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WT/REG/M/96  
 
17 August  2020 
(20-5609) Page: 1/5 
Committee on Regional Trade Agreements  
Ninety -Sixth  Session    
 
 
NOTE ON THE MEETING OF 27 JULY  2020 
Chairman: Ambassador H.E. Mr. Mārtiņš KREITUS (Latvia)  
A.  ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA  
1.1.  The 96th Session of the Committee on Regional Trade Agreements (hereinafter 'CRTA' or the 
'Committee') was convened in Airgram WTO/AIR/RTA/ 21/Rev.1  dated 6 July 2020.  
1.2.  The Chairman  welcomed delegations to the meeting. As this was the  first meeting of the 
Committee  since his appointment , in May, he thank ed delegations for their support and trust in 
electing him to chair the CRTA. Likewise,  he had appreciate d the  engagement of many delegates 
with him on various CRTA topics over the last three months.  
1.3.  He referred to Airgram WTO/AIR/RTA/21/Rev.1 dated 6 July 2020 , which contain ed the Agenda 
for the Session of the CRTA  and the note regarding "Organizational and Technical Arrangements" 
for the meeting. As stated therein, the meeting was an in-person meeting with a virtual add -on 
through the Interprefy platform. He drew  delegates ' attention to a few practical points for the smooth 
conduct of the meeting .  
1.4.  The Chairman  clarified that the 96th Session  of the Committee was being held excepti onally 
during a half day only, instead of the usual two consecutive half days  due to the challenging situation 
regarding the availability of meeting facilities. For the next Sessions the Committee  would go back 
to the standard two half days.  
1.5.  With respect to Agenda Item F  "Other Business ", he wished to inform  Members about the  
proposed schedule for CRTA meetings for the rest of the year . He also intended to  make a number 
of announcements regarding new documents that the RTA Section ha d included in the RTA p ages of 
the WTO website.  
1.6.  The Committee  accordingly adopted  the following Agenda:  
 Adoption of the Agenda  
 Implementation of the RTA Transparency Mechanism  
I. Early Announcements ( http://rtais.wto.org ) 
 Free Trade Agreement between Canada and MERCOSUR  
  II. Notifications  of regional trade agreements  
Free Trade Agreement between Peru and Australia, goods and services 
(WT/REG404/N/1 -S/C/N/1015)  
Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement between Chile and Indonesia, 
goods (WT/REG403/N/1)  
Free Trade Agreement between the European Union and Singapore, goods and 
services (WT/REG402/N/1 –S/C/N/1003 ) 
Free Trade agreement between  the Philippines and the EFTA States , goods and 
services  (WT/REG394/N/2 -S/C/N/919/ADD.1)  
Free Tra de Agreement between Hong Kong, China and Australia, goods and 
services (WT/REG400/N/1 -S/C/N/986)  
Interim Agreement between the  Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and Iran, goods  
(WT/REG401/N/1)  
III. Non-notified RTAs (WT/REG/W/14 9) WT/REG/M/96  
 
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  IV. Status on the Preparation of Factual Presentations (WT/REG/W/1 50) 
 Implementation Reports under Paragraph 15 of the Transparency Mechanism for RTAs  
(WT/REG /W/148 , WT/REG 291/R/I and WT/REG291/R/I/CORR.11) 
 Consideration of R egional Trade Agreements  
(I) Free Trade Agreement between Japan and the Member States of the Association 
of Southeast Asian  (ASEAN), goods  (WT/REG277/N/1, WT/REG277/N/2, 
WT/REG277/N/3, WT/REG277/1 , WT/REG2 77/2)  
(II) Free Trade Agreement between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations 
(ASEAN ) and the Republic of Korea, goods (WT /REG287/3, WT/REG287/4)  
(III)  Free Trade Agreement between Hong Kong, China and Georgia, goods and 
services (WT/REG397/N/1, S/C/N/923, WT/REG 397/1, WT/REG397/2)  
(IV) Free Trade Agreement between Peru and Honduras , goods and services  
(WT/REG 393/N/1 - S/C/N/ 918, WT/REG39 3/1, WT/REG3 93/2) 
 Consideration of R egional Trade Agreements  involving WTO Non -Members  
(I) Free Trade Agreement between the Guam Participating States (Republic of 
Moldova, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Ukraine), g oods (WT/REG 383/N/1 - 
S/C/N/888, WT/REG383/1, WT/REG383/2 ) 
 Other business  
1.7.  The representative of India congratulated the Chair on his appointment and assured him of 
India's continued support. She recalled that India had agreed with the former CRTA Chair and the 
representative of ASEAN that the consideration of the ASEAN -Korea FTA included in the proposed 
Agenda as point D(II) would be considered in  back-to-back meeting s of the CRTA and the CTD . She 
referred to the fact that the CTD dedicated session could not  be convened due to logistical reasons. 
Despite this, India was nevertheless ready to go ahead with the adoption of the Agenda, although 
without prejudice to its position in its submission in document WT/COMTD/W/175 and without this 
practice acting as a pr ecedent for other dual notified RTAs.  
B. IMPLEMENTATION OF THE RTA TRANSPARENCY MECHANISM - STATUS R EPORT ON 
THE COMMITTEE'S WORK 
1.8.  As was usual practice, The Chairman , provided  an update of the Committee's work and the 
implementation of the Transparency Mec hanism. In order to reflect the Committee's work the update  
had been divided into separate elements: early announcements, notifications received since the last 
session of the CRTA, non -notified RTAs and status of the preparation of factual presentations 
(including delays in the receipt of data and comments).  
B.I  Early announcements  
1.9.  The Chairman  said that a  total of 36 early announcements were currently on the WTO website 
(not counting those that had  been subsequently notified). The latest early announcemen t that had 
been received was for the FTA between Canada and MERCOSUR. He thanked  Members that had 
submitted information in line with the requirements of the Transparency Mechanism and encourage d 
others to do so. He reminded  Members to inform the Secretariat of any changes in the status of 
early announcements.  
B.II Notifications of regional trade agreements  
1.10.  The Chairman  informed  that six notifications had been received since the 95th Session of the 
CRTA held on 8 November 2019. The respective Agreements were listed in the airgram. They were : 
the Free Trade Agreement between Peru and Australia, good s and services (document 
WT/REG404/N/1 – S/C/N/1015) ; the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement between 
Chile and Indonesia, goods (document WT/REG403/N/1) ; the Free Trade Agreement between the 
European Union and Singapore, goods and services (docum ent WT/REG402/N/1 – S/C/N/1003) ; the 
Free Trade Agreement between the Philippines and the EFTA States, goods and services (document 
WT/REG394/N/2 –S/C/N/919/Add.1) ; the Free Trade Agreement between Hong Kong, China and 
Australia, goods and services (docume nt WT/REG400/N/1 –S/C/N/986), and ; the Interim Agreement 
between the EAEU and Iran, goods (document WT/REG401/N/1).  
 
1 ENGLISH ONLY.  WT/REG/M/96  
 
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  1.11.  The Secretariat had  also received another notification of an agreement since the distribution 
of the airgram  and as it was customary this w ould be added to the airgram of the forthcoming 
session . 
1.12.  The representative of the European Union  informed the Committee  that the Free Trade 
Agreement concluded between the EU and Vietnam  had also been recently jointly notified. The 
Agreement w ould come int o force on 1 August 2020. The EU looked  forward to its consideration in 
one of the forthcoming meetings of the CRTA.  
1.13.  The representative of the United States  congratulated the Chairman on his election. She 
thanked all the Members who had submitted notifications and looked forward to learn ing more about 
the concerned agreements.  
B.III Non-notified  RTAs (WT/REG/W/1 49) 
1.14.  The Chairman  said that an  updated list of non -notified RTAs had been  circulated on 17 July 
2020 as  document  WT/REG/W/149 and contain ed 53 RTAs issued in factual presentations up to 
14 July 2020. Compar ed to the  list presented in the previous Session of the CRTA in November 2019 
(document WT/REG/W/144), the number of RTAs included ha d decreased from 81 in to 53, in 
particular following the  notification of changes made by parties to the Latin American Integration 
Association – LAIA – under the Enabling Clause. Ten RTAs had been added to the list.  
1.15.  The representative of the European Union  thanked the LAIA member countries  for their 
answers to the EU follow -up questions and subsequent notifications of the agreement s falling under 
the framework of the Treaty of Montevideo. He asked whether  the LAIA member countries  intended  
submit notifications of the remaining eight agreemen ts that still appeared on the WTO's non -notified 
agreements list in the near future.  
1.16.  The representative of Brazil  congratulated the Chairman on his appointment. He asked why 
the services part of the Mercosur -Peru and of the Mercosur -Andean Community agreem ents were 
included in the list. He asked to the Secretariat to clarify exactly where  it had seen , in these 
agreement s, any liberalization in trade in services.  He also asked why the Mercosur -Columbia 
agreement had been included in the list if its notificat ion sheet as it was part of the annual notification 
of the LAIA countries, which had been  presented to the CTD on November 2018.  
1.17.  The Chairman  said that the Secretariat would look into the questions.  
1.18.  The representative of Argentina  congratulated the Chairman for his election. With respect to 
the agreement under the LAIA umbrella, he reminded the Committee that Argentina was working 
and making its best effort s in order to resolve these issues as soon as possible.  
B.IV Status on the preparation of factual presentations (WT/REG/W/150) 
1.19.  The Chairman  said that, a s regards the preparation of the factual presentations under the 
remit of the CRTA – in the case of RTAs involving WTO members only – there were currently 27  RTAs 
for which a factu al presentation had to be prepared, counting goods and services separately.  He 
recall ed that, at the Committee's 52nd Session held on 4 March 2009, Members  had agreed to begin 
considering RTAs involving non-Members  under the Transparency Mechanism’s proced ures. Thus, 
factual presentations on a further 25 RTAs involving non -Members were to be prepared. Members 
had agreed that those RTAs notified since 14 December 2006, including future notifications, should 
be taken up before the others. Data requests for RT As notified since the adoption of the Transparency 
Mechanism had been sent to the relevant Parties.  
1.20.  He had held consultations with a number of delegations regarding the backlog due to late 
receipt of data necessary for the preparation of , and comments on , factual presentations. He hope d 
that delegations w ould provide missing information as soon as possible. An  updated list of all such 
RTAs had been recently circulated as document WT/REG/W/150.  
1.21.  A representative of the Secretariat  said that , as regards agreements among Members, for 
GCC-Singapore, services, comments had been received from Singapore, but not from m ost of the 
GCC Parties. For EFTA -Philippines (goods and services), the Secretariat had recently received WT/REG/M/96  
 
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  comments and the factual presentation was being finalized. For Hong Kong, China -Australia, goods 
and services, and Korea -India, goods, comments were be ing incorporated into the factual 
presentation. For Chile -Indonesia, goods, the factual presentation had been sent to the Parties and 
the deadline for comments was 24 July 2020. The Secretariat thanked Chile for its comments. For 
EU-Singapore, goods and se rvices, data had been received and the factual presentation was being 
drafted. For Peru -Australia and EU -Viet Nam, both goods and services, data requests had been sent 
to the Parties. For EU -Central America, goods and services, the Secretariat was awaiting  data from 
the European Union. For EU -PNG, Fiji, goods, data was not complete. For ECOWAS, goods, no data 
had been received. For the GCC, goods, responses to Members' questions  were awaited . 
1.22.  As regards agreements with non-members, for the CIS Agreement, go ods, some comments 
had been received. Data was not complete for EFTA -Lebanon, Turkey -Syria, Ukraine -Azerbaijan, 
Ukraine -Turkmenistan, Russian Federation -Turkmenistan and EAEU -Iran. 
1.23.  With respect to Agreements not yet in force for all Parties, the Secretaria t had indicated that 
it would  be starting preparation of the factual presentation for the Parties for which the Agreement 
was in force. The Secretariat had sent out data requests. With respect to the CPTPP – in force for 
Australia, Canada, Japan, Mexico, N ew Zealand, Singapore and Viet Nam, the Secretariat was 
awaiting data from Mexico.  
C. IMPLEMENTATION REPORTS UNDER PARAGRAPH 15  OF THE TRANSPARENCY 
MECHANISM FOR RTAS  (WT/REG/W/148)  
1.24.  The Chairman  informed that an  updated schedule for the submission of imple mentation 
reports had been  distributed by the Secretariat ( document WT/REG/W/148) in May. The document 
had indicated that , as of 14 April 2020, implementation reports were due for 145 RTAs, and the end 
of implementation for 20 RTAs was in 2020. The end of implementation for a total of 106 RTAs was 
from 2021 onwards, while for one RTA the end of implementation year was not ava ilable.  He also 
indicated  that, s ince the circulation of th e document, one implementation report had been received 
– for the Closer Economic Partnership Agreement between Hong Kong, China and New Zealand, 
circulated in documents WT/REG291/R/I and also WT/R EG291/R/I/Corr.1 for the English version 
only.  
1.25.  The Chairman offered  the floor to the Parties or Members if they wish ed to comment on 
implementation report s. He also invited Members to provide details on when they intend ed to submit 
their own implementatio n reports, particularly in the case of the numerous reports that were 
overdue. He stress ed the importance of Members'  transparency commitments  and encourage d all 
Members to comply with their obligations and submit implementation reports in a timely manner.  
D. CONSIDERATION OF REGIONAL TRADE AGREEMENTS  
ITEM D.I 
(The minutes of the consideration of th is Agreement are being distributed as a separate document  
WT/REG 277/M/1) 
 
ITEM D.II  
 
(The minutes of the consideration of th is Agreement are being distributed as a separate document  
WT/REG 287/M/2) 
 
ITEM D.III  
 
(The minutes of the consideration of th is Agreement are being distributed as a separate document  
WT/REG 397/M/1) 
 
ITEM D.IV  
 
(The minutes of the consideration of th is Agreement are being distributed as a separate document  
WT/REG 393/M/1) 
 WT/REG/M/96  
 
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  E. CONSIDERATION OF REGIONAL TRADE AGREEMENTS INVOLVING WTO NON -
MEMBERS  
ITEM E.I  
 
(The minutes of the consideration of th is Agreement are being distributed as a separate document  
WT/REG383/M/1 ) 
 
F. OTHER BUSINESS   
1.26.  The Chairman  informed the Committee  of the tentative dates for the CRTA's meetings in 2020  
(22-23 September 2020 and 18 –19 Novembe r 2020) . The November dates would  be confirmed once 
the date of the General Council was fixed.  
1.27.  He also drew delegates ' attention to new material that ha d been posted in the RTA pages of 
the WTO website . One was t he Facts and figures on RTAs for the period January -June 2020 , which 
provid ed relevant information regarding RTAs and the WTO during this period and had been  
presented in a very nice infographics format.  Another was t he Handbook on Notification 
Requirements, prepared by the Secretariat to assist Members in complying with their notifi cation 
obligations. A section covering the notification obligations under the legal provisions relating to RTAs  
could be found in this document . The Handbook did not constitut e a legal interpretation of the 
notification obligations under the respective Agreement(s) or relevant legal provision(s ) but was 
simply a tool to help Members in implementing their transparency obligations. He also referred to 
"the Key CRTA documents " sect ion of the RTA page of the WTO website that  provid ed, in a common 
place, a link to all relevant legal provisions on RTAs and also to other relevant material such as the 
notification formats. He was convinced that this would  also be very useful in helping M embers to 
understand and abide by their rights and obligations.  
1.28.  The Committee took note  of the comments made.  
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