WT/GC/W/898  
 
19 July 2023  
(23-4882) Page: 1/3 
General Council  
24-25 July 2023    
 
  
PROPOSED AGENDA  
1. REPORT BY THE CHAIR OF THE TRADE NEGOTIATIONS COMMITTEE AND REPORT BY 
THE DIRECTOR -GENERAL  
 
2. THIRTEENTH SESSION OF THE MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE – ADMINISTRATIVE 
MATTERS  
 
A. ELECTION OF OFFICERS  
 
B. ATTENDANCE OF OBSERVERS  
 
C. ATTENDANCE OF NON -GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS  
 
3. FOLLOW -UP TO OUTCOMES OF MINISTERIAL CONFERENCES  
 
A. MC12 - WTO REFORM  
 
(i) Report by the Chairperson1 
 
(ii) Proposed Revisions to WT/L/452 "Procedures for the Circulation and Derestriction 
of WTO Documents" – Communication from Australia; Brazil; Canada; Colombia; 
Costa Rica; European Union; New Zealand; Norway; Switzerland; Separate 
Customs Territory of Taiwan,  Penghu, Kinmen And Matsu; and the United 
Kingdom (WT/GC/W/897)  
 
(iii) A development Perspective on Institutional Reforms of the World Trade 
Organization – Communication from the African Group (WT/GC/W/895)  
 
(iv) WTO Ministerial Conferences – Communication  from Brazil (WT/GC/W/882)  
 
(v) Maximising the Value of WTO Ministerial Conferences – Communication from 
Australia; Canada; China; Japan; New Zealand; Norway ; and Thailand 
(WT/GC/W/873/Rev.1)  
 
(vi) 30 for 30 Suggestions for Improving the Functioning in WTO – Request from India 
(WT/GC/W/874)  
 
(vii) Small Steps to Make a Difference – Communication from Australia; China; and 
Thailand (WT/GC/W/879/ Rev.2) 
 
(viii) Reinforcing the Deliberative Function of the WTO to Respond to Global Trade 
Policy Challenges – Communication from the European Union (WT/GC/W/864)  
 
(ix) Dispute Settlement Reform – Communication from the African Group 
(WT/GC/W/892)  
 
 
1 JOB/GC/345/Add.1  – State of Play - in WTO Councils, Committees, and Negotiating Bodies - "Reform 
by Doing" . WT/GC/W/898  
 
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  B. MC12 - WORK PROGRAMME ON ELECTRONIC COMMERCE  
 
(i) Review of Progress  
 
(ii) Reinvigoration of Work Programme on Electronic Commerce and Moratorium on 
Imposing Customs Duties on Electronic Transmissions – Request from India and 
South Africa  
 
(iii) Reinvigorating the Work under the 1998 Work Programme on Electronic 
Commerce: A Deve lopment Approach to the Work Programme on E Commerce – 
Communication from the African Group (WT/GC/W/875/ Rev.1)  
 
C. MC12 - PARAGRAPH 8 OF THE MINISTERIAL DECISION ON THE TRIPS AGREEMENT – 
DURATION OF EXTENDED DEADLINE2 
 
D. MC12 - PARAGRAPH 24 OF THE MINIS TERIAL DECLARATION ON THE WTO RESPONSE 
TO THE COVID -19 PANDEMIC AND PREPAREDNESS FOR FUTURE PANDEMICS3 – 
STATEMENT BY THE CHAIRPERSON  
 
E. BUENOS AIRES (MC11), NAIROBI (MC10) AND BALI (MC9 ) 
 
4. WORK PROGRAMME ON SMALL ECONOMIES – REPORT BY THE CHAIR OF THE 
DEDICATED SESSION OF THE COMMITTEE ON TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT  
 
5. COMMITTEE ON BUDGET, FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION – REPORTS ON 
MEETINGS OF MARCH AND MAY 2023 (WT/BFA/211, WT/BFA/212)  
 
6. TRADE RELATED CHALLENGES OF THE LEAST -DEVELOPED COUNTRIES AND WAY 
FORWARD: PROPOSAL FOR WTO SMOOTH TRANSITION MEASURES IN FAVOUR OF 
COUNTRIES GRADUATED FROM THE LDC CATEGORY – COMMUNICATION FROM 
DJIBOUTI ON BEHALF OF THE LDC GROUP (WT/GC/W/807/REV.2)  
 
7. FOOD SECURITY THROUGH AGRICULTURAL REFORM: TOWARDS AGRICULTURE 
OUTCOMES AT THE 13TH MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE - COMMUNICATION FROM 
ARGENTINA; THE PLURINATIONAL STATE OF BOLIVIA; BRAZIL; CHILE; COLOMBIA; 
COSTA RICA; ECUADOR; EL SALVADOR; GUATEMALA; HONDURAS; PANAMA; 
PARAGUAY; PERU; THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC; AND URUGUAY (WT/ GC/W/893)  
 
8. PRINCIPLES GUIDING THE DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF TRADE -
RELATED ENVIRONMENTAL MEASURES – COMMUNICATION FROM THE AFRICAN 
GROUP (WT/GC/W/894)  
 
9. POLICY SPACE FOR INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT - A CASE FOR REBALANCING TRADE 
RULES TO PROMOTE IND USTRIALISATION AND TO ADDRESS EMERGING 
CHALLENGES SUCH AS CLIMATE CHANGE, CONCENTRATION OF PRODUCTION AND 
DIGITAL INDUSTRIALISATION – COMMUNICATION FROM THE AFRICAN GROUP 
(WT/GC/W/868)  
 
A. A CASE FOR REBALANCING THE AGREEMENT ON SUBSIDIES AND COUNTERVAILIN G 
MEASURES (ASCM) – POLICY SPACE TO PROMOTE INDUSTRIALISATION IN 
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES – COMMUNICATION FROM THE AFRICAN GROUP 
(WT/GC/W/880)  
 
B. THE ROLE OF TRANSFER OF TECHNOLOGY IN RESILIENCE BUILDING: 
REINVIGORATING THE DISCUSSIONS IN THE WTO ON TRADE AND  TRANSFER OF 
TECHNOLOGY – COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE AFRICAN GROUP (WT/GC/W/883, 
WT/GC/W/884, WT/GC/W/885, WT/GC/W/886, WT/GC/W/887, WT/GC/W/888)  
 
 
2 WT/L/1141 . 
3 WT/L/1142 . WT/GC/W/898  
 
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  C. A CASE FOR REBALANCING THE AGREEMENT ON TRADE -RELATED INVESTMENT 
MEASURES (TRIMS) – POLICY SPACE TO PROMOTE I NDUSTRIALISATION AND 
STRUCTURAL TRANSFORMATION IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES (WT/GC/W/896)  
 
10. STRENGTHENING THE RESILIENCE AND STABILITY OF GLOBAL INDUSTRIAL AND 
SUPPLY CHAINS – COMMUNICATION FROM CHINA (WT/GC/W/891)  
 
11. BRIEFING ON THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS IN  THE ACCESSION OF COMOROS - 
REQUEST FROM MOROCCO  
 
12. BRIEFING ON THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS IN THE ACCESSION OF TIMOR -LESTE – 
REQUEST FROM PORTUGAL  
 
13. WAIVERS UNDER ARTICLE IX OF THE WTO AGREEMENT4 
 
A. REVIEW OF WAIVERS PURSUANT TO ARTICLE IX:4 OF THE WTO  AGREEMENT  
 
(i) Ministerial Decision on the TRIPS Agreement (WT/MIN(22)/30 – WT/L/1141)  
 
(ii) Least -Developed Country Members – Obligations under Article 70.8 and 
Article  70.9 of the TRIPS Agreement with respect to Pharmaceutical Products, 
granted on 30 November 2015 until 1 January 2033 (WT/L/971)  
 
(iii) Kimberley Process Certification Scheme for Rough Diamonds, granted on 
26 July 2018 through 31 December 2024 (WT/L/1039)  
 
(iv) European Union – Application of Autonomous Preferential Treatment to the 
Western Balkans – granted on 28 July 2021 until 31 December 2026 (WT/L/1114, 
WT/L/1169)  
 
14. WTO PENSION PLAN  
 
A. ELECTION OF MEMBERS AND ALTERNATES (WT/GC/W/890)  
 
B. ANNUAL REP ORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDING 
31 DECEMBER  2022 (WT/BFA/W/636 - WT/L/1167)  
 
C. REPORT OF THE INDEPENDENT EXTERNAL AUDITOR ON THE AUDIT OF THE FINANCIAL 
STATEMENTS OF THE WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION PENSION PLAN (WTOPP) FOR THE 
YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2022 (WT/BFA/W/637 - WT/L/1168)  
 
OTHER BUSINESS  
 
__________  
 
4 In connection with this Item, the attention of Members is drawn to the Decision -Making Procedures 
under Articles IX and XII of the WTO Agreement agreed by the General Council on 15 November 1995 (WT/L/93).