RESTRICTED  
  
WT/COMTD/MMSDT/M/17  
 
29 November  2022 
(22-8885) Page:  1/2 
Committee on Trade and Development  
Seventeenth Dedicated Session on the Monitoring 
Mechanism on Special and Differential Treatment    
 
NOTE ON THE MEETING  OF 17 NOVEMBER  2022 
Chairperson : H.E. Ms. Usha Chandnee Dwarka -Canabady (Mauritius ) 
A. ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA  ................................ ................................ ...................  1 
B. MONITORING  OF SPECIAL AND DIFFERENTIAL PROVISIONS  ................................ . 1 
- Statement by the Chairperson  ................................ ................................ ...................  1 
C. OTHER BUSINESS  ................................ ................................ ................................ ... 2 
 
A. ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA  
1. The draft agenda as contained in Airgram  WTO/AIR/COMTD/MMSDT/1 5 of 20 October  2022 
was adopted . 
B. MONITORING  OF SPECIAL AND D IFFERENTIAL PROVISIONS  
- Statement by the Chair person  
2. The Chairperson  said that, a t the Ninth WTO Ministerial Conference (MC9) held in Bali in  
December 2013, Ministers  decided to establish the Monitoring Mechanism ( MM) on Special and 
Differential Treatment ( S&D). The Decision  establishing the MM was  contained in 
document  WT/MIN(13)/45 – WT/L/920.  According to the Decision, the MM was to act as a focal point 
within the WTO to analyse and review the implementation of S&D provisions. The Mechanism was 
to review all aspects of implementation of S&D provisions with a view to facilitating the integration 
of developing and least developed Members into the multilateral trading system. The  Mechanism 
operated in Dedicated Sessions of the Committee on Trade and Development . The present meeting 
was the 1 7th Dedicated Session on the MM, and it appeared that the situation remained unchanged 
from the last meeting, which was held in June 2022. For one thing, the monitoring of special and 
differential provisions in the Mechanism was to be undertaken on the basis o f written inputs or 
submissions made by Members, as well as on the basis of reports from other WTO bodies to which 
submissions by Members could also be made. However, as Members were well aware, no written 
submissions had yet been made in the MM. Furthermo re, paragraph 12 of the Decision establishing 
the MM stated that "The Mechanism shall be reviewed three years after its first formal meeting, and 
thereafter as necessary, taking into account its functioning and evolving circumstances". This review 
had stil l not taken place. As had been  previously  highlighted, delegations had expressed different 
perspectives on the question of the review . She recalled that, at the last meeting, she had indicated 
that she would be holding discussions with Members in informal settings to explore what could be 
done to make the MM operational. In this regard, she wished to inform the Committee that she had 
reach ed out informally to a number of  delegations to discuss the matter. While these discussions 
were useful to help her better understand some of the issues surrounding the MM, it was also clear 
that more engagement among Members would  be required  in order  to find the much -needed 
solutions.  She urged Members to work together in order to come to a common understanding on 
how to move forward with the MM. 
3. The Committee took note  of the statement by the Chairperson . 
  WT/COMTD/MMSDT/M/17  
 
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  C. OTHER  BUSINESS  
4. No matter was raised under "Other Business".  
5. The meeting was adjourned . 
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