RESTRICTED  
  
WT/COMTD/M/122  
25 January  2024 
(24-0558) Page: 1/47 
Committee on Trade and Development  
122nd Session   
 
  
NOTE ON THE MEETING OF 17 NOVEMBER  AND 24 NOVEMBER 2023   
Chairman: H.E. Dr. José R. Sánchez -Fung (Dominican Republic ) 
1   ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA  ................................ ................................ ........................  2 
2   OBSERVERS  ................................ ................................ ................................ .................  3 
(A) Request for attendance of ad hoc  observers  ................................ ................................ . 3 
(B) Further consideration of requests for observer status by the League of Arab States, 
the Organization of Petroleum Exporti ng Countries (OPEC), the Gulf Organization for Industrial 
Consulting, the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie, the  Common  Fund for 
Commodities, the Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC) and 
the Groupe  de la Banque Africaine de Développement  ................................ ............................  3 
3   REPORT OF THE 57TH SESSION OF THE JOINT ADVISORY GROUP ON THE 
INTERNATIONAL TRADE CENTRE UNCTAD/WTO (ITC/AG(LVII)/292)  .............................  3 
4   TECHNICAL COOPERATION AND TRAINING  ................................ ................................ . 8 
(A) New functionalities in the Technical Assistan ce Management System – Presentation by the 
Institute for Training and Technical Cooperation  ................................ ................................ .... 8 
5   DEVELOPMENTAL ASPECTS OF WTO REFORM  ................................ ............................  10 
(A) Statement by the Chai rman ................................ ................................ ......................  10 
(B) A reflection on the discussions held in the development retreat (informal meeting on 
WTO reform  focussed  on development) in February 2023 – Communication from India 
(JOB/COMTD/4)  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...............  12 
6   HIGHLIGHTS OF ACTIVITIES ON BETTER INTEGRATION OF DEVELOPING COUNTRIES 
IN THE AGREEMENT ON THE APPLICATION OF SANITARY AND PHYTOSANITARY 
MEASURES AND THE AGREEMENT ON TECHNICAL BARRIERS TO TRADE – 
COMMUNICATION FROM THE UNITED STATES (WT/COM TD/W/285)  ............................  17 
7   ENHANCING FOOD SECURITY THROUGH THE REFORM IN AGRICULTURE AND THE USE 
OF CURREN T FLEXIBILITIES – COMMUNICATION FROM BRAZIL (JOB/COMTD/5)  .........  19 
8   POLICY SPACE FOR INDUSTRIAL DEV ELOPMENT - A CASE FOR REBALANCING TRADE 
RULES TO PROMOTE INDUSTRIALISATION AND TO ADDRESS EMERGING CHALLENGES 
SUCH AS CLIMATE CHANGE, CONCENTRATION OF PRODUCTION AND DIGITAL 
INDUSTRIALISATION – COMMUNICATION FROM THE AFRICAN GROUP 
(WT/COMTD/W/270)  ................................ ................................ ................................ .... 24 
(A) A case for rebalancing the Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures (ASCM) – 
Policy space to promote industrialisation in Developing Countries – Communication from the 
African Group (WT/COMTD/W/274)  ................................ ................................ ....................  24 
(B) The role of transfer of technology in resilience building: reinvigorating the discussions in the 
WTO on trade and transfer of technology – Communications from the African  Group 
(WT/COMTD/W/277, WT/COMTD/W/278, WT/COMTD/W/27 9, WT/COMTD/W/280, 
WT/COMTD/W/281, WT/COMTD/W/282)  ................................ ................................ .............  24 
(C) A case for rebalancing the Agreement on  Trade -related Investment Measures (TRIMs) – 
Policy space to promote industrialisation and structural transformation in developing countries 
(WT/COMTD/W/284)  ................................ ................................ ................................ ........  24 WT/COMTD/M/122  
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  9   MINISTERIAL DECLARATION FROM THE TWELFTH MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE ON THE 
WTO RESPONSE TO THE COVID -19 PANDEMIC AND PREPAREDNESS FOR FUTURE 
PANDEMICS (WT/MIN(22)/31 - WT/L/1142)  ................................ ...............................  32 
10   TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT - WORK IN THE COMMITTEE ON THE BASIS OF THE 
CHAIRMAN'S CONCLUDING STATEMENT FROM THE EIGHTH MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE
 ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ...... 34 
(A) Committee on Trade and Development mandate: focal point for consideration and 
coordination of work on development in the WTO - proposal from Barbados, Belize, China, Cuba, 
Ecuador, India, and the African Group (WT/COMTD/W/208)  ................................ ...................  34 
(B) Operationalization of the CTD's mandate: a proposal to deliver outcomes based on 
theMC8  mandate  - proposal from China, Cuba, Ecuador, India a nd the African Group 
(WT/COMTD/W/192)  ................................ ................................ ................................ ........  34 
11   NOTIFICATIONS UNDER THE ENABLING CLAUSE  ................................ ....................  37 
(A) Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) notification of Customs Union – Communication from 
China,  Egypt and India (WT/COMTD/W/175)  ................................ ................................ ........  37 
12   ANNUAL REVIEW OF THE STEPS TAKEN TO PROVIDE DUTY -FREE AND QUOTA FREE 
MARKET ACCESS TO LEAST DEVELOPED COUNTRIES  ................................ ......................  37 
13   WORK PROGRAMME ON ELECTR ONIC COMMERCE  ................................ ...................  38 
(A) Reinvigorating the work under the 1998 Work Programme on Electronic Commerce: 
A development approach to the Work Programme on E -commerce – Communication from the 
African Group (WT/COMTD/W/283)  ................................ ................................ ....................  39 
(B) Global electronic commerce for inclusive development – Communication from India and 
South Africa (WT/COMTD/W/264/Rev.1)  ................................ ................................ .............  39 
14   PARAGRAPH 2 OF THE CTD'S TERMS OF REFERENCE (WT/L/46)  .............................  43 
(A) Update on the participation of developing economies in the global trading system – 
Presentation by the Secretariat  ................................ ................................ ..........................  43 
(B) Members' views on any other work that could be undertaken under paragraph 2 of 
the CTD's  terms of reference  ................................ ................................ .............................  45 
15   DRAFT ANNUAL REPORT FOR 2023 (WT/COMTD/W/286)  ................................ ....... 45 
16   CALENDAR OF CTD MEETINGS IN 2024 (WT/COMTD/W/287)  ................................  46 
17   OTHER BUSINESS  ................................ ................................ ................................ .... 46 
 
1  ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA  
1. The Chairman  said that, before turning to the draft agenda for the 122nd Regular Session of 
the Committee on Trade and Development (CTD) , he wished  to draw Members' attention to a 
communication from the United States which was circulated on 10 August 2023 with the 
CTD document symbol JOB/COMTD/3 . The communication was titled "Voices from the field: digital 
solutions and innovations to empower farmers  and food security event". He underst ood that 
the communication describe d the discussion that took place during the thematic session that 
the United  States organized prior to the last CTD meeting in July. This follow ed from the intervention 
that the United  States had made on this matter at the July CTD meeting.  The United States had not 
request ed this communication to be reflected on the agenda for the present  meeting , and he was 
therefore mentioning it for the record.  He went on to say that the proposed  agenda for the 
CTD's  122nd Regular Session was contained in Airgram WTO/AIR/COMTD/30/Rev.1  circulated on 
7 November 2023. As foreshadowed in his communication of 2  October 2023 to Members, 
the Airgram had been  reformulated as one of the measures being implemented to improve 
the functioning of the CTD. Among other things, the Airgram contain ed a simpler and more 
straightforward numbering system for agenda items. It also contain ed a hyperlink to acces s the 
annotated draft agenda which ha d been prepared for the meeting, and which was circulated in 
document JOB/COMTD/6 . He would be saying more about these and other measures that were being 
implemented to improve the functioning of the CTD as part of his  statement under Agenda Item 5 
on the developmental aspects of WTO reform. He also noted that he would make a brief intervention WT/COMTD/M/122  
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  under "Other Business" concerning the election by the CTD of the Chairperson of the Sub -Committee 
on Least Developed Countries ( LDCs).  
2. The agenda was adopted  as amended.  
2  OBSERVERS  
(A) Request  for attendance of ad hoc  observers  
3. The Chairman  recalled that a number of intergovernmental organizations ha d been granted 
ad hoc observer status on a meeting -by-meeting basis . These were the Arab Maghreb Union, 
the Economic Community of Central African States, the Economic Community of West African States, 
the Economic Cooperation Organization, the Inter Arab In vestment Guarantee Corporation, 
the Islamic Development Bank, the African Union, the Organization of the Islamic Conference, 
the South Centre, the Pacific Islands Forum, the United Nations Environment Programme, 
the West African Economic and Monetary Union , and the World Intellectual Property Organization. 
These organizations had been invited to the present meeting. He proposed that the same 
organizations be invited to the next formal meeting of the CTD.  
4. It was so agreed . 
(B) Further consideration of reques ts for observer status by the League of Arab States, 
the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), the Gulf Organization for 
Industrial Consulting, the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie, 
the Common  Fund for Commodities, the Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting 
Countries (OAPEC) and the  Groupe  de la Banque Africaine de Développement  
5. The Chairman  said that  the positions of delegations on this matter had been previously 
expressed. He inquired whether there were any changes i n Members' positions on these requests 
for observer status . 
6. No Member took the floor.  
7. The Chairman  noted that there were no changes in Members' positions, and that there was 
therefore no consensus at the present time to approve these requests for observer status. He 
suggested that the Committee take note and revert to these requests at the next meeting.  
8. It was so agreed . 
3  REPORT  OF THE 57TH SESSION OF THE JOINT ADVISORY GROUP ON THE 
INTERNATIONAL TRADE CENTRE UNCTAD/WTO  (ITC/AG(LVII)/292)  
9. The Chairman  said that the 57th Session of the Joint Advisory Group (JAG) on  
the International  Trade Centre UNCTAD/WTO  (ITC) was held on 20 July 2023 . The report of the 
meeting was contained in ITC document ITC/AG(L VII)/292. It had also been made available to 
delegations  in Room Document RD/COMTD/11 . He welcomed Ambassador Nadia Theodore of 
Canada , the Chairperson of the JAG, and invited her to introduce the report.  
10. The Chairperson  of the JAG provided an overview of the discussions that had taken place at 
the JAG meeting. She said that the JAG had evaluated the ITC's performance in 2022 , which was 
outlined in the ITC's Annual Report. The ITC's Executive Director , Pamela Coke -Hamilton , had 
emphasized during the meeting  that the world had grappled in 2022 with th e four Cs: COVID -19, 
climate change, conflict, and the cost-of-living  crisis. These crises continue to reshape the world on 
a daily basis. In  this ever -evolving global trade landscape, the ITC ha d rightfully maintained its focus 
on empowering small busines ses to compete in regional and global markets. Its added value was 
clear: the ITC present ed practical and innovative solutions that these small firms could  use to 
navigate the uncertainties and build greater resilience. During the meeting, the Executive Di rector 
had emphasize d how the ITC was actively paving the way for its clients to explore new market 
avenues.  The ITC's strategic interventions were aimed at removing the roadblocks that pose d the 
greatest challenges to its clients. For instance, with the ITC's support, Iraq had successfully hosted 
its first Trade Forum . Young entrepreneurs from the Dadaab refugee camp in Kenya had gained WT/COMTD/M/122  
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  access to new markets , and music from S aint Lucia was transported to new geographies. This directly 
aligned with the  WTO D irector -General 's view, expressed during her opening remarks at th e 
meeting, that trade should benefit people by improving living standards and creating jobs. The ITC's 
work was turning this vision into reality.  The Director -General also underscored the collaborative 
endeavours between the ITC and the WTO, with a distinct focus on inclusivity. For example, 
cooperative projects support ed the Cotton -4 countries in West Africa so that their small businesses 
could  become integrated into the global sports apparel value chain, which was a market valued at 
over USD 200 billion. The ITC was also actively assisting multiple WTO Observers in their accession 
processes, including Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. The WTO and the ITC ha d a shared commitment 
to jointly m obilize resources to empower women in the realm of digital trade.  
11. She said that t he Secretary -General of the United Nations Conference on Trade and 
Development ( UNCTAD ) had reiterated the Director -General 's comments regarding the importance 
of collaborati on in the face of escalating crises. The UNCTAD Secretary -General  also highlighted the 
ongoing partnership between UNCTAD and the ITC, particularly in crucial areas like promoting digital 
and green transitions. In this context, the ITC ha d provided support  for numerous e -trade readiness 
assessments and the development of e -commerce strategies and action plans. Another joint 
initiative was the United Nations Forum on Sustainability Standards  (UNFSS) , aimed at enhancing 
developing countries ' understanding on the subject and ensuring that standards le d to tangible 
opportunities for them.  Delegations shared perspectives on the pressing needs of countries grappling 
with fragility, uncertainty and the post -pandemic recovery. What came through, lo ud and clear, was 
the importance of finding ways to connect with new markets, especially through digital platforms. 
There was  a recognition of the ITC's role in facilitating the transfer of technology, providing market 
intelligence, and empowering small bu sinesses to access and thrive in online marketplaces. 
An example of this was the Global Trade Helpdesk, a collaborative initiative led by the WTO, UNCTAD 
and the ITC. The platform serve d as a one -stop shop for global trade information for entrepreneurs 
worldwide. The Global Trade Helpdesk was recognized at the G20 trade and investment 
Ministers ' meeting in Jaipur for its inclusivity and practicality . The  ITC was now leading the work 
under the G20's Jaipur Call to Action to upgrade the Helpdesk and make it e ven more accessible and 
effective. As illustrated by initiatives such as the Global Trade Helpdesk, the ITC's value lay in its 
collaboration with national and international partners to identify key stakeholders and needs in 
beneficiary countries, adhere to  global best practices, and address local challenges while navigating 
the intricacies of international markets.  Delegations also expressed appreciation for  the 
ITC's commitment to inclusivity and poverty reduction. The ITC's focus extend ed beyond merely 
finding new opportunities for small businesse s. The organization was  equally committed to ensuring 
that women, youth, refugees and vulnerable communities were driving the participation of m icro, 
small and medium -sized enterprises  (MSMEs ) in the global economy.  
12. The SheTrades Hubs were particularly commended for providing a unique platform that 
encompasse d training, tools and networking opportunities to boost the competitiveness of 
women -led businesses. As the ITC 's evaluation unit noted d uring the meeting , these hubs were a 
key factor in enhancing the ITC's efficiency and effectiveness. They d id so by establishing 
partnerships with local institutions and enabling outreach to a larger number of small businesses led 
and owned by women. This partnership -driven model, as a result, dr ove scalability to ensure 
maximum impact. During the meeting, appreciation was also expressed for the dedicated staff of 
the ITC, who pour ed their hard work and passion every day into projects that dr ove trade and 
development delivery and impact. This dedication extend ed to internal change management. 
The ITC's Moving Forward initiative, as highlighted by the Executive Director, represent ed a 
comprehensive roadmap to build a stronger ITC  to tackle prohibited conduct and foster a better 
workplace culture. This was vital to ensure that the ITC continue d to be an agile, responsive and 
fit-for-purpose channel to deliver the Sustainable Development Goals ( SDGs) through global trade. 
There was also a resounding commitment f rom the three spokes of the Geneva Trade Hub to 
strengthen collaboration. This was exemplified by the upcoming Trade House  at COP28 in 
the United  Arab Emirates , jointly hosted by the WTO, UNCTAD and  the ITC in partnership with the 
International Chamber of Commerce. The  organizations would leverage their respective strengths 
to bring the voices of trade and the private sector in developing countries into 
the United Nations  (UN) climate negotiations.  At COP28, the ITC would  bring five small businesses 
and fiv e business support organizations to highlight the vital role of MSMEs in fostering an equitable 
green transition. The IT C would  actively engage in high -level discussions on critical topics, such as 
the insights gained from efforts to establish deforestation -free global value chains, the need for 
climate finance tailored to the needs of small businesses, and the implications of var ious due WT/COMTD/M/122  
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  diligence regulations and measures. The organization was  dedicated to amplifying the voices of small 
businesses and loo ked forward to delegations'  engagement at these events.  
13. To summarize the discussion  at the JAG meeting , the JAG Chairperson  pointed to three main 
takeaways . First, there was a recognition that , despite the challenging trade and aid environment, 
the ITC continue d to deliver at the top of its game, delivering on its core mission of ensuring the 
competitiveness of small businesses wh ile adapting its offerings to address global challenges. 
Second, it was important for the ITC to scale up its successful approaches so that thousands more 
small businesses in developing countries could be  supported to grow and thrive sustainably. For this  
to happen,  there was a call for donors to keep financing the ITC's work at the intersection of trade 
and development. Third, it was clear that partnerships were vital for jointly addressing challenges, 
leveraging strengths and maximi zing impact. Whether in  Geneva or in cooperation with private 
sector partners, non-governmental organizations ( NGOs ) and foundations across the world, the ITC 
was committed to working with partners to meet the needs of small businesses.  She thanked 
delegations for their  confiden ce in the ITC and expressed hope to see the organization  continue 
bringing its characteristic practical, SDG -focused approach to tackle challenges faced by small 
businesses to ensure the building of  a connected, sustainable and inclusive global economy. In  this 
regard, she looked forward to the ITC's intervention at the Thirteenth WTO Ministerial Conference 
(MC13 ), where it was  partnering with the WTO on a major trade and gender event before the start 
of the Ministerial  Conference . She had also learned that  the ITC was mobilizing local and international 
partners to organize industry visits, knowledge sharing, and networking opportunities for women 
entrepreneurs . The ITC w ould also participate in the International Institute for Sustainable 
Development's Trade  and Sustainability Hub event happening on the margins of MC13 and was 
currently in discussions with the African Group  to strengthen Africa's voice within the WTO's Informal 
Working Group on MSMEs.  
14. The representative of Nigeria  delivered the following statement:  
15. My delegation  commend s the ITC for its efforts in ensuring that developing countries better 
use trade to drive  growth. The ITC has been working with Nigeria  to unlock the productive capacit ies 
of MSMEs . This could not have been done without the support of donors. For example , we thank 
the United Kingdom  for provided funding for the SheTrades project  in Nigeria, wh ich was 
implemented through the ITC. This project helps to connect our women entrepreneurs to the global 
market. On behalf of Africa, I would like to express appreciation for the African Trade Observatory. 
I was recently in Nigeria  with the ITC team  to lau nch the Inclusive Digital Entrepreneurship in the 
Agri-Food Sector (IDEAS) project. The project seeks to promote the development of e -commerce in 
Nigeria  – particularly for small businesses, by enhancing their technical and managerial capacities, 
strengthe ning market linkage s and creating a conducive environment for their growth. I would like 
to thank Japan for supporting t his project. Nigeria and other African countries need more help  and 
the importance of the ITC scal ing up its intervention s cannot be ove r-emphasized. I want to use this 
opportunity to call on donors to continue to partner with the ITC with a view to improving the 
effective participation of MSMEs in developing countries in international trade.  
16. The representative of Nepal , on behalf of t he LDC Group , delivered the following statement:  
17. The LDC Group thanks Ambassador Nadia Theodore for the report of the 57th JAG Session. 
The ITC's commitment to provide Aid for Trade to small business in LDCs, landlocked developing 
countries (LLDCs ), small island developing states (SIDS), Sub -Saharan African countries and 
conflict -affected countries has played an important role in the recovery phase after the 
COVID -19 pandemic. The organization  has been helping thousands of women -led businesse s in 
these countries to strengthen and internationalize their enterprises via the SheTrades initiative. 
According to the ITC 's Strategic Plan 2022 -2025, the organization  helped 27,000 MSMEs improve 
their competitiveness and 9,600 MSMEs transact internation al business. The ITC has been 
implementing projects in several LDCs. We are grateful for the support provided to our MSME s to 
diversify our economies, achiev e structural transformation and creat e jobs to fight poverty. Th ese 
actions are key to strengthenin g LDCs' productive capacities and export competitiveness in order to 
integrate LDCs in global value chains and help them promote their sustainable development. In 
conclusion, it is equally important to make the ITC's intervention s sustainable .  WT/COMTD/M/122  
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  18. The representative of the European Union  delivered the following statement:  
19. The European Union and its Member States were very interested at the JAG to hear beneficiary 
partner countries, as well as donors, speak out about their experiences with the ITC in 2022. For its 
part, the European Union presented four forward -looking projects within the large portfolio that the 
European Union and its Member States have built up with the ITC. These are related to the 
African  Continental Free Trade Area  (AfCFTA) , to climate, to gender, and to the competitiveness of 
African, Caribbean and Pacific countries. The European Union is very  pleased to partner with the ITC 
to promote sustainable and inclusive development.  
20. The representative of India delivered the following statement:  
21. I would like to thank Ambassador Theodore for briefing the Committee on the 
57th JAG Session . Some very impres sive work is being done by the ITC. I would like to in particular 
express my appreciation to the Ambassador for reflecting on the Jaipur dialogue which took place 
this year under India 's presidency of the G20, and where we embarked on an ambitious project with 
the ITC on an MSMEs portal. We are sure that the ITC w ill deliver a very good product that w ill help 
MSMEs across the world.  
22. The representative of Ecuador  delivered the following statement:  
23. Thank you for this report. Ecuador  has stepped up its activities with the ITC and  is currently 
working to implement projects on gender, the environment, the promotion of non -traditional exports 
and investment facilitation. Based on our national experience, we wish to acknowledge the 
ITC's efforts to include cross -cutting issues such as gender equality and environmental sustainability 
in all its projects, while using digital tools to advance  various stages of the projects virtually. I would 
like to express my delegation's appreciation to all  the ITC teams that have worked with Ecuador on 
these projects. We are aware of the impact that these projects and initiatives have, and Ecuador is 
grateful for the support of donor countries. We also call upon the entire international community to 
conside r increasing its support for these initiatives – which have an impact not only on producer 
countries, but also their trading partners around the world – in order to consolidate positive trade 
practices . 
24. The representative of  the United Kingdom  delivered th e following statement:  
25. Thanks to Ambassador Theodore for the update, and for taking on the role as JAG Chair.  
The ITC has continued to deliver impact and results despite the very challenging circumstances of 
the four Cs, as the Executive Director calls the m. That is one reason why the ITC is such a close and 
trusted partner of the United Kingdom. As my Ambassador said at the JAG, we particularly appreciate 
the ITC 's ability to get close to what works for business, and bring realism to our policy instruments . 
The United Kingdom Trade Partnerships (UKTP) Programme with the ITC, for instance, helps us to 
understand what businesses need in order to take full advantage of the United Kingdom's  new 
Developing Countries Trading Scheme. We were pleased to have more t han doubled our funding to  
the UKTP Programme  this year , which will help even more small and medium -sized e nterprises 
(SMEs) take  the first step to trade internationally and access new markets. We are also very proud 
of the United Kingdom -ITC partnership on trade and gender. Tackling gender inequality is a core 
part of the mission of the Government of the United Kingdom , and of our approach to trade and 
economic development. The United Kingdom was pleased to participate in the launch of 
Bangladesh 's SheTrades Hub in March this year, and we are proud of our continuous support to 
SheTrades Outlook .  
26. The representative of the United Sta tes delivered the following statement:  
27. Thank you  to Ambassador Theodore. The real -world trade capacity building provided by the 
ITC is important to help us understand how to make trade work for developing countries ' exporters 
by building inclusive and sust ainable program mes in line with post -pandemic recovery plans and 
national trade strateg ies. In fiscal year 2022, the United States Agency for International 
Development (USAID) obligated about USD 500,000 in earmarked funds to the ITC . The cumulative 
obliga tion amount has reached about USD 4.4 million since 2016. Specifically , USAID and the ITC 
are collaborating on some promising projects on developing small -business digital capabilities and 
improving e -commerce accessibility in developing countries through  the ecomConnect program me. WT/COMTD/M/122  
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  I would also like to mention climate change resilience and sustainable business practices for MSMEs 
through the  Green  to Compete program me, the Market  Access  Map that covers export readiness for 
firms through market analysis tools and service , and promot ing decent work in the context of 
informal cross -border trade in Central Asia  through the CRECER initiative . This is just a snapshot of 
the partnerships and collaborations . Although we are in the CTD's Regular Session  today , I would 
like to make the point  that a lot of thes e topics are coming up as thematic areas for the 
CTD's  Dedicated Session on Small Economies. There is therefore  a lot of cross -collaboration that we 
can draw from. Ultimately, our hope is that the ITC 's practical and reliable capacity -building 
program mes can build a record of Member -driven success stories to share in the CTD. We look 
forward to continuing to work with the ITC . 
28. The representative of Egypt  delivered the following statement:  
29. Allow me  to extend my delegation's  sincere appreciation to Ambassador Theodore for her 
tireless efforts in fostering collaboration and in driving impactful initiatives, as highlighted in the 
recent JAG discussion. Her dedication  to achieving inclusivity, sustainable de velopment and the 
improvement of small businesses is commendable. We would also like to commend the ITC for its 
pivotal role in connecting countries with new markets, especially through digital platforms. 
The collaborative projects supporting small busines ses in West Africa, the Global Trade Helpdesk, 
and the commitment to inclusivity and poverty reduction demonstrate the ITC 's commitment to 
making a positive impact on a global scale. The ITC 's partnership -driven model, exemplified by the 
success of the She Trades Hub, is particularly noteworthy. The focus on training, tools and networking 
opportunities for women -led businesses contributes significantly to enhancing efficiency and 
effectiveness, ensuring maximum impact. We also not e the valuable work to assis t and capacitate 
SMEs . Furthermore, Egypt acknowledges the ITC 's Moving Forward initiative, which represents a 
comprehensive roadmap for building a stronger, more responsive organization. This initiative, 
coupled with the dedication of the ITC 's staff, reflect s a commitment to delivering on th e SDGs  
through  global trade. As we look forward to future engagements, including the Trade House at COP28 
in the United Arab Emirates, we express our confidence in the ITC 's ability to amplify the voices of 
small businesses and foster an equitable green  transition. In conclusion, Egypt values the 
collaborative efforts led by Ambassador Theodore  and the ITC, recogniz ing the need for continued 
support and financing to scale up successful approaches. We look forw ard to ongoing partnerships 
and engagements to ensure a connected, sustainable and inclusive global economy.  
30. The representative of Fiji delivered the following statement:  
31. Thanks to  Ambassador Theodore for the assessment of this important mandate  and thank  also 
to the ITC Executive Director and the ITC team for the continued good work. I take note of the 
various areas in which the ITC has managed to deliver, most of which are relevant to small 
economies. The discussion at the  CTD's Dedicated Session on Smal l Economies yesterday  was very 
much in line with much of the work that  the ITC is doing on climate change, supply chain, 
digitalization, the environment and many more. We would like to encourage the ITC to continue to 
do such work, and to look into the var ious issues that small economies are facing . The I TC could 
play an important role  to help small economies, many of which are vulnerable  and face difficulties 
in doing business. There are in particular a couple of projects  by the ITC in the Pacific  on which we 
would like work to continue . My delegation also takes note of the continued good work in areas such 
as SMEs, economic empowerment , youth and migrant communities . It would be useful to hear of 
any challenges that the I TC is facing, and also to hear more success sto ries coming from the 
ITC's work. I would also like to thank the donors for their continued support now and in the future.  
32. The representative of Malaysia  delivered the following statement:  
33. I would like to than k Ambassador Theodore for the report. Malaysia recognizes the ITC and 
the European Union as important partners. We applaud the European Union's continued commitment 
through the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Regional Integration Support by the 
European Union (ARISE) Plus Malaysia trade -related technical assistance (TA) project  – particularly 
in the a reas of trade polic y formulation, quality infrastructure system s and sustainable agriculture 
practices. As a key partner in implementing the pro jects, we appreciate the ITC team for the 
cooperation rendered to the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry and other domestic 
stakeholders. In conclusion, we would once again like to record our appreciation to the ITC for the 
hard work and commitment . Malaysia has learned a lot from the experts, who have demonstrated a 
high level of professionalism in delivering this project.  WT/COMTD/M/122  
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  34. The representative of  the ITC expressed appreciation to delegations for their encouraging 
words regarding the work of the ITC. She believed that this was a clear indication of the usefulness 
of the ITC's work. She was pleased to note that the  donors continue d to consider the ITC a reliable 
partner. She also indicated that she had taken note of the request for scalability, the mention of 
cross-cutting themes and the call for the  ITC to bring its practical experiences and success stories 
to the WTO.   
35. The Committee took note  of the report of the 5 7th Session of the JAG and forwarded  it to the 
General Council for adoption.  
4  TECHNIC AL COOPERATION AND TRAINING  
(A) New functionalities in the Technical Assistance Management System – Presentation by 
the Institute for Training and Technical Cooperation  
36. The Chairman  said that , under this agenda item, a brief presentation would  be made by the 
Institute for Training and Technical Cooperation  (ITTC)  on new functionalities in the Technical 
Assistance Management System  (TAMS) . However, b efore giving the floor to the ITTC, he wished to  
take th e opportunity to mention two issues conce rning TA.  
37. He firstly referred to the communication that he had sent to all delegations on 9 October 2023. 
In this communication, he recalled that the CTD had adopted the Biennial Technical Assistance and 
Training Plan (TA Plan) 2024-2025 – contained in document WT/COMTD/W/273  – at the 
121st Regular Session held on 11 July 2023.  The budgetary aspects of the TA Plan were subsequently 
considered by the Committee on Budget, Finance and Administration (CBFA) at its meeting of 
21 September. As noted in his communication, he had been informed by the Chair of the CBFA that 
the CBFA had approved the budgetary aspects of the Plan, subject to the understanding that the 
term "donor" contained therein was to be read as referring to "contributor", an d the term "country" 
when used in the Plan was to be understood as referring to Member and/or Observer. The CBFA 
agreed to ask the CTD to instruct the Secretariat to issue a corrigendum to document 
WT/COMTD/W/273  to reflect these changes. In his commu nication, he had invited any delegation 
that wished to share any thoughts or observations with him on this matter to do so by 13 October. 
As no indications to the contrary were received, he had proceeded to instruct the Secretariat, on 
behalf of the CTD, t o issue a corrigendum to document WT/COMTD/W/273 . The corrigendum was 
circulated on 20 October in document WT/COMTD/W/273/Corr.1 .  
38. The second issue he wished to mention concern ed the WTO Chairs Programme  (WCP) . He 
recalled that, e arlier in the  year, the WCP had  announced a call for applications. This call follow ed 
from the announcement by the WTO Director -General that smaller groups of institutions would be 
admitted more frequently to the WCP. The transition to this so -called "rolli ng" Chairs Programme 
with more frequent admissions  was foreseen in the TA Plan 2024 -2025.  Following requests from a 
number of applicants experiencing difficulties in meeting the initial deadline set for 
11 December  2023, and in light of the comprehensive application process, he inform ed the 
Committee that the deadline ha d been extended to 31 January 2024. This was being changed on 
the WTO website and the WTO Chairs website and would  be communicated shortly in writing to the 
Members eligible for this call for applications. He then invited the ITTC to make its presentation.  
39. The representative of ITTC said that the ITTC had begun sending, in a single communication 
to beneficiaries, information about future activities, with li nks provided to the details of these 
activities and how to apply to participate in them. It was explained that, in the past, separate 
communications were sent over several weeks concerning the same activity, which sometimes 
caused confusion. The procedure was changed for this reason. A demonstration was also given of 
the TA dashboard in the TAMS. The Committee was informed that the TA dashboard now contained 
information on contributions made by individual Members over the past five years, including whether 
these were unearmarked or earmarked to specific programmes. The objective was to provide a more 
accurate and up -to-date picture of the resources available to finance TA activities.   
40. The representative of Nepal , on behalf of the LDC Group , delivered the fol lowing statement:  
41. The LDC Group thanks the ITTC for the presentation. We take note of the new functionalities 
in the TAMS. The Group appreciates the ITTC's innovation s in the  TAMS to better support WT/COMTD/M/122  
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  WTO Members, especially the smallest and the most vulnerab le ones. We are  grateful for the TA 
provided by the ITTC to Members in terms of capacity  building.  The TA can be instrumental to LDCs 
in order to help them comply with their WTO obligations. The Group urges the ITTC  to find creative 
solution s to keep providing national TA, based on the demand by Members in situation s of conflict 
or other fragile situations. In conclusion, the LDC Group reaffirms the importance of the ITTC 's TA 
to Members and is grateful for that supp ort.  
42. The representative of Nigeria  delivered the following statement:  
43. My delegation takes note of the functionalities of the portal that the ITTC representative just 
explained. I am taking the floor to thank the ITTC for its support to developing countrie s, especially 
Nigeria. This year, two national workshops  were held in Nigeria , one on agriculture and the other 
one on sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures and technical barriers to trade (TBT) . 
We appreciate the  ITTC's efforts to boost Members' capac ity, and we hope that it will be able to 
intensify its efforts to provide more support to developing countries. I also call on donors to work 
closely with the ITTC to ensure that training activities continue to be  delivered to boost the capacity 
of our off icials in terms of implementation of the WTO Agreements.  
44. The representative of Ecuador  delivered the following statement:  
45. My delegation takes note of the various updates  provided by the Secretariat. We would also 
like to thank the ITTC for all the support it has provided to Ecuador this year , which w as greatly 
appreciated by the participants. I would like to make a comment on the requests for TA that can be 
made through t he TAMS. It appears that editing a draft request is not straightforward. We suggest 
that this could be made easier .  
46. The representative of the United States  delivered the following statement:  
47. The United States thank s the ITTC for the very useful update.  I would like to join my colleagues 
from Nepal, Ecuador, Nigeria and others in thanking you for keeping us abreast of all these changes . 
The United States remains a good reader of your annual report.  
48. The representative of China  delivered the following statem ent: 
49. I would like to thank the ITTC for introducing the new version of the dashboard and for its 
work in streamlining the application. My delegation appreciates that the ITC provides regular updates 
on issues relating to TA and capacity building . We will go through the details of the webpage that 
has been  introduced today . I have two preliminary  questions . First, I would like to know whether  
the dashboard  is open to the public , or only to Members and Observers . Second , with regard to the 
funding of TA  capacity -building , I would like to know whether the chart s are updated from time to 
time. 
50. The representative of Fiji delivered the following statement:  
51. I would like to echo the sentiments of gratitude to the ITTC and thank the donors. My country 
has greatl y benefited from the various TA activities  organized by the ITTC , which have allowed us 
to keep abreast of what is going on in Geneva. I would like to express appreciation  for the very 
meaningful support that has been provided, including through the inclus ive and transparent 
approach  in the  nomination of participants , the recruitment process and the regular notification s 
provided to participants. I think my colleagues from the Pacific will agree with me. I look forward to 
continuing to collaborate with the ITTC, especially in the context of  its work in  the Pacific.  
52. The representative of  the European Union  delivered the following statement:  
53. The European Union would like to thank the WTO Secretariat for the presentation and the 
interesting improvements made. The European Union welcomes the constant efforts by the WTO as 
well as  the beneficiaries to enhance the efficiency , impact and management of the TA activities , 
which we consider very important . WT/COMTD/M/122  
- 10 - 
  54. The representative of the Republic of Korea  delivered the following statement:  
55. Korea thanks the ITTC for briefing the Membership on the new functionalities in the TAMS. 
TA and capacity -building  activities are essential to ensur e that all Members have access to the 
benefits of the multilateral tradi ng system (MTS). Submitting applications for such program mes as 
well as their delivery can be hampered by inefficient systems. We therefore appreciate that the ITTC 
is constantly trying to improve the system and updating the Membership on a regular basis. 
Korea  will be continuing its voluntary contributions in 2024 to the Global Trust Fund. We are a key 
donor to the WCP, which fosters understanding of the MTS among academics in developing countries 
who can best advise government policymakers on the ground. We look forward to working with the 
ITTC to maximize the impact of our collective efforts.  
56. The representative of  the ITTC said that he would first respond to the comment from Ecuador 
regarding the difficulties experienced in  editing draft requests for TA activities. He noted that the 
drafts were meant to be edited and that the ITTC would contact the delegation of Ecuador to see 
how the problem could be fixed and whether there was a defect in the system.  Turning to the 
questions from China, he said that some information on the TA dashboards w as publicly available . 
However, detailed information on each beneficiary 's participation  was only available to the 
beneficiary  concerned. With regard to whether the information was regularly updated, he said that 
there were some elements concerning activities and participants which were updated  in real time 
and on a daily basis. The predefined graphs and information on contributions received  were updated 
periodically , but not  on a daily basis . Information in this regard was available up to the end of 2022. 
Information for 2023 was currently available in the real -time part of the dashboard  and would be 
included in the other part of the dashboard in early 2024.  
57. The Committee took note  of the presentation by the ITTC , and of all interventions . 
5  DEVELOPMENTAL ASPECTS OF WTO REFORM  
58. The Chairman  said that  there were two sub -items under this agenda item. Under the first 
sub-item, he would make a statement on the developmental aspects of WTO reform. 
A communication from Indi a appear ed as a second sub -item. This communication, circulated in 
document JOB/COMTD/4 , was titled "A reflection on the discussions held in the development retreat 
(informal meeting on WTO reform focused on development ) in February 2023". After he made hi s 
statement, he would invite India to introduce its communication. The floor would then be opened for 
interventions by delegations.  
(A) Statement by the Chairman1 
59. The Chairman recalled that, at the last CTD meeting on 11 July 2023, he had  made a statement 
on the informal discussions that he had  held on the developmental aspects of WTO reform. 
The statement was circulated in JOB/COMTD/2 . His statement at the present meeting  serve d as a 
follow -up to his previous statement. In particular, he wished to highlight some developments that 
had taken place since July. The statement w ould be divided into two parts. In the first part, he would 
outline the status and progress made on some development -related work in the WTO. He would 
make reference to the Senior  Officials Meeting  (SOM)  which was held in Geneva on 23 and 
24 October 2023, and would  touch on the three specific areas that had mention ed in his previous 
statement in July , which were LDC graduation, special and differential treatment  (S&D) , and the 
Work Programme on Small Economies. In the second part of the statement, he would summarize a 
number of measures that ha d started to be implem ented to improve the functioning of the CTD. 
Members were aware that, in the context of reform, he had been working for the last few months to 
put these measures into place. After he complete d his statement, he would invite the Committee to 
take note of th e statement. In  doing so, the Committee w ould also be invited to take note of the 
measures that ha d been put in place to improve the functioning of the CTD.  He indicated that he 
would start with first issue, which concern ed the status and progress made on some 
development -related work. He began by making reference to the SOM, which was held on 23 and 
24 October 2023,  and where trade and development was prominently discussed. He recalled that he 
had served as the Facilitator of the three breakout sessions th at were held on trade and 
development.  He did not intend to go into any detail of the discussions that took place at the SOM,  
 
1 The statement by the Chairman was circulated to Members in document JOB/COMTD/7 . 
 WT/COMTD/M/122  
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  since these ha d already been reported on. He referred Members to documents WT/GC/259/Rev.1 
and TN/C/22/Rev.1 , which contain ed the summary by the Chairpersons and the oral reports by the 
Facilitators – including his own report. Nevertheless, he wished to note that the discussions 
confirmed the importance that Members attach ed to the development dimension of the WTO's work.   
60. He turned to first specific area that he wished to highlight, which concern ed LDC graduation. 
He said that, d uring the SOM, Members achieved an important milesto ne with the adoption of a 
Decision by the General Council on 23 October on the extension of unilateral duty -free and 
quota -free (DFQF) preferences in favour of countries graduated from the LDC category, contained 
in document WT/L/1172 . In addition, pursuant to the General Council decision in July, the 
Sub-Committee on LDCs in September started its examination of Annex 2 of the LDC graduation 
proposal, contained in document WT/GC/W/807/Rev.2 . Discussions were continuing on some 
17 S&D provisions ident ified in Annex 2. These discussions were taking place in clusters with factual 
presentations by the Secretariat. Based on these discussions, a report w ould be provided to the 
General Council by 30 November 2023. With regard  to S&D, which was the second issue he wished 
to highlight, he said that issues relating to S&D were extensively discussed during the SOM, including 
in the three breakout sessions on trade and development. Senior Officials addressed the question of 
effective S&D fo r the 21st century. The ongoing process taking place in the CTD in Special Session 
(CTD SS) was also welcomed. A formal CTD SS meeting would  be held on 23 November 2023. At 
this meeting, the Facilitator for the discussions on the G90 Agreement -specific pro posals (ASPs) on 
the SPS and TBT  Agreements w ould report on the work undertaken in the past few months, and 
Members w ould exchange views on the next steps regarding these two proposals. The G90 w ould 
also provide an update on the status of preparation of t extual submissions on the other eight ASPs. 
As he had said before, having an outcome on S&D at the Thirteenth WTO Ministerial Conference 
(MC13 ) would certainly strengthen the overall development package from the Ministerial Conference. 
He therefore encoura ged Members to continue to work on issues relating to S&D with this objective 
in mind.  
61. He next t urned to the Work Programme on Small Economies. He said that, a t the meeting of 
the CTD's Dedicated Session on Small Economies on 16 November 2023, Members dis cussed a draft 
proposal submitted by Guatemala on behalf of the Group of Small, Vulnerable Economies ( SVEs) for 
a Ministerial Decision at MC13 on the Work Programme on Small Economies. In his view, it was a 
good discussion, and there was a willingness expressed by Members to have a text submitted to 
Ministers for approval at MC13. The meeting was suspended, in order to allow Members more time 
to discuss the SVE Group's proposal. He would  also be facilitating informal discussions among 
Members with a view to concluding the consideration of the SVE Group proposal as soon as possible. 
Overall, it appear ed that some  good progress was being made on a number of development -related 
issues. Although h e had highlighted these three areas in particular, in order to provide continuity 
from his last statement, several other issues with a development dimension were raised by M embers 
in the informal meetings that he had  held, as well as at the SOM. He wished to conclude this part of 
his statement by noting that, at the SOM, delegations generally expressed willingness to continue 
discussing the developmental  aspects of WTO reform  in the CTD. He saw this as a positive 
endorsement of the discussions that were started in the CTD in 2023 . However, it would  also be 
important to have some concrete outcomes from these discussions. Submissions or proposals from 
Members would be welcome. I n this regard, he appreciate d the communication from 
the United  Kingdom that was reflected under this agenda item at the last meeting, as well as the 
communication from India that the Committee w ould turn to after his statement was concluded.  
If delegation s wish ed to explore the possibility of an outcome at MC13 on the developmental  aspects 
of WTO reform emanating from the work of the CTD, he would be happy to facilitate discussions 
among Members to see how to take any proposals forward. This conclude d the first part of his 
statement.  
62. He indicated that he would move on to the second part of his statement, which concern ed the 
measures that ha d been put in place to improve the functioning of the CTD.  He recalled that, o n 
2 October 2023, he had  sent a communication to Members proposing a number of measures to 
improve the functioning of the CTD. He had  invited any delegation wishing to share any t houghts 
with him on these proposed measures to do so by 6 October 2023. As there were no indications to 
the contrary received by this date, he had  worked with the Secretariat to put these measures into 
place for the four  CTD meetings held on 17 November 20 23: the 19th Dedicated Session on the 
Monitoring Mechanism on S&D; the 21st Dedicated Session on RTAs ; the 13th Dedicated Session on 
PTAs, and the 122nd Regular  Session. These  measures would  be implemented henceforth for all 
CTD meetings chaired by the CTD Chair which, in addition to the bodies he had  just mentioned, also WT/COMTD/M/122  
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  include d the CTD's Dedicated Session on Small  Economies and the CTD's Session on Aid for Trade.  
The measures c ould be summ arized in the following way. First, the airgrams ha d been reformulated 
in a number of ways. A simpler and more straightforward numbering system for agenda items ha d 
been adopted – similar to what was done in the General Council and some other WTO  bodies. 
The current practice of circulating an airgram with a preliminary agenda four  weeks before 
a CTD meeting w ould continue. However, initial airgrams w ould now include information on how 
delegations c ould request the addition of an item on the agenda, and the date by which items could  
be added before the closure of the agenda. A revised airgram w ould be circulated ten days before 
the meeting. Second, annotated draft agendas had been  prepared for the four CTD meetings held 
on 17 November . He said that he had ini tially envisaged initiating all the new measures beginning 
with these four CTD meetings. However, given that the CTD's 59th Session on Aid for Trade took 
place just a few days ago – on 14  November – and the CTD's 46th Dedicated Session on 
Small  Economies took place on 16 November, he had  worked with the Secretariat to prepared draft 
annotated agendas for these two  meetings as well. An annotated draft agenda would  henceforth be 
circulated a few days before each formal m eeting.  
63. Third, hyperlinking to the WTO's Documents Online ha d become a feature of all documents 
relating to the bodies chaired by the CTD Chair.  Fourth, a calendar of CTD meetings in 2024 ha d 
been prepared and was reflected on the agenda for the present  meeting. The item concerning the 
calendar of CTD  meetings replace d the "date  of the next meeting" item which previously appeared 
on the CTD's agenda. The calendar of meetings w ould be updated in the course of 2024 as necessary.  
Fifth, with regard to e -agend as, he believe d that the e -agenda ha d many useful functions that c ould 
be applied in the context of the CTD. The e -agenda w ould be introduced on a trial basis in the 
Regular Session of the CTD. As it had not been technically feasible to have the e -agenda r eady for 
present  meeting, it would  be introduced starting from the next meeting of the Regular Session in 
March 2024. If Members so wish ed, it could in due course be introduced in other bodies chaired by 
the CTD Chair as well. He went on to say that, i n addition to the measures that he had just outlined, 
he wished to inform Members that the CTD  webpage on the WTO website ha d been updated to 
include more information on the work of the Committee. Training material ha d also been added, 
which w ould be particularly useful for new delegates. He would be sharing the link to the updated 
CTD webpage in  his statement that w ould be circulated to Members after the present  meeting.2 
Other related webpages w ould also be updated as necessary.  He noted that the measures that he 
had outlined should be seen as one step in the process of improving the functioning of the CTD. He 
would be continuing to explore with Members other measures that could eventually be put in place, 
as well as other ways to allow the CTD t o improve its functioning.   
64. The Committee took note  of the Chairman's statement and in doing so also took note  of the 
measures that had been put in place to improve the functioning of the CTD . 
(B) A reflection on the discussions held in the development retreat ( informal meeting on 
WTO reform  focussed on development) in February 2023 – Communication from  India 
(JOB/COMTD/4 ) 
65. The representative of India delivered the following statement:  
66. I would like to thank the Chair  for outlining the measures that have been put in place to 
improve the functioning of the CTD. We had an excellent retreat in February this year. 
As Deputy Director -General (DDG) Xiangchen Zhang mentioned in his reflections at the plenary, it 
was a good restart to the discussions on development. The retreat witnessed free and frank 
discussions on the development dimension. Members ' expectations  from the WTO were clearly 
spelled out. The DDG's reflections captured them brilliantly. However, despite several requests to 
the Secretariat , these reflections were not circulated. Perhaps the  Secretariat had certain 
constraints, but these we re not made known. Under  the circumstances, India has tried to capture 
these reflections in document JOB/COMTD/4 , so that the good work  is not lost sight of . 
The Committee should take good note of this document . As a focal point on development  work, the 
CTD should coordinate to allow for focused discussion s on all these issues. I would like to invite 
attention to the last par agraph  of the submission, where action points are clearly reiterated . After 
the circulation of the submission, DDG Zhang 's reflection s in this area were incorporate d in 
paragraph  1.13 of document JOB/GC/357 , which was  prepared by the Secretariat for the SOM. For 
example, the DDG noted that he had heard the need to ensure that the CTD remained the focal 
 
2 The CTD webpage can be found at: https://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/devel_e/d3ctte_e.htm .  WT/COMTD/M/122  
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  point on development and that its work be revitalized including through thematic discussions and 
more meetings. Several delegations also pointed to the need to reinvigorate the work of the 
Working  Group on Trade and Transfer of Technology (WGTTT), the Working Group on Trade, Debt 
and Finance (WGTDF) and the Committee on Balance of Payments. Further more, th e retreat 
identified several issues that the CTD should be engaging in directly. Th e retreat had such an 
excellent discussion on the development dimension that Members  may not need to discu ss what 
needs to be done on development . They should instead be dis cussing how it is to be done , so as to 
effectively us e resources  to have meaningful discussions. As mentioned in our submission, Members 
are welcome to add  anything  to these reflections that we may not have captured. We would like to 
suggest that the CTD, in its role as focal point on development, take note of the issues identified for 
action  in the retreat  and document the work being done on these points in various WTO bodies. 
It has also been suggested that the CTD do a lot of work, including through  compiling all 
Ministerial  mandates on development, compiling a list of reverse S&D, undertaking a stocktaking 
exercise to see how the flexibilities in WTO Agreement s have contributed to development , and 
identif ying key performance indicators ( KPIs) for industriali zation and diversification. The retreat has 
given Members  a good starting point for doing further good work in this Committee.  
67. The representative of Nepal , on behalf of the LDC Group , delivered the following statement:  
68. The LDC Group supports the C hair's work, which is well done and highly appreciated.  We also 
thank the Secretariat.  On the functioning of the Committees, the LDC Group would like to simply 
record in the CTD the points which we raised in the General Council, which are of a systemic nature.  
We have certainly found the annotated agendas extremely useful . This was part of the practical 
steps the LDC Group advocated for in our submission of April 2022.  We recount our points made at 
the General Council this month, for reference i n the CTD. To complement the work done, we suggest 
that some improvements in the process of the reform could be considered. For example, future 
proposals requiring adoption , and of a crosscutting nature with impact on LDC participation, should 
be sent to t he General Council for discussion and decision. LDCs and small delegations are all at the 
General Council.  LDCs are in the best place to evaluate the impact of reform -by-doing proposals on 
their participation in the WTO. As an additional step, some recent adoptions might be considered by 
the General Council to apply on a trial or pilot basis , similar to what was done for the proposal on 
e-agenda.  The trial basis for e -agenda was reflected in the state -of-play report sent to the GC. We 
can test the impact of  some of the adoptions on LDCs and the LDC Group. We also feel that , while 
some steps may have been taken, more effort must be made to avoid overlapping meetings. There 
are a number of clashes in the last three months that posed serious challenges for LDCs . This  is 
preventing small delegations from an active and productive participation.  We appreciate the 
Chair's  initiative to adopt the e-agenda. We are  happy to note the decision taken on Annex 1 of the 
LDC Group 's proposal at the special meeting of the Gen eral Council ahead of the SOM. We thank all 
Members for this decision and hope for similar support on Annex 2 , which is under discussion in the 
Sub-Committee  on LDCs . The LDC Group supports discussion on the submission from India. Many 
elements align with LDC principles and positions.  The LDC Group also participated actively in the 
retreat . We reflected our views regarding reform on development issues  and found that the retreat 
allowed for important and frank discussions. The issues identified and discussed  are relevant for 
further action. India 's submission provides Members  a good basis to delve further into these issues 
in the CTD. We support that the CTD take up further work on the issues raised , and on WTO reform 
focused on development.  
69. The representative of Egypt  delivered the following statement:  
70. I would like to  start by thanking the Chair for the comprehensive report . I would also like to  
thank India for the presentation today and for the subm ission. Egypt commends the initiative to 
reignite discussions on the development dimension within the WTO, as reflected at the development 
retreat held in February 2023. We echo the sentiment that this represents a positive restart to 
Members'  collective e fforts towards a more inclusive and mutually beneficial MTS. In alignment with 
the discussions and reflections presented by India, my delegation  would like to offer the following 
practical and implementable suggestions to further enhance the development fo cus in the ongoing 
WTO reform process. First, there is a need to enhanc e the implementation of  S&D. This could be 
done by conducting regular assessments to identify challenges faced by developing and 
LDC Members in utilizing S&D  provisions and by provid ing targeted TA to address these challenges. 
There are  multiple ways to do this , but it must be done . The second point concerns  mainstreaming 
development in the WTO 's work by advocating for the establishment of a focal point within the 
relevant subsidiary bod ies – for example, the Committee on Agriculture, the Council for Trade in WT/COMTD/M/122  
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  Services  and the Council for Trade -Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights ( TRIPS ) – to 
systemically integrate development considerations into their respective areas of work.  Members  can 
base this on the ideas presented in document WT/COMTD/W/208 , which will be discussed under 
Agenda Item 10.B. Delegation should be encouraged to submit concrete proposals on how existing 
Agreements can be amended or adapted to better accommodate the development needs of all 
Members. Third, there sh ould be integrated approaches for vulnerable Members. Members  should 
develop th ese approaches through the establishment of a comprehensive framework within the CTD 
to address the specific challenges faced by different categories of Members including LDCs , SIDS 
and net food-importing developing countries  (NFIDCs) . Finally, the Secretariat should be encouraged 
to provide regular analysis reports that would assist Members in advancing their development 
priorities, particularly in relation to the SDGs. Egypt fi rmly believes that operationalizing these 
suggestions within the existing subsidiary bodies of the WTO can translate Members'  shared 
aspirations for development into tangible and meaningful outcomes.  
71. The representative of South Africa  delivered the followi ng statement:  
72. My delegation thanks the Chair for the comprehensive report , includ ing his reflections on the 
SOM last month. South Africa welcomes the various initiatives to improve the functioning  of the CTD 
which include, among others, the streamlining of the agenda  and the circulation of an annotated 
agenda  with hyperlinks. We also support the introduction of an e-agenda on a trial basis. In this 
regard, w e would like to  express our appreciation to all Members that made constructive suggestions 
in these areas, as well as the Secretariat  for the hard work in implementing the new measures . As 
a Committee responsible  for development, th e CTD can certainly lead by example in giving true 
meaning to a development -centred institutional reform to ensure that developing countries, 
particularly those with limited resources, are able to effectively participate  in the Committe e's work . 
I would  also like to thank India for its valuable contribution on what was an important activity in the 
WTO's calendar after the Twelfth WTO Ministerial Conference ( MC12 ). A dedicated retreat  that 
focused on the development dimension of WTO refor m was testament to the centrality of economic 
development for the very existence of the WTO. As consistently stated in various WTO forums and 
Committees  – including in the development retreat and the SOM – we completely align ourselves 
with the expectation s of the African Group for an MC13 outcome that prioriti zes issues of 
development , includ ing those  captured in the submission  by India . Some of these issues are part of 
the agenda for today 's meeting,  which the African Group will be presenting.  
73. The representative of Ecuador  delivered the following statement:   
74. I would like to begin by thanking the Chair for his detailed report on the progress made on 
the developmen tal aspects of WTO  reform . Ecuador supports the measures that have been put in 
place to improve the functioning of the CTD. My delegation has been following these conversations 
in other bodies as wel l. We believe that the improvements being made are of benefit  not only to 
delegates in Geneva, but also to capital -based officials . I would l ike to particularly highlight the 
benefit s of the annotated draft agendas  which were prepared for the various CTD meetings this 
week. Furthermore, Ecuador wishes to express its interest in the reflections and suggestions offered 
by India to reinvigorate th e CTD's work . We believe that the concrete actions proposed could lead 
to specific outcomes within the framework of the discussions on the developmental aspects of 
WTO reform.   
75. The representative of Brazil  delivered the following statement:  
76. I would like to commend the Chair  for organizing th ese discussions  and for facilitat ing 
Members ' participation. I also thank India for the communication  and would like to stress in particular 
the importance of the work of the WGTTT. In order to allow devel oping countries to achieve the 
SDGs, Members need to focus on financing, s timulating and creating an international framework for 
the transfer of technology. My delegation therefore  support s India's proposal in this regard .  
77. The representative of the Europe an Union  delivered the following statement:  
78. The European Union would like to thank the Chair for the improvements that are being 
introduced in the work of the CTD in its different configurations. My delegation support s such 
improvements, and we hope that t hey may give rise to further enhancements in the foreseeable 
future. We also thank India for its communication and engagement. The European Union would like WT/COMTD/M/122  
- 15 - 
  to further explore the positive link between trade and development on the basis of focused work. 
We would like to put on record our sincere appreciation for the submission by India, as well as the 
fact that there is not yet consensus on all of the items included in t he paper.  We think that the 
development retreat , as well as the  SOM and the  retreat on trade and industrial policy , contributed 
to a better understanding between Members. As we said at the development retreat, it  is well known 
that Members have differing appreciations of how trade supports development and that these 
differences c ut across developed and developing country Members. Having said this, the 
Indian  submission contains a significant number of pertinent points . We believe  that Members should 
focus on the whole paper, and not only on the suggestions in section (vi) . We woul d be interested 
in discussing these further.  This includes a few points of disagreement, and some questions. For 
instance, I am not sure how the  development  needs assessments fit in, or the KPIs mentioned in 
section (vi). At the development retreat, t he European Union noted that agreement could be reached 
on LDC  graduation; further deliberation s in the CTD in its different configurations on current 
development  challenges; and the need for a safe space for further  discussion notably on trade and 
industrial p olicy, which has a clear development dimension. Under  the banner of mainstreaming 
development, we also identified possibilities for this in each of the  WTO's three main functions. This 
is the start o f a journey that we are happy to embark on.  
79. The representative of Canada  delivered the following statement:  
80. I would like to thank the Chair for all the efforts that have been put in to improve the 
functioning of the CTD. Canada also thanks India for its very good proposal and its reflections on 
the February development retreat, including the thoughtful suggestions for steps forward. As 
mentioned on previous occasions, Canada thinks there are various ways in which development 
discussions could advance, including through the CTD. The statement I am mak ing here is also in 
response to Agenda Item 14 .B. As such, I am adding to the list of ideas for the process ahead, 
including ideas relating to  the CTD 's terms of reference  (TORs) . Some suggestions to advance 
development discussions include more analysis o f the existing flexibilities in current Agreements and 
why some developing countries are not using th ese flexibilities. For those using the flexibilities, it 
would be useful to know what worked well , and what didn 't work well . Discussions could also include  
more analysis and presentations from the ITTC and the Aid for Trade  Unit on what TA has worked 
particularly well, or not, for developing countries. Some of this information could more broadly help 
Members refer specific S&D  to the Monitoring Mechanism.  We think that, in addition to simply  listing 
activities, presentations from other organi zations working on trade and development could focus 
more strongly on recommendations, lessons learned and what worked and did not work. T here is 
also the important consideration of ensuring a reduction of duplication and that the right technical 
experts are having discussions on respective issues. We understand the intent of placing a proposal 
on the agenda of various Committees but, at som e point, it would be helpful to move those 
discussions to their respective technical bodies. Perhaps these could come back onto the 
CTD's agenda once there are important decisions taken or major new information is obtained. This 
would be a good way to addr ess some of the challenges faced by Members, especially those from 
smaller delegations or with several responsibilities, to effectively engage and benefit more fully from 
the regular work of the WTO. Similarly, we think that Members should work to ensure t hat 
longstanding agenda items are agreed on more expeditiously and  then removed from subsequent 
agendas. One other suggestion would be to use the outcomes of Trade Policy Reviews to better 
understand challenges and successes of developing country Members. Finally, we think that the 
discussions around development and trade could be improved by greater participation from 
non-government actors such as NGOs, think -tanks, academics and exporters.  
81. The representative of the Republic of Korea  delivered the followi ng statement:  
82. Korea thanks the Chair for the comprehensive overview of the many facets of WTO reform. 
We also thank India for its reflections. Given  the resource constraints, it is important to move our 
discussions forward in the most efficient manner poss ible, and the methods described today by the 
Chair will bring us closer to that. We hope that the Membership can also respond to the need for 
improved efficiency by reducing what may be parallel discussions on similar proposals and 
communications. An expla nation of how new proposals differ from or develop on previous iterations  
would be helpful and appreciated. We welcome the adoption of Annex 1 of the LDC graduation 
proposal and look forward to continu ed discussions on Annex 2 on the basis of  the limitatio ns that 
are identified in the current S&D provisions . Canada 's intervention was very helpful  in that regard . WT/COMTD/M/122  
- 16 - 
  83. The representative of the United States  delivered the following statement:  
84. My delegation thanks India for putting forward this document.  The United States took away 
two key messages from this year 's development retreat. First, Members  have a commitment to 
reinvigorate this Committee 's work by bringing, among other things, local stakeholder s and local 
voices to the table to ground our discussion s in real -world problems and solutions. The second key 
message is that Members should  use the CTD as a forum to create good governance outcomes for 
Members  implement ing WTO Agreements. In the vein of bringing trade back to the WTO, we should 
continue to us e the CTD as a venue to share constructive examples of how Members have solved 
trade challenges through a range of real -world practices . Examples include best practices in TBT  
notifications by LDCs , the US -funded ride -sharing app for tractors in Africa tha t was presented last 
July, and better understanding of what drives foreign investment decisions in emerging markets.  
85. The representative of China  delivered the following statement:  
86. The CTD is on the path of reform by doing, which is very encouraging and helpful. We 
appreciate India's paper  and its engagement. We agree that the retreat was not an end, and that 
the momentum on development work should be seized. China is open to discuss the contents of 
India's submission and future pathways. We would like to ask for clarification from India as to w hy 
the submission was circulated as a JOB document.  We also note that there is some overlap between 
this submission and another submission by Indi a contained in document WT/GC/W/865 . We would 
therefore like to know how India sees the relationship between the two papers  and what are the 
differences between them .  
87. The representative of the United Kingdom  delivered the following statement:  
88. The United K ingdom  fully supports practical measures to improve the functioning of 
WTO Committees . The Chair already referenced the paper that my delegation submitted at the 
July meeting, which drew heavily on the LDC  submission of April 2022. We are pleased to see that 
a number of those proposals are being implemented and hope that further improvements  can be 
made . My delegation thanks India for the comprehensive reflections o n the February retreat. When 
reading throu gh the document , I was pleased to note how much Members  have already acted on 
since February. I d o wonder what reverse S&D mean s, and I hope for some clarity on that  phrase . 
On the three specific issues  that the Chair mentioned , my delegation is  pleased wi th the progress 
we have made on the m, including the  agreement reached at the SOM on Annex 1 of the 
LDC graduation  proposal. I am not completely clear about the distinction between the developmental 
aspect s of WTO reform and potential development outcome s at MC13 . These three issues look to 
me like potential MC13 outcomes. Finally, it will be important for Members to not limit themselves 
to issues discussed in this Committee when think ing about MC13  outcomes.  
89. The representative of India delivered the following statement:  
90. I would like to thank Members  for their constructive and useful comments on 
India's  submission . My delegation would like to  reiterate that t he paper is a reflection of what 
Member s discussed at the retreat in February . The European Union asked how development 
assistance and KPI s fit in. These issues were  discussed at the retreat . China asked  for an explanation  
as to why the submission was circulated as a JOB document and also asked for clarification on the 
relationship b etween th is submission and document WT/GC/W/865 . Let me firstly e xplain that 
document WT/GC/W/865  is a communication that India circulated in  the General Council with  some 
suggestions. On the other hand, the communication circulated in document JOB/COMTD/4  reflects  
the discussion s that took place at  the development retreat . My delegation appre ciated the se 
discussions  and does not want  Members  to lose sight of  them. However, India also recognizes  that 
this is work in progress, and we have  therefore invited Members to add any points that we may have 
missed. This is why the submission has been circulated as a JOB document . In response to the 
comment by the United Kingdom  on reverse S&D, this was another issue that was discussed at the 
retreat . All these issues  can be discussed in more detail in future CTD meeting s. I hope that 
India's  submission  will help the Committee to undertake some good work on the development 
dimension . Let me also thank  the delegations  – including Canada , Egypt and the United States  – 
that shared  some constructive ideas today on how take this work forward .  
91. The Committee took note  of the communication from India , and of all interventions.  WT/COMTD/M/122  
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  6  HIGHLIGHTS OF ACTIVITIES ON BETTER INTEGRATION OF DEVELOPING COUNTRIES 
IN THE AGREEMENT ON THE APPLICATION OF SANITARY AND PHYTOSANITARY 
MEASURES AND THE AGREEMENT ON TECHNICAL BARRIERS TO TRADE – 
COMMUNICATION FROM THE UNITED STATES ( WT/COMTD/W/285 ) 
92. The Chairman  said that  the Committee would consider a communication from the 
United  States, which was circulated with the CTD document symbol WT/COMTD/W/285 . 
The communica tion was titled "Highlights of activities on better integration of developing countries 
in the Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures and the Agreement on 
Technical Barriers to Trade".  He invite d the United States to introduce the communication . 
93. The representative of the United States  delivered the following statement:  
94. The United States supports a learning culture where we can learn from and share knowledge 
and lessons with other Members and international organizations regarding  efforts to better integrate 
developing countries in the Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures 
(SPS Agreement) and the Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT Agreement ). The thematic 
work we have started in the CTD SS  is part of a broader dialogue on how to better operationalize 
the existing flexibilities in key WTO Agreements  – including the SPS  Agreement, the TBT Agreement, 
the TRIPS  Agreement , the TRIMs  Agreement and the ASCM  – which do not appear to be fully utilized, 
and work towards a collection of developing country -led best practices . In early November  2023,  in 
collaboration with the SPS and TBT Committees, we circulated a paper entitled "Highlights of 
activities on  better integration of developing countries in the Agreement on the Application on 
Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures and the  Agreement  on Technical Barriers to Trade ". The paper 
addresses a number  of points. It firstly addresses some of the challenges an d opportunities of using 
digital tools like the ePing SPS and TBT platform. Second, it addresses the collaborative role that a 
worldwide network of national SPS and TBT enquiry point office s play in facilitating comments on 
notifications and responses to Members on their inquiries. Third, it addresses the progress 
developing countries are making towards a building -block approach to implementation and operation 
of competent enquiry points that  are responsive to stakeholders, and where countries showcase 
progress in becoming TBT and SPS leaders in the activities and discussions of their Committees . The 
United States will continue to work with WTO Members to bring diverse and insightful perspecti ves 
to the WTO. We remain open to build on the work started in the CTD  SS thematic session earlier 
this month, and we invite everyone to take a look at our paper. We also look forward to engaging 
with Members on the ideas that build on our submission, and we hope to generate a productive 
discussion.  
95. The representative of Egypt delivered the following statement:  
96. I would like to express  appreciation to the United States for the insightful presentation on 
activities aimed at better integrating developing count ries in the SPS and TBT Agreements. 
The detailed number  of experiences, collaborative initiatives and best practices shared by 
the United  States during the thematic event at the CTD SS on 4 October 2023 has been invaluable 
in fostering a deeper understandi ng of the challenges and opportunities in this critical domain. 
The United States has offered a comprehensive overview of collaborative efforts and success stories 
related to TBT enquiry points, notifying and commenting procedures, and the utilization of t he 
ePing  platform. We appreciate the emphasis on experience sharing and the positive impact of tools 
like ePing in facilitating communication among Members, thereby enhancing transparency and 
cooperation. Considering the presented information, it is eviden t that developing country Members, 
including those in the G90, have made commendable strides in various aspects of the SPS and 
TBT Committees. The acknowledgment of their leadership in areas such as TBT notifications, 
development of comments, and participa tion in thematic discussions is a testament to the pro gress 
achieved. However , a lot remains  to be done. It is essential to recognize the existing challenges that 
developing countries face in fully implementing the SPS Agreement within the WTO framework. A s 
exporters, they encounter hurdles related to meeting international standards and complying with 
complex SPS measures. As importers, they grapple with issues relat ing to insufficient capacity and 
resources, which hinder their effective participation in standard -setting bodies.  In this regard, we 
would encourage the United States to consider supplementing this document by provid ing specific 
examples or initiatives aimed at capacity  building  for developing countries, particularly in the co ntext 
of technical regulations and standards. More insights into the challenges faced by developing 
countries in implementing SPS and TBT measures, along with proposed solutions or collaborative 
program mes, would contribute to a more comprehensive understa nding of the problems faced and WT/COMTD/M/122  
- 18 - 
  the means to deal with them. Members  could also benefit from the United States ' expertise in 
addressing the limitations faced by developing countries in actively participating and influencing 
decision -making processes within  international standardization bodies. We encourage further 
dialogue and collaboration on these critical issues to ensure that the benefits of the SPS and 
TBT Agreements are accessible to all, particularly developing countries. We look forward to continued  
engagement and appreciate the United States ' commitment to advancing these discussions for the 
collective benefit of WTO Members . 
97. The representative of Canada  delivered the following statement:  
98. My delegation would like to thank the United States for the c ommunication, which includes a 
summary of their presentation on TBT issues during the CTD SS thematic session  on 4 October 2023, 
as well as a  useful list of examples where developing countries have been taking the lead in the 
TBT Committee. In addition to hearing from other Members on their good news stories and best 
practices, it could be something that the TBT and  SPS Committees might want to take up on a more 
regular basis . 
99. The representative of the  European Union  delivered the following statement:  
100.  The E uropean Union shares the assessment by the United States that the thematic session on 
the application of the SPS and TBT Agreements held by the CTD SS on 4 October 2023 is a promising 
and productive way of sharing experiences and approaches regarding the i mplementation of these 
Agreements. Events like this not only help to better understand the challenges that developing and 
LDC Members face in implementing and reaping the benefits of the SPS and TBT Agreements . They  
are also an opportunity to share information about available tools, program mes and initiatives , as 
well as best practices. The event highlighted that the existing fl exibilities in these and other 
Agreements could be better used and operationalized. The European Union stands ready to build on 
this experience and work towards a collection of best practices that could focus on improving the 
implementation of the S&D provisions in the SPS and TBT Agreements , including with regard to 
digital tools and TA program mes as pragmatic and practical way s to better use existing flexibilities .  
101.  The representative of Nepal , on behalf of the LDC Group , delivered the following statement : 
102.  The LDC Group would like to thank the United States for th is important submission and the 
presentation. We welcome th e submission , as we understand SPS measures and TBT are important 
elements of international trade. We are currently reviewing the paper in capital s and will come back 
later with any questions we might have.  
103.  The representative of India delivered the following statement:  
104.  My delegation thank s the United States for the submission on better integration of 
developing  countries in the SPS and TBT Agreement s, which  is a reflection of the presentation made 
by the representative of the United States at the CTD SS thematic session on 4 October 2023. This 
thematic session was held in the context of deliberation s on the G90 ASPs.  We appreciate this effort 
by the United States. Digital tools like e Ping and worldwide network s are building block s that 
develop ing countries are using  to handle SPS and TBT challenges. However, th is should not in any 
way be taken to mean that developing countries do not face hardship s in compliance with the 
obligations in SPS and TBT Agreements and the challenges therein . This was  clearly brought out in 
several other presentations made in the thematic session, including by India. The flexibilities that 
have been asked for in the G90 proposal s are needed to make developing countries  SPS and TBT 
champion s over time . 
105.  The representativ e of Japan  delivered the following statement:  
106.  I would like to express appreciation for the submission by the United States . I recall that the 
expert from the United States made a very useful presentation at the thematic session held on 
4 October 2023 . Such  evidence -based discussion s are very useful for Member s. Unfortunately, 
Members could not exhaust  the discussion s on 4 October due to the time constraint . My delegation  
would like to continue this kind of exercise in due course . WT/COMTD/M/122  
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  107.  The representative of Brazil  delivered the following statement:  
108.  Brazil commends the United States for the commentaries. It is important to facilitate the 
utilization of digital tools like ePing  and to have greater  cooperation and transparency . My capital , 
including the Ministry of Agriculture, is currently considering the flexibilities being sought by the 
G90. It can take time for countries to export products to Brazil , especially those  that do no t have 
embassies or agricultural attachés in Brasilia. There are many forms and technical procedures to be 
completed. Technical cooperation  and mentoring programmes can  possibl y help the process . The 
Ministry of Agriculture is also considering implementing  a fast-track process with prioritized risk 
analysis for products from LDCs. If Members are interested, t his is something that could be 
discuss ed.  
109.  The representative of Norway delivered the following statement:  
110.  I would like  to thank the United States  for the useful contrib utions to the thematic session on 
4 October  2023, as well as for the submission on better integration of developing countries in the 
SPS and TBT Agreements. The United States is doing a lot of good work to help overcome developing 
countries ' challenges in these areas. Norway appreciates the United States' commitment in 
advancing these discussions for the benefit of all. Th e submission is a concrete step in th at direction .  
111.  The representative of Ecuador  delivered the following statement:  
112.  My delegation agrees with the United States that experience -sharing by Members is a 
pragmatic way to better understand the various approaches and methods that are used to fulfill 
obligations under the WTO Agreements . In this p articular case , we are considering the SPS and 
TBT Agreements. We wish to register our support for the holding of  thematic sessions to discuss  
WTO Agreements through the lens of practical case studies, which will serve as a useful reference 
for Members . 
113.  The representative of South Africa  delivered the following statement:  
114.  South Africa thanks the United States for the submission and for the refle ctions on outcomes 
of the thematic session that took place under the CTD SS facilitator -led process. We take note of 
the strides that some developing countries have made in meeting their obligations under  the SPS and 
TBT Agreements , as recorded in the subm ission. This should be applauded. However, we would like 
to point out that these aspects cover only a fraction of the challenges that developing countries and 
LDCs face in integrating into the MTS – particularly with regard to their access to  other markets , 
and especially developed country markets. South Africa looks forward to engaging  with 
the United  States and others  in the CTD SS on the core elements of the challenges that the G90 
seeks to address in the context of improving S&D to make it more precise,  effective, and 
operational.3 
115.  The representative of the  United States  delivered the following statement:  
116.  I would like to thank the Members that expressed support for the communication. I would also 
like to invite collaboration with any delegations that are interested in a follow -up communication 
that could address  additional challenges  and how to address them from the perspective of developing 
countries and LDCs, a s well as success stories . 
117.  The Committee took note  of the communication from the United States , and of all 
interventions.  
7  ENHANCING FOOD SECURITY THROUGH THE REFORM IN AGRICULTURE AND THE USE 
OF CURRENT FLEXIBILITIES – COMMUNICATION FROM BRAZIL ( JOB/COMTD/5 ) 
118.  The Chairman  said that  the Committee would consider a communication from Brazil, which 
was circulated with the CTD document symbol JOB/COMTD/5 . The communication was titled 
 
3 The representative of South Africa delivered this intervention as part of his statement under Agenda 
Item 7. It is reflected under Agenda Item 6 as he explained that he had intended to deliver the intervention 
under this agend a item.  WT/COMTD/M/122  
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  "Enhancing food security through the reform in agriculture and the use of current flexibilities ". 
He invite d Brazil to introduce the communication.   
119.  The representative of Brazil  delivered the following statement:  
120.  WTO Members recognize that trade with domestic production play s an essential role in 
improving global food security.  Brazil's  communication builds on a number of earlier 
communications , including  from the Cairns Group and from a group of  Latin American countr ies. The 
main drivers of trade in food and agricultural products have been the initial limits on agricultural 
subsidies and tariffs resulting from the WTO Agreement on Agriculture (AoA); bilateral and regional 
trade agreements; and rising incomes in develo ped and developing countries. This growth, however, 
has been slower since the 2008 financial crisis.  National and international agrifood systems need to 
be reinvigorated to combat food insecurity. In this context, the WTO needs to be a space for 
promoting sustainable development, including through free trade . This is because trade is often a 
source of income for farmers from developing countries. Improving the functioning of agricultural 
markets and trade and limiting the effects of distortions caused by mi sguided agricultural policies 
are essential for a better distribution of food around the world.  The UN's SDG target 2.b defines 
trade as a means of implementation of the zero -hunger target . Target  2.a mentions increased 
investment, while Target 2.c aims to ensure the proper functioning of commodity markets. For Brazil, 
building sustainable agrifood systems and promoting food and nutritional security also includes social 
protection initiatives and polici es, including direct cash transfer program mes. More directly related 
to agriculture, the National Food Acquisition Program me (PAA), which provides food produced by 
family farming to people in situations of food insecurity, and the National School Feeding P rogram me 
(PNAE), which offers healthy meals to more than 40  million children every day, also contribute to 
increasing access to healthy food and strengthening sustainable food systems.  
121.   Family farming plays a significant role in Brazil's food systems, repr esenting 77% of rural 
establishments. Besides being primarily responsible for the diversity of the country's food supply, 
family farming has played a crucial role in the production of organic and agroecological food, the 
generation of renewable energy and the development of a bioeconomy model that integrates 
traditional knowledge and promotes the productive inclusion of traditional peoples and communities. 
To support such achievements, it is essential to implement specific public policies that provide 
techn ical assistance, enable access to markets, financing and allow for added value for family 
farmers in all their diversity, including smallholders, indigenous peoples and traditional peoples and 
communities.  The development of these policies throughout the p ast decades were not hampered 
by the WTO rulebook. They are legitimate Green Box policies in line with provisions of the AoA.  
A negotiating agenda to reduce domestic support, tariffs and non -tariff barriers needs to be 
addressed so that sustainable and res ilient national and international agrifood systems can be 
gradually built up. International trade is essential for the success of a global food security action.  
The reform under Article 20 of the AoA is essential for any WTO response to global food insecur ity, 
since food security is inseparable from agricultural reform, especially in domestic support and in 
market access. Brazil reiterates its willingness to negotiate disciplines for public stockholding ( PSH) 
program mes for food security purposes as part of  a comprehensive package for all potentially 
distortive forms of domestic support. We call on all WTO Members to contribute to the negotiation 
and fulfilment of the mandate of the AoA . 
122.  The representative of Egypt  delivered the following statement:  
123.  I would like to thank Brazil for the presentation and the submission . It is imperative that 
Members  collectively address the critical issue of food security. My delegation commend s all efforts 
in this regard. However, we must ensure that our endeavours are not only comprehensive but are 
also just , considering  the unique challenge s faced by individual countries. The document presented 
by Brazil acknowledges the importance of internat ional trade in food but overlooks inequitable access 
issues. While advocating for free trade, it does not consider the limitations faced by NFIDCs  and 
LDCs with limited agricultural production capacities. It highlights the mutual support of domestic 
supply  and international trade but does not account for situations like emergencies where local food 
production and reserves are crucial, emphasiz ing the need for flexibility in addressing these issues. 
Trade and local production are both crucial in addressing f ood insecurity, especially in times of 
emergency. The WTO should be able to offer the necessary policy space, through its various 
provisions, for the most vulnerable countries to enable them to face their food security challenges. 
Article 20 of the AoA sho uld not be  synonym ous with elimination but should be synonym ous with 
reform. Reform implies levelling  the playing field before get ting to negotiations on domestic support WT/COMTD/M/122  
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  and market access. My delegation believe s that the document overlooks  the specific ch allenges faced 
by vulnerable low -income populations in accessing healthy diets. It oversimplifies the impact of 
reducing import tariffs on food security, neglects the importance of promoting local agriculture, and 
does not address global trade disparities.  The proposed reforms may disproportionately impact 
NFIDCs, LDCs and other countries with limited foreign currency reserves, potentially hindering their 
ability to reduce dependence on food imports. The document 's exclusive focus on long -term solutions 
may not address the immediate and urgent food security challenges faced by many developing 
countries, including NFIDCs and LDCs. Acute food insecurity is an ongoing, chronic issue, often 
interconnected with other crises . It requires immediate responses to sav e lives, prevent unrest and 
promote stability. Short -term actions, like food aid and relief, can be integrated into long -term 
solutions for sustainable development. However,  Members still have to find the possible flexibilities 
that would allow countries  to address their short-term challenges. To improve food security, the 
WTO may consider adopting more flexible trade rules for NFIDCs and LDCs  to address their unique 
challenges , while also addressing technology transfer, domestic support and food security  systems, 
including with respect to capacity building and TA. My delegation is  ready to engage further with 
Brazil and other countries  on food security . This is one of the most important challenges that 
Members  face today . We need to address  this challenge  together . 
124.  The representative of Ecuador  delivered the following statement:  
125.  In line with the "Food security through agricultural reform" proposal contained in document 
WT/GC/W/893 , which was co-sponsored by Ecuador, my delegation wishes to register its sup port 
for the communication submitted by Brazil. My delegation  also wishes to endorse the joint proposal 
by several Latin American countries to eliminate any distortive spending such as subsidies, while 
increasing the non-distortive spending which is permit ted under the AoA and determined by the 
SDGs . Furthermore, it is important to continue the process of reform under Article 20 of the AoA to 
reduce domestic support, tariffs and non -tariff barriers so that sustainable and resilient national and 
internationa l agrifood systems can be gradually built up, given that agricultural reform is crucial to 
help ensure global food security . 
126.  The representative of Australia  delivered the following statement:  
127.  We thank Brazil for its submission, which highlights how effective the AoA in its current form 
can be in ensuring food security and delivering development outcomes. The points raised by Brazil 
are consistent with what Australia has advocated for many years . They reaffirm the positive 
contribution to food security that all Members, developed and developing, can achieve without 
relying heavily on subsidies or other production and trade distorting policies. We agree with Brazil 
that a permanent outcome on PSH needs to be part of a comprehensive and holistic agricultural 
reform package. We of course agree that countries may pursue PSH program mes in order to meet 
their own food security objectives . However, we cannot ignore the negative effects that these 
program mes, when managed at higher than market prices, can have on global agricultural markets, 
thereby disadvantaging producers in third markets.  
128.  The representative of Nepal , on behalf of the LDC Group , delivered the following statement:  
129.  The LDC Group welcomes t he submission from Brazil. The Group is very concerned about 
food security. We have two submissions in the agricultural bodies, contained in documents 
JOB/AG/227  and JOB/AG/251 . We will study Brazil 's paper further and look forward to discussing 
constructively.  
130.  The representative of Canada  delivered the following statement:  
131.  Canada thanks Brazil for its communication arguing for a negotiating agenda to reduce 
domestic support, tariffs and non -tariff barriers. This is a very helpful submission that clearly outline s 
how and why trade is supportive of food security. It also makes clear the types of domestic support 
and government policies that are likely to have the greatest impact on domestic productivity and 
domestic food security  – namely , support for research and innovation , and social welfare 
program mes and schemes. Canada fully agrees with the importance of not moving backwards from 
current WTO commitments and with delivering reform as envisaged under Article 20 of the AoA. 
Canada fully understands t he importance of domestic production for food security. We have not and 
will not contend that trade is a silver bullet that can solve the world 's food security challenge. But WT/COMTD/M/122  
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  we are just as clear in knowing that trade is an integral part of the food securi ty solution. All credible 
evidence, some of it outlined in th e paper from Brazil, makes clear that this is the case. On a final 
note, we would encourage the proponents to ensure that any continued or more detailed discussions 
also happen in the appropriate  Committees or bodies where the requisite expertise is found.  
132.  The representative of  the United Kingdom  delivered the following statement:  
133.  The United Kingdom would like to thank Brazil for this communication. We recogni ze the 
importance of international tra de and agricultural reform to global food security. This paper provides 
a good history of agriculture and trade and reminds us what previous reforms have delivered, as 
well as what commitments were made for the SDGs. It also reminds us all of the case for repurposing 
agricultural support away from distortive spending and towards non -distortive improvements in 
productivity and sustainability. We note that worries about the reliability of agri -trade are a noted 
concern across the Membership, which is why the United Kingdom has recently tabled a proposal on 
tackling export restrictions in agri -food products ahead of MC13, as one way to improve the 
functioning of agricultural markets and trade. There is more to do across the agriculture negotiating 
agenda to con tribute to building sustainable and resilient agrifood systems.  We are committed to 
working with Brazil and all Members on this agenda at the WTO.  
134.  The representative of the European Union  delivered the following statement:  
135.  The European Union thanks Brazil for this communication, which shows that food security is 
multifaceted and multidimensional. This submission is also on the table of the Committee on 
Agriculture in Special Session, and I would like to refer to the European Union 's preliminary 
comments mad e there. In short, the European Union fully shares the view that it is high time that 
the WTO provides a response to the current food insecurity context  – while at the same time ensuring 
a way to advanc e on the agricultural reform agenda, which would also make  an important 
contribution to improving food security in the long term. We concur with Brazil that we need to 
address food security in a holistic manner. This implies appropriate cooperation with other 
international organizations, use of research and t echnological innovation and full use of existing 
tools. Still, food security is also about the need to keep working on reducing and reforming trade 
distorting support. This is urgent. The European Union's experience shows that the Green Box is the 
better p olicy option  – with better budget efficiency, less trade distortion and better environmental 
outcomes. To echo Canada 's point, we would like to understand how this Committee can add value 
to the ongoing discussions in more speciali zed bodies . However, we do wish to thank Brazil for giving 
this Committee an insight into th ose discussions.  
136.  The representative of the United States  delivered the following statement:  
137.  The United States would like to thank Brazil for this submission, which echoes many of the 
same points as our submission contained in document JOB/AG/241  on how the WTO can enhance 
food security . We agree that , over time, remark able achievements in agricultural productivity growth  
have been witnessed , showing that agri -food systems are not broken . Rather, they must be further 
developed.  The WTO and the AoA have contributed to this success, thereby enhancing global food 
security . Without these rules, global food security and agri -food systems would have been much 
worse.  We share the sentiment that continued agricultural reform, including for both domestic 
support and market access, is needed to improve global food security.  We agre e that there is a 
relationship between domestic supply and international trade of food and agricultural products that 
should not be considered as adversarial, but rather as complementary. We also agree that there is 
a need to look at these issues in a holi stic manner, without limiting our discussions to only one type 
of policy or another. Finally, we agree strongly with Brazil that we must avoid a rolling back of the 
rules.  We are continuing to study Brazil 's submission closely, and we look forward to consi dering 
how the United States and Brazil can work together to reinvigorate agri -food systems in ways that 
will create a more sustainable and resilient approach to enhancing food security.  
138.  The representative of China  delivered the following statement:  
139.  I would like to thank Brazil for presenting the paper. China appreciates the proposal 's concern 
about the food security of developing Members, which is a rising and pr essing  challenge today. 
However, one of the lessons we learned from the MC12 negotiation s is that a substantive food 
security outcome package with practicable ambition, though still difficult, could be the most realistic WT/COMTD/M/122  
- 23 - 
  path for Members to explore, taking into account the multiple realities we are facing. My delegation  
hopes that  Members star t this work without any delay. China has always supported the improvement 
of the food security of developing Members under the reform of Article 20 of the A oA by correcting 
the unfair and asymmetric rule s for developing Members. It is also the key reason w e ask to eliminate 
the Aggregate Measurement of Support (AMS) beyond de minimis to level the playing field in the 
domestic support negotiation s. Compared to nearly 30 years ago, fundamental changes have taken 
place in the international market. As food secu rity and climate change have emerged as the key 
concerns of Members, China is of the view that technical analysis and discussion s should be 
conducted among Members on how to define real distort ions in the current climate, and how to 
objectively reform the agricultural sector for better food security and better environment without 
negatively impacting global growth, agricultural production and other Members ' food security. Only 
by reaching consensus first on these fundamental concepts in agriculture will Mem bers be able  find 
a way forward.  
140.  The representative of Indonesia  delivered the following statement:  
141.  Indonesia welcomes this agenda item and the paper provided by Brazil. We concur that food 
security is a critical issue, and we are committed to working with other Members to find solutions 
that will help to ensure that all people have access to safe, nutri tious and affordable food. We agree 
with the assessment that PSH for food security purposes can be an important tool for developing 
countries. We are ready to negotiate further with other Members in the more appropriate Committee 
to find a permanent soluti on on PSH for food security purposes as mandated in Bali and Nairobi. 
We believe that the joint proposal JOB/AG/229 , which has been backed by three major groupings  – 
the African, Caribbean and Pacific  (ACP)  Group , the African Group and the G33, comprising 
80 WTO Members  from developing countries and LDCs  – provides a solid basis for these negotiations. 
We urge other Members to engage seriously in these negotiations and show flexibility and a 
willingness to compromise. We believe that it is possib le to find a solution that will meet the needs 
of all Members.  
142.  The representative of India delivered the following statement:  
143.  I would like to thank Brazil for this submission. My delegation echoes the comments by 
Indonesia and also share s the view s expre ssed by Egypt. The food security of communities, societies 
and nations  – in particular the most vulnerable of these  – has never been more critical than today , 
owing to development s in the last few years. It is ironic that , in these times of crises – when, in 
every meeting room in the WTO and other international organizations, discussions are being widely 
held on food security and the issues surrounding it  – achieving  a permanent solution to PSH for food 
security purposes remains elusive . This is despite the  Ministerial mandate on this matter . PSH is a 
concrete solution to address the food security challenge. It is about the three A 's of availability, 
affordability and accessibility for the masses. It is a resilient and substantial way towards food 
security f or most in the world. Whenever we speak of food security, we need to be fully conscious 
of the fact that Members have different food security challenges and different policy needs and policy 
space requirements.  In a seminar held in June of this year  in these premises, the Food and 
Agriculture Organization (FAO) talked about how the PSH programmes of developing countries – 
which cover more than 50% of the global population – have been effective in stabilizing prices a cross 
the globe.  The majority of the globe is looking for a favourable permanent solution to PSH, as 
Indonesia mentioned by way of document JOB/AG/229 . A decision is long overdue on this. Therefore, 
we are of the firm view that any approaches or solutions nee d to acknowledge and consider the 
centrality of a permanent solution to PSH for addressing food insecurity.  
144.  The representative of South Africa  delivered the following statement:  
145.  My delegation would like to thank Brazil  for the submission. We note that the paper covers a 
number of areas and policies through which global food security may be enhanced. Food security is 
indeed  a multidimensional and multifaceted topic and can be pursued via various means. We 
welcome the recognition in the submission that domest ic production, like trade, is fundamentally 
important to addressing food security. Recent experiences with global supply chain disturbances 
have indeed shown the risks of an over -reliance on imports, including the risk of high levels of 
concentration in pr oduction and supply. To the extent that the submission refers to the longstanding 
reform in agriculture as an important element towards ensuring food security for all, South Africa 
broadly agrees. This is particularly the case as regards the reform of the unfair and imbalanced 
domestic support architecture in the A oA. We must also add to this other equally relevant negotiating WT/COMTD/M/122  
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  mandates, such as on PSH and the Special Safeguard Mechanism (SSM) . In this regard, the 
submission by the African Group and Pakistan  on domestic support , contained in document 
JOB/AG/242/Rev.1 , is the co -sponsors' comprehensive articulation of the modalities towards such 
reforms. South Africa, as part of the African Group, remains convinced that the joint proposal of the 
ACP Group, the Africa n Group  and the G33 in document JOB/AG/229  provides a very good basis for 
engagement towards a permanent solution on PSH. In this sense, we associate ourselves with the 
statement delivered by Indonesia. We also agree with Egypt regarding the  importance of policy 
space for developing countries and LDCs, including NFIDCs, to access the necessary policy tools to 
enhance their domestic production in the interests of food security and securing the livelihoods of 
their farmers  – especially small -scale, low -income and resource -poor farmers. Like Brazil, 
South  Africa  is also concerned with the increasing barriers to exports due to SPS and TBT measures 
without sufficient basis in science. This not only affects food security, but also the livelihoods of  
farmers  – especially in developing countries and LDCs. We look forward to engaging on the paper 
by Brazil in the Committee on Agriculture in Special Session, as well as in other appropriate bodies 
such as the SPS and TBT Committees, and the Committee on T rade and Environment  (CTE).  
146.  The representative of Brazil  delivered the following statement:  
147.  I would like to thank all the delegations that made comments  and expressed support . I took 
note of Egypt's points regarding emergency situations,  short-term challen ges and  the position of net 
importer countries. Brazil contribute s a lot to food security in North Africa, including through  our 
growing  bilateral trade relations. The comments are therefore very important to us  and our 
specialists in agriculture are ready to engage with you. I similarly took note of the comments by 
Indonesia and India. PSH is indeed one of the key elements of a comprehensive reform package.  
You are right that Members have different realities  and different policies. Brazil 's agriculture 
specialists are ready to engage with a view to achieving a comprehensive reform in agriculture and 
food security  at MC13.  
148.  The Committee took note  of the communication from Brazil , and of all interventions . 
8  POLICY S PACE FOR INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT - A CASE FOR REBALANCING TRADE 
RULES TO PROMOTE INDUSTRIALISATION AND TO ADDRESS EMERGING CHALLENGES 
SUCH AS CLIMATE CHANGE, CONCENTRATION OF PRODUCTION AND DIGITAL 
INDUSTRIALISATION – COMMUNICATION FROM THE AFRICAN GROUP 
(WT/COMTD/W/270 ) 
(A) A case for rebalancing the Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures (ASCM) 
– Policy space to promote industrialisation in Developing Countries – Communication 
from the African Group ( WT/COMTD/W/274 ) 
(B) The role of transfer of technology in resilience building: reinvigorating the discussions 
in the WTO on trade and transfer of technology – Communications from the 
African  Group (WT/COMTD/W/277 , WT/COMTD/W/278 , WT/COMTD/W/ 279, 
WT/COMTD/W/280 , WT/COMTD/W/281 , WT/COMTD/W/282 ) 
(C) A case  for rebalancing the Agreement on Trade-related Investment Measures ( TRIMs) 
– Policy space to promote industrialisation and structural tran sformation in developing 
countries ( WT/COMTD/W/284 ) 
149.  The Chairman  said that  this agenda item  concern ed several communications from the 
African  Group. He recalled that, at the 120th Session on 5  April 2023, the Committee had considered 
the communication from the African Group titled "Policy  space for industrial development – A case 
for rebalancing trade rules to promote industrialisation and to address emerging challenges such as 
climate change, concentration of production and digital industrialisation". The communication, which 
was contained in document WT/COMT D/W/270 , had remained as an item on the agenda of the 
121st Session on 11 July  2023.  A sub -item under this agenda item reflected the communication titled 
"A case for rebalancing the Agreement on Subsidies and Countervail ing Measures – policy space to 
promote industrialisation in developing countries", which was circulated in document 
WT/COMTD/W/274 . The same agenda item and sub -item were once again reflected on the agenda 
of the present  meeting. Two additional sub -items were also reflected under  this agenda item. One 
of these sub -items was titled "The role of transfer of technology in resilience building: reinvigorating WT/COMTD/M/122  
- 25 - 
  the discussions in the WTO on trade and transfer of technology". The documents referenced under 
this sub -item carr ied the CTD document symbols WT/COMTD/W/277 , WT/COMTD/ W/278 , 
WT/COMTD/ W/279 , WT/COMTD/W /280, WT/COMTD/ W/281  and WT/COMTD/ W/282 . The second 
new sub -item was titled "A case for rebalancing the Agreement on Trade -Related Investment 
Measur es – Policy space to promote industrialisation and structural transformation in developing 
countries". The CTD document reference was WT/COMTD/W/284 . He invited representatives of the 
African Group to present the  listed communications.  
150.  The representative of South Africa , on behalf of the African Group,  delivered the following 
statement:  
151.  The submissions will be presen ted in turn by different speakers , in line with the way they are 
listed  under this  agenda item. I will be presenting the Africa n Group submission contained in 
document WT/COMTD/W/274 , titled "A Case for Rebalancing the Agreement on Subsidies and 
Count ervailing Measures  - Policies Based to Promote Industrialization in Developing Countries ". This 
submission is an important element of the development package sought by the Africa n Group.  
Africa  remains locked in production patterns dominated by extractive sectors, with exports 
concentrated in a few resource -based and light manufacturing sectors, and with limited 
representation in advanced manufacturing and services.  These trade patterns pose balance of 
payments  risks. Furthermore, t he over -concentration of production and supply among a few 
countries  poses systemic risks to the economic resilience of many developing economies and hinders 
shared prosperity.  Africa has substantial potential to develop various industries by leveraging its 
natural and comparative  advantages. However, th is potential is hindered by unfair and imbalanced 
trade rules that permit developed countries to offer excessive subsidies that sustain their 
comparative advantages.  Today, industrialization and the need to pursue policy space has come to 
the mainstream. We are witnessing seismic shifts that require a response from the WTO. Polic y tools 
that advanced economies once used for industrialization are now prohibited by current rules, despite 
their proven effectiveness in promoting adv anced manufacturing, economic diversification and 
integration into global value chains. At the same time, there has been and continues to be extensive 
use of subsidies by some Member s. We are increasingly seeing the use of unilateral tools by 
developed cou ntries in their quest to address their vulnerabilities arising from the pol ycrisis. The 
current forms of constraints on policy space have become unworkable for developing countries , as 
they limit developing countries'  ability to be resilient or adaptable t o change. Industrialization options 
are quite limited, and the current policy space is not fit for its original purpose. Developing countries 
struggle to pursue the same development pathways that developed countries took, and there is little 
empirical evid ence of successfully developing economically in other ways. Africa faces a myriad of 
unforeseen circumstances and challenges in an increasingly complex world . There is therefore a  
need for more policy space that enables and facilitates development goals an d allows developing 
countries to develop, identify and pursue the most appropriate mix of economic and social policies 
to achieve the equitable and sustainable developmen t best suited to their context.  
152.  In current times, it  is becoming increasingly crucial to have the choice to pick the right 
development pathway . This process entails suitable consideration of how countries wish to approach 
development more fundamentally.  Policy space needs to be clearly conceptualized as a tool that 
offers countries the abil ity to be resilient or adaptable to change. What the Africa n Group seeks is 
that the same policy tools that have been used by others in their industrialization journey should be 
availed to developing countries. In our view, there is a need to level the pla ying field and to provide 
policy space and certainty to developing countries to implement their legitimate policy measures.  
There is also a need for the development of a multilateral framework that enables developing 
countries the policy space to industria lize in a manner that maintains the requisite balance to enable 
Member s to respond to the current challenges of global commerce . Members should also be able to 
industrialize to address high levels of concentration on key essential products that pose a risk  to 
resilience building for future crises while promoting international trade. The WTO, therefore, needs 
to discuss and evaluate policy space differently and assess how it fits into evolving circumstances. 
Linked to that is assessing whether the policy spa ce is sufficient in today 's world for developing 
countries that are still in the catch -up process . The assessment should also be made of whether 
these countries have sufficient policy space to decide how to advance onto increasingly complex, 
value -adding m anufacturing and industrializing pathways should they wish to advance economically 
in a manner which reflects how the developed countries advanced . In the specific context of the 
ASCM , the aim is to provide a non -exhaustive list of issues that can be consi dered by Member s to 
rebalance trade rules, to enable industrialization within the framework of the ASCM  and to enable 
sustainable economic transformation in developing countries, particular ly in Africa. This is important WT/COMTD/M/122  
- 26 - 
  in light of the relevance of subsid y disciplines to emerging policy orientations increasingly adopted 
by many governments.  The role of subsidies in spurring investment remains an important policy 
lever for developing countries, including LDCs, that must be enhanced through appropriate 
flexibilities.  Further more, in the context of the  urgency and necessity for all countries to play their 
part in meeting global climate change mitigation targets, policy tools and flexibilities within the scope 
of the ASCM need to be unlocked for developing coun tries to become meaningful players in green 
industries and to promote green industrialization.  
153.  To this extent, the following is therefore proposed in the paper.  First, a revisiting of the policy 
space articles that have since expired during implementation of the ASCM post -Uruguay Round  – 
including a revision of certain thresholds, such as definitions of actionable subsidies in the context 
of addressing contemporary cha llenges like climate change and the need for sustainable 
industrialization.  Second, Article 27  – S&D flexibilities with transitional periods  – has since expired, 
and the tools to address the compounding global challenges today are not equally available to all. 
There is therefore a need to level the playing field.  The third point concerns Article 8 of the ASCM, 
which used to allow for non -actionable subsidies or green light subsidies . The expiry of these 
permissible subsidies towards research and development , regional development and environmental 
protection, wiped out the policy space for Member s to address technological, poverty and 
environmental challenges . This also stifled the ambition to industrialize, whilst also placing existing 
exports at risk of non -compliance with increasingly stringent sustainability standards.  It is therefore 
necessary to reinstate Article 8 of the ASCM to enable developing countries to grant subsidies to 
achieve legitimate policy objectives. Finally, the thresholds in the expired  carve -outs are too 
conservative for current challenges . Therefore , both Article s 27 and 8 require adapting and updating 
to be fit for purpose.  We look forward to active and focused engagement on this paper to address 
the constraints identified, which limi t the policy space to drive industrialization, economic 
diversification and structural transformation. The Africa n Group trusts that this Committee  and other 
relevant bodies will earnestly consider the issues and concrete proposals we have tabled for 
recalibration of the ASCM with a view to registering clear outcomes at MC13.  
154.  The representative of Japan  delivered the following statement:  
155.  In proceeding with this agenda item, I would like to suggest  that we take into account the 
limited time we have left to c onclude our meeting today . The policy space discussion is important  
and has been deliberated in each relevant Committee . Earlier this week, I participated in a discussion  
on policy space relat ing to the environment . The Committee on Subsidies and Countervailing 
Measures (SCM) discussed this paper as well . Relevant issues were also discussed in the WGTTT  and 
the TRIMs Committee . It is important and necessary to address the negative impact of state 
intervention and discuss the consistency of each measure with the current trade rules and the 
existing gaps. Discussion s on policy space and  discussions on strengthening the right s and 
obligation s in the current provisions should proceed in a balanced manner, and we understand tha t 
the appropriate forum for such kind of discussion s has not yet been determined. Of course, 
everybody has the right to discuss. I will follow the Chair's guidance  regarding  my suggestio n.  
156.  The Chairman said that it was the prerogative of Members to  engage in  discussion s. However, 
due to the lengthy agenda  of the meeting , he noted that it was unlikely that the  CTD's 121st Session  
would be concluded on 17 November. If necessary, the meeting  would be suspended at th e end of 
the day . He would then reconvene the 121st Session on another day to allow the meeting to be 
concluded .  
157.  The representative of Egypt , on behalf of the African Group,  delivered the following statement:  
158.  I will be making this presentation in a brief manner, as the African Group has made the same 
presentation in the context of relevant discussions in other subsidiary bodies. Given the nature of 
the CTD, we find it appropriate to be making this presentation here  as well , and with some sort of 
aspiration  with respect to the way the CTD could deal with the matter.  Technology transfer is not 
new to this organization . The topic has been there since 2001 . Members have been  trying to figure 
out ways and means to make transfer  of technology happen  to assist developing countries in building 
their economic resilience and development. The African Group believe s that the time has come for 
Members to  rethink how the discussions ar e taking place and how they have evolve d, and to look at 
what kind of recommendations Members can eventually agree on insofar as technology transfer and 
diffusion are concerned. This needs to be done in the context  of the challenges that countries face 
today, including pandemics, food security, climate change, and the problem of development . WT/COMTD/M/122  
- 27 - 
  The African Group has submitted a number of documents. There is a  general document that was 
submitted to the CTD and the General Council  among other s, and additional  documents that were 
tailor-made for certain subsidiary bodies . Each document was discussed in the relevant subsidiary 
body. The documents have also been submi tted in the CTD because of the nature of this Committee . 
We are not trying to repeat ourselves or du plicate the work that is taking place  elsewhere . 
The CTD needs to pursue development and  collaborate with the other bodies as we proceed.  During 
the Doha Round, there was an extensive examination of the convergence of technology transfer and 
development, where the discussions focused on how technology can be effectively transferred to 
developing countries in order to foster growth and progress.  The need for technology transfer to 
developing countries is explicitly mentioned in several WTO Agreements. It is evident that technology 
transfer is essential for the overall development of our economies. Accordingly, it has become crucial 
to further explore the interrelationship between technology transfer and resilience building. In an 
increasingly in terconnected and fast -changing world, building resilience has become of paramount 
importance for developing countries and LDCs.  
159.  Technology transfer can play a significant role in enhancing resilience by improving 
productivity, promoting innovation and ena bling countries  to address the challenges they face 
effectively. Limited access to technology, high costs, and inadequate capacity -building initiatives 
often hinder our ability to benefit fully from technology transfer.  Hence, it is Members'  responsibility  
to recognize and create particular strategies under the WTO framework to enhance the transfer , 
dissemination and diffusion of technology to developing countries and LDCs.  This would require a 
comprehensive approach that encompasses implementing current fl exibilities  and building synergies 
with other international organizations and stakeholders  – such as the private sector, academia and 
research centr es – to figure out the policy space needed to advance industrialization , digitalization 
and green transforma tion, including through agreeing new flexibilities when practicable. The set of 
submissions should be read in connection with the submission  by the African Group on "Policy space 
for industrial development". We emphasize the crucial role of the WTO in prom oting and identifying 
the best ways to facilitate the transfer and diffusion of technology to address the challenges countries  
are facing today  – including food security, preparedness for pandemics, trade facilitation, climate 
change  and e-commerce, among  others.  This communication, along with the specific issue -based 
submissions, will contribute to a comprehensive examination of this vital subject. Together, we can 
harness the potential of technology to promote resilience, prosperity and equitable developm ent for 
all WTO Member s. The African Group believes that the way forward until MC13 should be 
characterized by enhanced dialogue, cooperation and concrete actions. Members  should be able to 
identify practical measures to promote policy coherence.  We look f orward to a productive discussion 
and the formulation of effective recommendations that will contribute to realizing the potential of 
technology transfer in fostering sustainable development and bridging the technological divide 
between nations. We think t hat this Committee  should work with other subsidiary bodies and  the 
General Council to eventually come  to an agreement on a paragraph or a declaration that would 
promote transfer of technology . We want to  reinvigorate the work on this matter , with the 
presumption that Members  will reach an agreement on certain deliverables by MC13 that will be 
effective in terms of making transfer of technology happen in the context of the WTO.  
160.  The representative of South Africa , on behalf of the African Group,  deliver ed the following 
statement:  
161.  I will briefly present the key elements of the paper listed under the third sub -item of this 
agenda item . As with the other papers, the Africa n Group is not seeking mere deliberation, but is 
calling for concrete action and outco mes at MC13.  The context within which these proposals have 
been submitted and the problems they seek to remedy are commonly known. I would like to highlight 
the importance of TRIMs  as complementary policy tools to comprehensively support the 
industrializat ion of the African continent and other developing countries, and to allow them to 
graduate in global value chains  and confront contemporary challenges such as climate change.  With 
regard to the paper itself, it proposes to address the challenges that face the African continent and  
other developing countries in similar positions, and in particular to address the imbalances in the 
TRIMs Agreement . The following has been proposed. First, the provision of a flexibility under the 
TRIMs  Agreement to allow developing countries policy space and tools in support of their 
developmental policies. Second, the implementation of  measures to ameliorate their foreign 
exchange challenges. This exception should be availed to those countries that are  facing balance of 
payments challenges.  Third, the provisions of  an exemption from the TRIMs Agreement together 
with Articles III and XI of the GATT, and the obligations under the ASCM to the extent they apply to 
the concerned measure for local content req uirements and similar TRIMs undertaken to address WT/COMTD/M/122  
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  specific objectives aligned with the climate response and the "nationally determined contributions " 
under the Paris Agreement and targeted at averting balance of payment crisis. Fourth, the 
consideration of  a threshold that can be applied to local content requirements to facilitate 
industriali zation and structural transformation. Fifth, the consideration of a specific flexibility that 
would extend to cover situations of crises including, but not limited to, climatic and natural disasters, 
financial and economic crises, health emergencies, food -security related crises and similar crises.  
Sixth, TRIMs taken by LDCs shall be given an exemption under the TRIMs Agreement together with 
Articles III and XI of the GA TT and the obligations under the ASCM to the extent they apply to the 
concerned measure.  Referring to the retreat on the development dimension of WTO reform, the 
retreat on trade and industrial policy and the SOM, I would like to note that t he issue of pol icy space 
for industrial development is a key element of the development package that a number of countries, 
especially the Africa n Group, seeks at MC13. As a focal point on development, it will be important  
for the CTD to make a bold statement on this iss ue at MC13 or towards that.  
162.  The representative of India provided  the following statement4:  
163.  We reiterate our thanks to the Africa n Group for making these excellent submissions on policy 
space for industrialisation and its various facets including under different agreements : the A SCM, 
the TRIMs Agreement , the TRIPS Agreement and technology transfer in its wide r dimension. We are 
highly supportive of the Africa n Group 's articulation on policy space for industrial development. 
We associate fully with the Africa n Group on working towards MC13 for a declaration, a decision  or 
a paragraph on technology transfer in the outcome document. We will be working constructively 
towards this. As the focal point for development, the CTD must complement the discussions 
meaningfully on the proposals for facilitating an early decision on these points. These submissions 
contribute to the development dimens ion of WTO reform and build on the various conversations that 
Members have had, including in the development retreat held in February 2023. Our submission 
concerning  the reflection s on the retreat, which was discussed earlier , also reveals this. These issu es 
are cross -cutting  and related to development . Hence, the CTD is an appropriate forum to discuss 
these issues. The polycrisis exposed the fragility and vulnerability of developing countries and had 
severe impacts on these countries on account of supply -chain disruptions driven by the 
COVID -19 pandemic. While the MTS has led to benefit s for developing countries, the gains have not 
been proportionate  amongst Members and the development divide has widen ed. The submissions 
highlight  that there are certain provisions that pose constraints to industriali sation and economic 
development. Members should be concerned by the experience of  the Africa n Group  and that the 
continent has faced dein dustrialisation in the last two decades, as mentioned  in previous meetings. 
In this context , we see significant value in these submissions.  Historically, advanced and 
industriali sed Members used industrial measures to gain and have the first -mover advantage. In 
their development phase, these advanced Members  used policy options like domestic industry 
protection and state support incentivization through subsidy regimes, which we are also seeing in 
certain areas today. In the first phase of industriali sation, no nascent industry can grow unless 
positive support  is provided one way or the other. This requires some flexibility and policy space for 
countries that are now moving towards industrialization and want to progress in this direction.  
164.  However, as pointed out by the African Group, these policy options were not easily available 
for developing countries and LDCs as international trade rules unfolded. Unilateral protectionist 
measures have added to their misery. Consequently, developing countries and LDCs fall into a debt 
trap, while the North -South economic di vide widens, unemployment rises, and SDGs remain only a 
talking point. The submission rightly emphasizes that trade rules should provide producers and 
nations in the developing world the necessary policy space to integrate more meaningfully and 
qualitative ly in global value and supply chains – not only as suppliers and exporters of primary 
products, but also as producers of intermediate and final goods, with significant value added. This 
is in line with the objectives enshrined in the preamble of the Marrak esh Agreement. India agrees 
that rebalancing trade rules and guaranteeing access to the requisite policy tools will assist 
developing countries and LDCs in developing capacities and capabilities to contain, prevent, respond 
and recover more effectively fro m acute shocks and more chronic crises associated with a changing 
world.  The submissions are well evidenced. The African Group narrated some of this evidence in 
previous meetings, as well as in other forums. For example, UNCTAD's 2021 Trade and Development  
Report notes  that intellectual property rights ( IPRs) can make accessing and adapting to the required 
technologies a difficult and expensive process for many developing countries. Its 2018 report reveals 
 
4 A shortened version of this statement was delivered at the meeting. The representative of India 
indicated that he would submit the full statement to the Secretariat for inclusion in the minutes of the meeting.  WT/COMTD/M/122  
- 29 - 
  that the ASCM has limited the use of industrial pol icies by developing countries. This has made it 
more difficult for developing countries to promote their domestic industries and attract foreign 
investment. Another study by the World Bank from 2019 found that the TRIMs Agreement has hurt 
the ability of de veloping countries to attract foreign direct investment (FDI). The World Health 
Organization (WHO) in 2016 showed that the high cost of patented medicines and technology has 
limited the access to healthcare in many developing countries.  We would urge Membe rs to have 
discussions on the proposals with an open mind for a fruitful outcome that will provide the necessary 
policy space to developing countries.  
165.  The representative of Pakistan  delivered the following statement:  
166.  We would like to thank  the Africa n Group for keeping the ir series of submissions on the agenda 
today. The submissions aptly recognize the horizontal role played by  the transfer of technology for 
inclusive development in developing countries. Addressing the c hallenges of climate change, 
fostering agricultural development, and embracing digital transformation are imperative for the 
sustainable growth of developing countries.  Pakistan is among the countries that are extremely 
affected by climate change . The role  of transfer of technology in these domains emerges as a critical 
catalyst for resilience building.  By facilitating the exchange and adoption of innovative technologies, 
communities are empower ed to adapt to changing climates, enhance agricultural producti vity, and 
leverage digital tools for socio -economic development.  This interconnected approach not only 
accelerates progress but also builds a resilient foundation, enabling developing nations to navigate 
the complexities of a rapidly evolving world to get a decent market share.  We would urge Member s 
to collectively recognize and prioritize the pivotal role of technology transfer in shaping a more 
resilient and sustainable future.  
167.  The representative of the Russian Federation  delivered the following statement : 
168.  Russia thanks the delegation s of South Africa  and Egypt  for presenting the 
African  Group 's proposal s. We note the increased pace of the discussions on policy space for 
industrial development. Russia praises the efforts of the African Group to promote ind ustriali sation 
in developing countries, especially LDCs. The African Group 's initiative seeks relief from the 
requirements of certain WTO rules. However, the  sought  flexibilities as such  can hardly guarantee 
the achievement of the expected goals  – including industriali sation, addressing emerging challenges, 
concentration of production and digital industriali sation. The problems of the developing countries 
and LDCs are of a systemic nature. To solve them, we  need to observe the whole picture. In thi s 
context, Russia believes that the Membership should look comprehensively at all contemporary 
challenges that the developing countries and LDCs  face. First, the unfair trade practices conducted 
by some Members disrupt competition 's neutrality. For instanc e, unilateral trade restrictive measures 
damage traditional trade flows. Another example is green transition measures that hasten Members 
to rush to meet ever -rising standards or even get in the subsidy race. In fact, these measures distort 
competition and  the level playing field  – apart from the fact that this race gets more costly as the 
unilateral politically motivated restrictions keep distorting logistics and fuelling  inflation. Second, we 
also warned against nullification of the flexibilities ' effects , in particular through the operation of 
transnational corporations. While they may contribute to the spread of technologies, they may 
equally pose a threat to development goals. T ransnational corporations  will likely take advantage of 
the flexibilities re quested by the developing and least developed Members, while the profits will 
eventually be allocated to their parent companies in third – highly likely developed – states. Thus, 
as we have stated  on numerous occasions , a comprehensive approach is needed. We support efforts 
to bridge the gaps between developed and developing countries, especially the LDCs, and we need 
to look carefully into what rules can help to solve trade and development issues. Otherwise , we risk 
facing a situation when the expected rel ief described in the African Group 's proposal s is reduced to 
nearly zero. We would also like to get more clarity about the African Group 's plans on the way 
forward with its proposal s, especially in light of the upcoming MC13. We kindly ask the African Grou p 
to share its expectations from the discussion s within this Committee and other relevant  Committees, 
as well as its views on how to proceed. The Russian Federation remains open and ready for further 
discussions.  
169.  The representative of Nepal , on behalf of t he LDC Group , delivered the following statement:  
170.  The LDC Group welcomes the important submissions by the Africa n Group presented at this 
meeting by South Africa and Egypt , and which have been presented in other bodies as well as. We 
also appreciated the discussions held on this topic in the retreat format and at the SOM. We  would WT/COMTD/M/122  
- 30 - 
  like to  reiterate some points that we previously raised . The LDCs generally tend to exhibit in their 
trade patterns a lack of diversifi cation , with exports dominated by basic commodities and raw 
materials . These are  largely in the extractive industries like fossil fuels, metals and ores . 
The LDCs also tend to import value added goods. The global share of LDCs in international trade 
remain s marginal, with total LDC exports accounting for less than 1% of global exports. There is a 
heavy concentration on basic commodities and raw materials largely in the extractive industries , 
with fossil fuels accounting for around 18% of LDC exports in 2021 ; and metals and ores accounting 
for around 11% of LDC exports in 2021. The share of LDC services trade is even smaller, accounting 
for only 0.49% of global services exports in 2021. This state of affairs has been a product of various 
phenomena, including a case of deindustrialisation for many economies ; undiversified productive 
structures; lack of various types of infrastructure and low levels of investments therein; lack of 
high-value manufacturing capacity ; and very little meaningful and qualitative inte gration into global 
production value chains. Thus , many developing economies and LDCs are relegated to the lowest 
ends of global value chains, with very little beneficiation . This also concerns products that have a 
high content of the very same raw materia ls and commodities in which LDCs have a comparative 
advantage, including natural endowments. The COVID -19 pandemic, the persisting and escalating 
food crises, and the scale and regularity of climate disasters have exposed the risks that LDCs face 
when ther e are unexpected disturbances or shocks in global supply chains. This is notwithstanding 
the vast potential that LDC economies possess to develop various industries through harnessing the 
natural and comparative advantages they have . This includes the unta pped agricultural potential 
which remains suppressed by unfair and imbalanced rules that allow developed countries to provide 
obscenely extravagant subsidies to their farmers to sustain false comparative advantages. Such 
practices negatively affect many LD Cs, which are facing the dilemma of cheap imports that destroy 
their industrial fabrics. Trade and industrial policies must  be tools for economic development through 
industrial development , among others . Trade rules must take into account the differences in levels 
of development and facilitate the industriali sation and economic development aspirations of 
developing countries. We look forward to further discussions on these important  matters raised by 
the Africa n Group.  
171.  The representative of the  European Union  delivered the following statement:  
172.  The European Union supports constructive initiatives to better integrat e developing countries, 
and in particular LDCs, into the MTS. W e are engag ing on the African Group 's proposals in several 
WTO bodies . We have exchanged in the General Council, the SCM Committee, the TRIMs  Committe e, 
the TRIPS Council and the WGTTT . The European Union  would be interested in an in -depth discussion 
on how different countries make use of these Agreements and how that helps t heir economic 
development.  In this context, it would be helpful for countries to continue providing updated 
notifications. I will limit myself to highlighting a few specific points of interest to this Committee . 
The subsidy -related topics introduced by South Africa  are in line with European Union 's suggestions 
to set up a dedicated space for deliberation on state intervention in support to industrial sectors , 
including the development dimension.  We acknowledge  the African Group 's desire and efforts to 
promo te industriali sation. We  have also urged caution , and to shy away from protectionism and from 
undermining the legal frameworks needed to promote trade and investment.  This discussion is 
ongoing and could be deepened. The European Union shares the premise of the 
African  Group 's submission that the transfer of technology is important to address global challenges.  
The European Union  and its Member  States promote and fund te chnology transfer program mes. We 
are open to discussions in the relevant bodies on how to boost successful technology transfer, to 
look at ways of incentivizing it, to look at what has worked  and has not  worked , and to consider how 
to enhance the absorptio n capacity of partner countries.  It would be particularly useful  to learn from 
receiving countries which approaches have been the most effective in terms of tech nology  transfer 
and capacity building.  The European Union looks forward to continuing to engage  with 
the African  Group and with all Member s on these important topics.  I believe we need to create the 
space for in -depth discussions, including but not exclusively under the aegis of the CTD.  
173.  The representative of Canada  delivered the following statement : 
174.  Canada thinks that the African Group proposal on policy space is worth careful consideration. 
A holistic discussion on trade and industrial policy is necessary to better understand the global 
context before we can have detailed discussions on how to chan ge the rules. For example, we would 
need to better understand the impact that changes or exceptions to the rules would have on 
neighbouring countries or other countries at equal levels of development. We also think that it would 
not be appropriate to provi de to all developing Members the new flexibilities being requested , given WT/COMTD/M/122  
- 31 - 
  significant differences in capacity and role in world trade between Members. In our view, a 
Member -driven dialogue on trade and industrial policy would be a promising path forward to  improve 
our collective understanding of the issues and to lay the groundwork for potential solutions, 
alongside other proposals to enhance and modernize rules related to industrial subsidies and  
state-owned enterprises . I would like to echo in particular what Japan and the European Union said 
about the need for a dedicated space to discuss this issue.  Efficiency and impact are achieved  
through specialization . Members should ensure that detailed, technical discussions  take place in the 
requisite technical Committe es or dedicated spaces.  I am not suggesting that the CTD should not 
talk about these issues . My point is also related to the various areas addressed at today's meetings, 
including the Monitoring Mechanism on S&D , India's paper o n the development retreat, as well as 
the up coming agenda item on the CTD 's TORs. This is about what Members want from the CTD . My 
delegation  would like to strike the right balance between discussing issues of development here, 
while also  making sure that we are being efficient and impactful through specialization and not 
having to discuss everything in detail in the CTD .  
175.  The representative of China  delivered the following statement:  
176.  China thanks the African Group for their communications. As a country whi ch has striven for 
decades to industriali se, China sincerely understands and sympathizes the call for policy space made 
by many developing Members that are going through the same process  we went through before . 
The call must be heard and taken into conside ration seriously by all WTO Members. As we are 
starting a new conversation on industrial policies in the WTO, policy space for developing Members 
and LDCs in their industriali sation should be an integral part of that conversation. We recognize the 
important role of transfer of technolog y in dealing with global challenges and developing issues, 
especially for African Members. We are willing to enhance information exchang es and sharing of 
practices in this regard and engage in the discussions in an active and constructive manner. We  think 
that the first step in the discussion should aim for a common understanding that policy space is a 
legitimate need of developing Members and LDCs . Members  can discuss in general terms the 
categories of such needs . We believe that it is not appropriate  to create a dedicated space at this 
stage.  
177.  The representative of the United States  delivered the following statement:  
178.  The United States would like t o thank the African Group for the papers they submitted as part 
of the series on policy space for industriali sation and industrial development.  I will intervene on  
documents WT/COMTD/W/ 270 and WT/COMTD/W /274. The United States share s the goal of 
industriali sation for sustainable development.  We also recognize that the ASCM is one of the most 
complex agreements in the WTO. We are open to a conversation on whether the ASCM is fulfilling 
its pur poses.  However, we cannot imagine considering additional flexibilities under the subsid ies 
Agreement without a complete understanding of the subsidies being provided by Member s who could 
take advantage of any flexibilities.  In the spirit of mutual understa nding and cooperation, we seek 
to better understand  why develop ing countries in need believe that the rules impede their 
development and why they believe additional narrowly tailored flexibilities would allow for the 
industriali sation the proponents seek.  
179.  The representative of Ecuador  delivered the following statement:  
180.  Ecuador appreciates the communications submitted by the African Group. The documents are 
being considered in my capital . We have some questions which we will send directly to the 
African  Group to better understand the communications. We wish to express our interest in 
continuing these exchanges within this Committee in a manner that complements, but does not 
repeat, the discussions taking place in other WTO Committees . 
181.  The representative of Brazil  delivered the following statement:  
182.  Brazil welcomes the presentations  made by South Africa and Egypt  on behalf of the 
African  Group . Brazil is a friend of development. As my Ambassador said at the SOM, we think that 
policy space for industriali sation is a very important issue. We also want to ask the African Group 
what the expectations for an outcome on this matter at MC13 are , whether it is a declaration  or a 
work program me. These are complex issues  covering several agreements . Members need to 
unders tand which tools were used by countries that were able to in dustrialise and what countries WT/COMTD/M/122  
- 32 - 
  are doing today as well. It is important to  prioritize and be specific. For example, Brazil is currently 
implementing a new industriali sation agenda . In this context , we are trying to unders tand the 
policies of other countries such as the United States  and China  and see what we can learn, even if 
we may not be able to implement exactly the same policies due to fiscal constraints . The CTD can 
discuss specific issues such as local content and the role of the public sector  and also collaborate 
with other technical Committees. Evidence -based discussions will be important, and Members need 
to be flexible. Once again, I would ask the African Gro up to specify what are the issues to prioritize 
and what sort of outcomes are envisaged at MC13.   
183.  The representative of the United Kingdom  delivered the following statement:  
184.  The United Kingdom  believes very fundamentally that WTO rules should, and do, act as drivers 
for development, and not a hindrance. Yet we also acknowledge the challenges of development and 
industrialisation . If the feeling from the Africa n Group is that WTO rules are acting as a hindrance , 
then we will approach that discussion with an o pen mind. The September retreat and the SOM 
showed that these are issues that matter to the Membership, and that they require further 
deliberation  – as well as a proper forum for deliberation. We therefore support the comments and 
suggestions  made by other  Members for focus on how we structure these conversations and find the 
right space for them. On technology  transfer,  we recogni ze that technology and innovation have a 
key role to play in achieving economic development and to achieving the SDGs . We also recogni ze 
that developing countries can face barriers to adopting innovations. The United Kingdom  submitted 
a paper at the July General Council, offering reflections on intellectual property , technology  transfer 
and voluntary licensing for health and pandem ic preparedness, which we invite all Members to 
engage on. We have also taken part in discussions on how to reinvigorate the WGTTT  and look 
forward to further conversations  there as well .  
185.  The representative of Australia  delivered the following statement:  
186.  We thank the African Group for these papers, which add to the discussion on the need to 
deepen the WTO's deliberative function. Similar to the European Union , Canada, United Kingdom  
and others, Australia also supports es tablishing a dedicated space on trade and industrial policy at 
MC13 to consider these issues holistically given the complexity at play. In the interest s of time, and 
noting the recent discussions on these proposals in separate bodies, I  would  like to refer  the 
Committee to Australia 's more extensive comments on these proposals in the Subsidies, TRIM s and 
TRIPS Committees, the WGTTT  and the General Council .  
187.  The Committee took note  of the communications from the African Group, and of all 
interventions .  
9  MINI STERIAL DECLARATION FROM THE TWELFTH MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE ON THE 
WTO RESPONSE TO THE COVID -19 PANDEMIC AND PREPAREDNESS FOR FUTURE 
PANDEMICS ( WT/MIN(22)/31  - WT/L/1142 ) 
188.  The Chairman  said that , at the 119th Session on 17 November 2022, the Committee  had 
agreed that the item relating to the MC12 Ministerial Declaration on the WTO response to the 
COVID -19 pandemic and preparedness for future pandemics would remain on the CTD's agenda until 
the end of 2024. In this Ministerial Declaration, it w as indicated that relevant WTO bodies would, 
within their fields of competence, and on the basis of proposals by Members, continue or initiate 
work as soon as possible, to analyze lessons that had been learned and challenges experienced 
during the COVID -19 pandemic. A stocktaking exercise would be taken of the work by WTO bodies 
under this declaration yearly at the General Council until the end of 2024, based on the reports of 
those relevant bodies. The Ministerial Declaration identified the CTD as one of t he relevant 
WTO bodies to undertake work in this area. In previous  meeting s, Members ha d shared information 
on the impact of the COVID -19 pandemic on their trade and economies. Suggestions were made on 
possible work that could be done by the CTD in the con text of the MC12 Ministerial Declaration.  He 
said that continued engagement on this matter was important, and this was why this item remained 
on the agenda. However, he felt that written proposals from Members would be needed to focus the 
deliberations on this matter and identify concrete work that could be done in the CTD. He was 
therefore  taking the opportunity to once again encourage Members to consider submitting written 
proposals. He noted that there were no written submissions from Members on the agenda for the WT/COMTD/M/122  
- 33 - 
  present meeting. However, delegations still had the opportunity to engage under this agenda item 
and share lessons learned and challenges experienced during the COVID -19 pandemic . 
189.  The rep resentative of the United  States  delivered  the following statement:  
190.  I recognize that there is no submission  under this agenda item , but I would like to make this 
intervention in the spirit of remaining open to engage with Members and contribut ing to 
operat ionaliz ing the Ministerial Declaration . Looking ahead, my delegation  would be interested in 
exploring the topic of humanitarian cargo relief work to address vulnerabilities to natural disasters, 
including pandemic responses, and the role that cross -border trade can play in mitigating such 
vulnerabilities. We also invite other Members to join us in this continued  creative effort to generat e 
and shar e knowledge in this Committee.  
191.  The representative of Pakistan  delivered the following statement:  
192.  In the context of the COVID -19 pandemic and amidst the polycrises cataly zed ever since, 
developing countries and LDCs have been facing challenges to respond to these crises. Several 
developing countries and LDCs have been facing a domino effect whereby one crisis leads to another . 
They also often face severe financial and policy constraints to respond to these emergencies in a 
way that allows them to protect the li ves of their people and the health of their econom ies. 
UNCTAD  has pointed out that developing c ountries face mounting debt and insufficient international 
support, risking another lost decade . Growing global asymmetries threaten developing 
countries'  resilience, requiring stronger multilateral action. In this context, several 
developing  countries and  LDCs are: (i) struggling to not only raise standards of living but also to 
maintain the ones achieved; (ii) finding it hard to not only ensure decent jobs for all but also to hold 
on to the jobs generated to  date; (iii) wrestling not only to grow real inc omes but to also retain the 
real incomes generated over the years; and (iv) finding it challenging to achieve progress in fulfilling 
the SDGs . These aims are not  the individual goals of developing Members and LDCs but were 
collectively agreed by this Membe rship when all of us agreed to the formation and collective aims of 
this organi zation.  The latest health, food and economic crises have made it clear that the timeliness 
of the response is crucial to the ability to control a crisis and to avert a potential  domino effect.  
193.  Developing countries and LDCs lack the breadth of policy tools , such as fiscal and monetary 
space , that developed countries have at their disposal to utilize in response to crises. Their capacity 
to respond expeditiously and effectively is  further impacted by WTO rules that were designed with 
no consideration of the needed interventions in times of such crises. Furthermore, the 
COVID -19 response experience at the WTO showed that if negotiations on response mechanisms 
are to start in the con text of a crisis, the result will be too little action too late. In light of these 
experiences, there is need for the pro-active design of a mechanism under WTO rules that allow the 
needed space for developing countries and LDCs facing a crisis to respond expeditiously and with 
enough policy tools to avert a deepening and spreading of the crisis.  Pakistan 's paper contained in 
document JOB/GC/347  presents a proposal for a crisis response mechanism (CRM) for developing 
countries and LDCs that could be incorporated in WTO rules. The CRM would enable access to a 
toolbox of policy options that are normally constrained by WTO disciplines,  and which would be made 
accessible to developing countries and LDCs invoking th e mechanism in order to enable robust 
responses to crises. Th e mechanism is to be used to help avert a deepening of a crisis and to enable 
a better response and containment of the crisi s, with the objective of ending the adverse effects on 
the populations and  the economy of the concerned Member. We urge Members , and especially 
developed country Members , to join in and work towards preparedness for future crisis situations 
including pande mics in a more proactive manner . 
194.  The representative of India delivered the following statement:  
195.  We value the Chair's observation in his opening remarks under this agenda item on the need 
for written submissions by Members. We would like to reiterate that t he CTD, in its capacity as the 
focal point on development work, has significant work to do . This was made evident in the informal 
retreats that took place this year , as well as in discussions in the General Council. As observed in 
our submission providing reflections on the development retreat, as well as in the Chair's summary 
provided at the July CTD on the informal discussions held on the developmental aspects of 
WTO reform, there are several items that the CTD needs to addres s. There are submissions already 
on the agenda of the Committee which relate to addressing the multiple crises that are currently WT/COMTD/M/122  
- 34 - 
  being faced by developing countr ies. We would like the Committee to start with a stocktak ing of the 
deliberations on developme nt issues which were identified by Member s in the retreat.  
196.  The Chairman  encouraged Members to continue to engage and to consider submitting written 
proposals on work that the CTD could do on this matter.  
197.  The Committee took note  of all interventions.  
10  TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT - WORK IN THE COMMITTEE ON THE BASIS OF THE 
CHAIRMAN'S CONCLUDING STATEMENT FROM THE EIGHTH MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE  
(A) Committee on Trade and Development mandate: focal point for consideration and 
coordination of work on development in the WTO - proposal from Barbados, Belize, 
China, Cuba, Ecuador , India, and the African Group ( WT/COMTD/W/208 ) 
(B) Operationalization of the CTD's mandate: a proposal to deliver outcomes based on 
theMC8 mandate  - proposal from China, Cuba, Ecuador, India and the African Group 
(WT/COMTD/W/192 )5 
198.  The Chairman  said that  Ministers at the Eighth WTO Ministerial Conference (MC8) had 
reaffirmed the positive link between trade and development and had called for focused work in the 
CTD. Ministers had called on Members to fully operationalize the mandate of the CTD as a focal point 
for development work. Two submissions containing proposals for work under the MC8 mand ate were 
included on the agenda of the present meeting. The first submission – by Barbados, Belize, China, 
Cuba, Ecuador, India and the African Group ( WT/COMTD/W/208 ) – contained a proposal for the CTD 
to report on the development -related work taking  place in other WTO bodies. The second submission 
– by China, Cuba, Ecuador, India and the African Group ( WT/COMTD/W/192 ) – contained 
three  proposals. In the order they were presented in the document, the first proposal was for the 
Secretariat to cont inue to update its report on the implementation of the S&D provisions in the 
WTO Agreements and Decisions. The second  proposal was for the CTD to report on the 
development -related work taking place in other WTO  bodies , while the third proposal was for the 
CTD to make a recommendation for parties to RTAs to submit their notification and information 
requirements jointly. He noted that the two submissions had remained on the CTD's agenda for 
several years. At the last meeting, India had requested that the subm issions be maintained on the 
agenda. He indicated that he would first invite the proponents of the two submissions to brief the 
Committee on the status of the proposals after which the floor would be opened for interventions by 
other delegations.  
199.  The repre sentative of India delivered the following statement:  
200.  These submissions have been on the agenda for a long time and  without any resolution. 
The focal point function of the CTD has been addressed here as well as in the development retreat 
and the General Co uncil. My delegation has also held several bilateral consultations on these issues. 
I would like to explain once again  what is being sought . The CTD's TORs require it to serve as a focal 
point for consideration and coordination of work on development in the WTO. However, the CTD is  
currently  not undertaking this coordination  work. This  may not be feasible unless clear guidelines 
are provided. The present situ ation is that CTD  is mandated to coordinate , but it has not been 
provided instruct ions on  what it should do and how it should do  it. There is no structured process in 
this regard . Consequently , there is no custodianship of the development dimension. Let me  illustrate 
this by citing the retreat focusing on the development dimension of  WTO reform . This was not 
coordinated by the CTD , and i t was decided only after the retreat that the CTD would take this work 
forward. However , it was not made clear as to how the CTD would  take forward the coordination of 
cross-cutting development issues . The CTD 's mandate should therefore be operationalized through 
proper instruction s and procedure s. We have a few suggestions. For example, the CTD is already 
mandated to be a focal point on these issues . It should be allowed to  engage with other bodies. 
The suggestion is basically that the CTD should coordinat e on a horizontal level with other bodies on 
what is h appening on the development dimension . There should be a process prescribed for this. 
Discussions on development issues are taking place in other bodies . These discussions should be 
coordinated so that the CTD is able to report on what is happening in the WTO on development 
 
5 The discussion concerning document s WT/COMTD/W/208  and WT/C OMTD/W/192  is presented 
together in this Note, as the Chairman invited the Committee to take up the two sub -items together.  WT/COMTD/M/122  
- 35 - 
  work. If the CTD is able to report to the General Council  in this manner , it would be working as a 
focal point on the development dimension.  
201.  I would like to compare this with the suggestion s being made in the context of the debate on 
trade-related issues in climate  – in particular that the CTE strengthen its coordination with other 
bodies, including the SPS and TBT Committees, the Committee on Agriculture in Special Session, 
and the SCM Committee . In fact, t here is a demand to make the CTE a global forum on environment . 
On environment, the push is on the process before the substance . Further more, these  Members are 
demanding  that a process be articulated by Minister s for the CTE to function as a kind of focal point 
on environment. There are other instances  that we all know, so  no further elaboration is needed. In 
the proposal  under consideration , the proponents  are not ambitious on the development dimension 
when it comes to the CTD. What we are seeking here is very responsibl e. We are not asking the CTD 
to impinge on any other body 's work or that it acts as a superior body over any other body. We are 
simply asking for better coordination on development so as retain good and coherent focus on the 
matter . By analogy, we are seeking a wheel -and-spoke kind of design for flow of information on  the 
work being done on the development dimension in a structured manner . This would require the CTD 
to coordinate with other WTO bodies under some laid  out guidelines or procedures, to act as 
information repository on development work done in the WTO, and to engage with other international 
organizations on development work in  these bodies. My delegation strongly believe s that the CTD 
has a critical role to play in advancing the development agenda of the WTO to the benefit of 
developing countries. By strengthening its functioning and ensuring the meaningful participation of 
all Members, we can work towards a more inclusive and sustainable global trading system that 
benefits all countries, particularly the developing nations. This agenda item concerns  the 
CTD's  TORs, and we do not have clarity as to how they are to be made operat ional. My delegation 
therefore  requests that this item be maintained on the agenda until the issue is discussed and 
resolved . 
202.  The representative of Ecuador  delivered the following statement:  
203.  Ecuador reaffirms its position that the CTD should be an effective focal point for the 
coordination of development matters within the WTO. To this end, we could discuss in more detail 
the suggestions put forward by India, including  the collection of regula r reports from the 
WTO subsidiary bodies . Members could also consider  potential joint meetings with other 
Committees, the adequate articulation of actions by  the General Council and coordination meeting s 
with the Chairs of the various Committees. As we hav e seen in the discussions today, various 
development -related matters are being discussed in different Committees. We therefore recognize 
the need for this Committee to exercise a coordinating function to avoid  a duplication of efforts and 
parallel discussi ons.  
204.  The representative of Nepal  delivered the following statement:  
205.  My delegation thanks India for the presentation. Since development is a cross-cutting issue, 
work take s place in the relevant bodies according to their mandates. However, coordination is an 
important aspect. Smart coordination brings extra synergy and coherence. We therefore support the 
idea of making the CTD the focal point o n development matters.  
206.  The representative of Norway  delivered the following statement:  
207.  We find India 's idea to be good – the idea of the CTD coordinating what is happen ing on 
development in other bodies in the WTO. There could perhaps be some sort of communication with 
the Chair, who could report to Members  on what is happening. Furthermore , as Ecuador said, the  
various good papers on development that are  considered  in other specialized bodies could perhaps 
be addressed as a step forward in the CTD. We could then  pick up from where  the discussion is at 
in other bodies and raise specific questions in the CTD on th e papers. I also like what India said that 
in no way  is it being propos ed that the CTD be on a higher level than other bodies . Rather, the basic 
idea is to make sure that we are coordinating in a better way. I see the need for that as well . 
Norway  would be  interested in hearing more from India  and to discuss further how to do that in a 
hands -on and preferably simple ma nner without having to alter too many procedures.  WT/COMTD/M/122  
- 36 - 
  208.  The representative of South Africa  delivered the following statement:  
209.  We would like to support India with regard to the matter remaining on the agenda of the CTD. 
What came out clearly from the discussions today and from the discussions during the 
February  2023 retreat is a common desire t o enhance or revitalize the role of the CTD as a focal 
point on development matters. South Africa supports the proposal  to consider how this role can be 
given practical meaning. The fact that there appears to be no structured procedure within the 
WTO system to facilitate the role of the CTD as the focal point on development , with an aerial view 
of what is happening in other Committees on development issues , is something that we could 
consider improving on. We agree that the CTD must indeed complement t he work in other bodies of 
the WTO on development issues, in a manner that does not translate to overreach. We would  be 
interested in taking part in such discussions.  
210.  The representative of the European Union  delivered the following statement:  
211.  The European Union would like to recall that its understanding of the MC8 mandate is that the 
CTD should further explore the positive link between trade and development on the basis of focused 
work. The European Union's view is that this should be taken forward on the basis of constructive 
exchanges on clearly identified topics. Referring to India's communication on "Committee on Trade 
and Development Mandate: Focal Point for Consideration and Coordination of Work on Development 
in the WTO", which was on the agenda of t he General Council in March and May 2023, India has 
pointed out that the mandate of the CTD, as focal point on development, is not to replace but to 
complement the work of other bodies on the development dimension through coordination and 
consultation with  these WTO bodies. India is also one of the proponents of the documents for 
consideration under the current agenda item. We would therefore like to better understand to what 
extent the old submissions from 2012 and 2015 can be subsumed in discussions on th e most recent 
communication – yes or no – and whether or not they now need revising.6 
212.  I have three points to add. First, I think there is consensus that the CTD has a role as a focal 
point for development in this organization . However,  there is no clarity  on what this means or how 
it is to be done. Perhaps Members  should try and move there. Second , my impression is that the 
documents that were tabled in the previous decade do not provide those answers. Maybe other 
Members think the same. The third point was already mentioned  at the last meeting  in July. 
How does the Indian submission tabled in the General Council – document WT/GC/W/865  – relate 
to this ? Doesn't the tabling of this submission already imply that the submissions of the previous 
decade should be  reconsidered by the proponents?  I want to echo a very important term used by 
South Africa , which is "overreach ". I am sor ry to say that we are experiencing it today. My delegation 
is hesitant to overload the CTD with work already taking place , or which could or should take place , 
in other WTO bodies. This brings me back to the question of how the CTD can be a f ocal point tha t 
adds value. Th is Committee  needs the space for enhanced deliberation s on key trade and 
development issues. I want to also echo  what Ecuador said about the possibility of avoid ing overlap 
by having more cross -Committee coordination , joint sessions  and the  like. 
213.  The representative of the United State s delivered the following statement:  
214.  In line with what my colleague from the European Union  said, I would like to state on the 
record, once again, that there is no consensus for documents WT/COMTD/W/208  and 
WT/COMTD/W/192  to remain on the agenda as pending item s. My delegation  therefore  calls for their 
removal from future CTD agendas. This said , I recognize that Agenda Item 14 will have some  
interesting reporting by the Secretariat . The Europ ean Union also mentioned a newer communication 
from India . So let  us move on to see where we could find some  common ground  in our  conversation s. 
However, on  the two issues under this agenda item, my delegation's  position remains unchanged.  
215.  The representative of Norway  delivered the following statement:  
216.  I realize that I mixed up the agenda items . What I said earlier under this agenda item would  
probably  belong under  Agenda Item 14. It would be really helpful to have good discussions here in 
 
6 The intervention  in this paragraph, made by the European Union at the 121st Session , is reflected in 
the minutes of this meeting at the request of the delegation  of the European Union . WT/COMTD/M/122  
- 37 - 
  the CTD , if there could be some space on the agenda  for things that  we all agree we would like to 
move on.  
217.  The Chairman  encourage d continued engagement among Members in order to make progress 
on these proposals. If it was felt that informal discussions facilitated by the Chair could help Members 
make progress, he indicated that he would be happy to organize such discussions. This wo uld be in 
line with Members' common goal of further improving the functioning of the CTD.  
218.  The Committee took note  of all interventions.  
11  NOTIFICATIONS UNDER THE ENABLING CLAUSE  
(A) Gulf C ooperation Council ( GCC) notification of Customs Union – Communication from 
China,  Egypt and India ( WT/COMTD/W/175 ) 
219.  The Chairman  said that the sub -item listed under the present agenda item made reference to 
the GCC Customs Union notification. It also referred to the communication from China, Egypt and 
India,  which was circulated in document WT/COMTD/W/175 . He noted that the sub -item had 
remained on the CTD's agenda for several years. At the last meeting, India had requested that the 
sub-item be maintained on the agenda.  
220.  The representative of India delivered the following statement:  
221.  Like the previous agenda item, this agenda item has been pending in the CTD for many years. 
Both agenda items  are essentially about the scope of the work of this Committee . One is about  how 
the CTD discharges its function  as a focal point and the other relat es to regional trade agreements 
under the Enabling Clause . Both matters therefore require resolution. My delegation has been 
undertaking bilateral consultations, and we are also willing to participate in any inf ormal 
consultations organized by the Chair. However, in the interest of defining a clear-cut role for the 
CTD, both these item s need to remain on the agenda until Members are  sure what th e Committee 
is supposed to do on both issues . It is one thing to say that the agenda is overloaded and that these 
items have been on the agenda for a long time. Another  thing is to define clearly the role that this 
Committee has and how it should discharge its functions . We need to understand how the Committee 
will revitali ze, reinvigorate and fully operationalize its role as a focal point. My delegation  would be 
happy if the Chair could hold informal discussion s on these agenda items to find a way forward, but 
a resolution is necessary . Until  there is  a resolution , and Memb ers are very clear as to what is the 
mandate of this Committee on these items and how it will proceed , these items should remain on 
the agenda . 
222.  The representative of Ecuador  delivered the following statement:  
223.  I would like to register our interest in participating in informal consultations. My delegation  
believe s that there is still room to clarify this issue, which is important for the Committee's work. 
It would be useful to have some clarity on how Members wou ld move forward with the informal 
consultation process.  
224.  The Chairman  said that  he would look into the  issues raised to see how he could work with 
Members  to find a solution that was agreeable to all . 
225.  The Committee took note  of all interventions.  
12  ANNUAL REV IEW OF THE STEPS TAKEN TO PROVIDE DUTY -FREE AND QUOTA FREE 
MARKET ACCESS TO LEAST DEVELOPED COUNTRIES  
226.  The Chairman  said tha t the Committee's annual duty-free and quota-free (DFQF) review  for 
LDCs for 2023 was to take place at the present  meeting. In light of this, he would pick up briefly on 
the matter of the Secretariat report on Members' DFQF market access schemes, which was prepared 
and updated in 2014, 2015 and 2016 for the CTD's DFQF annual reviews. This was in response to 
the instru ctions given by Ministers in the DFQF Decision  from the Ninth WTO Ministerial Conference 
(MC9) . However, there ha d been no reports prepared since 2016, because of divergent views among 
some Members on the scope and coverage of the report. Previous CTD Chai rs had held informal WT/COMTD/M/122  
- 38 - 
  consultations on the matter but were unable to find a way to unblock the situation. Most recently, 
his predecessor – Ambassador Canabady of Mauritius – informed the Committee that her own 
informal consultations had also not found a way  forward that would allow the Secretariat to update 
its report. This was regardless of the language found in paragraph 8 of the MC12 Outcome Document, 
which reaffirmed the DFQF Decision taken at MC9 and instructed the CTD to "re -commence the 
annual review process on preferential DFQF market access for LDCs". He recalled that,  at the last 
meeting, he had echoed Ambassador Canabady's words by inviting Members to consider the matter 
and provide guidance. He had also indicated that, in the meantime, the CTD wou ld continue with its 
annual DFQF reviews even without a Secretariat report, as it ha d been doing since 2017. He was 
open to hearing thoughts from Members on possible ways forward on the matter of the Secretariat 
report. Ultimately, guidance on the way forw ard had to  come from Members. He invited delegations 
to share their ideas at the present  meeting . Alternatively , delegations could contact  him after the 
meeting. He said that he would be happy to facilitate discussions among Members on any ideas that 
were shared , if it seem ed that there was scope to make progress. It would  be necessary for the 
Committee to eventually agree to any possible ways forward for the Secretariat report. However, as 
he had  indicated at the last meeting, the first step would be for Members to share their ideas.  
227.  The representative of the United State s delivered the following statement:  
228.  My delegation  would like to ask the Chair to take a hard look at what we think is an obsolete 
purpose and rationale for this report, and work with us and others who would like to join to take 
action to remove this longstanding item from the agenda. This said, it is recognize d that Members  
have to submit r eports on their preference program mes. For instance, the Sub -Committee on LDC s 
puts out exact ly the  same information , and the market access report circulated for the 
Sub-Committee is up to date. Perhaps that would be an entry point for a conversation to fi nd a 
landing zone with other Members . Once again, w e call on the Chair 's ability  as a facilitator to work 
with us to take action  to try and remove this longstanding item from the agenda . 
229.  The representative of Nepal , on behalf of the LDC Group , delivered the following statement:  
230.  The LDC Group welcomes the initiation of the annual review on DFQF. We wish to emphasize 
that, in the annotated draft agenda  that the Chair circulated for this meeting, this issue is referenced 
only in the context of the  Hong Kong Ministerial Decision.  However, it was also squarely instructed 
by Ministers in paragraph 8 of the MC12 Outcome Document. As instructed by Ministers,  Members 
must also  ensure that the General Council report s to the next Ministerial Conference on progress 
made. We are fully aware that there has been  no report in the CTD on this issue  for a long time . 
The LDC Group requests the Chair to initiate the annual report on the LDCs ' access to DFQF  schemes 
under the renewed mandate from MC12 , perhaps  with a new format acceptable to all Members.   
231.  The representative of the European Union  delivered the following statement:  
232.  I was waiting to hear from the LDC Group on what they expect from this agenda it em at this 
stage and how they would like to take it forward. I am also aware that we got some  marching orders  
at MC12. I thought we were making progress under the Chair  and his predecessor on p ossibly doing 
something without revising the 2016 report, and  instead  using the document that the United States 
referred to. However, if we  prolong this agenda item today,  we might see further backtracking. 
I think that those who suggested having informal consultations facilitated by the Chair are probably 
right. The European Union has been providing DFQF market access to LDCs since 2001 , and I had 
prepared a review of the last three years. However,  I will keep that for some other time when 
Members  address this issue in substance . 
233.  The Committee took note  of all interve ntions . 
13  WORK PROGRAMME ON ELECTRONIC COMMERCE  
234.  The Chairman  recalled that a Ministerial Decision was taken at MC12 on the WTO's Work 
Programme on E -Commerce ( WPEC ). The Decision was contained in documents WT/MIN(22)/32  and 
WT/L/1143 . It was agreed, inter alia , in this Decision to reinvigorate the work under the 
Work Programme, particularly in line with its development dimension. The CTD was one of the 
subsidiary bodies of the General Council mandated to under take work under the Work Programme.  
There were two sub -items listed under this agenda item. The first sub -item relate d to a WT/COMTD/M/122  
- 39 - 
  communication from the African Group titled "Reinvigorating the work under the 
1998 Work Programme on Electronic Commerce: A develop ment approach to the Work Programme 
on E-Commerce"  (WT/COMTD/W/283 ). The second sub -item was concerned with  the revised 
communication from India and South Africa on "Global electronic commerce for inclusive 
development". This revised communication  had been discussed in the past few meetings and 
appear ed once again on the agenda at the request of the co -sponsors.  
(A) Reinvigorating the work under the 1998 Work Programme on Electronic Commerce: 
A development approach to the Work Programm e on E-commerce – Communication 
from the African Group ( WT/COMTD/W/283 ) 
235.  The representative of South Africa,  on behalf of the African Group, delivered the following 
statement:  
236.  The submission by the African Group highlights the need to reinvigorate the WPEC, aligning 
with its development dimension, as stated i n document WT/L/274  and based on the emphasis made 
by Ministers at MC12. The main focus is on the development mandate to ensure that developing 
countries benefit from the growth of global e-commerce. Strategic interventions are required to 
boost growth and well -being, support digital industriali sation, address the digital divide, and promote 
domestic data sectors and small digital firms in developing countries. A developmental and inclusive 
approach is necessary, encouraging developing countries to participate no t only as consumers, but 
also as producers in the context of e -commerce. The paper outlines critical elements for the 
developmental agenda, including supporting digital industriali sation, addressing the digital divide, 
creating and enabling the legal and r egulatory framework, promoting domestic digital sectors, and 
building national and regional digital platforms. Moreover, the communication raises concerns about 
the lack of common understanding on the scope and definition of electronic transmissions, which  
could lead to legal and regulatory uncertainty for firms involved in cross -border e -commerce. It calls 
for clarity on the scope and definition of electronic transmissions to understand the implications of 
the moratorium on digital industrialization. The communication emphasizes the importance of 
continuing work under the WPEC  to ensure inclusivity and extend the benefits of e -commerce, 
especially to developing countries . The communication provides three recommen dations . The first  
recommendation  is to make the Work Programme a standing item under the General Council, with 
the Facilitator reporting on activities and progress . The second recommendation is to establish the 
Work Programme  as a standing item in the rel evant bodies, as mentioned in document WT/L/274 . 
The third recommendation is to conduct a review of discussions in mandated bodies to assess 
progress on the development dimension of the Work Programme. In conclusion, I would like to 
re-emphasize the significance  of focusing on development in the e-commerce sector and ensuring 
broader benefits and inclusivity for all WTO Members, particularly developing countries .7 
(B) Global electronic commerce for inclusive development – Communication from India and 
South Afric a (WT/COMTD/W/264/R ev.1) 
237.  The representative of South Africa  delivered the following statement:  
238.  I am pleased to present the joint Indian and South African paper on "Global electronic 
commerce for inclusive development ". The e -commerce landscape has become increasingly dynamic 
and complex as digital transformation has accelerated . Hence the continued relevance of the WPEC, 
and in particular its development dimension. New players have emerged, at the same time that 
established actors have taken on new roles and new business models have transformed buyer -seller 
relationships and pushed out the frontier of what is possible to buy and sell online. Above all, new 
opportunities have arisen to unlock the potential of e -commerce to boost growth and well -being. 
However, what is clear is that the gains from growing global e-commerce will not be automatic for 
developing countries. This will require strategic interventions at all levels, including at the national 
and international levels. In the context of the polycris is, policy and fiscal space will be required by 
the developing world to rebuild their economies and revive their declining trade competitiveness and 
falling exports, including in relation to e -commerce. The asymmetries associated with the digital 
divide bec ame starkly apparent during the aftermath and during the course of the 
COVID -19 pandemic , when the differences in capacities of Members were demonstrated. The lack of 
 
7 After this statement, the Committee moved directly to the second sub -item at the request of the 
representative of  South Africa , who indicated that he wished to introduce both sub -items while he had the 
floor.  WT/COMTD/M/122  
- 40 - 
  common understanding on the scope and definition of electronic transmissions is also an issue of 
concern as it has implications for developing countries, including in relation to the use of tariffs to 
protect domestic industries and promote digital industriali sation. 
239.  South Africa and India have participated actively i n the dedicated discussions  on the WPEC . 
We would like to emphasi ze that , while we appreciate the dedicated discussions, they were never 
intended to replace Ministerially mandated processes, including the role of the CTD as part of the 
family of bodies tas ked with addressing specific issues and questions on e -commerce. To broaden 
the benefits of e -commerce and allow developing countries to be integrated as producers and not 
mere consumers, the developmental aspects of the WPEC can play an important role. Mo reover, this 
body is mandated to serve as the WTO fulcrum on development. In this regard, it is apt to recall the 
1998 Work Programme, which instructs this body to examine relevant issues . The issues to be 
examined includ e the effects of e -commerce on the trade and economic prospects of 
developing  countries, notably SMEs and means of maximi zing possible benefits accruing to them ; 
challenges to and ways of enhancing the participation of developing countries in e -commerce, in 
particular as exporters of electr onically delivered products : role of improved access to infrastructure 
and technology transfer and movement of natural persons ; use of information technology and the 
integration of developing countries in the MTS; implications for developing countries of the possible 
impact of e -commerce and the traditional means of distribution of physical goods ; and financial 
implications of e -commerce for developing countries. The guiding question s in section  6 of our joint 
paper are aimed at allowing the WTO to play suc h a role. We particularly welcome interventions that 
engage with the questions. Before concluding, I think it is important to re -emphasi ze that the 
dedicated discussions led by the Ambassador of Mauritius do not replace the role of mandated bodies 
when it comes to the developmental elements of the WPEC. This forum remains very relevant in th at 
regard . We look forward to fruitful discussions with a particular emphasis on the questions raised in 
section 6 . 
240.  The representative of Norway  delivered the following statement:  
241.  I want to share that , on 14 November 2023, the United States and Norway h eld a panel 
discussion on the side -lines of the WPEC. It was held quite fittingly right after a dedicated session 
on the e-commerce moratorium . We had participation from two private sector  firms – 
Yara International  from Norway and iFarmer from Bangladesh. Both  firms specialize in delivering 
digital solutions for agriculture in Africa and South east Asia. We also had a smallholder farmer from 
Tanzania . Valuable perspectives on the development dimension of e -commerce were brought to the 
WTO. The main message from all these participants w as that the digital divide and  the technology 
transfer , that tend to be presented in the WTO as divisive and zero -sum, ar e on the contrary part of 
the reality of these companies. Increasing technology transfer and bridging the digital divide 
represent new opportunities  for them. T heir message was basically to extend the moratorium  in 
order  to keep up the technology transfer and the bridging of the digital divide . This is  because any 
added cost s would be detrimental for  companies that specialize in the large-scale spread  of digital 
solutions to developing countries and their smallholder farmers, and for the smallholder farmers  
themselves with already pressured profit margins.  
242.  The representative of Nepal , on behalf of the LDC Group, delivered the following statement:  
243.  The LDC Group appreciates the two submissions reflected under this agenda item . The decision 
last year at MC12 required the reinvigoration of the WPEC , in particular with regard to the 
development dimension.  We would like to commend the discussions in the CTD, as well as the 
dedicated discussions facilitated by Ambassador Canabady  of Mauritius . E-commerce has proven its 
importance . However , this opportunity might turn into a challenge for LDCs due to the huge digital 
divide, including poor digital infrastructure, that needs to be addressed. The LDC Group submission 
of 2019 has been dis cussed as well.  We announced in the dedicated discussions that we will soon 
circulate to the General Council our updated communication, which we have been working on this 
year. We will also circulate the submission in the CTD.  
244.  The representative of the United States  delivered the following statement:  
245.  We recognize the rich and comprehensive exchanges that have taken place in the thematic 
sessions of the Work Programme since it was reinvigorated at MC12 . In light of this work, WT/COMTD/M/122  
- 41 - 
  the United  States believes it is important that Members be prepared at MC13 to extend both the 
WPEC  and the m oratorium .  
246.  The representative of the European Union  delivered the following statement:  
247.  I would like to seize the opportunity to thank the African Group for its communication, which 
was submitted only days after the previous CTD meeting . I would also like to thank South Africa for 
presenting its communication with India once again. These documents have been discussed several 
times. I do not have much to ad d, and certainly not as eloquently as my Norwegian colleague, whose 
contribution I welcome. I also agree with my colleague from the United States. Generally, in the 
area of e -commerce and digitalization, the European Union has  emphasized the importance of 
developing legal and regulatory frameworks that bring legal certainty and predictability for 
businesses, but also increase consumer trust and participation in e -commerce. Together with stable 
and predictable trade practices, these will promote the growth o f the internal digital economy in 
developing countries and enable these countries to take full advantage of the necessary 
complementary investment in digital infrastructure and digital skills. With this in mind, 
the European  Union is happy to continue the discussion s under the WPEC in order to help develop 
digital capacity in developing countries and in LDCs.  
248.  The representative of Canada  delivered the following statement:  
249.  Canada welcomes the intervention by the African Group at the CTD. We echo the observations 
that e -commerce has the ability to boost growth and well -being, and that the digital divide must be 
addressed in all countries, including Canada. Further more, Canada agrees that the WPEC  is a 
relevant and useful forum to identify iss ues in unlocking the benefits of e -commerce. The surest way 
for all Members to reap the full benefits of e -commerce is by maintaining a predictable environment 
for all businesses, especially MSMEs, through creating internationally  agreed rules on e -commerc e 
and by maintaining existing measures, such as the moratorium on customs duties on electronic 
transmissions.  
250.  The representative of the United Kingdom  delivered the following statement:  
251.  In the interest s of time, I would refer Members to my Ambassador 's intervention at the 
General Council. I would  also like to say that the United Kingdom commends Members for their 
efforts to revitali ze the WPEC. We call for the e-commerce moratorium to be rolled over . Failing to 
do so would undermine the credibility of the W TO. The moratorium benefits SMEs, particularly in 
developing countries, by reducing the cost of engaging in trade by up to 30%.  
252.  The representative of Switzerland delivered the following statement:  
253.  Switzerland thanks India, South Africa and the African Group for their communications on 
e-commerce. Switzerland also welcomes the very substantive contributions made so far on this 
important topic. We note that the topics raised in the communications have the potential to be 
deepened through direct dialogue with  relevant organizations and stakeholder representatives. 
Given the discussions in the dedicated session , and in order to avoid duplications of debates, 
discussions should be continued in the dedicated forum. Switzerland sees no particular merits in 
including a standing agenda item in the CTD to deal with e -commerce. As Members agreed on the 
extension of the moratorium on e-commerce at  MC12 , they have ensured that the WTO remains a 
relevant forum for trade governance in this century. We are convinced that the discussions in the 
dedicated forum will provide an opportunity for fruitful exchanges.  
254.  The representat ive of Australia  delivered the following statement:  
255.  In the interests of time, I would like to refer the Committee to Australia 's previous statement 
on this item in July. We also support the rollover of the moratorium at or before MC13 . We commend 
the effor ts of Members in reinvigorating the work under the WPEC,  as mandated at MC12.  
256.  The representative of Japan  delivered the following statement:  
257.  We had some good outcomes at MC12 . It was also an opportunity  to reach a common 
understanding on the moratorium. Ja pan's view is that th e moratorium should be  permanent. We WT/COMTD/M/122  
- 42 - 
  would also like to continue discussions  in the dedicated sessions  on the WPEC , including discussion s 
on trade -related matter s. 
258.  The representative  of Indonesia  delivered the following statement:  
259.  Indonesia commends and appreciates the submissions by the African Group, South Africa and 
India, recognizing the need for inclusive and strategic interventions to ensure that the benefits of 
global e -commerce are shared equitably among all WTO Members. The document s presented 
comprehensively address the challenges and opportunities presented by the evolving landscape of 
global e -commerce. These issues are inherently linked to the developmental concerns of many 
WTO Members , especially those in the developing world. Therefore, they are highly relevant to the 
mandate and scope of the CTD. The CTD can play a pivotal role in addressing the digital divide and 
advancing a development -oriented approach to e -commerce. With regard t o the moratorium issue, 
Indonesia appreciates the ongoing discussion under the WPEC, and we want to point out that a 
one-size-fits-all approach to regulating electronic transmissions would be detrimental to 
developing  countries like Indonesia, which are st ill striving to bridge the digital divide. The  
moratorium on custom duties on electronic transmissions, however, raises concerns as it may 
perpetuate a dynamic where technologically advanced countries could potentially hinder the growth 
of others, relegati ng them to consumer roles rather than fostering their development and 
competitiveness. Developing  countries require adequate policy space to implement strategies that 
align with their unique circumstances and development objectives. This flexibility is cru cial for 
fostering their digital economies and enabling them to catch  up with more advanced countries. 
We remain convinced that it is important to end the moratorium as one of the decisions in the 
forthcoming MC13, taking into account the absence of mutual  agreement on the scope, definition, 
and impacts of the moratorium. In conclusion, Indonesia anticipates robust discussions within the 
CTD, leveraging its pivotal role to address the developmental dimension of the WPEC.  
260.  The representative of Brazil  deliver ed the following statement:  
261.  I would like to recognize the leadership of Indonesia . I take note of the very interesting 
comments. I would also like to thank India and South Africa for submitting and presenting the 
communication s. At this time in Brasilia, we are under consultations on all the issues that are being 
discussed in the technical Committee as well.  
262.  The representative of India delivered the following statement:  
263.  I understand that I am making concluding remarks on this agenda item. I t hank the 
African  Group for their presentation and  thank South Africa for making initial remarks on the joint 
proposal by India and South Africa. I also thank the delegations  that made interventions and shared 
their views. I heard some Member s say that discussion s should be taking place in the dedicated 
session  on the WPEC . However, based on the 1998 WPEC, the CTD is the body where discussions 
on the developmental aspects should take place. The dedicated session does not replace the CTD on 
this. I heard Norway 's observations regarding the positive views on the moratorium  expressed by 
two entities that participated in a panel discussion on the side-lines of a dedicated session . However, 
to conclude from this that the continuation of the morator ium would help the entire globe is a myopic 
view taken by those with the privilege of having the first -move r advantage . It is for the sovereign 
to use policy space in a way that best provides the benefit s of policy for development, for the 
development of domes tic industry and for growth. This is why  developing countries have been 
seeking policy space. If the moratorium is lifted, it will not mean that all  countr ies would impose 
custom dut ies. This is currently not the case  when there are flexibilities on the imposition of customs 
duties . Having said th is, the submission in the CTD is not only about the moratorium. It is mor e 
broadly on the development aspects of e -commerce and how to bridge the gap s. There is clear 
evidence  that the digital divide is increasing . This has been d emonstrated by international 
organizations working on these issues. Reports by the International Telecommunication s Union (ITU) 
show a wide gap in internet access accessibility and digital infrastructu re. The gap is widening even 
further for LDCs.  We have seen the serious consequences of e -commerce on MSMEs  in 
developing  countries , how they have suffered and are trying to cope with the challenges. The paper 
by India and South African reflects how the la ndscape of global trade w ill change  as e-commerce 
grows  and how that will impact on developing countries. We urge Members to have a structured 
discussion on the guiding questions listed in our submission , understanding the need to have a 
serious reflection on this crucial development concern s arising from recent technological WT/COMTD/M/122  
- 43 - 
  advancements.  We particularly invite  those delegations  that believe  that policy space is not justified 
to discuss the guiding questions. We would like Members to come to the table with an open mind . 
264.  The Committee took note  of all interventions . 
265.  The meeting was suspended  at the end of the day on 17 November  2023.  
266.  The meeting was reconvened  on 24 November 2023.  
14  PARAGRAPH 2 OF THE CTD'S TERMS OF REFERENCE ( WT/L/46 ) 
267.  The Chairman  said that, a t the last CTD meeting on 11 July 2023, he had made an intervention 
under "Other Business" regar ding the Secretariat paper on the participation of developing economies 
in the global trading system . He had recalled that t his paper ha d been prepared over the years in 
the context of the mandate in paragraph 2 of the CTD's TORs to keep under continuous r eview the 
participation of developing country Members in the MTS. It ha d been the CTD's practice to hold a 
discussion on this subject every two years or so, at which time the paper was updated to assist 
Members in their discussion. The last such discussion  by the CTD on this subject took place in 
November 2021, and an update to the previous version of the Secretariat paper – contained in 
document WT/COMTD/W/262  – would therefore normally have been due for the present  meeting. 
However, as he had explained at the July meeting , it would not be possible for the paper to be 
updated in 2023 , due to resource constraints that the Secretariat was facing . He understood that 
there was only a small team within the Secretariat tha t had been preparing these types of documents 
up to now. With current resources, this team d id not have the capacity to prepare this particular 
document for the CTD . When he had  made his intervention in July, it was unclear how the situation 
would be resol ved. He had  indicated that he would be keeping in touch with the Secretariat on this 
matter and would keep Members informed . He had also indicated that not having a Secretariat report 
in 2023  could  provide Members with an opportunity to consider how this p articular area of the 
CTD's  mandate could be addressed in the future. With this in mind, he had  informed the Committee 
that he would place an item on the agenda of the present  meeting concerning Members' views on 
work that could be undertaken under paragra ph 2 of the CTD's TORs.  
268.  He went on to say that, since his intervention in July, there had been some positive 
developments. In particular, some additional resources ha d been provided to the CTD Unit, which 
would  allow the paper on the participation of deve loping economies in the global trading system to 
be updated in early 2024. While waiting for the updated paper – which would  be on the agenda of 
the next CTD meeting  – he believed that it would be useful if the Secretariat could already provide 
some relevant updates to the Committee. This explain ed the first sub -item under this agenda item. 
Under the second sub -item, Members would be given the opportunity to share views on any other 
work that could be undertaken under paragraph 2 of the CTD's TORs.  
(A) Update on the participation of developing economies in the global trading system – 
Presentation by the Secretariat  
269.  The representative of the Secretariat  presented an update on the participation of developing 
economies in the global trading system, focusing particularly  on trade developments since the 
COVID -19 pandemic . He noted that th e presentation would  be followed by a report which would be 
presented at the next CTD  meeting , and that some findings might be updated for th e report. With 
regard to merchandise trade, he said that, since 2020, global trade in value terms recovered 
markedly, both for developing and developed economie s. The percentage of global exports by 
developing economies continued to increase, with China, the Republic of Korea and Mexico being 
the main developing economy exporters in 2022. While total developing economy exports exceed ed 
pre-COVID -19 levels, the si tuation varie d significantly between economies. Several economies ha d 
still not reached their 2019 level s of exports . In terms of merchandise  imports, China, 
the Republic  of Korea and India were the largest importers among developing economies . 
The United  States, China and the European Union were the largest export destinations for developing 
economies.  Compared to merchandise trade, trade in commercial services had rebound ed less 
strongly since 2020. While the share of commercial services exports by develo ping economies in 
2022 exceeded the 2019  level, the share in global imports remained subdued. The largest 
commercial services exporters among developing economies were China followed by India and 
Singapore. The finding of an uneven recovery was even more t rue in commercial services, with most WT/COMTD/M/122  
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  economies still below their export levels of 2019. In 2021, the main destinations of developing 
economies' services exports  – not reflecting the European Union as a single destination – were the 
United States, China an d Hong Kong , China .  
270.  The representative of India delivered the following statement:  
271.  We are happy that the CTD has made some progress on this matter . At the last meeting , we 
were very disheartened to hear that the Secretariat was not in a position to prepare  the report 
because of resource constraints. However, we now see a good resource coming to the CTD. On the 
basis of this initial presentation, we are optimistic that the report, which is to be presented at the 
next meeting,  will be of good quality and will contain a lot of information. For the report, we would 
like to see more than the factual part  presented today . In particular, w e would also like to see more 
analytical work , including information on the constrai nts faced by developing economies and the 
issues which may have hampered their trade growth, or which may have contributed to their trade 
growth. We would also like to say that having a resource working on this report and other CTD issues 
is welcome, but this is only one part of the picture . The CTD should also be able  to continue to 
benefit from inputs from the Economic Research and Statistics Division ( ERSD ). There is a need to 
determine  what data and information is required  for studies to be prepared for the CTD  and to ensure 
that this flows seamle ssly to CTD. We would be interested to know what information the CTD will be 
requiring and from where it will be coming.  
272.  The representative of the European Union  delivered the following statement:  
273.  I would like to say three things. First, congratulations and thank  you for having unblocked this 
useful work. My second point has to do with reform by doing . I recall the great advance s that we re 
made at the la st meeting on Aid for Trade, where presentations  were made available before the 
meeting . Today's presentation would have been a good candidate as well. I know that Members  are 
going to get a whole report, but I  say th is for your consideration.  Third, I would like to  thank the 
presenter  and would also note that i t would be  interesting to look at  the goods and services trade 
data from the European Union as an aggregate, since we are a single market.  I would also like to 
speak regarding Agenda Item 14.B . We still have t he impression that , for the work referred to in 
paragraph 2 of the CTD's TORs , this sort of report remains extremely useful. The European Union 
has plenty of ideas for this Committee , but for this particular paragraph, the suggestion is that 
Members  contin ue discussing this sort of report.  
274.  The representative of Brazil  delivered the following statement:  
275.  I fully support what my colleague from India said. I commend the Secretariat for the 
information shared , but I would like to see more analytical work on the constraints that 
developing  countries face to export more, to import, and to participate more in international trade.  
276.  The representative of China  delivered the following statement:  
277.  Thank you to the Secretariat for this presentation on the participation of developing economies 
in the global trading system.  It is very informative . I compa red the presentation today with the 
paper  that was circulated  two years ago. I find  that the main contents are the same.  We encourage 
the Secretariat to circulate the updated paper at an appropriate time to give us more detailed 
information about today's presentation as well as some other graphs and numbers that go beyond 
the presentation.  
278.  The representative of the United Sta tes delivered the following statement:  
279.  Thanks to the Secretar iat for the report. It is useful information to have. I have a question 
about the information that was provided on developing economies and the way that they  have been 
disaggregated . Was a disagg regation  made  for LDCs, and is this information available?  
280.  The representative of the Secretariat  said that, w hile data on LDCs was available, this was not 
the focus of th e presentation  or the report that would  be prepared . He noted that a  separate report 
had recently be en circulated for the Sub-Committee on LDCs which looked  specifically at LDCs. If 
there was interest, some information on LDCs could be included in the report for the CTD. Regarding 
the comment by the European Union, he confi rmed that the intention was to aggregate trade flows WT/COMTD/M/122  
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  to the European Union level. Finally, with respect to analytical work, he said that the Secretariat 
would try to  present  more analysis in the final report.  
281.  The Chairman  said that  delegation s could email  the Secretariat if they had any further 
comments or suggestions. As long as the data was available, the Secretariat could consider 
incorporat ing any additional elements  in the report .  
282.  The Committee took note  of the presentation by the Secretariat , and of the interventions.   
(B) Members' views on any other work that could be undertaken under paragraph 2 o f 
the CTD's terms of reference  
283.  The Chairman  said that  the second sub -item under Agenda Item 14 concern ed Members' views 
on any other work that coul d be undertaken under paragraph 2 of the CTD's TORs. The full text of 
this paragraph read as follows: "To keep under continuous review the participation of developing 
country Members in the multilateral trading system and to consider measures and initiativ es to assist 
developing country Members, and in particular the least -developed country Members, in the 
expansion of their trade and investment opportunities, including support for their measures of trade 
liberalization".  
284.  The representative of India delivered the following statement:  
285.  Paragraph 2 of the CTD's TORs has a wide scope . There have been significant discussions on 
it in the past, and several  suggestions were made . In addition, i n the development retreat held in 
February of this year, a lot o f idea s were share d on work that the CTD could do  – not only on  the 
integration  of developing countr ies and LDCs in the MTS , but also in other areas such as S&D and 
KPIs for industriali sation. A number of these items are mentioned  in India's re flections on  the 
development retreat, contained in document JOB/COMTD/4 . There is therefore ample scope for work 
to be done in the CTD. Going forward, we will be suggesting areas for work under paragraph 2 . For 
the time being, there is a lot to pick up from the discussion s which  took place in the development 
retreat this February, a s well as in subsequent discussion s. 
286.  The representative of the United States  delivered the following statement:  
287.  I would like to  thank my colleague from India for his suggestions. To re iterate my 
delegation's  position, we certainly support the idea of the CTD functioning more effectively and 
working on its core issues of development in the WTO. From our perspective , the mandate is there 
to periodically review the application of special p rovisions. We certainly welcome ideas on how we 
can do that effectively, but what concerns us is to establish some kind of structured reporting 
mechanism. Information on the work that is done on development in other Committees  is publicly 
available , and th e CTD and its delegates therefore have access to that  information . This could be 
taken up and periodically review ed, but we  are not comfortable with any sort of structured reporting 
situation . We welcome ideas from India and others as to how we can make th is more effective.  
288.  The Committee took note  of the interventions . 
15  DRAFT ANNUAL REPORT FOR 2023 ( WT/COMTD/W/286 ) 
289.  The Chairman  said that  a communication was sent to Members on 7 November  2023, 
indicating that the CTD's draft annual report had been circulated in document WT/COMTD/W/286 . 
The draft contain ed a number of square brackets relating to  items discussed at 
the CTD's  59th Session on Aid for Trade on 14 November; the CTD's 46th Dedicated Session on Small 
Economies on 16 November and which was reconvened on 24 November ; as well as the four 
CTD meetings which took place on 17 November. These were the 19th Dedicated Session on the 
Monitoring Mechanism on S&D; the 21st Dedicated Session on Regional Trade Agreements; the 
13th Dedicated Session on Preferential Trade Arrangements and the 122nd Regular Session. As part 
of the process of adopting the report, the square brackets w ould be removed, and the necessary 
updates to be made in the document w ould be reflected in the final report. Members had been  
requested to submit in writing any comments on the draft annual report by 10 November. No 
comments on the draft annual report were received.  He went on to say that, at the reconvened 
46th Dedicated Session on Small Economies  which was held on 24 November , it had not been possible WT/COMTD/M/122  
- 46 - 
  for the Dedicated  Session to agree to the proposed revised tex t submitted by Guatemala on behalf 
of the SVE Group for a Ministerial Decision at MC13 on the Work  Programme on Small Economies . 
He would  be facilitating further informal discussions among Members, with a view to concluding the 
consideration of the SVE Gro up's proposal as soon as possibl e. Once the discussions on the SVE 
Group 's proposal were concluded, the Dedicated Session w ould be able to adopt its own report to 
the General Council, which would  be circulated in document WT/COMTD/SE/12 . For purposes of the 
CTD's annual report for 2023, which was to be adopted at the present meeting , his suggestion was 
that a cross -reference be made in the CTD 's annual report to the Dedicated Session 's report to the 
General Council. Th is would  allow the CTD 's annual report for 2023 to be circulated soon after the 
present meeting, while still maintaining a reference to the discussions taking place in the Dedicated 
Session on Small Economies.  
290.  The Committee adopted  its annual report for 2023.8  
16  CALENDAR OF CTD MEETINGS IN 2024 ( WT/COMTD/W/2 87) 
291.  The Chairman  said that  the calendar of CTD meeting s in 2024 was circulated in document 
WT/COMTD/W/287 . The document contain ed all the dates of formal CTD meetings chaired by the 
CTD Chair that were currently known. These include d the dates of the CTD's Regular Session ; the 
Dedicated Session on Regional Trade Agreements ; the Dedicated Sess ion on Preferential Trade 
Arrangements ; the Dedicated Session on the Monitoring Mechanism on S&D, and the Session on 
Aid for Trade. In line with the practice, formal meetings of the Dedicated Session on Small Economies 
would  be organized when topics for di scussion were determined. The calendar of meetings would  be 
updated in the course of 2024 as necessary. At this stage, he wished to note that the next meeting 
of the Regular Session was scheduled for Friday, 15 March 2024. An initial agenda would  be 
circul ated four weeks before the meeting, on 16 February 2024, as per the CTD's rules of procedure. 
After the circulation of this initial meeting notice, Members would  still have the opportunity to request 
items on the agenda for the meeting. The agenda would  close on Monday, 4 March, and would  be 
circulated on Tuesday, 5 March . 
292.  The representative of India delivered the following statement:  
293.  Thank you  for this update on the calendar. Considering th e increased  workload of the 
Committee , and the fact that the set of four CTD meeting s which began on 17 November  were 
spread  over two days  with the continued Regular Session today , we are wondering whether it would 
be worth already keeping a reserve day for each set of meeting s from now. The reserve day could 
be used in case the meetings continue into a second day.  
294.  The Chairman  indicated that  he would reflect on this suggestion  with the Secretariat .  
295.  The representative of the United States  delivered the following statement:  
296.  Thank you  for the calendar, which will b e helpful for planning purposes. My only comment is 
that the agenda for the next meeting closes on 4 March 2024. This will be challenging , as it is right 
after MC13. Members may need some flexibility in terms of timing . 
297.  The Chairman  believed that this request could be accommodated, in light of the scheduled 
dates for MC13.  
298.  The representative of the Secretariat  explained that t he dates for the  closure of  agendas  
reflected  in the calendar of meetings  were linked to the  10-day rule  for the circulation of agendas. 
He took note that Members may need some f lexibility on these dates for the next meeting.  
299.  The Committee took note  of the calendar of CTD meetings in 2024, and of the interventions.   
17  OTHER BUSINESS  
300.  The Chairman  said that  he wished to make a brief intervention regarding the election of the 
Chairperson of the Sub -Committee on LDCs. He recalled that, at the 120th Session  on 5 April 2023, 
 
8 The report was circulated in document WT/COMTD/103 . WT/COMTD/M/122  
- 47 - 
  Ambassador Erik Brøgger Rasmussen of Denmark was elected Chairperson of the Sub -Committee 
on LDCs for 2023. Ambassador Rasmussen subsequently relinquished his responsibilities on 
15 September 2023. Since then, the position of the Sub -Comm ittee Chair had remained vacant, and 
he had been overseeing that work. He said that he had  recently received an indication of a potential 
candidate to take up the position of Chair person  of the Sub -Committee on LDCs. He would  be 
consulting delegations on t his matter and would  put forward the name at the first meeting of the 
CTD's Regular Session in  2024, where an item on the election of the Chairperson of the 
Sub-Committee on LDCs w ould be included. He looked forward to welcoming the new Chair person 
of the Sub-Committee . 
301.  The meeting was adjourned . 
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