JOB/GC/252  
 
2 March 2021  
(21-1796) Page: 1/2 
General Council    
 
 
AGENDA ITEM 2 : IMPLEMENTATION OF THE BALI, NAIROBI AND BUENOS AIRES 
OUTCOMES – STATEMENT BY THE CHAIR  
MONDAY, 1 MARCH 2021  
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.  As always, my statement today is based on the information provided by the Chairs of the 
regular bodies on the implementation work taking place further to Ministeria l mandates in their 
respective areas – and I take this opportunity to warmly thank them for their cooperation during our 
tenure this year.  
1.3.  Starting with Agriculture, as regards the follow -up to the Bali TRQ Decision, the review 
mandated under the Decision was concluded with the adoption of the agreed recommendations by 
the General Council in December 2019. The issue of the future operation of paragraph 4 of the 
underfill mechanism had remained outstanding, and the deadline for a decision was extended to the  
end of 2021. I understand that the Chair of the Committee on Agriculture has already started 
consultations with Members on this issue.  
1.4.  On Export Competition, with respect to the implementation of the Nairobi Decision by Members 
with scheduled export subsi dies commitments, the situation is as follows: twelve Members have 
their revised schedules certified; two Members have circulated draft revised schedules; and two 
other Members updated the Committee on Agriculture on the steps taken to implement the Decisi on. 
The Chair has also initiated consultations on the second triennial review of the Nairobi Decision to 
be undertaken by the Committee this year.  
1.5.  Turning to the LDC Services Waiver, following an LDC Group proposal that the CTS organize a 
webinar to bring  together LDC service suppliers and consumers of LDC services in Members having 
granted preferences under the Waiver, in December 2020 the Council for Trade in Services tasked 
the Secretariat with the preparation of a draft programme for the event.  
1.6.  I under stand that the Secretariat has since circulated a draft programme for the webinar, which 
is based on an outline prepared by the LDC Group and incorporates delegations' comments. This 
draft will be considered at the CTS' meeting on 5 March.  
1.7.  On Preferential Rules of Origin for LDCs, you will recall that the General Council considered the 
Annual Report submitted in line with the Bali and the Nairobi decisions at its December meeting, 
and the Committee has not yet met this year.  
1.8.  I also refer you to the report I  provided in December with respect to the decisions on Duty -
Free Quota -Free market access for LDCs, and on the Monitoring Mechanism on Special and 
Differential Treatment.  
1.9.  Regarding Aid for Trade, at its last meeting on 16 February 2021, the CTD Session on Aid for 
Trade heard updates from Members about their efforts to mobilize finance to address the economic 
hardship created by the pandemic. The addendum to the 2020 -22 Aid for Trade Work Programme 
provides for a Stocktaking Event to review the trade and dev elopment impact of COVID -19, together 
with the role that Aid for Trade can play in recovery and future resilience. An agenda for this event JOB/GC/252  
 
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  on 23 to 25 March 2021, containing a programme of the sessions proposed by Members, is available 
on the WTO website.  
1.10.   Regarding the Trade Facilitation Agreement, the current rate of ratification remains at 93% 
of the membership.  
1.11.   And finally, regarding the Work Programme on Electronic Commerce, you will recall that at 
the December General Council meeting, the Chairs of th e CTS, CTG and TRIPS Council reported on 
e-commerce discussions in their respective bodies. In addition, the item on the "Work Programme 
on Electronic Commerce and Moratorium on Imposing Customs Duties on Electronic Transmissions" 
requested by India and a joint communication from South Africa and India on "Reinvigorating the 
Work Under the 1998 Work Programme on Electronic Commerce" were also considered. Delegations 
had an extensive discussion  in December  that touched upon wide -ranging substantive and 
proce dural issues. Such discussion is welcomed, and I once again urge all Members to continue to 
actively engage in discussions on the Work Programme on Electronic Commerce and the Moratorium.  
You will recall that the 2019 General Council Decision instructed t he General Council to report to the 
12th session of the Ministerial Conference. And I note we have a separate item on the Work 
Programme requested by India later on in our agenda.  
 
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