RESTRICTED  
  
WT/REG/M/98  
 
14 December  2020 
(20-8985) Page: 1/4 
Committee on Regional Trade Agreements  
Ninety -Eighth  Session    
 
NOTE ON THE MEETING OF 18 NOVEMBER  2020 
Chairman: Ambassador H.E. Mr. Mārtiņš KREITUS (Latvia)  
A.  ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA  
1.1.  The 98th Session of the Committee on Regional Trade Agreements (hereinafter "CRTA " or the 
"Committee ") was convened in Airgram WTO/AIR/RTA/ 23/Rev.1  dated 6 November  2020.  
1.2.  The Chairman  referred to the note delegations had received regarding "Organizational and 
Technical Arrangements" for the meeting. As stated therein, the meeting was held through the 
Interprefy  platform. He drew delegates' attention to a few practical points for the smooth conduct 
of the meeting.  
1.3.  The Chairman  propose d changing the order of the agenda to discuss item "C. Consideration of 
Regional Trade Agreements" at the beginning of the meeting , right after the adoption of the agenda.  
1.4.  Under "Other Business", the Chairman  stated he would request the Secretariat to update the 
Committee on technical assistance activities on RTAs conducted by the Secretariat in 2020 and 
planned for 2021 . Under that item t he Chairman would also inform the Committee of the proposed 
schedule for CRTA meetings for the beginning of 2021.  
1.5.  The Committee  accordingly adopted  the following amended Agenda:  
 Adoption of the Agenda  
 
 Implementation of the RTA Transparency Mechanism  
I. Early Announcements  
II. Notifications of Regional Trade Agreements  
III. Notification of Changes to Existing RTAs  
IV. Non-notified RTAs  
V. Status on the Preparation of Factual Presentations  
 
 Consideration of Regional Trade Agreement s 
I. Economic Partne rship Agreement between the European Union and 
Cameroon, Goods  
II. Economic Partnership Agreement between the European Union and SADC 
States (Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa and 
Eswatini), Goods  
III. Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement  (CEPA) between India and 
the Republic of Korea , Goods  
IV. Free Trade Agreement between the EFTA States (Iceland, Liechtenstein, 
Norway and Switzerland) and the Philippines, Goods and Services  
V. Free Trade Agreement between Hong Kong, China and Australia, Goods and 
Services  
VI. Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement between Chile and 
Indonesia, Goods  
 Adoption of the Annual Report (2020) of the CRTA to the General Council  
 Other Business  WT/REG/M/98  
 
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  B. IMPLEMENTATION OF THE RTA TRANSPARENCY MECHANISM  
1.6.  As was usual practice, the Chairman  provided an update of the Committee's work and the 
implementation of the Transparency Mechanism.  
B.I  Early announcements  
1.7.  The Chairman  indicated that a  total of 36 early announcements were currently on the WTO  
website (not counting those which ha d been subsequently notified). The latest early announcement 
received was for the FTA between Canada and MERCOSUR. He thank ed Members who ha d submitted 
information in line with the requirements of the Transparency Mecha nism and encourage d others to 
do so. He remind ed Members to inform the Secretariat of any changes in the status of early 
announcements . 
B.II Notifications of regional trade agreements  
1.8.  The Chairman  noted that t hree notifications had been received since the 96th Session of the 
CRTA held on 22 September 2020, as listed in the airgram. They were:  
- the Agreement between Canada, the United States of America, and the United Mexican States, 
good and services (documents WT/REG407/N/1 - S/C/N/1017)  
- Related to the  notification just referred to, the notification of the termination of the North 
American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), as specified in document WT/REG4/N/1 - S/C/N/4/Add.1. 
and 
- the Accessions of Samoa and of the Solomon Islands to the Interim Partnershi p Agreement 
between the European Union and the Pacific states, Goods (documents WT/REG408/N/1 - 
WT/REG409/N/1).  
B.III Notification of changes to existing RTAs  
1.9.  The Chairman noted that two notifications of changes to existing RTAs had been received. 
These co ncerned:  
-  the Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA) between China and Macao, China, 
Services, document S/C/N/265/Add.11, and   
- the Mainland China and Hong Kong, China Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA), 
Services, document S/C/N/26 4/Add.11 and S/C/N/264/Add.11/Corr.1* (in English only).  
B.IV Non-notified RTAs  
1.10.   The Chairman  stated that an updated list of non -notified RTAs had been circulated on 
9 November 2020 as WT/REG/W/154 . It contained 54 RTAs issued in factual presentations up to 
6 November 2020. There ha d been no change to the list compared to that issued before the previous 
CRTA Session in September ( WT/REG/W/151 ). 
B.V Status on the preparation of Factual Presentations  
1.11.   The Chairman  informed the Committee that a s regards the preparation of the factual 
presentations under the remit of the CRTA – in the case of RTAs involving WTO members only  – 
there were currently  21 RTAs for which a factual presentation ha d to be prepared, co unting goods 
and services separately. Factual presentations on a further 23 RTAs involving non -Members were to 
be prepared, as previously agreed by the Committee. The factual presentation s for six other services 
agreements were on hold, pending the negotia tion of services commitments. Of these, only one 
involve d non-members.  
1.12.   The Chairman recalled that he had held consultations with delegations regarding the backlog  
of factual presentations due to late receipt of data necessary for the ir preparation and also comments 
on draft factual presentations. He hoped that delegations w ould provide the needed information as WT/REG/M/98  
 
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  soon as possible. An updated list of all such RTAs had been recently circulated as document 
WT/REG/W/155, dated 11  November 2020.  
1.13.   As customary , the Chairman invited a representative of the Secretariat to provide additional 
information on the status of the preparation of factual presentations.   
1.14.   The representative of the Secretariat  provided information to the Committee concerning 
Agreeme nts among Members . For GCC -Singapore (Services) comments had been received from 
Singapore, but not from most of the GCC parties. For EU -Singapore (Goods & Services) comments 
on a draft Factual Presentation had been received from the EU on 30 October. Singa pore had 
submitted comments on 13 November 2020. For Peru -Australia (G oods & Services ), the Factual 
Presentation had been sent to the Parties and comments were due on 4  December 2020. Concerning 
EU-Viet Nam (Goods & Services), data had been  received from t he EU on 21 September, and data 
was pending for Viet Nam. For EU -Central America (Goods & Services) data was awaited from the 
EU. For EU -Papua New Guinea (PNG) , Fiji, (Goods) data had not been received from PNG and Fiji. 
With regard to the accession to the  Agreement by Samoa and the Solomon Islands, a data request 
had been sent with a deadline for data submission of 12 January 2021. For ECOWAS (Goods), some 
data had been received from some of the parties . For the GCC (G oods), the Secretariat was  awaiting 
responses to Members' questions.  
1.15.   For the Agreement between the United States, Mexico and Canada (USMCA/CUSMA/T -MEC), 
(Goods & Services) the data request had been sent to the Parties; data had been  received from the 
United States on 30 October. The deadline for the remaining Parties was 30 November. The Factual 
Presentation of the CPTPP Agreement ha d been drafted and sent to the Parties for which it was in 
force for comment s. 
1.16.   In respect of Factual P resentations for non-members , some comments had been received for 
the CIS Agreement (Goods). For the EAEU -Iran Agreement (G), the deadline for data submission 
was 22 June 2020; no data had been received. For EFTA -Lebanon, Turkey -Syria, Ukraine -Azerbaijan, 
Ukraine -Turkmenistan, and the Russian Federation -Turkmenistan Agreements data was not 
complete.  
C. CONSIDERATION OF REGIONAL TRADE AGREEMENTS  
ITEM C.I 
(The minutes of the consideration of this Agreement  were being distributed as a separate document 
WT/REG 274/M/1)  
 
ITEM C.II  
 
(The minutes of the consideration of this Agreement  were being distributed as a separate document 
WT/REG 381/M/1) 
 
ITEM C.III  
 
(The minutes of the consideration of this Agreement  were being distributed as a separate document 
WT/REG 286/M/2) 
 
ITEM C.IV  
(The minutes of the consideration of this Agreement  were being distributed as a separate document 
WT/REG 394/M/1) 
 
ITEM C.V  
 
(The minutes of the consideration of this Agreement  were being distributed as a separa te document 
WT/REG 400/M/1) 
 
 
 
 WT/REG/M/98  
 
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  ITEM C.VI  
 
(The minutes of the consideration of this Agreement  were being distributed as a separate document 
WT/REG 403/M/1) 
 
D. ADOPTION OF THE ANNUAL  REPORT (2020) OF THE CRTA TO THE GENERAL COUNCIL  
1.17.   The Chairman noted that the draft 2020 annual Report of the Committee to the General 
Council had been  distributed in document WT/REG/W/153/Rev.1 dated 9 November 2020. Th e 
revision took into account comment s received from China and distributed to Members in Room 
document RD/RTA/54. No other comments had been received from Members.  The Committee 
adopted the report.  
E. OTHER BUSINESS  
1.18.   The Chairman  passed the floor to a representative of the Secretariat  provided  an update on 
the provision of technical assistance  in 2020 and that planned for 2021 .  
1.19.   The representative of the Secretariat  stated that as set out in document RD/RTA/55,  the CRTA 
Section, like the rest of the WTO Secretariat had been  unable to provide much face to face technical 
assistance during 2020 due to the ongoing health pandemic. Despite this one face to face activity 
and one online activity had been undertaken before the situation deteriorated in March.  Technical 
assistance in 2021 would depend on the evolving situation and when staff of the Secretariat will be 
authorized to travel again. At present only two WTO -wide activities were scheduled to take place 
online. The Secretariat remained committed to conduct technical assistance activities in the most 
efficient and practical manner possible in view of the circumstances.  
1.20.   The Chairman  informed  Members of the tentative schedule for CRTA meetings in 2021. The 
first mee ting of 2021 would be held on 22 and 23 March. Subsequent meetings could only be 
tentatively timetabled at this stage. A  June meeting ha d been tentatively scheduled for 21 -22 June, 
subject of course to the dates for the next WTO Ministerial Conference. Further meetings could be 
scheduled in September and November, depending on workload and the availability of the incoming 
Chair.  
1.21.   The Committee took note  of the comments made.  
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