WT/MIN(22)/24  
WT/L/1135  
 
 
22 June 2022  
(22-4803) Page: 1/3 
Ministerial Conference  
Twelfth Session  
Geneva, 12 -15 June 202 2   
 
 
MC12 OUTCOME DOCUMENT  
ADOPTED ON 17 JUNE 2022  
We, the Ministers, have met  in Geneva from 12 to 17 June 2022 for our Twelfth Session.  
 
1. We resolve to strengthen the rules -based, non -discriminatory, open, fair, inclusive, equitable 
and transparent multilateral trading system with the WTO at its core. In this regard, we reaffirm the 
principles and objectives set out in the Marrakesh Agreement Establishing the World Trade 
Organization and underscore the relevance and critical  role of international trade and the WTO in 
global economic recovery, growth, prosperity, alleviation of poverty, welfare of all people, 
sustainable development and to facilitate cooperation in relation to the protection and preservation 
of the environment  in a manner consistent with respective needs and concerns at different levels of 
economic development.  
 
2. We reaffirm the provisions of special and differential treatment for developing country 
Members and LDCs as an integral part of the WTO and its agre ements. Special and differential 
treatment in WTO agreements should be precise, effective and operational. In addition, we recall 
that trade is to be conducted with a view to raising standards of living, ensuring full employment, 
pursuing sustainable devel opment of Members, and enhancing the means for doing so in a manner 
consistent with Members' respective needs and concerns at different levels of economic 
development. We instruct officials to continue to work on improving the application of special and 
differential treatment in the CTD SS and other relevant venues in the WTO, as agreed and report on 
progress to the General Council before MC13.  
 
3. We acknowledge the need to take advantage of available opportunities, address the challenges 
that the WTO is f acing, and ensure the WTO's proper functioning. We commit to work towards 
necessary reform of the WTO. While reaffirming the foundational principles of the WTO, we envision 
reforms to improve all its functions. The work shall be Member -driven, open, transp arent, inclusive, 
and must address the interests of all Members, including development issues . The General Council 
and its subsidiary bodies will conduct the work, review progress, and consider decisions, as 
appropriate, to be submitted to the next Ministe rial Conference.1 
 
4. We acknowledge the challenges and concerns with respect to the dispute settlement system 
including those related to the Appellate Body, recognize the importance and urgency of addressing 
those challenges and concerns, and commit to c onduct discussions with the view to having a fully 
and well -functioning dispute settlement system accessible to all Members by 2024. 
 
5. In this difficult context, we note with satisfaction the progress achieved by LDC Members who 
have met or who are about  to meet the graduation criteria set by the United Nations Committee for 
Development Policy (CDP) and acknowledge the particular challenges that graduation presents, 
including the loss of trade -related international support measures, as they leave the LDC category. 
We recognize the role that certain measures in the WTO can play in facilitating smooth and 
sustainable transition for these Members after graduation from the LDC Category.  
 
 
1 For greater certainty, in this context, this does not prevent groupings of  WTO Members  from meeting to 
discuss relevant matters or making submissions for consideration by the General Council or its subsidiary bodies.  WT/MIN(22)/24 • WT/L/1135  
 
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  6. We underscore the importance of accessions, noting that although no new accession has taken 
place since July 2016, several applicants have made encouraging progress. In this regard, we remain 
committed to facilitate the conclusion of ongoing accessions, especially for least -developed countries 
fully in line wit h the General Council Guidelines on LDC Accessions, and to provide technical 
assistance, where appropriate, including in the post -accession phase.  
 
7. We recognize the special situation of the Members acceded in accordance with Article XII of 
the Agreement  Establishing the World Trade Organization who have undertaken extensive 
commitments at the time of accession, including in market access. This situation shall be taken into 
account in negotiations.  
 
8. We reaffirm our decision at the Tenth Ministerial Con ference in Nairobi on implementation of 
preferential treatment in favour of services and service suppliers of least -developed countries and 
increasing LDC participation in services trade, and instruct the Council for Trade in Services to review 
and promote  the operationalization of the waiver including to explore improvements in LDC services 
export data; to review information on LDC services suppliers and consumers of LDC services in 
preference providing Member markets; and to assess best practices in facil itating the use of the 
preferences. On this matter, we instruct the General Council to report to our next session on 
progress.  
 
We reaffirm our decision at the Ninth Ministerial Conference in Bali on Duty -Free Quota -Free Market 
Access for Least -Developed Countries and instruct the Committee on Trade and Development to re -
commence the annual review process on preferential DFQF market access for LDCs. On this matter, 
we instruct the General Council to report on the progress to our next session.  
 
We welcome the decision of the Committee on Rules of Origin (CRO) adopted on 14 April 2022 
(G/RO/95) on Preferential Rules of Origin and the Implementation of the Nairobi Ministerial Decision. 
We instruct the CRO to report its work to the General Council ahead of the  Thirteenth Ministerial 
Conference.  
 
We also acknowledge LDCs' commitment and efforts in implementation of the TFA. We urge all 
Members to assist the LDCs in meeting their definitive category C deadlines.  
 
We recognize the importance of Aid for Trade ini tiatives in trade -related capacity building for the 
LDCs. We recommend that such programmes prioritise the objectives identified by the LDCs.  
 
9. We instruct the Trade Facilitation Committee to hold a Dedicated Session on transit issues 
annually until the next review of the Trade Facilitation Agreement is completed. These dedicated 
sessions will highlight the importance of transit and reserve time for the Committee to discuss best 
practices, as well as the constraints and challenges faced by all landlocked WTO Members, including 
landlocked developing countries and LDCs as outlined in G/TFA/W/53.  
 
10. Services trade is vital to the global economy and has a major role to play in global economic 
output and employment. The COVID -19 pandemic has highlighted the i mportance of services and 
has had a significant impact on services trade and services sectors, particularly for developing 
Members, including least -developed countries (LDCs). We underscore the importance of recovery 
for services most impacted by the pande mic and of efforts to strengthen such services, taking into 
account challenges and opportunities encountered by Members. We acknowledge the need to 
facilitate the increasing participation of developing Members, including LDCs, in global services trade, 
including by paying particular attention to sectors and modes of supply of export interest to them. 
We take note of work in the area of trade in services.  
 
11. We take note of the reports from the General Council and its subsidiary bodies. These reports, 
and the Decisions stemming from them demonstrate Members' continued commitment to the work 
of the WTO, thereby strengthening its effectiveness and the multilateral trading system as a whole.  
 
12. We recognize the importance of strengthened collabo ration and cooperation with other 
intergovernmental organizations and other relevant stakeholders that have responsibilities related 
to those of the WTO, in accordance with the rules and principles of the WTO, to restore trust, 
certainty and predictability  in the world economy and effectively address current and future 
multidimensional challenges.  
 WT/MIN(22)/24 • WT/L/1135  
 
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  13. We recognize women's economic empowerment and the contribution of MSMEs to inclusive 
and sustainable economic growth, acknowledge their different context, ch allenges and capabilities 
in countries at different stages of development, and we take note of the WTO, UNCTAD and ITC 's 
work on these issues.2 
 
14. We recognize global environmental challenges including climate change and related natural 
disasters, loss of biodiversity and pollution. We note the importance of the contribution of the 
multilateral trading system to promote the UN 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals 
in its economic, social, and environmental dimensions, in so far as they relate  to WTO mandates and 
in a manner consistent with the respective needs and concerns of Members at different levels of 
economic development. In this regard, we reaffirm the importance of providing relevant support to 
developing country Members, especially LD Cs, to achieve sustainable development, including 
through technological innovations. We note the role of the Committee on Trade and Environment as 
a standing forum dedicated to dialogue among Members on the relationship between trade measures 
and environme ntal measures.  
 
_______________  
 
 
 
Part II – Ministerial Decisions and Declarations adopted at the Twelfth Session  
 
• Work Programme on Small Economies – Ministerial Decision  – WT/MIN(22)/25 – WT/L/1136  
• TRIPS Non -violation and Situation Complaints – Ministerial Decision  – WT/MIN(22)/26 – 
WT/L/1137  
• Sanitary and Phytosanitary Declaration for the Twelfth WTO Ministerial Conference: 
Responding to Modern SPS Challenges – Ministerial Declaration  – WT/MIN(22)/27 – 
WT/L/1138  
• Ministerial Declaration on the Eme rgency Response to Food Insecurity  – WT/MIN(22)/28 – 
WT/L/1139  
• Ministerial Decision on World Food Programme Food Purchases Exemption from Export 
Prohibitions o r Restrictions  – WT/MIN(22)/29 – WT/L/1140  
• Ministerial Decision on the TRIPS Agreement  – WT/MIN(22)/30 – WT/L/1141  
• Ministerial Declaration on the WTO Response to the C OVID -19 Pandemic and Preparedness 
for Future Pandemics  – WT/MIN(22)/31 – WT/L/1142  
• Work Programme on Electronic Commerce – Ministerial Decision  – WT/MIN(22)/32 – 
WT/L/1143  
• Agreem ent on Fisheries Subsidies – Ministerial Decision  – WT/MIN(22)/33 – WT/L/1144  
 
 
 
__________  
 
2 These are general messages on cross -cutting issues that do not change the rights or obligations of 
WTO Members (and do not r elate to any Joint Statement Initiatives) .