RESTRICTED  
  
WT/COMTD/RTA/M/21  
 
5 December  2023 
(23-8258) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Trade and Development  
Twenty -First Dedicated Session on Regional Trade 
Agreements    
 
 
NOTE ON THE MEETING OF 17 NOVEMBER 2023  
Chairperson: H.E. Dr. José R. Sánchez -Fung (Dominican Republic)  
1. ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA  ................................ ................................ ...................  1 
2. STATUS OF THE WORK OF THE DEDICATED SESSION  ................................ .............  1 
(I) Status of the preparation of factual presentations - Report by the Chairman  
(WT/COMTD/RTA/W/17)  ................................ ................................ ................................ .... 1 
3. OTHER BUSINESS  ................................ ................................ ................................ .. 2 
 
1. ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA  
1. The Chairman  said that the proposed agenda for the 21st Dedicated Session on 
Regional  Trade Agreements (RTAs) of the Committee on Trade and Development (CTD) was 
contained in Airgram WTO/AIR/COMTD/RTA/16/Rev.1  of 7 November 2023 . He noted that this 
Airgram had been prepared in line with the new measures that were being implemented to improve 
the functioning of the CTD. Among other things, the Airgram contained a simpler and more 
straightforward numbering system for agenda items. It also co ntained a hyperlink to access the 
annotated draft agenda which had been prepared for the present meeting, and which had been 
circulated in document JOB/COMTD/RTA/1 . At the  122nd Regular Session of the CTD which would be 
held later in the day, he would be saying more about these and other measures that were being 
implemented to improve the functioning of the C ommitte e.  
 
2. The agenda was adopted . 
2. STATUS OF THE WORK OF THE DEDICATED SESSION  
(I) Status of the preparation of factual presentations - Report by the Chair man 
(WT/COMTD/RTA/W/ 17) 
3. The Chairman said that his report on the status of the preparation of factual presentations of 
RTAs notified under the Enabling Clause was contained in document WT/COMTD/RTA/W/ 17. 
The report indicated that it was still not possible for the Secretariat to fi nalize a number of factual 
presentations. In some cases, the Secretariat was still awaiting the submission of the full set of data, 
while in others, comments on the draft factual presentation had not been received. He urged the 
parties concerned to provide  all the required data and information as soon as possible. He informed 
the Committee that he would try to reach out informally to the parties in question before the next 
meeting, to explore whether the submission of the necessary data and information coul d be 
expedited.  
4. The representative of  the United States  delivered the following statement:  
5. The United States would like to thank the Secretariat for its usual diligence and accuracy in 
advancing the preparation of factual presentations for several RTAs.  
6. The Committee took note  of the Chair man's report , and of the interventions.  WT/COMTD/RTA/M/21  
 
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  3. OTHER BUSINESS  
7. No matter was raised under "Other Business".  
8. The meeting was adjourned . 
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