RESTRICTED  
  
WT/BFA/184  
 
6 December  2019 
(19-8430) Page: 1/2 
   
 
 ANNUAL REPORT FOR 20 19 OF THE COMMITTEE ON BUDGET,  
FINANCE AND ADMINIST RATION  
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 Administratio n (CBFA)  in 201 9 is 
hereby submitted.  
1.2.  In 2019, t he CBFA held several meetings and submitted  six reports1 to the General  Council. 
The CBFA reviewed and took note of the quarterly  reports on the financial and extra-budgetary 
situation of the Organization ; regular updates on the arrears of contributions from Members and 
Observers ; a progress report on the  WTO Pension Plan ; the Annual Report on Diversity in the WTO 
Secretariat;  the 20 17-2018 Report on Staff Learning Development as well as the Report of the 
Office of Internal Oversight  for 2018 -2019. 
1.3.  During the first General Council meeting in 2019, the Chairman of the CBFA invited the 
General Council to urge Members and Observers under Administrative Measures to liquidate their 
arrears. Furthermo re, the Chairman of the CBFA read out the list of Members and Observers under 
Administrative Measures at every General Council meeting.  
1.4.  The CBFA took note of  outstanding contributions from Members and Observers  and invited 
the General Council to urge Memb ers and Observers under Administrative Measures to  liquidate  
their arrears .  
1.5.  The CBFA re-endorsed the recommendation it had approved in June 2018, regarding  the 
2017 WTO Audited Financial S tatements  and recommende d that the General Council  approves it . 
1.6.  The CBFA re-endorsed a recommendation  that it had agreed to make to the General  Council 
in June 2018 , to approve the 2018 WTO Audited Financial Statements . 
1.7.  The CBFA reviewed the 2018 WTO Audited Financial Statements  and the External Auditor's 
Report and recom mended that the General Council appro ves the. 2018 WTO Audited Financial 
Statements   
1.8.  The CBFA proposed that the General Council approve the transfers between budgetary 
sections as outlined in the 2018 WTO Financial Performance Report.  
1.9.  The CBFA considered a proposal for the 2018 budgetary surplus to be transferred to the 
Working Capital Fund and sub mitted a recommendation to the General Council for approval.   
1.10.   The CBFA had delegated the process for the selection of the next External Auditor to a 
Working Group. An Invitation to Bid, including selection criteria, was sent to all WTO Members in 
July and the assessment of bids took place in September and October.  
1.11.   After a competitive selection process, the CBFA made a recommendation to the Working 
Group that the Auditor General of France be appointed as the External Auditor of the 
WTO Secretariat and the W TO Pension Plan, for the period 2020 -2025. 
 
1 WT/BFA/1 78 covering the meeting held on 20 March  2019; WT/BFA/1 79 covering the meeting of 
30 April 2019 , WT/BFA/ 180 covering the meeting of 17 June 2019 , WT/BFA/1 81 covering the meeting s of 
24 September and 3 October 2019 ; WT/BFA/1 82 covering the meeting of 21 October 2019  and WT/BFA/1 83 
covering the meetings of 12 November, 27 November and 5 December 2019 . WT/BFA/184  
 
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  1.12.   The CBFA made a recommendation to the General Council to approve a Policy for the 
Management of the Working Capital Fund.  
1.13.   During meetings of the CBFA in 2019, Officials of the WTO Secretariat  invited  delegates to 
liaise with their authorities to consider making contributions in order to facilitate participation of 
LDC Members in the 1 2th Ministerial Conference.  
1.14.   The Director General addressed the CBFA on two occasions on the subject of the 2020-2021 
WTO Budget .  
1.15.   The CBFA reviewed a request from the Staff Council to be represented during CBFA 
meetings.  A consensus was not reached as to whether or not to respond favourably to the request 
from the Staff Council.  
1.16.   Finally, the CBFA examined and proposed to the Gene ral Council to approve the 20 20-2021 
Biennium budget proposals for the WTO and the Internation al Trade Center (ITC) as well as the 
2020-2021 Biennial Technical Assistance and Training Plan.  
 
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