WT/REG/31  
 
23 November 20 20 
(20-8435) Page: 1/4 
    
 
 
REPORT ( 2020 ) OF THE  
COMMITTEE ON REGIONAL TRADE AGREEMENTS  
TO THE GENERAL COUNCIL  
CHAIRMAN: MR MĀRTIŅŠ KREITUS (LATVIA)  
1  INTRODUCTION  
The first meeting of the Committee on Regional Trade Agreements ( CRTA) in 2020, originally 
scheduled for 7 and 8 April, was suspended following the announcement made by the WTO 
Director -General on 16 March 2020 of a temporary suspension of all WTO meetings due to the 
COVID -19 pandemic.  
Accordingly, following an exceptional procedure conducted b y the Chairman of the General 
Council, Ambassador Mārtiņš Kreitus (Latvia) was formally appointed as Chairman of the CRTA on 
11 May 2020.  
Despite the limitations and restrictions caused by the pandemic, the CRTA was able to resume 
its activities. D uring 2 020, the Committee held three sessions (in July, September and November). 
Meetings were in -person with a virtual add -on through the Interprefy platform. The minutes of those 
meetings are listed in the Attachment. Four sessions are foreseen in 2021, dependi ng on the 
Committee's workload.  
2  OBSERVER STATUS  
No decision was taken with respect to the requests for observer status listed in document 
WT/REG/W/11/Add.4/Rev.2.  
3  EARLY ANNOUNCEMENTS  
In the period 16 October 2019 to 15 October 2020, no early announcements  were received 
from Members.  
4  NOTIFICATIONS  
In the period 16 October 2019 to 15 October 2020, the CRTA received 12 notifications of new 
RTAs, seven on trade in goods notified under Article XXIV of GATT 1994, and five on trade in services 
notified under Arti cle V of GATS.1 The CRTA also received additional notifications on two notified 
agreements.2 
In an effort to encourage the notification of non -notified RTAs, the Chairmen with the help of 
the Secretariat, continued to draw up and circulate in advance of CRTA meetings a list of non -notified 
RTAs which have been verified by their parties as being in force and appeared in factual presentations 
circulated between September 2009 and November 2020.3  
 
1 Hong Kong, China -Australia (G&S); Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) -Iran (G); European 
Union -Singapore (G&S); Chile -Indonesia (G); Peru-Australia (G&S); European Union -Viet Nam (G&S); United 
States -Mexico -Canada Agreement (USMCA/CUSMA/T -MEC) (G&S) . 
2 EFTA-Philippines (G&S) and the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA, G&S). 
3 Documents WT/REG/W/146/Rev.1, WT/REG/W/149, WT/REG/W/ 151 and WT/REG/W/154.  WT/REG/31  
 
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At the 96th Session, the EU thanked LAIA member c ountries for their answers to its follow -up 
questions and for the subsequent notifications of the agreements falling under the framework of the 
Treaty of Montevideo, made under the Enabling Clause. Regarding the notification of the remaining 
agreements sti ll appearing in the list of non -notified agreements, LAIA Parties indicated that they 
were working to resolve these issues as soon as possible.  
At the 96th Session, the delegation of Brazil inquired about the inclusion of certain agreements 
in the list of non-notified agreements. At the 97th Session the Secretariat indicated that two of the 
three agreements had been taken off the list.  
5  CONSIDERATION OF REGIONAL TRADE AGREEMENTS  
In the period 16 October 2019 to 15 October 2020, 12 factual presentations were distributed 
reflecting 15 notifications, counting goods and services separately, all of which were used as the 
basis for consideration of RTAs in the CRTA in 2020.4  
In an effort to unblock the backlog in the receipt of delayed data and comments, the Chai rman 
consulted with a number of delegations and encouraged them to provide the missing information as 
soon as possible. The Chairman with the help of the Secretariat drew up and circulated in advance 
of CRTA meetings a list of such RTAs.5 
Although conside rable progress has been made in the preparation of factual presentations, the 
Committee continues to experience some difficulties in adhering to its work programme. This is due 
to a number of factors: delays in the receipt of statistical data from parties,  data discrepancies in 
Members' submissions, and delays in the receipt of comments from parties.  
6  SUBSEQUENT NOTIFICATION AND REPORTING  
In the period 16  October 2019 to 15  October 2020, two notifications of changes were received 
and posted on the RTA Databa se.6 
The Secretariat circulated a list of RTAs subject to end of implementation (EOI) reports as of 
15 April 2020 (document WT/REG/W/148). EOI  reports were due for 145 RTAs, and the EOI for 
twelve RTAs was in 2020. The EOI for 106 RTAs is from 2021 onwards, while for one RTA the EOI 
year is not available . One such report was submitted in the period 16 October 2019 to 
15 October  20207.  
7  DATABASE  ON RTAS  
The Secretariat continues to update the database on individual RTAs, in accordance with the 
requirements of the Transparency Mechanism for RTAs.  
At the 96th Session, the Chairman drew delegates' attention to new material posted in the RTA 
pages of  the WTO website. These include infographics on facts and figures on RTAs for the period 
January -June 2020, the Handbook on Notification Requirements, which includes a section on 
notification obligations under the legal provisions relating to RTAs, and "th e Key CRTA documents" 
that provides a link to all relevant legal provisions on RTAs and other relevant material such as the 
notification formats.  
 
4 Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) –Japan (G); ASEAN –Republic of Korea (G); Agreement 
between the GUAM participating States (Republic of Moldova, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Ukraine) (G); 
Chile-Indonesia (G); EFTA –Philippines  (G&S); Hong Kong, China –Australia (G&S); Hong Kong, China –Georgia 
(G&S); India –Republic of Korea (G); European Union –Armenia (S); European Union –Cameroon (G); European 
Union -SADC States (Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa and Eswatini) ( G); Southern 
Common Market (MERCOSUR) –Israel (G).  
5 Documents WT/REG/W/147, WT/REG/W/150, WT/REG/W/152 and WT/REG/ W/155. 
6 China -Hong Kong, China; China -Macao, China.  
7 Hong Kong, China -New Zealand, documents WT/REG291/R/I and WT/REG291/R/I/Corr.1 (in Engl ish 
only).  WT/REG/31  
 
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  8  TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE  
At the 98th Session of the Committee, the Secretariat gave an account of the RTA -related 
technical assistance activities it had undertaken in 2020 and those planned for 2021.  
9  PROCEDURES TO IMPROVE AND FACILITATE THE EXAMINATION PROCESS  
No discussion took place on this item.  
_______________  
 
 WT/REG/31  
 
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  ATTACHMENT  
MINUTES OF THE MEETINGS HELD IN 2020  
Ninety -Sixth Session – 27 July 2020  
 
 WT/REG/M/96  
 
 WT/REG277/M/1  Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) – Japan, goods  
 WT/REG287/M/2  Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) – Republic of 
Korea, goods  
 WT/REG397/M/1  Hong Kong, China - Georg ia, goods and services  
 WT/REG393/M/1  Peru - Honduras, goods and services8 
 WT/REG383/M/1  Agreement between the Guam participating States (Republic of 
Moldova, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Ukraine), goods [non -member]  
 
Ninety -Seventh – 22 September 2020  
 
 WT/R EG/M/97  
 
WT/REG405/M/1  European Union - Armenia, services  
WT/REG398/M/1  Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR) - Israel, goods  
 
Ninety -Eighth Session – 18 November 2020 (to be issued ) 
 WT/REG/M/98  
 
WT/REG/W/153 /Rev.1  Draft Report (2020) of the CRTA to the General Council  
WT/REG274/M/1  European Union – Cameroon, goods  
WT/REG381/M/1  European Union – SADC States (Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, 
Namibia, South Africa and Eswatini), goods  
WT/REG286/M/2  India – Republic of Korea, goods  
WT/REG394/M/1  EFTA – Philippines, goods and services  
WT/REG400/M/1  Hong Kong, China – Australia, goods and services  
WT/REG403/M/1  Chile – Indonesia, goods  
__________  
 
 
8 The factual presentation was distributed in the period 16 October 2018 to 15 October 2019.