WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION   
WT/COMTD/LDC/22 
8 January 2013  
 
(13-0097) 
Sub-Committee on Least-Developed Countries Original:   English 
  
 
RETREAT OF THE LEAST-DEVELOPED COUNTRIES 
MONTREUX, SWITZERLAND 
18-20 OCTOBER 2012 
 
CHAIRMAN'S SUMMARY 
 
 
Communication from Nepal, on behalf of the LDC Group 
  
 The following communication, dated 24 D ecember 2012, has been received from the 
delegation of Nepal on behalf of the LDC Group,  with the request that it be circulated.  
 
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 WT/COMTD/LDC/22 
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  RETREAT OF THE LEAST-DEVELOPED COUNTRIES 
MONTREUX, SWITZERLAND 
18-20 OCTOBER 2012 
 
CHAIRMAN'S SUMMARY 
 
Introduction  
The Group of Least-Developed Countries (LDCs) at  the World Trade Organization (WTO) held a 
two-day Retreat, under the Coordination of Haiti, to revi ew areas of priority and interest to the Group 
in as far as the work of regular bodies and negotia ting sessions are concerned.  The objective was to 
prepare a way forward/work program on how issues of  interest to the Group can be further advanced 
between now and the ninth WTO Ministerial Conference, scheduled for December 2013, in Bali, Indonesia.   The following areas were the main focus of discussi on at this retreat:  (i) Trade in Services with 
specific focus on the LDC Services Waiver;  (ii) Trad e Facilitation;  (iii) Trade Related Aspects of 
Intellectual Property Rights, with specific focus on the extension of transition period for LDCs under 
Article 66.1 and the implementation of Article 66.2;   (iv) Market Access commitments in favor of 
LDCs – Duty-Free and Quota-Free Market Access;   (v) Agriculture, with specific focus on food 
security and Cotton;  (vi) Technical Assistance and Capacity Building with specific focus on  the 
Enhanced Integrated Framework (EIF);  and (vii) Accession. 
 
The Retreat reaffirmed the critical importance of th e full implementation of all LDC related decisions 
contained in the 2005 Hong Kong Ministerial Declaration and the decisions of the 8
th Ministerial 
Conference (MC8) and giving full consideration to th e political guidance of the MC8 in favor of the 
LDCs. 
 
The Group expressed commitment to working closel y in a spirit of solidarity, accommodation and 
understanding to advance LDCs common interests in WTO in an effective manner.  The Retreat agreed on the following lis t of work ahead in the WTO:  
 1. Trade in Services  
 
 Develop a work plan that spells out work be tween now and the ninth Ministerial Conference 
to implement the MC8 decision on the Se rvices Waiver, including the following: 
 
(a) Convene a dedicated session to allow the group to brainstorm on the possible content 
of waiver-based preferences – where the curre nt and possible future LDC supply possibilities 
(and related constraints) lay; undertake both qua litative and quantitative analysis, with a view 
to identifying modes and sectors of interest to LDCs; 
 
(b) Conduct sensitization at various levels including policy makers and private sector 
representatives in capitals in order to raise the profile of the waiver, create awareness and 
generate interest in the identification of areas of interest;  (c) Convene a signaling conference early 2013,  possibly around February to garner 
political will and allow cooperating partners to  declare their intentions for providing 
commercially-meaningful preferences to LDCs ' services and service suppliers.  Such an 
intervention would come subsequent to an in itial identification of potential modes and sectors 
of interest to LDCs;  WT/COMTD/LDC/22 
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  (d) Develop a strong monitoring mechanism for implementation. 
 
2. Trade Facilitation  
 
 Pay particular attention to the crafting of la nguage under Section I of the consolidated text 
and ensure that the outcome document contains adequate flexibilities for country specific 
needs, including the particular needs of those LDCs that are also landlocked; 
 Ensure a balance in the provisions of Secti on I in relation to commitments for technical 
assistance, financial support and capacity building including support towards addressing infrastructure constraints, as well as provisions  on special and differential treatment, which 
are contained in Section II;  
 The LDCs are willing to constructively engage  in TF negotiations in parallel with the 
completion of negotiations on other issues of particular concern to LDCs that include 
operationalization of DFQF market access, cotton, and the services waiver.   
 
3. Intellectual Property 
 
 Remain vigilant in monitoring the implementati on of Article 66.2 and participate actively in 
the workshop scheduled for 5 November 2012; 
 Present a duly motivated request for the extens ion of the transition period for LDCs under 
Article 66.1.  The new extension decision shou ld exclude requirements of Article 65 of the 
TRIPS Agreement because this was a requireme nt for developing countries, which does not 
extend to LDCs.  It should also exclude requirements for needs assessment as well as 
requirements under Article 67, which is a separat e issue from Article 66.1.  Likewise, the new 
decision should include a time frame linked to th e status of individual LDCs, as a cutoff date 
(i.e. for as long as a country remains an LDC). 
 
4. Market Access for Least-Developed Countries 
 
 Pursue the full implementation of Decision 36 of Annex F of the Hong Kong Ministerial 
Declaration of 2005 on measures in favor  of LDCs, as reiterated in MC8; 
 It is agreed that said decision shall be impl emented in such a way as to provide enhanced 
benefits through commercially meaningful market access to all LDCs; 
 Request the Facilitator to expedite the process of  finalization of the draft proposal on the 
Rules of Origin submitted by LDCs in 2011;   
 Ensure that appropriate facilities and/or arrangements are deve loped to support the 
diversification efforts of LDCs; 
 Address concerns associated with non-tariff barriers.  
 
5. Trade in Agricultural Products and Cotton 
 
 Determine how to advance the prio rity issues for LDCs in the four th revision of the text on 
the modalities in agriculture and identify other ar eas of interest in which progress could be 
achieved; 
 Addressing the issue of food security taking into account country-specific concerns; 
 Ensure that appropriate mechanisms are in place to facilitate access to food in times of 
difficulty; 
 Ensure the strengthening of productive capacities of LDCs  with a view to increasing 
productivity and the production of food products; 
 Ensure that the question of cotton, mainly  its commercial component, returns to the 
negotiating table, to continue to put pressure on deve loped countries. WT/COMTD/LDC/22 
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   For issues related to the aspect of developm ent, cotton-producing countries, including LDCs 
should designate their national focal points and present their contributions for the forthcoming meetings of the WTO Director-General's C onsultative Framework Mechanism on Cotton. 
6. Enhanced Integrated Framework 
 
 Examine possible ways of utilizing the EIF an d ensure that resources continue to be 
mobilized for the Aid for Trade; 
 Get fully involved in the mid-term review pr ocess and ensure that the program be extended 
beyond the current mandate which expires at the end of 2013; 
 Ensure that areas that require strengthening fo r the effective functioning of the program be 
consolidated. 
 
7. LDCs Accession 
 
 Maintain the momentum built on LDCs Ac cession in 2012, and place the issue on the 
upcoming WTO Ministerial Conference Agenda in December 2013; 
 Continue the monitoring process on the faithful implementation of the 2002 General Council 
Decision on LDC Accessions and its Addendum Decision of July 25th 2012, as part of an 
annual review mechanism;  
 Maintain that the annual regular reviews should remain as a standing item on future LDC 
Sub-Committee meetings, at least once every year, starting 2013 in preparation for MC9.  
 
 
 
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