RESTRICTED  
  
WT/COMTD/RTA/M/11  
 
5 November 2020  
(20-7881) Page: 1/3 
Committee on Trade and Development  
11th Dedicated Session on Regional Trade Agreements   
 
 
NOTE ON THE MEETING OF 29 SEPTEMBER  2020 
Chairman: H.E. Mr. Mohammad Qurban Haqjo (Afghanistan)  
A. ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA  ................................ ................................ ....................  1 
B. CONSIDERATION OF REGIONAL TRADE AGREEMENTS  ................................ .............  2 
(I) Status of the work of the dedicated session  ................................ ................................ ... 2 
(a) Status of the preparation of factual presentations – Report by the Chairman 
(WT/COMTD/RTA/W/4)  ................................ ................................ ................................ ........  2 
(II) Preferential Trade Agreement between the Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR)  
and the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) ( Goods) (WT/COMTD/RTA11/N/1, 
WT/COMTD/RTA11/1, WT/COMTD/RTA11/2)  ................................ ................................ ..........  2 
(III)  Free Trade Agreement between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)  
and the Republic of Korea ( Goods)  (WT/COMTD/RTA13/N/1, WT/COMTD/RTA13/1, 
WT/COMTD/RTA13/2)  ................................ ................................ ................................ ..........  3 
(IV) Preferential Trade Agreement between India and Afghanistan ( Goods) 
(WT/COMTD/RTA14/N/1, WT/COMTD/RTA14/1, WT/COMTD/RTA14/2)  ................................ ...... 3 
(V) Accession of Egypt to COMESA ( Goods)  (WT/COMTD/RTA16/N/1, WT/COMTD/RTA16/1, 
WT/COMTD/RTA16/2)  ................................ ................................ ................................ ..........  3 
C. OTHER BUSINESS  ................................ ................................ ................................ .... 3 
 
A. ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA  
1. The Chairman  welcomed delegations to the 11th Dedicated Session on 
Regional  Trade  Agreements (RTAs) of the Committee on Trade and Development (CTD), which 
allowed  for both in-person  and virtual participation. As he was connecting remotely, he informed 
the Committee that  he had requested the Secretariat to give the floor to delegations on his behalf, 
and to stand in as required if any difficulties with the connection were encountered. He went on to 
say that the CTD’s 11th Dedicated Session on RTAs was originally scheduled to be held on 
6 April 2020. However, as a result of the COVID -19 outbreak and the suspension of all meetings at 
the WTO earlier in the year , the 11th Dedicated Session could not be held in April as originally 
scheduled. Although , he had wanted to subsequently hold the meeting i n July, this did not prove 
possible either, due to the lack of an available meeting room. The present m eeting was therefore 
the opportunity for the Committee to consider the three agreements  that were originally scheduled 
to be considered in April. These w ere the Preferential Trade Agreement between the 
Southern  Common Market ( MERCOSUR ) and the Southern African Customs Union  (SACU) ; the 
Free Trade Agreement between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations ( ASEAN ) and the 
Republic of Korea; and the Prefere ntial Trade Agreement between India and Afghanistan. In 
addition, given that the factual presentation on the Accession of Egypt to the Common Market for 
Eastern and Southern Africa ( COMESA ) was circulated in June , this agreement was  also up for 
considerati on at the present meeting . 
 
2. The draft agenda as contained in document WTO/AIR/COMTD/RTA/6/Rev.2  of 
18 September  2020 was adopted .  WT/COMTD/RTA/M/11  
 
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  B. CONSIDERATION OF REGIONAL TRADE AGREEMENTS  
(i) Status of the work of the Dedicated Session  
(a)  Status of the preparation of factual presentations – Report by the Chairman 
(WT/COMTD/RTA/W/ 4) 
3. The Chairman  said that his report on the status of the preparation of factual presentations of 
RTAs notified under the Enabling Clause  was contained in document WT/COMTD/RTA/W/4. The 
report showed that it was still not possible for the Secretariat to finalize a number of factual 
presentations. I n some cases, the Secretariat was  still awaiting the submission of the full set of 
data, while in o thers, all comments on the draft factual presentations had not been received. He 
urged all the parties to these agreements to provide the data and information as soon as possible. 
He also noted that his report reference d one RTA notified un der the Enabling  Clause that had  not 
been ratified by all the parties. This was the Pacific Island Countries Trade Agreement  (PICTA ). 
Following the  procedures  of the Committee on Regional Trade Agreements (CRTA) , a fa ctual 
presentation on PICTA would  only be  drafted after  the agreement had been  ratified by all the 
parties. The parties to PICTA were  urged to inform the Secretariat as soon as all ratifications were  
complete d. 
4. The representative of Brazil  noted that the Chairman’ s report contained a reference to the  
agreement between Brazil and Mexico . In the context of the 1980 Treaty of Montevideo (TM80) of 
the Latin American Integration Association (LAIA) , the Brazil -Mexico  agreement was known  as the 
Economic Complementarity Agreement No. 53 (AAP.CE 53). Her delegat ion wished to reiterate 
that Brazil  did not endorse the notification of this agreement  as an individual instrument . The  
notification ran contrary to the agreed practice concerning the notification of agreements signed 
within the LAIA  framework. She explain ed that AAP.CE 53 was  a specific component of the TM80  – 
which allowed  for the economic integration among LAIA m embers, and with partner countries, to 
take place at different speeds. All agreements within the framework  of the TM 80 were  part of the 
structure of the Treaty.  Even when restricted to some countries, these agreements needed to 
respect the general principl es and norms established in the TM80 . Furthermore, Brazil had  
internalized these agreements as part of the TM80 , and  an inversion of th is logic could  cause 
difficulties.  
5. The representative of the United States  encourage d the parties to the RTAs listed in the 
Chairman’s report to provide the full set of data and information , so that the Secretariat could  
complete the drafting of the outsta nding factual presentations. She also noted that , for several 
agreements listed in the report,  data and comments were long overdue  – in some cases, by many 
years . She indicated that her delegation would appreciate an update at the present meeting  from 
the relevant parties as to when they would be able to provide  the outstand ing data and comments.  
6. The Committee took note  of the Chairman's report , and of the interventions . 
7. The Chairman  said that the Committee would now turn to the consideration of t he four RTAs  
that were listed on the agenda of the present meeting. He wished to organize the consideration of 
each agreement by first inviting the parties to make their introductory remarks. The floor would 
then be opened for interventions by other Member s, including on the factual presentation  and the 
questions and replies document. The parties could  provide responses at any time during the 
discussion to any questions raised. Members would  also have the opportunity to ask follow -up 
writte n questions after  the meeting was  concluded. He would remind Members of the timeframes 
for follow -up questions  and responses at the end of the  discussion on each agreement  
(ii) Preferential Trade Agreement between the Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR) and The 
Southern African Customs Union (SACU) (Goods) ( WT/COMTD/RTA11/N/1, WT/COMTD/RTA11/1, 
WT/COMTD/RTA11/2 )1 
 
 
1 The minutes relating to the consideration of this agreement are containe d in document 
WT/COMTD/RTA11/M/1 . WT/COMTD/RTA/M/11  
 
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  (iii) Free Trade Agreement between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the 
Republic of Korea (Goods) (WT/COMTD/RTA13/N/1, WT/COMTD/RTA13/1, WT/COMTD/RTA13/2 )2 
(iv) Preferential Trade Agreement between India and Afghanistan (Goods) 
(WT/COMTD/R TA14/N/1, WT/COMTD/RTA14/1, WT/COMTD/RTA14/2 )3 
(v) Accession of Egypt to COMESA (Goods) (WT/COMTD/RTA16/N/1, WT/COMTD/RTA16/1, 
WT/COMTD/RTA16/2)4 
C. OTHER BUSINESS  
8. No matter was raised under "Other Business".  
9. The meeting was adjourned . 
__________  
 
2 The minutes relating to the consideration of this agreement are containe d in document 
WT/COMTD/RTA13/M/1 . 
3 The minutes relating to the consideration of this agreement are containe d in document 
WT/COMTD/RTA14/M/1 .  
4 The minutes relat ing to the consideration of this agreement are contained in documen t 
WT/COMTD/RTA16/M/1 .