RESTRICTEDWORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONWT/BFA/W/93
31 March 2003
(03-1821)
Committee on Budget, Finance and Administration
RESULTS-BASED MANAGEMENT IN THE WTO
1. In the discussion in the Committee on Budget, Finance and Administration in the autumn of
2002, the Committee took note of comments of Members with regard to examination of the question
of results-based management (RBM) in the WTO, and specifically a proposal to discuss the progressmade in this area based on document WT/BFA/W/ 70 and the information presented in the budget
estimates for 2003 (WT/BFA/SPEC/82), particularly with regard to the objectives and work
programme of each division in the WTO.
Background
2. The Secretariat, on its own initiative, started moving progressively toward RBM in 1995 with
the presentation of the budget proposals for 1996.  For the 1996 and 1997 budgets, Divisions were
asked to accompany their budget proposals with information on their "objectives" and "planned
activities". In 1997, the practice of providing an estimate of the hours per year dedicated to technical
assistance activities was initiated.  In 1998, the budget showed a breakdown of the "objectives" and
the "work programme" of each division.  The budget presentation was the same for 1999.
3. The presentation of the budget for 2000 remained the same as for 1999.  However in
October 2000, a “Divisional Reporting on Objectives and Expenditure"1 (for 1999) was prepared for
the first time.  It contained an assessment by Division Directors on achievements against objectives.
In addition, the 2001 budget reflected for the first time a breakdown of objectives, background, main
activities and expected results.
4. In December 2001 the Budget Committee noted the second "Divisional Reporting on
Objectives and Expenditures2" (for 2000) as "a further step in the direction of results-based
budgeting"3.  A similar report relating to 2001 will shortly be distributed. The presentation of the 2002
budget proposals was the same as that for 2001 (information on objectives, background, main
activities and expected results).
5. In the context of the budget proposal process for 2003, Directors were requested to provide
information with regard to their objectives and work programme for 2003.  Among the pointsincluded in the instructions was the following:
“In the first months of 2002, a consultant undertook a study on Results-Based
Management.  His report (WT/BFA/W/70) was discussed in the Committee on Budget,
Finance and Administration and a group of three delegations subsequently presented a
non-paper on the subject (WT/BFA/W/76). It was recommended that the WTO shouldcontinue the process which started in 1995, and that both quantitative and outcome-
                                                     
1 WT/BFA/W/43 of 5 October 2000.
2 WT/BFA/W/58 of 11 July 2001.
3 WT/BFA/56 of 18 December 2001, page 1.WT/BFA/W/93
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based performance indicators should, to the extent possible, be included in the section
on expected results.”
Proposal for Current Examination
6. As a starting point, the Committee may wish to c onsider an examination of the objectives and
workplan for 2003 as presented by one operational division and one support division in order seewhether (i) the information as presented meets the expectations of Members and (ii) improvements in
the presentation can be made. In this way, Members’ comments may be incorporated into the next
budget exercise.
7. For purposes of the current examination, and without prejudice to other possible divisions the
Committee may wish to look into, attached are copies of the objectives and work plan for 2003 for the
Agriculture and Commodities Division and the Statistics Division.WT/BFA/W/93
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Taken from WT/BFA/SPEC/82
Annex 1
Agriculture and Commodities Division
Objectives and Work Programme for 2003
Objectives:
• To give effective assistance, as required and appropriate, in all matters related to the negotiations on
agriculture under the Doha Development Agenda.
• To actively contribute to the effective implementation of the existing WTO rules and commitments
on agriculture, assist in enhancing the quality of implementation, and ensure that the work of theCommittee on Agriculture in all areas, including in particular the process for multilaterally
reviewing these commitments, is organized and conducted in an efficient manner.
• To actively contribute to the effective implementation of the Agreement on the Application of
Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures, addressing in particular the difficulties faced by developing
countries.
• To support, as required, the implementation of the Decision on Measures concerning the Possible
Negative Effect of the Reform Programme on Least-Developed and Net Food-ImportingDeveloping Countries.
• To provide effective and efficient services for dispute settlement in the area of agriculture and SPS.
• To provide technical assistance and co-operation.
• To support senior management and other Divisions in matters related to trade in agriculture,
forestry and fishery products as well as SPS matters.
• To co-operate, as appropriate, with relevant international organizations, non-governmental
organizations and other representatives of the private sector.
Background
The Agriculture and Commodities Division is responsi ble for servicing the regular meetings of the
Committees on Agriculture and on Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Measures as well as thenegotiations currently underway in agriculture that are being conducted in Special Sessions of the
Committee on Agriculture.
The Committee on Agriculture was created to oversee the implementation of the Agreement on
Agriculture and of the Decision on Measures Concerning the Possible Negative Effects of the Reform
Programme on Least-Developed and Net-Food Importing Developing Countries.  Four regularmeetings are held each year during which Members are given the opportunity to review each others'
notifications.  In addition, Members can raise any other matters of concern related to the
implementation of the Agreement.  Notifications cover Members' commitments and actions they have
taken in the areas of market access, domestic support and export subsidies as well as actions related to
the NFIDCs Decision.  Over 260 notifications were received during the period 1 May 2001 to 31 July2002. These notifications often require technical assistance in their preparation and all are being
examined carefully by the Division before circulation.  The Division also prepares notes, background
papers and other documents related to the work of the Committee as required.WT/BFA/W/93
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The Division services the negotiations on agriculture which are being held in Special Sessions of the
Committee on Agriculture.  Three Special Sessions are already scheduled for 2003 (January, February
and March) culminating in the establishment of modalities for further commitments by the end of
March.  A series of further consultations and meetings, both formal and informal, will be required in
2003 for moving ahead the negotiations.  Since the beginning of the negotiations, Members haveasked the Secretariat to prepare a series of background papers on a wide range of matters, and the
Division is administratively, organizationally and substantially assisting the negotiations in a wide
variety of other ways.
The SPS Committee meets three to four times a year to oversee the implementation of the SPS
Agreement and to give Members an opportunity to inform about and discuss SPS-related measures
and activities.  The Committee has been a very effective forum for discussion, has considerably
improved the understanding of the Agreement among Members and observer countries, and hashelped avert a number of disputes.  Over 890 notifications of new or revised sanitary regulations were
circulated during the period of 1 May 2001 to 31 July 2002, with the number having increased
annually.  In addition to formal meetings, the Division also organizes workshops and special meetings
focused on the specific provisions of the Agreement which are of greatest concern to developing
country Members.
Disputes involving agricultural products tend to  be complex.  In addition, disputes under the SPS
Agreement require the identification and involvement of  scientific experts to advise the Panel.  Panel
reports are invariably appealed.  Recourses to Articles 21.5 and 22.6 of the DSU have also been a
feature of disputes related to the Agreement on Agriculture and the SPS Agreement.  Panels and
arbitration are therefore particularly time-consuming activities for which the Division must allocateadequate resources.
Technical co-operation is another important element of the Division's overall activities.  Technical
and policy advice is given to Members, as well as to acceding countries, on the wide range of issues
covered by the SPS Agreement and the Agreement on Agriculture and related commitments as well as
other matters within the Division's responsibilities.  In the SPS area, developing countries are, inparticular, facing difficulties with the technical requirements underlying the SPS Agreement.  In
agriculture, a major part of the technical assistance activities relates to the ongoing negotiations.
Main Activities
• The Division will support, in close co-operation with the Chairperson, the agriculture negotiations
by servicing the Special Sessions and providing other support as required.  This activity willinclude advice and assistance to Members, including through background papers.  The Division
will also assist, as required, in the preparations for, conduct of and follow-up to the CancunMinisterial Conference.
• The Division will service, in close co-operation with the Chairperson, four regular meetings of the
Committee on Agriculture as well as informal meetings of the Committee and informal
consultations among Members.  It will ensure that the broad range of notifications required by the
Committee and submitted by Members can be reviewed in an operationally effective manner.
The Division will assist the Committee and individual Members in systematically andsubstantially addressing the general and specific implementation issues that are likely to continue
to emerge from the Committee's review process.  The Division will provide any documentation,
background papers or other support requested by Members.
• The Division will provide appropriate support for monitoring the implementation of the SPS
Agreement and assist the SPS Committee and its Chairperson in addressing generic, technical and
other implementation matters as they arise.  It will provide all services required for theorganization of three to four regular meetings of the Committee plus the usual series of informal
meetings and consultations, and in this context will produce notes, draft guidelines, draftWT/BFA/W/93
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decisions, etc., as required.  The Division will assist, as necessary, in addressing the various
implementation concerns raised by developing country Members.
• As in the past the Division will provide the Secretary and/or expert advice to Panels established to
examine disputes involving the Agriculture and SPS Agreements.
• Technical assistance will be provided (i) on an almost daily basis at headquarters to Geneva-based
delegations and visitors, (ii) by way of telecommunication with capital-based officials, and (iii)
through missions to capitals and elsewhere (national and regional seminars, workshops, etc.,including in co-operation with other international organizations).  The Division's ability to
participate in missions will be subject to the wo rkload related to servicing the negotiations, the
regular meetings of the Committees and disputes.
• Information and advice in the areas of fisheries, forestry, tropical products and other natural-
resource based products will be provided to Members, acceding countries, other relevant
international organizations and the private sector.
• With respect to all matters for which the Division is responsible, the work programme will
include technical, legal and policy advice to senior management of the Secretariat and substantiveinputs into the work of other Divisions, as well as liaison and co-operation, as appropriate, with
other international organizations and the private sector, including through participation in
meetings and conferences, lecturing, speeches and informally by phone, fax and e-mail.
Expected Results
• Keeping the agriculture negotiations on track.  This will contribute towards progress in agriculture
trade reform and the Doha Development Agenda more generally, as well as contribute to
enhancing confidence in the WTO system.
• Facilitating the smooth implementation of the Agriculture and SPS Agreements, including by way
of helping to ensure that the Committee on Agriculture and the SPS Committee conduct their
regular work in a business-like, effective manner.
• Orderly resolution of agriculture-related trade disputes.
• A greater practical understanding of the WTO system as it relates to agriculture.  This will, among
other things, help Members to better use the opportunities for economic development created
through the Agreement on Agriculture and the SPS Agreement.
• A better appreciation of the benefits of continuing the agriculture trade reform process through the
negotiations.  This will also be achieved through technical assistance to Members and accedingcountries and our contacts and cooperation with other international intergovernmental
organizations, NGOs and the private sector.
Estimate of work hours per year allocated to technical assistance activities in your Division:
- by staff funded from the regular budget:  6,000
- by staff funded from trust funds:  noneWT/BFA/W/93
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Taken from WT/BFA/SPEC/82
Annex 2
Statistics Division
Objectives and Work Programme for 2003
Objectives:
Within the Division's regular programmes
• provide quantitative information, technical support, advice and assistance in the field of
merchandise trade, trade in services, tariffs, and other trade-related economic statistics to
Members, the Secretariat and the general public as requested;
• improve the analytical value, coverage, and access to WTO trade statistics (Internet);
• seek efficiency through sharing working tools within and across the different Sections of the
Division;
• maximise the effective use of resources through employing newly available technology for
computing and disseminating statistics.
To support tariff negotiations
• continue to prepare the technical infrastructure - data and software - in collaboration with the
relevant committees, negotiating groups and WTO Divisions;
• provide statistical support and advice as requested by Members and WTO Divisions.
To implement WTO policies on Technical Assistance and Capacity Building
• continue technical assistance and capacity building activities to assist Members in complying
with IDB notification requirements and to improve their capacity to use IDB/CTS informationin the context of ongoing negotiations.
To improve international cooperation and collaboration
• coordinate the inter-agency effort to implement and maintain a common data set on aggregate
merchandise trade by country;
• provide guidance to national compilers to implement the Manual on Statistics of International
Trade in Services , in co-operation with other international organizations.
To fulfil the Division's programmes competently and effectively
• improve working processes in data collection, processing and dissemination;
• promote staff development activities.
Background
The following elements in the Doha Development Agenda were taken into account in setting the
Division's objectives for 2003:
• Technical support for tariff negotiations, including data and software development;WT/BFA/W/93
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• technical assistance to least-developed and developing Members in the context of tariff
negotiations;
• transparency and openness to the public;
• active co-operation and collaboration with other intergovernmental agencies;
• additional elements included the effective use of resources and the quality and content of the
Division's statistical programmes.
Main Activities
Merchandise Trade Section
• Provide timely, high quality statistics for the WTO Annual Report, International Trade
Statistics, and, on request, for mandated negotiations, Members, official WTO documents and
the general public at large (e.g. the Agreement on Agriculture, export competitiveness);
• improve dissemination of WTO's trade statistics through rationalising the content of its annual
publication International Trade Statistics while including more topical issues, and redesigning
the Division's Statistics internet gateway;
• co-operate with other international organizations through the Task Force on International
Trade Statistics (convenor)  to develop and implement efficient procedures for creating,
maintaining, and disseminating an inter-agency  data set on aggregate merchandise trade by
country;
• develop procedures for more efficient data documentation, editing and tabulation to enhance
transparency and minimise processing errors.
Trade in Services Section
• Provide technical advice and timely, high quality statistics for the WTO Annual Report,
International Trade Statistics, and, on request, for mandated negotiations, Members, official
WTO documents and the general public at large (e.g. in relation to services negotiations);
• provide expert technical advice on statistics on trade in services and their use in relation to
service negotiations;
• compile statistics on trade in goods and services for the assessment of WTO Members'
contributions to the WTO budget;
• co-operate with other international organizations to improve statistics on international trade in
services through an active participation in the Task Force of Statistics on International Trade in
Services , and various other related international and regional fora.
Integrated Data Base Section
• Process IDB submissions, in particular those needed for tariff negotiations, and continue
updating the CTS including the link between CTS and IDB;
• service the Market Access Committee and the Negotiating Groups (agricultural and non-
agricultural);
• service requests from Members, WTO divisions and other ad hoc requests concerning tariffs
and tariff-line imports, including tariff simulations;
• assist Members in providing comprehensive IDB submissions and in using IDB and CTS data
through technical assistance in Geneva and in the capitals.
Systems Development and Production Section
• Provide systems development, production and support services for (1) IDB and CTS databases
and systems developed for use by Members (IDB/CTS Internet File Transfer Facility, IDBWT/BFA/W/93
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Reporting Tools, IDB Internet Analysis Facility, IDB CD-ROM, QR database); and (2) systems
that facilitate the processing of IDB submi ssions, CTS updates, IDB/CTS link and IDB/CTS
dissemination;
• develop additional analytical facilities in the IDB/CTS Internet Analysis Facility (additional
reports and features) and, contingent on funding, develop a portable version of the IDB/CTS
Internet Analysis Facility, which  would operate from a local database for users with unreliable
Internet connections;
• provide systems development and support for market access negotiations in goods, special
studies and ad hoc requests, including technical assistance for Members to resolve technical
problems and to assist them in using the IDB/CTS applications;
• maintain the IDB/CTS hardware/software infras tructure and upgrade applications to Windows
2000/Office XP, in collaboration with the Informatics Division.
Expected results
Regular programmes
• Enhanced analytical value of statistics on merchandise trade and trade in services in the
International Trade Statistics report;
• improved presentation of WTO statistical outputs on the Internet, including relevant
information on concepts, methodology, classifications, and their relationships to WTO
agreements;
• provision of quality statistics on trade in goods and services for the assessment of WTO
Members' contributions according to the new methodology agreed by the General Council;
• up-to-date IDB and CTS databases for bound and applied tariffs and imports, linked,
increasingly, at the tariff line level; and regula r dissemination of this information via Internet
and IDB CD-ROM.
Tariff negotiations
• More detailed tariff profiles and other contributions for technical documents, papers, notes etc.
in support of agricultural and non-agricultural negotiations;
• new and improved customized IDB/CTS analytical facilities for Members and the Secretariat;
• faster response time for complex tariff requests and assessments of potential tariff reductions
through an improved access to IDB and CTS databases;
• ensure effective operations of IDB/CTS/QR databases and applications, provision of associated
support services; effective functioning of the IDB/CTS hardware and software infrastructure.
Technical Assistance and Capacity Building
• Improvement in IDB submissions and enhance capacity in Geneva (Delegations) and in capitals
(national experts) regarding the use of IDB and CTS for negotiations.
International cooperation
• Enhanced trade data quality through a common data set on aggregate merchandise trade by
country, which is agreed and jointly disseminated by international organizations;
• provision of preliminary material to assist national compilers in implementing the Manual on
Statistics of International Trade in Services.
Competence and Effectiveness
• Improved quality and transparency of statistical outputs through a more streamlined production
of the Division's core statistics;WT/BFA/W/93
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• applications upgraded to Windows 2000/Office XP, depending on the schedule established by
the Informatics Division.
Estimate of work hours per year allocated to technical assistance activities in your Division:
- by staff funded from the regular budget:   800
- by staff funded from trust funds. 1400
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