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WT/WGTTT/M/65  
 
1 October  2021 
(21-7373) Page: 1/3 
Working Group on Trade and Transfer of Technology  
Sixty -Fifth Session    
 
NOTE ON THE MEETING OF  25 MAY 2021 
Chairperson: H.E. Dr. Le Thi Tuyet Mai (Viet Nam ) 
A. ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA  ................................ ................................ ....................  1 
B. ELECTION OF THE NEW CHAIRPERSON  ................................ ................................ ... 1 
C. ANALYSIS OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TRADE AND TRANSFER OF 
TECHNOLOGY  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...................  1 
D. ANY POSSIBLE RECOMMENDATIONS ON STEPS THAT MIGHT BE TAK EN WITHIN  
THE MANDATE OF THE WTO TO INCREASE FLOWS OF TECHNOLOGY TO DEVELOPING 
COUNTRIES  ................................ ................................ ................................ ......................  2 
E. OTHER BUSINESS  ................................ ................................ ................................ .... 3 
 
A. ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA  
The agenda contained in Airgram WTO/AIR/WGTTT/ 18 of 11 May 2021 was adopted . 
B. ELECTION OF THE  NEW  CHAIRPERSON  
Members  formally elected  Ambassador  Le Thi Tuyet Mai  of Viet Nam  as the Chairperson of the 
Working Group.  
C. ANALYSIS OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TRADE AND TRANSFER OF 
TECHNOLOGY  
Under the agenda item on the relationship between trade and transfer of technology, Members 
continued to discuss the nexus  between trade and transfer of technology. In this context, it was 
stressed that technology and technical know -how remained  key elements in facilitating 
industrialization and economic growth and, therefore,  were essential for improving productivity, 
promoting growth,  and attaining the development aspirations of develop ing Members , and in 
particular  the least developed countries (LDCs) . It was also noted that technology transfer was an 
important tool to narro w the technological gap between developed and developing countries and for 
integrating developing countries into the Multilateral Trading System (MTS). Attention was also 
drawn to the mandate of the Working Group in Paragraph 37 of the Doha Declaration, fu rther 
reiterated in Paragraph 43 of the Hong Kong Ministerial Declaration, and to the significant 
contribution that the fulfilment of the mandate could make in achieving the developmental 
aspirations.  
Chad, on behalf of the LDC Group , expressed  that the CO VID-19 pandemic had aggravated an 
already fragile situation LDCs were confronting, caracterized by an important vulnerability to 
economic and environmental shocks. He cautioned  that the widening digital divide could deepen and 
further prevent LDCs from par ticipating more fully in digital value chains.  
Against that background, the representative of Chad viewed technology transfer as an important 
lever to support development efforts, especially in the areas of health, agriculture, environment, 
education and t rade. He also viewed technology as a key link to an increased participation in global 
and regional value chains and to be able to benefit from technology transfer that improves processing WT/WGTTT/M/65  
 
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  and increasing production levels, on the one hand and , on the other,  the diversification of 
productions to make better use of domestic resources.  
The representa tive of Zimbabwe  regretted that, in the twenty years since the Doha  Declaration, 
the Working Group had not yet discharged its mandate. He recalled two previous initiatives the 
Working Group had considered which his delegation had co-sponsored namely, "Provisions relating 
to transfer of technology in WTO Agreements" contained in document WT/WGTTT/3 /Rev.1, and 
"Possible recommendations on steps that might be taken within  the mandate of the WTO to increase 
flows of technology to developing countries " in document WT/WGTTT/W/6.  
He also noted that the COVID -19 pandemic had highlighted the need for techn ology transfer to 
developing and least developed countries; and that it was one of the barriers to timely, equitable, 
safe and affordable COVID -19 vaccines and therapeutics. To address these challenges, the 
World  Health Organisation (WHO) launched the COVI D-19 Technology Access Pool (C -TAP), and a 
Technology Hub. He suggested inviting the WHO Secretariat to make a presentation to the Group 
on the current status of those initiatives, and the successes and challenges faced during 
implementation.  
Before conclu ding the discussion under this agenda item , the Chairperson recalled that the 
Working Group had  worked very closely with other intergovernmental organizations which had done 
some useful  work on technology generation, innovation, and its transfer. That  work had primarily 
focused on addressing specific knowledge tra nsfer and in promoting capacity -building program mes. 
She believed that such close collaboration was important in furthering the mandate of the  Working  
Group. In that  context, she encouraged Members to closely follow the work in those organizations 
and expressed her inten tion of exploring possibilities  - in consultation with  Members  of the Working 
Group  - to benefit  from suc h work in this area, by those international o rganizations. In addition, 
while underscoring the importance of the knowledge -sharing exercise in the work of the Group, she 
encouraged Members to consider making c ountry presentations to share  lessons learnt , highlighting 
through national example s, the ro le that trade might have  played or could play in facilitating 
technology transfer.  
The Working Group  took note  of the statements made.  
D. ANY POSSIBLE RECOMMENDATIONS ON STEPS THAT MIGHT BE TAKEN WITHIN THE 
MANDATE OF THE WTO TO INCREASE FLOWS OF TECHNOLOGY TO DEVELOPING 
COUNTRIES  
Under the agenda item on possible recommendations that the Working Group could make in 
the future,  the Chairperson recalled that the Group had been discuss ing the room document entitled 
"Facilitating Access to Information  on Appropriate Technology Sourcing – A step to increase flows of 
technology to developing countries" tabled by India, Pakistan,  and the Philippines.   
The representative s of the Philip pines and of Pakistan  expressed , respectively , that they 
remained open to revisiting the proposal they had made alongside India, to develop a WTO web 
portal on technology transfer. They noted that as other platforms existed, and in order to avoid 
duplication and to provide added  value, they were also open to exa mining other contribution.  
The representative of the Philip pines further recommended that the Group narrow  focus on 
thematic areas where trade intersects with the public domain, such as health, environment, energy, 
agriculture and infrastructure.  As examp les, he suggested that the Working Group further examine 
how technology transfer could : (i) continue to improve the capacity of developing countries' 
regulatory authorities in dealing with standards and technical barriers to trade ; or (ii)  could  be 
leverag ed by MSMEs to meet international standards , by making patents , technologies and 
information on them more readily and easily available . 
Before concluding the discussion under this agenda item, the Chairperson expressed the view 
that major responsibility fo r propelling the work towards a meaningful progress lies on Members, 
especially the proponents . She reamined optimistic and hopeful to provide a meaningful report at 
the twelfth Ministerial Conference.  She inform ed the Group that she intended to hold  bilateral and 
plurilateral process of informal consultations  to hear Members' views and ascertain how to discharge 
the mandate of the W orking Group.  WT/WGTTT/M/65  
 
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The Working Group took note  of the statements made.  
E. OTHER BUSINESS  
No matter w as raised under "Other Business".  
The meeting was adjourned . 
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