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WT/COMTD/RTA/M/12  
 
11 December  2020 
(20-8952) Page: 1/3 
Committee on Trade and Development  
Twelfth Dedicated Session on Regional Trade 
Agreements    
 
  
NOTE ON THE MEETING OF 20 NOVEMBER  2020 
Chairman: H.E. Mr Mohammad Qurban Haqjo (Afghanistan)  
A. ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA  ................................ ................................ ....................  1 
B. NOTIFICATIONS RECEIVED PURSUANT TO PARAGRAPH 4(A) OF THE ENABLING 
CLAUSE  ................................ ................................ ................................ ............................  2 
(I) Agreement between Indonesia and Pakistan  (WT/COMTD/RTA12/N/1)  ..............................  2 
C. STATUS OF THE WORK OF THE DEDICATED SESSION  ................................ ..............  2 
(I) Status of the preparation of factual presentations  – Report by the Chairman  
(WT/COMTD/RTA/W/5)  ................................ ................................ ................................ ........  2 
D. CONSIDERATION OF REGIONAL TRADE AGREEMENTS  ................................ .............  3 
(I) Economic Complementarity Agreement between Mexico and the Plurinational  State  of Bolivia 
(Goods)  (WT/COMTD/RTA8/N/1, WT/COMTD/RTA8/1)  ................................ .............................  3 
(II)  Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between India and the  Republic of 
Korea (Goods) (WT/COMTD/RTA17/N/1, WT/COMTD/RTA17/1, WT/COMTD/RTA17/2)  .................  3 
E. OTHER BUSINESS  ................................ ................................ ................................ .... 3 
 
A. ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA  
1. The Chairman  welcomed delegations to the 12th Dedicated Session on 
Regional  Trade  Agreements  (RTAs) of the Committee on Trade and Development (CTD).1 He 
indicated  that he wished to say a few words in reference to the communication  that he had  sent to 
Members on 8 October 2020. In this communication , he had  reminded Members of a discussion 
that had tak en place between some delegations as to whether notifications of RTAs and 
preferential trade arrangements ( PTAs) were more appropriately reflected on the agenda of the 
Regular Session of the CTD, or on the agen das of the CTD's Dedicated Sessions on RTAs and PTAs. 
He noted that, in recent meetings, new notifications received ha d been reflected on the agenda of 
the Regular Session. In his communication , he had indicated  that, on the basis of his interactions 
with a number of delegations, a way forward had emerged on the matter. He had laid out the 
elements of this way forward, and had invited Members to share any thoughts or suggestions with 
him. Since no indications to the contrary were received, he was pleased to  confirm th is way 
forward, which had implications for how work w ould be  conducted in the CTD's Dedicated Session 
on RTAs, the CTD's Dedicated Session on PTAs, and the CTD's Regular Session.   
 
2. He said that  he wished to take this opportunity to explain  the implications for the work of 
the Dedicated Session on RTAs. He would be making similar points at the 
CTD's  4th Dedicated  Session on PTAs and the CTD's 113th Regular Session, which would 
immediately follow the present meeting. With regard to the Dedica ted Session on RTAs, he said 
that notifications to the CTD concerning RTAs would henceforth be reflected on the agendas of the 
 
1 Due to the restrictive measures for meetings in place in Geneva in the context of COVID -19, all 
delegations were invited to follow the meeting remotely . The Chairman, who was also participating remotely, 
indicated that he had  requested the Secretariat to stand in as required if any difficulties were encountered with 
his connection.  WT/COMTD/RTA/M/12  
 
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  CTD's Dedicated Sessions on RTAs, and not on the agenda of the Regular Session. In addition, the 
CTD Chairperson's reports on the  status of preparation of factual presentations on RTAs would 
henceforth be reflected on the agendas of the CTD 's Dedicated Sessions on RTAs, and not on the 
agenda of the Regular Session. A meeting of the Dedicated Session on RTAs would be held 
back-to-back with each meeting of the Regular Session. Even if there were no notifications of RTAs 
on the agenda, a Dedicated Session would be convened to read the CTD Chairperson's report on 
the status of preparation of factual presentations on RTAs. These points clarified the draft agenda 
for the present meeting.  
 
3. The draft agenda as contained in Airgram WTO/AIR/COMTD/RTA/7/Rev.1  of 
10 November  2020 was adopted .  
B. NOTIFICATIONS RECEIVED PURSUANT TO PARAGRAPH 4(A) OF THE ENABLING 
CLAUSE  
 
(I) Agreement between  Indonesia and Pakistan (WT/COMTD/RTA12/N/1)  
4. The Chairman  said that  the notification of the agreement between Indonesia and Pakistan  
was circulated in November 2019 in document WT/COMTD/RTA12/N/1.  
5. The representative of the United States  thank ed Indonesia and Pakistan for participating in 
the transparency exercise.  
6. The representative of the European Union  expressed appreciation for the transparency 
provided by the parties.  
7. The Committee took note of the notification , and of the interventions.  
C. STATUS OF THE WORK OF THE DEDICATED SESSION  
(I) Status of the preparation of factual presentations – Report by the Chairman 
(WT/COMTD/RTA/W/5)  
8. The Chairman  said that his report on the status of the preparation of factual presentations of 
RTAs notified under the Enabling Clause  was contained in document WT/COMTD/RTA/W/5. The 
report indicated that it was still not possible for the Secretariat to finalize a number of factual 
presentations. In some cases, the Secretariat was still awaiting the submission of the full set of 
data, while in others, all comments on the draft factual presentations ha d not been received. He 
urged all the parties to these agreements to provide the data and information as soon as possible. 
He also info rmed the Committee that, in the context of the agreement between Indonesia and 
Pakistan which was referred to in his report, the delegation of Indonesia had recently requested an 
extension of the deadline to provide comments on the draft factual presentati on – from 
27 November 2020 to 23 December 2020. Finally, he noted that his report reference d one 
RTA notified under the Enabling Clause that ha d not been ratified by all the parties. 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 w ould only be drafted after 
the agreement ha d been ratified by all the parties. The parties to PICTA were urged to inform the 
Secretariat as soon as all ra tifications were complete.  
9. The representative of the United States  noted that data and comments were overdue  for 
several agreements listed in the Chairman's report. She encourage d the parties to provide the 
required full set of data and information , so that the Secretariat could  complete the drafting of the 
outstanding factual presentations. She also indicated that her delegation would appreciate an 
update from the relevant parties as to when they would provide the outstanding data or 
comments.  
10. The Commit tee took note of the Chairman's report , and of the interventions.  WT/COMTD/RTA/M/12  
 
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  D. CONSIDERATION OF REGIONAL TRADE AGREEMENTS  
11. The Chairman  said that the Committee would turn to the consideration of the two  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. The floor would then be 
opened for interventions by other Members , including on the factual presentation  and, where 
relevant , the questions and replies document. The parties could  provide responses at any time 
during the discussion to any questions raised. Members would  also have the opportunity to ask 
follow -up writte n questions a fter the meeting was  concluded. He would remind Members of the 
timeframes for follow -up questions  and responses at the end of the  discussion on each agreemen t. 
(I) Economic Complementarity Agreement between Mexico and 
the Plurinational  State  of Bolivia (Goods) (WT/COMTD/RTA8/N/1, WT/COMTD/RTA8/1)2 
(II) Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between India and 
the Republic of Korea (Goods) (WT/COMTD/RTA17 /N/1, WT/COMTD/RTA17/1, 
WT/COMTD/RTA17/2)3 
E. OTHER BUSINESS  
12. No matter was raised under "Other Business".  
13. The meeting was adjourned . 
__________  
 
2 The minutes relating to the consideration of this agreement are containe d in document 
WT/COMTD/RTA 8/M/1. 
3 The minutes relating to the consideration of this agreement are cont ained in document 
WT/COMTD/RTA1 7/M/1.