WT/TPR/439  
 
28 October 2019  
(19-7145) Page: 1/2 
Trade Policy Review Body    
 
TRADE POLICY REVIEW MECHANISM  
COMMUNICATION FROM T HE CHAIRPERSON OF TH E TRADE POLICY REVIE W BODY  
LAO PEOPLE'S DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC  
Arrangements for Review Meeting  
1. In pursuance of Article  IV, paragraph  4 and Annex  3 of the WTO Agreement, a meeting of the 
Trade Policy Review Body is scheduled for 18 and 20 November  2019 to conduct the first review of 
the trade policies and practices of Lao People's Democratic Republic  (WTO/AIR/ TPR/91). 
2. This communication sets out arrangements  concerning the review meeting.  In this connection, 
attention is also drawn to the procedures for the conduct of reviews contained in the rules of 
procedure of the Trade Policy Review Body (WT/TPR/ 6/Rev. 4). 
1  QUESTIONS IN WRITING  IN ADVANCE OF THE M EETING AND MAIN POIN TS 
3. Members wishing to submit written questions to the Member under review should do so at least 
two weeks before the review meeting to allow replies to be prepared in time for the  first session of 
the meeting. For the forthcoming review, such questions should therefore be with the Trade  Policies 
Review Division of the Secretariat (tprd@wto.org) by 5.30 p.m., Monday 4 November  2019, at the 
latest.  Delegations are informed that Lao PDR  has opted for the traditional way of handling questions 
and answers.  
4. In line with the rules of procedure of the TPRB (WT/TPR/6/Rev.4, paragraph 17), Members are 
reminded that they should group their written questions into the following three categories so as t o 
facilitate responses: those related to the Secretariat report (with a reference to relevant paragraph 
numbers); those concerning the Government report (with a reference to relevant paragraph 
numbers); and other questions.  
5. The Secretariat shall identify t he main points contained in the questions submitted at least 
two weeks before a review meeting, post them on the Members' Website one week before the 
meeting, and distribute a revised list of main points during the first session of a review when 
questions received after the two-week deadline give rise to si gnificantly new issues. The main points 
may be found on the Members' Websi te under "Forthcoming Meetings:  Documents for Meetings".  
2  ANSWERS IN WRITING B Y THE MEMBER UNDER R EVIEW  
6. Answers by the Member under  review sho uld be distributed in writing; advance questions 
submitted by the two -week deadline before the start of the TPRB review should be answered in 
writing by the Member under revi ew by the start of the meeting.  Questions posed subsequently 
should be answered, to the extent possible, before the start of the second session of the meeting. 
Questions left unanswered at the end of the second session should be answered in writing no later 
than one month after the meeting with some latitude in the Chair's di scretion for Members reviewing 
a very large number of questions . WT/TPR/439  
 
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  7. In the course of the discussions at the review meeting, the Member under review may indicate 
that it intends to provide supplementary information, in writi ng, on specific points raised. Upon 
receipt, the Secretariat will circulate a document containing this information to all Members.  
3  DISCUSSANT  
8. In consultation with the Member under review, the Chairperson of the Trade Policy Review Body 
may choose a discussant who, in her/his personal capacity, will introduc e the discussions in the 
Body. Mr Jean-Marie Paugam  (France ) will act as discussant  for the review of Lao PDR . 
4  STRUCTURE OF THE MEE TING  
9. Trade policy reviews cover four broad headings:  
a. appreciation of the full range of the Member's trade policies and practices;  
b. relevant background: wider economic and developmental needs, including the external 
environment;  
c. impact of the Member's trade policies and practices on the functioning of the multilateral 
trading syst em; and 
d. general c omments by way of assessment and evaluation.  
10. Meetings take place in two sessions. The first session is devoted to the opening statements by 
the Member under review and the discussant, and remarks and questions from the floor. 
The discussion in the second s ession, when the Member under review will reply to questions, is  based 
on main themes identified after the opening meeting by the Chairperson, the discussant and the 
Secretariat in consultation with the Member.  
11. As indicated in the rules of procedure for TP RB meetings (WT/TPR/6/Rev.4, paragraph 21), t he 
speakers list will follow the order in which questions are rec eived by the Secretariat and in the event 
of more than one batch, the final batch will determine the order of speakers.  Delegations not 
submitting  written questions will continue to speak second, in the order in which their flags are 
raised.  On the day before each review meeting, the Secretariat will post on the WTO Members' 
website a provisional list of speakers for the first session of that meetin g, for Members' advance 
information . 
5  DOCUMENTATION AND PR ESS ARRANGEMENTS  
12. Reports by the Member under review and the Secretariat are contained in the following 
documents:  
WT/TPR/G/ 394  Report by Lao People's Democratic Republic  
 
WT/TPR/S/ 394  Lao People's Democratic Republic : Report by the Secretariat  
13. The press embargo for the review of Lao PDR  will end at 2.00 p.m. Geneva time on 
18 November  2019. 
6  RECORD OF THE MEETIN G 
14. The record of the meeting will be circulated as a draft to Members for comments on their own 
statements and placed on the WTO website.  
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