RESTRICTED  
  
WT/BFA/218  
 
12 Decem ber 2023 
(23-8524) Page: 1/6 
   
 
  
ANNUAL REPORT FOR 20 23 OF THE COMMITTEE ON BUDGET,   
FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION  
1.1.  In accordance with the procedures for an annual overview of World Trade Organization (WTO) 
activities, adopted by the General Council on 15  November 1995 (WT/GC/M/8 , item 11 ), a report 
on the activities of the Committee  on Budget, Finance and Administration  (CBFA) in 2023 is hereby 
submitted.  
1.2.  In 202 3, the CBFA held seven formal meetings and submitted seven  reports1 to the 
General  Council.  The CBFA also held ten informal meetings.  
1.3.  The list of CBFA documents issued in 202 3 is contained in Annex 1.  
1.1  Regular and Other I tems  
1.4.  The CBFA reviewed and took note of regular and other items, such as:  
a. the quarterly reports on the financial and extra -budgetary situation of the Organization 
(WT/BFA/W/ 628 - WT/BFA/W/6 45 - WT/BFA/W/655  - WT/BFA/W/ 629 - WT/BFA/W/6 46 - 
WT/BFA/W/656 ); 
b. the s tatus of the balance of the LDC Ministerial Conference Trust Fund 2023 -2024 
(WT/BFA/W/624  - WT/BFA/W/647 ); 
c. the 2023 WTO Salary Survey and Dependency Allowances (WT/BFA/W/620 );  
d. the Annual Report on Grading Structure in the WTO Secreta riat for 2022 (WT/BFA/W/631 ); 
e. the WTO Secretariat staff's Learning and Development Programme for 2022 
(WT/BFA/W/621 ); 
f. the Annual Report on Diversity in the WTO Secretariat for 2022 (WT/BFA/W/648 ); 
g. updates from the Chairperson of the WTO Pension Plan Management Board;  
h. WTO Pension Plan interim actuarial valuation for 202 2 (WT/BFA/W/638 ); 
i. an update on the WTO Medical Insurance Plan and ASHI (WT/BFA/W/ 627); 
j. the Annual Strategic Facilities Plan (WT/BFA/W/ 630); 
k. the report on the follow -up to Outstanding Recommendations of the External Auditors 
(WT/BFA/W/641 ); 
 
1 WT/BFA/2 11 covering the meeting held on 9 March 202 3; WT/BFA/2 12 covering the meeting of 
16 May 2023; WT/BFA/2 13 covering the meeting of 2 7 June;  WT/BFA/2 14 covering the meeting of 
18 July 2023; WT/BFA/2 15 covering the meeting of 21 September  2023; WT/BFA/2 16 covering the meeting of 
17 October 202 3; and WT/BFA/2 17 covering the meeting of 22 & 12 Decem ber 2023. WT/BFA/218  
 
- 2 - 
 
  l. the Audit and Evaluation Plan 2023 -2024 of the Office of Internal Oversight  and Launch of 
Internal Control Framework  (WT/BFA/W/626 ); 
m. the Annual Report of  the activities of the Office of Internal Oversight for 202 2-2023 
(WT/BFA/W/ 651); 
n. an update on the replacement of Documents Online  (WT/BFA/W/634 ); and  
o. an internal compilation of the number of meetings of WTO Regular and Negotiating Bodies 
and the number of documents circulated between January 2021 and July 2023  
(WT/BFA/W/652 ). 
1.2  WTO 2024 -2025 Budget Proposal  
1.5.  The Director -General present ed the 2024 -2025 budget proposal to the Committee on 18 July  
(WT/BFA/W/643 ).2 
1.6.  The budget proposal was discussed at formal meetings on 18 July 2023, 21 September 2023, 
17 October 2023 , 22 November 2023  and 12 December . Furthermore, the Secretariat circula ted a 
note on the staffing elements of the budget (WT/BFA/W/653 ). Additionally, the CBFA  held five 
informal technical sessions on budget -related matters: on HR and staffing considerations on 
11 September 2023; on non -HR technical budget elements on 18  September 2023; on posts and 
the regular budget, technical assistance travel, Trust Fund per formance audit, and Trust Fund 
guidelines on 2  October  2023; on the budget proposal and IT  Projects on 12 October; and on the 
streamlined WTO Secretariat budget proposal  2024-2025 (WT/BFA/W/654 ) on 2 November.  
1.7.  Following extensive consultations and  an informal  meeting  on 24 November , the Secretariat 
issued an updated  budget  document (WT/BFA/W/659/Corr.1 ), which  reflected an emerging 
consensus among Members for a compromise on the budget increase. Subsequently, the Committee 
met informally on 8 December to express views in anticipation of a formal meeting the following 
week.  
1.8.  On 12 December , the Committee continued its meeting of 22 November. The Committee 
deferred  a decision on pension reform , and it will be taken up again in earl y 2024 . Regarding the 
WTO 2024 -2025 budget and disposition of the 2021 surplus, the Committee, except one Member, 
endorsed recommendations contained in para. 3.1 4 of document  WT/BFA/217 . That 
recommendation was conveyed to the General Council.  
1.3  ITC 2024 -2025 Budget Proposal  
1.9.  The ITC Executive Director presented the 2024 -2025 budget proposal to the Committee on 
18 July JOB/BFA/84 . 
1.10.   The CBFA discussed the ITC budget proposal at formal meetings on 18 July 2023, 
21 September 2023, and 17 October 2023.3 
1.11.   At the 12 December meeting, the Committee, except one Member, endorsed the 
recommendation to be made to the General Council regarding the 2024 -2025 ITC budget proposal 
contained in para. 3.1 4 of document WT/BFA/217  regarding the overall budget proposal.  
 
2 The discussions on the WTO budget proposal correspond to the following Committee Reports: 
WT/BFA/214  - WT/BFA/215  - WT/BFA/216  - WT/BFA/217 . 
3 The discussions on the ITC budget proposal correspond to the following Committee Reports: 
WT/BFA/214  - WT/BFA/215  - WT/BFA/216  - WT/BFA/217 . WT/BFA/218  
 
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  1.4  Pension Plan  
1.12.   The CBFA took note of the 2022 WTO Pension Plan Audited Financial Statements and the 
External Auditor's Report. The recommendation for the approval of the Audited Financial Statements, 
to the General Council, is under the mandate of the WTO Pension Plan Man agement Board.  
1.13.   The Chairman of the WTO  Pension Plan Management Board  presented recommendations on 
the reform of the WTO Pension Plan, aimed at addressing the actuarial gap between the pension 
plans assets and liabilities.  
1.14.   At the meeting on 12 December, the Committee deferred a decision on pension reform to 
early 2024 . 
1.5  Transformation Exercise  
1.15.   Regular updates on the WTO Secretariat Transformation Exercise  (WT/BFA/W/ 625 - 
WT/BFA/W/635  - WT/BFA/W/ 642 - WT/BFA/W/649  - WT/BFA/W/658 )4 were provided at each 
CBFA  meeting by Deputy Director -General Angela Ellard.  
1.16.   Furthermore, an informal meeting with the Transformation Office was organise d on 
25 April 2023 at which Members had an opportunity to ask questions and seek clarifications 
regarding the ongoing transformation work to develop vision statement and strategic pillars for the 
Secretariat.  
1.6  External Audit  
1.17.   The External Auditors presented their report on the Performance Audit on Governance and 
Management of Extra -Budgetary Trust Funds  (WT/BFA/W/622/Rev.1 ). 
1.18.   The CBFA reviewed the 202 2 WTO Audited Financial Statements and the External Auditor's 
Report and recommended that the General Council approve the 202 2 WTO Audited Financial 
Statements. In addition, the CBFA proposed that th e General Council approve transfers between 
budgetary sections as outlined in the 202 2 WTO Financial Performance Report .5 
1.7  Outstanding Contributions from Members and Observers  
1.19.   The CBFA took note of outstanding contributions from Members and Observers 
(WT/BFA/W/ 619) and invited the General Council to urge Members and Observers under 
administrative measures to liquidate their arrears. Furthermore, the Chairperson of the CBFA read 
out the list of Members and Observers under administrative measures at every General Council 
meeting.  
1.8  Use of Building Renovation Fund  
1.20.   The CBFA approved a request to draw funds from the Building Renovation Fund to update 
audio -visual equipment in the WTO conference rooms  (WT/BFA/W/650 ).6  
1.9  2024 -2025  Biennial Technical Assistance and Training Plan  
1.21.   The CBFA approved  the budgetary aspects of the 2024-2025 Biennial Technical Assistance 
and Training  Plan (WT/COMTD/W/273  - WT/COMTD/W/273/Corr.1 ).7 
_______________  
 
 
4 Updates of the Transformation Exercise correspond to the following Committee reports: WT/BFA/211 - 
WT/BFA/212  - WT/BFA/213  - WT/BFA/214  - WT/BFA/215  - WT/BFA/216  - WT/BFA/217 . 
5 The approval can be found in the following Committee Report WT/BFA/213 . 
6 The approval can be found in the following Committee Report WT/BFA/215 . 
7 The approval can be found in the following Committee Report s WT/BFA/215  - WT/BFA/217 .   
  WT/BFA/218  
 
- 4 - ANNEX 1  
LIST OF CBFA  DOCUMENTS ISSUED IN 202 3 
Symbol  Title of the document  
WT/BFA/W/618  2023 Draft Work Plan for the Committee on Budget, Finance and Administration  
WT/BFA/W/619  Outstanding Contributions from Members and Observers as at 31 December 202 2 
WT/BFA/W/620  2023 WTO Salary Survey and Dependency Allowances: Cumulative Movement of the WTO Salary Scale in 
2018 – 2023 
WT/BFA/W/621  WTO Secretariat's Staff Learning and Development Programme 2022  
WT/BFA/W/622  Performance Audit Report of the Independent External Auditor on the Governance and Management of Extra -
Budgetary Trust Funds  
WT/BFA/W/622/Rev.1  Performance Audit Report of the Independent External Auditor on the Governance and Management of Extra -
Budgetary Trust Funds  – Revision 1  
WT/BFA/W/623  Secretariat's Responses to the Report of the Independent External Auditor on the Performance Audit on 
Governance and Management of Extra -Budgetary Trust Funds  
WT/BFA/W/624  LDC Ministerial Conference Trust Fund 2023 -2024 
WT/BFA/W/625  WTO Secretariat Transformation Exercise as of 22 February 2023 for CBFA Meeting on 9 March 2023  
WT/BFA/W/626  Office of Internal Oversight  (OIO)– Audit and Evaluation Plan 2023 -2024 and Launch of Internal Control 
Framework  
WT/BFA/W/627  Update on WTO Medical Insurance Plan and ASHI  
WT/BFA/W/628  WTO Budget and Finance Report - 1st Quarter 2023  
WT/BFA/W/629  Quarter 1 2023 Extra Budgetary Funds Report  
WT/BFA/W/630  Strategic Facilities Plan  
WT/BFA/W/631  2022 Annual Report on Grading Structure in the WTO Secretariat  
WT/BFA/W/632  WTO 2022 Financial Performance Report  
WT/BFA/W/632/Rev.1  WTO 2022 Financial Performance Report – Revision 1  
WT/BFA/W/ 633  Reform Proposal for Addressing the Pension Plan's Funding Gap  
WT/BFA/W/634  Update on the Replacement of Documents Online (DOL) 
WT/BFA/W/635  WTO Secretariat Transformation Exercise as of 1 May 2023 for CBFA Meeting on 16 May 2023  
WT/B FA/W/636 – WT/L/1167  WTO Pension Plan - Annual Report  and Financial Statements for the year ending 31 December 2022  
WT/B FA/W/637 – WT/L/1168  WTO Pension Plan - Report of the Independent External Auditor on the Audit of the Financial Statements of the 
World Trade Organization Pension Plan for the Financial Year ended 31  December  2022 
WT/BFA/W/638  WTO Pension Plan 2022 Interim Actuarial Valuation    
  WT/BFA/218  
 
- 5 - Symbol  Title of the document  
WT/BFA/W/ 639  Report of the Independent External Auditor on the Audit of the Financial Statements of the World Trade 
Organization (WTO) for the Financial Year ended 31 December 2022  
WT/BFA/W/ 639/Rev.1  Report of the Independent External Auditor on the Audit of the Financial Statements of the World Trade 
Organization (WTO) for the Financial Year ended 31 December 2022  – Revision 1  
WT/BFA/W/ 640  Secretariat's Responses to External Auditor 's Recommendations  on the Audit of the Financial Statements of the 
World Trade Organization for t he Financial Year ended 31 December 2022  
WT/BFA/W/ 641  Secretariat's Responses to the follow -up to Outstanding Recommendations of the External Auditors  
WT/BFA/W/642  WTO Secretariat Transformation Exercise  as of 12 June  2023 for CBFA Meeting on 27 June  2023 
WT/BFA/W/643  WTO 2024 -2025 Budget Proposal  
WT/BFA/W/6 44  Recommendation of the WTOPP Management Board for Addressing the Pension Plan's Funding Gap  
WT/BFA/W/645  WTO Budget and Finance Report – 2nd Quarter 2023  
WT/BFA/W/646  Quarter 2 2023 Extra Budgetary Funds Report  
WT/BFA/W/647  LDC Ministerial Conference Trust Fund 2023 -2024 
WT/BFA/W/648  2022 Annual Report on Diversity in the WTO Secretariat  
WT/BFA/W/649  Status Report on the WTO Secretariat Transformation Exercise  as of 6 September  2023 for CBFA Meeting on 
21 September  2023 
WT/BFA/W/650  Request to Draw Funds from the Building Renovation Fund to Update Audio-Visual Equipment in WTO 
Conference Rooms  
WT/BFA/W/651  Annual Report on the Activities of the Office of Internal Oversight (OIO) 2022-2023 
WT/BFA/W/652  Internal compilation - Number of Meetings of WTO Regular and Negotiating Bodies and Number of Documents 
Circulated (January 2021 -July 2023 ) 
WT/BFA/W/653  Secretariat Staffing Resources Compressed by Increasing Costs and Decreasing Resources - Budget Proposal 
2024-2025 
WT/BFA/W/654  Streamlined WTO Secretariat Budget Proposal 2024 -2025 
WT/BFA/W/655   WTO Budget and Finance Report – 3rd Quarter 2023  
WT/BFA/W/6 56  Quarter 3 2023 Extra Budgetary Funds Report  
WT/BFA/W/6 57  Draft Annual Report for 202 3 of the Committee on Budget, Finance and Administration  
WT/BFA/W/658  Status Report on the WTO Secretariat Transformation Exercise  as of 7 November  2023 for CBFA Meeting on 
22 November  2023 
WT/BFA/W/659  Updated Secretariat WTO 2024 -2025 Budget Proposal and Disposition of the 2021 Budget Surplus  
 
WT/BFA/W/659/Corr.1  Updated Secretariat WTO 2024 -2025 Budget Proposal and Disposition of the 2021 Budget Surplus - Corrigendum  
 
 
   
  WT/BFA/218  
 
- 6 - Symbol  Title of the document  
WT/BFA/INF/1 8 Note from the Secretariat on the Working Capital Fund  
WT/BFA/INF/1 9  Responses to Questions Raised by a Member during the  CBFA Meeting on 16 May 2023  
 
 
Symbol  Title of the document  
JOB/BFA/ 76 DDG Ellard's Update on the Secretariat's Transformation Exercise - CBFA Meeting - 9 March 2023  
JOB/BFA/77  Presentation of the External Auditor's Performance Audit Report on the Governance and Management of 
Extra‑Budgetary Trust Funds  – CBFA Meeting – 9 March 2023  
JOB/BFA/79  DDG Ellard's Update on the Secretariat's Transformation Exercise - CBFA Meeting - 16 May 2023  
JOB/BFA/81  WTO Pension Plan Reform - Communication from the European Union and its 27 Member states 
JOB/BFA/8 2 DDG Ellard's Update on the Secretariat's Transfo rmation Exercise - CBFA Meeting - 27 June 2023  
JOB/BFA/84  2024-2025 ITC Budget Proposal  
JOB/BFA/84/Corr.1  2024-2025 ITC Budget Proposal  - Corrigendum  
JOB/BFA/85  Letter from the CBFA Chair to the WTO Staff Council on the WTO Pension Plan Management Board's Reform 
Proposal  
JOB/BFA/86  Reply from the WTO Staff Council to the CBFA Chair's Letter on the WTO Pension Plan Management Board's 
Reform Proposal  
JOB/BFA/87  DDG Ellard's Update on the Secretariat's Transformation Exercise - CBFA Meeting - 18 July 2023  
JOB/BFA/89  DDG Ellard's Update on the Secretariat's Transformation Exercise - CBFA Meeting - 21 September 2023  
JOB/BFA/90  DDG Ellard's Updated Speaking Note on budget – CBFA Meeting - 21 September 2023  
JOB/BFA/92  DDG Ellard's Update on the Secretariat's Transformation Exercise - CBFA Meeting - 17 October 2023  
JOB/BFA/93  Office of Internal Oversight (OIO)'s Speaking Notes on the Annual Report on its Activities for 2022 -2023 – CBFA 
Meeting – 17 October 2023  
JOB/BFA/95  Elements for a Budget Outcome Based on a Compromise by a Group of Members  
JOB/BFA/96  DDG Ellard's Update on the Secretariat's Transformation Exercise - CBFA Meeting - 22 Novem ber 2023  
 
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