff , and resources of the WTO by conducting 
investigations, audit, and other forms of assessment. More specifically, the OIO aims to promote 
financial efficiency and transparency through sound practices and procedures; identify potential 
savings and recoveries; identify and deter the occurrence of fraud, waste, abuse , and misconduct; 
reinforce a culture of accountability and strengthen the ethical  climate within the Secretariat ; and 
ensure risk mitigation through a systematic analysis of the major risks confronting WTO assets and 
resources . 
20. The responsibilities of the Rules Division  encompass servicing Committees on Anti -Dumping , 
Subsidies and Countervailing Measures , Safeguards , the Agreement on Trade Related Investment 
Measures ( TRIMs ), Trade in Civil Aircraft , and the Working Party on State Trading Enterprises  as well 
as the related s ubsidiary bodies. The Division also services the Negotiating Group on Rules . The 
Division is also responsible for the implementation of the new Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies  and 
the next wave of fisheries subsidies negotiations. In addition, the Division is tasked with d evelop ing 
and maintain ing on-line notification systems and related databases , staffing and servic ing dispute 
settlement  panels covering the above mentioned  areas , research and analysis on relevant topics, and 
providing advice and technical assistance in these areas.  
21. The Trade and  Environment Division  is responsible for WTO matters pertaining to trade and 
environment and technical barriers to trade. Its work aims to assist WTO Members in managing the 
complex interaction between trade, regulations, standards , and other measures to achieve 
environmental, health, labour, food and nutrition, and consumer welfare goals. Its main workstreams 
are on trade, environment , and climate; technical barriers to trade (technical regulations, standards , 
and transparency); tra de and health (COVID -19/vaccines, tobacco, and nutrition); and trade and 
labour. TED services the Committee on Trade and Environment (CTE) and its Special Session; the 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade and its newly established Transparency Working group; 
plus 3 environmental initiatives – Trade and Environmental Sustainability Structured Discussions, 
Informal Dialogue on Plastics , and Fossil Fuel Subsidy Reform.  
22. The Trade in Services and Investment Division  support s the W TO's core functions in t rade 
liberalization, transparency , and dispute settlement  by assisting Members in overseeing the 
functioning of the General Agreement on Trade in Services ( GATS) and advis ing on GATS 
implementation and services - and investment -related negotiations . The Div ision also s erves as the WT/BFA/W/607  
 
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  knowledge base for services trade and investment matter s, covering market access and regulatory 
issues across all services sectors , such as  digital trade, investment,  and movement of natural 
persons. It carries out research, data c ollection , and analysis ; provid es technical assistance ; 
cooperat es with other international organizations  and other stakeholders , including business, 
academia, think tanks , and civil society ; and  provides public information.  
23. The Trade Policy Review Division  has three overall institutional mandates: (i) under the Trade 
Policy Review Mechanism, to assist Members in the review of the trade policies and practices of all 
Members and to produce the Trade Monitoring Reports; (ii) to assist Members in  the implementation 
of the transparency mechanism for Regional Trade Agreements; and (iii) to assist Members in 
consultations under Balance -of-Payments provisions. In the context of the mandated report by the 
Director -General for the "Overview of Developme nts in the International Trading Environment," the 
Division undertakes the regular trade monitoring exercise and, as a by -product , produces  the 
Director -General's Trade Monitoring Reports on G20 economies, which are conducted in coordination 
with OECD and UNCTAD.  
24. The Transformation Office  was created in February 2022 to drive transformation work to 
strengthen the Secretariat. The Transformation Office is working with staff from across the 
Secretariat and external consultants to ensure that the Secretari at is fit for purpose and able to fulfil 
its mandate to serve WTO Members. The first three areas where changes will be implemented include 
staff talent management, ways of working, and digital transformation.  
  WT/BFA/W/607  
 
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  ANNEX II PRODUCTS AND SERVICES THE WTO SECRET ARIAT PROVIDES TO MEMBERS  
1. In substantive areas of work related to the implementation, administration , and operation  of WTO 
Agreements, the Secretariat provides the following products and services to Members:  
 
• Servicing the following statutory Bodies an d Committees: General Council; Dispute 
Settlement Body; Trade Policy Review Body; Council for Trade in Goods; Council for 
Trade in Services; Council for Trade -related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights; 
Committee on Trade and Environment; Committee on  Trade and Development; 
Subcommittee on Least Developed Countries; Committee on Balance of Payments 
Restrictions; Committee on Regional Trade Agreements; Committee on Budget, 
Finance and Administration; Working Group on Trade and Transfer of Technology; 
Working Group on Trade, Debt and Finance; Trade Negotiations Committee; and their 
subsidiary bodies. Many Divisions support work of Chairs of the various Bodies and 
Committees. They also produce technical and subject matter documents, prepare 
reports of Comm ittee proceedings, and carry out follow up work.  
• Producing  world class research and statistical publications, including several WTO 
flagship publications , such as the World Trade Report, World Trade Statistical Review, 
World Tariff Profiles, Trade Profiles ; building, maintaining and updating a wide range 
of databases and leading indicators closely watched by WTO Members , businesses and 
the media worldwide ; producing Trade Policy Review reports, Trade Monitoring reports, 
factual presentations of RTAs; and Balance of Payments background papers.  
• Maintaining databases, websites, and eAgendas, such as the Integrated Trade 
Intelligence Portal (I -TIP Services), the  Air Services Agreements Projector (ASAP), 
Quantitative Restrictions Database , Import Licensing Procedures website  and database , 
Trade Concerns Database , Trade Facilitation Agreement Database , TFAF website , 
regulatory databases , the WTO Sta tistics  database and dashboards , on-line notification 
systems and databases of notif ied information , Dispute Settlement databases, Goods 
Schedules e -Library , and Origin Facilitator.  
• Supporting the resolution of trade disputes  by providing  staff support to WTO D ispute 
Settlement  panel/arbitration processes ; providing advice  and feedback to Members in 
relation to WTO legal matters  and the content of the WTO Agreements ; prepar ing and 
circulat ing all Dispute Settlement  series documents ; issuing p ublications on WTO legal 
issues and Agreements ; supporting  Member negotiations; process ing and circulat ing 
notifications and other documentation;  serving as a d eposit ary for legal instruments; 
and advising Members  on legal and depositary matters.  
• Providing tailored T rade-related Technical Assistance  activities  based on a demand -
driven approach  to developing and LDC Members; preparing the Bi -annual Technical 
Assistance Plan (TA Plan); ensuring the implementation of the activities and 
programme outlined in the TA Plan and the monitoring and eva luation thereof; 
preparing the TA annual report; managing the TA Management System; conducting 
Trade Policy Courses for generalists (introductory, intermediate, and advanced) and e -
Learning courses; appl ying Result -based Management to WTO TA; and manag ing 
internship programmes and  the Young Professionals' Programme.  
• Providing n ews items on WTO activities; arranging and coordinating press conferences 
and briefings ; producing  WTO publications ; organizing major events such as the P ublic 
Forum , Trade Dialogues , and the WTO  Open Day;  providing support for audio -visual 
and social media content, maintaining the WTO  website , and providing e-registration 
and protocol  services.   
• Providing mechanisms for systematic knowledge -retention, sharing, and dissemination 
to Mem bers; leveraging efficiency gains through filling knowledge -gaps and 
institutional memory transfer when staff -turnover occurs; library and data source 
collection; and archives, records, and registry services.  WT/BFA/W/607  
 
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  2. In addition, the Secretariat supports areas of substantive work by providing the following 
supporting products and services:  
 
• Implementing p rudent financial management to ensure effective operation of the 
Organization's functions and that Members' contributions to the budget of the 
Organization are managed with strict internal controls and fiduciary integrity.  
• Keeping Members informed of developments in the Organization through  the WTO 
website  and Member notifications and databases, making official documentation 
available electronica lly through Documents Online (DOL), and providing access to 
documents through e -subscription and/or in print form . 
• Ensuring that WTO documents, publications , and other materials are available to 
Members in the three official languages  by provid ing the full  value chain from reception 
through to dissemination, comprising preparation, quality control, planning , and 
translation services . 
• Assisting Members to base negotiations and day -to-day decision -making on 
comprehensive, authentic and accurate information an d know -how by providing access 
to up -to-date library and data resources, well -managed and complete records & 
archives, and registry information.  
• Provid ing digital tools for services used by Members , such as  video conferencing and 
communication tools , softw are applications, translation tools, and platforms such as 
those for n otifications collection and management . 
• Managing meeting and conference rooms , including discussion boards and audio -visual 
equipment ; facilitat ing discussions by Members through interpr etation; ensuring 
cleanliness  of the  premises ; providing safety and security ; and overseeing the proper 
management of the  cafeteria and coffee shop . 
• Ensuring the right mix of skills and experience in the Secretariat to best serve Members' 
needs and respond to new needs through improving the Secretariat's policies on 
recruitment, mobility, promotions, and career pathways.  
• Overseeing work of an IT Service Centr e to support the Secretariat staff when they 
deliver daily services to Members  as well as Com mittee meetings and major events 
and solving technological incident s and respond ing to requests ; maintain ing and 
updat ing network and Wi-fi, email and collaboration tools , telephony , printing , and file 
and back -up management ; hosting services for numerous digital products ; and 
maintaining Member services . 
• Providing, through the OIO, independent oversight and assurance to strengthen the 
ethical climate of the WTO, protecting its reputation, and safeguarding Members' 
contributions from fraud, waste, and other unethical practices. Ensuring that WTO staff 
work in an environment that is conducive to innovation in line with developments in 
trade, and is free from all harassment, including sexual harassment, as well as 
discrimination, and other unacceptabl e behaviours. Ensuring oversight of the resilience 
of WTO internal control environment.  
__________