RESTRICTEDWORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONWT/BFA/W/77
30 September 2002
(02-5229)
Committee on Budget, Finance and Administration
VOLUNTARY CONTRIBUTIONS, GIFTS OR DONATIONS FROM NON-
GOVERNMENTAL DONORS
1. Upon the recommendation of the Committee on Budget, Finance and Administration
(WT/BFA/51), the General Council approved, on 15 December 2000, Guidelines on Voluntary
contributions, Gifts or Donations from Non-Go vernmental Donors (WT/GC/M/61, WT/L/386).
2. Since the approval of the guidelines, the Committee on Budget, Finance and Administration
has examined and accepted one donation in kind from the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) estimated at
CHF 115,000, on 14 May 2001 (WT/BFA/53), to facilitate the participation of developing countries
journalists in a series of 2 ½ day seminars designed to familiarize these journalists with current WTO
issues and build their capacity to write on WTO topics.
3. The first series of WTO courses for journalists in English, French and Spanish took place in
2001 and 2002. The aim of the courses was to provide media representatives from developing and
developed countries with a thorough two and half day introduction into the role and activities of the
WTO. The FES sponsored journalists from devel oping and least-developed countries while those
from developed countries paid their own travel and hotel costs.
4. The courses and attendance were as follows:
a) 11 - 13 June 2001 – English – 13 journalists in total ten of whom were sponsored by
FES;
b) 17 – 19 September 2001 – French 14 journalists, eleven of whom were sponsored by
the FES;
c) 22 - 24 April 2002 – Spanish- 15 journalists, ten of whom were sponsored by the
FES.
5. Each course provided a full overview of the WTO's structure with detailed presentations on
various trade subjects such as agriculture, TRIPS, GATS and dispute settlement. In each of the three
sessions, participants met Ambassadors from both developed and developing countries and key WTO
senior management staff.
6. The programmes were greatly appreciated by the participants who not only learned about the
WTO but were able to exchange ideas and opinions with their media colleagues from other countries.
The inter-action between media professionals from developed and developing countries would not
have been possible without the financial help of the FES. The Foundation too welcomed the
programme and has offered to finance another three courses in early 2003.
7. As stipulated in paragraph 9 of the Guidelines, document WT/L/386, a review of these
guidelines should be initiated by the Committee on Budget, Finance and Administration not later than
January 2003, and should be completed within twelve months of its initiation.
8. The guidelines as approved by the General Council (WT/L/386) are attached hereto as
Annex 1.WT/BFA/W/77
Page 2
ANNEX 1
(Extract from document WT/L/386 )
VOLUNTARY CONTRIBUTIONS, GIFTS OR DONATIONS FROM NON-
GOVERNMENTAL DONORS
Guidelines approved by the General Council on 15 December 2000
Given that voluntary contributions, gifts or donations (hereinafter "donations") from non-
governmental donors could be of benefit and since Members are committed to ensuring that noconflict of interest should arise through the acceptance of such donations, it is herein affirmed that
WTO Members will take all decisions relating to the acceptability of such donations and their uses.
The process  in this area will be governed by the following guidelines.
1. Donations proposed by private individuals an d non-governmental, non-profit organizations or
foundations (non-governmental donors) may be considered.  These may include donations of goods or
services "in kind"; however, secondment of staff from non-governmental donors to the WTO is
prohibited.
2. Donations from non-governmental donors which are for-profit organizations or companies
shall not be accepted.
3. The activities, aims and motivations of the non-governmental donors mentioned under 1
above shall not be incompatible with the policies, aims and activities of the WTO and, as mentioned
above, shall not give rise to a conflict of interest.
4. All proposed donations from non-governmental donors shall be notified to the Committee on
Budget, Finance and Administration which shall pr omptly consider the proposals. The Director-
General shall accept a proposed donation only after the Committee has approved* the proposed
donation and its intended use(s). It is recognized that the Committee may wish to consider
establishing a subsidiary working group to make recommendations to it relative to proposed
donations.
5. All accepted donations from non-governmental donors shall be placed in a single trust fund
and be disbursed in an manner that takes into account the broad objectives of the Committee on Tradeand Development, the Memorandum of Understanding  Establishing the Global Trust Fund and any
additional modalities to be established for the purpose of disbursing the resources of the trust fund.
Non-governmental donors shall be encouraged to make donations to the trust fund at large.   The
non-governmental donor may specify one or more activity associated with the WTO Programme for
Technical Cooperation or other WTO-sponsored capacity building and training activities not coveredby the regular budget supported training programme as the purpose of the donation.  More specific
earmarking shall be strongly discouraged by the WTO.  Donations from non-governmental donors
covered by these guidelines may also be utilized for other activities which Members may decide by
consensus should be supported through the trust fund.
                                                     
* Pursuant to Regulation 19:1 of the WTO Financial Regulations.  All donations of a type covered by
these guidelines are deemed to involve a certain additional financial liability for the WTO.WT/BFA/W/77
Page 3
6. Full details relative to all accepted donations from non-governmental donors and their uses
shall be entered into a public registry which shall be readily accessible including through the WTO
internet web site.
7. Donations shall not entitle non-governmental donors to use of the WTO name or logo in any
way.
8. The WTO Secretariat shall report regularly to the Committee on Budget, Finance and
Administration on the administration of the trust fund and the actual use of the resources therein.
9. A review of these guidelines and any additional modalities established for the purpose of their
implementation shall be initiated by the Committee on Budget, Finance and Administration not later
than January 2003.  The review shall be completed within twelve months of its initiation.
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