RD/COMTD/AFT/25* 
21 November 2023  
 Page: 1/4 
Committee on Trade and Development  
(Aid for Trade)  Original:  English/anglais/inglés  
 
  
UNOFFICIAL ROOM DOCUMENT1 
COMMITTEE ON TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT – 59TH SESSION ON AID FOR TRADE  
STATEMENT BY THE EUROPEAN UNION  
14 November 2023  
 
 
Comité du commerce et du développement (Aide pour le commerce)  
 
DOCUMENT DE S ÉANCE NON OFFICIEL1 
COMMITTEE ON TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT – 59TH SESSION ON AID FOR TRADE  
STATEMENT BY THE EUROPEAN UNION  
14 November 2023  
 
 
Comité de Comercio y Desarrollo (Ayuda para el Comercio)  
 
DOCUMENTO DE SALA NO OF ICIAL1 
 
COMMITTEE ON TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT – 59TH SESSION ON AID FOR TRADE  
STATEMENT BY THE EUROPEAN UNION  
14 November 2023  
_______________  
  
 
* In Original language only/En langue originale seulement/En el idioma original solamente.  
1 Documents issued in the RD series are not official WTO documents. They usually appear in their 
language of submission and will not be translated systematically into the working languages of the WTO. They 
are intended for use in  WTO meeting rooms and are attributed an unofficial symbol for archiving purposes only.  
Les documents de la série RD ne sont pas des documents officiels de l 'OMC. Ils ne paraissent 
généralement que dans la langue dans laquelle ils ont été communiqués et n e seront pas systématiquement 
traduits dans les langues de travail de l'OMC. Ils sont destinés aux salles de réunion de l'OMC et une cote non 
officielle leur est attribuée à des fins d'archivage.  
Los documentos de la serie RD no son documentos oficiales de  la OMC. Por lo general se distribuyen en 
el idioma en que han sido presentados y no se traduce n sistemáticamente a los idiomas de trabajo de la 
Organización. Se distribuyen para su uso en las salas de reunión de la OMC y se les asigna una signatura no 
oficial a efectos de archivo únicamente.  RD/COMTD/AFT/25  
 
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  European Union Statement in WTO CTD aid -for-trade Session, 14 November  
Reports from Members (agenda item B(I)b)  
Aid-for-trade aspects of the European Union Trade Policy Review (agenda item B(II)a)  
• The fifteenth review of the trade policies and practices of the European Union took place 
on 5 and 7 June 2023. I don’t propose we re -run the TPR in this committee, but wo uld just 
like to provide some highlights, updates and examples.  
• The “Government” Report by the European Union illustrated how we view Aid for Trade as a 
key tool in considering the development aspects enshrined in the WTO, and to support 
developing countri es’ integration into the world economy, poverty reduction and sustainable 
development.  
• European Union and Member States' aid -for-trade is based on the 2017 joint aid -for-trade 
Strategy, which among other things seeks to reduce fragmentation, integrating and 
coordinating development tools, increasing leverage of aid -for-trade through better informed 
and coordinated delivery; have a stronger focus on social and environmental sustainability 
and inclusive economic growth; and improve monitoring an d reporting.  
• On the latter point, the European Union Aid for Trade Progress Report is a key instrument in 
following up on the delivery of the strategy. The most recent EU Aid for Trade Progress 
Report was published in December 2022, and our next report wil l come out before the end 
of this year.  
• If you allow me to offer a few preliminary highlights of the upcoming report: Based on 2021 
which is the year for most recent available data, the report shows that as of global Aid for 
Trade, the share of the Europe an Union and its Member States continue to increase -  now 
standing at 42 percent or EUR 18.5 billion. More than half of our Aid for Trade targeted 
environmental objectives, always closely aligned with the priorities of partner countries.  
• In the Trade Pol icy Review, we were happy to see the significant interest among Members 
in European Union trade policy, including numerous questions on details of our Aid for Trade. 
To give a few examples:  
o First, we were asked to elaborate on how we use Aid for Trade to a dvance gender 
equality – and we were able to showcase the targets of the European Union Gender 
Action Plan III to leverage Aid for Trade to strengthen economic and social rights 
and empowering girls and women.  
o Second, we were asked to give details of to w hat extent we prioritise trade 
facilitation, where we could show that our support – EUR 423.7 million in the period 
of 2014 -2020 – has by far exceeded the commitment to WTO at a time of the 
signature of the Trade Facilitation Agreement, EUR 240 million. Ne arly one fourth of 
global trade facilitation support comes from the European Union with its Member 
States.  
o As a final example, we were asked how European Union Aid for Trade aligns with 
partner country priorities, and how we view the breakdown of loans ve rsus grants 
in Aid for Trade. We would like to emphasise that the European Union fully subscribes 
to the development effectiveness principles, referenced in the Busan Partnership 
Agreement for Effective Development Cooperation, reaffirmed at the Nairobi Hi gh 
Level Forum in 2016. In 2021, the latest year for which we have data, 44 percent of 
European Union aid -for-trade was in the form of grants and 56 percent in the form 
of loans). The report reviews data back until 2011, and it is found that while 
proporti ons have fluctuated from year to year, there is no overall trend in one 
direction or the other. In absolute figures, aid -for-trade in the form of grants has 
increased significantly.  
• Related to the latter point, I would like to say a few words about the Gl obal Gateway, for 
which European Union Aid for Trade is an important tool. Launched in December 2021 it is 
a strategy to mobilize investment totaling EUR 300 billion over the period 2021 -27. 
Accordingly, European Union aid -for-trade is more and more driven  by innovative de -risking 
tools to catalyse private sector investment. This is done primarily through blending 
operations (i.e., a combination of European Union grants –, including under Aid for Trade, –  
with loans or equity from public and private financ iers) and financial guarantees. In line with RD/COMTD/AFT/25  
 
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  the EU's objectives and commitment to the 2030 Agenda, the Global Gateway strategy aims 
to boost smart, clean and secure investments in digital, energy and transport, and to 
strengthen health, education and rese arch systems across the world to underpin a lasting 
global recovery while promoting universal values and high standards, good governance and 
transparency. It is not about reducing the grants in our Aid for Trade, rather to leverage it 
more effectively to m obilise additional funding, and include the private sector in our 
development objectives in a more prominent way. A large number of Global gateway 
interventions have been already identified, most of which give a great impetus to the 
European Union support to Aid for Trade, either directly or indirectly.  
• In late October, we organized the very first Global Gateway Forum in Brussels, which brought 
together over 90 high -level government representatives as well as financial institutions and 
many business and civ il society representatives. We debated global infrastructure 
investment needs in priority areas, discussed strategic investment opportunities and signed 
agreements for around €3 billion.  [Further information is available here: Global Gateway 
Forum: Stronger Together through Sustainable Investment. (europa.eu) ] 
 
Comments on TPR presentation of The Gambia  
• The European Union would like to thank The Gambia for its presentation, and raise a 
complementary point relating to aid -for-trade and trade facilitation. “The Gambia Port of Banjul” 
project is expected to provide additional capacity at the port to meet present and future demand, 
improve port operations fo r increased throughput capacity and reduce ship waiting time for 
improved economic performance. It is also expected that the project will strengthen the capacity 
and financial standing of the Gambia Ports Authority, which will bolster its position in any P ublic 
Private Partnership (PPP) arrangements put in place at the port.  
o The project is indeed a critical investment. However, it is on hold as we are expecting 
the Government’s confirmation on a number of outstanding issues (i.e. it is essential to 
receive the reassurance on the relevance of the components envisaged as part of the 
EU/EIB funding, as we have been informed that some of them may no longer be 
required).  
 
Comments on TPR presentation of Bhutan  
• The European Union would like to thank you Chair and the WTO Secretariat for this agenda item 
on Members’ trade and development strategies, which is a specific implementation point from 
the work aid -for-trade programme 2023 -2024.  
• The European Union would also like to thank Bhutan for its pertinent presentati on. 
• The European Union has a bilateral programme  of grant assistance to Bhutan for this budgetary 
period of 2021 -2027, which increased in volume from the last period.  
• A number of programmes and instruments are worth highlighting which support our Global 
Gateway  partnership with Bhutan.  
• Firstly, we are facilitating a EUR 150 million loan investment from the European 
Investment Bank  through our [EFSD +] investment guarantees and blended finance 
instruments, specifically for Renewable Energy and solar and mini -hydro projects.  
• Secondly, through a programme with the International Finance Corporation IFC 
(Accelerating Climate Smart Infrastructure in South Asia), we support the Royal 
Monetary Authority of Bhutan through the  Bhutan SME A2F project, supporting climate 
smart agriculture and agribusiness. This aims to develop financial infrastructure services 
to support MSME finance, and develop green and gende r finance.  
• Thirdly, through our Sustainable Agri -Food Systems budget support programme  (EUR 
15 million), we are helping to build climate friendly agriculture systems, improve 
agricultural diversification self -sufficiency and export potential.  
 
Reaction to EBRD Presentation  
• The European Union would like to thank Mr Sänger for his statement and the important 
work that the EBRD is continuing to do. In his statement, he has addressed the topics RD/COMTD/AFT/25  
 
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  of our work programme: food security; digital; and mai nstreaming trade, including 
sustainability.  
• Let me address a point on food security. Mr Sänger has mentioned the Black Sea region. 
The European Union stresses the importance of security and stability in the Black Sea, 
vital for sustainable grain exports. I t supports all efforts, including those of the UN, to 
facilitate exports of Ukraine’s grain and other agricultural products to the countries most 
in need, notably in Africa and the Middle East. Russia’s unilateral decision to terminate 
the implementation o f the Black Sea Grain Initiative and its deliberate attacks on 
Ukraine’s grain storage and export facilities, as well as its actions to hinder the freedom 
of navigation in the Black Sea, show that Russia continues to weaponise food and 
undermine global foo d security.  
 
Comment on World Bank -WTO Presentation of Publication on Trade in Services  
• Thank you to the World Bank and WTO for the report, with key findings that are fully in 
line with the European Union’s views on the role of services in development.   
• Services trade is indeed key for growth and job creation – not only in service sectors 
directly, such as tourism and e -commerce, but also as an “enabler” for trade and job 
creation in other sectors. In addition, services trade can be critical for a green tr ansition 
– both to promote structural change with a lighter environmental footprint, but also as 
environmental services are critical for the expansion of renewable energy generation, 
to give one example.     
• Trade in Services is a key part of European Union  Aid for Trade in partner countries. For 
example:  
o We support negotiations on and liberalization of trade in services in Regional 
Trade Agreements, often coupled with strengthening policy capacity in 
ministries and relevant agencies in numerous country prog rammes, including 
developing services export strategies.  
o There is also a significant amount of sectoral work, such as to boost 
competitiveness on tourism, transport, logistics, financial services.  
o One example of an intervention is our support under ARISE +, namely  ASSIST 
ASEAN - Solutions for Investments, Services and Trade . ASSIST provides 
simple, cost -effective, expedited, and efficient solutions to the practical 
problems experienced by ASEAN enterprises when trading across borders within 
ASEAN.  
o And finally, a key initiative that is worth flagging is the newly adopted Action on 
Trade in Services in Sub -Saharan Africa, worth EUR 40 million. We will liaise 
closely wi th the relevant stakeholders in the near future.  
• The World Bank -WTO report proposes the “Trade in Services for Development” initiative 
to help to mobilize a coherent Aid for Trade package in services, targeting five key 
challenges which I will not reitera te here. No doubt, these areas are some of the more 
critical ones to improve partner countries’ service export competitiveness. We would 
welcome efforts to advance the discussion on how Trade in Services for sustainable 
development can be accommodated thro ugh Aid for Trade. A topic that perhaps 
warrants attention in the next aid -for-trade Work Programme, if not before.   
 
 
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