WT/GC/242  
 
24 November 2021  
(21-8875) Page: 1/25 
   
 
 
GENERAL COUNCIL  
ANNUAL REPORT (202 1) 
The present report has been prepared in pursuance of the Procedures for an Annual Overview of 
WTO Activities and for Reporting under the WTO (WT/L/105).  
 
Since its previous annual report1, the General Council ha s held four regular meetings on 1-2 and 
4 March, 5-6 May, 27-28 July, and 7-8 October  and a special meeting on 15 February to appoint 
Dr. Ngozi Okonjo -Iweala as WTO Director -General . The minutes of these  meetings, which remain in 
the record of the General Council's work, are co ntained in documents WT/GC/M/18 9, WT/GC/M/1 90, 
WT/GC/M/191, WT/GC/M/192 , WT/GC/M/193  and WT/GC/M/1942. 
 
The following subjects are included in the report:  
 
1  REPORTS BY THE CHAIR OF THE TRADE NEGOTIATIONS COMMITTEE AND REPORTS BY 
THE DIRECTOR -GENERAL  ................................ ................................ ................................ . 4 
2  IMPLEMENTATION OF THE BALI, NAIRO BI AND BUENOS AIRES OUTCOMES – 
STATEMENTS BY THE CHAIRPERSON  ................................ ................................ ................  5 
3  COVID -19 TRADE -RELATED MATTERS  ................................ ................................ ..........  6 
3.1  Facilitator -led Multilateral Process, under the auspices of the General Council, on the WTO 
Response to the Pandemic – Reports by the Facilitator  ................................ ............................  6 
3.2  Call to Prevent Export Restrictions on COVID -19 Vaccines and Trade Restrictions that block 
equal access to COVID -19 Vaccines – Communication from and Statement by Colombia, Costa 
Rica, Ecuador, Panama and Paraguay  ................................ ................................ ....................  7 
3.3  Trade and Health: COVID -19 and Beyond – Updates and Communication   ...........................  7 
3.4  Urgent Trade Policy Responses to the COVID -19 Crisis – Communication from the       
European Union to the WTO General Council   ................................ ................................ .........  8 
3.5  Ministerial Declaration on Combating, Mitigating and Recovering from the Impacts of           
COVID -19 and Beyond – Communicat ion from the Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan,        
Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu   ................................ ................................ ................................ . 8 
4  TRIPS COUNCIL MATTERS  ................................ ................................ ............................  8 
4.1  Status Report on the Considerations by the TRIPS Council on the "Proposal for a Waiver        
from Certain Provisions of the TRIPS Agreement for the Prevention, Containment and Treatment   
of COVID -19" – Statement by the Chair of the Council for TRIPS   ................................ .............  8 
4.2  Annual Review of the Special Compulsory Licensing System – Paragraph 7 of the Annex to the 
Amended TRIPS Agreement and Paragraph 8 of the Decision on the Implementation of 
Paragraph  6 of the Doha Declaration on the TRIPS Agreement and Public Health – Report of the 
Council for TRIPS   ................................ ................................ ................................ ...............  9 
4.3  Proposal for a Decision on an Extension of the Period for the Acceptance by Members of the 
Protocol Amending the TRIPS Agreement  ................................ ................................ ...............  9 
 
1 The annual report  of the General Council for 2020 was circulated in WT/GC/227 . 
2 To be issued.  WT/GC/242  
 
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  4.4  TRIPS Non -Violation and Situation Complaints  ................................ ............................... 10 
5  WORK PROGRAMME ON ELECTRONIC COMMERCE  ................................ ......................  10 
5.1  Reports by the Chair  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...10 
5.2  Work Programme on Electronic Commerce and Moratorium on Imposing Customs Duties        
on Electronic Transmissions – Request from India and South Africa  ................................ .......... 10 
5.3  Communication from Australia; Canada; Chile; Colombia; Costa Rica;  Ecuador; El Salvador; 
Georgia; Guatemala; Hong Kong, China; Iceland; Korea, Republic of; Mexico; New Zealand; 
Norway; Peru; Si ngapore; Switzerland;  Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen 
and Matsu; Thailand; Ukraine; United Kingdom and Uruguay  ................................ .................. 11 
5.4  The Moratorium on Customs Duties on Electronic Transmissions: Need for Clarity on its Scope 
and Impact – Communication from India and South Africa   ................................ ..................... 11 
6  WORK PROGRAMME ON SMALL ECONOMIES – REPORTS   ................................ ...........  11 
7  REVIEW OF THE OPERATION OF THE BALI DECISION ON TRQ ADMINISTRATION – 
REPORT TO THE GENERAL COUNCIL  ................................ ................................ ...............  12 
8  THE DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE ASPECTS OF COTTON - PERIODIC REPORT BY          
THE DIRECTOR -GENERAL   ................................ ................................ ..............................  12 
9  ACCESSION MATTERS  ................................ ................................ ................................ . 13 
9.1  2020 Annual Report by the Director -General   ................................ ................................ ..13 
10  REVIEW OF THE EXEMPTION PROVIDED UNDER PARAGRAPH 3 OF                     THE 
GATT 1994  ................................ ................................ ................................ .....................  13 
11  PROCEDURE FOR THE INTRODUCTION OF HS 2022 CHANGES TO SCHEDULES OF 
CONCESSIONS USING THE TARIFF SCHEDULES (CTS) DATABAS E – DRAFT DECISION   .. 13 
12  WAIVERS  ................................ ................................ ................................ .................  14 
12.1  European Union – Application of Autonomous Preferential Treatment to the Western    
Balkans – Extension of Waiver – Draft Decision  ................................ ................................ .....14 
12.2  Introduction of Harmonized System 2002, 2007, 2012 and 2017 Changes into WTO 
Schedules of Tariff Concessions – Draft Decision  ................................ ................................ ...14 
12.3  Cuba – Article XV:6 – Extension of Waiver – Draft Decision  ................................ ............ 14 
12.4  Review of Waivers Pursuant to Article IX:4 of the WTO Agreem ent  ................................ .14 
13  TWELFTH SESSION OF THE MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE  ................................ ..........  15 
13.1  Date and Venue  ................................ ................................ ................................ ......... 15 
13.2  Statement by the Chair  ................................ ................................ ............................. 15 
13.3  MC12 Outcome Document – Report by the Chair  ................................ .......................... 16 
14  SUPPORTING THE CONCLUSION OF FISHERIES SUBSIDIES NEGOTIATIONS FOR        
THE SUSTAINABILITY OF THE OCEAN AND FISHING COMMUNITIES - DRAFT 
MINISTERIAL DECISION – COMMUNICATION FROM BRAZIL  ................................ ..........  16 
15  INTRODUCTION OF A PAPER ON "LEGAL STATUS OF JOINT STATEMENT INITIATIVES 
AND THEIR NEGOTIATED OUTCOMES" – REQUEST FROM INDIA; SOUTH AFRICA AND 
NAMIBIA  ................................ ................................ ................................ ........................  17 
16  TRADE RELATED CHALLENGES OF THE LEAST -DEVELOPED COUNTRIES AND WAY 
FORWARD: A DRAFT FOR MC DECISION AND LDC GROUP'S INTERIM ARRANGEMENT 
SUBMISSION ON LDC GRADUATION – COMMUN ICATIONS FROM CHAD ON BEHALF OF 
THE LDC GROUP   ................................ ................................ ................................ ............  18 
17  PROCEDURAL GUIDELINES FOR WTO COUNCILS AND COMMITTEES ADDRESSING 
TRADE CONCERNS – COMMUNICATION FROM AND STATEMENT BY CO -SPONSORS   ....... 18 
18  PROPOSED GENERAL COUNCIL DECISION ON PROCEDURES TO ENHANCE 
TRANSPARENCY AND IMPROVE COMPLIANCE WITH NOTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS 
UNDER WTO AGREEMENTS – ARGENTINA; AUSTRALIA; CANADA; CHILE; COSTA RICA; WT/GC/242  
 
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  THE EUROPEAN UNION; ICELAND; ISRAEL; JAPAN; REPUBLIC  OF KOREA; MEXICO;         
NEW ZEALAND; NORWAY; PARAGUAY; THE PHILIPPINES; SINGAPORE; SWITZERLAND; 
THE SEPARATE CUSTOMS TERRITORY OF TAIWAN, PENGHU, KINMEN AND MATSU; 
UNITED KINGDOM AND THE UNITED STATES   ................................ ................................  19 
19  G90 DECLARATION ON SPECIAL AND DIFFERENTIAL TREATMENT – COMMUNICATION 
FROM SOUTH AFRICA ON BEHALF OF THE G90  ................................ ...............................  19 
20  JOINT COMMUNICATION ON SYSTEMIC ISSUES – STATEMENT BY SWITZERLAND  ... 19 
21  STRENGTHENING THE MULTILATERAL CHARACTER OF THE WORLD TRADE 
ORGANIZATION – REQUEST FROM THE AFRICAN GROUP  ................................ ...............  20 
22  REINVIGORATING THE WORK OF THE COMMITTEE ON RULES OF ORIGIN ON THE 
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE BALI AND NAIROBI MINISTERIAL DECISIONS ON 
PREFERENTIAL RULES OF ORIGIN FOR LDCS – STATE MENT BY THE LDC GROUP  ...........  20 
23  PROPOSED MINISTERIAL DECISION ON STRENGTHENING RESILIENCY AND 
PREPAREDNESS THROUGH TRADE FACILITATION – BANGLADESH; CANADA; COSTA 
RICA; JAPAN; MEXICO; NORWAY; PANAMA; THE SEPARATE CUSTOMS TERRITORY OF 
TAIWAN, PENGHU, KINMEN AND MATSU; TURKEY; THE UNITED STATES                    AND 
URUGUAY  ................................ ................................ ................................ .......................  20 
24  PROPOSED SANITARY AND PHYTOSANITARY DECLARATION FOR THE TWELFTH    
WTO MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE: RESPONDING TO MODERN SPS CHALLENGES – 
AFRICAN GROUP; ACP GROUP; ARGENTINA; AUSTRALIA; BELIZE; BRAZIL; BURKINA 
FASO; CABO VERDE; CANADA; CHILE; COLOMBIA; COSTA RICA; CÔTE D'IVOIRE; 
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC; ECUADOR; EL SALVADOR; THE GAMBIA; GUATEMALA; 
HONDURAS; JAPAN; MEXICO; NEW ZEALAND; PANAMA; PARAGUAY; PERU; SENEGAL; 
SINGAPORE; TAJIKISTAN; TOGO; THE U NITED STATES; UKRAINE; URUGUAY AND          
VIET NAM   ................................ ................................ ................................ ......................  20 
25  SAUDI ARABIA'S RESTRICTIVE POLICIES ON POULTRY IMPORTS –               REQUEST 
FROM BRAZIL  ................................ ................................ ................................ .................  21 
26  USE OF INTERPREFY PLATFORM – STATEMENT BY MOROCCO   ................................ . 21 
27  VIRTUAL MEETING OF THE ARAB TRADE MINSTERS – STATEMENT BY THE          
KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA ON BEHALF OF THE ARAB GROUP  ................................ ..... 21 
28  LANDLOCKED DEVELOPING COUNTRIES – STATEMENT BY MONGOLIA                   ON 
BEHALF OF LLDCS   ................................ ................................ ................................ .........  21 
29  WTO RESPONSE IN LIGHT OF THE PANDEMIC: TRADE RULES THAT SUPPORT 
RESILIENCE BUILDING, RESPONSE AND RECOVERY TO FACE DOMESTIC AND GLOBAL 
CRISES – COMMUNICATION FROM EGYPT, PAKISTAN, SOUTH AFRICA , SRI LANKA, 
TUNISIA, UGANDA AND THE BOLIVARIAN REPUBLIC OF VENEZUELA  ............................  21 
30  COMMITTEE ON BUDGET, FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION  ................................ ..... 21 
30.1  Reports and Recommendations   ................................ ................................ ................... 21 
31  WTO PENSION PLAN  ................................ ................................ ................................  22 
31.1  Reports  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................... 22 
32  ADMINISTRATIVE MEASURES FOR MEMBERS IN ARREARS   ................................ ..... 22 
33  INTERNATIONAL TRADE CENTRE UNCTAD/WTO – REPORT OF THE                  JOINT 
ADVISORY GROUP ON ITS 54TH SESSION  ................................ ................................ ..... 22 
34  REVIEW OF WTO ACTIVITIES  ................................ ................................ ...................  22 
35  CHAIRMANSHIP OF THE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT PROCUREMENT – AUSTRALIA; 
CANADA; THE EUROPEAN UNION; ISRAEL; JAPAN; MONTENEGRO; NEW ZEALAND; THE 
SEPARATE CUSTOMS TERRITORY OF TAIWAN, PENGHU, KINMEN AND MATSU; UNITED 
KINGDOM; AND THE UNITED STATES  ................................ ................................ .............  23 
36  APPOINTMENT OF OFFICERS TO THE SUBSIDIARY BODIES OF THE COUNCIL FOR 
TRADE IN GOODS – REPORT BY THE CHAIR OF THE COUNCIL FOR TRADE IN GOODS  .... 23 
37  APPOINTMENT OF OFFICERS TO WTO BODIES   ................................ ........................  23 WT/GC/242  
 
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  38  APPOINTMENT OF THE NEXT DIRECTOR -GENERAL   ................................ ..................  25 
39  ELECTION OF CHAIRPERSON   ................................ ................................ ...................  25 
 
 
1  REPORTS BY THE CHAIR OF THE TRADE NEGOTIATIONS COMMITTEE AND REPORTS BY 
THE DIRECTOR -GENERAL  (WT/GC/M/1 90; WT/GC/M/1 91; WT/GC/M/1 92; 
WT/GC/M/1 93 AND WT/GC/M/194 ) 
1.1.  Ministers at Doha established a Trade Negotiations Committee under the authority of the 
General Council to supervise the overall conduct of the negotiations (WT/MIN(01)/DEC/1). In 
accordance with the P rinciples and Practices endorsed by the Trade Negotiations Committee at its 
first meeting in 2002 (TN/C/M/1), the TNC reports to each regular meeting of the General Council.  
1.2.  At the March  meeting, the Chair recalled the Informal TNC and Informal HODs meetin g 
convened by  Deputy Director -General  Alan Wolff, representing all DDGs, on 25 February . This was  
continued in line with the understanding that had been reached at the July  2020 meeting of the 
General Council – that reflecting the existing and appropriate boundaries of governance, the Deputy 
Directors -General would undertake their responsibilities in close consultation with Members, where 
relevant, as represented by the General Council Chair. The Chair  recalled that Deputy Director -
General Wolff, representi ng all DDGs, had chaired the meeting and had provided a report on recent 
activities. As per past practice, the report of Deputy Director -General Wolff, representing all DDGs, 
the reports of the Chairs of negotiating bodies, and the statements delivered by delegations during 
the Informal TNC and Informal HODs meeting were included in the minutes of the March  General 
Council meeting.  The representatives of Burkina Faso; Barbados; Tunisia; the Plurinational State of 
Bolivia; Argentina and Mauritius (African Group)  spoke. The General Council took note  of the report3 
of Deputy Director -General Wolff, representing all DDGs, on 25 February , and of the statements that 
day as well as those delivered at the 25 February  Informal TNC and Informal HODs meetin g4.  
1.3.  At the May meeting, the Director -General , Dr. Ngozi Okonjo -Iweala, as TNC Chair,  reported 
that the TNC had held its 40th Formal Session5 on 3 May in conjunction with an Informal Heads of 
Delegation meeting. Her opening statement and summing up of that meeting had been circulated 
as JOB/TNC/91.  The General Council took note of the report of the Director -General.  
1.4.  At the July meeting, the Director -General , as TNC Chair, updated Members on developments 
in this area and reported  on the three meetings held on 25 June, 15 July6 and 23 July. Her statements 
in those meetings were circulated in documents JOB/TNC/93, JOB/TNC/94, JOB/TNC/95 and 
JOB/TNC/96.  As per past practice, the report of the  Director -General,  the reports of the Chairs of 
negotiating bodies, and the statements del ivered by delegations during the 23 July Informal TNC 
 
3 Deputy Director -General Wolff's report, representing all Deputy Directors -General, (also circulated in 
JOB/TNC/90) and the reports of the Chairs of Negotiatin g Bodies at the 25 February Informal TNC and Informal 
HODs Meeting are in the minutes of the March General Council meeting in WT/GC/M/190 . 
4 The statements at the 25 February Informal TNC and Informal HODs Meeting by the following delegations 
are incorpora ted in the minutes of the March General Council meeting in WT/GC/M/190 : Switzerland; 
Montenegro; Brazil; European Union; Nigeria; Mexico; Morocco; Malaysia; Panama (Article XII Members); China; 
Norway; Hong Kong, China; Chile (Structured Discussions on Inv estment Facilitation for Development); Republic 
of Korea; Chinese Taipei; Iceland (Informal Working Group on Trade and Gender); Argentina; Australia (Joint 
Statement Initiative on Electronic Commerce); Jamaica (ACP); Egypt; United Kingdom; Japan; Singapore ; 
Bangladesh; Philippines; Paraguay; Canada (Ottawa Group); Nepal; New Zealand; Turkey; Pakistan; Russian 
Federation; Saint Lucia (CARICOM); Ecuador; Chad (LDCs); Indonesia; Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; Republic of 
Moldova; Angola; Uruguay (Informal Working Gr oup on MSMEs); Costa Rica (Joint Initiative on Services Domestic 
Regulation); Sri Lanka; Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela; Thailand; India; South Africa; Mauritius (African 
Group); Afghanistan; Fiji (Pacific Group); Colombia; Uganda; Cambodia; Cameroon; Ka zakhstan; Senegal and 
Peru. 
5 The minutes of the 40th Formal Session of the Trade Negotiations Committee was circulated in 
TN/C/M/40.  
6 The Minutes of the 41st Formal Session of Trade Negotiations Committee – the Virtual TNC Meeting at 
the Ministerial Level on Fisheries Subsidies – was circulated in TN/C/M/41.  WT/GC/242  
 
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  and Informal HODs meeting were included in the minutes of the July General Council meeting7. The 
General Council took note of the report of the Director -General .8 
1.5.  At the October  meeting,  the Director -General, as TNC Chair, updated Members on 
developments in this area and reported on the Informal TNC and Informal HODs meeting on 
30 September . Her statement in that meeting was circulated in document JOB/TNC/98. As per past 
practice, the report of the  Director-General,  the reports of the Chairs of negotiating bodies, and the 
statements delivered by delegations during the 30 September Informal TNC and Informal HODs 
meeting were included in the minutes of the October  General Council meeting9. The representa tives 
of Chile; Canada; South Africa; India; Norway  and Australia  spoke.  The General Council took note 
of the report of the Director -General  and of the statements that day as well as those delivered at 
the 30 September  Informal TNC and Informal HODs meetin g.10 
1.6.  At the November  meeting, the Director -General, as TNC Chair, provided her report on work in 
this area and on the Formal TNC and Informal HODs meeting on 19 November. As part of the TNC's 
reporting obligations to the General Council – and through the General Council to the Minister ial 
Conference, written reports had been circulated by all Chairs of bodies established by the TNC, under 
their own responsibility in documents TN/AG/50, TN/CTD/35, TN/DS/32, TN/IP/30, TN/MA/34, 
TN/RL/34, TN/S/42 and TN/TE/26. Her statement in that meeting  was circulated in document 
JOB/TNC/101. The General Council took note of the Director -General's report and the reports of the 
Chairs of the Negotiating Bodies, and as mentioned by the Director -General, those would be 
forwarded to Ministers at MC12 through  the General Council's report, which the Chair would submit 
to Ministers in his statement at the Conference and the fact that work on MC12 outcomes was 
continuing in the immediate next few days, and that any results from that work would be in front of 
Ministers at MC12.11 
2  IMPLEMENTATION OF THE BALI, NAIROBI AND BUENOS AIRES OUTCOMES – 
STATEMENTS BY THE CHAIRPERSON (WT/GC/M/1 90; WT/GC/M/1 91; WT/GC/M/1 92; 
WT/GC/M/193  AND WT/GC/M/194 ) 
2.1.  Since July 2014, the item on implementation of the Bali outcomes has been in cluded on the 
General Council's agenda at the request of the Chair, to provide an update on the work taking place 
in the regular bodies which were directly working on the various Bali Decisions. After the Tenth and 
 
7 The Director -General's report and the reports of the Chairs of Negotiating Bodies at the 23 July Info rmal 
TNC and Informal HODs Meeting were circulated in JOB/TNC/96. At his request, the report of the Chair of the 
CTE SS was subsequently circulated in TN/TE/25. They are reproduced in Annex I of document WT/GC/M/192.  
The statements at the 2 3 July Informal TNC and Informal HODs Meeting by the following delegations are 
incorporated in the minutes of the Ma y General Council meeting in WT/GC/M/1 92: Uruguay (Informal Working 
Group on MSMEs); Australia (Cairns Group and Joint Statement Initiative on Electronic Co mmerce ); Switzerland; 
Singapore; Ecuador; Pakistan; Japan; Nigeria; Mexico; Barbados (CARICOM); Argentina; Iceland (Informal 
Working Group on Trade and Gender); European Union; Indonesia; Brazil; Republic of Korea; Kingdom of Saudi 
Arabia (Arab Group); Nor way; Panama (Article XII Members); China; New Zealand; Mauritius (African Group); 
Honduras; Costa Rica ( Joint Initiative on Services Domestic Regulation ); Russian Federation; Republic of 
Moldova; Chile (Structured Discussions on Investment Facilitation for  Development); Nepal; United States; Sierra 
Leone; India; Canada (Ottawa Group and the Trade and Environmental Sustainability Structured Discussions); 
Chinese Taipei; South Africa; Paraguay; Colombia; United Kingdom; Malaysia; Jamaica (ACP); Turkey; 
Bangla desh; Egypt; Chad (LDCs); Viet Nam; Peru; Vanuatu (Pacific Group); Thailand; Uganda and Cameroon.  
8 The Director -General's report was circulated in JOB/GC/265.  
9 The Director -General's report and the reports of the Chairs of Negotiating Bodies at the 30 Se ptember 
Informal TNC and Informal HODs Meeting were circulated in JOB/TNC/9 8. They are reproduced as an annex  of 
document WT/GC/M/193.  The statements at the 30 September  Informal TNC and Informal HODs Meeting by the 
following delegations are incorporated i n the minutes of the October  General Council meeting in WT/GC/M/1 93: 
Brazil ; Switzerland ; Mexico ; Japan ; Turkey ; Mauritius (African Group) ; Chile (Structured Discussions on 
Investment Facilitation for Development ); Bangladesh ; Australia ( Joint Statement In itiative on E -Commerce ); 
Norway ; European Union ; Singapore ; South Africa ; Tunisia ; Jamaica (ACP) ; Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (Arab 
Group) ; New Zealand ; China ; Philippines ; Indonesia ; United Kingdom ; Costa Rica (Services Domestic 
Regulation) ; Russian Federation ; Chad (LDCs) ; India; Uruguay ( Informal Working Group on MSMEs ); Argentina ; 
Mongolia ; Iceland (Informal Working Group on Trade and Gender) ; Egypt ; Nigeria ; Panama (Article XII 
Members) ; Republic  of Korea ; Pakistan ; Hong Kong, China;  Chinese Taipei ; Nepal ; Canada ( Trade and 
Environmental Sustainability Structured Discussions  and Ottawa Group) ; Uganda ; Viet Nam ; Colombia ; 
Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela ; Sri Lanka ; Republic of Moldova ; Honduras an d Cameroon . 
10 The Director -General's report was circulated in JOB/GC/ 276. 
11 The Director -General's report was circulated in JOB/GC/ 286. WT/GC/242  
 
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  Eleventh Sessions of the Ministerial Conf erence, reports on the implementation of the Nairobi and 
Buenos Aires outcomes were also provided under this item.  
2.2.  At the General Council meetings in March , May, July, October  and November , the Chair reported 
on the work taking place in WTO regular bodies to fulfil the Bali, Nairobi and Buenos Aires Ministerial 
mandates.12  
2.3.  At the March  meeting, the representative s of South Africa; the European Union; Chad (LDCs); 
Indonesia; the Philippines; India; Ukraine and Cambodia spoke. The General Council took note of 
the Chair's report and of the statement.  
2.4.  At the May meeting, the Chair of the CTD and the representatives of Chad (LDCs); the European 
Union; Indonesia and India  spoke.  The General Council took note of the Chair's report and of the 
statements.  
2.5.  At the July meeting, the representatives of Chad (LDCs) ; Indonesia ; Tanzania ; European 
Union ; India and United Kingdom  spoke. South Africa  subsequently provided its statement . The 
General Council took note of the Chair 's report and of the statements.  
2.6.  At the October  meeting, the representatives of Chad (LDCs); Pakistan; South Africa; India; 
Tunisia; the European Union; Nigeri a; Mauritius (African Group); Sri Lanka; Indonesia; the Central 
African Republic; Cameroon and Egypt  spoke. The General Council took note of the Chair's report 
and of the statements.  
2.7.  At the November  meeting,  the Director -General and the representatives of Chad (LDCs), 
Pakistan, India, South Africa , Indonesia  and the European Union spoke. The General Council took 
note of the Chair's report and of the statements.  
3  COVID -19 TRADE -RELATED MATTERS  
3.1  Facilitator -led Multilateral Process , under the auspices of the Ge neral Council,  on the 
WTO Response to the Pandemic – Report s by the Facilitator  (WT/GC/M/192 ; 
WT/GC/M/193  and WT/GC/M/194 ) 
3.1.  As a response to calls by Members , the Chair established  on 22 June a Facilitator -led horizontal 
and multilateral process  on the WTO Response to the Pandemic , under the auspices of the General 
Council . The Chair appointed Ambassador David Walker (New Zealand ), former Chair of the General 
Council,  to facilitate this process.13  
3.2.  At the General Council meetings in July, October  and November  the Facilitator reported on the 
discussions  and work in the multilateral process  on the WTO Response to the Pandemic.14  
3.3.  At the July meeting, the Facilitator informed Members of the consultations and the range of 
meetings that have taken place since his appointment as Facilitator on 22 June  and mapped out his 
intentions for work in this process after the Summer break.  The representatives of Brazil ; Uruguay ; 
Viet Nam ; Norway ; Jamaica (ACP) ; the Republic of Korea ; the United Kingdom ; China ; Turkey ; 
Malaysia ; Chad (LDCs) ; Côte d'Ivoire ; Mauritius (African Group) ; Chile; Colombia ; Australia ; Brunei 
Darussalam ; Saint Lucia (CARICOM) ; India; the United States ; Fiji (Pacific Group) ; the European 
Union ; Japan ; Argentina ; Paraguay ; Costa Rica ; the Russian Federation ; Ecuador ; South Africa ; 
Switzerland ; Singapore ; Honduras ; Indonesia ; the Philippines ; Kazakhstan ; Mongolia and the 
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia  spoke.  Pakistan; Fiji; Nigeria and Bangladesh subsequently provided their 
statements.  The General Council took note of the Facilitator's report and of the statements.   
3.4.  At the October  meeting , the Facilitator  briefed Members on the thematic series that he had 
convened in the month of September, comprising five sessions on 1, 8, 13, 15 and 21 September . 
The representatives of Liberia;  the Philippines; Nepal; Brunei Darussalam; Nigeria; Mexico; Mauritius 
 
12 The Chair's statements were subsequently circulated in JOB/GC/252, JOB/GC/258, JOB/GC/2 66, 
JOB/GC/272 and JOB/GC/283.  
13 See the Chair's statement in JOB/GC/262.  
14 The Facilitator's reports were subsequently circulated in JOB/GC/269, JOB/GC/273 and JOB/GC/281.  WT/GC/242  
 
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  (Africa n Group); Chad (LDCs); Paraguay; Argentina; the Russian Federation; Pakistan; Tunisia; 
Malaysia; Honduras; Jamaica (ACP); Brazil; Vanuatu (Pacific Group); Turkey; China; Singapore; Sri 
Lanka; the Dominican Republic; Chinese Taipei; Norway; Switzerland; Ecu ador; Chile; South Africa; 
Canada; Thailand; the European Union; Indonesia; the United Kingdom; the Republic of Korea; 
Australia; Colombia; India and Kazakhstan  spoke . Hong Kong, China and Morocco subsequently 
provided their statements. The General Council  took note of the Facilitator's report and of the 
statements.  
3.5.  At the November  meeting,  the Facilitator provide d his report to the General Council on the 
WTO's multilateral response to the pandemic, in view of the forthcoming 12th Ministerial Conference . 
He also present ed a draft text under his own responsibility , attached to his written report  in 
JOB/GC/281.  The representatives of Nigeria; Pakistan (Egypt, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka, 
Tunisia, Uganda and Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela); Chinese Taip ei; Brunei Darussalam; 
Guatemala; Chad (LDCs); Barbados (CARICOM); Sri Lanka; Singapore; the European Union; Japan; 
Mauritius (African Group); Tunisia; Canada; Turkey; Argentina; Indonesia; the United Kingdom; 
Paraguay; the Russian Federation; Switzerland;  the United States; Chile; Ecuador; the Republic of 
Korea; India and South Africa  spoke. The General Council took note of the report by the Facilitator  
in document JOB/GC/281, of the statements  and that the Chair  would be in contact with delegations 
and th e Facilitator to discuss how to take th at work forward to MC12 . 
3.2  Call to Prevent Export Restrictions on COVID -19 Vaccines and Trade Restrictions that 
block equal access to COVID -19 Vaccines  – Communication from and Statement by 
Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Panama and Paraguay (WT/GC/M/190  and 
WT/GC/M/191 ) 
3.6.  At the March  meeting, the representative of Colombia, on behalf of co -sponsors, presented 
their communication circulated in document WT/GC/W/818  and made a statement on this matter. 
The representat ives of the European Union; Ukraine; Saint Lucia (CARICOM); the Republic of Korea; 
Indonesia; Turkey; Chinese Taipei; Australia; the United Kingdom; Jamaica (ACP); South Africa; 
Peru and India  spoke. Colombia again took the floor. The General Council took note of the 
statements.  
3.7.  At the May meeting, the representatives of Paraguay and Colombia, on behalf of co -sponsors, 
presented their statement on the matter. The representatives of the Dominican Republic; Ecuador; 
Panama; Australia; Argentina; Peru; Jamaica  (ACP); Uruguay; Chad (LDCs); South Africa; the 
European Union;  the United Kingdom; the Republic of Korea; Canada; Saint Lucia (CARICOM); Sri 
Lanka; India; Mexico; Chinese Taipei; the Plurinational State of Bolivia and Costa Rica  spoke . The 
General Council  took note of the statements.  
3.3  Trade and Health: COVID -19 and Beyond – Update s and Communication 
(WT/GC/M/190 ; WT/GC/M/191  and WT/GC/M/192 ) 
3.8.  At the March  meeting, the representative of Canada, on behalf of co -sponsors,  referred to a 
proposed draft General Co uncil Declaration in document JOB/GC/251 and  made a statement on this 
matter. The representatives of the Central African Republic; Bangladesh; South Africa; Hong Kong, 
China; India; Chinese Taipei; the United States; Colombia; Peru; the Philippines; the United 
Kingdom; Norway and Singapore  spoke. Canada again took the floor. The General Council took note 
of the statements.  
3.9.  At the May meeting, the representative of Canada, on behalf of co -sponsors, referred to the 
revision of a proposed draft General Council Declaration in document JOB/GC/251/Rev.1 and made 
a statement on this matter. The representatives of Colombia; Iceland; New Zeala nd; Hong Kong, 
China; the Russian Federation; India; Chinese Taipei; the Republic of Korea; Mexico; the United 
States; Uruguay; Chile; Turkey; Norway;  the Republic of Moldova; Indonesia; the United Kingdom; 
Chad (LDCs); Nigeria; China; Fiji; Bangladesh; Ba rbados; Vanuatu (Pacific Group); South Africa; 
Japan; Pakistan; Kazakhstan; Singapore and the European Union  spoke. Canada again took the 
floor. The General Council took note of the statements.  
3.10.   At the July meeting, the representative of Canada, on behalf o f co-sponsors, referred to the  
revised and updated version of the draft General Council Declaration in document WT/GC/W/823 WT/GC/242  
 
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  which contain ed a number of improvements and additions to the proposal.  The General Council took 
note of the statement.15  
3.4  Urgent Tr ade Policy Responses to the COVID -19 Crisis – Communication from the 
European Union to the WTO General Council  (WT/GC/M/192)  
3.11.   At the July meeting, the representative of the European Union introduced its communication 
in document WT/GC/231  which provided its views on how the WTO Membership would deliver  a 
collective and solid contribution as part of the international efforts to respond to th e COVID -19 
pandemic . The General Council took note of the statement.16 
3.5  Ministerial Declaration on Combating, Mitigating and Recovering from the Impacts of 
COVID -19 and Beyond – Communication from the Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, 
Penghu, Kinmen and  Matsu  (WT/GC/M/192)  
3.12.   At the July meeting, the representative of Chinese Taipei introduced its communication in 
document WT/GC/W/822 , which include d some points additional to the elements included in the 
Trade and Health proposal.  The General Council took n ote of the statement.17 
4  TRIPS COUNCIL MATTERS  
4.1  Status Report on the Considerations by the T RIPS  Council on the "Proposal for a 
Waiver from Certain Provisions of the TRIPS  Agreement for the Prevention, Containment 
and Treatment of COVID -19" – Statement by the Chair of the Council for T RIPS  
(WT/GC/M/190; WT/GC/M/191; WT/GC/M/192 ; WT/GC/M/193  and WT/GC/M/194 ) 
4.1.  At the General Council meetings in March , May, July, October  and November , the TRIPS Council  
Chair  provided status report s on the "P roposal for a Waiver from Certain Provisions of the TRIPS 
Agreement for the Prevention, Containment and Treatment of COVID -19" in document IP/C/W/669 
and its addenda  and revision .18  
4.2.  At the March  meeting, the representatives of Vanuatu; Republic of Korea; Morocco; Pakistan; 
Bangladesh; Nigeria; Mozambique; Jamaica (ACP); South Africa; Egypt; Indonesia; Mauritius 
(African Group); the Philippines; China; Zimbabwe; Cameroon; Australia; Chile; Turkey; 
Switzerland; New Zealand; Japan;  the Central African Republic; India; Tanzania; Norway; 
Singapore; Namibia; Cuba; Chad (LDCs); Gabon; Malaysia; Cambodia and Canada  spoke. The 
General Council took note of the TRIPS Council Chair's report and of the statements . 
4.3.  At the May meeting, the repr esentatives of Mauritius (African Group); South Africa; Indonesia; 
Vanuatu (Pacific Group); Saint Lucia (CARICOM); Barbados; Paraguay; Tunisia; Malaysia; Nigeria; 
Cameroon; Nepal; Afghanistan; the United Kingdom; Jamaica (ACP); Bangladesh; Pakistan; the 
Maldives; Tanzania; Norway; Chad (LDCs); Uruguay; Chile; China; Zimbabwe; El Salvador; 
Namibia; Sri Lanka; the Plurinational State of Bolivia; Brazil; the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; Ecuador; 
Fiji; Turkey;  the United States; the European Union; Egypt; Japan;  the Philippines; Switzerland; 
Singapore and India  spoke . During its intervention, the representative of Zimbabwe  referred to 
 
15 See Paragraph 3.3 for the list of Members that intervened on Item 7 of the July G eneral Council  agenda 
related t o the "Preparations for the Twelfth Session of the Ministerial Conference – Statement by the Chair", 
Item 7.1 of the July G eneral Council  agenda related to the "WTO Response to the Pandemic – Report by the 
Facilitator and Item 8 of the July G eneral Council  agenda related to the "Contributions to the Multilateral Process 
on the WTO Response to the Pandemic".   
16 See Paragraph 3.3 for the list of Members that intervened on Item 7 of the July G eneral Council  agenda 
related to the "Preparations for the Twelfth S ession of the Ministerial Conference – Statement by the Chair", 
Item 7.1 of the July G eneral Council  agenda related to the "WTO Response to the Pandemic – Report by the 
Facilitator and Item 8 of the July G eneral Council  agenda related to the "Contributions  to the Multilateral Process 
on the WTO Response to the Pandemic".  
17 See Paragraph 3.3 for the list of Members that intervened on Item 7 of the July G eneral Council  agenda 
related to the "Preparations for the Twelfth Session of the Ministerial Conference – Statement by the Chair", 
Item 7.1 of the July G eneral Council  agenda related to the "WTO Response to the Pandemic – Report by the 
Facilitator and Item 8 of the July G eneral Council  agenda related to the "Contributions to the Multilateral Process 
on the W TO Response to the Pandemic".  
18 See JOB/IP/42, JOB/IP/44, JOB/IP/47/Rev.1, JOB/IP/50/Rev.1 and JOB/IP/53.  WT/GC/242  
 
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  items  2, 4, 7  and 8 of the May General Council  agenda.19 The Director -General also took the floor. 
The General Council took note of t he TRIPS Council Chair's report and of the statements.20 
4.4.  At the July meeting, the representatives of South Africa ; Nigeria ; Argentina ; Barbados 
(CARICOM) ; the  Central African Republic ; Colombia ; China ; Chad (LDCs) ; Bangladesh ; Nepal ; 
Malaysia ; Tanzania ; Fiji (Pacific Group) ; Morocco ; Kenya ; Mauritius (African Group) ; Sierra Leone ; 
Jamaica (ACP) ; the Maldives ; Zimbabwe ; Turkey ; Botswana ; Pakistan ; the European Union ; Brazil ; 
Norway ; Afghanistan ; Cabo Verde ; Switzerland ; the Plurinational State o f Bolivia ; Eswatini ; the 
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia ; Cameroon ; Japan ; the Republic of Korea ; Singapore  and India spoke.  
Saint Lucia (CARICOM) and Niger subsequently provided their statement s. The General Council took 
note of the TRIPS Council Chair's report a nd of the statements.  
4.5.  At the October  meeting, the representatives of South Africa; China; Angola; Nigeria; Pakistan; 
Chile; Colombia; Mauritius (African Group);  the United Kingdom; India; Malaysia; Vanuatu (Pacific 
Group); Australia; Jamaica (ACP); the United States; Tunisia; Norway; the Central African Republic; 
Bangladesh; the Republic of Korea; Nepal; Turkey; Zimbabwe; Brazil; Egypt; the Maldives; Sri 
Lanka; the European Union; Namibia; Indonesia; Chad (LDCs); Thailand; Switzerland; the 
Plurinational State of Bolivia; Singapore; the Philippines; Japan; Peru; El Salvador and the Kingdom 
of Saudi Arabia  spoke . The General Council took note of the TRIPS Council Chair 's report and of the 
statements.  
4.6.  At the November  meeting,  the representatives of Barbados (CARICOM); Brazil; Cuba; Chad 
(LDCs); Argentina; Nigeria; the Maldives; Malaysia; Mongolia; Bangladesh; India; Jamaica (ACP); 
the European Union; Nepal; China; the Ru ssian Federation; Tanzania; Indonesia; Colombia; Peru; 
the United States; Chile; the Plurinational State of Bolivia; Tunisia; South Africa; Switzerland; the 
United Kingdom; Pakistan; Japan; Singapore and Vanuatu (Pacific Group) spoke. The Director -
General also took the floor. The General Council took note of the report by the Chair of the Council 
for TRIPS, including the fact that work on the TRIPS Waiver was continuing in the immediate next 
few days and that any result from that work would be in front of M inisters at MC12, and of the 
statements.  
4.2  Annual Review of the Special Compulsory Licensing System – Paragraph 7 of the 
Annex to the Amended T RIPS  Agreement and Paragraph 8 of the Decision on the 
Implementation of Paragraph 6 of the Doha Declaration on the TRIPS  Agreement and 
Public Health – Report of the Council for TRIPS ( WT/GC/M/194 ); and,  
4.3  Proposal for a Decision on an Extension of the Period for the Acceptance by Members 
of the Protocol Amending the TRIPS  Agreement ( WT/GC/M/194)  
4.7.  In August 2003, the General Council adopted a Decision on the Implementation of Paragraph  6 
of the Doha Declaration on the TRIPS Agreement and Public Health. Paragraph 8 of that Decision 
provided that the TRIPS Council should review annually the functioning of the system set out in the 
Decision with a view to ensuring its effective operation, and should annually report on its operation 
to the General Council.  In addition, in keeping with the August 2003 Decision, the General Council 
adopted, in December 2005, a Protocol Amendi ng the TRIPS Agreement, which was submitted to 
Members for acceptance. In accordance with Article X:3 of the WTO Agreement, the Protocol entered 
into force on 23 January 2017, upon acceptance by two -thirds of the WTO Members.  The same legal 
provision also stated that for each other Member, the Protocol would take effect upon acceptance 
by it. In this regard, the TRIPS Council at its meeting in October  2021 agreed to submit to the 
General Council a proposal for a decision on a n eighth extension of the period  for the acceptance by 
Members of this Protocol.  Both the amended TRIPS Agreement and the 2003 Decision provided that 
 
19 Item 2 of the May General Council  agenda related to the " Implementation of The Bali, Nairobi and 
Buenos Aires Outcomes – Statement by the Chair ", Item 4 of the May General Council  agenda related to the 
"TRIPS Council Matters - Status Report on the Considerations by the TRIPS Council on the "Proposal for a Waiver  
from Certain Provisions of the TRIPS Agreement for the Prevention, Containment and Treatm ent of COVID -19" 
– Statement by the Chair of the Council for TRIPS ", Item 7 of the May General Council agenda related to the 
"Work Programme on Electronic Commerce and Moratorium on Imposing Customs Duties on Electronic 
Transmissions – Request  from India " and Item 8 of the May General Council  agenda related to  the "Paper Titled 
"The Legal Status of 'Joint Statement Initiatives' and their Negotiated Outcomes" – Request from India and South 
Africa ". 
20 At its request, the statement of the delegati on of Colombia is incorporated in the Minutes of th e May  
General Council meeting and can be found in Annex 1 of document WT/GC/M/191 . WT/GC/242  
 
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  the TRIPS Council should review annually the functioning of the system and should also report on 
its operation to the General Council.  
4.8.  At the November  meeting,  the General Council t ook note of the report of the TRIPS Council in 
document IP/C/90 and adopt ed the draft decision in document IP/C/89 extending the time period 
for acceptance by Members of the Protocol amending the TRIPS Agreement u ntil 31 December 2023.  
The decision was circulated in WT/L/1122.  
4.4  TRIPS Non-Violation and Situation Complaints  (WT/GC/M/194)  
4.9.  At the November  meeting,  the General Council agree d to forward th e draft decision  on the 
Moratorium on TRIPS Non -Violation and Situation Complaints  in document IP/C/91  to the Twelfth 
Ministerial Conference for Ministers' adoption21. The representatives of  Mauritius (African Group); 
Jamaica (ACP); Colombia and Chile welcome d the decisio n on the extension of the moratorium to 
be forwarded to the Ministerial Conference.  The General Council took note of the statements.  
5  WORK PROGRAMME ON ELECTRONIC COMMERCE22 
5.1  Report s by the Chair (WT/GC/M/192 ; WT/GC/M/193  and WT/GC/M/194 ) 
5.1.  At the General Council meeting in December 2019, Members had adopted a Decision on the 
Work Programme on Electronic Commerce, in which they had agreed to reinvigorate this work, 
including by holding structured discussions based on all trade -related topics of inte rest brought 
forward by Members. Members had also agreed to extend the moratorium and to report to Ministers 
at MC12.  
5.2.  At the July meeting, the Chair provided a report on this matter which was subsequently 
circulated in document JOB/GC/267. The General Coun cil took note of the Chair's report.23 
5.3.  At the October  meeting, the Chair provided a report on this matter which was subsequently 
circulated in document JOB/GC/275. The General Council took note of the Chair's report.24 
5.4.  At the November  meeting, the Chair pr ovided a report on this matter which was subsequently 
circulated in document JOB/GC/284. The Chair suggest ed that both draft decisions – 
WT/GC/W/831 /Rev.4  and WT/GC/W/838 /Rev.1  be forwarded to the Ministerial Conference  for 
Ministers' consideration.  Any additional co -sponsors will be reflected and forwarded to Ministers.  The 
representatives of Panama; Malaysia; Chinese Taipei; Canada; Argentina; Hong Kong, China; 
Nigeria; South Africa; Chad (LDCs); Nepal; Barbados (CARICOM); Saint Lucia  (OECS); Mauritius 
(African Group); Jamaica (ACP); the United States; Singapore; Brazil; Ecuador; Japan; Norway; 
Thailand; Colombia; United Kingdom; Guatemala; Sri Lanka; Pakistan; the Russian Federation; the 
European Union; Indonesia; Australia; the Repub lic of Korea; Costa Rica; Chile  and Mexico . India 
and Switzerland again took the floor. The General Council took note of the Chair's report and of the 
statements.  
5.2  Work Programme on Electronic Commerce and Moratorium on Imposing Customs 
Duties on Electronic  Transmissions – Request from India  and South Africa  
(WT/GC/M/1 90; WT/GC/M/191; WT/GC/M/192 and WT/GC/M/193 ) 
5.5.  At the March  meeting, the representative of India made a statement on this matter. The 
representatives of the Philippines; Zimbabwe; Indonesia; Mau ritius (African Group); Ukraine; 
Nigeria; Jamaica (ACP); Thailand; Chile; the United States; Chad (LDCs); Sri Lanka; Chinese Taipei; 
the European Union; Pakistan; China; Turkey; South Africa; the United Kingdom; the Republic of 
Moldova; Peru; Norway; Namib ia; Japan; Saint Lucia (CARICOM); Australia; Switzerland; 
 
21 Subsequently circulated in WT/MIN(21)/W/4.  
22 See also Paragraph 2.2 and Footnote 12.  
23 See Paragraph 5. 6 for the list of Members that intervened on the items related to the Work Programme 
on Electronic Commerce.  
24 See Paragraph 3.4 for the list of Members that intervened under all sub -items under Item 5 of the 
October General Council  agenda related to the " Preparations for the Twelfth Session of the Ministerial 
Conference ". WT/GC/242  
 
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  Bangladesh; Singapore and Israel spoke. India again took the floor. The Chair then spoke. The 
General Council took note of the statements.  
5.6.  At the May meeting, the representative of India made a stat ement on this matter. The 
representatives of the Philippines; the Republic of Korea; Nigeria; Indonesia; Pakistan; Australia; 
Vanuatu (Pacific Group); Chinese Taipei; Nepal; Norway; Uganda; the United Kingdom; Mauritius 
(African Group); Chad (LDCs); Bangla desh; South Africa; Chile; Singapore; Saint Lucia (CARICOM); 
the Republic of Moldova; Hong Kong, China; Japan and Switzerland  spoke. India again took the floor. 
The General Council took note of the statements.25 
5.7.  At the July meeting, the representatives of India and South Africa made their respective  
statement s on this matter. The representatives of the  Philippines ; Nigeria ; Australia ; Thailand ; 
Mexico ; Costa Rica ; Mauritius (African Group) ; Jamaica (ACP) ; Chad (LDCs) ; Saint Lucia (CARICOM) ; 
Zimbabwe ; Uganda ; Morocco ; Nepal ; Tanzania ; Bangladesh ; the European Union ; Chile; Chinese 
Taipei ; the United Kingdom ; Norway ; the United States ; Japan ; Fiji (Pacific Group) ; Switzerland ; 
the Republic of Korea ; South Africa ; Indonesia ; Sri Lanka ; Brazil and Singapore  spoke . Pakistan; 
Colombia and Fiji  subsequently provided their statement s. The General Council took note of the 
statements.  
5.8.  At the October  meeting, the representatives of India and South Africa made their respective  
statement s on this matter. The representatives of Nigeria; Sri Lanka; Nepal; Vanuatu (Pacific 
Group); Mauritius (African Group); Switzerland; Ukraine; the United Kingdom; Jamaica (ACP); 
Thailand; Canada; Colombia; Tunisia; Japan; China; the Republic of Korea; Pakistan; Zimbabwe; 
the European Union; the United States; Indonesia; Hong Kong, China; Singapore; Bangladesh; 
Mongolia; Israel  and Australia  spoke . Chinese Taipei subsequently provided its statement.  The 
General Council took note of the statements.  
5.3  Communication from Australia; Canada; Chile; Colombia; Costa Rica; Ecuador; 
El Salvador; Georgia; Guatemala; Hong Kong, China; Iceland; Korea, Republic of; Mexico; 
New Zealand; Norway; Peru; Singapore; Switzerland; Separate Customs Territory of 
Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu; Thailand; Ukraine; United Kingdom and Uruguay 
(WT/GC/ M/194 ) 
5.9.  At the November  meeting,  the representative of Switzerland, on behalf of c o-sponsors, 
presented their communication in document WT/GC/W/831/R ev.2. The General Council took note of 
the statement.26 
5.4  The Moratorium on Customs Duties on Electronic Transmissions: Need for Clarity on 
its Scope and Impact – Communication from India and South Africa (WT/GC/ M/194 ) 
5.10.   At the November  meeting,  the representative of India, on behalf of co -sponsors, presented 
their communication in document WT/GC/W/833. The General  Council took note of the statement.27 
6  WORK PROGRAMME ON SMALL ECONOMIES – REPORT S (WT/GC/M/1 90; 
WT/GC/M/1 91; WT/GC/M/1 92; WT/GC/M/1 93 AND WT/GC/M/194 ) 
6.1.  At the March  meeting,  the representative of Guatemala (SVEs)  noted their engagement with 
Members on preparing the report on the work undertaken since MC11 which would also contain  the 
elements of an agreed text for a Ministerial Decision, including on future work. The representatives 
of Sri Lanka ; Saint Lucia (CARICOM); Barbados; Vanuatu (Pacific Group) and Fiji then spoke.  The 
General Council took note of the statements.  
6.2.  At the May meeting, the CTD Chair reported that the SVE Group had been consulting Members 
on the possibility of holding a meeting of the Dedicated Session to discuss the impact of natural 
disasters on the trade of small economies and on preparing the report on the work undertaken since 
 
25 At its request, the statement of the delegation of Colombia is incorporated in the Minutes of th e May  
General Council meeting and can be found in Annex 1 of document  WT/GC/M/191 . 
26 See Paragraph 5.4 for the list of Members that intervened under all sub -items under Item 8 of the 
November  General Council agenda related to the " Work Programme on Electronic Commerce ". 
27 See Paragraph 5.4 for the list of Members that intervened under all sub-items under Item 8 of the 
November  General Council agenda related to the " Work Programme on Electronic Commerce ". WT/GC/242  
 
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  MC11 which would also contain the elements of an agreed text for a Ministerial Decision, including 
on future work.  The representatives of Guatemala (SVEs); Saint Lucia (CARICOM); Barbados; 
Vanuatu (Pacific Group) and Fiji  spoke. The G eneral Council took note of the report of the Chair of 
the CTD and of the statements . 
6.3.  At the July meeting, the CTD Chair reported on the dedicated session to discuss the economic 
and trade impact of natural disasters on small economies and on work towards an MC12 Decision 
noting that the SVE Group Coordinator would be consulting with Members on the matter with the 
aim of tab ling a draft Ministerial Decision for Members' approval. The representatives of Guatemala 
(SVEs), Barbados (CARICOM), Mauritius  and Fiji spoke. The General Council took note of the report 
of the Chair of the CTD and of the statements.  
6.4.  At the October  meeti ng, the CTD Chair reported that the proposal  by the SVE Group for a 
Ministerial Decision at MC12 on the Work Programme on Small Economies would be considered at 
its meeting on 19 October. The proposed Ministerial Decision would take note of work carried ou t 
since the last Ministerial Conference and would propose that the Dedicated Session focus on 
integrating small economies into the post COVID -19 economy, among others.  The representatives 
of Guatemala (SVEs); Mauritius (African Group); Vanuatu (Pacific Group) and Fiji  spoke. The General 
Council took note of the report of the Chair of the CTD and of the statements.  
6.5.  At the November  meeting,  the CTD Chair reported that  the Dedicated Session had agreed to 
the text contained in document WT/COMTD/SE/W /42 – the first text of a Ministerial Decision for 
MC12 agreed by all Members. The Dedicated Session had also agreed to reflect that text in the other 
main section of the report – the section titled "Future Work" – in the form of recommendations or 
proposa ls to the General Council. The representatives of Guatemala (SVEs); Mauritius (African 
Group); Antigua and Barbuda (OECS) and Barbados (CARICOM)  spoke. The General Council agreed 
to forward the draft decision in document WT/COMTD/SE/W/4228 to the Twelfth M inisterial 
Conference for adoption by Ministers and took note of the report in WT/COMTD/SE/11 and of the 
statements.  
7  REVIEW OF THE OPERATION OF THE BALI DECISION ON TRQ ADMINISTRATION – 
REPORT TO THE GENERAL COUNCIL ( WT/GC/M/194)  
7.1.  At MC9, Ministers instruct ed the Committee on Agriculture to review and monitor the 
implementation of Members' obligations established under the Bali Decision on Tariff Rate Quota 
Administration to promote a continuing process of improvement in the utilization of TRQs, 
commencing n o later than 2017, taking into account experience gained up until then. The Review 
was concluded in December 2019 when the General Council approved the recommendations by the 
Committee on Agriculture contained in Annex 2 to G/AG/29 – where Members agreed t o defer the 
timeline for a decision on paragraph 4 of the Underfill Mechanism by two years to the end of 2021.  
7.2.  At the November  meeting, the Chair of the CoA presented the report on the matter in document 
G/AG/32  which annexed a draft decision on paragraph 4 and reported that the CoA at its meeting 
on 9 November had agreed to forward the draft decision for the consideration of the General Council 
and for its subsequent transmission to the Ministerial Conference . He also noted that some Members 
needed more ti me to consult on the draft decision.  The representatives of India; the United States; 
Ukraine; Paraguay; Brazil; Canada; Australia; the European Union and South Africa  spoke. The Chair 
propose d to proceed on th e issue accordingly to transmit the draft deci sion for the consideration of 
the Ministerial Conference. The General Council took note of the report of the Chair of the CoA in 
document G/AG/32, of the Chair's statement and of the other statements.  
8  THE DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE ASPECTS OF COTTON - PERIODIC  REPORT BY THE 
DIRECTOR -GENERAL ( WT/GC/M/194)  
8.1.  In Paragraph 1.b of the 1 August 2004 Decision in WT/L/579, the General Council, inter alia, 
took note of the bilateral, multilateral, and regional efforts to make progress on the development 
assistance aspects  of the Cotton Initiative, and instructed the Secretariat to continue to work with 
the development community and to provide the Council with periodic reports on relevant 
developments. The Council also instructed the Director -General to consult with relevan t international 
 
28 Subsequently circulated as WT/MIN(21)/W/3.  WT/GC/242  
 
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  organizations, including the Bretton Woods Institutions, the Food and Agriculture Organization and 
the International Trade Centre, to direct effectively existing programmes and any additional 
resources towards development of the economies w here cotton had vital importance. The Nairobi 
Decision on Cotton (WT/MIN(15)/46 – WT/L/981) reaffirmed this mandate, and invited the Director -
General to continue to provide periodic reports on this matter.  
8.2.  At the November  meeting, the Director -General intr oduced the Ninth Periodic Report on the 
Developmental Assistance aspects of Cotton ( WT/GC/238 – WT/CFMC/DG/9 – WT/MIN(21)/5 ). The 
representatives of Burkina Faso (C -4); Chad (LDCs); China; the United States; Cameroon; Nigeria; 
Australia; the European Union and Mauritius (African Group)  spoke. The General Council took note 
of the statements and of the Director -General's report, which would be before Ministers at the 
Twelfth Session of the Ministerial Conference.  
9  ACCESSION MATTERS  
9.1  2020 Annual Re port by the Director -General  (WT/GC/M/190)  
9.1.  At the March  meeting, Deputy Director -General Alan Wolff, representing all DDGs, presented 
the 20 20 Annual Report on WTO Accessions (WT/ACC/3 8 – WT/GC/2 28)29, reported the sustained 
level of accession activities i n 2020 and noted that acceding countries had considered WTO 
membership even more urgently due to the effects of COVID -19. The representatives of Mauritius 
(African Group); Oman; Afghanistan; China; Kazakhstan; Turkey; the Russian Federation; the 
Kingdom of  Saudi Arabia (Arab Group) and the United States  spoke. The General Council took note 
of the Annual Report on Accessions and of the statements.  
10  REVIEW OF THE EXEMPTION PROVIDED UNDER PARAGRAPH 3 OF THE GATT 1994 
(WT/GC/M/190  AND WT/GC/M/194 ) 
10.1.   At the March  meeting, the General Council conducted a review of the exemption granted to 
the US legislation – the Jones Act – which prohibits the use, sale or lease of foreign -built or foreign -
reconstructed ships in US national waters – and takes place in the General Co uncil every two years. 
In line with the procedure agreed by the Council in 2002, statements made at GC meetings in 20 21, 
questions posed to the United States and related replies would form the basis of th e 2021 review, 
together with the annual report provi ded by the U nited States  (WT/L/1 108). The  representatives of 
the United States; Norway; Panama; the European Union; the Republic of Korea; Hong Kong, China; 
Japan and China spoke. The United States again took the floor . The General Council took note of the  
statements and agreed to revert back to the matter at its last regular meeting in 2021.  
10.2.   At the November  meeting, the General Council again considered the exemption provided 
under paragraph 3 of GATT 1994 for review  together with the annual reports provided by the United 
States in documents WT/L/1108 and WT/L/1121 . The representatives of the United States ; Norway; 
the Republic of Korea; Japan; Panama; the European Union  and China  spoke.  The United States 
again took t he floor.  The General Council took note of the statements and also took note that the 
subsequent review under the two -yearly cycle provided in paragraph 3(b) of GATT 1994 would 
normally be held in 20 23. 
11  PROCEDURE FOR THE INTRODUCTION OF HS 2022 CHANGES TO SCHEDULES OF 
CONCESSIONS USING THE TARIFF SCHEDULES (CTS) DATABASE  – DRAFT DECISION  
(WT/GC/M/194)  
11.1.   At the November  meeting,  the General Council adopt ed the draft decision  in document 
G/C/W/802, which was subsequently circulated in WT/L/1 123. 
 
29 See also the revision of this document in WT/ACC/38/Rev.1 – WT/GC/228/Rev.1.  WT/GC/242  
 
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  12  WAIVERS  
12.1  European Union – Application of Autonomous Preferential Treatment to the Western 
Balkans – Extension of Waiver – Draft Decision ( WT/GC/M/192 ) 
12.1.   At the July meeting, the General Council considered the draft waiver on "European Union – 
Request for a Waiver Ext ension – Application of Autonomous Preferential Treatment to the Western 
Balkans" contained in G/C/W/ 794. The Chair of the Council for Trade in Goods reported on the 
consideration of this matter by that Council. The representative of the European Union too k the floor. 
The General Council took note of the report and of the statement, and, in accordance with the 
Decision -Making Procedures under Articles IX and XII of the WTO Agreement agreed in 
November  1995 (WT/L/93), adopted the draft decision , which w as subsequently circulated in 
WT/L/11 14. 
12.2  Introduction of Harmonized System 2002, 2007, 2012 and 2017 Changes into WTO 
Schedules of Tariff Concessions – Draft Decision (WT/GC/M/1 94) 
12.2.   At the November  meeting,  the General Council considered the draft waiver decisions, 
contained in G/C/W/7 96, G/C/W/7 97, G/C/W/7 98 and G/C/W/7 99 which concerned the Introduction 
of Harmonized System 2002, 2007, 2012 and 2017 Changes into WTO Schedules of Tariff 
Concessions, respecti vely. The Chair  of the Council for Trade in Goods reported on the consideration 
of this matter by that Council. The General Council took note of the report and, in accordance with 
the Decision -Making Procedures under Articles IX and XII of the WTO Agreemen t agreed in 
November 1995 (WT/L/93), adopted the four draft Decisions which were subsequently circulated in 
WT/L/1 124, WT/L/1 125, WT/L/1 126 and WT/L/1 127. 
12.3  Cuba – Article X V:6 – Extension of Waiver – Draft Decision ( WT/GC/M/194)  
12.3.   At the November  meeting,  the General Council considered the draft waiver on "Cuba – 
Article  XV:6 – Extension of Waiver " contained in G/C/W/803 . The Chair  of the Council for Trade in 
Goods reported on the consideration of this matter by that Council. The General Council took note 
of the report and, in accordance with the Decision -Making Procedures under Articles IX and XII of 
the WTO Agreement agreed in November 1995 (WT/L/93), adopted the draft decision, which was 
subsequently circulated in WT/L/1 128. 
12.4  Review of Waivers Pursuant to Art icle IX:4 of the WTO Agreement  (WT/GC/M/1 92 
and WT/GC/M/194 ) 
12.4.   Under Article IX:4 of the WTO Agreement, "[a]ny waiver granted for a period of more than 
one year shall be reviewed by the Ministerial Conference not later than one year after it is granted, 
and thereafter annually until the waiver terminates."  
12.5.   At the July meeting, the General Council considered the following waivers for review under 
Article IX:4:  
a. Least -Developed Country Members – Obligations under Article 70.8 and Article 70.9 of 
the TRIPS Agreement with respect to Pharmaceutical Products, granted on 
30 November  2015 until 1 January 2033 (WT/L/971)  
b. Kimberley Process Certification Scheme for Rough Diamonds, granted on 26 July 2018 
through 31 December 2024 (WT/L/1039)  
c. Canada – CARIBCAN, grante d on 28 July 2015 until 31 December 2023 (WT/L/958, 
WT/L/1112)  
12.6.   In doing so, the General Council considered a report on implementation of the waiver in 
document WT/L/1 112. The representatives of  Canada ; Jamaica (ACP) ; Chad (LDC s); Saint Lucia 
(CARICOM)  and the European Union spoke. The General Council took note of the report contained 
in document WT/L/ 1112, and of the statements.  WT/GC/242  
 
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  12.7.   At the November  meeting, the General Council considered the following waivers for review 
under Article IX:4:  
a. Preferential treatmen t in favour of services and service suppliers of least developed 
countries, granted on 17 December 2011 until 31 December 2030 (WT/L/847, WT/L/982)  
b. Preferential tariff treatment for least -developed countries, granted on 16 October 2019 
until 30 June 2029 ( WT/L/1069)  
c. European Union – Application of autonomous preferential treatment to the Western 
Balkans (WT/L/1116)  
d. United States – African Growth and Opportunity Act, granted on 30 November 2015 until 
30 September 2025 (WT/L/970, WT/L/1117)  
e. United States – Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act, granted on 16 October 2019 until 
30 September 2025 (WT/L/1070, WT/L/1115)  
f. United States – Former trust territory of the Pacific Islands, granted on 7 December 2016 
until 31 December 2026 (WT/L/1000, WT/L/1118)  
g. United St ates – Trade preferences granted to Nepal, granted on 7 December 2016 until 
31 December 2025 (WT/L/1001, WT/L/1119)  
12.8.   In doing so, the General Council considered five report s on implementation of the waiver in 
document s WT/L/1 115, WT/L/1116, WT/L/1117, WT/L/1118 and WT/L/1119.  The representatives 
of Antigua and Barbuda (OECS); Barbados (CARICOM); Mauritius (African Group) and Jamaica (ACP)  
spoke. The General Council took note of the report contained in document s WT/L/1115,  WT/L/1116, 
WT/L/1117, WT/L/1118 and WT/L/1119 , and of the statements.  
13  TWELFTH SESSION OF THE MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE  (WT/GC/M/190; 
WT/GC/M/192; WT/GC/M/193 AND WT/GC/M/194)  
13.1.   At the November  meeting, the Chair drew attention to the communication from Kazakhstan 
in document WT/GC/239  and welcomed t he Ministerial Conference Chair, H.E. Mr . Timur Suleimenov , 
Deputy Chief of President's Administration with the responsibility for economic affairs and President's 
Envoy for International Trade  of Kazakhstan. He also recalled  that the Vice Chairs of th e Conference 
would be The Hon. Dan Tehan, Minister for Trade, Tourism and Invest ment of Australia; The Hon. 
Jerome Xavier Walcott , Minister for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of Barbados; and The Hon. 
Harriet Ntabazi , Minister of State for Trade of Uganda.  
13.1  Date and Venue  (WT/GC/M/1 90) 
13.2.   At the March  meeting, the General Council forma lly agree d that the Twelfth Session of the 
WTO Ministerial Conference would take place in Geneva at the beginning of December 2021, that 
was during the week of 29 November 202130. The representatives of Cameroon; Saint Lucia 
(CARICOM); the Philippines; the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (Arab Group); Malaysia; Thailand; the 
United Kingdom; Chinese Taipei; Ecuador; the Russian Federation; Jamaica (ACP and GRULAC); the 
European Union; Nigeria; Kazakhstan; the Maldives; China; India; Hong Kong, China; Mauritius 
(African Group); Turkey; Barbados; the Republic of Korea; Namibia; Afghanistan; Chad (LDCs) and 
Qatar  spoke. The General Council took note of the statements.  
13.2  Statement by the Chair (WT/GC/M/192)  
13.3.   At the July meeting, the  Chair reported on the consultations  he had been undertaking  on 
MC12 preparations. These had been kicked off in  an Informal General Council meeting  on 30  March.  
The Chair's statement at that meeting was circulated in JOB/GC/254. Following this m eeting , from 
16 April to 12 May, he had consulted Members  in various configurations  on the preparations for 
 
30 In a communi cation dated 15 April 2021, the General Council Chair confirmed that the Twelfth Ministerial 
Conference would take place on 30 November to 3 December 2021.  WT/GC/242  
 
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  MC12, to hear Member's views on a range of issues , including the substantive issues under the 
General Council, the format of the Conference and the outcome document.  At an Informal General 
Council meeting on 28 May, the Chair provided a report  on his consultations , which was circulated 
in JOB/GC/259. Thereafter , he continued consulting Members and group coordinators and reported 
on those discussions a t an Informal General Council meeting held on 22  June (JOB/GC/262) and at 
the July GC meeting (JOB/GC/268). The General Council took note of the Chair's statement.31  
13.3  MC12 Outcome Document – Report by the Chair  (WT/GC/M/193  and 
WT/GC/M/194 ) 
13.4.   At the October  meeting, the Chair reported on his consultations on a possible MC12 outcome 
document . His report was circulated in document JOB/GC/274.  His report covered his consultations 
with individual delegations and group coordinators from 6 to 8 September an d on 29 September; 
meetings in a smaller group format on 14, 21 and 23 September and 5 October; and, two Informal 
Meetings of the General Council on 16 September and 23 September. The General Council took note 
of the Chair's report.32 
13.5.   At the November  meeti ng, the Chair reported on the process on a possible MC12 outcome 
document. His report was circulated in document JOB/GC/282 and referred to the draft in document 
RD/GC/17/Rev.1 . The representatives of Chinese Taipei; Chad (LDCs); Nigeria; Jamaica (ACP); 
India; Barbados (CARICOM); Mongolia (LLDCs); South Africa; Cambodia; Indonesia; Bangladesh; 
Malaysia; Liberia (g7+ WTO Accession Group); the European Union; Mauritius (African Group); the 
United Kingdom; Guatemala; Nepal; Paraguay; the Philippines; the Unite d States; Ecuador; 
Australia; Chile; Thailand; Tunisia; Vanuatu (Pacific Group); Iceland; Argentina; Uruguay; Norway 
and Costa Rica  spoke. T he General Council t ook note of the Chair's  report, the statements made, 
and that work was continuing in the immedia te next few days on the draft MC12 outcome document,  
and that any results from th at work w ould be before the Ministerial Conference, for consideration.  
14  SUPPORTING THE CONCLUSION OF FISHERIES SUBSIDIES NEGOTIATIONS FOR THE 
SUSTAINABILITY OF THE OCEAN AND FI SHING COMMUNITIES - DRAFT MINISTERIAL 
DECISION – COMMUNICATION FROM BRAZIL  (WT/GC/M/190 ; WT/GC/M/191; 
WT/GC/M/192 AND WT/GC/M/193 ) 
14.1.   At the March  meeting, the representative of Brazil presented the communication in document 
WT/GC/W/815 which contains a propo sed draft Ministerial Decision on this matter. The 
representatives of the Philippines; Costa Rica; Bangladesh; Barbados; Thailand; Norway; Chinese 
Taipei; the Russian Federation; South Africa; Nigeria; The Gambia; Sri Lanka; Vanuatu (Pacific 
Group); Indone sia; Jamaica (ACP); Fiji; India; Saint Lucia (CARICOM); Chad (LDCs); the United 
States; the European Union; Turkey; Namibia and Mauritius (African Group)  spoke. The General 
Council took note of the statements.  
14.2.   At the May meeting, the representative of Brazil made a statement on this matter. The 
representatives of the Philippines; Chad (LDCs); Nigeria; Barbados; Cameroon; Jamaica (ACP); 
Kenya; Vanuatu (Pacific Group); Saint Lucia (CARICOM);  the Russian Federation; Mauritiu s (African 
Group); the United States; South Africa; Bangladesh; Angola; India; Indonesia; the European Union; 
Morocco and Pakistan  spoke. The General Council took note of the statements.  
14.3.   At the July meeting, the representative of Brazil made a statement on  this matter. The 
representatives of the United States ; Mauritius (African Group) ; South Africa ; India; Chad (LDCs) ; 
Jamaica (ACP); Malaysia ; Saint Lucia (CARICOM) ; Fiji (Pacific Group) ; Bangladesh; Pakistan; Sri 
Lanka;  Thailand ; the Central African Republ ic; Nigeria ; Indonesia  and Cameroon . Brazil again took 
the floor. The General Council took note of the statements.  
 
31 See Paragraph 3.3 for the list of Members that intervened on Item 7 of the July G eneral Council  agenda 
related to the "Preparations for the Twelfth Session of the Ministerial Conference – Statement by the Chair", 
Item 7.1 of the July G eneral Council  agenda related to the "WTO Response to the Pandemic – Report by the 
Facilitator and Item 8 of the July G eneral Council  agenda related to the "Contributions to the Multilateral Process 
on the WTO Response to the Pandemic".   
32 See Paragraph 3.4 for the list of Members that intervened under all sub -items under Item 5 of the 
October General Council  agenda relate d to the " Preparations for the Twelfth Session of the Ministerial 
Conference ". WT/GC/242  
 
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  14.4.   At the October  meeting, the representative of Brazil made a statement on this matter. The 
representatives of the Philippines; Mauritius (Afri can Group); Malaysia; Chad (LDCs); Jamaica 
(ACP); Ukraine; the Russian Federation; Vanuatu (Pacific Group); South Africa; Nigeria; Bangladesh; 
Ecuador;  the United States; India; Pakistan; Chile; Indonesia; Chinese Taipei and the European 
Union  spoke. The G eneral Council took note of the statements.  
15  INTRODUCTION OF A PAPER ON "LEGAL STATUS OF JOINT STATEMENT INITIATIVES 
AND THEIR NEGOTIATED OUTCOMES" – REQUEST FROM INDIA ; SOUTH AFRICA  AND 
NAMIBIA  (WT/GC/ M/190 ; WT/GC/M/191; WT/GC/M/192 ; WT/GC/M/193  AND 
WT/GC/ M/194 ) 
15.1.   At the March  meeting, the representatives of India and South Africa presented their 
communication in document WT/GC/W/819 and made their respective  statement s on this matter. 
The representatives of Vanuatu (Pacific Group); Zimbabwe; Nepal; Cuba; Australia; Costa Rica;  
Chinese Taipei; Colombia; Mexico; the Russian Federation; Japan; the Republic of Korea; the United 
States; Chile; the Philippines; Turkey; Bangladesh; Uruguay; Pakistan; Brazil; Canada; the 
European Union; Sri Lanka; Tanzania; the United Kingdom; Hong Kon g, China; Norway; Switzerland; 
Singapore; Israel; Peru; Indonesia; Oman; the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; Cameroon and Nigeria  
spoke. India and South Africa again took the floor. The General Council took note of the statements.  
15.2.   At the May meeting, the represen tatives of India and South Africa made their respective 
statement s on this matter and referred to the revision of the document in WT/GC/W/819/Rev.1 
adding Namibia as co -sponsor. The representatives of Nepal; Tanzania; Costa Rica; Chad (LDCs); 
Australia;  the European Union; the Russian Federation; the United Kingdom; Chinese Taipei; 
Norway; Indonesia; Nigeria; Chile; Mexico; the Republic of Korea; Pakistan; Turkey; Bangladesh; 
Hong Kong, China; Singapore; Japan; Sri Lanka; China; Canada; El Salvador; Kazakhs tan; Thailand; 
the Republic of Moldova; Vanuatu (Pacific Group)  and Cameroon  spoke. During its intervention, the 
representative of India referred to items 4  and 8 of the May G eneral Council  agenda .33 The General 
Council took note of the statements.34 
15.3.   At the July meeting, the representatives of India and South Africa made their respective  
statement s on this matter. The representatives of Australia ; Nigeria ; the Russian Federation ; Costa 
Rica; Tanzania ; Chad (LDCs) ; Nepal ; the European Union ; the United Kingdom ; Turkey ; Japan ; 
Chile; the Republic of Korea ; the United States ; Chinese Taipei ; Norway ; Brazil ; Singapore ; New 
Zealand ; Pakistan ; Switzerland ; Indonesia ; Thailand; Hong Kong, China; Israel ; Mexico ; Sri Lanka ; 
the Philip pines ; Viet Nam  and Paraguay spoke. Argentina; Colombia; the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia 
and Bangladesh subsequently provided their statements. The General Council took note of the 
statements.  
15.4.   At the October  meeting,  the representative s of India  and South Afri ca made their respective 
statement s on this matter. The representatives of Sri Lanka; Australia; Nepal; Bangladesh; Japan; 
the Republic of Korea; Chinese Taipei; the European Union; Norway; the United Kingdom; Chile; 
Colombia; Thailand; Pakistan; the Russi an Federation; Paraguay; the United States; Israel; the 
Philippines; Indonesia; Switzerland; Nigeria; Mexico  and Zimbabwe  spoke. Tunisia subsequently 
provided its statement. The General Council took note of the statements.  
15.5.   At the November  meeting, the representatives of India and South Africa made their respective 
statements on this matter. The representatives of Guatemala; the United Kingdom; Chile; Nepal; 
Chinese Taipei; Indonesia; the European Union; Japan; Costa Rica; Pakistan; the Rus sian 
Federation; Australia; Tunisia  and Singapore  spoke. India again took the floor. The General Council 
took note of the statements.  
 
33 Item 4 of the May G eneral Council  agenda related to the "TRIPS Council Matters - Status Report on the 
Considerations by the TRIPS Council on the "Proposal for a Waiver from Ce rtain Provisions of the TRIPS 
Agreement for the Prevention, Containment and Treatment of COVID -19" – Statement by the Chair of the Council 
for TRIPS", and Item 8 of the May G eneral Council  agenda related to  the "Paper Titled "The Legal Status of 'Joint 
Statement Initiatives' and  their Negotiated Outcomes" – Request from India and South Africa ".  
34 At its request, the statement of the delegation of Colombi a is incorporated in the Minutes of th e May  
General Council meeting and can be found in Annex 1 of docum ent WT/GC/M/191 . WT/GC/242  
 
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  16  TRADE RELATED CHALLENGES OF THE LEAST -DEVELOPED COUNTRIES AND WAY 
FORWARD: A DRAFT FOR MC DECISION  AND LDC GROUP'S INTERIM  ARRANGEMENT 
SUBMISSION ON LDC GRADUATION  – COMMUNICATIONS FROM CHAD ON BEHALF OF THE 
LDC GROUP  (WT/GC/M/190 ; WT/GC/M/191; WT/GC/M/192 ; WT/GC/M/193  AND 
WT/GC/M/194 ) 
16.1.   At the March meeting,  the representative of  Chad (LDCs) presented again its c ommunication s 
in documents WT/GC/W/806 and WT/GC/W/ 807. The representatives of Nepal; Bangladesh; 
Mauritius (African Group); The Gambia; South Africa; the United States; China; Norway the Central 
African Republic; Japan; Jamaica (ACP); India; the Philippines; Nigeria; C ambodia and Vanuatu 
(Pacific Group)  spoke.  Chad (LDCs)  again took the floor . The General Council took note of the 
statements.  
16.2.   At the May meeting, the Chair reported on his consultations on this matter following the 
request made by the LDC Group for him to facilitate a conversation on the LDCs' communications . 
The representatives of Chad (LDCs); Bangladesh; Angola; Nepal; Fiji; Tanzania; Barbados; Vanuatu 
(Pacific Group); Jamaica (ACP); China; Saint Lucia (CARICOM); South Africa; Mauritius (African 
Group) ; India; Indonesia; Uganda; the United States; the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (Arab Group); 
Nigeria and the European Union  spoke. Bangladesh and Chad (LDCs) again took the floor. The 
General Council took note of the statements.  
16.3.   At the July meeting, the repres entatives of Chad (LDCs) and Bangladesh made their 
respective statements  on this matter. The representatives of Nepal ; Tanzania ; the United States ; 
China ; Mauritius (African Group) ; South Africa ; India and Nigeria  spoke. Chad (LDCs) again took the 
floor. The European Union; Niger and Uganda subsequently provided their statements. The General 
Council took note of the statements.  
16.4.   At the October  meeting,  the representatives of Chad (LDCs) and Bangladesh referred to the 
revised LDC Graduation Fact Sheet in docu ment WT/GC/W/806/Rev.1 and made  their respective 
statements  on this matter. The representatives of the United States; Nepal; Mauritius (African 
Group); the European Union; South Africa; the United Kingdom; Japan; Vanuatu (Pacific Group); 
India; Jamaica (AC P); China; Senegal; Nigeria  and Turkey spoke . The Director -General also took 
the floor.  The General Council took note of the statements.  
16.5.   At the November  meeting,  the representative of Bangladesh  made a statement on this matter 
and presented the LDC communi cation in document WT/GC/W/829. The representatives of  China; 
Nepal; Chad (LDCs); Mauritius (African Group); Zambia; the United States; Jamaica (ACP); South 
Africa; Uganda; Cambodia; Tanzania; the United Kingdom; India; the European Union; Australia; 
Switz erland  and Mozambique spoke. The representative of Bangladesh again took the floor. T he 
General Council t ook note of the statements and of the fact that work would continu e on the matter . 
17  PROCEDURAL GUIDELINES FOR WTO COUNCILS AND COMMITTEES ADDRESSING 
TRADE CONCERNS – COMMUNICATION FROM AND STATEMENT BY CO -SPONSORS 
(WT/GC/M/1 91; WT/GC/M/1 92; WT/GC/M/1 93 AND WT/GC/M/194 ) 
17.1.   At the May meeting, the representative of the European Union, on behal f of the co -sponsors, 
provided an update on Members' work on the  proposal in document WT/GC/W/777/Rev.5. The 
representatives of China; Mexico; the Republic of Korea; India; Chinese Taipei; Bangladesh; Chad 
(LDCs); Mongolia; South Africa; the United Kingdom  and the United States  spoke.  The General 
Council took note of the statements.  
17.2.   At the July meeting, the representative of the European Union, on behalf of the co -sponsors, 
provided an update on this matter and referred to the revision in document WT/GC/W/7 77/Rev.6. 
The representatives of Chad (LDCs); Nigeria; India; South Africa; Chinese Taipei; the Republic of 
Korea; Uruguay; Paraguay; Chile; India; Bangladesh ; Jamaica (ACP) and the United States spoke. 
Uganda subsequently provided its statement. The Gener al Council took note of the statements.  
17.3.   At the October  meeting, the representative of the European Union, on behalf of the co -
sponsors, made a statement on this matter. The representatives of the  United States; Chad (LDCs); 
Ukraine; Chinese Taipei; South Africa; Bangladesh; India and the Republic of Korea  spoke.  The 
General Council took note of the statements.  WT/GC/242  
 
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  17.4.   At the November  meeting,  the representative of the European Union, on behalf of the co -
sponsors, made a statement on this matter. The representatives of India; South Africa; Chad (LDCs); 
Paraguay; Chinese Taipei  and the  United States  spoke.  The European Union again took the floor.  
The General Council took note of the statements.  
18  PROPOSED GENE RAL COUNCIL DECISION ON PROCEDURES TO ENHANCE 
TRANSPARENCY AND IMPROVE COMPLIANCE WITH NOTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS 
UNDER WTO AGREEMENTS – ARGENTINA; AUSTRALIA; CANADA; CHILE; COSTA RICA; THE 
EUROPEAN UNION; ICELAND; ISRAEL; JAPAN; REPUBLIC OF KOREA; MEXICO; NEW 
ZEALAND; NORWAY; PARAGUAY; THE PHILIPPINES; SINGAPORE; SWITZERLAND; THE 
SEPARATE CUSTOMS TERRITORY OF TAIWAN, PENGHU, KINMEN AND MATSU; UNITED 
KINGDOM AND THE UNITED STATES  (WT/GC/M/192 ; WT/GC/M/193  AND 
WT/GC/M/194 ) 
18.1.   At the July meeting, the representat ive of the United States, on behalf of the co -sponsors, 
presented their communication on this matter in document JOB/GC/204/R ev.6 – JOB/CTG/14/R ev.6. 
The representatives of the Republic of Korea ; Norway ; Chinese Taipei ; Canada ; Uruguay ; the United 
Kingdom ; Mexico ; Mauritius (African Group) ; Switzerland ; China ; Australia ; the European Union ; 
Japan ; Chad (LDCs) ; Tanzania ; Costa Rica ; Paraguay ; Turkey ; Bangladesh ; Jamaica (ACP) ; Chile; 
Pakistan ; Saint Lucia (CARICOM) ; South Africa ; Singapore ; India; Israel and the Philippines  spoke . 
The United States again took the floor. The General Council took note of the statements.  
18.2.   At the October  meeting,  the representative of the United States, on behalf of the co -sponsors, 
presented the  revision of their  commu nication on this matter in document JOB/GC/204/Rev. 7 – 
JOB/CTG/14/Rev. 7. The representatives of the United Kingdom; Iceland; the Philippines; Turkey; 
Chinese Taipei; Paraguay; Brunei Darussalam; South Africa; China; Japan; Mexico; Israel; Mauritius 
(Africa n Group); Jamaica (ACP); the Republic of Korea; Canada; Pakistan; India; Bangladesh; 
Indonesia  and Singapore spoke. The United States again took the floor. The General Council took 
note of the statements.  
18.3.   At the November  meeting,  the representative of the United States, on behalf of the co -
sponsors, presented the revision of their communication on this matter in document 
JOB/GC/204/Rev. 8 – JOB/CTG/14/Rev. 8. The representatives of Colombia; Brunei Darussalam; 
Canada; the United Kingdom; Jamaica (ACP); Maurit ius (African Group); Turkey; Nigeria; Chinese 
Taipei; the European Union; Bangladesh; Japan; South Africa; Barbados (CARICOM); Pakistan; Chad 
(LDCs); Singapore; China; Paraguay; Australia  and India spoke. The United States again took the 
floor. The General  Council took note of the statements.  
19  G90 DECLARATION ON SPECIAL AND DIFFERENTIAL TREATMENT – COMMUNICATION 
FROM SOUTH AFRICA ON BEHALF OF THE G90  (WT/GC/M/192)  
19.1.   At the July meeting, the representative of South Africa, on behalf of the G90, presented their 
communication entitled "G90 Declaration on Special and Differential Treatment" circulated in 
document WT/GC/234. The representatives of Nigeria ; Mauritius (African Group) ; Pakistan ; Chad 
(LDCs) ; Jamaica (ACP) ; Fiji (Pacific Group) ; Saint Lucia (CARICOM) ; the Central African Republic ; 
the European Union ; China ; Kenya ; the United Kingdom ; India; the United States ; Bangladesh ; 
Cameroon ; Zimbabwe ; Nepal ; Indonesia ; Sri Lanka ; Vanuatu; Brazil  and Norway spoke.  South 
Africa ; the United States ; Nigeri a; Sri Lank a; Cameroon ; Mauritius (African Group)  and the European 
Union again spoke. South Africa again  took the floor. The Director -General intervened three times 
during the discussio n. Uganda and Fiji subsequently provided their statements. The General Council 
took note of the statements.  
20  JOINT COMMUNICATION ON SYSTEMIC ISSUES – STATEMENT BY SWITZERLAND  
(WT/GC /M/192 ) 
20.1.   At the July meeting, the representative of Switzerland , on behalf of co -sponsors, presented 
their joint communication on systemic issues circulated in document WT/GC/W/82735. The 
representatives of  China ; the United Kingdom ; Uruguay ; the Philippines ; Chinese Taipei ; the Russian 
Federation ; Japan ; South Africa ; Mauritius (African Group) ; Tajikistan ; the  Republic of Korea ; 
 
35 The revisions of this document can be found in WT/GC/W/827/Rev.1 and WT/GC/W/827/Rev.2.  WT/GC/242  
 
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  Singapore ; Viet Nam ; India; Chad (LDCs) ; Ecuador ; Kazakhstan  and Mexico spoke.  Switzerland 
again took the floor. The General Council took note of the statements.  
21  STRENGTHENING THE MULTILATERAL CHAR ACTER OF THE WORLD TRADE 
ORGANIZATION – REQUEST FROM THE AFRICAN GROUP  (WT/GC/M/192)  
21.1.   At the July meeting, the representative of Mauritius , on behalf of the African Group , presented 
their communication entitled " Strengthening the Multilateral Character of the W TO" circulated in 
document WT/GC/W/825.  The representatives of Botswana ; Cameroon ; Jamaica (ACP) ; Chad 
(LDCs) ; Pakistan ; the European Union ; China ; India; the Central African Republic ; Kenya ; the 
Philippines ; Sri Lanka ; South Africa ; Côte d'Ivoire  and Tanzania  spoke. Ma uritius  (African Group)  
again took the floor. The General Council took note of the statements.  
22  REINVIGORATING THE WORK OF THE COMMITTEE ON RULES OF ORIGIN ON THE 
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE BALI AND NAIROBI MINISTERIAL DECISIONS ON  
PREFERENTIAL RULES OF ORIGIN FOR LDCS – STATEMENT BY THE LDC GROUP  
(WT/GC/M/194)  
22.1.   At the November  meeting,  the representative  of Chad (LDCs), on behalf of the co -sponsors, 
made a statement and presented some proposed language  on this matter . The representa tives of 
Cambodia; Nepal; Tanzania; the United States; Bangladesh; India  and Mauritius (African Group)  
spoke. The Chair said that he underst ood that additional discussions w ould take place on this matter 
between the LDC Group and other Members . The General  Council took note of the statements.  
23  PROPOSED MINISTERIAL DECISION ON STRENGTHENING RESILIENCY AND 
PREPAREDNESS THROUGH TRADE FACILITATION – BANGLADESH ; CANADA ; COSTA RICA ; 
JAPAN ; MEXICO ; NORWAY ; PANAMA ; THE SEPARATE CUSTOMS TERRITORY OF TAIWAN, 
PENGHU, KINMEN AND MATSU ; TURKEY ; THE UNITED STATES AND URUGUAY  
(WT/GC/M/194)  
23.1.   At the November  meeting,  the representative of the United States , on behalf of the co -
sponsors, presented their communication on this m atter in document WT/GC/W/836 /Rev.2 . The 
representatives of Guatemala; Chad (LDCs); Uruguay; the United Kingdom; Norway; Panama; 
Mongolia; Turkey; Chinese Taipei; Antigua and Barbuda (OECS); Bangladesh; Kazakhstan; Mexico; 
Brazil; Mauritius (African Group) ; Japan; Canada; Barbados (CARICOM); Colombia; Jamaica (ACP); 
Nigeria; India; the European Union; Pakistan  and Switzerland  spoke. The United States again took 
the floor. The Chair said that he underst ood that discussions w ould be continuing on th e proposal . 
The General Council took note of the statements.  
24  PROPOSED SANITARY AND PHYTOSANITARY DECLARATION FOR THE TWELFTH WTO 
MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE: RESPONDING TO MODERN SPS CHALLENGES – AFRICAN 
GROUP ; ACP GROUP ; ARGENTINA ; AUSTRALIA ; BELIZE ; BRAZIL ; BURKINA FAS O; CABO 
VERDE ; CANADA ; CHILE ; COLOMBIA ; COSTA RICA ; CÔTE D'IVOIRE ; DOMINICAN 
REPUBLIC ; ECUADOR ; EL SALVADOR ; THE GAMBIA ; GUATEMALA ; HONDURAS ; JAPAN ; 
MEXICO ; NEW ZEALAND ; PANAMA ; PARAGUAY ; PERU ; SENEGAL ; SINGAPORE ; 
TAJIKISTAN ; TOGO ; THE UNITED STATES ; UKRAINE ; URUGUAY AND VIET NAM  
(WT/GC/M/194)  
24.1.   At the November  meeting,  the representative of Canada, on behalf of the co -sponsors, 
presented their communication on this matter in document  WT/GC/W/835 /Rev.1  – 
G/SPS/GEN/1758/R ev.10. The rep resentatives of Panama; Jamaica (ACP); Japan; the European 
Union; Mauritius (African Group); Mongolia (LLDCs); Ukraine; Brazil; Nigeria; Chad (LDCs); the 
Russian Federation; Ecuador, South Africa and the United States  spoke. The Chair said that he 
underst ood that discussions w ould be continuing on th e proposal  towards MC12 . The General Council 
took note of the statements.  WT/GC/242  
 
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  25  SAUDI ARABIA'S RESTRICTIVE POLICIES ON POULTRY IMPORTS – REQUEST FROM 
BRAZIL  (WT/GC/M/192)  
25.1.   At the July meeting, the representative of Bra zil made a statement on this matter. The 
representatives of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United States spoke. The General Council 
took note of the statements.  
26  USE OF INTERPREFY PLATFORM – STATEMENT BY MOROCCO (WT/GC/M/190)  
26.1.   At the March36 meeting, th e representative of Morocco made a statement on this matter. The 
General Council took note of the statement.  
27  VIRTUAL MEETING OF THE ARAB TRADE MINSTERS – STATEMENT BY THE KINGDOM 
OF SAUDI ARABIA ON BEHALF OF THE ARAB GROUP (WT/GC/M/194)  
27.1.   At the November37 meeting,  the representative of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia  made a 
statement on this matter. The General Council took note of the statement.  
28  LANDLOCKED DEVELOPING COUNTRIES – STATEMENT BY MONGOLIA ON BEHALF OF 
LLDCS (WT/GC/M/194)  
28.1.   At the November38 meeting,  the representative of Mongolia  made a statement on this matter. 
The General Council took note of the statement.  
29  WTO RESPONSE IN LIGHT OF THE PANDEMIC: TRADE RULES THAT SUPPORT 
RESILIENCE BUILDING, RESPONSE AND RECOVERY TO FACE DOMESTIC AND GLOBA L 
CRISES – COMMUNICATION FROM EGYPT, PAKISTAN, SOUTH AFRICA, SRI LANKA, 
TUNISIA, UGANDA AND THE BOLIVARIAN REPUBLIC OF VENEZUELA  
29.1.   At the November39 meeting,  the representative of Pakistan, on behalf of co -sponsors, made 
a brief statement on this matter and referred to their communication in JOB/GC/278/Rev.2. The 
General Council took note of the statement.  
30  COMMITTEE ON BUDGET, FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION  
30.1  Reports and Recommendations (WT/GC/M/1 91; WT/GC/M/192 ; WT/GC/M/193  
and WT/GC/M/194 ) 
30.1.   At the May meeting, the CBFA Chai r introduced the report of the CBFA in document 
WT/BFA/1 93 including the Committee's recommendation . The General Council approved the Budget 
Committee's specific recommendation in paragraph 5.11 of WT/BFA/193 urging Members and 
Observe rs under Administrative Measures to liquidate their arrears, took note of the CBFA Chair's 
statement and adopted the report in WT/BFA/193.  
30.2.   At the July meeting, the CBFA Chair introduced the report s of the CBFA in document s 
WT/BFA/19 4, WT/BFA/195 and WT/BFA /196. The representative of India took the floor. The General 
Council took note of the CBFA Chair's statement  and of the other statement made and adopted the 
reports in WT/BFA/194, WT/BFA/ 195 and WT/BFA/ 196. 
30.3.   At the October  meeting,  the CBFA Chair introduced the report of the CBFA in document 
WT/BFA/19 7. The General Council  took note of the CBFA Chair's statement and adopted the report 
in WT/BFA/197.  
30.4.   At the November  meeting,  the CBFA Chair introduced the reports of the CBFA in documents  
WT/BFA/198 a nd WT/BFA/198/Corr.1, WT/BFA/199 and WT/BFA/200. The representative of India 
spoke. The General Council approved the Budget Committee's specific recommendations in 
 
36 This item was taken up under "Other Business".  
37 This item was taken up under "Other Business".  
38 This item was taken up under "Other Business".  
39 This item was taken up under "Other Business".  WT/GC/242  
 
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  paragraph 4.4 of WT/BFA/198 on transfers between budgetary sections and the approval the WTO  
Audited Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2020; paragraph 9.3 of WT/BFA/198 
on the approval of the budget for 2022 -2023 of the International Trade Centre UNCTAD/WTO; 
paragraph 3.5 of WT/BFA/200 on the utilization of the 2020 budgetary su rplus; and, paragraphs 4.9 
to 4.12 on the approval of the budget for 2022 -2023 of the WTO; took note of the CBFA Chair's 
statement and of other statement; and adopted the reports in WT/BFA/198 and WT/BFA/198/Corr.1, 
WT/BFA/199 and WT/BFA/200.  
31  WTO PENSION P LAN 
31.1  Reports (WT/GC/M/1 92) 
31.1.   At the July meeting,  the Chair of the WTOPP Management Board presented to the General 
Council the 20 20 Annual Report of the World Trade Organization Pension Plan and the 20 20 Report 
of the External Auditor which could be found in documents WT/L/1111 and WT/L/1113 and 
WT/L/1113/C orr.1. The General Council took note of the reports and of the WTOPP Management 
Board Chair's statement.  
32  ADMINISTRATIVE MEASURES FOR MEMBERS IN ARREARS (WT/GC/M/1 90; 
WT/GC/M/1 91; WT/GC/M/1 92; WT/GC/M/1 93 AND WT/GC/M/194 ) 
32.1.   In October 2012, the General Council approved a recommendation from the Committee on 
Budget, Finance and Administration regarding revised Administrative Measures for Members in 
arrears, as contained in WT/BFA/132, Annex I. These new revis ed Measures entered into force on 
1 January 2013. These Measures required that at the end of each meeting of the General Council, 
the Chair of the Committee on Budget, Finance and Administration should provide information with 
regard to which Members and O bservers were under Administrative Measures; and, the General 
Council Chair would request Members and Observers in Categories II and III to inform the Secretariat 
as to when the payment of arrears might be expected.  
32.2.   At the General Council meetings in March , May, July, October  and November40, the Chair of 
the Committee on Budget, Finance and Administration provided information with regard to which 
Members were under Administrative Measures and the Chair request ed Members and Observers in 
Categories II and II I to inform the Secretariat as to when the payment of arrears might be expected . 
The representative of Cuba spoke at the October meeting . The General Council took note of the 
statements.  
33  INTERNATIONAL TRADE CENTRE UNCTAD/WTO – REPORT OF THE JOINT ADVISORY 
GROUP ON ITS 54TH SESSION  (WT/GC/M/191)  
33.1.   At the May meeting, the General Council considered a report of the Joint Advisory Group on 
the International Trade Centre UNCTAD/WTO on its Fifty -Fourth  Session (ITC/AG(LI V)/280), which 
had been considered initially by the Committee on Trade and Development at its meeting on 
29 March  where it had been presented by the Chair of the Joint Advisory Group, Ambassador Athaliah 
Lesiba Molokomme ( Botswana ). The CTD Chair made a statement on the Committee's consideration 
of the report. The representatives of Chad (LDCs); Mauritius (African Group); the European Union; 
Norway; Kenya  and the International Trade Centre (Observer) spoke.  The Director -General also took 
the floor.  The General Council took note of the CTD Chair's stat ement and of the other statements, 
and adopted the report of the Joint Advisory Group.  
34  REVIEW OF WTO ACTIVITIES (WT/GC/M/190  AND WT/GC/M/194 ) 
34.1.   At the March  meeting, the General Council took note of the Report of the Working Group on 
Trade, Debt and Finance in document WT/WGTDF/19 . The representatives of India; C ôte d'Ivoire; 
Tanzania; Morocco and the United States spoke. The Director -General also took the floor. The 
General Council took note of the statements.  
 
40 This item was taken up under "Other Business" at the March, May, July and October meetings.  WT/GC/242  
 
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  34.2.   At the November  meeting, the General Co uncil considered Annual Reports for 2021 from WTO 
bodies that had been drawn up in pursuance of the Decision concerning procedures for an annual 
overview of WTO activities and for reporting under the WTO in document WT/L/105.  
34.3.   The General Council adop ted the report of the Committee on Trade and Development in 
document WT/COMTD/101, and t ook note of the reports of the other WTO bodies, including the 
reports of the Committees under the Plurilateral Trade Agreements, listed in  documents  WT/DSB/83 , 
WT/TPR/471 , G/L/1418, S/C/62, IP/C/92 , G/L/1413/Rev.1 , G/L/1420 , G/L/1421 , WT/COMTD/101,  
WT/CTE/28,  WT/BOP/R/119, WT/BFA/201 , WT/REG/32 , WT/WGTDF/20  and WT/WGTTT/23 . 
34.4.   The General Council adopted the draft Report of the General Council contained in document 
WT/GC/W/834, on the understanding that the Secretariat would make the necessary adjustments 
to that Report to include matters that had been considered at that meeting  and agreed to forward it 
to the Twelfth Ministerial Conference.  
35  CHAIRMANSHIP OF THE COMMI TTEE ON GOVERNMENT PROCUREMENT – AUSTRALIA; 
CANADA; THE EUROPEAN UNION; ISRAEL; JAPAN; MONTENEGRO; NEW ZEALAND; THE 
SEPARATE CUSTOMS TERRITORY OF TAIWAN, PENGHU, KINMEN AND MATSU; UNITED 
KINGDOM; AND THE UNITED STATES  (WT/GC/M/192 AND WT/GC/M/193)  
35.1.   At the July meeting, the representative of the United Kingdom, on behalf of co -sponsors, 
made a statement on this matter. The representatives of  Switzerland ; China ; Israel ; Hong Kong, 
China; the United States ; Japan  and Chinese Taipei  spoke. The General Council took note of the 
statements.  
35.2.   At the October  meeting, the representative of the United States , on behalf of the co -sponsors, 
delivered a statement on this matter circulated in document RD/GC/16. The representatives of  Hong 
Kong, China; China; Chinese Taipei  and Japan  spoke . Chinese Taipei again took the floor. The 
General Council took note of the statements.  
36  APPOINTMENT OF OFFICERS TO THE SUBSIDIARY BODIES OF THE COUNCIL FOR 
TRADE IN GOODS – REPORT BY THE CHAIR OF THE COUNCIL FOR TRADE IN GOODS  
36.1.   At the July meeting41, the Chair and the CTG Chair reported on this matter. The representative 
of India spoke. The General Council took note of the consensus on the proposed slate of names for 
the appointment of officers to the subsidiary bo dies of the Goods Council, as attached to the 
convening notice sent to all delegations on 27 July with the understanding that he, as Chair of the 
General Council, would undertake consultations on the overall exercise on the appointment of 
officers to avoid  a repeat of such a situation in the future.  The representatives of Mongolia; the 
Russian Federation; the United States; the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; Mexico and Chile spoke. The 
General Council took note of the statements.42 
37  APPOINTMENT OF OFFICERS TO WTO BODIES (WT/GC/M/1 90; WT/GC/M/193  AND 
WT/GC/M/194 ) 
37.1.   At the March  meeting,  the Chair recalled that in accordance with the Guidelines for 
Appointment of Officers to WTO Bodies approved by the General Council in 2002 (WT/L/510), and 
the related practical steps to improve their implementation (JOB/GC/22), he, together with the Chair 
of the Dispute Settlement Body, Ambassador D acio Castillo  (Honduras ), and the former General 
Council Chair, Ambassador Sunanta Kangvalkulkij (Thailand),  had conducted consultations on a slate 
of names for the appointment of Chairpersons to WTO regular bodies listed in Groups 1, 2, 4 and 5 
in the Annex to the Guidelines. The process had included an Informal General Council meeting which 
had been held on 24 February where he had presented a slate of Chairs for the bodies in Group 1, 
that was the General Council, the Dispute Settlement Body and the Trade Policy Review Body. For  
the bodies in Groups 2, 4 and 5, he had noted that they had a single candidate for most of them but 
 
41 Before taking up this item, a n Informal GC meeting was convened on 28 July to discuss the appointmen t 
of officers for subsidiary bodies of the Council for Trade in Goods. The Chair 's statement, the report of the CTG 
Chair and statements of Members who requested that those be reflected in the minutes of th e July General 
Council  meeting can be found in Ann ex 4 of document WT/GC/M/192 . 
42 At its request, the statement of the delegation of Colombia is incorporated in the Minutes of th e July  
General Council meeting and can be found in Annex 4 of document WT/GC/M/192 . WT/GC/242  
 
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  that he had been informed very recently of another nomination for a competing candidate for the 
TRIPS Council. He had indicated that he would engage with g roup coordinators ahead of that meeting 
with a view to finding a solution. Since then, he had been advised of the withdrawal of the 
candidature. He had then sent a communication on 26 February informing all Members that they 
would be in a position to prese nt a complete slate of names for the General Council's consideration.  
37.2.   The full slate of names for the WTO regular bodies in Groups 1, 2, 4 and 5 resulting from the 
consultations read as followed : 
General Council   H.E. Mr. Dacio Castillo (Honduras)  
Dispute Settlement Body  
 H.E. M r. Didier Chambovey  (Switzerland)  
Trade Policy Review Body  
 H.E. Dr. Athaliah Lesiba Molokomme (Botswana)  
Council for Trade in Goods  
 H.E. Mr. Lundeg Purevsuren (Mongolia)  
Council for Trade in Services  
 H.E. Mr. Ángel Villalobos Rodríguez (M exico) 
Council for TRIPS  
 H.E. Mr. Dagfinn Sørli (Norway)  
Committee on Trade and Development  
 H.E. Dr. Muhammad Mujtaba Piracha (Pakistan)  
Committee on Balance -of-Payments 
Restrictions  H.E. Mr. Dmitry Lyakishev (Russian Federation)  
Committee on Budget, Finance and 
Administration  H.E. Dr. Bettina Waldmann (Germany)  
Committee on Trade and Environment  
 H.E. Mr. Manuel A.J. Teehankee (Philippines)  
Committee on Regional Trade Agreements  
 H.E. Dr. Cleopa Kilonzo Mailu (Kenya)  
Working Group on Trade, Debt and 
Finance  
 H.E. Ms. Cheryl K. Spencer (Jamaica)  
Working Group on Trade and Transfer of 
Technology  
 
 H.E. Mrs. Le Thi Tuyet Mai (Viet Nam)  
37.3.   The General Council took note of the Chair's  statement and of the consensus on the slate of 
names for the appointment of officers in the WTO bodies . The Chairs of the CTG and CTS  then made 
statement s on the consultations on the Chairmanships of the subsidiary bodies of the two Councils 
in accordance with the relevant guidelines. The representative of India  spoke. The General Council 
took note of the statements.  WT/GC/242  
 
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  37.4.   At the October  meeting,  the Chair recall ed that,  as part of the agreed solution to resolve the 
impasse in the appointment process for Chairs of CTG subsidiary bodies it was decided that the Chair 
should urgently begin consultations on the overall process of the appointment of officers. He  
theref ore reported on his consultations  on this matter, and his report  was subsequently circulated 
in document JOB/GC/277. The representatives of India; the European Union; the Russian Federation 
and Mauritius (African Group)  spoke. The General Council took note  of the statements.  
37.5.   At the November  meeting, the Chair reported on his consultations on the overall process of 
the appointment of officers and proposed propose that he would continue his consultations and 
discussion on the matter  after the Ministerial Conf erence . His report was subsequently circulated in 
document JOB/GC/285.  The Chair  also said that in accordance with the Guidelines for the 
Appointment of Officers to WTO bodies in document WT/L/510 and the practical steps to improve 
the implementation of th e Guidelines (JOB/GC/22), he would be starting the selection process for 
the appointment of chairpersons to the WTO bodies in Groups 1, 2, 4 and 5 of the Annex to the 
Guidelines.  In accordance with paragraph 7.1(b) of the Guidelines, he would be assisted i n the 
selection process by the serving Chair of the Dispute Settlement Body, Ambassador Didier 
Chambovey  (Switzerland ). The representative of the Russian Federation spoke. The General Council 
took note of the Chair's statement and of the other statement.  
38  APPOINTMENT OF THE NEXT DIRECTOR -GENERAL (WT/GC/M/189)  
38.1.   At the February  special meeting, following the formal recommendation of the Chair, supported 
by the Facilitators, in accordance with Paragraph 19 of the Procedures, the General Council agreed 
to appoint  Dr. Ngozi Okonjo -Iweala of Nigeria as the Director -General of the WTO, starting on 
1 March 2021 until 31 August 2025. The appointment was made pursuant to Paragraph 21 of the 
Procedures in document WT/L/509, mutatis mutandis, and the understanding reached  by the 
General Council in July 2020 regarding interim arrangements that would continue to apply until the 
beginning of the term of office of the DG -designate, on 1 March 2021 .  
38.2.   The newly elected  Director -General,  Dr. Ngozi Okonjo -Iweala; the Chair ; and Deputy Director -
General Karl Brauner, representing all DDGs,  spoke. The representatives of Nigeria; Gabon; 
Mauritius (African Group); the Central African Republic; Chad (LDCs); Switzerland; the Kingdom of 
Saudi Arabia (Arab Group); Barbados; the Unite d States; Singapore; Indonesia; Brazil; China; 
Argentina; Saint Lucia (CARICOM); Israel; the Russian Federation; Sri Lanka; Japan; Panama (El 
Salvador, Honduras, Panama and Dominican Republic); Turkey; Morocco; the European Union; 
Mozambique; Brunei Daruss alam (ASEAN); India; Honduras; Ecuador; New Zealand; Iceland; 
Colombia; South Africa (ACP); Mongolia (Asian Group of Developing Countries and LLDCs); Ghana; 
Norway; Mexico; Cambodia; the Republic of Korea; Jamaica; Panama (GRULAC); Tanzania; Zambia; 
Nepal;  Chinese Taipei; Lao PDR; Viet Nam; Bangladesh; Uruguay; Costa Rica; the Maldives; Burkina 
Faso; Hong Kong, China; Afghanistan; the United Kingdom; Australia; Cameroon; Vanuatu; The 
Gambia; Angola; the Republic of Moldova; Botswana; Albania; Canada; Thaila nd; Pakistan; Ukraine; 
Peru; Cuba; Malaysia; Togo; Kenya; the Philippines; Namibia; Zimbabwe; Oman; Côte d'Ivoire; 
Liechtenstein; Chile; Uganda; Tunisia; Fiji (Pacific Group); Tajikistan; Djibouti; the Plurinational 
State of Bolivia; Madagascar; Mali; Kaza khstan; Egypt; the Kyrgyz Republic; Benin; the Bolivarian 
Republic of Venezuela and the Syrian Arab Republic (Observer) then took the floor to welcome 
Dr. Ngozi Okonjo -Iweala's appointment.  The General Council took note of the statements.  
39  ELECTION OF CHAIR PERSON (WT/GC/M/1 90) 
39.1.   At the March  meeting, the Chair,  H.E. Dr. David Walker (New Zealand),  as the outgoing 
presiding officer of the General Council, made a statement. The General Council then unanimously 
elected H.E. Mr. Dacio Castillo (Honduras ) to the Ch air. 
39.2.   The Director -General and the newly  elected Chair spoke. The General Council took note of the 
statements. The representatives of Mauritius (African Group); Thailand; the Kingdom of Saudi 
Arabia; India; Jamaica (GRULAC and ACP); Sri Lanka; Peru; Singapo re; Pakistan; Chad (LDCs); 
Guatemala; Cambodia; Vanuatu; Barbados; Botswana; Cameroon; Honduras; Bangladesh; China; 
Nigeria; the Philippines; South Africa; Chinese Taipei; Turkey; Malaysia; Nepal and Oman  spoke. 
The General Council took note of the stateme nts. 
__________