./.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONWT/BFA/69
28 November 2003
(03-6336)
Committee on Budget, Finance and Administration
ANNUAL REPORT (2003) OF THE COMMITTEE ON BUDGET,
FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION
1. In accordance with the procedures for an annual overview of WTO activities and for reporting
under the WTO, adopted by the General Council on 15 November 1995 (WT/GC/M/8, item 11), a
report on the activities of the WTO Committee on Budget, Finance and Administration in 2003 ishereby submitted.
2. It will be recalled that the Committee met formally and informally on a number of occasions
and has presented reports to the General Council on a regular basis
1,
I. ON-GOING RESPONSIBILITIES
3. The Committee monitored on a regular basis the financial and budgetary situation of the
Organization, the receipt of contri butions including the implementation of the related schemes and
measures pertaining to receipt of  contributions.  It formulated recommendations to the General Council
on assessments to the budget and advance to the Working Capital Fund subsequent to the accession of
two new Members.  It considered elements relate d to personnel management and heard progress reports
on the WTO Pension Plan.  It also examined: (i) th e Director-General’s Budg etary and Financial Report
for 2002 and Report of the External Auditors There on; (ii) the Divisional Reporting on Objectives and
Expenditures for 2002; (iii) the Report on Extra-Bu dgetary Funds for 2002 and (iv) the Director-
General’s budget proposals for 2004 and 2005.  At the time of finalizing this report, the Committee is in
the final stages of its examination of the Director-General’s budget  proposals for 2004 and 2005.
II. MAJOR AREAS OF ACTIVITIES
A. WTO SALARY METHODOLOGY
4. Further to the decision by the General Council of 13 December 2002 (WT/GC/M/77), the
Committee on Budget, Finance and Ad ministration examined the salary methodology to be adopted by
the WTO for future salary adjustments, and made r ecommendations to this effect (WT/BFA/64) to the
General Council, which adopted them on 15 May 2003 (WT/GC/M/80).
B. CONSOLIDATION OF LONGTERM TEMPORARY ASSISTANCE IN REGULAR BUDGET
5. In the course of the deliberations of the Budget Proposals for 2002, the Committee was apprised
of the question of improving the conditions of servi ce for temporary staff with more than four years of
                                                     
1 Reports: WT/BFA/64 and 65 covering the meetings from January to May 2003; WT/BFA/67
covering the part of the recommendations of the meetings from July to September 2003; WT/BFA/68 covering
the meetings from July to September 2003 , which will be submitted to the General Council at its next meeting.WT/BFA/69
Page 2
continuous service.  The Committee discussed the issue and made a recommendation to this effect
(WT/BFA/65) to the General Council, which adopted it on 24-25 July 2003 (WT/GC/M/81).
C. BIENNIAL BUDGET
6. The Committee undertook an examination on the possi bility of moving to a biennial budgeting
cycle and made recommendations to this effect (WT/BFA/67) to the General Council, which adopted
them on 26 August 2003 (WT/GC/M/82).
D. CONSIDERATION OF A PROPOSED CONTRIBUTION FROM A NON -GOVERNMENTAL DONOR
7. In compliance with the guidelines govern ing the process of acceptance of voluntary
contributions, gifts or donations from non-Gover nmental donors (document WT/L/386), the Committee
examined a proposed donation from a foundation, and d ecided that the Director-General could accept it
(WT/BFA/65).
E. WTO SALARIES : CALCULATION OF ALPHA ADJUSTMENT TO NET SALARIES , AND ADJUSTMENT
TO DEPENDENCY ALLOWANCES
8. The Committee examined the proposed adjustment to the WTO dependency allowances
reflecting the new salary levels as of 1 July 2003 and made a recommendation amending Annex 2 of the
WTO Staff Rules to this effect (WT/BFA/ 67) to the General Council (WT/GC/M/82)
F. REVIEW OF THE GUIDELINES ON VOLUNTARY CONTRIBUTIONS FROM NON-
GOVERNMENTAL DONORS
9. The Committee reviewed the guidelines on voluntary contributions from Non-Governmental
donors as stipulated and would continue the discu ssion with a view to st reamlining the process of
accepting these voluntary contributions.
G. OTHER ITEMS
10. The Committee also discussed and/or was informed about the following points in the various
meetings:(i) the situation of contributions for the Doha Development Agenda Global Trust Fund
(DDAGTF), and (ii) the Trust Fund to facilitate the participation of least developed countries in the
Ministerial Conference at Cancun.
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