INF/IFD/W/17  
 
4 March 2020  
(20-1710) Page: 1/3 
  Original: English  
 
 WTO STRUCTURED DISCU SSIONS ON  
INVESTMENT FACILITAT ION FOR DEVELOPMENT  
 
MEETING OF 12 AND 13  MARCH 2020  
ANNOTATED AGENDA BY THE COORDINATOR  
This annotated agenda  is intended to facilitate discussions at the meeting  scheduled on 12 and 
13 March 2020.  
Following the decision taken by participating Members to move into negotiating mode as of th is 
meeting1, and following the working methodology endorsed by participating Members at the 
organizational meeting on 27 February (Annex to document INF/IFD/W/16, 24 February 2020), the  
purpose of this meeting is to  start negotiations  with a view to further developing the elements and 
specific provisions of a multilateral framework on investment facilitation for development, on the 
basis of the Streaml ined Text (INF/IFD/RD/45, 17 January 2020) and additional proposals by 
Members.2 
Members are encouraged to actively participate in the negotiations  and to provide their concrete 
positions /proposals/drafting suggestions  on the different issues under conside ration. In keeping with 
the open, transparent and inclusive nature of this initiative, all WTO Members are invited to 
participate in the meeting.  
1  DEVELOPMENT OF THE E LEMENTS OF THE FRAME WORK ON INVESTMENT F ACILITATION 
FOR DEVELOPMENT  
1.1.  In line with the work ing methodology endorsed by participating Members at the organizational 
meeting held on 2 7 February  (Annex to document INF/IFD/W/ 16) and the Schedule of Meetings up 
to May 2020 (INF/IFD/W/15/Rev.1, 10 February 2020), the negotiations will be organized 
thematically, on an element -by-element basis. The Streamlined Text together with any other 
available text proposals or contributions by Members w ill serve as a basis for  the negotiations.  
1.2.  All elements and provisions of the streamlined text alongside any other  available text proposals 
or contributions by Members, will be reviewed at the meeting.  In order to make efficient use of the 
time, proposals submitted by Members will be introduced and discussed when the specific element 
and/or provision is addressed. Pro posals addressing new sections or elements, or not clearly linked 
to any section or element in the Streamlined Text, will be addressed at the end of the meeting.  
1.3.  The elements and provisions of the framework will be addressed in the following order :3 
Sectio n II: Transparency of investment measures  
• Publication and availability of measures and information  
 
1 See the summary of the meeting of the Structured Discussions on Investment Facilitation for 
Development held on 12 December 2019, contained in d ocument INF/IFD/R/10, dated 17 Jan uary 2020.  
2 At the time of writing this Annotated Agenda, a proposal from the European Union was circulated in 
document INF/IFD/RD/46. The proposal was introduced by the European Union at the organizational meeting 
on 27 February.  
3 The sections and titles are i dentified as in the Streamlined Text for ease of reference – this is without 
prejudice to the specific content of proposals by Members.  INF/IFD/W/17  
 
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  • Notification to the WTO  
• Enquiry points  
• Specific exceptions to transparency requirements  
Section III: Streamlining and Speeding up Administrative Procedures and Requirements  
• Consistent, reasonable, objective  and impartial administration of measures  
• Reduction and simplification of administrative procedures and documentation 
requirements  
• Clear criteria for administrative procedures  
• Authorization procedures  
• Treatment of incomplete and rejection of applications  
• Fees and charges  
• Periodic review of administrative procedures and requirements  
• Use of ICT/e -government , including electronic applications   
• One-stop shop/ single window -types of mechanisms  
• Independence of competent authorities  
• Appeal and review  
Section IV: Contact/focal point/Ombudsperson types of mechanisms, arrangements to 
enhance domestic coordination and cross -border cooperation on investment facilitation  
• Contact poi nt/focal point/Ombudsperson types of mechanisms  
• Domestic regulatory coherence  
• Cross -border cooperation on investment facilitation  
Section V: Special and Differential Treatment for Developing and Least -Developed country 
Members  
• General principles  
• Implementation  
• Notification of dates for implementation of categories B and C  
• Grace period for the application of the Understanding on Rules and Procedures Governing 
the Settlement of Disputes  
• Technical assistance and capacity building  
Section VI: Cross-cutting issues  
• Corporate social responsibility (including Annex 1)  
• Measures against corruption  
Section VII: Institutional arrangements and final provisions  
• WTO Committee on investment facilitation  
• General exceptions  
• Security exceptions  
• Dispute settlement  
• Final provisions  INF/IFD/W/17  
 
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  Preamble  
Section I: Scope and general principles  
• Scope  
• Most-favoured nation treatment  
Annex 2: Temporary entry for investment persons  
1.4.  In successive order,  Members will be invited to provide their concrete 
positions/ proposals/drafting suggesti ons o n each of  the elements and provisions. Members are 
encouraged to actively participate in the discussions.  
2  OTHER BUSINESS  
 
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