RESTRICTED  
  
WT/PCTF/W/1  
 
19 February 2014  
(14-1022)  Page: 1/2  
Preparatory Committee on Trade Facilitation  Original: English  
 
PROTOCOL AMENDING THE MARRAKESH AGREEMENT ESTABLISHING THE WTO 
COMMUNICATION FROM NORWAY TO  THE PREPARATORY COMMITTEE 
ON TRADE FACILITATION 
 
Reference is made to document TN/TF/W/194 of 11 October 2013 as well as the Agreement 
on Trade Facilitation Ministerial Decision WT/MIN (13)/36 of 7 December 2013.  The Delegation of 
Norway has revised the proposals in TN/TF/W/194 and presents the following proposals for a 
General Council Decision and for a Protocol amending the Marrakesh Agreement.    
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Proposal for a General Council Decision : 
 
The General Council; 
  Having regard to paragraph 1 of Article X of the Marrakesh Agreement Establishing the 
World Trade Organization ("the WTO Agreement"); 
 
 Conducting the functions of the Ministerial Conferen ce in the interval between meetings 
pursuant to paragraph 2 of Article IV of the WTO Agreement; 
 
Recalling  the Decision Adopted by the General Co uncil on 1 August 2004 and by explicit 
consensus to commence negotiations on the basis of the modalities set out in Annex D to that 
decision; as well as the Ministerial Decision of 7 December 2013 to draw up a Protocol of 
Amendment (the “Protocol”) to insert the Agreement into Annex 1A of the WTO Agreement;     Noting  the consensus to submit this proposed amendment to the Members for acceptance; 
 
 Decides  as follows: 
 
1. The Protocol amending the Marrakesh Agreement establishing the WTO attached to this 
Decision is hereby adopted and submitted to the Members for acceptance. 
 
2. The Protocol shall be open for acceptance by Members until 31 July 2015  or such later 
date as may be decided by the Ministerial Conference.  
 3. The Protocol shall take effect in accordance with the provisions of paragraph 3 of Article 
X of the WTO Agreement. 
 
 
Proposal for a Protocol :  
 Members of the World Trade Organization; 
 
Referring to the proposed Agreement on Trade Facilitation ; 
  WT/PCTF/W/1 
 
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  Having regard to the Decision of the General Council in document XXXX, adopted pursuant to 
paragraph 1 of Article X of the Marrakesh Agreem ent Establishing the World Trade Organization 
("the WTO Agreement");   
 
Hereby agree as follows : 
 
1. Annex 1A to the WTO Agreement shall, upon en try into force of the Protocol pursuant to 
paragraph 4, be amended by the introduction of the Agreement on Trade Facilitation, as 
set out in the Annex to this Protocol, to be inserted after the Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade and before the Agreement on Trade-Related Investment Measures. 
 
2. Reservations may not be entered in respect of  any of the provisions of this Protocol 
without the consent of the other Members.  
 
3. This Protocol shall be open for acceptance by Members until 31 July 2015 or such later 
date as may be decided by the Ministerial Conference. 
 
4. This Protocol shall enter into force in accordance with paragraph 3 of Article X of the WTO 
Agreement. 
 
5. This Protocol shall be deposited with the Director-General of the World Trade Organization 
who shall promptly furnish to each Member a certified copy thereof and a notification of 
each acceptance thereof pursuant to paragraph 3. 
 
6. This Protocol shall be registered in accordance with the provisions of Article 102 of the 
Charter of the United Nations. 
 
Done at Geneva this xx day of 2014, in a single copy in the English, French and Spanish 
languages, each text being authentic.   
 
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