WT/COMTD/SE/12  
 
1 December  2023 
(23-8190) Page: 1/2 
 
  
REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT  
IN DEDICATED SESSION TO THE GENERAL COUNCIL  
1  INTRODUCTION  
1.1.  In paragraph 35 of the Doha Ministerial Declaration, Members agreed to a work programme 
with the objective of framing responses to the trade -related issues identified for the fuller integration 
of small, vulnerable economies (SVEs) into the multilateral tr ading system. Members were instructed 
not to create a sub -category of WTO Members and to report to the General Council which, in turn, 
was to review the work programme and make recommendations for action. Since then, eight such 
reports have been issued: WT/COMTD/SE/1  in July 2003; WT/COMTD/SE/4  in November 2005; 
WT/COMTD/SE/6  in October 2009; WT/COMTD/SE/7  in October 2011; WT/COMTD/SE/8  in 
November 2013; WT/COMTD/SE/9  in November 2015; WT/COMTD/SE/10  in November 2017; and 
WT/COMTD/SE/11  in October 2021.  
1.2.  In the framework and procedures for the conduct of the Work Programme on Small Economies, 
the General Council agreed that the Work Programme would be a standing item on its agenda and 
that the Committee on Trade and Devel opment (CTD) would report regularly to the General Council 
on the progress of work in the Dedicated Sessions. Since the Twelfth WTO Ministerial Conference 
(MC12 ), progress reports have been made by the CTD Chairpersons at each regular General Council 
meeti ng.  
2  SUBMISSIONS AND PROCEEDINGS  
2.1.  There have been three formal meetings of the CTD in Dedicated Session on Small Economies 
since MC12 in June  2022. In line with the instructions given by Ministers in the MC12 Ministerial 
Decision on the Work Programme on Sm all Economies (WT/MIN (22)/25 – WT/L/1136 ), the first two 
of these meetings focused on the topic of "integrating small economies into the post COVID -19 
economy: effects of the pandemic, challenges and opportuni ties". 
2.2.  At the 44th Dedicated Session on 30 March 20231, discussions took place on the basis of a 
background note prepared by the Secretariat on this topic  (WT/COMTD/SE/W/45 ).2 The Chairperson 
noted that, moving forward, Members were agreeable to have experience -sharing presentations and 
to hear from relevant agencies.  
2.3.  At the 45th Dedicated Session on 19 October 20233, discussions focused on the chall enges and 
opportunities for small economies in the post COVID -19 recovery phase. Presentations were made 
by the Commonwealth Secretariat, the South Centre, the United Nations Conference on Trade and 
Development and the World Bank. Presentations were also m ade by Ecuador , El Salvador  and 
Sri Lanka – members of the SVE  Group . 
2.4.  At the 46th Dedicated Session on 16 November  2023, the Dedicated Session took note of an 
updated compilation paper on the Work Programme on Small Economies, prepared by the Secretariat 
(WT/COMTD/SE/ W/22/Rev.11 ). The Dedicated Session  then considered a proposal  submitted by 
Guatemala on behalf of the SVE Group for a Ministerial Decision at the Thirteenth WTO Ministerial 
Conference (MC13) on the Work Programme on Small Economies  (WT/COMTD/SE/W/46 ). 
Discussions on a revised version of the proposal  (WT/COMTD/SE/W /46/Rev,1 ) took place  at the 
reconvened 46th Dedicated Session on 24 Novembe r 2023. At the reconvened 46th Dedicated Session 
 
1 The minutes of this meeting are containe d in document WT/COMTD/SE/M/ 44. 
2 This background note was based on  an outline  proposed  by Guatemala on behalf of the Group of 
Small, Vulnerable Economies (SVEs) (WT/COMTD/SE/W/44 ) which was agreed at the 43rd Dedicated Session 
held on  20 May 2022. The minutes of this meeting are contained in document WT/COMTD/SE/M/43 . 
3 The minutes of this meeting are contained in do cument WT/COMTD/SE/M/45 . WT/COMTD/SE/12  
 
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  on 1 December 2023, the Dedicated Session agreed to the revised proposal submitted by Guatemala 
on behalf of the SVE Group contained in document WT/COMTD/SE/W/46/Rev.2 .4 
3  FUTURE WORK  
3.1.  Pursuant to the mandate contained in the Doha Ministerial Declaration, the Framework and 
Procedures for the Work Programme on Small Economies and the General Council Decision of 
1 August 2004, the WTO's Sixth Ministerial Conference in Hong Kong,  China,  the Seventh and 
Eighth  Ministerial Conferences in Geneva , the Ninth  in Bali, Indonesia, the Tenth in Nairobi, Kenya, 
the Eleventh in Buenos Aires, Argentina,  and the Twelfth in Geneva,  issues relating to the trade of 
small economies have been examined in the Dedicated Sessions of the CTD and proposals for 
responses have been made . However, there is a need for further work in order to fully achieve the 
mandate of the Doha Ministerial Declaration.   
3.2.  The Dedicated Session on Small Economies of the CTD therefore pr oposes that the 
General  Council recommend to the T hirteenth  Ministerial Conference that Ministers reaffirm their 
commitment to the Work Programme on Small Economies and take note of all the work conducted 
to date. In particular, it is noted that document WT/COMTD/SE/W/22/Rev.11  and its previous 
revisions reflect the work of the Dedicated Session up to the Thirteenth Ministerial Conference.  
3.3.  The Dedicated Session also proposes that Ministers  take note of the work carried out by 
Members since 2022 in the CTD's Dedicated Session on Small Economies in response to the 
Ministerial Decision of 17 June 2022 in document WT/MIN(22)/25 . 
3.4.  Furthermore, it is proposed to instruct the Dedicated Session on Small Economies to consider 
in further detail the various submissions that have been received to date, examine any additional 
proposals that Members might wish to submit and, where possible, and within its mandate, make 
recommendations to the General Council on any of the se proposals. The General Council shall direct 
relevant subsidiary bodies to frame responses to the trade -related issues identified by the CTD with 
a view to making recommendations for action.  
3.5.  It is additionally propose d to instruct the WTO Secretariat to provide relevant information and 
factual analysis for discussion among Members in the CTD's Dedicated Session on Small Economies, 
including through cooperating with relevant international organizations, inter alia , in the areas 
identified in item k of para graph 2 of the Work Programme on Small Economies and, in particular, 
on: 
1. Challenges  and opportunities  for small  economies  in using  e-commerce  and digital  
ecosystem  to drive competitiveness;  
2. Addressing the importance of resilient, accessible, open, reliable and transparent supply 
chains for small  economies given food security issues, and the impact of non -tariff 
measures  on trade  costs;  
3. Exploring with other relevant WTO bodies how to integrate trade related climate change 
adaptation and mitigation po licies into the trade  policies  of small economies.  
 
3.6.  The CTD in Dedicated Session shall continue monitoring the progress of the small economy 
proposals in WTO bodies and in negotiating groups with the aim of providing responses, as soon as 
possible, to the trade -related issues identified for the fuller integration of SVEs in the multilateral 
trading system as well as assessing the effectiveness of the responses framed so far to integrate 
the SVEs in the multilateral trading system.  
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4 The minutes of the 46th Dedicated Session on Small Economies  – held on 16 November, 24 November 
and 1 December 2023  – are contained in document WT/COMTD/SE/ M/46 (to be issued).