WT/BISD/2020  
 
9 August 2021 
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WTO BISD  
2020  
 
 
BASIC INSTRUMENTS AND SELECTED DOCUMENTS  
OF THE WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION  
 
2020 
 
Compilation by the WTO Secretariat  
  WT/BISD/2020  
 
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TABLE OF CONTENTS  
WTO – BISD 2020  
Preface ................................ ................................ ................................ .............................  3 
WTO Members and Observers  ................................ ................................ ..........................  4 
Chairpersons of WTO Bodies  ................................ ................................ ............................  6 
Decisions and Reports  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...... 8 
General Coun cil ................................ ................................ ................................ ..........  8 
Process for the Appointment of the next Director -General  ................................ ....... 8 
COVID -19 Trade -Related Measures  ................................ ................................ .....11 
Special Virtual General Council Meeting – Statement by the Chairman ............ 11 
Special Virtual General Council Meeting – Report by the Director -General  .......13 
The United Kingdom's Withdrawal from the European Union  ................................ ..15 
Committees under the Plurilateral Trade Agreements  ................................ ..................... 20 
Committee on Trade in Civil Aircraft  ................................ ................................ ....20 
Waivers  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................... 21 
WTO Dispute Settlement Reports, and Arbitration Awards and Decisions  .......................... 22 
Other Decisions, Reports and Selected Documents Not Reproduced  ..............................  24  WT/BISD/2020  
 
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PREFACE  
 
 
Basic Instruments and Selected Documents (BISD) is an annual publication compiling basic 
information on the World Trade Organization (WTO) and key WTO documents from a given calendar 
year. 
 
The initial sections list WTO Members and observers and the Chairpersons of WTO  bodies appointed 
in the year in question. The middle sections reproduce key WTO legal instruments, decisions and 
reports issued by WTO bodies in the relevant calendar year. The f inal sections list other 
WTO decisions, reports and selected WTO documents for the year in question, by title and document 
symbol, without reproducing the text.  
 
Hyperlinks in the electronic version allow readers direct access to the relevant WTO documents. 
Footnote numbering in reproduced documents follow the numbering in the original documents. 
Editorial notes are marked with a ¶.  
 
The present BISD follows a long -established tradition in the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade 
(GATT) and the WTO. A total of 47 volumes1 of GATT  BISDs were published between 1952 and 1998, 
compiling key GATT -related information and documents on a mostly annual basis during the 
1947-1995 period. Following this tradition, the  WTO Secretariat published  an initial  12 volumes of 
WTO BISDs , covering the first 11 years (1995 -2006) of the WTO. After a decade, the WTO BISD 
was continued with the 2017 edition , and it has been published for each calendar year since then .2 
 
BISDs serve a purely informative purpose. The edito rial choices have no implications as to the legal 
status of specific documents, and the texts reproduced have no official status in the form in which 
they are published here. This BISD has been prepared by the WTO Secretariat under its own 
responsibility, and it is without prejudice to the positions of Members or to their rights and 
obligations. The  terms used in this BISD and in the texts reproduced or referenced therein do not 
constitute or imply an expression of opinion by the WTO Secretariat concerning the status of any 
territory, or the delimitation of its frontiers.  
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
1 Supplements 1 -42 as well as Supplements I -IV, with Supplement I existing in both original and revised 
form.  
2 GATT BISDs  are referenced as follows. GATT BISDs carrying an Arabic numeral should be reference d as 
BISD #S/# , where #S indicates the Supplement number, and the second # indicates the page number 
(for example, GATT BISD 27S/25 refers to page 25 in Supplement 27 of the GATT  BISD). GATT BISDs carrying 
a Roman numeral should be referenced as BISD #/#, where the first # indicates the Volume number, and the 
second # indicates the page number (for example, GATT BISD II/1 refers to page  1 in Volume II of the 
GATT  BISD. Volume I also exists in revised form, and should be referred to as "IR", e.g. GATT BISD I R/24).  
WTO BISDs for the period 1995 -2006 may be referenced as WTO BISD #/#. The first # indicates the 
Volume number in Arabic numerals, and the second # indicates the page number (for  example, WTO BISD 5/1 
refers to page 1 of Volume 5 of the WTO BISD).  
Later editions of the WTO BISD  do not carry a Volume number but a year and a document symbol. 
Accordingly, they should be referenced as WTO BISD yyyy/# , where yyyy indicates the calendar year covered 
by the volume in question, and # indicates the page number (for example, page 5 in the present volume, covering 
2020, should be referenced as WTO BISD 20 20/5). WT/BISD/2020  
 
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WTO MEMBERS AND OBSERVERS  
AS AT 31 DECEMBER 2020  
MEMBERS (164)  
Afghanistan  
Albania  
Angola  
Antigua and Barbuda  
Argentina  
Armenia  
Australia  
Austria  
Bahrain, Kingdom of  
Bangladesh  
Barbados  
Belgium  
Belize  
Benin  
Bolivia, Plurinational  
State of  
Botswana  
Brazil  
Brunei Darussalam  
Bulgaria  
Burkina Faso  
Burundi  
Cabo Verde  
Cambodia  
Cameroon  
Canada  
Central African Republic  
Chad 
Chile 
China  
Colombia  
Congo  
Costa Rica  
Côte d 'Ivoire  
Croatia  
Cuba 
Cyprus  
Czech Republic  
Democratic Republic of  
the Congo  
Denmark  
Djibouti  
Dominica  
Dominican Republic  
Ecuador  
Egypt  
El Salvador  
Estonia  
Eswatini  
European Union  
Fiji 
Finland  
France  
Gabon  
The Gambia  
Georgia  Germany  
Ghana  
Greece  
Grenada  
Guatemala  
Guinea -Bissau  
Guinea, Republic of  
Guyana  
Haiti 
Honduras  
Hong Kong, China  
Hungary  
Iceland  
India 
Indonesia  
Ireland  
Israel  
Italy 
Jamaica  
Japan  
Jordan  
Kazakhstan  
Kenya  
Korea, Republic of  
Kuwait, the State of  
Kyrgyz Republic  
Lao People's Democratic 
Republic  
Latvia  
Lesotho  
Liberia  
Liechtenstein  
Lithuania  
Luxembourg  
Macao, China  
Madagascar  
Malawi  
Malaysia  
Maldives  
Mali 
Malta  
Mauritania  
Mauritius  
Mexico  
Moldova, Republic of  
Mongolia  
Montenegro  
Morocco  
Mozambique  
Myanmar  
Namibia  
Nepal  
Netherlands  
New Zealand  
Nicaragua  
Niger  Nigeria  
North Macedonia  
Norway  
Oman  
Pakistan  
Panama  
Papua New Guinea  
Paraguay  
Peru 
Philippines  
Poland  
Portugal  
Qatar  
Romania  
Russian Federation  
Rwanda  
Saint Kitts and Nevis  
Saint Lucia  
Saint Vincent and the  
Grenadines  
Samoa  
Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of  
Senegal  
Seychelles  
Sierra Leone  
Singapore  
Slovak Republic  
Slovenia  
Solomon Islands  
South Africa  
Spain  
Sri Lanka  
Suriname  
Sweden  
Switzerland  
Chinese Taipei  
Tanzania  
Thailand  
Togo 
Tonga  
Trinidad and Tobago  
Tunisia  
Turkey  
Uganda  
Ukraine  
United Arab Emirates  
United Kingdom  
United States of America  
Uruguay  
Vanuatu  
Venezuela, Bolivarian 
Republic of  
Viet Nam  
Yemen  
Zambia  
Zimbabwe  WT/BISD/2020  
 
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OBSERVERS (25)
Algeria  
Andorra  
Azerbaijan  
Bahamas  
Belarus  
Bhutan  
Bosnia and Herzegovina  
Comoros  
Curaçao  
 Equatorial Guinea  
Ethiopia  
Holy See  
Iran 
Iraq 
Lebanese Republic  
Libya  
Sao Tomé and Principe  
Serbia  
 Somalia  
South Sudan  
Sudan  
Syrian Arab Republic  
Timor -Leste  
Turkmenistan  
Uzbekistan  
 WT/BISD/2020  
 
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 CHAIRPERSONS OF WTO BODIES  
Appointed in 2020 
General Council  Mr David Walker (New Zealand)  
Dispute Settlement Body  Mr Dacio Castillo (Honduras)  
Trade Policy Review Body  Mr Harald Aspelund (Iceland)  
  
Council for Trade in Goods  Mr Mikael Anzén  (Sweden)  
- Committee on Agriculture  Ms Maria Escandor (Philippines)  
- Committee on Anti -Dumping Practices  Ms Maarit Keitanen (Finland)  
- Committee on Customs Valuation  Mr Carlos Guevara (Ecuador)  
- Committee on Import Licensing  Dr Muhammad Irfan (Pakistan)  
- Committee on Market Access  Mr Anatoly Chaplin (Russian Federation)  
- Committee on Rules of Origin  Mr Han -Ming Huang (Chinese Taipei)  
- Committee on Safeguards  Mr Mustafa Tuzcu (Turkey)  
- Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary 
Measures   
Mr Gregory MacDonald (Canada)  
- Committee on Subsidies and Countervailing 
Measures   
Ms Sungyo Choi (Republic of Korea)  
- Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Mr Laurence Sandral (Australia)  
- Committee on Trade -Related Investment 
Measures   
Mr Manuel Chacón (Colombia)  
- Working Party on State Trading Enterprises  Ms Johana Méndez (Panama)  
- Committee of Participants on the Expansion of 
Trade in Information Technology Products   
Ms Uma Muniandy (Singapore)  
- Committee on Trade Facilitation  Ms Katrina Naut (Dominican Republic)  
  
Council for Trade in Services  Mr Tan Hung Seng (Singapore)  
- Committee on Specific Commitments  Mr Toshihide Aotake (Japan)  
- Committee on Trade in Financial Services  Mr Seo -jin Yang (Korea, Republic of)  
- Working Party on GATS Rules  Mr Connor Harrington (United States)  
- Working Party on Domestic Regulation  Ms Verónica Borarín Closs (Paraguay)  
  
Council for Trade -Related Aspects of Intellectual 
Property Rights   
Ms Xolelwa Mlumbi -Peter (South Africa)  
  
Committee on Balance -of-Payments Restrictions  Mr Refiloe Litjobo (Lesotho)  
Committee on Budget, Finance and 
Administration   
Mr Manuel Teehankee (Philippines)  
Committee on Regional Trade Agreements  Mr Mārtiņš Kreitus (Latvia)  
Committee on Trade and Development  Mr Mohammad Qurban Haqjo (Afghanistan)  
- Sub-Committee on Least -Developed Countries  Ms Monique Van Daalen (Netherlands)  WT/BISD/2020  
 
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Committee on Trade and Environment   
Mr Chad Blackman (Barbados)  
Working Group on Trade, Debt and Finance  Dr Rashidi Said (Malaysia)  
Working Group on Trade and Transfer of 
Technology   
Mr Stephen Fevrier (Saint Lucia)  
  
Trade Negotiations Committee  Mr Roberto Azevêdo (Director -General)1 
- Committee on Trade and Development 
in Special Session   
Ms Kadra  Ahmed Hassan (Djibouti)  
- Committee on Trade and Environment 
in Special Session   
Mr Léopold Samba (Central African Republic)  
- Committee on Agriculture in Special Session  Ms Gloria Abraham Peralta (Costa Rica)  
- Council for Trade in Services in Special Session  Ms Zhanar Aitzhanova (Kazakhstan)  
- Council for TRIPS in Special Session  Mr Alfredo Suescum (Panama)  
- Dispute Settlement Body in Special Session  Mr Kokou Yackoley Johnson (Togo)  
- Negotiating Group on Market Access  Mr Didier Chambovey (Switzerland)  
- Negotiating Group on Rules  Mr Santiago Wills (Colombia)  
  
Plurilateral Trade Agreements   
- Committee on Government Procurement  Mr Carlos Vanderloo (Canada)  
- Committee on Trade in Civil Aircraft  Ms Damaris Carnal (Switzerland)  
 
 
1 See also Item 6 ( Designation of Acting Director -General ) at the July 2020 meeting of the General  Council 
(WT/GC/M/186 ). WT/BISD/2020  
 
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 DECISIONS AND REPORTS  
 
 
GENERAL  COUNCIL  
 
 
PROCESS FOR THE APPOINTMENT OF THE NEXT DIRECTOR -GENERAL ¶ 
MINUTES OF MEETING  
HELD IN THE CENTRE WILLIAM RAPPARD AND IN VIRTUAL FORMAT ON 22-23 AND 31 JULY 2020  
(Extract from WT/GC/M/186 ) 
 
6 DESIGNATION OF ACTING DIRECTOR -GENERAL  
6.1. The Chairman  noted that the item was directly related to the previous one. Paragraph 23 of the 
Procedures in WT/L/509 established that "in the event of a vacancy in the post of Director -General, 
the General Council shall designate one of the existing Deputy Directors -General to serve as Acting 
Director -General until the appointment of a new Director -General". As he had noted under the 
previous item, Members would start Phase 3 of the process on 7 September. With the outgoing 
Director -General leaving at the end of Augus t, the position of Director -General would be vacant as 
of 1 September. According to the Procedures, it was therefore necessary for the General Council to 
designate an Acting Director -General until the new one was appointed.  
6.2. In that respect, as he had indicated at the conclusion of the special General Council meeting on 
17 July, he had been engaging with delegations and group coordinators prior to the General Council 
meeting. In those consultations, he had indicated that, consistent with the language of  WT/L/509, 
he saw the designation of an Acting Director -General very much as a housekeeping matter to 
facilitate the continued running of the organization while they as Members focused on finalising the 
process of Appointment of a new Director -General.  
6.3. The period Members were looking at from 1 September until the Appointment of a new 
Director -General was a limited one. Any Deputy Director -General designated as the Acting 
Director -General would be undertaking such responsibility in addition to their ex isting roles for which 
Members should all be grateful. All four Deputy Directors -General had confirmed to him that they 
would be continuing to fully discharge their existing responsibilities and that they would support 
whomever Members designated as the Ac ting Director -General. He expressed his gratitude for this 
on the General Council's behalf.  
6.4. As the time ahead of that day's meeting had been limited, it had been suggested to him in his 
consultations that a little more time would be useful in reaching  a decision on the designation and 
he could fully appreciate that. He therefore proposed to suspend consideration of the agenda item 
in order to consult further with a view to making the required designation within the coming days. 
He would then reconvene the General Council at the appropriate moment to conclude consideration 
of the item and would be grateful for Members' understanding as that could be at short notice.  
6.5. The General Council took note  of the Chairman's report and suspended  the considerati on of the 
item.  
6.6. At the resumption of the meeting on 31 July , the Chairman  recalled that Paragraph 23 of the 
Procedures in WT/L/509 established that "in the event of a vacancy in the post of Director -General, 
the General Council shall designate one of  the existing Deputy Directors -General to serve as Acting 
Director -General, until the appointment of a new Director -General".  
 
¶ For complete information about the process of the appointment of the next Director -General in 2020, 
see communications from and statements by the General Council Chair ( JOB/GC/230 , 243, 244, 245, 247, and 
248) and a  consolidated list of candidatures received ( WT/GC/INF/30 ). See also page 24 of this publication.  
 WT/BISD/2020  
 
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 6.7. With the outgoing Director -General leaving at the end of August, the position of 
Director -General would be vacant as of 1 Sep tember. According to the Procedures, therefore, the 
General Council would need to designate an Acting Director -General until the new Director -General 
was appointed.  
6.8. Members would recall that, at the General Council meeting the previous week, he had in dicated 
that he had been engaging with delegations and group coordinators in that respect. He had also 
indicated that – consistent with the language of WT/L/509 – he had seen the designation of an Acting 
Director -General very much as a housekeeping matter to facilitate the continued running of the 
organization while they as Members focused on the process of Appointment of a new 
Director -General – which was what they as Members were primarily required to focus on. In 
suspending the item, he had noted that a little more time had been needed for additional 
consultations on the matter.  
6.9. He had since continued to engage with Members and through and with group coordinators. 
Given that Members were already well advanced in the particular process of Appointment of a new 
Director -General that they were dealing with in 2020, the period Members were looking at from 
1 September until the Appointment a new Director -General was a limited one. That was a specific 
situation that Members were witnessing at that point in t ime, and in the current circumstances. As 
such, the actions that Members would take that day should not be considered as creating a precedent 
for future situations where the designation of an Acting Director -General could be taking place in 
entirely differ ent circumstances.  
6.10.  He once again recalled that, in line with Paragraph 1 of the Procedures, the process was 
directed towards the best interests of the organization, and guided by the fundamental principles of 
respect and dignity, transparency and inc lusiveness. And he trusted that everybody would agree 
that it was important that those guiding principles also applied to the respect and dignity of the 
Deputy Directors -General.  
6.11.  He said that, in his consultations, he had heard a range of different c riteria. He had heard 
different reasons for the appointment of one or other amongst the Deputy Directors -General. Some 
of the criteria advanced by delegations had been based on geography which was irrelevant in a 
process concerned with persons of exclusive ly international character – and he was quoting there 
from Article IV.6 of the Marrakesh Agreement Establishing the WTO. Geography could be relevant 
to Members, when Members were thinking from a Member's point of view, but they were not in the 
process of d esignating an Acting Director -General where they were dealing with persons who were 
exclusively of an international character.  
6.12.  Other criteria he had heard had been based on seniority or on the attributions or tasks 
performed by each Deputy Director -General. None of the criteria and reasons that he had heard to 
appoint one or any of the Deputy Directors -General were based on rules or established procedures. 
What they were guided to do as Members, including when considering the designation process, was 
to be taking into account and be guided by the best interests of the organization and to follow the 
principles of dignity, respect, transparency and inclusiveness. He said that he was being as 
transparent, as inclusive with Members as he thought it was app ropriate to be in the context of a 
formal meeting.  
6.13.  That was the basis for the solution that was being proposed that day in the current 2020 
circumstances of a very limited period of time . So, what he was proposing was that Members 
proceeded according to an understanding. That understanding had a number of common elements 
which applied and would apply however they resolved the matter. Those were:  
"This understanding applies for the period between 1st September 2020 and the date of formal 
appointment of the new Director -General.  
No structural changes will be made to the Secretariat during this period.  
All four Deputy Directors -General will continue to fully discharge their existing responsib ilities in 
respect of administration within the Secretariat; engaging with external constituencies/stakeholders 
as currently; and overseeing their respective parts of the Secretariat in respect of serving Members' 
regular work and areas of negotiation as a ppropriate. They will also continue to maintain close WT/BISD/2020  
 
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 contact with each other in the exercise of their respective responsibilities on behalf of the 
organization.  
And, reflecting the existing and appropriate boundaries of governance, the Deputy Directors -General 
will undertake these responsibilities in close consultation with Members, where relevant, as 
represented by the General Council Chair."  
6.14.  Those were the common elements of an understanding that he was proposing that Members 
took to that matter. H e asked Members if he could take that that was acceptable as the 
understanding of the common elements that would apply throughout the period of time between 
1 September and the formal appointment of the new Director -General. To clarify, the understanding 
would apply from that point hence and it would apply throughout the period he had specified. Should 
the Membership wish to come back to the matter of specific designation of one or any of the Deputy 
Directors -General on top of that understanding then he rem ained listening to delegations and he 
would come back to Members with that specific element again. But that common understanding 
would apply throughout the period that he had specified.  
6.15.  The General Council so agreed . 
6.16.  The Director -General  said h e had taken note of the Chairman's statement. It was disappointing 
that Members had not been able to agree on an Acting Director -General as had been provided for in 
the Procedures for the Appointment of Directors -General. From his perspective, that would h ave 
been the best outcome. He understood, from what the Chairman had said, that the conversation 
was still open so Members could still come back to that. But he nevertheless took note of Members' 
regarding the interim administrative arrangements that would  operate at the WTO between his 
departure at the end of August and the entry into office of his successor. For his part, he would do 
everything he could over the month ahead to ensure that the administration was handed over in the 
best possible shape with as many issues dealt with as possible.  
6.17.  During the interim period, the four DDGs, as Members had decided, would continue to carry 
out their current responsibilities with oversight over the same issues and Secretariat divisions that 
they had that day. He noted that each of the DDGs brought the wealth of experience and skill to 
their respective roles. For seven years, three in the case of DDG Wolff, he had worked closely with 
them and had seen them engaged with both Members and the wider public. And he h ad every 
confidence in their judgment and their professionalism. Still, having said all that, as Members knew, 
some administrative actions could only be taken by the Director -General himself and the provisions 
did not always allow for delegation of authori ty for those DG -specific acts.  
6.18.  He would nonetheless be talking to the DDGs and the Directors in charge of administration to 
try to map out special DG -specific circumstances that were likely to occur, if any, during the 
transition period and he would try to figure out solutions that were as straight -forward as possible. 
It could well be the case that some unforeseen situation developed or where the rules did absolutely 
require action by the Director -General and no one else – and in those instances, the  DDGs, as 
Members had just decided would be consulting with Members through the Chairman. The DDGs and 
he would do their very best so that the arrangement would work smoothly during the short period 
after his departure on 31 August and until the new Direct or-General took office.  
6.19.  He noticed though that the Chairman had mentioned the period as between 1 September and 
the date of formal appointment of the new Director -General. He wanted to clarify that he had 
understood "formal appointment" to mean the d ate when the new Director -General would take office 
and not the moment when she or he would be selected. How short that period would turn out to be 
was of course in the hands of Members. He would do his very best to ensure that it ran smoothly.  
6.20.  The Chairman  said that, concerning the point that the Director -General had mentioned about 
the date of formal appointment, that was something that needed to be worked out with the new 
Director -General as a practical matter. The mandate of the appointment was so mething which was 
discussed with Members.  
6.21.  The General Council took note  of the statements.WT/BISD/2020  
 
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 COVID -19 TRADE -RELATED MEASURES¶ 
 
 
SPECIAL VIRTUAL GENERAL COUNCIL MEETING  
 
 
STATEMENT BY THE CHAIRMAN  
Friday, 15 May 2020  
(JOB/GC/228 ) 
 
 
1 INTRODUCTION  
1.1. Good m orning. Welcome to this Special Virtual Meeting of the General Council. I am pleased to 
see you all connected here. I hope you are well and healthy.  
1.2. As Chair of the WTO General Council I would like to reiterate my deepest sympathies to the 
Government s and people of all WTO Members that are being severely affected by the spread of 
COVID -19 and the tragic loss of human lives it is causing.  
2 COVID -19 AND TRADE  
2.1. The global COVID -19 pandemic is first and foremost a human tragedy. But it is already 
becoming clear that the economic dimensions of the crisis threaten to compound the negative effects 
on livelihoods and health; and that trade, or the lack of it, can variously contribute to ameliorating 
problems or to aggravating the challenges – in both the immediate and longer term.  
2.2. Over these past couple of months, the WTO has been active in seeking to help Members in 
responding to the crisis. The Director General has participated in virtual meetings held by some 
Members - including the G20 – and, toge ther with other International Organisations such as WHO, 
WCO, FAO and IMF, has issued guidance statements for Members to draw from in their domestic 
actions. The Secretariat has also sought to monitor and report on COVID -related trade measures 
being taken by Members.  
2.3. Members, individually and in various groupings, have also been active in issuing statements of 
policy intention. They have called for keeping markets open; ensuring the free flow of trade in 
essential medical goods, as well as in agricultu ral and food products; minimising disruptions in supply 
chains; and for measures taken in response of this crisis to be transparent, temporary and 
proportionate, without creating unnecessary barriers to trade. And some Members have begun to 
move beyond sta tements of intent to 'put some rubber on the road ' in implementing trade -enhancing 
action – on either the import or export side and, in some cases, covering both.  
2.4. Today is an important opportunity, as a General Council, for Members to share informatio n and 
exchange views on COVID -19 and related trade measures taken to date, and on approaches they 
are looking to take to assist in responding to and recovering from the crisis in the coming weeks and 
months.  
2.5. With these words, I am looking forward to hearing your views today within the time constraints 
of this virtual format.  
2.6. I intend to first give the floor to the Director -General.  Thereafter, I will open the floor to 
delegations.  As you know, we are using a new platform for this meeting so in o pening the floor I will 
first make a couple of practical points about how to use it.  Let me recall – as was also indicated in 
 
¶ The statements reproduced in this section were made at the General Council meeting of 15 May 2020 
(see WT/GC/M/183  and Corr.1 ). The issue of COVID -19 trade -related measures was also taken up at 
subsequent General Council meetings in 2020. In a ddition, several Members made submissions to the General 
Council on this issue in the relevant General Council document series. See page 24 of this publication.  WT/BISD/2020  
 
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 the convening notice for this meeting – that no substantive decision will be taken by the General 
Council.  
3 CONCLUDING REMARKS  
3.1. Thank you all.  This has been a very informative and useful discussion.  I am advised that some 
65 delegations took the floor, and that is a record for the General Council in the last seven years. 
This is a credit to all delegations participating and also  to the Secretariat for facilitating this platform. 
But this discussion does not end today. Regrettably, we will be living with the consequences of the 
COVID -19 pandemic for some time ahead.  
3.2. The need for health protection of people around the world clearly remains the urgent priority 
and many of you have noted the importance of trade in that context - to keep markets open in order 
to facilitate the flow of essential medical goods as well as ag ricultural and food products. The adverse 
impact of the crisis on the world economy and the severe economic downturn have also been widely 
evoked in the discussion today, together with the many different policy dimensions to the response 
and the recovery.   
3.3. Going forward, and as governments consider options for immediate responses to the COVID-19 
crisis, as well as long term ones, our biggest challenge in the trade sphere is to ensure that trade 
policies, and the work that we do as Members of the WTO, a re part of the solution to assist and 
support that recovery.  
3.4. As many of you have said, it is important that emergency measures do not have the unintended 
consequences to further aggravate the global economic crisis down the road, which underlines the  
need to consider using the least harmful trade policy instruments and to adopt a coordinated and 
cooperative approach in addressing the global challenges we are facing.  
3.5. As many of you also emphasized, as governments look ahead and implement the neces sary 
policies for the recovery, multilateral cooperation is more important than ever. A crisis of this 
magnitude - unprecedented in our lifetime – can best be addressed through the international 
community enhancing cooperation and coordination, including h ere at the WTO. As a Member -driven 
organization, there cannot have been a more important moment in our 25 year existence, as one of 
you put it today, for Members to 'step up and drive ' 
3.6. I look forward to continued exchange of views and sharing of information like the one we have 
had today, in this and other appropriate formats.  
3.7. With these words, I invite the General Council to take note  of all statements made today.  
3.8. Two final points, before we conclude: first, as I noted yesterday during  the Informal HODS 
meeting and further to the decision announced by the Director -General to step down as of 31  August, 
I intend to immediately engage with Members and initiate as soon as possible a process for the 
appointment of a new Director -General, as set out in the guidelines for the appointment of Directors -
General contained in WT/L/509. I will shortly send out a communication to all Members and in line 
with the guidelines, I will also be consulting with Members to look at establishing expedited deadl ines 
as necessary, given the very limited time that we have before 1 September.  
3.9. Second, let me also confirm, as I noted in a communication sent to all delegations this week, 
that the next regular General Council meeting will take place as scheduled, t hat is on Friday 29 May, 
in virtual form. The airgram with the list of items for the agenda for the meeting will close on Monday 
18 May, close of business, and will be circulated on Tuesday 19 May. Technical and logistical 
arrangements will be communicated  in due course.  WT/BISD/2020  
 
- 13 - 
 
 SPECIAL VIRTUAL GENERAL COUNCIL MEETING  
 
 
REPORT BY THE DIRECTOR -GENERAL  
Friday, 15 May 2020  
(JOB/GC/229 ) 
 
 
1.1.  Thank you all for joining this special Virtual Meeting that the General Council Chair has 
convened to talk about trade and the COVID -19 pandemic.  I hope you and your families are keeping 
well. I will begin with a few house -keeping matters.  
First, the platform that we are using toda y – Interprefy – responds to your request at the virtual 
HoDs in April that the Secretariat should explore platforms that are more secure and allow for 
interpretation services. Some UN agencies are already using Interprefy, and we intend to use it for 
further meetings like these.  
Second, as of this week, in line with the gradual relaxation of confinement measures by the Swiss 
authorities, we have authorized 20% of our secretariat staff to return to the WTO premises on a 
voluntary basis. The protection of th e health of both staff and delegates remains our first priority, 
and meetings at the WTO premises remain suspended at least through the end of this month. Access 
to the premises by delegates is restricted and we encourage you to send communications 
electro nically, whenever possible, to minimize the amount of physical mail passing through the WTO 
premises.  
We are in regular contact with the Swiss authorities and will update you of developments, including 
when meetings at the WTO premises can resume.  Let me now turn to the business of this meeting.   
This is my second report to the membership on trade and the COVID -19 pandemic. My report at the 
informal HoDs on 17th April was circulated to delegations in JOB/TNC/80.   
Since that meeting, we have started to witn ess in some regions a gradual easing of restrictions on 
business activity and physical interaction. Elsewhere, however, the storm is still raging.  
At our last meeting, I highlighted our forecasts of a steep decline in trade this year across all regions 
and sectors. The impact of the deep ongoing shocks to supply and demand is becoming more and 
more visible.  People continue to lose jobs and incomes. Livelihoods have been severely impacted.  
International cooperation, including on trade, would help economies lift each other out of this crisis. 
This was my message to yesterday's virtual meeting of the UN Chief Executives Board, where I said 
that fiscal, monetary, and trade policies must pull hard – and pull in the same direction – to lay the 
foundation for a st rong and inclusive recovery. Also, yesterday, G20 trade ministers met virtually 
and expressed support for strengthening open and resilient supply chains, particularly for medical 
supplies.   
A few weeks ago, I urged a virtual meeting of G20 agriculture mini sters to act collectively to ensure 
that our responses to the COVID -19 pandemic do not unintentionally create food shortages. Ministers 
committed to cooperating closely and taking concrete actions to safeguard global food security and 
nutrition. I welcomed  this commitment.  
Since the April HoDs, various members and groups have sent similar messages in declarations, 
statements and proposals. These have been circulated and posted on the WTO's COVID -19 webpage. 
While I very much commend these efforts, which are  precisely the trade policy response we need, 
they will only work if growing numbers of members act on them.  
The WTO has continued to work closely with other International Organizations to encourage an 
effective policy response to the COVID -19 crisis, resu lting in joint statements with the WHO and the 
IMF. These statements are all available on our website.  WT/BISD/2020  
 
- 14 - 
 
 We have continued our efforts to track COVID -19 related trade measures as part of our longstanding 
monitoring and transparency mandate.  Members deserve c redit for their cooperation in sharing 
information with the Secretariat, including through the notification process to the relevant WTO 
committees. I urge those that have not yet responded to do so.  
The exercise has compiled 231 COVID -19-related trade mea sures for goods, across 87 WTO 
Members and Observers. 53% of these measures are trade facilitating, and that is good, while the 
remaining 47% may be considered as having trade -restrictive effects.  
As of 14 May, the exercise had compiled 89 measures from 43 Members affecting trade in services, 
most of them trade -facilitating.  
Around two -thirds of COVID -19 related notifications relate to standards and regulations under TBT 
and SPS. These mainly affect trade in personal protective gear (PPE), food, live animals and medical 
equipment. Around half of these measures are reported as temporary.  
Members and other stakeholders have issued statements and other public pronouncements stressing 
that open and predictable trade in agriculture and food products is crucially important to prevent the 
pandemic from also becoming a food crisis. In this context, I am informed that the Chair of the 
Committee on Agriculture is consulting on requests by some Members to consider conv ening a 
special meeting to focus on COVID -19 and agriculture trade policy in mid -June.  
Finally, the secretariat task force that we set up to monitor how the pandemic is affecting 
international trade has continued its analytical work, including through info rmal information notes 
under the Secretariat's own responsibility and which do not prejudice Members' positions, rights or 
obligations under the WTO.  
While a number of governments have put in place measures to assist businesses and workers to 
weather the economic storm of this pandemic – what is evident is that businesses, in particular 
micro, small and medium ones are hardest hit. This is why the ICC and B20 have approached us to 
partner in a virtual trade dialogue next Tuesday – 19th of May. Business rep resentatives will highlight 
the challenges they are facing and discuss some of the policy responses they would like governments 
to take to assist them.  
Chair, as I conclude, I would like to stress three points.  
First, restarting the global economy and rein stating confidence for businesses and households will 
depend not only on when the health crisis is contained, but on coordinated, coherent and cooperative 
international economic policy responses. As I said in April, fiscal, monetary and trade policies must  
continue to pull in the same direction.  
Second, while WTO rules are clear about members' rights and obligations in this regard, and we are 
not characterizing anyone's measures as violating any of the WTO rules or extrapolating Members 
rights,  governments  should work to ensure that their emergency interventions do not unnecessarily 
restrict trade and investment. By ensuring that measures are transparent, targeted, risk -
proportionate, WTO -compliant, and temporary, members can help prevent supply shortages a nd 
price volatility.  
Third, I call upon all Members to resist policies that may further disrupt supply chains and add to 
the strains on an already fragile global economy. To build  more resilient national economies, we 
must build more resilient internation al cooperation – and a more resilient and effective multilateral 
trading system. I urge all WTO Members to stand together and uphold the role of open, predictable 
and rules -based trade as a fundamental driver for recovery from the current crisis.  
 WT/BISD/2020  
 
- 15 - 
 
 ) THE UNITED KINGDOM'S WITHDRAWAL FROM THE EUROPEAN UNION¶ 
 
 
MARRAKESH AGREEMENT ESTABLISHING  
THE WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION  
DONE AT MARRAKESH ON 15 APRIL 1994  
COMMUNICATION FROM THE EUROPEAN UNION  
(WT/Let/1462 ) 
 
 
I have the honour to in form you that on 27 January 2020, the European Union deposited with 
me a Note Verbale, the Annex of which reads as follows:  
 
 
"Annex to the Note Verbale on the Agreement on the withdrawal  
of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from  
the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community  
 
1. On 29 March 2017, the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and 
Northern Ireland (the "United Kingdom") notified the European Council of the 
United  Kingdom's intention to with draw from the European Union ("Union") and the 
European Atomic Energy Community ("Euratom") in accordance with Article 50 of the 
Treaty on European Union. On 22 March 2019, the European Council decided in 
agreement with the United Kingdom to extend the per iod provided for in Article 50(3) 
of the Treaty on European Union until 12 April 2019. On 10 April 2019, 
the European  Council decided in agreement with the United Kingdom to extend the 
period provided for in Article 50(3) of the Treaty on European Union un til 31 October 
2019. On  29 October 2019, the European  Council decided in agreement with the 
United  Kingdom to extend the period provided for in Article 50(3) of the Treaty on 
European Union until 31 January 2020. The United Kingdom will therefore cease to be 
a Member State of the European Union and of Euratom on 1 February 2020.  
2. On 24 January 2020, the Union and Euratom, and the United Kingdom, in accordance 
with Article  50, paragraph 2, of the Treaty on European Union, signed an Agreement 
setting out th e arrangements for the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the Union 
and Euratom ("Withdrawal  Agreement")1. The Withdrawal Agreement will enter into 
force on 1 February 2020, subject to its prior ratification by the United Kingdom and 
conclusion by the Union and Euratom.  
3. In order to address the specific situation of the withdrawal of the United Kingdom 
from the Union and Euratom, the Withdrawal Agreement provides for a time -limited 
transition period during which, save certain very limited exceptions, Union law shall be 
applicable to and in the United  Kingdom and that any reference to Member States in 
Union law, including as implemented and applied by Member States, shall be understood 
as including the United Kingdom.  
4. The Union and Euratom, and the U nited Kingdom have agreed that Union law within 
the meaning of the Withdrawal Agreement encompasses international agreements 
concluded by the Union (or  Euratom), or by Member States acting on behalf of the Union 
(or Euratom), or by the Union (or  Euratom) a nd its Member States jointly.  
 
¶ The communications reproduced in this section were circulated to all Members but not discusse d at the 
General Council.  
1 The text of the Withdrawal Agreement can be consulted in the Official Journal of the European Union of 
12 November 2019, C 384 I, p. 1.  WT/BISD/2020  
 
- 16 - 
 
 5. Subject to timely ratification and conclusion of the Withdrawal Agreement, the Union 
and Euratom notify parties to the international agreements referred to in point 4 above 
that, during the transition period, the United Kin gdom is treated as a Member State of 
the Union and of Euratom for the purposes of these international agreements.  
6. It is understood that the principles set out in this Annex also extend to international 
instruments and arrangements without legally bindin g force entered into by the Union 
or Euratom and to international agreements referred to in point 4 above which are 
provisionally applied.  
7. The provisions relating to the transition period are laid down in Part Four (Articles  126 
to 132) of the Withdrawa l Agreement, to be read in conjunction with the other relevant 
provisions of the Withdrawal Agreement, in particular its Part One.  
8. The transition period starts on 1 February 2020 and ends on 31 December 2020, but 
the Withdrawal Agreement foresees the po ssibility of adopting a single decision 
extending the transition period for up to 24 months. In the event of an extension, the 
Union and Euratom will communicate this by a further Note Verbale.  
9. At the end of the transition period, the United Kingdom wil l no longer be covered by 
the international agreements referred to in points 4 and 6 above. This is without 
prejudice to the status of the United Kingdom in relation to multilateral agreements to 
which it is a party in its own right."  WT/BISD/2020  
 
- 17 - 
 
 THE U NITED KINGDOM'S WITHDRAWAL FROM THE EUROPEAN UNION  
 
COMMUNICATION FROM THE UNITED KINGDOM  
(WT/GC/206 ) 
 
 
The following communication, dated 1 February 2020, is being circulated at the request of delegation 
of the United Kingdom.  
 
_______________  
 
 
1 INTRODUCTION  
The United Kingdom ceased to be a Member State of the European Union at 23.00 GMT on 
31 January 2020. The United Kingdom has been, and will continue to be, a Member of the World 
Trade Organization and will represent its interests and uphold its obligations on that basis from that 
date. 
 
The European Union and the United Kingdom have agreed a Withdrawal Agreement pursuant to 
Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union, which provides for a time -limited transition period during 
which European Union law, as modified by the Withdrawal Agreemen t, will apply to and in the 
United  Kingdom (the "transition period"). The transition period will end at 23.00 GMT on 
31 December 2020, and the United Kingdom has made clear that it will not seek an extension. The 
transition period provides continuity in th e trading relationship between the United Kingdom and the 
European Union, and with other WTO Members, with the United Kingdom remaining part of the 
European Union's customs union and single market during that time. The Withdrawal Agreement 
also provides th at, for the duration of the transition period, the United Kingdom is treated as a 
Member State of the European Union for the purpose of international agreements entered into by 
the European Union.1,2 The United Kingdom will continue to apply the European  Union's Generalised 
Scheme of Preferences for the duration of the transition period and the provisions of the 
European  Union's regional trade agreements will continue to apply to trade with the United Kingdom 
during this time.  
 
To assist Members in their ongoing engagement with the United Kingdom, this note sets out some 
of the implications of the United Kingdom's departure from the European Union in the WTO.  
 
2 UNITED KINGDOM: PREPARATIONS FOR EU EXIT IN THE WTO  
The United Kingdom was a founding party to the GATT 1947, and is an original Member of the WTO, 
in its own right. However, as a Member State of the European Union, the United Kingdom's 
concessions and commitments on goods and concessions and specific commitments in services were 
contained within th e schedule of concessions and commitments for goods and schedule of 
concessions and specific commitments in services of the European Union.  
 
On 24 July 2018 the United Kingdom's draft schedule of concessions and commitments for goods, 
draft Schedule XIX – United Kingdom, was circulated for certification in document G/MA/TAR/RS/570  
under the Procedures for Modification and Rectification of Schedules of Tariff Concessions.3 The 
United Kingdom is continuing productive discussions with certain Members about aspects of that 
 
1 The reference to international agreements encompasses international agreements concluded b y the 
European Union, or by Member States acting on behalf of the European Union, or by the European Union and its 
Member States acting jointly. The same principles also apply to international arrangements and instruments 
without legally binding force ente red into by the European Union.  
2 On 27 January 2020, the European Union issued a note verbale  to the Director -General of the World 
Trade Organization and to third countries, notifying them that for the duration of the transition period, the 
United  Kingdom  is to be treated as a Member State of the European Union for the purpose of international 
agreements and arrangements. The annex to the note verbale  issued to the Director -General was circulated to 
WTO Members in Document WT/Let/1462 . 
3 Decision of 26 March 1980, Document L/4926 . WT/BISD/2020  
 
- 18 - 
 
 schedule. As  part of that process, the United Kingdom has initiated a process under Article XXVIII 
GATT with respect to tariff rate quotas and the United Kingdom is currently taking forward 
negotiations and consultations with relevant Members.  
 
On 3 December 2018 the United Kingdom's schedule of concessions and specific commitments in 
services and the United Kingdom's list of Article II GATS (MFN) exemptions was circulated for 
certification in document S/C/W/380  and S/C/W/381  under the relevant procedures.4 The period for 
objections to the certification of that schedule and list of Article II  GATS (MFN) exemptions expired 
on 17 January 2019. The United Kingdom continues to consult with one Member under these 
procedures.  
 
During the transition period, the United Kingdom will continue to be covered by the schedule of 
concessions and commitments on goods and the schedule of concessions and specific commitments 
in services of the European Union. The United Kingdom's Article II GATS exemptions will continue 
to be listed in the Article II (MFN) exemptions of the European Communities and their Member States 
(GATS/EL/31).  
 
There are also a small number of other agreements, negotiated since the Marrakesh Agreement 
establishing the World Trade Organization, in which the United Kingdom has participated as a 
Member State of the European Union, but to which the United Kingdom was  not party in its own 
right. These are: the Government Procurement Agreement (the 'GPA'), the Protocol Amending the 
Marrakesh Agreement (the 'Trade Facilitation Agreement'), the Protocol Amending the TRIPS 
Agreement (the 'TRIPS Amendment'), the 2015 Protoc ol to the Agreement on Trade in Civil Aircraft, 
the Ministerial Declaration on Trade in Information Technology Products ('ITA I') and the Ministerial 
Declaration on the Expansion of Trade in Information Technology Products ('ITA II'). For the duration 
of the transition period, the United Kingdom is treated as a Member State of the European Union for 
the purpose of these agreements and arrangements. Upon the expiry of the transition period, the 
United Kingdom will confirm its continued acceptance of these ag reements and arrangements.  
 
Regarding the GPA specifically, the Committee on Government Procurement agreed, by means of a 
Decision adopted on 27 February 20195, as reaffirmed by the Decision adopted on 26  June 20196, 
that the United Kingdom shall continue to be covered by the GPA until the expiration of the transition 
period between the United Kingdom and the European Union. The United Kingdom looks forward to 
complying with the obligations under those Decisions in relation to assuming independent 
Membership of the GPA at the end of the transition period.  
 
Consistent with the principles of the Withdrawal Agreement, for the duration of the transition period, 
the United Kingdom will also continue to be treated as a Member State of the European Union f or 
the purpose of ongoing WTO disputes to which the European Union is a party.  
 
The United Kingdom would like to place on record its appreciation to all WTO Members and parties 
to the GPA, and to the Director -General and the WTO Secretariat, for their supp ort and engagement 
in the processes set out above. The United Kingdom is committed to continuing to work closely with 
Members on these important issues.  
 
3 THE UNITED KINGDOM'S ENGAGEMENT IN THE WTO  
The United Kingdom has always been a strong supporter of the multilateral trading system. In recent 
years, the United Kingdom has played an active role in support of the system as a Member State of 
the European Union, including supporting the Trade Facilitation Agreement, the Ministerial 
Declaration on the Expan sion of Trade in Information Technology Products ('ITA II'), the Ministerial 
Decision of 19 December 2015 on Export Competition, the launch of critical mass initiatives at the 
 
4 The United Kingdom's schedules of concessions and specific commitments in services were circulated 
for certification pursuant to the Procedures for the Certification of Rectifications or Improveme nts to Schedules 
of Specific Commitments adopted by the Council for Trade in Services on 14 April 2000, Document S/L/84 . The 
United Kingdom's list of Article II GATS (MFN) exemptions were circulated for certification pursuant to the 
Procedures for the Certification of Terminations, Reductions and Re ctifications of Article II (MFN) exemptions 
adopted by the Council for Trade in Services on 5 June 2002, Document S/L/106 . 
5 Decision of the Committee on Government Procurement dated 27 February 2019, Document GPA/CD/2 . 
6 Decision of the Committee on G overnment Procurement dated 26 June 2019, Document 
GPA/CD/2/Add.1 . WT/BISD/2020  
 
- 19 - 
 
 Ninth, Tenth and Eleventh Ministerial Conferences respectively, and as an active  aid for trade 
partner.  
 
In 2020, the United Kingdom will work to support efforts to strengthen the multilateral rules -based 
trading system, and to modernise the WTO. That will include contributing to a substantive and 
meaningful set of outcomes at the Twe lfth Ministerial Conference in Nur -Sultan and working to 
restore the full functioning of the dispute settlement system. More widely, the United Kingdom will 
seek to participate in and initiate discussions in the WTO on issues of particular relevance to the  
United Kingdom and the global economy today, not least in advance of the United Kingdom's 
Presidency of the G7 in 2021.  
 
The United Kingdom has also long been a strong believer in the role of the multilateral trading 
system to unlock growth, reduce povert y and open markets, and a champion for developing 
countries in the WTO through its aid -for-trade portfolio. The United Kingdom looks forward to 
continuing to partner with developing country Members to strengthen their engagement at the WTO 
and increase the ir integration into world trade.  
 
With respect to its future trade regime, the United Kingdom is committed to meeting its obligations 
to other Members and to making itself available to answer any questions that Members might have.  
The Unite d Kingdom looks forward to engaging with all WTO Members, in our collective efforts to 
strengthen the multilateral trading system.WT/BISD/2020  
 
- 20 - 
 
 COMMITTEES UNDER THE PLURILATERAL TRADE AGREEMENTS  
 
 
COMMITTEE ON TRADE IN CIVIL AIRCRAFT  
 
 
GUIDANCE NOTE ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF  ARTICLE 9.1.3  
OF THE AGREEMENT ON TRADE IN CIVIL AIRCRAFT  
(TCA/17 ) 
 
 
At its meeting of 11 November 2020, the Committee agreed to adopt the following guidance note.  
 
_______________  
 
 
In furtherance of the mandate given to it by the Agreement on Trade in Civil Aircraft ("Agreement") 
and by the Signatories, and to strengthen transparency and predictability, the Committee on Trade 
in Civil Aircraft ("Committee") hereby agrees to the following guidance note on the implementation 
of Article 9.1.3 of the Agreement.  
 
1. In accordance with A rticle 9.1.3 of the Agreement, any government which is a Member of the 
World Trade Organization ("WTO") may accede to this Agreement on terms to be agreed between 
that government and the Signatories of the Agreement.  
2. To this effect, a Member interested in accession shall communicate its interest to the 
Director -General of the WTO and, through him or her, to the Committee.  
3. The Member interested in accession shall (i) submit to the Committee information which the 
Signatories require, including how it wi ll comply as of the date of accession with the obligations of 
the Agreement, and (ii) hold consultations with the Signatories, through the Committee, on the 
terms for its accession to the Agreement.  
4. A Member shall be deemed to have completed the process  described in paragraph 3 if the 
Signatories agree that the Member provided the necessary information and completed all necessary 
consultations as part of its accession process to the WTO.  
5. Upon a decision by the Committee agreeing to the terms of access ion, the applicant 
government shall take all necessary steps to comply with the terms of its accession and, with the 
consent of the Committee, the applicant government can deposit with the Director -General of the 
WTO an instrument of accession, which state s the terms so agreed.  
 
_______________  
 WT/BISD/2020  
 
- 21 - 
 
 WAIVERS  
In 2020, the General Council granted the following waivers from obligations under the WTO 
Agreements.  
 
MEMBER(S)  TYPE  DECISION OF  EXPIRY  DOCUMENT(S)  
China1 Introduction of 
Harmonized System 
2002 Changes into 
WTO Schedules of 
Tariff Concessions  18 December 
2020 31 December 
2021 WT/L/1104  
Argentina; Brazil; China; 
Dominican Republic; European 
Union; Malaysia; Philippines; 
Thailand2 Introduction of 
Harmonized System 
2007 Changes into 
WTO Schedules of 
Tariff Concessions  18 December 
2020 31 December 
2021 WT/L/1105  
Argentina; Australia; Brazil; 
China; Colombia; Costa Rica; 
Dominican Republic; Ecuador; 
European Union; Guatemala; 
India; Kazakhstan; Republic 
of Korea; Malaysia; Mexico; 
New Zealand; Norway; 
Philippines; Russian 
Federation; Singapore; 
Switzerland; Thailand; United 
States3 Introduction of 
Harmonized System 
2012 Changes into 
WTO Schedules of 
Tariff Concessions  18 December 
2020 31 December 
2021 WT/L/1106  
Argentina; Australia; Brazil;  
Canada; China; Colombia; 
Costa Rica; Dominican 
Republic; Ecuador; El 
Salvador; European Union; 
Guatemala; Honduras; Hong 
Kong, China; India; Israel; 
Kazakhstan; Republic of 
Korea; Macao, China; 
Montenegro; New Zealand; 
Norway; Pakistan; Paraguay; 
Philippi nes; Russian 
Federation; Switzerland; 
Separate Customs Territory of 
Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and 
Matsu; Thailand; United 
States; Uruguay4 Introduction of 
Harmonized System 
2017 Changes into 
WTO Schedules of 
Tariff Concessions  18 December 
2020 31 December 
2021 WT/L/1107  
 
For a list of waivers g ranted by the General Council in 2020, as well as waivers previously granted 
and still in force in 2020, see WT/GC/W/816 . 
 
1 In addition to the Member listed in the Annex to the Decision, by virtue of its paragraph b), the 
application of the provisions Article II of GATT 1994 may be suspended for "any other Member not listed in the 
Annex,  that has approved its draft HS02 file and whose draft HS02 file has been released for multilateral 
review and that notifies the Committee on Market Access of its wish to be included in the waiver decision, for 
the period from the date of implementation of  the HS2002 changes for that Member until 31 December 2021".  
2 In addition to the Members listed in the Annex to the Decision, by virtue of its paragraph b),  the 
application of the provisions Article II of GATT 1994 may be suspended for "any other Member n ot listed in the 
Annex, that notifies the Committee on Market Access of its wish to be included in the waiver decision, for the 
period from the date of implementation of the HS2007 changes for that Member until 31 December 2021".  
3 In addition to the Membe rs listed in the Annex to the Decision, by virtue of its paragraph b),  the 
application of the provisions Article II of GATT 1994 may be suspended for  "any other Member not listed in the 
Annex that notifies the Committee on Market Access of its wish to be i ncluded in the waiver decision from the 
date of implementation of the HS2012 changes for that Member until 31 December 2021".  
4 In addition to the Members listed in the Annex to the Decision, by virtue of its paragraph b),  the 
application of the provisions  Article II of GATT 1994 may be suspended for "any other Member not listed in the 
Annex that notifies the Committee on Market Access of its wish to be included in the waiver decision from the 
date of implementation of the HS2017 changes for that Member unt il 31 December 2021".  WT/BISD/2020  
 
- 22 - 
 
 WTO DISPUTE SETTLEMENT REPORTS, AND ARBITRATION AWARDS AND DECISIONS  
2020 
The table below lists all the panel and Appellate Body reports adopted by the DSB or circulated in 
2020 as well as arbitration awards and decisions circulated in 2020.1 The full texts of the panel and 
Appellate Body reports as well as the arbitration awar ds and decisions are published by the WTO in 
the WT/DS/  series. The  reports are also publish ed in the WTO Dispute Settlement Reports (DSR) 
series.  
 
SHORT TITLE  REPORTS, AWARDS AND DECISIONS  
Australia – Anti-Dumping 
Measures on Paper  Panel Report, Australia – Anti-Dumping Measures on A4 Copy Paper , 
WT/DS529/R  and Add.1, adopted 28 January 2020  
Australia – Tobacco Plain 
Packaging 
(Dominican  Republic)  Appellate Body Report, Australia – Certain Measures concerning Trademarks, 
Geographical Indications and other Plain Packaging Requirements applicable to 
Tobacco Products and Packaging , WT/DS441/AB/R  and Add.1, adopted 
29 June 2020 
Australia – Tobacco Plain 
Packaging 
(Dominican  Republic)  Panel Report, Australia – Certain Measures concerning Trademarks, 
Geographical Indications and other Plain Packaging Requirements applicable to 
Tobacc o Products and Packaging , WT/DS441/R , Add.1 and Suppl.1, adopted 29 
June 2020, as upheld by Appellate Body Report WT/DS441/AB/R , 
DSR 2018:VIII, p. 3925  
Australia – Tobacco Plain 
Packaging (Honduras)  Appellate Body Report, Australia – Certain Measures concerning Trademarks, 
Geographical Indications and other Plain Packag ing Requirements applicable to 
Tobacco Products and Packaging , WT/DS435/AB/R  and Add.1, adopted 
29 June 2020 
Australia – Tobacco Plain 
Packaging (Honduras)  Panel Report, Australia – Certain Measures concerning Trademarks, 
Geographical Indications and other Plain Packaging Requirements applicable to 
Tobacco Products and Packaging , WT/DS435/R , Add.1 and Suppl.1, adopted 29 
June 2020, as upheld by Appellate Body Report WT/DS435/AB/R , 
DSR 2018:VIII, p.  3925 
EU – Cost Adjustment 
Methodologies II (Russia)  Panel Report, European Union – Cost Adjustment Methodologies and Certain 
Anti-Dumping Measures on Imports from Russia (Second Complaint) , 
WT/DS494/R  and Add.1, circulated to WTO Members 24 July 2020 [appealed by 
the European Union 28 August 2020 ] 
Indonesia – Chicken 
(Article  21.5 – Brazil)  Panel Report, Indonesia – Measures Concerning the Importation of Chicken Meat 
and Chicken Products  – Recourse to Article 21.5 of the DSU by Brazil,  
WT/DS484/RW  and Add.1, circulated to WTO Mem bers 10 November 2020 
[appealed by Indonesia 17 December 2020 ] 
Korea – Stainless Steel Bars  Panel Report,  Korea – Sunset R eview of Anti -Dumping Duties on Stainless Steel 
Bars, WT/DS553/R  and Add.1, circulated to WTO Members 30 November 2020 
[appealed by  Korea 22 January 2021 ] 
Morocco – Hot-Rolled Steel 
(Turkey)  Appellate Body Report, Morocco – Anti-dumping Measures on Certain Hot -Rolled 
Steel from Turkey , WT/DS513/AB/R  and Add.1, adopted 8 January 2020  
Morocco – Hot-Rolled Steel 
(Turkey)  Panel Report, Morocco – Anti-dumping Measures on Certain Hot -Rolled Steel 
from Turkey , WT/DS513/R  and Add.1, adopted 8 January 2020; appeal 
withdrawn by Morocco as reflected in Appellate Body Report WT/DS513/AB/R  
Russia – Railway Equipment  Panel Report, Russia – Measures Affecting the Importation of Railway 
Equipment and Parts Thereof , WT/DS499/R  and Add.1, adopted 5 March 2020, 
as modified by Appellate Body Report WT/DS499/AB/R  
Saudi Arabia – IPRs Panel Report, Saudi Arabia – Measures Concerning the Protection of 
Intellectual Property Rights , WT/DS567/R  and Add.1, circulated to WTO 
Members 16 June 2020 [appealed b y Saudi Arabia 28 July 2020 ] 
Ukraine – Ammonium Nitrate 
(Article 21.3(c))  Award of the Arbitrator, Ukraine – Anti‑Dumping Measures on Ammonium 
Nitrate – Arbitration under Article 21.3(c) of the DSU , WT/DS493/RPT , 
8 April 2020 
 
1 The full table of all reports, awards, and decisions circulated to Members can be found on the WTO 
website at this address: https://www.wto.org/english/tra top_e/dispu_e/citations_e.doc . WT/BISD/2020  
 
- 23 - 
 
 SHORT TITLE  REPORTS, AWARDS AND DECISIONS  
US – Large Civil Aircraft (2nd 
complaint) (Article 22.6 – 
US) Decision by the Arbitrator, United States – Measures Affecting Trade in Large 
Civil Aircraft (Second Complaint) – Recourse to Article 22.6 of the DSU by the 
United States , WT/DS353/ARB  and Add.1, 13 October 2020  
US – Softwood Lumber VII  Panel Report, United States – Countervailing Measures on Softwood Lumber 
from Canada , WT/DS533/R  and Add.1, circulated to WTO Me mbers 24 August 
2020 [appealed by the United States 28 September 2020 ] 
US – Supercalendered Paper  Appellate Body Report, United States – Countervailing Measures on 
Supercalendered Paper from Canada , WT/DS505/AB/R  and Add.1, adopted 
5 March 2020  
US – Supercalendered Paper  Panel Report, United States – Countervailing Measures on Supercalendered 
Paper from Canada , WT/DS505/R  and Add.1, adopted 5 March 2020, as upheld 
by Appellate Body Report WT/DS505/AB/R  
US – Tariff Measures (China)  Panel Report, United States – Tariff Measures on Certain Goods from China , 
WT/DS543/R  and Add.1 , circulated to WTO Mem bers 15 September 2020 
[appealed by the United States 26 October 2020]  WT/BISD/2020  
 
- 24 - 
 
 OTHER DECISIONS, REPORTS AND SELECTED DOCUMENTS  
NOT REPRODUCED* 
 
 
General Council  
Annual Report (2020)  ................................ ................................ ..........................  WT/GC/227  
Minutes  of the meetings held o n 3 March, 15 and 29 May, 15 -17, 22 -23 and 31 July,  
13 October and 16 -18 December 2020  ................  WT/GC/182 , 183 and Corr.1 , 184 and Corr.1 ,  
185, 186, 187, and 188 
Turkmenistan , Request for observer status, Communication from Turkmenistan  .........  WT/L/1090  
 
 
Appointment of the next Director -General  
Communications  from and statements by the General Council Chair  ..... JOB/GC/230 , 243, 244,  
245, 247, and 248 
Consolidated  list of candidatures received,  
Communication from the Chairman of the General Council  ...........................  WT/GC/INF/30  
 
 
COVID -19 trade -related measures  
COVID -19 trade -related  measures, Minutes of the s pecial virtual  General Council meeting  
held on 15 May 2020  ...........  WT/GC/M/183  and Corr.1 , Item 1  – JOB/GC/228  – JOB/GC/229
 
 
Implementation of the Bali, Nairobi  and Buenos Aires outcomes  
Implementation  of the Bali, Nairobi and Buenos Aires outcomes,  
Statements by the Chairman  ................................ ..... WT/GC/M/182 , Item 2 – JOB/GC/226  
WT/GC/M/184  and Corr.1 , Item 2 – JOB/GC/232  
WT/GC/M/186 , Item 2 – JOB/GC/242  
WT/GC/M/187 , Item 2 – JOB/GC/246  
WT/GC/M/188 , Item 2 – JOB/GC/249  
 
 
Twelfth session of the Ministerial Conference  
MC12 date and venue, Report on consultation by the Chairman and the Director -General,   
23 March 2020  ................................ ................................ ...........................  JOB/GC/227  
Twelfth session of the Ministerial Conference,  
Communication from Kazakhstan  ................................ ................................ ... WT/GC/209  
Twelfth session of the Ministerial Conference,   
Request for observer status by Palestine  ................................ ........................  WT/L/1087  
 
 
 
* For most categories, the documents are listed in the alphabetical order of their titles.  
Notifications by the Director -General as WTO depositary are not referenced. These depositary notifications 
are available in the WT/Let/  document series, and are compiled in rel ation to each WTO agreement in the 
Status  of WTO Legal Instruments  publication.  WT/BISD/2020  
 
- 25 - 
 
 Dispute Settlement Body  
Annual Report  (2019/2020)  ................................ ................................ ..................  WT/DSB/81  
Minute s of the meetings held on 8 and 27 January, 28 February and 5 March,  
29 June, 29 July, 28  August, 28 September, 26 October ,  
and 18 December 2020  ................................ ..........  WT/DSB/M/439 , 440, 441, 442, 443, 444,  
445, 446, and 447 
Indicative  list of governmental and non-governmental panelists  ... WT/DSB/44/Rev.48  and Corr.1 , 
Rev.49 , Rev.50, and Rev.51  
Stateme nt on a mechanism for developing, documenting and sharing  
practices  and procedures in the conduct of WTO disputes  ..............  JOB/DSB/1/Add.12 , Suppl.1 , 
Suppl.2 , Suppl.3 , Suppl.4 , Suppl.5 , and Suppl.6  
Statement  on minimizing COVID -19 disruptions to the Dispute Settlement System  ..... WT/DSB/80  
 
 
Trade Policy Review Body  
Annual Report (2020)  ................................ ................................ ........................  WT/TPR/452  
Informal trade policy review body meeting on monitoring (24 July 2020), COVID -19: 
Transparency of trade related measures,  Communication from Australia; Brazil;  
Canada; Chile; European Union; Japan; Korea, Republic of; Mexico; New Zealand;  
Norway; Singapore; and Switzerland  ................................ ................................  WT/TPR/446  
Overview  of developments  in the international trading environment,  
Annual report by the Director -General  
(mid-October 2018 to mid -October 2019)  ................................ .............  WT/TPR/OV/22/Corr.1  
Overview  of developments  in the international trading environment,  
Annual report by the Director -General  
(mid-October 2019 to mid-October 2020)  ................................ ....... WT/TPR/OV/23  and Corr.1  
Overview of developments in the international trading environment,  Minutes  
of the meeting s held on 12 December 2019  and 11 December 2020  .... WT/TPR/OV/M/17  and 18 
Provisional programme of reviews for 2021,  
Note by  the Chairperson  ................................ ....................  WT/TPR/447  and Rev.1  and Rev.2  
Report of the TPRB from the Director -General on trade-related developments  
(mid-October 2019 to mid-May 2020)  ................................ ........................  WT/TPR/OV/W/14  
 
 
Trade Policy Reviews  
Australia  ................................ .... See WT/TPR/G/396/ , WT/TPR/M/396/ , and WT/TPR/S/396/  
European Union  ..........................  See WT/TPR/G/395/ , WT/TPR/M/395/ , and WT/TPR/S/395/  
India ................................ .........  See WT/TPR/G/403/ , WT/TPR/M/403/ , and WT/TPR/S/403/  
Indonesia  ................................ ... See WT/TPR/G/401/ , WT/TPR/M/401/ , and WT/TPR/S/401/  
Japan  ................................ ........  See WT/TPR/G/397/ , WT/TPR/M/397/ , and WT/TPR/S/397/  
Lao People's Democratic Republic  .. See WT/TPR/G/394/ , WT/TPR/M/394/ , and WT/TPR/S/394/  
Macao, China  ..............................  See WT/TPR/G/402/ , WT/TPR/M/402 /, and WT/TPR/S/402/  
Myanmar  ................................ ............................  See WT/TPR/G/405/  and WT/TPR/S/405/  
Nicaragua  ................................ ...........................  See WT/TPR/G/404/  and WT/TPR/S/404/  
Tajikistan  ................................ ............................  See WT/TPR/G/399/  and WT/TPR/S/399/  
Thailand  ................................ ..... See WT/TPR/G/400/ , WT/TPR/M/400/ , and WT/TPR/S/400/  
Zimbabwe  ................................ .. See WT/TPR/G/398/ , WT/TPR/M/398/ , and WT/TPR/S/398/  
 
 WT/BISD/2020  
 
- 26 - 
 
 Council for Trade in Goods  
Annual Report (2020)  ................................ ................................ .............................  G/L/1381  
Minutes of the meetings held on 10 -11 June 2020  ................................ .... G/C/M/137  and Add.1  
Unofficial room docume nt, Discussion in CTG subsidiary bodies on COVID -19 measures  
related to trade in goods  ................................ ................................ ...................  RD/CTG/11  
Updating of the listing of notification obligations  and the compliance  therewith  
as set out in Annex III  of the report of  
the Working Group on  notification obligations and procedures  .........................  G/L/223/Rev.27  
Work programme  on electronic commerce,  
report by the Chairperson for trade in goods to the General Council  ..............................  G/C/67  
 
 
Committee on Agriculture  
Annual  Report (2020)  ................................ ................................ ........................  G/L/1380  
Summary reports  of the special me eting held on 18 June 2020 and of the m eetings  
held on 28 July , 22-23 September and 30 November -1 December 2020,  
Note by the Secretariat  ................................ . G/AG/R/94  and Add.1 , 95, 96, 97 and Corr.1  
Compilation  of ad ho c reports on COVID -19 measures  
taken by members in the agricultural sector,  Note by the Secretariat  ...............  G/AG/W/209  
Compliance  with notificatio n obligations,  
Note by the Secretariat  ........................  G/AG/GEN/86/Rev.37 , Rev.38 , Rev.39 , and Rev.40  
Export subsides , export credits, export credit guarantees or insurance programmes, 
International food aid and agricultural exporting state trading enterprises,  
Background document by the Secretariat  ..........................  G/AG/W/125/Rev.12  and Add.1 , 
Add.2 , Add.3  and Corr.1, and Add.4 
G/AG/W/125/Rev.13  and Add.1 , 
Add.2  and Corr.1  and Corr.2 , Add.3 , and Add.4  
Implementation  of the decision on measures concerning the possible negative effects of the 
reform programme on least-developed and net food-importing developing countries,  
Note by the Secretariat  ................................ ................................ ..... G/AG/W/42/Rev.21  
List of outstanding  responses to questions raised under the review process  
of the Committee on Agriculture , Meetings during 2013 -2019 ..........  G/AG/W/204  and Rev.1  
Members' participation  in the normal growth of world trade in agricultural products,  
Article 18.5 of the Agreement on Agriculture,  
Note by the Secretariat  ................................ .....................  G/AG/W/32/Rev.19  and Corr.1  
Points raised by Mem bers under the review process , 
Compilation of questions for the meeting s, 
Note by the Secretariat  .........................  G/AG/W/205/Rev.1  and Corr.1 , 206, 207, and 208 
Tariff quota administration  methods and fill rates, 2014 -2019,  
Background paper by the Secretariat  ................................ ..................  G/AG/W/183/R ev.1 
Trends in world agricultural trade,  25 years of the Agreement on Agriculture (AoA), 
Background paper  for WTO Agricultural Symposium,  
2-3 December 2020  ................................ ................................ ..... WT/INF/224  and Rev.1  
WTO list of net food -importing developing countries for the purposes of  
the Marrakesh Ministerial Decision on measures concerning the possible  
negative effects of the reform programme on  
least-developed and net food -importing developing countries  ....................... G/AG/5/Rev.11  
 
 
Committee on Anti -Dumping Practices  
Annual Report ( 2020) ................................ ................................ ...... G/ADP/27  – G/L/1366  
Minutes of the regular meeting held on 28 October 2020  ................................ ...G/AD P/M/58  WT/BISD/2020  
 
- 27 - 
 
 Competent authorities, Notifications pursuant to  
Article 16.5 of the Agreement  ..........................  G/ADP/N/14/Add.53  – G/SCM/N/18/Add.53  
Reports under Article 16.4 of the Agreement,  
Note by the Secretariat  
(December 2019 – November 2020)  ....................  G/ADP/N/317/Corr.1 , G/ADP/N/337 , 338, 
339, 340, 341, 343, 344, 345, 346, 347, 348, and 349 
 
 
Committee on Customs  Valuation * 
Annual Report of the Commit tee on Customs Valuation (2020)  ...............................  G/L/1372  
Annual Report of the independent entity (2020)  ................................ ....................  G/L/1373  
Minutes of the meeting held on 19 October 2020  ................................ ..............  G/VAL/M/70  
Fifth review of the Agreement on Preshipment Inspection,  
Background note by the Secretariat  ................................ ............................  G/VAL/W/363  
Information on the application of the decisions on the treatment of interest charges  
in the customs value of imported goods and on the valuation of carrier media bearing 
software for data processing equipment, Note by the Secretariat  ............  G/VAL/W/5/Rev.32  
Notifications under Article 5 of the Agreement  
on Preshipment Inspection  ......................  G/PSI/N/1/Rev.4/ Add.2 , Add.3 , Add.4 , and Add.5  
Preshipme nt Inspection, Note by the Secretariat  ................................ ... G/VAL/W/63/Rev.25  
Status of notifications of national legislation on customs valuation  
and responses to the checklist of issues,  Note by the Secretariat  .........  G/VAL/W/232/Rev.12  
Twenty -sixth annual review of the implementation and operation  
of the Agreement on Impl ementation of Article VII of the GATT 1994  ...................  G/VAL/77  
 
 
Committee on Import  Licensing  
Annual Report  (2020)  ................................ ................................ ........................  G/L/1369  
Minutes of the Meetings held on 9 October 2020  ................................ ................  G/LIC/M/51  
Consolidated  paper of written questions and replies submitted to  
the Committee on Import Licensing since 1995  ................................ ..... G/LIC/W/51/Rev.3  
Thirteenth biennial review of the implementation and operation  
of the Agreement on Import Licensing Procedures  ................................ ..............  G/LIC/29  
 
 
Committee on Market  Access  
Annual Report (2020)  ................................ ................................ ........................  G/L/1377  
Minutes of the meeting held on 8 June 2020  ................................ ...... G/MA/M/72  and Corr.1  
Factual report on the status of renegotiations under Article XXVIII of the GATT 1994,  
Report by the Secretariat  ................................ ...G/MA/W/123/Rev.6  and Corr.1 , and Rev.7  
International convention  on the harmonized commodity description and coding system , 
Changes in the harmonized system to be introduced on 1 January 2022  ...........  G/MA/W/163  
Introduction of harmonized system 2007 changes to schedules of concessions  
using the consolidated tariff schedu les (CTS) database,  
Periodic report by the Secretariat  ............  JOB/MA/104/Rev.22 , Rev.23 , Rev.24 , and Rev.25  
Introduction of harmonized system 2012 changes to schedules of concessions  
using the consolidated tariff schedules (CTS) database,  
Periodic report by the Secretariat  ................  JOB/MA/129/Rev.8 , Rev.9 , Rev.10 , and Rev.11  
Introduction of harmonized system 2017 changes to schedules of concessions  
using the consolidated tariff schedules (CTS) database,  
Periodic report by the S ecretariat  .. JOB/MA/143  and Rev.1  and Corr.1  and Corr.2 , and Rev.2  
 
* Including issues relating to preshipment inspection.  WT/BISD/2020  
 
- 28 - 
 
 Introduction of harmonized system 2022 changes,  
Correlation tables 2017/2022  ................................ ................................ ...... G/MA/W/164  
List of Members' official websites with tariff information and import statistics,  
Reports by the Secretariat  ..................  G/MA/IDB/W/13/Rev.1 , Rev.2  and Corr.1 , and Rev.3  
List of notifications and communications relating to the COVID -19 pandemic,  
Reports by the Secretariat  ................................ .... G/MA/W/157  and Rev.1 , 158 and Rev.1  
Situation of schedules of WTO Members, Note by t he Secretariat  ..............  G/MA/W/23 /Rev.16  
Status of HS transpositions, Report by the Secretariat  ................................ ...... G/MA/W/158  
Status of notifications under the Decision on notification procedures  
for quantitative restrictions (G/L/59/Rev.1),  
Reports by the Secretariat  ................................ ...................  G/MA/QR/9  and G/MA/QR/10  
Status of submissions to the integrated data base (IDB),  
Note by the Secretariat  ................................ ...................  G/MA/IDB/2/Rev.51  and Rev.52  
Trade in pharmaceutical products: consolidated list of products covered  
by the Sectoral Pharma Agreement , Note by the Secretariat  ............................  JOB/MA/142  
 
 
Committee on Rules of Ori gin 
Annual  Report (2020)  ................................ ................................ ........................  G/L/1378  
Minute s of the meetings held on 5 March and 13 November 2020  .............  G/RO/M/74  and 75 
Calculation of utilization rates under preferential duty schemes  
for least developed countries: the case of minerals and metals,   
Note by the Secretariat  ................................ ................................ ..............  G/RO/W/203  
Impact of direct consignment requirements on preference utilization  
by least developed countries, Note by the Secretariat  ...........................  G/RO/W/187/R ev.1 
Report to the General Council on preferential rules of origin 
for least developed countries (2020)  ................................ ................................ .. G/RO/91  
Status of notifications  of preferential rules of origin for LDCs  
and preferential import data, Note by the Secretariat  .............  G/RO/W/163/Rev.7  and Rev.8  
Summary of the informal session celebrating the 25th anniversary  
of the WTO Agreement on  Rules of Origin  ................................ .....................  G/RO/W/196  
Twenty -sixth annual  review of the implementation and operation  
of the Agreement on Rules of Origin, Note by the Secretariat  ................................  G/RO/92  
 
 
Committee on Safeguards  
Annual Report (2020)  ................................ ................................ ...... G/L/1367  – G/SG/251  
Minutes of the regular meeting held on 26 October  2020 ................................ .... G/SG/M/57  
 
 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  
Annual Report  (2020)  ................................ ................................ ........................  G/L/1376  
Summary of the m eetings  held on 25 -26 June , and 5 -6 and 13 November 2020,  
Note by the Secretariat  ................................ ..............................  G/SPS/R/99  and Corr.1 ,  
and 100 and Corr.1 , Corr.2 , and Corr.3  
Annual report on the implementation of Article 6 of the Agree ment 
on the Application  of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures,  
Note by the Secretariat  ................................ ................................ ........  G/SPS/GEN/1777  
Annual report on the procedure to monitor the process  
of international harmonization, Note by the Secretariat  ............................  G/SPS/GEN/1776  
Annual report on the use of the procedure to encourage and facilitate  
the resolution  of specific sanitary or phytosanitary issues  WT/BISD/2020  
 
- 29 - 
 
 among Members in accordance with Article 12.2 (G/SPS/61),  
Note by the Secretariat  ................................ ................................ ........  G/SPS/GEN/1829  
Collection of resources to facilitate implementation of  
national SPS coordination mechanisms,  
Note by the Secretariat  ................................ ........................  G/SPS/GEN/1850  and Rev.1  
Fifth review of the operation and implementation of  
the Agreement  on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures,  
Report adopted by the Committee on 26 June 2 020, Part A and Part B  .. G/SPS/64  and Add.1  
Specific trade concerns , Note by the Secretariat  ..............................  G/SPS/GEN/204/Rev.20  
SPS technical assistance  and training activities,  1 September 1994 to 31 December 2019,  
Note by the Secretariat  ................................ ..............................  G/SPS/GEN/521/Rev. 15 
Unofficial room document, SPS Committee , 
Ad referendum  adoption of decisions , reports , and other documents  .................  RD/SPS/111  
Unofficial room document, update on specific trade concerns (STCs),  
resolved/partially resolved STCs  ................................ ................................ ... RD/SPS/114  
Update on the standards  and trade development facility,  
Note by the Secretariat  ................................ ...............  G/SPS/GEN/1757 , 1785, and 1843 
WTO SPS technical assistance activities in 2020:  
General informatio n, Selection process and application form, 
Note by the Secretariat  ................................ .... G/SPS/GEN/997/Rev. 10, Add.1 , and Add.2  
 
 
Committee on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures  
Annual Report (2020)  ................................ ................................ .... G/L/1368  – G/SCM/157  
Minutes of the regular meeting held on 27 October 2020…………………………………… G/SCM/M/113  
Minutes of the special meeting held on 27 October 2020  ................................ . G/SCM/M/112  
Annex VII(b) of the Agre ement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures,  
Updating GNP per capita for Members listed in Annex VII(b)  
as foreseen in paragraph  10.1 of the Doha Ministerial Decisions  
and in accordance with the methodology in G/SCM/38 , 
Note by the Secretariat  ................................ ................................ ..... G/SCM/110/Add.17  
Competent authorities, Notifications pursuant to  
Article 25.12  of the Agreement  .........................  G/ADP/N/14/Add.52  – G/SCM/N/18/Add.52  
G/ADP/N/14/Add.53  – G/SCM/N/18/Add.53  
Notification provisions under the Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures 
(Revision) , Background Note by the Secretariat  ................................  G/SCM/W/546/Rev.11  
Reports under Article 25.11 of the Agreement (January – December 2020),  
Notes by the Secretariat  ..............................  G/SCM/N/ 359, 360 and Rev.1 , 361, 362, 364, 
365, 366, 367, 368, 369, 370, and 373 
 
 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  
Annual Report (2020)  ................................ ................................ ........................  G/L/1379  
Minutes of  the meetings held on 26 -27 February , 13-14 May, 28 -29 October 2020,  
Notes by the Secretariat  ................................ .............................  G/TBT/M/80 , 81, and 82 
Enhancements to the TBT eAgenda platform, Note by the Secretariat  ................. JOB/TBT/368  
Informal meeting held on 12 June 2020 on the use of the eAgenda platform  
for the Committee's written procedure that took place in May 2020  ................. JOB/TBT/367  
Informal meeting held on 8 December 2020 on conformity assessment procedures,  
COVID -19 information sharing and Workshop  
on the role of gender in the development of standards  ................................ ...JOB/TBT/395  
Overview of the TBT Committee's work on conformity assessment procedures,  
Note by Secretariat, Revisio n ................................ ............................  JOB/TBT/224/Rev.1  WT/BISD/2020  
 
- 30 - 
 
 Thematic session on conformity assessment procedures, held on 25 February 2020,  
Moderator's report  ................................ ................................ ................  G/TBT/GEN/288  
Thematic session on good regulatory practice, held on 25 February 2020,  
Moderator's report  ................................ ................................ ................  G/TBT/GEN/287  
Thematic session on technical assistance, held on 27 October 2020,  
Moderator's report  ................................ ................................ ................  G/TBT/GEN/306  
Thematic session on technical regulations: marking and labelling,  
held on 27 October 2020, Moderator's report  ................................ ...........  G/TBT/GEN/307  
Twenty -sixth annual  review of the implementation and operation of the TBT Agreement,   
Note by the Secretariat  ................................ ................................ ..................  G/TBT/45  
Workshop on the role of gender in the development of international standards,  
held on 8 December 2020, Moderator's report  ................................ ..........  G/TBT/GEN/309  
 
 
Committee on Trade Facilitation  
Annual Report (2020)  ................................ ................................ ........................  G/L/1375  
Minutes  of the meetings held on 11, 20 and 28 February,  
and 20 -22 October 2020  ................................ .....................   G/TFA/M/10 , 11, 12, and 13 
Report by the Annex D+ partner organizations to the Trade Facilitation Committee  
(20-22 Octobe r 2020)  ................................ ................................ .................  G/TFA/W/29  
Report by the Tra de Facilitation Agreement Facility to the Trade Facilitation Committee  
(20-21 October 2020)  ................................ ................................ .................  G/TFA/W/28  
 
 
Committee on Trade -Related Investment Measures  
Annual Report (2020)  ................................ ... G/L/1363  and Corr.1  – G/TRIMS/10  and Corr.1  
Minutes of the meeting held on 15 September 2020  ................................ ...... G/TRIMS/M/48  
Notifications under Article 6.2 of the TRIMS Agreement  
of publications  in which TRIMS  may be found ................................ .... G/TRIMS/N/2/Rev.29  
 
 
Committee of Participants on the Expansion of Trade in Information Technology 
Products  
Annual Report (2020)  ................................ ................................ ........................  G/L/1371  
Minutes of the meeting held on 30 October 2020  ................................ ................  G/IT/M/72  
EMC/EMI pilot project, Draft list of types of conformity assessment procedures  
for EMC/EMI use by ITA participants  ................................ ....................  G/IT/W/17/Rev.27  
HS2012 and HS2017 amendments in relation to ITA prod ucts and model lists,  
Technical note by the Secretariat  ................................ ................................ .... G/IT/W/51  
 
 
Working Party on State Trading Enterprises  
Annual Report (2020)  ................................ ................................ ...... G/L/1370  – G/STR/26  
Minutes of the meeting held on 2 November 2020  ................................ .............  G/STR/M/37  
Status of notifications  submitted by WTO Members  under Article XVII:4(a) of the GATT 1994 
and paragraph 1 of the Understanding on the Interpretation  
of Article XVII of the GATT 1994  ................................ .......................  G/STR/25  and Rev.1  
Vice-Chairperson for the Working Party on State Trading Enterprises  ......................  G/STR/24  
 
 WT/BISD/2020  
 
- 31 - 
 
 Council for Trade in Services  
Annual Report (2020)  ................................ ................................ .............................  S/C/60  
Reports of the meetings held on 1 July, 2 October , and 4 December 2020,  
Notes by the Secretariat  ................................ .............................  S/C/M/142 , 143, and 144 
Contact and enquiry points notified to the Council for Trade in Services,  
Note by the Secr etariat  ................................ ................................ ..........  S/ENQ/78/Rev.20  
Termination of the procedures under Article XXI of the General Agreement on Trade in Services 
(GATS), Communication from the Secretariat  ................................ .........................  S/L/432  
Work Programme on electronic  commerce, Report by the Chairman  
of the Council for Trade in Services to the General Council  ................................ ........  S/C/61  
 
 
Committee on Specific  Commitments  
Annual Report  (2020)  ................................ ................................ .......................  S/CSC/26  
Reports of the meetings held on 1  July, 1 October and 2 December 2020,  
Notes by the Secretariat  ................................ ............................. S/CSC/M/82 , 83, and 84 
Compilation of conditi onal commitments in GATS schedules,  
Note by the Secretariat  ................................ ..............................  S/CSC/W/70  and Corr.1  
 
 
Committee on Trade in Financial Services  
Annual Report (2020)  ................................ ................................ ........................  S/FIN/35  
Report of the meeting held on 14 July 2020, Note by the Secretariat  ....................  S/FIN/M/94  
 
 
Working Party on GATS Rules  
Annual Report (2020)  ................................ ................................ .....................  S/WPGR/31  
 
 
Working Party on Domestic Regulation  
Annual Report (2020)  ................................ ................................ .....................  S/WPDR/24  
 
 
Council for Trade -Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights  
Annual Report (2020)  ................................ ................................ . IP/C/87  and IP/C/87/Add.1  
Minutes of the meetings held on 6 February, 30 July, 15 -16 October , 
and 10 December 2020  ......................  IP/C/M/94  and Add.1 , 95 and Add.1 , and 96 and Add.1  
Annual review of the special compulsory licensing system,  
Report to the General Council  ................................ ...............................  IP/C/86  and Corr.1  
WTO Secretariat technical cooperation in the TRIPS area, 
Note by the Secretariat  ................................ ................................ .. IP/C/R/TC/WTO -OMC/1  
 
 WT/BISD/2020  
 
- 32 - 
 
 Other Regular WTO Bodies  
 
Committee on Balance -of-Payments Restrictions  
Annual Report (2020)  ................................ ................................ ................  WT/BOP/R/118  
 
 
Committee on Budget, Finance and Administration  
Annual Report (2020)  ................................ ................................ ...................  WT/BFA/192  
Annual Report on the activities of the Office of Internal Oversight (OIO)  
(2019 -2020)  ................................ ................................ .........................  WT/BFA/W/532  
2019 Annual Report on diversity in the WTO Secretariat  ...............................  WT/BFA/W/533  
2018-2019 Annual Report on grading structure in the WTO Secretariat  ...........  WT/BFA/W/516  
Reports of the meetings (2020)  .... WT/BFA/185  and Rev.1 , 186, 187, 188, 189, 190, and 191 
2021 WTO budget proposal  ................................ ........................  WT/BFA/W/523  and Rev.1  
2021 ITC budget proposal (ITC/BUD/72) ................................ ..........................  JOB/BFA/44  
Background of output reporting  ................................ ................................ . WT/BFA/W/518  
Coherence in the establishment and management of WTO trust funds ............  WT/BFA/W/522  
Extra budgetary funds reports (2020)  ................................ ..... WT/BFA/W/520 , 525, and 534 
LDC ministerial conference trust fund ................................ .........................  WT/BFA/W/512  
Proposed financial regulation for continuation of operations  
pending the approval of the budget  ................................ ..........  WT/BFA/W/507  and Rev.1  
Request to the CBFA to lift the limitation of expenditure  
against the Appellate Body Member fees................................ ...................  WT/BFA/W/529  
Status of internal audit recommendations (April 2020)  ................................ . WT/BFA/W/517  
Strategic facilities plan ................................ ................................ ..............  WT/BFA/W/519  
Update on WTO medical insurance plan and ASHI liabilities  ...........................  WT/BFA/W/511  
WTO budget and finance reports (2020)  ................................ . WT/BFA/W/521 , 530, and 535 
WTO 2019 financial performance  report ................................ ......................  WT/BFA/W/527  
 
 
Committee  on Regional Trade Agreements  
Annual Report (2020)  ................................ ................................ .....................  WT/REG/31  
Notes on the meetings held on 27 July, 22 September , 
and 18 November 2020  ................................ ...........................  WT/REG/M/96 , 97, and 98 
Implementation of the RTA transparency mechanism,  
Status of the preparation of factual presentations,  
Background note by the Secretariat  .............................  WT/REG/W/147 , 150, 152, and 155 
List of RTAs which have appeared in factual presentat ions 
and have not yet been notified to the WTO  ..........  WT/REG/W/146/Rev.1 , 149, 151, and 154 
Regional trade agreements  subject to implementation reports,  
Updated as of 15 April 2020  ................................ ................................ .... WT/REG/W/148  
 
 
Consideration of RTAs  
Accessions of Samoa and Solomon Islands to the  
Interim Partnership Agreement between  
the European Union and the Pacific States  ....................  See WT/REG408/  – WT/REG409/  
Agreement  between Canada, Mexico and the United States  See WT/REG407/  – S/C/N/1017  WT/BISD/2020  
 
- 33 - 
 
 Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement  between  
India and the Republic of Korea  ................................ .........................  See WT/REG286/  
Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement between  
the European Union and the Republic of Armenia  ................................ . See WT/REG405/  
Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement  between  
China and Macao, China  ................................ ................................ ..... See S/C/N/265/  
Comprehensive Economic Partne rship among Japan and  
Member States of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)  ... See WT/REG277/  
Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement between  
Chile and Indonesi a................................ ................................ ..........  See WT/REG403/  
Economic Partnership Agreement between  
the European Union and Cameroon  ................................ ....................  See WT/REG274/  
Economic Partnership Agreement between  
the European Union and SADC States  
(Botswana, L esotho, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa and Eswatini)  .. See WT/REG381/  
European Union and Viet Nam Free Trade Agreement  ........  See WT/REG406/  – S/C/N/1016  
Free Trade Agreement betwee n the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)  
and the Republic of Korea  ................................ ................................ . See WT/REG287/  
Free Trade Agreement betwee n the EFTA States  
(Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland) and the Philippines  ..... See WT/REG394/  
Free Trade Agreement betwee n  
the European Union and Singapore  ...............................  See WT/REG402/  – S/C/N/1003  
Free Trade Agreement between the GUAM Participating States  
(Republic of Moldova, Azerbaij an, Georgia and Ukraine)  .......................  See WT/REG383 / 
Free Trade Agreement between  
Hong Kong, China and Australia  ................................ ...... See WT/REG400/  – S/C/N/986  
Free Trade Agreement between Hong Kong, China and Georg ia ...............  See WT/REG397/  
Free Trade Agreement  between Peru and Australi a ............  See WT/REG 404/ – S/C/N/1015  
Free Trade Agreeme nt between Peru and Honduras  ................................  See WT/RE G393/  
Free Trade Agreement betwee n  
the Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR) and Israel  ........................  See WT/REG398/  
Interim  Agreement between  
the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and Iran  ................................ ..... See WT/REG401/  
Mainland China and Hong Kong,   
China Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA)  ........................  See S/C/N/264/  
North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)  ........................  See WT/REG4/  – S/C/N/4/  
Regional Trade Agreements between the United Kingdom and Various Partners:  
United Kingdom and Cameroon ................................ ........................  See WT/REG418/  
United Kingdom and Canada  ................................ ...........................  See WT/REG419/  
United Kingdom and the CAR IFORUM States  ...............  See WT/REG420/  – S/C/N/1025  
United Kingdom and Central America  ..........................  See WT/REG422/  – S/C/N/1026  
United Kingdom and Chile  ................................ ..........  See WT/REG423/  – S/C/N/1027  
United Kingdom and Colombia  ................................ .... See WT/REG410/  – S/C/N/1024  
United Kingdom and Côte d'Ivoire  ................................ ....................  See WT/REG421/  
United Kingdom and Denmark with respect to the Faroe Islands  ..........  See WT/REG424/  
United Kingdom and Eastern an d Southern Africa States  .....................  See WT/REG427 / 
United Kingdom, Ecuador and Peru  .............................  See WT/REG425/  – S/C/N/1028  
United King dom and Egypt  ................................ ..............................  See WT/REG426/  
United Ki ngdom and Georgia  ................................ ...... See WT/REG440/  – S/C/N/1035  
United Kingdom and Israel  ................................ ..............................  See WT/REG428/  
United Kingdom and Japan  ................................ .........  See WT/REG441/  – S/C/N/1036  
United Kingdom and Kenya  ................................ .............................  See WT/REG417/  WT/BISD/2020  
 
- 34 - 
 
 United Kingdom and the Republic of Kor ea ...................  See WT/REG431/  – S/C/N/1029  
United Kingdom and Kosovo1................................ ...........................  See WT/REG411/  
United Kingdom and Lebanon  ................................ ..........................  See WT/REG412/  
United Kingdom and the Republic of  Moldova  ...............  See WT/REG439/  – S/C/N/1034  
United Kingdom and Morocco  ................................ ..........................  See WT/REG429/  
United Kingdom and North Macedoni a ...............................  WT/REG438/  – S/C/N/1033  
United Kingdom and Norway and Iceland  ................................ ..........  See WT/REG430/  
United Kingdom and the Pacific St ates ................................ ..............  See WT/REG413/  
United Kingdom and the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) for the benefit of the 
Palestinian Authority of the West Bank and Gaza Strip  .....................  See WT/REG416/  
United Kingdom and Samoa  ................................ ............................  See WT/REG414/  
United Kingdom and Singapore  ................................ ... See WT/REG432/  – S/C/N/1030  
United Kingdom and the Solomon Islands  ................................ .........  See WT/REG415/  
United Kingdom and Switzerland and Liechtenstein  ............................  See WT/REG437/   
United Ki ngdom and Tunisia  ................................ ............................  See WT/REG433/  
Unite d Kingdom and Turkey  ................................ ............................  See WT/REG434/  
United Kingdom and Ukraine  ................................ ...... See WT/REG435 / – S/C/N/1031  
United Kingdom and Viet Nam  ................................ .... See WT/REG436/  – S/C/N/1032  
 
 
Committee on Trade and Development  
Annual Report (2020)  ................................ ................................ ..............  WT/COMT D/100  
Notes on the meetings held on 26 May, 29 September ,  
and 20 November 2020  ................................ .................  WT/COMTD/M/111 , 112, and 113 
Note on the meeting of the fortieth dedicated session  
held on 2 November 2020  ................................ ................................  WT/COMTD/SE/M/40  
Proposed new format for the annual performance report  
on technical assistance and training  ................................ ..............................  JOB/DEV/63  
 
 
Dedicated Session on Regi onal Trade Agreements  
Notes on the meetings of the tenth and eleventh dedicated sessions  
on regional trade agreements  
held on 19 September  and 20 November 2020  .................  WT/COMTD/RTA/M/11  and 12  
Consideration  of preferential trade agreements,  
Status of work of the Dedicated Session,  
Status of the preparation of factual presentations,  
Report by the Chairman  ................................ ..............................  WT/COMTD/PTA/W/2  
Consideration of regional trade agreements,  
Status of work of the Dedicated Session,  
Status of the preparation of factual presentations,  
Reports by the Chairman  ................................ ...................  WT/COMTD/RTA/W/4  and 5 
 
 
Consideration of RTAs  
Accession of Egypt  to COMESA  (Goods) ................................ ....... See WT/COMTD/RTA16/  
Agreement between  Mexico and the Plurinational State of Bolivia  
(Goods)  ................................ ................................ ..................  See WT/COMTD/RTA8/  
 
1 Reference to Kosovo shall be understood to be in the context of the United Nations Security Council 
Resolution 1244 (1999).  WT/BISD/2020  
 
- 35 - 
 
 Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement between  
India and the Republic of Korea (Goods)  ................................ ... See WT/COMTD/RTA17/  
Economic Complementarity  Agreement between  
Mexico and the Plurinational State of Bolivia (Goods)  ...................  See WT/COMTD/R TA8/ 
Framework Agreement  for Establishing a Free Trade Area between India and Thailand  
(Goods)  ................................ ................................ ..................  See WT/COMTD/RTA9/  
Free Trade Agreem ent between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)  
and the Republic of Korea (Goods)  ................................ ...........  See WT/COMTD/RTA13/  
Partial Scope Agreement  between El Salvador and Ecuador (Goods)  . See WT/COMTD/RTA2/  
Preferential Trade Agreement between India and Afghanistan  
(Goods)  ................................ ................................ ................  See WT/COMTD/RTA14/  
Preferential Trade Agreement between the Southern Commo n Market (MERCOSUR)  
and the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) (Goods)  ...........  See WT/COMTD/RTA11/  
Regional Trade  Agreement between India and Nepal  .....................  See WT/COMTD/RTA18/  
 
 
Aid-for-Trade  Initiative  
Notes on the meetings  of forty-eighth, forty-ninth, and fiftieth sessions on Aid for Trade  
held on 11 February , 7 July , and 5 October 2020  .........  WT/COMTD/AFT/M/48 , 49, and 50  
Aid for Trade work programme 2020 -2022,  
Empowering connected, sustainable trade .... WT/COMTD/AFT/W/81 , and Rev.1  and Add.1  
Economic diversification and empowerment, Joint OECD -WTO Aid -For-Trade  
monitoring and evaluation exercise for the Global Review 2019  ...... WT/COMTD/AFT/W/83  
 
 
Dedicated Session on Monitoring Mechanism on Special and Differential Treatment  
Note on the meeting  held on 20 November 2020  ..........................  WT/COMTD/MMSDT/M/13  
 
 
Dedicated Session on Preferential Trade Arrangements  
Note on the meeting held on 20 November 2020  ................................ . WT/COMTD/PTA/M/4  
 
 
Sub-Committee on Least Developed Countries  
Notes on the meetings held on  
30 June and 11 November 2020  ................................ ........  WT/COMTD/LDC/M/88  and 89 
Market access  for products and services of export interest to least developed countries,  
Note by the Secretariat  ................................ ...............................  WT/COMTD/LDC/W/68  
 
 
Committee on Trade and Environment  
Annual Report (2020)  ................................ ................................ .....................  WT/CTE/27  
Reports of the meeting held on 3 July 20 20, Note by the Secretariat  ................. WT/CTE /M/69  
 
 
Working Group on Trade, Debt and Finance  
Annual Report (2020)  ................................ ................................ ................  WT/WGTDF/19  
Expert group meeting on trade finance,  
Informal report by the WTO Secretariat  ................................  WT/WGTDF/W/93 , 95, and 96 WT/BISD/2020  
 
- 36 - 
 
 Questions regarding access to trade finance in the context of COVI D-19, 
Communication from Côte d'Ivoire  ................................ ........................  WT/WGTDF/W/98  
Reports of the meetings held 2 July and 10 November 2020  .............  WT/WGTDF/M/39  and 40 
Trade finance : recent  developments, Report by the Secretariat  ...................  WT/WGTDF/W/97  
 
 
Working Group on Trade and Transfer of Technology  
Annual Report (2020)  ................................ ................................ ................  WT/WGTTT/22  
Notes on the meetings held on 28 September  and 8 December 2020  . WT/WGTTT/M/63  and 64 
 
 
Accessions  
WTO accessions,  
2020 annual  report by the Director -General  ..................  WT/ACC/38/Rev.1  – WT/G C/228/Rev.1  
List of current accession  working parties  ................................ ......................  WT/ACC/17/Rev.7  
List of WTO accessions  working party Chairpersons  ................................ ...... WT/ACC/18/Rev.15  
Working party on the accession of the Union of Comoros,  
Membership  and terms of reference  ................................ ..................... WT/ACC/COM/2/Rev.5  
Working party on the accession of Curaçao,  
Membership  and terms of reference  ................................ .............................. WT/ACC/CUW/2  
Working party on the accession of Ethiopia,  
Membership  and terms of reference  ................................ ....................  WT/ACC/ETH/2/Rev.17  
Working party on the accession of Somalia,  
Membership and terms of reference  ................................ .....................  WT/ACC/SOM/2/Rev.1  
Working party on the accession of Timor -Leste , 
Membership  and terms of reference  ................................ ......................  WT/ACC/TLS/2/Rev.3  
Working party on the accession of Uzbekistan,  
Membership and terms of reference  ................................ ...................  WT/ACC/UZB/1/Rev.27  
 
 
Appellate Body  
Annual Report (2019 -2020)  ................................ ................................ ....................  WT/AB/30  
 
 
Trade Negotiations Committee  
Report by the Director -General at the Informal Trade Negotiations Committee  
and Informal  Heads  of Delegation Meeting  
held on 2 March 2020  ................................ .................  WT/GC/M/182 , Annex 3 – JOB/TNC/78  
Statement by the Director -General at the virtual Informal Heads of Delegations Meeting  
held on 17 April 2020 ................................ ................................ .......................  JOB/TNC/80  
Statement by the Director -General at the virtual Informal Heads of Dele gations Meeting  
held on 14 May 2020 ................................ ................................ .......................  JOB/TNC/85  
Report by the Director -General at the Informal Trade Negotiations Committee  
and Informal  Heads  of Delegation Meeting  
held on 29 May 2020  ................................ ....................  WT/GC/M/184 , Item 1 – JOB/GC/231  
Statement by the Chairperson at the For mal TNC and Informal Heads of Delegation Meeting  
held on 20 July 2020  ................................ ................................ ........................  JOB/TNC/86  
Report by the Director -General at the General Council Meeting  
held on 22 -23 and 31 July 2020  ................................ ..... WT/GC/M/186 , Item 1 – JOB/GC/241  
Report by the Deputy Director -General at the General Council Meeting  
held on 13 October  2020 ................................ .............  WT/GC/M/187 , Annex 1 – JOB/TNC/87  WT/BISD/2020  
 
- 37 - 
 
 Report by the Chair at the Informal Trade Negotiations Committee  
and Informal Heads  of Delegation Meeting  
held on 16-18 December 2020   ................................ .... WT/GC/M/188 , Annex 2 – JOB/TNC/89  
 
 
Committee on Agriculture in Special Session  
Report by the Chairperson at the Informal Trade Negotiations Committee  
and Informal  Heads  of Delegation Meeting   
held on 2 March 2020  ................................ ............  WT/GC/M/182 , Annex 3 – JOB/AG/183  
Report by the Chairperson at the Informal Trade Negotiations Committee  
and Informal Heads  of Delegation Meeting  
held on 29 May 2020  ................................ ...............  WT/GC/M/184 , Item 1 – JOB/GC/231  
Report by the Chairperson  at the Informal Trade Negotiations Committee  
and Informal Heads of Delegation Meeting  
held on 13 October  2020 ................................ ........  WT/GC/M/187 , Annex 1 – JOB/TNC/87  
Report by the Chairperson  at the Infor mal Trade Negotiations Committee  
and Informal  Heads of Delegation Meeting  
held on 16-18 December 2020  ...........  WT/GC/M/188 , Annex 2 – JOB/TNC/89  – JOB/AG/191  
Elements and processes  for a possible outcome in agriculture at MC12,  
Report by the Chairperson , 14 February 2020  ................................ ................  JOB/AG/180  
Implications of COVID -19 and continuity of COA -SS negotiations,  
Assessment  by the Chair, 24 June 2020  ................................ ........................  JOB/AG/1 87 
 
 
Cotton  
 
Sub-Committee on Cotton  
Cotton, Background  Paper by the Secretariat,   
Addendum  ................................ ....................  TN/AG/GEN/34/Rev.12 , Add.1  and Add.2   
TN/AG/SCC/GEN/13/Rev.12 , Add.1  and Add.2 , 
TN/AG/GEN/34/Rev.13 , Add.1 , Add.2 , and Add.3  – 
TN/AG/SCC/GEN/13/Rev.13 , Add.1 , Add.2 , and Add.3  
Report by the Chair person  at the  Informal Trade Negotiations Committee  
and Informal  Heads of Delegations Meeting  
held on 2 March 2020  ...................  WT/GC/M/182 , Annex 3 – JOB/AG/183  – JOB/TNC/78  
Report  by the Chairperson at the Informal Trade Negotiations Committee  
and Informal Heads of Delegation Meeting  
held on 29 May 2020  ................................ ...........  WT/GC/M/184 , Item 1 – JOB/GC/231  
 
Report by the Chair person  at the Informal Trade Negotiations Committee  
and informal  Heads of Delegations Meetings  
held on 12 October 2020  ................................ .... WT/GC/M/187 , Annex 1 – JOB/TNC/87   
Report by the Chairperson at the Informal Trade Negotiations Committee  
and Informal Heads of Delegation Meeting  
held on 16-18 December 2020  ....... WT/GC/M/188 , Annex 2 – JOB/TNC/89  – JOB/AG/191  
Report, Information session on COVID -19 and cotton "from facts to solutions",  
30 July 2020 ................................ ........................  TN/AG/SCC/W/34  – WT/CFMC/W/82  
13th dedicated discus sion of the relevant trade -related developments for cotton  
held on 30 July 2020, Report by the Chairperson ..................  TN/AG/45  – TN/AG/SCC/15  
14th dedicated  discussion of the relevant trade -related developments for cotton  
held on 13  November 2020, Report by the Chairperson  .........  TN/AG/48  – TN/AG/SCC/16  
 
 WT/BISD/2020  
 
- 38 - 
 
 Director -General's Consultative Framework Mechanism on Cotton  
Evolving table on cotton develo pment assistance,  
29th and 30th versions  ................................ ................  WT/CFMC/6/Rev.28  and Rev.29  
Implementation  of the development assistance aspects  of the cotton -related discussions 
in the 2004 July package  and paragraph 12 of the Hong Kong Ministerial Declaration,  
Item 2c – Coherence between trade and development aspects:  
Updat e on the development aspects of cotton report of the 33rd round  
of the Director -General's Consultative Framework Mechanism on Cotton,  
30 July 2020  ................................ ..........................  TN/AG/SCC/W/35  – WT/CFMC/62  
Updating the WTO Director -General's consultati ve framework  
mechanism on cotton, Conceptual note from the Secretariat  .................  WT/CFMC/W/80  
WTO launch of World Cotton Day (WCD), 7 October 2019,  
Report  ................................ ................................ ... TN/AG/SCC/W/33  – WT/CFMC/61  
 
 
Committee on Trade and Development in Special Session  
Note on the meetings held on 23 September  2020 ................................ ..........  TN/CTD/M/55  
Report  by the Chairperson at the Informal Trade Negotiations Committee  
and Informal Heads of Delegat ion Meeting  
held on 2 March 2020  ................................ ............  WT/GC/M/182 , Annex 3 – JOB/TNC/78  
Report by the Chairperson at the Informal  Trade Negotiations Committee  
and Informal Heads of Delegation Meeting  
held on 13 October 2020  ................................ ........  WT/GC/M/187 , Annex 1 – JOB/TNC/87  
Report by the Chairperson at the Infor mal Trade Negotiations Committee  
and Informal Heads of Delegation Meeting  
held on 16-18 December 2020  ................................  WT/GC/M/188 , Annex 2 – JOB/TNC/89  
 
 
Council for Trade in Services in Special Session  
Oral report by the Chair  of the Special Session of the CTS at the  
Informal Trade Negotiations Committee and Informal Heads of Delegation Meeting  
held on 12 October 2020  ................................ ........  WT/GC/M/187 , Annex 1 – JOB/TNC/7 7 
Report by the Chairperson at the Informal  Trade Negotiations Committee  
and Informal  Heads of Delegation Meeting  
held on 16-18 December 2020  ................................  WT/GC/M/188 , Annex 2 – JOB/TNC/89  
Summary  of discussions by the Chairperson,  
Informal Meeting of 21 October 2020  ................................ ........................  JOB/SERV/303  
Summary of discussions by the Chairperson,  
Informal Meeting of 9 December 2020 ................................ .......................  JOB/SERV/304  
 
 
Council for Trade -Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights in Special Session  
Minutes of the meeting  held on 30 July 2020  ................................ .....................  TN/IP/M/33  
Report by the Chairperson  at the Informal Trade Negotiations Committee  
and Informal Heads of Delegation Meeting  
held on 2 March 2020  ................................ ............  WT/GC/M/182 , Item 12 – JOB/TNC/78  
Report by the Director -General at the Informal Trade Negotiations Committee  
and Informal Heads of Delegation Meeting  
held on 29 May 2020  ................................ ...............  WT/GC/M/184 , Item 1 – JOB/GC/231  
Report by the Deputy  Director -General at the Informal Trade Negotiations Committee  
and Informal Heads of Delegation Meeting  
held on 12 October 2020  ................................ ........  WT/GC/M/187 , Annex 1 – JOB/TNC/7 7 WT/BISD/2020  
 
- 39 - 
 
 Report by the Chairperson at the Informal Trade Negotiations Committee  
and Informal Heads of Delegation Meeting  
held on 16-18 December 2020  ................................ .... WT/GC/M/188 , Annex 2 – TN/RL/33  
Multilateral system of notifications and registration of geographical indications  
for wines and spirits, Report by the Chairman  ................................ ....................  TN/IP/28  
 
 
Dispute Settlement Body in Spec ial Session  
Report by the Chairperson  at the Informal Trade Negotiations Committee and Informal Heads 
of Delegations  meetings held on 12 October 2020  ..... WT/GC/M/187 , Annex 1 – JOB/TNC/87  
 
 
Negotiating Group on Rules  
Amendments and/or references that may be considered depending on whether new 
fisheries subsidies disciplines would take the form of an Annex  
to the Agreement on Subsidies  and Countervailing Measures  
or a new, standalone WTO Agreement, Paper by the Secretariat  ....................  RD/TN/RL/132  
Elimination  of subsid ies that contribute to illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing – 
Facilitator's working paper ................................ ..............................  RD/TN/RL/113/Rev.2  
Overcapacity and overfishing – Facilitator's working Paper  ....................  RD/TN/RL/114/Rev.2  
Fisheries subsidies, Draft consolidated text ................................ ...................  RD/TN/RL/126  
Fisheries subsidies , Informal open-ended meeting at HOD level, 
Chair's introductory  remarks on 25 June 2020  ................................ ..... RD/TN/RL/126/Add.1  
Fisheries subsidies, Draft consolidated text, First revision ......................  RD/TN/RL/126/Rev.1  
Fisheries subsidies, Informal open-ended meeting at HOD level, 
Chair's introductory remarks on 2 November 2020  ......................  RD/TN/RL/126/Rev.1/Add.1  
Fisheries  subsidies, Draft consolidated text, Second revision  .................  RD/TN/RL/126/Rev.2   
Fisheries  subsidies , Chair's explanatory note accompanying RD/TN/RL/126/Rev.2  
on 18 December 2020  ................................ ...........................  RD/TN/RL/126/Rev.2/Add.1  
Fisheries subsidies , Report by the Chair to the Trade Negotiations Committee  ..........  TN/RL/33  
Report by the Chairperson at the Informal Trade Negotiations Committee  
and Informal Heads of Delegation Meeting  
held on 2 March 2020  ................................ ............  WT/GC/M/182 , Annex 3 – JOB/TNC/78  
Report by the Chairperson at the Informal Trade Negotiations Committee  
and Report by the Director -General  
held on 29 May  2020 ................................ ...............  WT/GC/M/184 , Item 1  – JOB/GC/231  
Report by the Chairperson at the Informal Trade Negotiations Committee  
and Informal Heads of Delegation  Meeting  
held on 13 October  2020 ................................ ........  WT/GC/M/187 , Annex 1 – JOB/TNC/87  
Report by the Chairperson of the Trade Negotiations Committee  
and Informal Heads of Delegation Meeting  
held on 16-18 December  2020 ................................  WT/GC/M/188 , Annex 2 – JOB/TNC/88  
 
 
Committees under the Plur ilateral Trade Agreements  
 
Committee  on Government Procurement  
Annual Report (2020)  ................................ ................................ .......................  GPA/AR/3  
Minutes of the formal meetings  ................................ ...................  GPA/M/78 , 79, 80, and 81 
Accession of the United Kingdom to the Agreement of  Government Procurement  
in its own right, Decision of the Committee  ................................ ..............  GPA/CD/2/Add.2  WT/BISD/2020  
 
- 40 - 
 
 Compilation of information provided by GPA parties and observers  
on their COVID -19-related government procurement measures,  
Note by the Secretariat  ................................ ................................ ....................  GPA/S/2  
Systematic compilation of documents concerning individual GPA accession processes,  
State -of-play as of 30 October 2020,  Note by the Secretariat  .................  GPA/S/1  and Rev.1  
Unofficial room documents, informal closing sessions,  
Chairman's statements  ................................ ............................  RD/GPA/97 , 106, and 109 
Unofficial room documents, summari es  
of the informal plurilateral discussions  ..........  RD/GPA/99 , 100, 102, 107, 108, 111, and 112 
 
 
Committee on Trade in Civil Aircraft  
Annual Report  (2020)  ................................ ................................ ....... TCA/16  – WT/L/1100  
Minutes of the meeting held on 11 November 2020  ................................ ..............  TCA/M/37  
 
 
Other  
 
Joint Statement on E -commerce  
Consolidat ed negotiating text – December 2020  ..............................  INF/ECOM/62  and Rev.1 
Facilitator's  note, Services market access , 
List of proponents' sectors of interest  ................................ ..........................  INF/ECOM/55  
Facilitator's  reports, Seventh negotiating round ................................ ............  INF/ECOM/R/7  
WTO electronic  commerce negotiations, Stocktake text – August 2020  ..............  INF/ECOM/57  
 
 
Informal Working Group on MSMEs  
Annual report (2020)  ................................ ................................ ................  INF/MSME/R/21  
Summary of discuss ions held on 17, 26 and 29 June, 1 and 24 July, 20 October,  
5 November and 11 December 2020  ...........  INF/MSME/R/14 , 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, and 22 
Consolidation of potential topics and actions for future work  
by the IWG on MSMEs  ................................ ................................ ...........  INF/MSME/W/29  
Declaration on micro, small and medi um-sized enterprises (MSMEs)  ...................  INF/MSM E/4 
Informal Working Group on MSMEs, Members of the Group  ....... INF/MSME/2/Rev.3  and Rev.4  
 
 
Investment Facilitation for Development  
Summary by the Coordinator of discussions held on 27 February, 5 and 24 June,  
10 and 24 July, 24 -25 September, 8 -9 October, 9 -10 November  
and 7 -8 December 2020  ..........................  INF/IFD/R/11 , 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, and 19 
Informal Ministerial meeting on investment facilitation for development,  
23 January 2020, Davos, Switzerland,  
Report by the Coordinator  ................................ ................................ ........  INF/IFD/W/13  
Informal consolidate d text and revisions  ..................  INF/IFD/R D/50 and Rev.1 , Rev.2 , Rev.3 ,  
Rev.4 , Rev.5 , and Rev.6  
Streamlined text  ................................ ................................ .......................  INF/IFD/RD/45  
 
 WT/BISD/2020  
 
- 41 - 
 
 Joint Initiative on Services Domestic Regulation * 
Informal summaries by the Chairperson of meetings held on 4 February,  
5 March, 16 June, 9  and 29 July, 22 September, 15 October,  
11 November , and 10 December 2020  ...... INF/SDR/R/9 , 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, and 17 
Relationship between the disciplines on services domestic regulation  
developed by the Joint Initiative and the GATS  ................................ .............  INF/SDR/W/4  
 
 
Trade and Women's Economic Empowerment  
Interim report following  the Buenos Aires joint declaration on trade  
and women's economic empowerment  ................................ ............  WT/L/1095  and Rev.1  
 
 
Information  
Central Registry of Notifications (CRN), Revision  ................................ ....... WT/INF/25/Rev.2  
 
 
__________  
 
* All informal indicative draft schedules of relevant Members' specific commitments have been circulated 
in the INF/SDR/IDS/  series.