G/RO/W/224  
 
28 September  2023 
(23-6505) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Rules of Origin    
 
REPORT  ON IMPROVEMENTS IN THE FUNCTIONING OF  
THE COMMITTEE  ON RULES OF ORIGIN  
REPORT OF THE CHAIRPERSON  
 
1  INTRODUCTION  
1.1.  This report is being prepared by the Committee on Rules of Origin (CRO) at the request of the 
Council for Trade in Goods ( CTG) (JOB/CTG/29  and JOB/CTG/33 ).  Its objective is to update the 
Council on the recent discussions on measures to improve the functioning of the CRO. This report 
complements the information contained in a previous report prepared by the Chairperson in 
December 2022 ( G/RO/W/217 ; G/L/1465 ; G/L/1465/Corr.1 ; JOB/CTG/19/Rev.2  and 
G/C/W/824/Rev.1 ). 
2  PROCESS AND PROPOSALS  
2.1.  Members held discussions on possible measures to improve the functioning and work of the 
CRO since June 2022. Such discussions took place through a written process ( JOB/RO/9 ; 
JOB/RO/9/Rev.1  and JOB/RO/9/Rev.2 ) as well as during the formal CRO meeting of 6 June 2023 
(item 4 in G/RO/M/80 ). 
2.2.  Different measures to improve the work and functioning of the CRO were considered.  Some of 
these measures have been suggested by Members in the context of the work of the CTG for 
consideration of its subsidiary bodies ( JOB/CTG/27 ) while o ther measures we re suggested by some 
Members during the formal meeting of the CRO of 6 June 2023.  
2.3.  Some of the measures considered concern WTO-wide reforms and improvements and, as a 
result, did not require any specific follow -up by the CRO. Other measures concerned speci fically the 
work of the Committee. The following section enumerates and describes the measures which have 
been agreed to and introduced since December 2022.  
2.4.  In light of these communications and discussions at the CRO, I would like to report that the 
follow ing seven measures are being implemented immediately, namely, that the Secretariat should:  
3  IMPROVEMENTS ON THE FUNCTIONING OF THE COMMITTEE  
3.1.  As a result of these discussions, the Committee agreed to implement seven  changes with a 
view to improving its functioning , including seven  where formal decisions were taken the Committee 
and seven  where the Secretariat was requested to introduce changes t o the way in which it supports 
the work of the Committee .   
3.2.  The improvements included or to be included in the work of the Committee include:  
General area  Improvements  in the functioning of the CRO 
A. Assistance to delegates  • Organize periodic introductory sessions about the use of rules 
of origin in international trade, the related WTO instruments 
and update on the different pillars of work of the CRO;  
• Prepare a manual describing the main procedural and 
substantive aspects of the work of the CR O. This manual has G/RO/W/224  
 
- 2 - 
 
  General area  Improvements  in the functioning of the CRO 
already been created and is available in a dedicated section  of 
the Rules of Origin Portal of the WTO website describing the 
functi oning of the CRO (available to authorized users only)  
B. Planning and organization of 
meetings  • Systematically hyperlink the documents cited in airgrams , 
reports and any other documents circulated to Members;  
• Introduction of an e -Agenda in the context of the CRO;   
• Maintain the hybrid format of meetings (in person and remote) 
unless there is a WTO wide decision to the contrary.  
• Circulate any oral reports  by the Chairperson or the 
Secretariat, particularly during informal meetings, and which 
may provide useful information for delegations  
C. Conduct of formal meetings  • Circulate an annotated agenda ahead of formal meetings of the 
CRO describing each agenda  item and providing relevant 
background to help the preparation by delegations  
E. Digital tools used by the 
Committee  • Introduce an e -Agenda in the context of the CRO.  
 
4  NEXT STEPS  
4.1.  The Committee will continue to consider measures to improve its functioning on an ongoing 
basis as proposed by delegations and as relevant.  
__________