WT/WGTTT/ 24 
 
7 December 2022 
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REPORT (2022) OF THE WORKING GROUP ON TRADE AND TRANSFER  
OF TECHNOLOGY TO THE GENERAL COUNCIL  
1  INTRODUCTION  
1.1.  Ministers agreed, at the Fourth Ministerial Conference in Doha in November  2001, to "an 
examination, in a Working Group under the auspices of the General Council, of the relationship 
between trade and transfer of technology, and of any possible recommendations on steps that might 
be taken within the mandate of the WTO to increase flows of technology to developing countries".1 
The Wo rking Group has reported on its work at each WTO Ministerial Meeting, at which the Ministers 
had reaffirmed their commitment to advance the work of the Working Group on Trade and Transfer 
of Technology and instructed the General Council to further report t o the Ministerial Sessions.  
1.2.  The Working Group held two sessions during 202 2, in May and in November . The reports on 
the meetings are contained in documents WT/WGTTT/M/6 7 and WT/WGTTT/M/6 8.2 At these 
meetings, Members continued the analysis of the relation ship between trade and transfer of 
technology , as well as considered any possible recommendations on steps that might be taken within 
the mandate of the WTO to increase flows of technology to developing countries, the details of which 
are given below.  
1.3.  At t he May 2022 meeting, the Working Group formally elected Ambassador 
Luis Chuquihuara  Chil of Peru as its Chairperson.  
2  RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TRADE AND TRANSFER OF TECHNOLOGY  
2.1.  During the year 20 22, work on the analysis  of the relationship between trade and tran sfer of 
technology  continued.  At the May 2022 meeting , Brazil presented its communication titled 
"Intellectual property, transfer of technology and capacity building for COVID -19 and beyond" 
(WT/GC/W/845), which had been initially presented at the General Council meeting held on 
9-10 May 2022. In its  presentation, the Delegation of Brazil  noted  the role transfer of technology 
and know -how had played to create capacities to respond to  COVID -19; and it underscored that 
such capacities could be leverag ed to tackle other health emergencies , including  those that are 
endemic to developing countries and which continued to constitute a major cause of loss of 
productivity and aggravated poverty . Members supported the communication's broad objective and 
invite d Brazil to provide additional specific proposals  in that regard .  
2.2.  At the November 2022 meeting  and at the invitation of the Chairperson, experts from the 
Delegations of Argentina, Peru and Senegal  and also experts from the Food and Agriculture 
Organizatio n, the Standards and Trade Development Facility, the United Nations Conference on 
Trade and Development, the World Economic Forum , the World Health Organization , the World 
Intellectual Property Organization and the World Trade Organization  shared their perspectives on 
technology transfer to help the Working Group improve understanding on the relationship between 
trade and transfer of technology . The presentations were structured in three panel discussions  which 
focused  on the following themes: i. f ramework for technology transfer; ii. technology transfer applied 
to SPS measure; and iii. technology transfer to promote access and innovation in a pandemic 
context.  
2.3.  Presentations made noted that technology transfer has been  a collaborative process 
encom passing knowledge, skills and know -how, that  it involved several actors including 
 
1 Paragraph 37 of document WT/MIN(01)/DEC/1 .  
2 Document WT/WGTTT/M/68 t o be issued.  WT/WGTTT/ 24 
 
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  governments, academia, and industries ; and that technology transfer had been provid ing a powerful 
tool to narrow the technological gap between developed and developing countr ies, and for 
integrating developing countries into the multilateral trading system. There was also convergence 
among speakers on  the fact that technology transfer took place when there was a business interest 
and a capacity of partners to create, transfer and absorb knowledge . And, that participation in global 
value chains boosted technology diffusion by increasing market access and importing intermediates .  
2.4.  Members found the presentations relevant and agreed that technology transfer remains a key 
determina nt of economic growth and welfare. The discussions that ensued highlighted several 
challenges, inter alia , scarce skilled workers, lack of infrastructure and availability of raw materials, 
trade and regulatory barriers, and disrupted supply chains. In term s of recommendations, the 
discussions revolved around the importance of public -private partnerships, infrastructure readiness, 
regional cooperation and financial sustainability.  
3  ANY POSSIBLE RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE STEPS THAT MIGHT BE TAKEN WITHIN 
THE MANDATE OF THE WTO TO INCREASE FLOWS OF TECHNOLOGY TO DEVELOPING 
COUNTRIES  
3.1.  Under the agenda item on possible recommendations that the Working Group could make in 
the future, no substantive discussion took place.  The Chairperson reiterated  the importance of a 
formal submission by the proponents of a submission made in 2008  by India, Pakistan and 
the Philippines  - entitled "Facilitating Access to Information on Appropriate Technology Sourcing – A 
Step to Increase Flows of Technology to Developing  Countries". The proponents informed the 
Working Group  that they had been  working with interested Members on revising their submission 
and that they intended to provide updates  in the near future.  
3.2.  The least developed countries (LDC) Group underscored the critical role technology played in 
increasing productivity and output, and to diversify economies to better integrate into the regional 
and global value chains and level up their development. It also noted that  advancing work to assist 
LDCs develop had bee n necessary and had become imperative because of persistent COVID -19 
socio-economic impacts , aggravated by food security concerns induced by geopolitical tensions . 
4  FUTURE WORK  
4.1.  Members have continued their examination of the relationship between trade and t ransfer of 
technology and possible recommendations that might be made within the mandate of the WTO to 
increase flows of technology to developing countries. The ongoing work has covered a number of 
issues and has helped to enhance Members' understanding of  the nexus between trade and transfer 
of technology. The Working Group will continue to look at  these issues in the coming year .  
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