WT/GC/W/764/Rev.1  
 
25 November 2019  
(19-8021) Page: 1/2 
General Council  
9-11 December 2019  Original: English  
 
 
DRAFT GENERAL COUNCI L DECISION  
PROCEDURES TO STRENG THEN THE NEGOTIATING  FUNCTION OF THE WTO  
Decision of X Date  
Revision  
The following communication, dated 25 November 2019, is being circulated at the request of the 
delegation of the United States.  
 
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The General Council,  
 
Acknowledging  that full implementation of WTO rules as negotiated by Members can contribute to 
economic growth and developme nt and the need to take steps to facilitate full implementation;  
 
Recognizing  the great strides made by several WTO Members since the establishment of the WTO in 
accomplishing the goals set out in the Marrakesh Agreement Establishing the World Trade 
Organ ization , of "raising standards of living, ensuring full employment and a large and steadily 
growing volume of real income and effective demand, and expanding the production of and trade in 
goods and services, while allowing for the optimal use of the world 's resources in accordance with 
the objective of sustainable development...;"  
 
Recognizing that not all WTO Members have enjoyed equal rates of economic growth and 
development since the establishment of the WTO;  
 
Recognizing  the plight of the least -develo ped countries and the need to ensure their effective 
participation in the world trading system, and to take further measures to improve their trading 
opportunities;  
 
Recognizing that reserving flexibilities for those WTO Members with the greatest difficul ty integrating 
into the multilateral trading system can open new export opportunities for such countries; and  
 
Desiring  to strengthen the negotiating function of the WTO to produce high -standard, reciprocal and 
mutually advantageous arrangements directed t o the substantial reduction of tariffs and other 
barriers to trade and to the elimination of discriminatory treatment in international trade relations;  
 
Agrees  as follows:  
 
To facilitate the full implementation of future WTO agreements and to ensure that the maximum 
benefits of trade accrue to those Members with the greatest difficulty integrating into the multilateral 
trading system, Members that fall within any of the following categories will not avail themselves of 
special and differential treatme nt in current or future WTO negotiations or in the WTO agreements 
that result from such negotiations:  
 WT/GC/W/764/Rev.1  
 
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  i. A WTO Member that is a Member of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and 
Development (OECD), or a WTO Member that has begun the accession process t o the 
OECD;  
ii. A WTO Member that is a member of the Group of 20 (G20);  
iii. A WTO Member that the World Bank has classified as a "high income" country for the 
three consecutive years immediately prior to the date of this decision or classifies as 
a "high income " country for a third consecutive year or any three consecutive years 
thereafter; or  
iv. A WTO Member that accounts for no less than 0.5 per cent of global merchandise trade 
(imports and exports) for the three consecutive calendar years immediately prior to 
the date of this decision or for a third consecutive year or any three consecutive years 
thereafter.  
Nothing in this Decision precludes a Member seeking to address particular needs during a current or 
future WTO negotiation.  
 
Nothing in this Decision preclud es reaching agreement that in sector -specific negotiations other 
Members are also ineligible for special and differential treatment.  
 
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