RESTRICTED  
  
WT/COMTD/M/118  
 
15 July 2022 
(22-5412) Page: 1/10 
Committee on Trade and Development  
118th Session    
 
NOTE ON THE MEETING OF 20 JUNE  2022 
Chairperson : H.E. M s Usha Chandnee Dwarka -Canabady  (Mauritius ) 
A. ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA  ................................ ................................ .....................  1 
B. OBSERVERS  ................................ ................................ ................................ ..............  2 
(I) Request for attendance of ad hoc  observers  ................................ ................................ ... 2 
(II) Further consideration of requests for observer status by the League of Arab States, 
the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), the Gulf Organization for Industrial 
Consulting, the Organisation Internationale de la Fran cophonie, the Common Fund for Commodities, 
the Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC) and the Groupe de la Banque 
Africaine de Développement  ................................ ................................ ................................ .. 2 
C. TECHNICAL COOPERATION AND TRAINING  ................................ ..............................  3 
(I) WTO Technical Assistance Annual Report 2021 (WT/COMTD/W/265)  ................................ . 3 
D. TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT – WORK IN THE COMMITTEE ON THE BASIS OF THE 
CHAIRMAN'S CONCLUDING STATEMENT FROM THE EIGHTH MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE 
(WT/MIN(11)/11)  ................................ ................................ ................................ ............  5 
(I) Committee on Trade and Development Mandate: Focal Point for Consideration and 
Coordination of Work on Development in the WTO – Proposal from Barbados, Belize, China, Cuba, 
Ecuador, India, and the African Group (WT/COMTD/W/208)  ................................ ......................  5 
(II) Operationalization of the CTD's Mandate: A Proposal to Deliver Outcomes based on the 
MC8 Mandate - Proposal from China, Cuba, Ecuador, India and the African Group 
(WT/COMTD/W/192)  ................................ ................................ ................................ ............  5 
E. NOTIFICATIONS UNDER THE E NABLING CLAUSE  ................................ .....................  6 
(I)  Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Notification of Customs Union – Communication from China, 
Egypt and India (WT/COMTD/W/175)  ................................ ................................ .....................  6 
F. REVIEW OF STEPS TAKEN TO PROVIDE DUTY -FREE AND QUOTA -FREE MARKET 
ACCESS TO LEAST DEVELOPED CO UNTRIES ................................ ................................ ....... 6 
G. WORK PROGRAMME ON ELECTRONIC COMMERCE  ................................ ....................  7 
(I)  Global Electronic Commerce for Inclusive Development – Communication from India and 
South Africa (WT/COMTD/W/264)  ................................ ................................ ..........................  7 
H. DATE OF THE NEXT MEETING ................................ ................................ ....................  9 
I. OTHER BUSINESS  ................................ ................................ ................................ ... 10 
 
A. ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA  
1. The Chairperson  said that the draft agenda for the 118th Regular Session  of the Committee on 
Trade and Development (CTD)  was contained in Airgram WTO/AIR/COMTD/26/Rev.1 circulated on 
10 June 2022. She indicated that she wished to begin by drawing Members' attention to 
two communications which had been  recently circulated with CTD document symbols, as well as with 
document symbols of several other WTO bodies. The first of these  – issued  with the CTD document 
symbol WT/COMTD/W/266  – was circulated b y Egypt on behalf of the Arab  Group , the African  Group  WT/COMTD/M/118  
 
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  and the Least Developed Country ( LDC) Group. This communication, which contain ed a draft 
Ministerial Declaration on a WTO response to food insecurity in net food -importing developing 
countries ( NFIDCs ) and LDCs, was subsequently circulated as a document for the 
Twelfth  WTO Ministerial Conference ( MC12 ). The second communication  – initially circulated with 
the CTD document symbol WT/COMTD/W/267 and then subsequently in a revised version as 
WT/COMTD/W/267 /Rev.1  – contain ed a proposal by Sri Lanka for a Ministerial Declaration on the 
WTO response to the food security crisis. This communication was circulated with the document 
symbols of several WTO bodies  including as a document for MC12. She went on to say that the 
Members that had circulated these two documents were told of the timeframes for informing the 
Secretariat, should they have wished  for their documents to appear on the agenda for the CTD's 
118th Regular Session. As there were no requests  received  in this regard , presumably because the 
context for the circulation of these document s was MC12 , the documents were not listed on the draft 
agenda for the present meeting . She explained that she was bringing these documents to the 
Committee's attention for the record, so that the Committee could  keep track of the various 
documents circulated with a CTD symbol. She added  that she wished to make a n intervention under 
"Other Bu siness" concerning the informal consultations  that she intended to hold with Members in 
order to build on the work of her predecessor in the Chair  – Ambassador Muhammad Mujtaba Piracha 
of Pakistan  – in effor ts to make progress in the work of the Committee.  In this context, she would 
also share a few thoughts and observations on the CTD's work going forward.  
2. The agenda was adopted  as amended . 
B. OBSERVERS  
(I) Request  for attendance of ad hoc  observers  
3. The Chair person  recalled that, at previous sessions of the CTD, Members had agreed to invite 
a number of intergovernmental organizations on an ad hoc  meeting -by-meeting basis. These were 
the Arab Maghreb Union, the Economic Community of Central African States, 
the Economic  Community of West African States, the Economic Cooperation Organization , 
the Inter-Arab Investment Guarantee Corporation, the Islamic Development Bank, 
the African  Union, the Organization  of the Islamic Conference, the South Centre, 
the Pacific  Islands  Forum, the United Nations Environment Programme, the  West African  Economic 
and Monetary Union, and the World Intellectual Property Organization.  These organizations had been 
invited to the present meeting. She proposed that the same organizations be invited to the next 
formal meeting of the CTD.  
4. It was so agreed . 
(II) Further consideration of requests for observer status by the Le ague of Arab States, 
the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countrie s (OPEC) , the Gulf Organization for 
Industrial Consulting, the Organi sation Internationale de la Francophonie , the Common 
Fund for Commodities, the Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC) 
and the Groupe de la Banque Africaine de Développement  
5. The Chair person  said that the positions of delegations had been previously expressed. She 
inquired whether there were any changes in Members ' positions on these requests for observer 
status.  
6. No Member took the floor.  
7. The Chair person  noted that there were no changes in Members' positions , and that there was 
therefore  no consensus at the present  time to approve these requests for observer status . She 
suggested that the Committee take note and  revert to these requests at the next meeting.  
8. It was so agreed . WT/COMTD/M/118  
 
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  C. TECHNICAL COOPERATION AN D TRAINING  
(I) WTO Technical Assistance  Annual Report 2021 (WT/COMTD/W/265)  
9. The Chairperson  said that the WTO Technical Assistance  (TA) Annual Report for 2021 had 
been circulated in document WT/COMTD/W/265. She invited the Institute for Training and Technical 
Cooperation ( ITTC) to introduce the report . 
10. In the ir presentation of the TA Annual Report for 2021  the representative s of the ITTC noted, 
inter alia, that the report built on the 2020 annual report and took into account the fact that a large 
part of the data and figures on TA were now available onlin e and in real time . A summary of the 
report was available in the meeting room and could also be found  on a dedicated webpage  which 
could be access ed via the WTO website. As face-to-face activities did not resume in 2021 , all 
TA activities were conducted either virtually or using the e -Learning platform. The total number of 
learners fell by 23% compared to the previous year.  The report suggested that digital fatigue, 
increase d global competition for e -learners' tim e and the difficulties of remote working were possible 
contributors to this situation.  On the positive side, s ignificant adaptation efforts were made  which 
had allowed the development of innovative training technique s and more robust and flexible 
TA. While the TA results in 2021 were relatively stable compared to the previous year, the y were 
lower than prior to the pandemic.  
11. The Committee was also provided with information on each of the four Key Results that were 
approved as part of the Biennial Technical Assistance and Training Plan (TA Plan) for 2022-2023. In 
the context of  Key Result 1  (promot ion of governments' implementation of WTO Agreements and 
the full realization of Members'  rights and obligations ), it was found that the level of outstanding 
notifications per beneficiary , after stalling in 2020 due to the pandemic,  resumed its decrease in 
2021. In addition, t he number of substantive documents submitted by beneficiaries in WTO bodies  
had increased . Mixed results were observed with regard to Key Result 2  (support  to acceding 
governments  in their  participation  in WTO  negotiations ). Countries that remained committed to the ir 
accession to the WTO  – including Comoros,  Sudan and  Timor Leste  – were able to hold formal or 
informal meetings of their working part ies which was a signal that they remained active and that 
they were ben efiting from the assistance being provided to them. In addition, the number of  
accession -related documents circulated in 2021 in the context of the Government Procurement 
Agreement (GPA)  doubled relative to the previous year . With regard to Key Result 3  (support 
provided to academic institutions and other stakeholders in their analy sis of WTO issues ), the 
Committee was informed that the network of 19 WTO Chairs that w as developed under the first two 
phases of the WTO Chair s Programme  (WCP)  remained active . Their research output  in 2021 was 
the second highest since the beginning of th e programme in 2010 . In addition , the third four -year 
phase of the WCP – with the selection of 17 new WTO Chairs  – was launched  in 2021 . Finally , it was 
noted that activities under Key Result  4 (outreach to non-governmental stakeholders and legislators ) 
resumed in 2021  and that the number  of these activities  reached a five-year high. Furthermore, a n 
increase of 19% had been observed in the number of WTO social media followers.  
12. The ITTC present ers went on to provide information on fostering in clusion in TA activities. In 
this regard, the Committee was informed that LDCs, which were disproportionately affected by the 
pandemi c, were able to gradually increase their participation rate in 2021  to 27%. 
Wome n's participation increased to 46%, although this was not yet up to pre -pandemic levels . 
Participants in TA activities came from over 100 countries  which was  lower than prior to the pandemic  
but nevertheless showed a reasonable level of diversity.  In terms of the language distribution, a 
rebalancing in the use of the three WTO languages  was observe d with French and Spanish 
proportionately increasing. With regard to  the TA curriculum, innovations were made  in 2021  to 
foster a greater level of interactivity in the virtual activities.  New online courses  were also developed , 
focusing especially on micro -courses , which were short courses that were easier and faster to 
complete. Th is was a way of trying to address the issue of digital fatigue . An el ement of concern was 
the drop in requests for national activities  to an all -time low . It was hoped that, with the gradual 
resumption of face -to-face activities, the number of requests for national activities would bounce 
back. On the issue of resources ava ilable for TA activities, it was noted that expenses on TA in 2021  
were 62% lower  than the pre -pandemic level observed in 2019 . This was because  virtual activities 
and online courses  had low variable costs. The main costs were incurred upfront, when developing 
the online courses or designing the virtual activities . Several donors had therefore decided to 
suspend their contribution s in 2021  until a time when  TA expenses return ed to their pre -pandemic 
levels. As a consequence, the level of voluntary con tributions received by the Secretariat in 2021  WT/COMTD/M/118  
 
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  was the lowest observed in the last 20 years.  Another factor observed  in 2021 was a growing 
tendency of donors to earmark their contributions , especially for the WCP. This mean t that the share 
of contributions  available for other TA activities had been further reduced.  
13. The representative of the European Union  thanked the ITTC for the presentation. He stressed 
the importance of trade-related TA for developing countries  and in particular LDC s. He noted with 
satisfaction that LDCs' participation in TA activities was recovering.  
14. The representative of  the Republic of Korea  expressed appreciation to the ITTC for the report . 
He said that Korea believed in the vision and the potential impact of the WCP  and was pleased to 
play a  role in supporting the programme . While Korea's contribution to the WCP in 2022 was modest, 
this would  be scaled up in 2023 . By training a country's trainers, the WCP helped to ensure the 
long-term sustainability and viability of home -grown knowledge and expertise which  would  
eventually enhance the benefits to policymakers.  He noted that the ITTC presenters had pointed  out 
that, as a consequence of the earmark ing of  funds to the WCP, there were less funds available for 
TA. He explained that Korea had decided to allocate money to the WCP on the basis of the positive 
results achieved under Key Result 3 in the previous year. Because of targets being met, Korea was 
incentivized to allocate  money to th e programme.  
15. The representative of  the United States  congratulate d the Secretariat on a report that was 
well-structured, informative and easy to consult. The use of infographic s was an excellent choice to 
illustrate results. Her delegation  recognize d that digital fatigue was a problem in participation and 
learning retention . She applaud ed the efforts of the digital team to cope with this and get creative 
and proactive in designing course materials and  support tools that kept audiences motivated and 
engaged.  She also took note that the number of outstanding  notifications relating to sanitary and 
phytosanitary  (SPS) measures and  technical barriers to trade ( TBT) continued to fall in 2021 thanks 
to the us e of electronic notification tools and databases. She believed that Members should explore 
how digital tools and distance learning innovations could  continue as the pandemic subside d. As the 
future of TA might remain partially virtual , there could be an op portunity to move from pilot to scale 
for some of the training offered and leverage the innovative adjustments made during the pandemic. 
Her delegation was  interested  to know the Secretariat 's thoughts in that regard and welcome d 
further  discussions  on this point.  
16. The representative of Norway  thanked the ITTC for the report . He noted the challenges faced 
over the past two year s but also pointed to the positive developments in TA. He reiterate d 
Norway's  full support for the ITTC's  work.  
17. The Chairperson  noted  from the ITTC 's presentation  that some contributions had been 
suspended  in 202 1 and that there was also an increasing tendency to earmark contributions. Given 
this situation , she asked whether any countr y had not received TA or had received less training  than 
had been requested. She wondered whether this was something that Members should be concerned 
about . She also requested the ITTC to elaborate on the WCP including  in the context of the points 
made by Korea . 
18. The representative of  the ITTC noted that the annual report respond ed to Members' needs for 
information  on the WTO's TA activities. On the future of TA, he recalled that Members were informed 
at the last CTD meeting  that face-to-face activities would gradually re sume. While these activitie s 
were starting again , request s were still coming at a relatively slow pace. Beneficiaries were not 
rushing to a sk for face -to-face activities which mean t that a certain volume of activities continue d 
to be offered virtually. The Secretaria t was also reflecting on the possibility of delivering blended 
activities which involve d a mixture of virtual segments and face -to-face segments . This was an 
attempt to respond as closely as possible to  the needs of beneficiaries , while also maximizing the 
returns o n the funds  which were available to the Secretariat.  On the issue of the earmarking of 
contributions , particularly with regard to the WCP , he said that there had not been  any consequences 
on the provision of TA . The Secretariat had respond ed to all beneficiaries'  requests in 2021 and  was 
still in a position to do so  with the funds available . It was nevertheless the case that the higher the 
level of earmarked contributions , the more rigidity there was in the manage ment of resources. 
Although this was not a problem at the present time, it could become a problem if the trend towards 
earmarking continued .  
19. The Committee took note  of the WTO TA Annual Report for 2021 and of all interventions.  WT/COMTD/M/118  
 
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  D. TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT – WORK IN THE COMMITTEE ON THE BASIS OF THE 
CHAIRMAN'S CONCLUDING STATEMENT FROM THE EIGHTH MINISTERIAL 
CONFERENCE (WT/MIN(11)/11)  
(I) Committee on Trade and Development Mandate: Focal Point for Consideration and 
Coordination of Work on Develop ment in the WTO – Proposal from Barbados, Belize, 
China, Cuba, Ecuador, India, and the African Group (WT/COMTD/W/208)  
(II) Operationalization of the CTD's Mandate: A Proposal to Deliver Outcomes based on the 
MC8 Mandate - Proposal from China, Cuba, Ecuado r, India and the African Group 
(WT/COMTD/W/192 )1 
20. The Chair person  said that, at the Eighth WTO Ministerial Conference (MC8),  Ministers had 
reaffirmed the positive link between trade and development and called for focused work in the CTD. 
Ministers had called on Members to fully operationalize the mandate of the CTD as a focal point for 
development work. Two submissions containi ng proposals for work under the MC8 mandate were 
included on the agenda of the present meeting. The first submission – by Barbados, Belize, China, 
Cuba, Ecuador, India and the African Group  (WT/COMTD/W/208 ) – contained a proposal for the CTD 
to report on t he development -related work taking place in other WTO bodies. The second  submission 
– by China, Cuba, Ecuador, India and the African Group  (WT/COMTD/W/192 ) – contained 
three  proposals. In the order they were presented in the document, the first proposal wa s for the 
Secretariat  to continue to update its report on the implementation of the special and differential 
treatment ( S&D) provisions in the WTO  Agreements and Decisions. The second proposal was for the 
CTD to report on the development -related work takin g place in other WTO bodies , while the 
third proposal was for the CTD to make a recommendation for parties to regional trade agreements 
(RTAs) to submit their notification and information requirements jointly. She noted that the 
two submissions had remained on the CTD's agenda for several years. At the last meeting , a number 
of the proponents had requested that the submissions be maintained on the agenda.  She indicated 
that she would first invite the proponents of the two  submissions to brief the Committee on the 
status of the propos als after which the floor would be opened for intervention s by other delegations . 
21. The representative of India said that her delegation wished to recall all  its previous 
interventions under this agenda item.  She welcome d the agreement reached by Members on the 
first proposa l, which called for continued update s of the Secretariat 's report on the implementation 
of S&D  provisions in the WTO Agreements and Decisions.  Her delegation  believe d that this was an 
important, relevant and useful exercise being undertaken by the Secretariat.  The second proposal 
sought  suitable amendment to the procedures for an annual overview of  WTO activities and for 
reporting under the WTO . It called for the CTD to be  instructed to report within its mandate on 
development -related activities in other WTO bodies and provide necessary recommendations to the 
General Council on achieving better coor dination within the WTO on development issues . This was  
in line with the terms of reference of the CTD as well as the MC8 mandate. T he proponents therefore 
urged the Committee to restart this practice , for which there was precedence in the form of similar 
work done in 1996.  The third proposal call ed for the CTD to make a recommendation for parties to 
RTAs to submit their notification and information requirements jointly . The aim was to ensure the 
timely consideration of RTAs and the full realization of the responsibilities assigned to the CTD. The 
proponents would undertake further consultations with interested Members with a view to tak ing 
forward the remaining issues  She request ed that the items concerning these two  submissions be 
maintained on the CTD's agenda.  
22. The representative of China  said that the CTD was the focal point for the  WTO's work on  
development issues . Making the Committee's function s more concrete and practical was of great 
importance to promote devel opment work and better secure the interests of developing Members. 
She urged Members to participate proactively in the discussion and come up with feasible 
suggestions to the proposal s. 
23. The Chair person  encouraged continued engagement among Members  in order to make 
progress on the proposals.  
 
1 The discussion concerning documents WT/COMTD/W/208 and WT/COMTD/W/192 is presented together 
in this Note, as the Chair person  invited the Committee to take the two sub -items together .  WT/COMTD/M/118  
 
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  24. The Committee took note of all interventions.  
E. NOTIFICATIONS UNDER THE ENABLING CLAUSE  
(I)  Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Notification of Customs Union – Communication from 
China, Egypt and India (WT/COMTD/W/175 ) 
25. The Chair person  said that the sub -item listed under the present agenda item made reference 
to the GCC Customs Union notification. The sub -item also referred to the communication from China, 
Egypt and India which was circulated in document WT/COMTD /W/175. The sub -item was requested 
by some of  the co -sponsors of the document at the last meeting.  
26. The representative of India said that her delegation recall ed all its statements  made under 
this agenda item. India's position on the issue remain ed unchange d. While her delegation  continue d 
to work towards reaching a solution on this issue with interested and lik e-minded Members, she 
request ed that the item be maintained on the CTD's agenda.  
27. The representative of the Republic of Korea  said that he wished to recall that the 
Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between Korea  and India was also subject 
to dual notification to the CTD under the Enabling Clause and to the CRTA under Article XXIV of the 
GATT. The Korea -India CEPA  was lis ted under the present agenda item for several years and  as 
recently as the 11 0th Session of the CTD. However,  Members ha d succeeded in addressing th e issue 
and removing it from its perennial place on the agenda. Factual reviews of the Korea -India CEPA 
were conducted back -to-back at the 98th Session of the CRTA on 18 November 2020 and the 
CTD's 12th Dedicated Session on R TAs on 20 November  2020. The same approach was used for the 
Free Trade Agreement between Korea  and the Association of Southeast Nations ( ASEAN ) which was 
another longstanding fixture on the agenda . The work was done and the Committee had managed 
to move on. His delegation was of the view that similarly conducting back-to-back factual reviews 
in bot h the CRTA and the CTD might serve as a formula for addressing th e present issue with a view 
to removing this longstanding item from the CTD 's agenda. He hoped to continue engaging with the 
relevant delegation s to achieve this goal.  
28. The representative of China expressed support for India's position. She said that dual 
notification s exerted systemic influence on the CTD 's function s, the mandate of the Enabling Clause 
and Members ' rights and obligations. China call ed on Members to constructively engage in the  
discussion  in order to find a way out together.  
29. The representative of the European Union  said that , as with the previous agenda item,  his 
delegation  wished to be part of a solution  and found the suggestion from Korea interesting . The 
well-known position of his delegation was that the GCC Customs Union should be discussed in the 
CRTA  or alternatively in both the CRTA and the CTD.  
30.  The representative of the United States  said that this item and the previous item  had long 
ago fulfilled their purpose . The present item had fulfilled its purpose  of informing Members of the 
notification made by the GCC and needed to  be removed from the agenda. She added that her 
delegation welcome d Korea 's suggestion  to think creatively about possible solution s based on most 
recent past experience s. 
31. The Committee took note of all interventions . 
F. REVIEW OF STEPS TAKEN TO PROVIDE DUTY -FREE AND QUOTA -FREE MARKET 
ACCESS TO LEAST DEVELOPED COUNTRIES  
32. The Chairperson  said that an item concerning duty -free and quota -free (DFQF) market access 
for LDCs had been on the CTD's agenda since early 2006. Under this item, delegations had provided 
information on the steps they were taking, or had alread y taken, to provide DFQF market access to 
LDCs. Written communications by some Members had also been considered.  
33. The representative of India said that her country had traditionally been a supporter of the 
developmental aspirations of the LDCs and ha d longs tanding development partnerships with them. 
India's  development assistance to the LDCs was comprehensive and was aimed at building WT/COMTD/M/118  
 
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  productive capacities, institutional strength, infrastructure development and technical expertise to 
create long-term sustain ability in these countries. In this regard, India was committed to the 
Hong Kong and Bali DFQF Decisions. India was the first developing country to extend this facility to 
the LDCs and announced the Duty -Free Tariff Preference (DFTP) Scheme for LDCs in 2008. The 
number of beneficiaries of this scheme ha d reached 35 LDC s. The DFTP Scheme now provide d 
duty-free market access on about 94.2% of tariff lines with a preferential duty on a nother 3.2%  of 
lines. Only 2.6% of tariff lines  – or 309 lines  – were on the exclusion list. India was the fourth  biggest 
export destination for LDCs and remain ed committed  to support ing LDCs in their integration into the 
global trading system.  
34. The representative of China  said that , in December  2021, China 's Customs Tariff Commission 
of the State Council  had made an announcement regarding the  granting of zero tariff treatment on 
98% of tariff lines for LDCs. So far, 14 LDCs ha d completed the notes exchanging procedures. China 
would continue to work for the early entry into force of the latest preferential treatment and would 
help LDCs expand their exports and better recover from the pandemic.  
35. The Committee took note of all interventions.   
G. WORK PROGRAMME ON ELECTRONIC COMMERCE  
(I)  Global Electronic Commerce for Inclusive Development – Communication from India 
and South Africa (WT/COMTD/W/ 264) 
36. The Chair person  recalled that a Ministerial Decision was taken at MC12 on the WTO's Work 
Programme on E -Commerce  (WPEC) .2 In this Decision it was agreed, inter alia , to reinvigorate the 
work under the Work Programme particularly in line with its development dimension. She noted that 
the CTD was one of the subsidiary bodies of the General Council mandated to undertake work under 
the Work Programme. The communication from India and South Africa, titled "Global Electronic 
Commerce for Inclusive Development"  (WT/COMTD/W/264) , was once again listed  on the agenda 
for the present meeting. She  invite d India and South Africa to take the floor in case they wish ed to 
add anything to what was said in previous meetings.  
37. The representative of India said that , with a view to reinvigorating the work under the W PEC 
based on the mandate set out in document WT/L/274, India and South  Africa had jointly circulated 
the communication in document WT/COMTD/W/264.  The paper , inter alia , describe d how the 
distributional effects of e -commerce ha d been uneven and had exacerbat ed intra-country as well as 
inter-country inequalities. It explain ed how entrenched technology platforms ha d used consumer 
data to bolster their positions, sometimes at the cost  of micro, small and medium -sized enterprises  
(MSMEs) . It also posed guiding questions , including the steps that could be taken to improve digital 
infrastructure in developing countries and LDCs; the facilitation of digital technology transfers to 
developi ng countries and LDCs; experience sharing of MSMEs using online platforms ; and policies 
and measures taken by Members to support sustainable participation of their MSMEs in digital trade.  
She said that development aspects needed to  inform any discussions o n e-commerce and  had to be 
central to such discussions , as emphasi zed in the latest mandate received from MC12 . As Members 
continue d to discuss the scope, definition, and impact of the moratorium on customs duties on 
e-commerce, the discussions needed to  take into account the development aspirations and needs of 
developing countries and LDCs . 
38. In order to answer some of the questions posed in the paper, she said that she wished to 
share India 's endeavours in creating publ ic digital infrastructure and assets which  had unleashed the 
power of productivity in the economy. With regard to financial inclusion and payments , she noted 
that 40% of all real -time payments around the world in 2021 were made in India. In March 2022, 
Indians made more than 5  billion transactions on Unified Payments Interface  (UPI) . In the financial 
year 2021 -2022, the value of payments made via UPI was more than USD 1 trillion. A system that 
was introduced in 2016 had, in six years , led to nationwide fina ncial inclusion  and a mobile payment 
revolution . It had transformed the business -to-business and business -to-consumer payments  
landscape.  Although India did have international payment processors in the country over the past 
several decades , none of them could  stimulate this potential in the economy. This was not because 
 
2 At the time w hen the 118th Session of the CTD was held, this Ministerial Decision could be  found in 
document WT/MIN(22)/W/23 . References to this do cument were made by delegations in their interventions. The 
Ministerial Decision was subsequently circulated  on 22 June 2022  in document s WT/MIN(22)/32  and WT/L/1143 . WT/COMTD/M/118  
 
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  these international payment processors were not capable of doing so, but because  they had no 
incentive to innovate in the Indian context.  Another example  was that India had recently launched  
the Open Network for Digital Commerce . This was  a pilot project which enable d small sellers to 
participate in e -commerce on fair terms without lea ving them to the vagaries of platform and 
aggregator oligopolies. Large commerce platforms ha d been at the receiving end of penalties and 
investigations in several countries including in the developed world. India 's approach to this problem 
was to create a  nationwide  public platform which enable d digital commerce for MSMEs.  
India's experience showed that digitali zation should drive such innovative and contextual solutions, 
as digital innovation was contextual and determined by national circumstances. Other Members 
possibly had  their own ways to address their needs , and her delegation hoped that they would also 
share information on their experiences , especially with regard to overcoming the various challenges 
posed by the continuing digital divide. It ha d become imperative  to examine the impact of global 
e-commerce on developing countries  and LDCs, including  on their growth and development. As the 
pace of digital development was skewed for developing countries  and LDCs, global e -commerce 
stood  to benefit those who would  be ready to harness these benefits. In view of this, it was important 
for Members to ensure that global e-commerce deliver ed inclusive development. India was 
committed to continu ing this conversation and exchang ing ideas and experiences. Her delegation 
would  engage with Members to seek their support to take these discussions forward to a mutually 
beneficial outcome.  
39. The representative of South Africa  said that  his delegation acknowledged and welcomed the 
MC12 Ministerial Decision regarding  the reinvigoration of the WPEC . The outcome was a reflection 
of the possibilities that abound ed when Members work ed towards a common purpose and were ready 
to make the necess ary compromises. He also highlight ed that the MC12 Ministerial Decision le ft 
Members  with limited time – around 18 months before the next Ministerial Conference – to fulfil the 
task required by the W PEC as contained in document WT/L/274.  With MC12 now comp leted, he 
pointed to the paper by India and South Africa as the co -sponsors' contribution towards the 
reinvigoration of the WPEC  which  could  facilitate some robust and enlightening discussions in the 
CTD. In this regard, he recall ed the presentation made  by the co -sponsors  at the last meeting when 
the paper was introduced . The co -sponsors  looked forward to engaging with Members , both 
bilaterally and within the Committee , to shed light on the development dimensions and impact of 
global e -commerce , especially as it relate d to developing countries and LDCs.  
40. The representative of  the European Union  indicated  that the examples provided by India 
brought some new elements to the  table. He also welcomed the MC12 Ministerial Decision on the 
WPEC, which  he said also brought some new elements.  He believed that these elements could help 
Members do some useful work on e -commerce and its contribution to development. The paper  by 
India and South Africa  had merit in highlighting some key issues , although his delegation was not 
necessarily convinced by the recommendations that flow ed from the submission . Some of the 
questions in the document were also more promising than others. Nevertheless , there was real work 
to be done on the question of the digital divide. The European  Union would continue to provide 
support and capacity building for this purpose.  
41. The rep resentative of China  said that her delegation  attach ed great importance to the 
discussion s on e-commerce under the WTO framework  which her delegation firmly supported . China 
fully recognize d the existing digital divide  among Members, as well as  the special needs of MSME s 
when  integrating into the global market. Discussion s needed to  be development -oriented aim ing to 
share good practice s and experience s, while providing targeted capacity building and TA for 
developing Members. China welcome d the progress made on e -commerce at MC12 and was willing 
to make joint efforts with other Members to find a feasible and effective path to development for 
developing Members.  
42. The representative of  the United Kingdom  began by noting that , at MC12, Members  had 
demonstrated that they were  able to find compromises and reach agreements . A multilateral 
outcome was delivered which amongst many important areas champion ed development. 
The United  Kingdom  was proud that, through its Trade and Investment Advocacy Fund , it had been  
able to support 21 delegations from developing countries to attend and participate in MC12. His 
delegation  believe d that developing countr ies' voices and  perspectives were crucial to ensuring that 
the WTO was representative of, and function ed for, the  entire Membership.  Turning to e-commerce , 
he said that t he United Kingdom  acknowledge d and appreciate d the flexibilities demonstrated by  
many developing countries in extending the e -commerce moratorium. His delegation believe d that 
the extension was important for all Members. F ree-flowing electronic transmissions promote d global WT/COMTD/M/118  
 
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  digital trade  and recovery from C OVID -19, as well as  business and consumer confidence, assurance s 
and welfare. He also acknowledge d the existence of a digital di vide between countries, and indicated 
his delegation's commitment to promoting developing countrie s' digitali zation and development  and 
to working collaboratively on this with Members . Finally , he said that the spirit of unity and 
compromise displayed at MC12 demonstrate d that the WTO remain ed a force for progress. His 
delegation looked forward to working with the Chairperson , the Secretariat and the Membership to 
bring similar progress, energy and dynamism to the CTD. 
43. The representative of  the United States  said that her delegation was pleased with the decision 
by WTO Ministers to continue examining important issues related to digital trade through the WPEC  
and extending the customs duty moratorium. The digital economy ha d proved essential for small 
and medium -sized businesses during the pandemic and digitally -enabled companies ha d fostered 
resilience in economies. As the global economy continue d to experience digital transformation, there 
was a need for cooperation to harn ess the opportunities and address the challenges presented by 
this transformation. Members needed to intensify work in these important areas. Turning to the 
communication by India and South Africa, she said that her delegation disagree d with many of the 
assertions made in the communication including the claim that the moratorium may have negative 
implications on revenue for government s, especially in developing countries. Governments 
concerned about the marginal revenue loss of the e -commerce moratorium needed to  also consider 
the disruptive effects and likely economic costs of actually imposing customs duties on electronic 
transmissions.  
44. The representative of  the Republic of Korea  welcomed the adoption of the MC12 Ministerial 
Decision which maintain ed the c urrent practice of not imposing customs duties on electronic 
transmissions until MC13. He noted that, under the D ecision,  Members were to intensify discussions 
on the moratorium. Korea stood  ready to engage in those discussions but wished to  reiterate its 
longstanding position that the moratorium should be extended on a permanent basis. For every 
paper making the case for pessimism about the moratorium 's impact on revenues, research papers  
underscor ing the benefits of the moratorium for consumers and businesses  could readily be found . 
At the same time, his delegation  share d the view that to gain from global e -commerce developing 
countries need ed to advance their digital industrialization by bu ilding their digital infrastructures and 
developing their digital skills and capacities. In that sense, the first two  questions posed in the 
communication by India and South Africa we re quite pertinent. Korea was working bilaterally with 
its official devel opment assistance ( ODA) partners to ensure that supporting digitization in 
developing countries was an important pillar of Aid for Trade and ODA. For instance, Korea was  
giving particular focus to digitally marginalized women and people with disabilities i n remote areas, 
seeking to assist their digital accessibility and capacity building. Korea  was also aiding in digitizing 
sectors whose importance ha d been highlighted by the pandemic  such as medical information, 
quarantine, remote learning and smart farmin g. 
45. The representative of Switzerland  welcomed  the MC12  outcome  on the WPEC , including  the 
extension of the e-commerce moratorium . She  indicated her delegation's readiness to cooperate 
with Members on this outcome. She also referred Members to the statement made by her delegation 
at the last CTD meeting.  
46. The representative of Nigeria  congratulated Members for the outcomes achieved at  MC12.  He 
welcomed the decision taken by Ministers with regard to th e extension of the  e-commerce  
moratorium. He stressed the importance of e -commerce to all countries and shared the view that 
the extension of the moratorium would  enable the development of businesses. His delegation would  
continue to engage i n discussions concerning the reinvigoration of the WPEC . 
47. The Committee took note of all interventions . 
H. DATE OF THE NEXT MEETING  
48. The Chair person  said that the next meeting of the CTD's  Regular Session was tentatively 
scheduled to be held on Thursday , 17 November  2022. An initial agenda would be circulated 
four weeks before the meeting, on 20 October  2022, as  per the CTD's rules of procedure. After the 
circulation of this initial meeting  notice, Members would still have the opportunity to request items 
on the agenda for the meeting. The agenda would close on 4 November  2022 and would be circulated 
on Monday, 7  November  2022.  WT/COMTD/M/118  
 
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  I. OTHER BUSINESS  
49. The Chairperson  said that she wished to make a n intervention concerning the informal 
consultations that she intend ed to hold with Members in order to build on the work of her predecessor  
in the Chair – Ambassador Muhammad Mujtaba Piracha of Pakistan  – in efforts to make progress in  
the work of the Committee. In this context, she also wished to share a few thoughts and observations 
on the CTD's work going forward.  She recalled that Ambassador Piracha's  purpose in holding informal 
consultations was to explore with Members how the CTD could move forward on its existing work , 
and also to explore what new areas of work could potentially be addressed by the Committee.  
Ambassador Piracha had provided detailed  briefings to the Committee on what was discussed during 
these informal consultations and had made some suggestions on what could be done to advance 
discussions in various areas. She went on to say that she had already begun to informally reach out 
to Memb ers to discuss the work of the CTD and that she would pursue these informal discussions in 
the coming months. She encourage d Members to continue to consider what new areas of work could 
be useful for the CTD to undertake  and to come forward with concrete p roposals for the 
Committee's  consideration. She noted that  the discussions that took place at MC12 could provide 
fresh ideas on what new work could be undertaken in the CTD.  
50. With regard to the existing work of the Committee, she said that she was particula rly keen to 
hold informal consultations with Members to see what possibilities may exist to move forward on 
some of the difficult issues on the CTD's agenda . These  include d the proposals relating to the 
mandate from MC8 and issues relating to the notification of the GCC Customs Union. She also note d 
that the Secretariat report on Members' DFQF market access schemes for LDCs ha d not been 
prepared for a number of years , due to  divergent views among some Members on the scope and 
coverage of the report. She expressed hope that this situation could  be unblocked , especially as the 
MC12 outcome document instruct ed the CTD to re -commence the annual review process on 
preferential DFQF  market access for LDCs. In addition to reaching out to Members on issues on the 
agenda of the CTD's Regular Session, she also wished  to explore how progress could be made in the 
work of some of the Dedicated Sessions of the CTD.  In this regard, she referr ed firstly  to the 
Dedicated Session on the Monitoring Mechanism (MM) on S&D and  noted that the MM had yet to be 
operationalized since no written submissions ha d been made. She also referred  to the Dedicated 
Sessions on RTAs and PTAs  and noted that for a nu mber of RTAs and PTAs  notified to the CTD the 
Members in question ha d not provided all the required information and data that would allow the 
Secretariat to prepare the factual presentations. If these Members could provide all that was 
necessary for the preparation of the factual presentations, this would allow the work of the Dedicated 
Sessions to advance.  
51. She indicated that she wished to close on a positive note by welcoming the Ministerial  Decision 
on the Work Programme on Small Economies that was take n at MC12.3 In terms of future work in 
the CTD's Dedicated Session on Small Economies, the Decision instruct ed the WTO Secretariat to 
provide relevant information and factual analysis for discussion among Members on the topic of 
"Integrating small economi es into the post COVID -19 economy: effects of the pandemic, challenges 
and opportunities." At the meeting of the Dedicated Session on Small Economies held on 
20 May 2022, Members  had agreed to the outline for a background document by the Secretariat on 
this topic, which was proposed by the Group of Small Vulnerable Ec onomies . Once the Secretariat 
document was ready, Members could  look forward to starting discussions on integrating small 
economies into the post COVID -19 economy.  Finally, with regard to the C TD's work on Aid  for Trade, 
she highlight ed that the Global Review of Aid for Trade would be held  from 27 to 29 July 2022. She 
said that she wished to repeat the words of Ambassador Piracha  in encourag ing all Members to 
participate actively in the Global Review, so as to make the event as effective and meaningful as 
possible.4 
52. The meeting was adjourned . 
__________  
 
3 The Ministerial Decision on the Work Programme on Small Economies was circulated on 22 June 2022 
in documents WT/MIN(22)/ 25 and WT/L/1 136. 
4 After delivering this statement, the Chairperson switched the meeting to informal mode  and made a few 
additional rem arks regarding the CTD's work before returning to formal mode to close the meeting.