RESTRICTED  
  
WT/COMTD/RTA/M/10  
 
7 February 2020  
(20-0996) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Trade and Development  
Tenth Dedicated Session on Regional Trade Agreements    
 
NOTE ON THE MEETING OF 22 NOVEMBER 201 9 
Chairman: H.E. Mr. Chad Blackman  (Barbados )  
A. ADOPTION OF THE AGEN DA ................................ ................................ ....................  1 
B. CONSIDERATION OF REG IONAL TRADE AGREEMEN TS ................................ .............  1 
(i) Status of the work of the Dedicated Session  ................................ ................................ .. 1 
-  Status of the preparation of factual presentations – Report by the Chairman 
(WT/COMTD/RTA/W/3)  ................................ ................................ ................................ ........  1 
(ii) Partial Scope Agreement between El Salvador and Ecuador (Goods)  
(WT/COMTD/RTA2/N/1, WT/COMTD/RTA2/1, WT/COMTD/RTA2/2)  ................................ ............  2 
(iii) Framework Agreement for establishing a Free Trade Area between India and  
Thailand ( Goods) ( WT/COMTD/RTA9/N/1 , WT/COMTD/RTA9/1 , WT/COMTD/RTA9/2 ) ...................  2 
(iv) Free Trade Agreement between Southern Common Market ( MERCOSUR ) and Egypt  
(Goods) ( WT/COMTD/RTA10/N/1, WT/COMTD/RTA10/1, WT/COMTD/RTA10/2 ) ..........................  2 
C. OTHER BUSINESS  ................................ ................................ ................................ .... 2 
 
A. ADOPTION OF THE AGEN DA 
1. The draft agenda as contained in document WTO/AIR/COMTD/RTA/5/Rev.1 of 
12 November  2019 was adopted .  
B. CONSIDERATION OF REG IONAL TRADE AGREEMENTS  
(i) Status of the work of the Dedicated Session  
- Status of the preparation of factual presentations – Report by the Chairman 
(WT/COMTD/RTA/W/ 3) 
2. The Chairman  said that  three regional trade agreements (RTAs) notified under the 
Enabling  Clause  would be considered at the present meeting . These were the Partial Scope 
Agreement between El Salvador and Ecuador  (Goods) ; the Framework Agreement for establishing a 
Free Trade Area between India and Thailand  (Goods) ; and the Free Trade Agreement b etween 
Southern Common Market ( MERCOSUR ) and Egypt  (Goods) . However, for a number of other RTAs 
notified under the Enabling Clause, it was still not possible for the Secretariat to finalize the factual 
presentations, and the Committee could therefore not c onsider these agreements as yet. The status 
of the preparation of the factual presentations for these RTAs was contained in his report, which was 
circulated in document WT/COMTD/RTA/W/3. He noted that the content of his report was the same 
as what would be  presented later in the day at the 110th Regular Session of the Committee on Trade 
and Development (CTD). This was the existing practice when the CTD's Dedicated Session on RTAs 
was held on the same day as the Regular Session.  
3. The report showed that, for some RTAs , the Secretariat was still awaiting the submission of 
the full set of data, while in other cases, all comments on the draft factual presentations had not WT/COMTD/RTA/M/10  
 
- 2 - 
 
  been received. He urged all the parties to these agreements to provide the data and informati on as 
soon as possible. He also informed the Committee that, since the last time he had presented his 
report on this matter, he had reached out to the Members in question, and had recently met with 
several of them. He had requested these delegations to fol low up with  their capitals, so that the 
outstanding data and information could be provided as soon as possible. He went on to say that  his 
report additionally referenced one RTA notified under the Enabling Clause that had not been ratified 
by all the parti es. This was the Pacific Island Countries Trade Agreement (PICTA). Following the 
procedures of the Committee on Regional Trade Agreements (CRTA), a factual presentation on PICTA 
would only be drafted after the agreement had been ratified by all the parties . The parties to PICTA 
were urged to inform the Secretariat as soon as all ratifications were completed. He also said that 
his report made reference to a number of RTAs which had been notified fairly recently, and for which 
the deadline for the submission of data had not passed as yet. He believed that it was useful to keep 
track of these RTAs as well. Finally, he informed the Committee that , after his re port had been 
issued, a notification under the Enabling Clause had been circulated concerning the agreement 
between Pakistan and Indonesia. This notification had been circulated in document 
WT/COMTD/RTA12/N/1, and the parties had been requested to provide the required data to the 
Secretariat by 7 April 2020.    
4. The Committee took note  of the Chairman's report.  
5. The Chairman  said that the Committee would now turn to the consideration of the three RTAs 
that were listed on the agenda of the present meeting . He wished to organize the consideration of 
each agreement by first inviting the parties to make their introductory remarks, and then inviting 
other Members that so wished to also provide any  general comments. Members could then turn to 
the factual presentatio n, and the questions and replies document. The parties could  provide 
responses at any time during the discussion to the questions raised. Members would also have the 
opportunity to ask follow -up written questions after the meeting was concluded. He would r emind 
Members of the timeframes for follow -up questions  and responses at the end of the discussion on 
each agreement.  
(ii) Partial Scope Agreement between El Salvador and Ecuador (Goods) (WT/COMTD/ RTA2/N/1 , 
WT/COMTD/RTA 2/1, WT/COMTD/RTA 2/2)1 
(iii) Framework Agreement  for Establishing a Free Trade A rea between India and Thailand (Goods) 
(WT/COMTD/ RTA9/N/1 , WT/COMTD/RTA 9/1, WT/COMTD/RTA 9/2)2 
(iv) Free Trade Agreement between Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR) and Egypt (Goods) 
(WT/COMTD/RTA10/N/1, WT/C OMTD/RTA10/1, WT/COMTD/RTA10/2)3 
C. OTHER BUSINESS  
6. No matter was raised under "Other Business".  
7. The meeting was adjourned . 
 
__________  
 
1 The minutes relating to the consideration of this agreement are contained in document 
WT/COMTD/RTA2/M/1.  
2 The minutes relating to the consideration of this agreement are contained in document 
WT/COMTD/RTA9/M/1.  
3 The minutes relating to the consideration of this agreement are contained in document 
WT/COMTD/RTA10/M/1.