WT/TPR/396  
 
23 May 2017 
(17-2759) Page: 1/2 
Trade Po licy Review Body    
 
TRADE POLICY REVIEW MECHANISM  
COMMUNICATION FROM THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE  
TRADE POLICY REVIEW BODY  
NIGERIA  
Arrangements for Review Meeting  
1.  In pursuance of Article  IV, paragraph  4 and Annex  3 of the WTO Agreement, a meeting of the 
Trade Policy Review Body is  scheduled for 1 3 and 15 June 2017 t o conduct the 5th review of the 
trade policies and practices of Nigeria  (WTO/AIR/TPR/ 52 and WTO/AIR/TPR/52/Add.1 ). 
2.  This communication sets out arrangements concerning the review meeting. In this connection, 
attention is also drawn to the procedures for the conduct of reviews contained in the rules of 
procedure of the Trade Policy Review Body (WT/TPR/6/Rev.3).   
1  QUESTIONS IN WRITING IN ADVANCE OF THE MEETING AND MAIN POINTS  
3.  Members wishing to submit written questions to the  Member under review should do so at least 
two weeks before the review meeting to allow replies to be prepared in time for the  first session of 
the meeting. For the forthcoming review, such questions should therefore be with the 
Trade  Policies Review Divis ion of the Secretariat ( tprd@wto.org ) by 5.30 p.m., Tuesday 30  May 
2017, at the latest.  
4.  In line with the results of the 4th Appraisal of the TPRM (WT/MIN(11)/6, paragraph 27.2.b and 
Annex 2), Members are reminded that th ey should group their written questions into the following 
three categories so as to facilitate responses: those related to the Secretariat report (with a 
reference to relevant paragraph numbers); those concerning the Government report (with a 
reference to  relevant paragraph numbers); and other questions.  
5.  The Secretariat shall identify the main points contained in the questions submitted at least two 
weeks before a review meeting, post them on the Members' Website one week before the meeting, 
and distribute  a revised list of main points during the first session of a review when questions 
received after the two -week deadline give rise to significantly new issues. The main points may be 
found on the Members' Website under "Forthcoming Meetings: Documents for M eetings".  
2  ANSWERS IN WRITING BY THE MEMBER UNDER REVIEW  
6.  Answers by the Member under review should be distributed in writing; advance questions 
submitted by the two -week deadline before the start of the TPRB review should be answered 
in writing by the Membe r under review by the start of the meeting. Questions posed subsequently 
should be answered, to the extent possible, before the start of the second session of the meeting. 
Questions left unanswered at the end of the second session should be answered in wri ting no later 
than one month after the meeting with some latitude in the Chair's discretion for Members 
reviewing a very large number of questions . WT/TPR/396  
 
- 2 - 
 
  7.  In the course of the discussions at the review meeting, the Member under review may indicate 
that it intends  to provide supplementary information, in writing, on specific points raised. 
Upon receipt, the Secretariat will circulate a document containing this information to all Members.  
3  DISCUSSANT  
8.  In consultation with the Member under review, the Chairperson of th e Trade Policy Review 
Body may choose a discussant who, in her/his personal capacity, will introduce the discussions in 
the Body. H.E. Ms Yee Woan Tan (Singapore ) will act as discussant for the review of Nigeria . 
4  STRUCTURE OF THE MEETING  
9.  Trade policy revie ws cover four broad headings:  
a. appreciation of the full range of the Member's trade policies and practices;  
b. relevant background: wider economic and developmental needs, including the external 
environment;  
c. impact of the Member's trade policies and practices on the functioning of the multilateral 
trading system; and  
d. general comments by way of assessment and evaluation.  
10.  Meetings take place in two sessions. The first session is devoted to the opening statements by 
the Member under review and the discussant, and remarks and questions from the floor. 
The discussion in the second session, when the Member under review will reply to questions, 
is based on main themes identified after the opening meeting by the Chairperson, the discussant 
and the Secretariat in consult ation with the Member.  
11.  The speakers list will follow the order in which questions are received by the Secretariat and 
in the event of more than one batch, the final batch will determine the order of speakers. 
Delegations not submitting written questions wi ll continue to speak second, in the order in which 
their flags are raised.  
5  DOCUMENTATION AND PRESS ARRANGEMENTS  
12.  Reports by the Member under review and the Secretariat are contained in the following 
documents:  
WT/TPR/G/ 356 Report by Nigeria  
WT/TPR/S/ 356 Nigeria: Report by the Secretariat  
13.  The press embargo for the review of Nigeria will end at 2.00 p.m. Geneva time on 13 June 
2017. 
6  RECORD OF THE MEETING  
14.  The record of the meeting will be circulated as a draft to Members for comments on their own 
statements and  placed on the WTO website.  
__________