WT/MIN(24)/32  
WT/L/1187  
 
4 March 2024  
(24-2001) Page: 1/4 
Ministerial Conference  
Thirteenth Session  
Abu Dhabi, 26  February -2 March 2024    
 
 
ACCESSION OF THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF TIMOR -LESTE  
MINISTERIAL DECISION  
Adopted on 26 February 2024  
 The Ministerial Conference , 
 Having regard to paragraph 2 of Article  XII and paragraph 1 of Article  IX of the 
Marrakesh  Agreement Establishing the World Trade Organization (the "WTO  Agreement"), and the 
Decision -Making Procedures under Articles IX and XII of the WTO  Agreement agreed by the 
General  Council ( WT/L/93 ), 
 Taking note  of the application of the Democratic Republic of Timor -Leste for accession to the 
WTO Agreement dated 7 April 2015 , 
 Noting  the results of the negotiations directed toward the establishment of the terms of 
accession of the Democratic R epublic of Timor -Leste to the WTO  Agreement and having prepared a 
Protocol on the Accession of the Democratic Republic of Timor -Leste, 
 Decides  as follows:  
 The Democratic Republic of Timor -Leste may accede to the WTO  Agreement on the terms and 
conditions set out in the Protocol annexed to this Decision.  
_______________  
 WT/MIN(24)/32 • WT/L/1187  
 
- 2 - 
 
  PROTOCOL ON THE ACCESSION OF THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF TIMOR -LESTE  
Preamble  
 The World Trade Organization (hereinafter referred to as the "WTO"), pursuant to the approval 
of the Ministerial Conference of the WTO accorded under Article  XII of the Marrakesh  Agreement 
Establishing the World Trade Organization (hereinafter refer red to as the "WTO  Agreement"),  and the 
Democratic Republic of Timor -Leste (hereinafter referred to as " Timor-Leste"), 
 Taking note  of the Report of the Working Party on the Accession of Timor -Leste to the 
WTO Agreement reproduced in document  WT/ACC/TLS/34 , dated 18 January 2024 (hereinafter 
referred to as the "Working Party Report"),  
 Having regard  to the resul ts of the negotiations on the accession of Timor -Leste to the 
WTO Agreement,  
 Agree as follows:  
PART I - GENERAL  
1. Upon entry into force of this Protocol pursuant to paragraph 8, Timor -Leste accedes to the 
WTO Agreement pursuant to Article  XII of that  Agreement and thereby becomes a Member of 
the WTO.  
2. The WTO  Agreement to which Timor -Leste accedes shall be the WTO  Agreement, including the 
Explanatory Notes to that  Agreement, as rectified, amended or otherwise modified by such legal 
instruments as may ha ve entered into force before the date of entry into force of this Protocol. This 
Protocol, which shall include the commitments referred to in paragraph  337 of the Working Party 
Report, shall be an integral part of the WTO  Agreement.  
3. Except as otherwise provided for in paragraph  337 of the Working Party Report, those 
obligations in the Multilateral Trade  Agreements annexed to the WTO  Agreement that are to be 
implemented over a period of time starting with the entry into force of that  Agreement shall be 
implemented by Timor -Leste as if it had accepted that  Agreement on the date of its entry into force.  
4. Timor -Leste may maintain a measure inconsistent with paragraph  1 of Article  II of the GATS 
provided that such a measure was recorded in the list of Articl e II Exemptions annexed to this Protocol 
and meets the conditions of the Annex to the GATS on Article  II Exemptions.  
PART II - SCHEDULES  
5. The Schedules reproduced in the Annex to this Protocol shall become the Schedule of 
Concessions and Commitments anne xed to the General  Agreement on Tariffs and Trade 1994 
(hereinafter referred to as the "GATT  1994") and the Schedule of Specific Commitments annexed to 
the General  Agreement on Trade in Services (hereinafter referred to as "GATS") relating to  
Timor -Leste . The staging of the concessions and commitments listed in the Schedules shall be 
implemented as specified in the relevant parts of the respective Schedules.  
6. For the purpose of the reference in paragraph 6(a) of Article  II of the GATT  1994 to the date 
of that Agreement, the applicable date in respect of the Schedule of Concessions and Commitments 
annexed to this Protocol shall be the date of entry into force of this Protocol.  
PART III - FINAL PROVISIONS  
7. This Protocol shall be open for acceptance, by si gnature or otherwise, by Timor -Leste until 
30 August 2024 or such lat er date as may be decided by the General Council.  
8. This Protocol shall enter into force on the thirtieth day following the day upon which it shall 
have been accepted by Timor -Leste.  WT/MIN(24)/32 • WT/L/1187  
 
- 3 - 
 
  9. This Protocol shall be deposited with the Director -General of the WTO. The Director -General 
of the WTO shall promptly furnish a certified copy of this Protocol and a notification of acceptance by 
Timor -Leste thereto pursuant to paragraph 7 to each Member of the WTO and to Timor -Leste.  
10. This Protocol shall be registered in accordance with the provisions of Article  102 of the Charter 
of the United Nations.  
 Done at Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates,  this twenty -sixth day of February two  thousand and 
twent y-four in a single copy in the English, French and Spanish languages, each text being authentic, 
except that a Schedule annexed hereto may specify that it is authentic in only one of these languages, 
and the Working Party Report is authentic in English onl y. 
_______________  
 WT/MIN(24)/32 • WT/L/1187  
 
- 4 - 
 
  ANNEX  
SCHEDULE CLXXVIII – THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF TIMOR -LESTE  
Authentic only in the English language.  
(Circulated in document WT/ACC/TLS/34/Add.1 ) 
_______________  
SCHEDULE OF SPECIFIC COMMITMENTS ON SERVICES  
LIST OF ARTICLE  II (MFN) EXEMPTIONS  
Authentic only in the English language.  
(Circulated in document WT/ACC/TLS/34/Add.2 ) 
 
__________