JOB/GC/246  
 
15 October 2020  
(20-7116) Page: 1/2 
General Council    
 
 AGENDA ITEM 2 : IMPLEMENTATION OF THE BALI, NAIROBI AND BUENOS AIRES 
OUTCOMES – STATEMENT BY THE CHAIR  
TUESDAY, 13 OCTOBER 2020  
1.1.  This item remains on the agenda so that the General Council can continue to follow up, in a 
horizontal and transparent manner, on the Ministerial decisions adopted in Bali, Nairobi and Buenos 
Aires.  
1.2.  My statement today will focus on those areas where there are developments to report and is 
based on the information and inputs provided by the Chairs  of the regular bodies on the 
implementation work taking place further to Ministerial mandates in their respective areas.  
1.3.  Starting with TRIPS non -violation and situation complaints, the tentative indications of a new 
submission have not yet materialized an d I understand that the TRIPS Council Chair is considering 
leading an informal exchange after the TRIPS Council meeting this week, where the item is again on 
the agenda.  
1.4.  In Agriculture, subsequent to the invocation of the Bali Ministerial Decision on Publ ic 
Stockholding for Food Security Purposes by a Member, the Committee on Agriculture reviewed the 
notified information at its July and September 2020 meetings. The specific issues raised by Members 
at those meetings and the responses provided by the notify ing Member may be viewed in the 
Agriculture Information Management System (AG -IMS), which contains the record of the Committee 
Review Process since 1995.  
1.5.  Subsequent to the adoption by the General Council of the recommendations of the review of 
the operati on of the Bali TRQ Administration Decision, the Committee on Agriculture considered the 
issue of the follow -up to the Decision at its September meeting. A Secretariat background note 
featuring data on TRQ administration, fill rates and additional elements based on the agreed 
recommendations supported the Committee’s discussions. The Secretariat also shared a draft 
underfill Tracking Register which will be finalized at the November meeting of the Committee, on 
the basis of Members ' comments.   
1.6.  The fifth annua l dedicated discussion pursuant to the Nairobi Decision on Export Competition 
also took place at the September meeting of the Committee on Agriculture. A background document 
was circulated, based on Members' relevant notifications as well as their response s to the export 
competition questionnaire. Written questions by Members on their respective export competition 
practices and the corresponding responses may also be found in the Agriculture Information 
Management System (AG -IMS). With respect to the modifi cation of schedules pursuant to the Nairobi 
Decision, Indonesia' s revised draft schedule was circulated yesterday; two Members have yet to 
submit their draft revised export subsidy schedules, and they updated the Committee on the steps 
taken to implement t he Decision.  
1.7.  Turning to the LDC Services Waiver, at the last meeting of the Council for Trade in Services, 
the LDC Group put forward some suggestions to advance the discussion on the operationalisation of 
the Waiver. The Group proposed that the Services Co uncil organize a virtual workshop to bring 
together LDC service suppliers and consumers of LDC services in preference -granting Members, and 
asked the CTS Chairman to hold consultations in this respect.  JOB/GC/246  
 
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  1.8.  The Group also noted that it plans to organise a webin ar on the impact of COVID -19, and 
related measures taken by Members, on the supply of services from LDCs. Additionally, the Group 
sought the Secretariat's assistance to update the information on LDC services trade initially prepared 
for the dedicated sessi on on the Waiver held in 2019. Members were generally open to discussing 
the LDC Group's ideas – with some Members calling for more details to be provided.  
1.9.  Regarding DFQF market access for LDCs, the CTD's annual DFQF review will take place in 
November. Giv en that divergent views persist on the scope and coverage of the mandated 
Secretariat report on Members' DFQF market access for LDCs, I understand that it will once again 
not be possible for the Secretariat to prepare its report for the review. Members may  nevertheless 
use that occasion to share any updates on their provision of DFQF market access for LDCs.  
1.10.  With respect to the Bali Decision on Trade and Transfer of Technology, at a recent meeting of 
the Working Group, a number of Members made presentations on the policies they have 
implemented to encourage technology transfer, and the role that technology transfer played in their 
economic development. The Chair of the Working Group intends to hold informal consultations with 
Members to hear their views regar ding the lack of progress in recent years, and to assess what could 
be done differently to fulfil the mandate of the Working Group.  
1.11.  On Aid for Trade, at the recent meeting on 5 October, Members considered a proposal by the 
Chairman on an addendum to the ex isting 2020 -2022 Aid for Trade Work Programme entitled: 
"Empowering Connected Sustainable Trade".  The purpose of this addendum is to collect, discuss and 
disseminate information concerning Members' Aid for Trade needs and responses to the trade -
related cha llenges triggered by the COVID -19 pandemic, and the  central focus is an Aid -for-Trade 
Stocktaking event that will be held in early 2021. The addendum was issued under the CTD 
Chairman's own responsibility yesterday, 12 October.  
1.12.  Regarding the Trade Facilitation Agreement, two additional Members have ratified the 
Agreement since my last report, bringing the total ratification rate to 93% of the membership.  
1.13.  And finally, my report on the Work Programme on Electronic Commerce. Since my report to 
the last  meeting of the General Council, which covered the webinar and Informal open -ended 
meeting held in July, no additional submissions from Members were received. Members continue to 
engage under the Work Programme in the relevant bodies, in particular in the Goods Council, 
Services Council, and TRIPS Council. Specifically, in the Services Council, a joint communication 
proposing exploratory discussions on supporting digital capabilities of business and consumers, 
initially tabled in July, continued to generate  substantive engagement, with several delegations 
presenting information on their initiatives, including efforts to promote the development of the  
e-payment sector. In the TRIPS Council, delegations had a rich discussion of specific TRIPS -related 
e-commer ce topics at its meeting in July following a request from a Member. I understand that, in 
subsequent consultations, there was broad support to put the item on the Work Programme on  
E-commerce on the agenda of the next meeting with a view to mapping out ho w the TRIPS Council 
will move forward with this item.  
1.14.  These discussions are welcome, particularly given the current pandemic. In that regard, 
Members continue to underscore the crucial role of e -commerce in fostering economic growth and 
addressing the chal lenges faced. I urge all delegations to deepen engagement on both the Work 
Programme and the moratorium in line with the December 2019 General Council Decision. As Chair, 
I remain ready to consult with Members and to facilitate further meetings as necessar y. 
1.15.  And for this General Council meeting, as you are aware, we have an item on the Work 
Programme and the Moratorium – Item 9 – which has been requested by India.  
1.16.  This concludes my report.  
 
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