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WT/TPR/ W/196 
 
21 October 2021 
(21-7972) Page: 1/7 
Trade Policy Review Body   
 
TRADE POLICY REVIEW MECHANISM  
DRAFT  REPORT OF THE TRADE POLICY REVIEW BODY FOR 20 21 
Chairperson: H.E. Dr. Athaliah Lesiba Molokomme  (Botswana)  
1. This Report by the Trade Policy Review Body (TPRB) provides a brief asse ssment of its 
activities in 20 21. The annexed tables provide information on Members reviewed up to the end of 
2021, the programme of reviews for 20 22, and candidates for review in 20 23. 
Activities of the TPRB  
2. By the end of 20 21, the TPRB will have conducted 526 reviews since its inception in 1989 (up 
from 508 in 2020). These took place  at a total of 414 review meetings (Annex I) and cover ed 158 out 
of 164  Members.1 Eighteen Members were reviewed in 202 1, including one least developed country 
(LDC) (Annex II).  Three Members opted for the alternative timeline for the Q&A process.   
3. Notwithstanding  various constraints  caused by the pandemic , the Secretariat continue d to 
prepare its reports  in close consultation with the authorities of the Members under review , and the 
reports for those review meetings taking place in 202 1 were delivered on time. The authorities have 
been making great efforts to provide r esponses , including documentation and  data, to requests for 
information. In preparing its reports, the Secretariat also continue s its efforts to reduce the burden 
on Members under review by using, to the extent possible, other sources of documentation, including 
Members' official websites and other credible sources. Essential elements of the process are the 
responses by the authorities to the draft reports, and visits to capitals by teams from the Secretariat. 
However, t hese visits  were cancelled due to COVID -19 travel restrictions , and the Secretariat and 
the authorities had to find alternative means of communication and exchange of information .  
4. Efforts continue to be made to space TPRB meetings as evenly as possible throughout the 
year and, to the extent possible, to avoid clashes with other meetings at the WTO so as to reduce 
pressure on Members.  
5. The WTO Secretariat is working on the confirmati on of the programme of reviews for 202 2, in 
close contact with the relevant delegations. The programme for 2022 comprises 18 meetings, 
covering 23 Members (Annex  III). Annex  IV provides the list of Members that are considered as 
candidates for review in 20 23.  
Coverage of LDCs and follow -up to TPRB meetings  
6. TPRs of LDCs have been beneficial to them in terms of improving their understanding of , and 
encouraging their compliance with , WTO agreements. This thus helps them to further integrat e into 
the multilateral trading system. Of the 35 WTO least-developed Members2, 33 have been reviewed 
by the end of 2021. In 202 1, one LDC Member , Myanmar , was reviewed.  
7. At the request of the Member concerned, the Secretariat organizes  a follow -up workshop to 
discuss the outcome s of the TPR with domestic stakeholders . In addition to disseminating the 
 
1 Members not yet reviewed by end -2021 are: Afghanistan  (to be reviewed in 2023) ; Cuba ( to be 
review ed in 202 3); Kazakhstan ( scheduled  for review in 2022) ; Liberia  (to be reviewed in 2023) ; Seychelles 
(scheduled  for review in 2022) ; and Yemen (to be reviewed in 2023) . 
2 Vanuatu graduated from LDC status in 2020.  WT/TPR/W/196  
 
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  results/outcomes of the Review, the Secretariat also works closely with the Member under review  to 
plan a workshop that reflects its priorities and technical assistance needs  and the concerns expressed 
by other Members during the TPR. In particular, the workshops aim at achieving a better 
understanding of recent initiatives taken, or being taken, by  the Government, and exchanging views 
on steps the Government may take to address concerns raised by other Members.  In 20 21, due to 
travel restrictions, no national follow -up workshop s were conducted.   
Monitoring of trade and trade -related measures  
8. The TPRM requires Members, between their reviews, to provide information on significant 
trade policy changes. The Secretariat uses this and other information to prepare, on a regular basis, 
reports on the tra de and trade -related developments of Members and Observer Governments. The 
information is consolidated and presented in the  Report by the Director -General on the Overview of 
Developments in the International Trading Environment, as called for by paragraph G of Annex 3 to 
the Marrakesh Agreement. Cooperation and interest from Members in the trade monitoring exercise 
remain very positive , as noted during the discussions for the Sixth Appraisal of the TPRM and in the 
regular meetings of the TPRB on trade monit oring. The Secretariat continues to reach out to all 
delegations with a view to improv ing the participation of all Members and Observers.  
9. The latest trade monitoring report covered measures taken during the period from 
mid-October 2020 to mid -May 2021.3 It provided information on the latest trends and developments 
with respect to trade -restrictive and trade -facilitating measures put in place by Members and 
Observers. The report also provided a full account of recent developments in the areas of trade 
remedies, SPS, TBT, agriculture, services , and intellectual property. This report came as the world 
continued to battle the COVID -19 pandemic and provided important insight into a number of areas 
as countries beg an addressing the challenges of a post -pandemic  economic recovery.  
10. The report provided evidence that 65% of the 384 COVID -19-related trade measures 
implemented by WTO Members in the area of goods since the outbreak of the pandemic were of a 
trade-facilitating nature, while the remaining 35% could be co nsidered trade restrictive. Export bans 
accounted for 84% of all restrictive measures recorded. During the review period, WTO Members 
continued to repeal measures implemented in response to the pandemic and, as at mid -May 2021, 
around 21% of COVID -19 trade -facilitating measures and 54% of the COVID -19 trade -restrictive 
measures have been terminated. Although the pace of introducing new COVID -19-related support 
measures decreased during the review period, WTO Members continued to implement such 
measures to m itigate the social and economic impacts induced by the pandemic. WTO Members and 
Observers have also put in place 147 COVID -19-related measures affecting trade in services, most 
of these measures being trade -facilitating, and 71 IP -related measures. Exclud ing the 
COVID -19-related measures, the report showed that WTO Members implemented 61 new 
trade-facilitating measures on goods and 70 new trade -restrictive measures unrelated to the 
pandemic. The estimated trade coverage of the import -facilitating measures introduced during the 
review period (USD  445.0  billion) significantly exceeded the trade coverage of import -restrictive 
measures (USD  127.1 billion). Initiations of trade remedy actions by WTO Members reached its 
lowest level during the review period after  marking its highest peak in 2020. Members also 
introduced 122 regular measures affecting trade in services targeting different modes of supply 
across various sectors. While most of these were trade  facilitating, some new policies appeared to 
be trade  restrictive, including measures affecting communication and network -enabled services, and 
policies pertaining to the screening of foreign investment in areas considered as strategic.  
11. The Report by the Director -General on the 2021 Overview of  Developments in th e 
International Trading Environment is scheduled to be discussed by the TPRB on 9 December 2021.  
 
 
  
 
3 An informal meeting of the TPRB was held , both in person and virtually due to COVID -19 restrictions , 
on 29 July 2021 to discuss the Director -General's Report on Trade -Related Developments contained in 
document s WT/TPR/OV/W/15 , WT/TPR/OV/W/15/Corr. 1, and WT/TPR/OV/W/15/Corr.2 . WT/TPR/W/196  
 
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  ANNEX I   
TRADE POLICY REVIEWS  
WTO Members reviewed, 1989 -2021 
Europe/Middle East  Asia/Pacific  Africa  America  
Albania (2)  Australia (8)  Angolac (2) Antigua and Barbudaa (3) 
Armenia (2)  Bangladeshc (5) Benina,c (4) Argentina (5) 
Bahrain, Kingdom ofa (4) Brunei Darussalam (3) Botswanaa (4) Barbados (3)  
European Unionb (14) Cambodiac (2) Burkina Fasoa,c (4) Belize (3)  
Georgia (2)  China (8)  Burundia,c (3) Bolivia, Plurinational  
State of (4)  
Iceland (5)  Fiji (3) Cabo Verde (1)  Brazil (7)  
Israel (5)  Hong Kong, China (8)  Cameroona (4) Canada (11)  
Jordan (2)  India (7)  Central African Republica,c 
(2) Chile (5)  
Kuwait, State of (1)  Indonesia (7)  Chada,c (2) Colombia (5)  
Liechtensteina (5) Japan (14)  Congo, Democratic Republic 
of thec (2)  Costa Rica (5)  
Moldova, Republic of (1)  Korea, Republic of (8)  Congo, Republic ofa (2) Dominicaa (3) 
Montenegro (1)  Kyrgyz Republic (3)  Côte d'Ivoire (3)  Dominican Republic (4)  
North Macedonia,  
Republic of (2)  Lao People's Democratic 
Republicc (1) Djiboutia,c (2) Ecuador (3)  
Norway (7)  Macao, China (5)  Egypt (4)  El Salvador (4)  
Omana (3) Malaysia (7)  Eswatinia (4) Grenadaa (3) 
Qatara (3) Maldives (3)  Gabona (3) Guatemala (3)  
Russian Federation (2) Mongolia (3)  The Gambiac (3) Guyana (3)  
Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of (3) Myanmarc (2) Ghana (4) Haitic (2) 
Switzerlanda (7) Nepalc (2) Guinea, Republic ofc (4) Honduras (3)  
Turkey (6)  New Zealand (5)  Guinea -Bissauc (2) Jamaica (4)  
Ukraine (1) Pakistan (4)  Kenyaa (5) Mexico (6)  
United Arab Emirates (3)  Papua New Guinea (3)  Lesothoa,c (4) Nicaragua (4)  
 Philippines (5)  Madagascarc (3) Panama (2)  
 Samoa (1)  Malawic (3) Paraguay (4)  
 Singapore (8)  Malia,c (4) Peru (5)  
 Solomon Islandsc (3) Mauritaniac (3) 
St. Kitts and Nevisa (3) 
 Sri Lanka (4) Mauritiusa (5) St. Luciaa (3) 
 Chinese Taipei (4)  Morocco (5)  St. Vincent and the 
Grenadinesa (3) 
 Tajikistan (1)  Mozambiquec (3) Suriname (3)  
 Thailand (8)  Namibiaa (4)
 Trinidad and Tobago (4)  
 Tonga (2)  Nigera,c (3) United States (14)  
 Vanuatuc (1) Nigeria (5)  Uruguay (5)  
 Viet Nam (2)  Rwandaa,c (3) Venezuela, Bolivarian  
Republic of (2)  
  Senegala,c (4)  
  Sierra Leonec (2)   
  South Africaa (5)  
  Tanzaniaa,c (4)  
  Togoc (4)  
  Tunisia (3)   
  Ugandaa,c (5)  
  Zambiac (4)  
  Zimbabwe (3)   
    
50 Members ( 100 reviews)  33 Members (150  reviews)  42 Members (136 reviews)  33 Members (141 reviews)  
Note:  Figures in parentheses indicate the total number of reviews that will have been conducted by the 
end of 2021.  
a Joint review, but counted as individual Members for statistical purposes from 2009.  
b  Some current EU member States were review ed separately before joining the European Union: 
Austria  (1), Bulgaria  (1), Croatia  (1), Cyprus  (1), Czech  Republic  (2), Finland  (1), Hungary  (2), 
Poland  (2), Romania  (3), Slovak  Republic  (2), Slovenia  (1), and Sweden  (2). 
c Least  developed country (LDC) M ember.  
Reviews conducted at end -2021 = 526 reviews at 414 TPRB meetings.  
WTO Members reviewed   = 158 out of 164.  
LDC WTO Members reviewed  = 33 out of 35.   WT/TPR/W/196  
 
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  ANNEX II  
Trade policy reviews conducted in 2021  
Member  Meeting date  Review cycle (years)  
India (7) 6 and 8 January  5 
Nicaragua (4)  27 and 29 January  7 
Myanmara,b (2) 15 and 17 February  7 
Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of (3)  3 and 5 March  5 
Mongolia (3)  17 and 19 March  7 
Qatar (3)  6 and 8 April  7 
Tonga (2)  14 and 16 April  7 
Viet Nama (2) 27 and 29 April 7 
Kyrgyz  Republic (3)  18 and 20 May  7 
Argentina (5)  15 and 17 September  7 
Singaporea (8) 22 and 24 September  5 
Korea, Republic of (8)  13 and 15 October  5 
China (8)  20 and 22 October  3 
Russian  Federation (2)  27 and 29 October  5 
Mauritius (5)  9 and 11 November  7 
Oman (3)  17 and 19 November  7 
Bahrain, Kingdom of (4)  24 and 26 November  7 
Tajikistan (1)  6 and 8 December  7 
Note:  Figures in parentheses indicate the total number of reviews that will have been conducted by the 
end of 2021.  
a Alternative timeline.  
b LDC Member.  
 
 
  WT/TPR/W/196  
 
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  ANNEX III 
Programme of reviews for 2022  
Member  Meeting dates (scheduled)  Review cycle 
(years)  
Georgia  12 and 14 January  7 
Panama 24 and 26 January  7 
Barbados  To be rescheduled  7 
Guyana 2 and 4 March  7 
United Arab Emirates  22 and 24 March  5 
Pakistan  30 March and 1 April  7 
Ghana 4 and 6 May  7 
Switzerland and Liechtensteina 18 and 20 May  5 
New Zealanda 1 and 3 June  7 
United States  21 and 23 June  3 
Moldova, Republic of  20 and 22 July  7 
Mexicoa 20 and 22 September  5 
Djiboutib  12 and 14 October  7 
SACU (Botswana, Eswatini, Lesothob, 
Namibia, and South Africa)  8 and 10 November  7 
Brazil  16 and 18 November  5 
Kazakhstan  23 and 25 November  7 
Seychelles  5 and 7 December  7 
Dominican Republica 13 and 15 December  7 
 
Note:  SACU = Southern African Customs Union.  
 
a Alternative timeline.  
b LDC Member.  
 WT/TPR/W/196  
 
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  ANNEX IV  
Members to be reviewed in 2023  
(Due date in parentheses)  
Member  
Afghanistana 
Albania  
Angolaa (2022)  
Antigua and Barbuda (OECS) (2021)  
Brunei Darussalam (2022)  
Cabo Verde (2022)  
Cameroon (CEMAC) (2020)  
Central African Republica (CEMAC) (2020)  
Chada (CEMAC) (2020)  
Chile (2022)  
Congo (CEMAC) (2020)  
Congo, Democratic Republic ofa 
Cuba (2002)  
Dominica (OECS) (2021)  
El Salvador  
European  Union  
Fiji 
Gabon (CEMAC) (2020)  
Grenada (OECS) (2021)  
Guatemala  
Haitia (2022)  
Honduras  
Hong Kong, China  
Japan  
Jordan (2022)  
Kuwait, State of (2019)  
Liberiaa 
Madagascara (2022)  
Malawia 
Malaysia  
Maldives  
Morocco  
Solomon Islandsa 
Sri Lanka  
St. Kitts and Nevis (OECS) (2021)  
St. Lucia (OECS) (2021)  
St. Vincent and the Grenadines (OECS) (2021)  WT/TPR/W/196  
 
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  Member  
Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu 
(Chinese Taipei)  
Tunisia  
Turkey  
Ukraine  
Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of (2009)  
Yemena (2021)  
Zambiaa 
Note:  CEMAC = Central African Economic and Monetary Community.  
 OECS = Organisatio n of Eastern Caribbean States.  
a LDC Member.  
 
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