RESTRICTED  
  
WT/COMTD/PTA/M/6  
 
14 July 2021 
(21-5572) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Trade and Development  
Sixth Dedicated Session on Preferential Trade 
Arrangements    
 
  
 NOTE ON THE MEETING OF 28 JUNE  2021  
Chairman: H.E. Dr Muhammad Mujtaba Piracha (Pakistan)  
A. ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA  ................................ ................................ ....................  1 
B. NOTIFICATIONS UNDER THE TRANSPARENCY MECHANISM FOR PREFERENTIAL 
TRADE ARRANGEMENTS  ................................ ................................ ................................ ... 1 
(I) Notifications of changes to existing preferential trade arrangements  ................................  1 
(a) Generalized System of Preferences – Notification by Japa n (WT/COMTD/N/2/Add.17) .........  1 
(b) Generalized System of Preferences – Notification by Kazakhstan 
(WT/COMTD/PTA3/N/1/Add.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/PTA/W/4)  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...... 2 
D. OTHER BUSINESS  ................................ ................................ ................................ .... 2 
 
A. ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA  
1. The draft agenda  as contained in Airgram WTO/AIR/COMTD/PTA/5/Rev.1 of 18 June  2021 was 
adopted .  
B. NOTIFICATIONS UNDER THE TRANSPARENCY MECHANISM FOR PREFERENTIAL 
TRADE ARRANGEMENTS  
(I) Notifications of changes to existing preferential trade arrangements  
2. The Chairman  said that, since the last meeting of the Dedicated Session on Preferential Trade 
Arrangements (PTAs) of the Committee on Trade and Development (CTD) , two notifications of 
changes to existing PTAs ha d been received. These notifications , by Japan and Kazakhstan , 
concern ed modifications to the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) schemes of these Members, 
and were therefore also notif ications under the Enabling Clause .  
(a) Generalized System of Preferences – Notification by Japan  
(WT/COMTD/N/2/A dd.17) 
3. The Chairman  said that  the notification by Japan  concerning its GSP scheme was contained in 
document WT/COMTD/N/2/Add.17.  
4. The representative of Japan  said that Japan ha d implemented its GSP scheme  for about fifty 
years , since 1971. In April 2021, it was  decided to extend the scheme  for ten more years , until 
2031. Japan would  continue to participate constructively in discussions on economic development 
assistance to developing countries and least developed countries ( LDCs). WT/COMTD/PTA/M/6  
 
- 2 - 
 
  5. The representative of the United States  thanked Japan for its notification.   
6. The Committee took note  of the notification by Japan,  and of the interventions.  
(b) Generalized System of Preferences – Notification by Kazakhstan 
(WT/COMTD/PTA3/N/1/A dd.1) 
7. The Chairman  said that the notification by Kazakhstan  concerning its GSP scheme was 
contained in document WT/COMTD/ PTA3/N/1/Add.1 . 
8. The representative of the United States  thank ed Kazakhstan for its notification.  
9. The Committee took note  of the notification by Kazakhstan,  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/PTA/W/4 ) 
10. The Chairman  said that his report on the status of the preparation of factual presentations of 
PTAs was contained in document WT/COMTD/PTA/W/4. As indicated in the report, there were a 
number of PTAs that had been notified since the establishment of the  Transparency M echanism for 
PTAs (PTA TM ), for which the Secretariat had still not received the full set of data or information 
required for the preparation of the factual presentations. He therefore urge d the notifying Members 
to provide all the required data and inform ation as soon as possible. He also note d that some 
progress had been made with regard to the preparation of the factual presentation on 
Thailand's  duty-free and quota -free (DFQF) market access scheme for LDCs. The draft factual 
presentation had now been co mpleted, in consultation with Thailand. As per the modalities to 
implement the PTA TM, agreed to by the CTD at its 82nd Session on 5 July 2011, the beneficiary 
Members of Thailand's DFQF scheme had been informed that the draft factual presentation was 
ready for their viewing. Any comments on the draft were to be submitted by 2 July 2021.  
11. The representative of the United  Kingdom  indicated  that the tariff data concerning the 
United Kingdom's  GSP scheme was on its way, following final analytical checks , and wou ld soon be 
submitted to the Secretariat. His delegation would be happy to answer any questions from Members 
once this information was circulated.  
12. The representative of the United  States  thanked the Chairman for hi s report, and welcomed 
his remarks and interest in the transparency exercise.  
13. The Committee took note  of the Chairman's report , and of the interventions . 
D. OTHER BUSINESS  
14. No matter was raised under "Other Business".  
15. The meeting was adjourned . 
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