RESTRICTED  
  
WT/COMTD/M/113  
 
18 December  2020 
(20-9200) Page: 1/13 
Committee on Trade and Development  
113th Session    
 
NOTE ON THE MEETING OF 20 NOVEMBER  2020 
Chairman: H.E. Mr. Mohammad Qurban Haqjo (Afghanistan)  
A. ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA  ................................ ................................ ....................  2 
B. OBSERVERS  ................................ ................................ ................................ .............  3 
(I) Request for attendance of ad hoc  observers  ................................ ................................ .. 3 
(II) Further consideration of requests for observer st atus by the League of Arab States, 
the Organi zation 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 Petr oleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC) and the  
Groupe de la Banque Africaine de Développement  ................................ ................................ ... 3 
C. TECHNICAL COOPERATION AND TRAINING  ................................ .............................  3 
(I) New Format for the Annual Performance Report on Technical Assistance and Training 
(JOB/DEV/63)  ................................ ................................ ................................ .....................  3 
(II) Technical Assistance Dashboard – Presentation by the Institute for Training and Technical 
Cooperation (ITTC)  ................................ ................................ ................................ .............  3 
D. TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT – WORK IN THE COMMITTEE ON THE BASIS OF THE 
CHAIRMAN'S CONCLUDING STATEMENT FROM THE EIGHTH MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE 
(WT/MIN(11)/11)  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...........  6 
(I) 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)  ................................ ............  6 
(II) Operationalization of the CTD's Mandate: A Proposal to Deliver Outcomes based on the 
MC8 Mandate - Proposal from China, Cuba, Ecuador, India and the Africa n Group 
(WT/COMTD/W/192)  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...........  6 
E. LATIN AMERICAN INTEGRATION ASSOCIATION  ................................ .....................  7 
(I) Communication from Uruguay on behalf of the Latin American Integration Association 
(WT/COMTD/W/253)  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...........  7 
(II) Recirculated 1980 Treaty of Montevideo and Related Documentation  ................................  8 
(a)  Agreements Concluded by Member Countries of the Latin American Integration Association 
Under the 1980 Treaty of Montevideo (WT/COMTD/W/254)  ................................ ......................  8 
(b)  Recirculated 1980 Treaty of Montevideo (WT/COMTD/RTA15/N/1)  ................................ .... 8 
(c)  223 Addenda to the Recirculated 1980 Treaty of Montevideo (from 
WT/COMTD/RTA15/N/1/ADD.1 to WT/COMTD/RTA15/N/1/ADD.223)  ................................ .........  8 WT/COMTD/M/113  
 
- 2 - 
 
  F. NOTIFICATIONS UNDER THE ENABLING CLAUSE  ................................ ....................  9 
(I)  Gulf Cooperation Council ( GCC) Notification of Customs Union – Communication from  
China, Egypt and India (WT/COMTD/W/175)  ................................ ................................ ..........  9 
G. ANNUAL REVIEW OF THE STEPS TAKEN TO PROVIDE DUTY -FREE AND QUOTA - 
FREE MARKET ACCESS TO LEAST DEVELOPED COUNTRIES  ................................ ...............  9 
H. WORK PROGRAMME ON ELECTRONIC COMMERCE  ................................ .................. 11 
I. DRAFT ANNUAL REPORT FOR 2020 (WT/COMTD/W/257)  ................................ ......12 
J. DATE OF THE NEXT MEETING ................................ ................................ .................. 12 
K. OTHER BUSINESS  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...13 
 
A. ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA  
1. The Chairman  welcomed delegat ions to the 113th Regular Session of the Committee on Trade 
and Development (CTD). He recalled that the COVID -19 outbreak and the resulting suspension of 
all WTO meetings earlier in the  year had disrupted the normal schedule of CTD meetings . In light of 
the situation, t he 111th Regular Session could not take place in April 2020, as origina lly planned. 
While it was possible to subsequently hold the 111th Regular Session on 26 May 2020 as a special 
virtual session, it was not until the 112th Regular Session – held on 29 September  2020, and with a 
focus on technical assistance  (TA) issues – that Members could start catch ing up on the regular work  
of the Committee . The present meeting allowed Members to pick up on all the regular items  on the 
CTD's agenda , some of which ha d not been addressed since the 110th Regular Session held on 
22 November 2 019.  
 
2. He indicated that, before turning to the draft agenda for the present meeting, he wished to 
say a few words in reference to the communication he had  sent to Members on 8 October 2020.  He 
recalled that he had also referred to this communication at the CTD's 12th Dedicated Session on 
Regional  Trade Agreements (RTAs) and the CTD's 4th Dedicated Session on Preferential Trade 
Arrangements (PTAs) , which were held immediately before the prese nt meeting.  In his 
communication, he had  reminded Members of a discussion that had taken place between some 
delegations as to whether notifications of RTAs and PTAs were more appropriately reflected on the 
agenda of the Regular Session of the CTD, or on th e agendas of the CTD's Dedicated Sessions on 
RTAs and PTAs. He noted that, in recent meetings, new notifications received ha d been reflected on 
the agenda of the Regular Session. In his communication , he had indicated  that, on the basis of his 
interactions  with a number of delegations, a way forward had emerged on the matter. He had laid 
out the elements of this way forward, and had invited Members to share any thoughts or suggestions 
with him. Since no indications to the contrary were received, he was  pleased to confirm this way 
forward, which ha d implications for how work would be conducted in the CTD's Dedicated Session 
on RTAs, the CTD's Dedicated Session on PTAs, and the CTD's Regular Session. In this regard, he 
said that notifications to the CTD concer ning RTAs and PTAs w ould henceforth be reflected on the 
agendas of the CTD’s Dedicated Sessions on RTAs and PTAs, and not on the agenda of the Regular 
Session. In addition, the CTD Chair person's  reports on the status of preparation of factual 
presentations  on RTAs and PTAs w ould henceforth be reflected on the agendas of the 
CTD’s  Dedicated Sessions on RTAs and PTAs, and not on the agenda of the Regular Session. Meetings 
of the Dedicated Sessions on RTAs and PTAs w ould be held back -to-back with each meeting of the 
Regular Session. Even if there were no notifications of RTAs and PTAs on the agenda, Dedicated 
Sessions w ould be convened to read the CTD Chair person's  report on the status of preparation of 
factual presentati ons on RTAs and PTAs. These points clarif ied the draft agenda for t he present  
meeting.  
 
3. He went on to say that the draft agenda  for the present meeting was  contained in 
Airgram  WTO/AIR/COMTD/21/Rev.1 circulated on 10 November 2020. He indicated that he wis hed 
to make a brief intervention under "Other Business " concerning the timing of the preparation of the 
next update of the Secretariat’s compilation paper on the implementation of special and differential 
treatment (S&D) provisions in the WTO Agreements an d Decisions. This was to follow up on an 
intervention he had  made on this matter at the last meeting.  
 
4. The agenda was adopted , as amended . WT/COMTD/M/113  
 
- 3 - 
 
  B. OBSERVERS   
(I) Request  for attendance of ad hoc  observers  
5. The Chairman  recalled that, at previous sessions of the CTD, Members had agreed to invite a 
number of intergovernmental organizations on an ad hoc  meeting -by-meeting basis. These were the  
Arab Maghreb Union, the Economic Community of Central African States, the   Econom ic Community 
of West African States, the Economic Cooperation Organization , the  Inter-Arab Investment 
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 t o the present meeting. He proposed that the 
same organizations be invited to the next formal meeting of the CTD.  
6. It was so agreed . 
(II) Further consideration of requests for observer status by the Le ague of Arab States, 
the Organi zation of Petroleum Exporting Countrie s (OPEC) , the Gulf Organization for 
Industrial Consulting, the Organi sation 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  
7. The Chairman  said that the positions of delegations had been previously expressed. He 
indicated that, if there were no changes in positions on the requests for observer status, the 
Committee would take note and revert to t he requests at the next meeting.  
8. It was so agreed . 
C. TECHNICAL COOPERATION AND TRAINING  
(I) New Format for the Annual Performance Report on Technical Assistance and Training 
(JOB/DEV/63)  
(II) Technical Assistance Dashboard – Presentation by the Institute for Training and 
Technical Cooperation (ITTC)  
9. The Chairman  said that there were two sub -items under the present  agenda item. The first 
sub-item concern ed the new format for the Annual Performance Report on Technical Assistance and 
Training. In this regard, h e informed Members that the proposed new format for the annual report 
had been circulated  in document JOB/DEV/63. The second sub -item concern ed a prese ntation of the 
TA dashboard.  He invited the ITTC to make a brief presentation on the two issues together.  
10. In their presentation s, the representativ es of the ITTC began by  provid ing an overview of the 
new features available in the TA dashboard for  2019. It was explained that the TA dashboard s were 
accessible from the  TA section of the WTO website. Once the page on the TA dashboards was 
accessed, information for 2019 was available either in terms of  the activities, or in terms of the 
participants.  The information could be filtered by various criteria, including the reach, the target  
region, the subject , the level , the year , and the Key Result as identified  in the Biennial Technical 
Assistance and Training Plan (TA Plan ). The presenters then turned to the new format for the annual 
report . It was explained in terms of background that the previous structure f or the annual report – 
as contained most recently in the 2019 annual report (WT/COMTD/W/256) – was very detailed, 
text-heavy and data -intensive. As such, it was clear to the Secretariat that this format did not 
support how the WTO wanted to communicat e results  relating to TA . Furthermore, w ith TA data 
becoming increasingly available online in real time, there was no longer  a need for the Secretariat 
to squeeze all the TA data for any given year into the annual report. The Secretariat had therefore 
fully redesigned the 2019 annual report, the outcome of which was contained in document 
JOB/DEV/63. When designing th e new forma t, three guiding principles  were followed . The first 
principle was that "less is more". The intention was to move away from an exhaustive and scholarly 
description of data , and towards a storytelling approach. For this purpose, the salient points for each 
aspect of the TA provided during the year  were extracted , and were organized  around a storyline 
that was more engaging to the reader. The second principle was to humanize the content.  In this WT/COMTD/M/113  
 
- 4 - 
 
  regard, t he narrative included  testimonials, quotes and int erviews of various stakeholders. The aim 
was for  all reader s to find something to relate to. The third principle was to showcase impact and 
good practice.  This was done through case studies, essays and other features that focused  on a 
specific lesson learn ed or a success story.  
11. Members were informed that the new format  for the annual report  began with a foreword, 
which aimed to place TA in the broader context of the year in which it was delivered. The chapter 
titled "Highlights of the Year"  capture d the ma in takeaway messages of the year. The following 
chapter  – "Evolution of Management and Resources"  – focuse d on the key aspects of 
TA management. For example, it include d a section outlining how all the recommendations from the 
2016 external evaluation  of TA had been implemented . The cha pter also included an interview by 
the Head of the Office of Internal Oversight, wh ich had audited the Secretariat's implementation of 
the recommendations. This was an example of the diversity of perspectives that had been  brought 
into the  report in order to enrich it. The chapter additionally provide d an overview of the financial 
situation , while expenditure details by activity  would be placed in the tables found in Annex 2 . These 
details followed the same structure as the quarterly reports  prepared by the Secretariat for the 
Committee on Budget, Finance and Administration ( CBFA). The next chapter  – "Evolution of 
Curriculum and Participation"  – once again  pulled out only a handful of p rominent trends over the 
year. The last chapter  – "Cascading Impact"  – report ed on the achievements of the year. It moved 
away from an exhaustive description of TA performance, indicator by indicator, towards a more 
selective strategy that highlight ed major areas of focus . The performance status for each indicator 
and target could be found in Annex 1.  It was noted that  QR codes and other links to interactive 
content were included in various place s in the report . The  interactive content complement ed the 
report by taking the reader directly to the data that was removed from the relevant chapter s. 
Delegations  were invited to share their feedback on the new format in terms of  general impressions , 
and whether the report was more user -friendly . They were also asked to provide their views on  the 
storytelling approach that was used, as well as on the structure of the report . In addition, delegations 
were invited to provide any views on whether the level of detail  in the report  was sufficient. Any 
other comments on the new format were also welcomed. The Committee was informed that the 
deadline for sending comments was 30 November 2020. The comments could b e sent by email to : 
tams@wto.org .  
12. The representative of Cambodia  welcome d the proposed new format for the annua l report . 
She believed that the revamped annual report  was more reader -friendly , and the structure made it 
easy for the reader to navigate . The report was sufficiently detailed , and took  into account all 
relevant information. In case her delegation had any further comments, they would be provided 
before the deadline.  She went on to say that Cambodia  greatly  benefited from the various 
TA activities organized by the ITTC. She expressed appreciation for  the continuous support provide d 
to least developed countries (LDCs)  to improve their capacity and knowledge in the field of WTO 
agreements, rules  and regulation s – especially during the COVID -19 pandemic. She encouraged the 
Secretariat to cons ider extend ing its support  in areas such as  trade and environment , as well as in 
new areas of negotiation such as e-commerce and i nvestment facilitation.  
13. The representative of Chad, on behalf of the LDC Group, congratulated the ITTC for the new 
format for the annual report. He noted with satisfaction that the new format include d testimonials 
regarding TA  and its contribution . Also included were i nterviews with staff from Ministries  and 
missions , as well  as interviews with academics  and others . Furthermore, t he presentation of case 
studies was enriching. The new format was attractive and comprehensive , and included the 
substance from previous report s. He noted that members of  the LDC Group might  submit  comments , 
if any,  on an individual basis by the deadline. He also inquired  whether a French version of the new 
format would  be available soon. Turning to the TA dashboard, he thanked the ITTC for the 
presentation. He stressed the importance and relevance of the TA  provided by the WTO , which 
enhanced LDCs' understanding of multilateral  rules, and contributed to their  integration into world 
trade. He believed that it was importa nt to ensure a fair and credible system, which was also more 
inclusive. The LDC  Group support ed all effort s to increase the quality and the quantity  of TA. This 
could be achieved by taking into account the evolving needs of LDCs, while also addressing issues 
relating to information and communications tech nology . In this regard, he indicated  that many 
officials from LDCs faced difficulties in connecting to virtual platforms, which were being increasingly 
used due to the COVID -19 pandemic. In closing, he said that m any of the needs of LDCs had been 
identifie d. It was important to maintain existing support to LDCs, while also considering other areas 
of strategic  support for the future .  WT/COMTD/M/113  
 
- 5 - 
 
  14. The representative of China  expressed appreciation to the ITTC for the efforts made in 
preparing the new format for the annual report . The elements that were added made the report 
more reader -friendly, intuitive and lively. The i ntroduc tion of more graphs and a story -telling 
approach was very useful, as it gave M embers a better sense of how beneficiaries were actually 
benefit ting from the TA activities. While her capital was still reviewing th e new format, she wished  
to share some preliminary recommendations. She said f irstly that it was preferable to keep the 
executive summary as in the original report. While appreciating that the "Highlights of the Year " 
section  could serve a similar purpose , her delegation was of the view that the original executive 
summary was presented in a more str uctured and logical manner . The original executive  summar y 
presented the key conclusions of each chapter , thereby provid ing brief but clear message s. She also 
believed  that it would be useful to provide  information on the faculty resources used in the 
TA activities during the report ing period, for example  information concerning the instructors, 
lecturers, or regional partners. This would  present a more comprehensive picture to Members. In 
addition , she suggested that the report could indicate the challenges and difficulties faced in  
implementing the TA activities, as well as any possible solutions. Members could thereby better 
understand, monitor, and evaluate the state of play of TA. She indicated in closing that her 
delega tion stood ready to engage with the ITTC and with Members in order to further improve th e 
new format for the annual report .  
15. The representative of the United States  thanked the ITTC for the useful and comprehensive 
presentation o f the TA dashboard. She also congratulate d the Secretariat on a nicely restructured 
report, which her delegation found easier to consult than previous versions. The report effectively 
showcase d high-impact TA activit ies, and clearly highlight ed how beneficiary countries use d 
WTO resources , by giving voice to compelling stories and TA examples. She also found  the 
testimonials , and the sections on "Acting on Recommendations " and "Cascading Impact ", a 
user-friendly way t o access information on TA activities in beneficiary countries. Building on the 
current content, and acting on past recommendations, her delegation  believe d that  the report would 
benefit from the inclusion of specific costs and expenditure information . This would allow Members 
to get a sense of the proportionality of how resources were distributed across the various activities 
and assistance -related projects. For example, it would be useful to include an annex that list ed the 
expenditures associated with specific trade policy courses, workshops and internship positions, so 
that Members could get a sense of how resources were distributed across these different activities. 
Currently, only contributors to specific extra -budge tary funds ha d access to this detailed information, 
and only with respect to the funds they contribute d to. With reference to the e -learning program me, 
she said that it would be useful to see the budgetary expenses of this program me. Similar 
information wo uld be useful on the expenditures for the 32 interns that were referenced in the 
report, as well as the costs of the five intermediate trade policy courses, and the academic outreach 
expenses. In conclud ing, she said that having a sense of the actual cost associated with each activity, 
together with the perceived or realized outcomes , would help Members in evaluating the true value 
of each activity , as well as the value of  the work programme.  
16. The representative of the European Union  expressed appreciation t o the Secretariat for the  
detailed presentation , as well as for the efforts that ha d been put into the preparation of the new 
format  for the annual report . As the European Union and several of its member States were major 
providers of voluntary contribut ions, this issue was of great interest . While  noting that Members had 
until 30 November 2020 to provide  further detailed comments on the new format , she indicated that 
the new format was user-friendly and more attractive , which was an indication of progress.  
17. The Chairman  invited the ITTC to respond to the interventions made .    
18. The response  by the ITTC first address ed the question from Chad concerning the availability  
in French  of the proposed new format  for the annual report . It was  explained that, because of the 
costs involved  and the limited time available , the new format had been prepared in English only. 
However, the content of the new format had been taken from the annual report for 2019, which was 
contained in document WT/COMTD/W/256 and was available in the three official WTO languages. 
Furthermore, future annual report s would  be made available in the three official languages  as well . 
In response  to the comments from the United States, Members were referred to Annex 2 of 
document JOB/DEV/63. For future  annual report s, the table s in this annex would be completed to 
include information on the costs of individual activities. These costs would be presented according 
to whether the activities were funded from the regular budget, the Global Trust Fund, or other trust 
funds. It was  also noted that  information on the various activities , and the costs involved , would be 
provided for each Key Result identified in the TA Plan.  WT/COMTD/M/113  
 
- 6 - 
 
  19. The Committee took note of all interventions.  
D. TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT – WORK IN THE COMMITTEE ON THE BASIS OF THE 
CHAIRMAN'S CONCLUDING STATEMENT FROM THE EIGHTH MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE 
(WT/MIN( 11)/11)  
(I) 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)  
(II) Operationalization of the CTD's Mandate: A Proposal to Deliver Outcomes based on the 
MC8 Mandate - Proposal from China, Cuba, Ecuador, India and the African Group 
(WT/COMTD/W/192 )1 
20. The Chairman  said that, at the Eighth WTO Ministerial Conference (MC8), Mi nisters had 
reaffirmed the positive link between trade and development and 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 mandate were 
included on the agenda of the present meeting. The first submission – by Barbados, Belize, China, 
Cuba, Ecuador, India and the African Group, and contained in document WT/COMTD/W/208  – was 
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  – was contained in document 
WT/COMTD/W/192. This submission contained three proposals. In the order they were pr esented in 
the document, the first proposal was for the Secretariat to continue to update its report on the 
implementation of 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 . The last time that they were discussed, which was at the 
110th Session, some of the proponents had req uested that the submissions be maintained on the 
agenda . 
21. The representative of India indicated  that his intervention related to both document 
WT/COMTD/W/208 and document  WT/COMTD/W/192. He said that  the two submissions, when taken 
together, contained three  proposals. The first proposal, which was for the Secretariat to continue to 
update its report on the implementation of S&D provisions in the WTO Agreements and Decisions, 
was discussed and agreed to at the 87th Session  and the 109th Session . Turning to the second 
proposal, which was for the CTD to report on the development -related work taking place in other 
WTO bodies, he said that this proposal was in line with the terms of reference (TORs) of the CTD , 
as well as with the MC8 mandate. He also noted that there was a precedent for this type of work in 
the CTD. In particular, in 1996,  the CTD Chair man had invited the Chairpersons of other WTO bodies 
to submit information on how provisions in favour of developing countries had been dealt with in  
their respective Committees . On the basis of the responses received , the Secretariat had prepared 
document ation which present ed the replies in an analytical format. The p roponents were simply 
urging the CTD to restart this practice.  As for the third propo sal – which was for the CTD to make a 
recommendation for parties to RTAs to submit their notification and information requirements jointly 
– the proponents believed that this would help ensure a timely consideration of RTAs, and the full 
realization of the  responsibilities assigned to the CTD.  He expressed the willingness of the proponents 
to engage in informal consultations in order to arrive at a consensus. In closing, he requested that 
the items concerning the two submissions be maintained on the CTD's agenda.  
22. The representative of China  said that her delegation wished to join India in requesting  that 
the items concerning the two submissions  be maintained on the CTD's agenda . China’s position on 
the proposals remained unchanged . Furthermore , the CO VID-19 pandemic had demonstrated  the 
importance of the proposals. She explained that t he pandemic had disproportionately affect ed 
developing countries with limited resources and financial constrain ts, and it was therefore importan t 
for more attention to be  given to development issues in discussions at the WTO. In this context, 
China s aw a pressing need to operationaliz e the CTD, which serve d as a focal point for development 
work in the WTO. It  was critically important to take stock of what ha d been done across various 
 
1 The discussion concerning documents WT/COMTD/W/208 and WT/COMTD/W/192 is presented together 
in this Note, as the Chairman invited the Committee to take the two sub -items together .  WT/COMTD/M/113  
 
- 7 - 
 
  WTO bodies. Her delegation also saw merit in the Secretariat report on  the implementation of 
S&D provisions in the WTO agreements and Decisions, which allowed Members to better understand 
the current situation with regard to this important issue . She encourage d the Secretariat to speed 
up the preparation of update s of this report. Finally, on the issue of RTAs with a dual notification, 
she emphasized the need for the CTD to  make a  recommend ation for parties to  RTAs to submit their 
notification and information requirements jointly, so as to avoid a duplication of efforts.  
23. The representative of the European Union  said that her delegation had engaged constructively 
on previous proposals . One outcome of these discussions was the updated Secretariat paper on the 
implementation of S&D provisions in the WTO Agreements and Decisions. However, with regard to 
the remaining proposals, she observed  that there had been no changes in positions over t he past 
few years . Furthermore , the proponents had not taken any initiative  to contact other Members 
informally to discuss a way forward. While  taking note of the interest expressed by India to engage  
in informal consultations , she indicated that there could not be agreement on the remaining 
proposals as they stood.  
24. The representative of the United States  appreciated the efforts of the Chairman and his 
predecessors to find a path forward.  However, her delegation believed that seven years  or more  was 
sufficient time for the remaining proposals to have been fully considered by other Members . 
Moreover , the proponents had failed to take any initiative for several years to advanc e their ideas. 
It was time for t he proponents to addre ss the concerns raised by other Members – by revising their 
proposals, or by dropping the proposals altogether. Either way, the item s needed  to be removed 
from the CTD agenda, until the proponents had something new to say.  
25. The representative of the United  Kingdom  said that her delegation was committed to ensuring 
that S&D remain ed a fundamental pillar of the WTO. The U nited Kingdom  wanted  S&D to be as 
effective as possible, in order to help developing countries integrate fully into the rules -based 
internat ional trading system . Developing  countries needed to  feel empowered to actively participate 
in negotiations, safe in the knowledge that they would be able to shape agreements , and ensure 
that agreements  were inclusive and ratifiable. The U nited Kingdom  was, however, disappointed that 
the proposals put forward ha d not changed in any substantive way since they were last discussed in 
the Committee.  Without movement on these proposals by the proponents , her delegation did  not 
see how substantive progress c ould be made.  
26. The Chairman  encourage d continued engagement among Members in order to make progress 
on the  remaining  proposals.  
27. The Committee took note of all interventions.  
E. LATIN AMERICAN INTEGRATION ASSOCIATION  
(I) Communication from Uruguay on behalf of the Latin American Integration Association 
(WT/COMTD/W/253)  
28. The Chairman  said that  the first sub -item under the present agenda item concerned a 
communication from Uruguay,  circulated in document WT/COMTD/W/253 on behalf of the 
Latin American Inte gration Association (LAIA) . The communication contain ed the replies from the 
LAIA member  countries  to questions submitted by the European Union in the Committee on 
Regional  Trade Agreements  (CRTA) .  
29. The representative of Uruguay  said that the communication contain ed the replies from the 
LAIA member  countries  to the questions raised by the European Union in document WT/REG/W/124 
on the nature of the trade agreements under the 1980 Treaty of Montevideo (TM80). He hoped that 
the comm unication  provided the necessary clarifications sought by the European Union.   
30. The Committee took note of the communication, and of the interventions.   WT/COMTD/M/113  
 
- 8 - 
 
  (II) Recirculated 1980 Treaty of Montevideo and Related Documentation  
(a)  Agreements Concluded by Member Countries of the Latin American Integration 
Association Under the 1980 Treaty of Montevideo (WT/COMTD/W/254)  
(b)  Recirculated 1980 Treaty of Montevideo (WT/COMTD/RTA15/N/1)  
(c)  223 Addenda to the Recirculated 1980 Treaty of Montevideo (from 
WT/COM TD/RTA15/N/1/ADD.1 to WT/COMTD/RTA15/N/1/ADD.223)  
31. The Chairman  said that the second sub -item under the  present agenda item was concerned 
with the recirculated TM80 and related documentation. There was firstly a communication submitted 
by Uruguay on behalf of the LAIA member countries. This communication, circulated in document 
WT/COMTD/W/254, was titled "Agreements concluded by member countries of the Latin American 
Integration Association under the 198 0 Treaty of Montevideo". Broadly speaking, the communication 
made the request for the text of the TM80  – previously circulated as a GATT document – to be 
recirculated in the CTD document series concerning notifications of RTAs. Furthermore, it was 
requeste d that the 223 datasheets submitted, which concern ed agreements concluded under the 
TM80 , be circulated as addenda to the recirculated TM80. The other  listed  documents follow ed from 
this communication from the LAIA members. In addition to t he recirculated TM80 contained in 
document WT/COMTD/RTA15/N/1 , there were the 223 addenda to the recirculated TM80 , each 
concerning a separate agreement. He indicated that, b efore giving the floor to Uruguay to introduce 
the listed document s, he wished to say a few words about where things stood  on the circulation of 
documents concerning agreements concluded under the LAIA umbrella.  In this regard, h e recalled 
that previous CTD Chairpersons  had kept the Committee informed of the interactions they, and the 
Secretariat, had had with the LAIA member countries on questions relating to the circulation of 
information submi tted on the agreements concluded under the LAIA umbrella. In the past few 
months, the Secretariat ha d continued this contact with the LAIA members, and with Uruguay in 
particular. Clarifications ha d been sought from the LAIA members on a variety of issues, and 
discussions ha d also touched upon how the LAIA members would wish to he nceforth circulate the 
information contained in the annual submissions they ma de to the WTO – including those that ha d 
been recently submitted to the Secretariat. He understood that the LAIA members were still studying 
these points.  He encourage d them to come back as soon as possible with the necessary information, 
which would – among other things – provide clarity on how future submissions concerning the 
LAIA agreements w ould be circulated.  
32. The representative of Uruguay  said that the LAIA member countries  – Argentina, 
the Plurinational State of Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, 
Peru, Uruguay and the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela – had attach ed 223 datasheets concerning  
the agreements to which they  were party. These agreements were concluded under the TM80, within 
the framework of paragraph 4(a) of the Enabling Clause. The datasheets were submitted in the 
format set out in document WT/COMTD/63. A total of 215 of the datasheets concern ed partial scope 
agreements under Articles 7, 8, 14 and 25 of the TM80 ; as well as heritage renegotiation agreements 
not in force, and trade agreements . A further eight datasheets correspond ed to regional scope 
agreements  under Article 6 of t he TM80. Of the 223 datasheets, 100 refer red to agreements that 
were in force , and 123 to agreements that were not in force. Th e communication  was submitted by 
Uruguay in its capacity as headquarter State , on behalf of the 13 LAIA member countries . It 
requested the recirculation of the TM80 and the changes thereto, as contained in the 223 datasheets 
attached to the communication . The sole purpose was to provid e WTO Members with a systematic 
overview, in accordance with current standards, of all the information submitted between 1980 and 
2016. The LAIA member countries signatory to each of the  mentioned  agreements reiterate d their 
readiness to supplement the info rmation contained in the respective datasheets with regard to any 
particular aspect of the agreements, at a dedicated session of the CTD.  
33. The representative of the United States  thanked the parties for the notifications , and 
appreciate d the efforts of the  LAIA members  and the Secretariat to work through the notifications. 
She highlighted the critical importance of transparency within the WTO, and note d that the parties 
had worked consistently towards that. She also note d that the parties ha d a few non -notified 
agreements that were in force , and inquired what was the  timeline for these  agreements to be 
notified . Her delegation urged the parties to submit the notifications of these agreements promptly.  WT/COMTD/M/113  
 
- 9 - 
 
  34. The representative of  the European Union  expressed satisf action with the replies provided by 
the LAIA members  to the  questions from her delegation , and indicated that her delegation would 
not be raising these questions again. W hile noting that there were a few outstanding noti fications  
concerning LAIA agreements , she appreciate d the efforts that ha d gone into addressing the issue, 
which ha d been lingering for the past few years.  
35. The representative of Chile, on behalf of the LAIA member countries, thank ed Uruguay  for the 
work undertaken . 
36. The representative of Uruguay  thanked the European Union for its indication of satisfaction  
with the responses that had been pr ovided by the LAIA member countries . With regard to the  
pending notifications concerning the LAIA agreement s, he said that the LAIA Secretariat was working 
on the m. The intention was to submit them as soon as possible.   
37. The Committee took note of the submissions, and of the interventions made . 
F. NOTIFICATIONS UNDER THE ENABLING CLAUSE  
(I)  Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Notification of Customs Union – Communication from 
China, Egypt and India (WT/COMTD/W/175)  
38. The Chairman  said that th e sub-item listed under the present  agenda item  made  reference to 
the GCC Customs Union notification. Th e sub-item also refer red to the communication from China, 
Egypt and India, which was circulated in document WT/COMTD/W/175. The last time this matter 
was discussed in the CTD, which was at the 110th Session, the delegations of China and India had 
requested that the sub -item be maintained on the agenda.  
39. The representative of India said that document WT/COMTD/W/175 raised systemic concerns 
relating to the legal and procedural implications of the dual notifi cation of the GCC  Customs Union 
under both the Enabling Clause and GATT Article XXIV.  These concerns, which remained 
unaddressed, also applied to the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the Association of Southeast 
Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the Republic of Korea, as well as the Comprehensive Economic 
Partnership Agreement  (CEPA)  between India the Republic of Korea  – even though these agreements 
had already been considered by Membe rs. In this regard , some Members had expressed the view 
that the systemic concerns raised in document WT/COMTD/W/175 were outside the scope of the 
CTD and needed to be discussed in the Negotiating Group on Rules. In India's view, the CTD was 
the appropriat e forum to consider issues arising from RTAs with a dual notification . In doing so , the 
CTD could consult with other WTO bodies, as per paragraph 3 of its TORs. The non -resolution of the 
matters raised in document WT/COMTD/W/175 was the main reason why the  consideration of the 
GCC Customs Union was pending for such a long time. H is delegation requested that the present 
sub-item be maintained on the CTD's  agenda . 
40. The representative of China  associate d her delegation  with the intervention  by India. She said 
that China was of the view  that the CTD was the right forum to consider RTAs with dual notifications. 
Resolving the systemic concerns raised in document WT/COMTD/ W/175 would  contribute to a 
prompt consideration of the RTAs  with a dual n otification , while avoid ing a duplicat ion of efforts and 
saving time. She request ed that the present  sub-item to be maintained on the CTD's agenda.  
41. The representative of  the United States  said that this sub-item had long ago fulfilled its 
purpose of informing Members of the notification made, and needed to  be removed from the agenda.  
42. The representative of the European Union  indicated  that her delegation was also of the view 
that the present sub -item should be removed from the agenda . 
43. The Committee took note of all interventions.  
G. ANNUAL REVIEW OF THE STEPS TAKEN TO PROVIDE DUTY -FREE AND QUOTA -FREE 
MARKET ACCESS TO LEAST DEVELOPED COUNTRIES  
44. The Chairman  said that the Bali Decision on duty -free and quota -free (DFQF) market access 
for LDCs, contained in documents WT/MIN(13)/44 and WT/L/919, instructed the CTD to continue to WT/COMTD/M/113  
 
- 10 - 
 
  annually review the steps taken to provide DFQF market access to the LDCs, and repor t to the 
General Council for appropriate action. To aid in the review, the Secretariat had been instructed to 
prepare, in close coordination with Members, a report on Members' DFQF market access for LDCs, 
at the tariff line level based on their notificatio ns. He rec alled that, in 2017 , 2018 and 2019 , it had 
not been possible for the Secretariat to circulate a report on DFQF market access  – as mandated by 
the Bali Decision  – due to divergent views expressed by some Members on the scope and coverage 
of the report.  Unfortunately, it appeared that positions had not changed. Therefore, under these 
circumstances, it was once again not possible for the Secretariat to prepare a report in 20 20. While 
the situation was regrettable, he observed that the Committee sti ll had an item on the agenda 
concerning the annual DFQF review, so as to allow a discussion to take place on the matter.  
45. The representative of Chad, on behalf of the LDC Group , stressed the importance of 
DFQF  market access for LDCs. He explained that DFQF market access provided a means for LDCs to 
better integrate into world trade , while strengthe ning their economies and businesses , and creat ing 
jobs. He thank ed those Members that provided DFQF market access to LDCs , and  called on others 
to do the same . He also noted that the rate of utilization of preferences  by LDCs  was relatively low 
on average, as there were many barriers in place . It was therefore important to identify these 
barriers , so that they could be overcome. In this regard, the LDCs were in need of TA from the 
Secretariat and from Members in order to ensure that the decisions taken in favour of LDCs were 
operational and useful.  
46. The representative of India express ed the strong commitment of his delegation to th e 
Hong Kong and Bali DFQF Decisions. He said that India provide d duty-free treatment to LDCs on 
96% of tariff lines, as well as partial preference s on another 114 tariff lines. India  – which  was the 
fourth largest  export destination for LDCs after  the European Union, China and the United States  – 
remained committed to provid ing support to LDCs , so as  to strengthen their integration into the 
global trading system. In closing, he thanked the Chairman for his efforts to help find a solution 
regarding the Secretariat report on Members' DFQF market access for LDCs.  
47. The representative of the European Union  reaffirm ed the commitment of her delegation to the 
Ministerial Decisions  concerning DFQF market access for LDCs.  Under the Everything but Arms (EBA) 
scheme,  the European Union  continue d to provide DFQF market access on all products originating 
from LDCs, except for arms and ammunition. She was pleased to report that, in 2019, the 
EBA scheme  had contributed to consolidating the European Union's trade relationship with the LDCs. 
While overall imports from LDCs had increased by 5.2% , imports under the EBA scheme had 
increased by 9.1%, with the utilization rate improving from 93.4% to 94%. Her d elegation  believed  
that the  EBA w ould also function as an instrument to support the recovery of LDC exports to the 
European Union during the post-COVID -19 period. She called on other Members to provide DFQF 
market access to LDCs, and hope d that the LDCs would continue to benefit from broader market 
access across the world.  
48. The representative of China  said that her  country was committed to further opening up its 
market, and to implement its DFQF scheme for LDCs. In terms of tariff lines, China offered  
DFQF  market  access for 97% of products originating from 39 LDCs, and 95% of products originating 
from another three  LDCs. It was encouraging to see that China was the top export destination for 
LDC products, and had import ed 28% of products from LDCs in 2019. She indicated that she wished 
to take  this opportunity  to update Members on the third China International Import Expo (CIIE), 
which took place between 5 and 10  November 2020 . Businesses from the 30 LDCs participating in 
this event were offered free exhibition booths. The total exhibition area of LDC products exceeded 
4,000  square meters.  The most popular products with the Chinese buyers were c offee from Ethiopia , 
handicrafts from Mali  and South Su dan, and rice from Cambodia.  
49. The representative of United States  appreciated  the effort s by the Chairman and his 
predecessor s to try and find a solution that was acceptable to all Members. She said that her 
delegation  could continue to accept the compromise that it had accepted in previous reports , which 
was to include in a table the United States'  Generalized System of Preferences ( GSP) programme, 
and supplement this with additional text in a footnote  in order to clarify the United States' preference 
schemes. Consideration could also be given to the possibility of deleting the acronym GSP from the 
title of the table, and listing the three additional preference  programmes – namely, the African 
Growth and Opportunity Act  (AGOA) , the Caribbean Basin Trade Partnership Act (CBTPA) , and the 
trade preferences for Nepal – in the body of the table, given that all these programmes were notified 
to the WTO and appeared in the Database on PTAs. However, the United States could not join WT/COMTD/M/113  
 
- 11 - 
 
  consensus to approve a report that did not provide specific information on all of its preference 
programmes that had LDC beneficiaries, as doing so would be misleading and unfair. Her delegation 
was disappoint ed that other Members sought to block this  compromise.  
50. The representative of Bangladesh  thanked those Members that grant ed trade preferences to 
LDCs. These preferences allowed LDCs to better integrate into the world market. Regarding the  
Secretariat's  report o n DFQF market access for LDCs, he said  that the position of his delegation had 
not changed. Nevertheless , his delegation st ood ready to discuss the matter  further  with the 
Secretariat and with preference -granting Members . 
51. The Committee took note of all interventions.   
H. WORK PROGRAMME ON ELECTRONIC COMMERCE  
52. The Chairman  said that, a s in previous meetings, he wished to  once again draw 
Members'  attention to the Decision taken at the Eleventh WTO Ministerial Conference  (MC11)  
concerning the WTO's Work Programme on E -Commerce. In this Decision, which was contained in 
documents WT/MIN(17)/65 and WT/L/1032, it was agreed to continue the work under the 
Work Programme. He noted that t he CTD was one of the subsidiary bodies of the General Council 
mandated to undertake work under the Wor k Programme. Although there were no  specific proposals 
to consider in the CTD at the present time, a number of Members ha d indicated their interest in this 
area.  
53. The representative of India said that t he Work Programme on E -Commerce mand ated the CTD 
to examine and report on the development implications of e-commerce, taking into account the 
economic, financial and development needs of developing countries. The issues to be examined by 
the CTD included , inter-alia, the effects of e-commerce on  the trade and economic prospects of 
developing countries  – notab ly with regard to their small and medium -sized enterprises  (SMEs)  – 
and the  means of maximizing the possible benefits.  He stressed the need to reinvigorate discussion s 
on the Work Programme i n the CTD, and urged Members to examine the mandated issues instead 
of prematurely jumping into rulemaking. Rulemaking  under the Joint Statement Initiative (JSI) 
would at this stage  create asymmetry and reverse S& D, similar to what existed in the 
Agreement  on Agriculture. It would also create a non -level playing field in support of existing 
players , and against the interest s of new players. All countries did  not have  the resources and skill s 
to compete in the game, the shape of which was being dete rmined by those who ha d resources and 
early mover advantage. As the digital sphere under went profound transformation, becoming 
essential for almost every domain of day -to-day life, bridging the digital divide through access to 
digital technologies became  all the more important. It was also important to explore how developing 
Members could be helped in bridging the digital infrastructure gaps, including through the transfer 
and dissemination of new technologies . This would allow them to make better use of e -commerce 
to expand trade and investment opportunities for businesses, including SMEs.  
54. The representative of Chad,  on behalf of the LDC Group , reiterate d the interest of the LDCs in 
a reinvigorated Work Programme on E -Commerce. He said that i t was necessa ry for the 
Work Programme to address  the constraints faced by LDCs , so as to allow  them to be able to properly 
benefit from e -commerce . The LDC Group ha d submitted a communication on the Work Programme 
on E-Commerce , which was contained  in document WT/GC/W/787. He called on Members to take 
this communication into consideration, so that work on e -commerce could  move forward in  a 
constructive way. He said that the LDCs were  fully aware of what was at stake with the growth in 
e-commerce in physical goods, as well as in the online  context . However , indicators  relating to 
e-commerce  used by the International Telecommunications Union  (ITU)  and other institutions 
demonstrated a significant gap between L DCs and other countries . Discussion s on e-commerce 
needed to  highlight the actions that Members could take individually or collectively to help LDCs 
achieve sustainable growth and shared prosperity. Investment s in physical and human capital would  
be essent ial in this regard.  
55. The representative of Botswana , on behalf of the African Group , welcomed the inclusion of th e 
present item on the CTD's agenda . The African Group was of the view that it be maintained as a 
standing item, so as to contribute to knowledge generation and consensus building on issues at the 
intersection of development and e -commerce , in line with the mandate contained in the 
Work Programme  on E-Commerce . While the COVID -19 pandemic had highlighted the importance WT/COMTD/M/113  
 
- 12 - 
 
  of digital connectiv ity and e -commerce, it ha d also brought to light the implications of the digital 
divide within and between countries . These included the infrastructural gaps that existed in  enabl ing 
e-commerce in Africa, and the issue of how to further develop e-commerce . Given the 
disproportionate impact of the COVID -19 pandemic on the African continent , the African Group 
support ed continued discussions in the CTD with a view to reinvigorat ing the Work Programme . The 
objective was to comprehensively address the  development aspects of e -commerce in 
African  countries, and particularly the LDCs  in Africa .2 
56. The Committee took note of the interventions . 
57. The Chairman  proposed that the agenda item concerning the Work Programme on 
E-Commerce  be maintained on the agenda for the next meeting.  
58. It was so agreed . 
I. DRAFT ANNUAL REPORT FOR 20 20 (WT/COMTD/W/25 7) 
59. The Chairman  recalled that he had sent a communication  to Members on 9 November  2020, 
indicating that the CTD's draft annual report had been circulated in document WT/COMTD/W/25 7. 
It was noted in the communication that the draft report contained a number of square brackets 
relating to items discussed at the 89th Session of the Sub -Committee on LDCs held on 
11 November  2020, as well as at the four CTD meetings held on 20 November 2020. The four 
meetings were the 13th Dedicated Session on the Monitoring Mechanism on S&D, the 12th Dedicated 
Session on RTAs, the 4th Dedicated Session on PTAs, and the 113th Regular Session.  As part of the 
proces s of adopting the report, the square brackets would be removed, and the discussion that had 
taken place at these meetings would be appropriately reflected in the report. Members had been  
requested to submit in writing any comments on the draft annual report by 13 November  2020. He 
informed the Committee that comments were received from a Member by this date, but these 
comments were subsequently withdrawn. He therefore invite d the Committe e to adopt the annual 
report.  
60. The Committee adopted  its annual report for 2020 .3 
61. The Chairman  said that he wished to take the  opportunity to recall that, one year ago – under 
the agenda item  concerning the adoption of the CTD’s annual report  – the Commit tee had agreed 
with a proposal by his predecessor for the Chairperson of the Sub -Committee on LDCs to be invited 
to the CTD, in order to provide a briefing on the work of the Sub -Committee.  The Chairperson of the 
Sub-Committee was therefore slated to brief  the CTD at the first meeting of 2020, which was to 
have been held in April. However, due to the COVID -19 outbreak and the resulting suspension of all 
WTO meetings earlier in the  year, the April meeting of the CTD could not take place. He said that 
he had reached out to Ambassador Van Daalen, the Chairperson of the Sub -Committee, to invite 
her to the present  meeting, but she was  unfortunately  not available. He informed the Committee 
that he would  therefore be inviting Ambassador Van Daalen to the next CTD meeting , in the hope 
that she would be  available. He added that he was aware of the request that ha d been made in th e 
CTD for any initiative to invite the Chairperson of the Sub -Committee to be brought to 
Members'  attention for consideration. While his invitation to Ambassador Van Daalen was based on 
a previous agreement reached in the CTD, he expect ed future CTD Chair persons  wishing to invite 
the Chairperson of the Sub-Committee to bring the matter to Members' attention first, so that a 
decision c ould be taken by the CTD. 
62. The Committee took note of the Chairman's intervention . 
J. DATE OF THE NEXT MEETING  
63. The Chairman  said that the next meeting of the CT D's Regular Session was tentatively 
scheduled to be held on Monday, 29 March 2021 . An initial agenda would be circulated four weeks 
before the meeting, on 1 March 202 1, as per the CTD's rules of procedure. After the circulation of 
 
2 Due to technical problems, the representative of Botswana was unable deli ver this intervention remotely, 
as was intended. The intervention is reflected in the minutes of this meeting at the request of the delegation of 
Botswana.  
3 The report was issued in document WT/COMTD/ 100.  WT/COMTD/M/113  
 
- 13 - 
 
  this initial meeting notice,  Members would still have the opportunity to request items on the agenda 
for the meeting. The agenda would close on 18 March 2021 , and would be circulated on 
19 March  2021. 
K. OTHER BUSINESS  
64. The Chairman  said that he wished to make an intervention concerned  the timing of the next 
update of the Secretariat compilation paper on the implementation of S&D provisions in the WTO 
Agreements and Decisions. This was to follow up on what he had said on this matter u nder 
"Other  Business" at the last meeting. He recalled that the last update of th e Secretariat paper was 
circulated in October 2018 in document WT/COMTD/W/239. According to what the Committee had 
agreed to at the 109th Session he ld on 28 June 2019, the pap er was  to be updated at least once 
every two years. Therefore, under normal circumstances,  the paper would have been updated for 
consideration at the present meeting . However, as he had mentioned at the last meeting, it was not 
possible for the Secretariat  to prepare the update for the present meeting. This was because of the 
disruption to the CTD's work due to the COVID -19 outbreak. He recalled that he had shared his 
feeling at the last meeting that the updated compilation paper would have more value if it were 
prepared after the Twelfth WTO Ministerial Conference ( MC12 ), so as to include any outcomes and 
updates on S&D emanating from the Ministerial Conference. He had also invited any Member tha t 
felt differently, or wished to discuss this issue further, to contact him. In this regard, he inform ed 
the Committee that, after the last meeting, he was contacted by a Member . This Member had 
requested that the Secretariat paper be updated as soon as po ssible, rather than waiting until after 
MC12. It was correctly pointed out to him that the agreement in th e Committee was for the paper 
to be updated at least once every two years. In this light, he had  therefore requested the Secretariat 
to begin preparin g the update, so that it c ould be circulated in time to be reflected on the agenda of 
the next meeting.  
65. The Committee took note of the Chairman's  intervention.  
66. The Chairman  inform ed the Committee  that the present meeting would be his last as 
CTD Chairman.  He explained that he had been called back to his capital, and w ould be leaving 
Geneva in early December. The Chairman of the General Council ha d been informed. He said that 
he wished to take the opportunity to thank all Members for their support for the work of the CTD, 
which remain ed an extremely important body in the WTO.  
67. The meeting was adjourned . 
 
_________