RESTRICTED  
  
WT/BFA/210  
 
8 December  2022 
(22-9057) Page: 1/6 
   
 
  
ANNUAL REPORT FOR 20 22 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 2022 is hereby 
submitted.  
1.2.  In 2022, the CBFA held eight formal meetings and submitted eight reports1 to the 
General  Council.  
1.3.  The list of CBFA documents issued in 2022 is contained in Annex 1.  
1.1  Financial Regulations  
1.4.  The CBFA discussed and endorsed the Proposed Changes to the text of Financial Regulation  19. 
The CBFA endorsed a full set of revised Financial Regulations of the WTO  (WT/BFA/W/610 ) and 
submitted it  to the General Council for approval.  
1.2  Pension Plan  
1.5.  The CBFA took note of the 2021 WTO Pens ion 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 Management Board.  
1.6.  The Chair of the WTO Pension Plan Management Board presented a Draft Reform Proposal for 
Addressing the Pension Plan's Funding Gap  (WT/BFA/W/613 ). 
1.3  Establishment of the Fisheries Funding Mechanism Trust Fund  
1.7.  The CBFA took  note of the establishment of the Fisheries Funding Mechanism as a new trust 
fund under Financial Regulation 19. The Fund will assist developing and LDC Members that have 
capacity constraints to implement their new obligations under the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies . 
The Fund  will be subj ect to regular external auditing and review and will report regularly on its 
activities to the Committee.  
1.4  Transformation Exercise  
1.8.  Regular updates on the WTO Secretariat Transformation Exercise were provided at each 
CBFA  meeting by D eputy Director -General Angela  Ellard . Furthermore, an informal meeting with the 
Transformation Office was organised at which Members had an opportunity to  ask questions and 
seek clarifications regarding the ongoing transformation exercise.  
 
1 WT/BFA/ 202 covering the meeting held on 17 March 202 2; WT/BFA/ 203 covering the meeting of 
5 May 2022; WT/BFA/ 204 covering the meeting of 2 4 May  2022; WT/BFA/ 205 covering the meeting of 
15 July 2022; WT/BFA/ 206 covering the meeting of 22 September  2022; WT/BFA/ 207 covering the meeting of 
5 October 2022; WT/BFA/ 208 covering the meeting of 8 November  2022; and WT/BFA/209 covering the 
meeting s of 1 and 5  December 2022.  WT/BFA/210  
 
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  1.5  Regular items  
1.9.  The CBFA reviewed and took note of regular items , such as:  
a. the quarterly reports on the financial and extra -budgetary situation of the Organization  
(WT/BFA /W/589  and WT/BFA/W/589/Rev.1 ; WT/BFA/W/611 ; WT/BFA/W/601 ; 
WT/BFA/W/592 ; WT/BFA/W/600 ; and WT/BFA/W/608 ); 
b. the 202 2 WTO Salary Survey and Dependency Allowances  (WT/BFA/W/580 );  
c. updates from the Chairperson of the WTO Pension Plan Management Board;  
d. WTO Pension Plan actuarial valuation for 2020 ( WT/BFA/W/577 ) and interim actuarial 
valuation for 2021 ( WT/BFA/W/594 ); 
e. the Report s on the follow -up and s tatus of implementation of the internal and e xternal 
audit recommendations  (WT/BFA/W/579 ; WT/BFA/W/586 ; and WT/BFA/W/602 ); 
f. an update on the WTO Medical Insurance Plan and ASHI  (WT/BFA/W/582 ); 
g. the Annual Strategic Facilities Plan  (WT/BFA/W/587 ); 
h. the WTO Secretariat  staff's  Learning and Development Programme for 20 21 
(WT/BFA/W/590 ); 
i. the Annual Report on Diversity in the WTO Secretariat for 2020 and 2021 ( WT/BFA/W/605  
and WT/BFA/W/605 /Corr.1);  
j. the Annual Report on Grading Structure in the WTO Secretariat for 2020 and 2021 
(WT/BFA/W/606 ); and  
k. the Annual Report of the activities of the Office of Internal Oversight for  2020-2021 
(WT/BFA/W/586 ). 
1.6  Working Group on Trust Funds  
1.10.  The CBFA reviewed and endorsed the recommendations of the Working Group on Coherence 
in the Establishment and Management of WTO Trust Funds . 
1.7  External Audit  
1.11.  The CBFA  reviewed the 2021 WTO Audited Financial Statements and the External Auditor's 
Report and recommended that the General Council approve the 2021 WTO Audited Financial 
Statements. In addition, the CBFA proposed that the General Council approve transfers betw een 
budgetary sections as outlined in the 2021 WTO Financial Performance Report.  
1.8  Outstanding Contributions from Members and Observers  
1.12.  The CBFA took note of outstanding contributions from Members and Observers  
(WT/BFA/W/578 ) and invited the General Council  to urge Members and Observers under 
administrative measures to liquidate their arrears. Furthermore, the Chai rperson  of the CBFA read 
out the list of Members and Observers under administrative measures at every General Council 
meeting.  
1.9  Utilization of the 2021 Budgetary Surplus  
1.13.  The Director -General submitted a Proposal for the Utilization of the 2021 Budgetary Surplus 
to the CBFA pursuant to Financial Regulation 23. Having considered Table 1 contained in document 
WT/BFA/W/614  and acknowledging the ongoing exchange of information , the CBFA recommended WT/BFA/210  
 
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  to the General Council that  the WTO Budgetary Surplus as at 31 December 2021, amounting to 
CHF 6 million, be exclusively utilized to cover mandatory and unavoidable expenses.  
1.10  2022 -2023 Mid -Term Budget Review  
1.14.  The Director -General presented the WTO 2022 -2023 Mid-Term Budget Review to the 
Committee on 5 October , and the Committee discussed it extensively . The Committee deferred a 
decision on this item and instead will continue its discussion in the context of the  2024-2025 biennial 
budget process . 
1.15.  Noting that the approved budget for 2023 amounting to CHF 197,203,900 will remain 
unchanged and that the assessed contributions from Members for the 2023 budget, totalling 
CHF 195,000,000 , will be based on the updated trade statistics as foreseen in Financial 
Regulation  12, the CBFA recommended to the General Council to approve the 2023 scale of assessed 
contributions contained in Table 1 of the document WT/BFA/W/616.  
1.11  Other i tems  
1.16.  Other topics discussed and noted by t he CBFA were a communication by the United States on 
Enhancing Output Reporting;  the issue of long -term liabilities ; the planned update of the Documents 
Online p latform ; the use of AI -Based Translation tools at the WTO ; and  the amendment to 
Staff Rules 106.14 (h) and 106.15 (h) . 
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  WT/BFA/210  
 
- 4 - ANNEX 1  
LIST OF CBFA DOCUMENTS ISSUED IN 2022  
Symbol Title of the document  
WT/BFA/W/564/Rev.1  Proposed changes to the text of Financial Regulation 19 that was agreed in June 2019 - By India & 
the United  States – Revision  1 
WT/BFA/W/564/Rev.2  Proposed changes to the text of Financial Regulation 19 that was agreed in June 2019 by India & the United 
States – Revision  2  
WT/BFA/W/564/Rev.2/Corr.1  Proposed changes to the text of Financial Regulation 19 that was agreed in June 2019 by India & the United 
States – Revision 2 – Corrigendum  1 
WT/BFA/W/577  WTO Pension Plan 2020 Full Actuarial Valuation  
WT/BFA/W/578  Outstanding Contributions from Members and Observers as at 31 Dec ember  2021 
WT/BFA/W/579  Status of the Implementation of External Audit Recommendations  
WT/BFA/W/580  2022 WTO Salary Survey and Dependency Allowances: Cumulative Movement o f the WTO Salary Scale in 
2018 - 2022 
WT/BFA/W/581  Update on the Replacement of Documents Online (DOL)  
WT/BFA/W/582  Update on WTO Medical Insurance Plan and ASHI Liabilities  
WT/BFA/W/583  2022 Draft Work Plan for the C ommittee on Budget, Finance and Administration  
WT/BFA/W/583/Rev.1  2022 Draft Work Plan for the C ommittee on Budget, Finance and Administration  – Revision  1 
WT/BFA/W/584  Summary Report by Chair of the Working Group concerning Coherence in th e Management and Administration 
of Voluntary Contributions  
WT/BFA/W/585  WTO Long term Liabilities  
WT/BFA/W/586  Office of Internal Oversight (OIO) - Status of Internal Audit Recommendations (March 2022)  
WT/BFA/W/587  Strategic Facilities Plan  
WT/BFA/W/588  2021 Financial Performance Report  
WT/BFA/W/588/Rev.1  2021 Financial Performance Report – Revision  1 
WT/BFA/W/589  WTO Budget and Finance Report – 1st Quarter 2022  
WT/BFA/W/589 /Rev.1  WTO Budget and Finance Report – 1st Quarter 2022  – Revision 1  
WT/BFA/W/590  WTO Secretariat's Staff Learning and Development Programme 2021  
WT/BFA/W/591  AI-Based Translation Tools at the WTO: an Update  
WT/BFA/W/592  Quarter 1 2022 Extra Budgetary Funds Report  
WT/BFA/W/593  WTO Secretariat Transformation Exercise as of 9 May  2022 
WT/BFA/W/594  WTO Pension Plan 2021 Interim Actuarial Valuation   
  WT/BFA/210  
 
- 5 - Symbol Title of the document  
WT/BFA/W/595  WTO Secretariat Transformation Exercise as of 1 July  2022 
WT/BFA/W/596 – WT/L/1149 WTO Pension Plan 2021 - 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 2021  
WT/BFA/W/597 – WT/L/1150 WTO Pension Plan - Annual Report and Financial Statements for the Yea r ending 31  December  2021 
WT/BFA/W/598  Report of the Independent External Auditor on the Audit of the Financial Statements of the World Trade 
Organization for the Financial Year ended 31 December 2021  
WT/BFA/W/599  Report of the Independent External Auditor on Follow -up to the Recommendations of The External Auditors  
WT/BFA/W/600  Quarter 2 2022 Extra Budgetary Funds Report  
WT/BFA/W/601  WTO Budget and Finance Report – 2nd Quarter 2022  
WT/BFA/W/602  Secretariat's Responses to External Auditor's Recommendations on the Audit of the Financial Statements of 
the World Trade Organization for the Financial Year ended 31 December 2021  
WT/BFA/W/603  Secretariat's Resp onses to the Follow -up to Outstanding Recommendations of the External Auditors  
WT/BFA/W/604  WTO Secretariat Transformation Exercise as of 1 September 2022  
WT/BFA/W/605  2020 and 2021 Annual Report on Diversity in the WTO Secretariat  
WT/BFA/W/605 /Corr.1  2020 and 2021 Annual Report on Diversity in the WTO Secretariat  – Corrigendum 1  
WT/BFA/W/606  2020 and 2021 Annual Report on Grading Structure in the WTO Secretariat  
WT/BFA/W/607  WTO 2022 -2023 Mid -Term Budget Review  
WT/BFA/W/608  Quarter 3 Extra Budgetary Funds Report  
WT/BFA/W/609  Amendment to Staff Rules 106.14 (b) and 106.15 (h)  
WT/BFA/W/610  Complete Set of Revised Financial Regulations of the World Trade Organization  
WT/BFA/W/611  WTO Budget and Finance Report – 3rd Quarter 2022  
WT/BFA/W/612  Annual Report on the Activities of the Office of Internal Oversight  (OIO)  2021-2022 
WT/BFA/W/613  Draft Reform Proposal f or Addressing the Pension Plan's Funding Gap  
WT/BFA/W/614  Proposed utilization of the 2021 Budgetary Surplus  
WT/BFA/W/615  Draft Annual Report for 2022 of the Committee on Budget, Finance and Administration  
WT/BFA/W/616  2023 Scale of Contributions  
WT/BFA/W/617  Textual Proposal and Request for Information  – By Sri Lanka  
 
 
 
 
  
  WT/BFA/210  
 
- 6 - Symbol  Title of the document  
WT/BFA/INF/15  Notification of the Establishment of a Fisheries Funding Mechanism Trust Fund  
WT/BFA/INF/16  Responses to Questions Raised by Members during Director -General's Presentation of the Mid -Term Budget to the 
Committee on Budget, Finance and Administration on 5 October 2022  
WT/BFA/INF/17  Responses to Questions Raised by Members on the Proposed Utilization of the Budgetary Surplus  
WT/BFA/INF/17/Corr.1  Responses to Questions Raised by Members on the Proposed Utilization of the Budgetary Surplus – Corrigendum 1  
 
 
Symbol  Title of the document  
JOB/BFA/58  Enhancing Output Reporting – Continuing the conversation  - Communication by the United States  
JOB/BFA/67  Statement of the Director -General to CBFA  - WTO 2022 -2023 Mid -Term Budget Review - 5 October 2022  
JOB/BFA/68  DDG Ellard's Update on the Secretariat's Transformation Exercise  - CBFA Meeting  - 8 November  2022 
JOB/BFA/69  Remarks of Clarisse Morgan  (Director of the Rules Division)  on the Fisheries Funding Mechanism Trust Fund  - CBFA 
Meeting  - 8 November  2022 
JOB/BFA/70  DDG Ellard's Update on the Secretariat's Transformation Exercise  - CBFA Meeting  - 1 December  2022 
JOB/BFA/71  Letter from  the Independent  External Auditor  
JOB/BFA/72  External Auditor's Engagement Letter  
 
 
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