G/TFA/W/ 2 
28 June 2017  
(17-3504) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Trade Facilitation  Original: English  
 
  RULES OF PROCEDURE O F THE COMMITTEE ON T RADE FACILITATION  
COMMUNICATION FROM  ARGENTINA  AND NORWAY  
The following communication, dated  27 June 2017 , is being circulated at the request of the 
delegation s of Argentina  and Norway . 
 
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Following u p on the proposal submitted by the Republic of Argentina on 22 May 2017 
(G/TFA/W/1), Norway has developed a complementary proposal for a rule related to the 
co-operation with international organizations operating within the field of trade facilitation  that 
seeks to allow them t o attend meetings of the Co mmittee on Trade Facilitation ( TFC). 
The representatives of these organizations would be invited to address specific issues where they 
have expertise and competence. This mechanism is in accordance with  what Members have 
already agreed  on in the Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) , in Article 23.1 and in Article 10.3 on 
international standards.  The rule proposed by Norway w ould replace Rule 11 of the General 
Council Rules of Procedure.  
Integrating this propo sal into the suggestions already made by Argentina to form a joint proposal, 
the Republic of  Argentina and Norway therefore suggest that the Rules of Procedure for meetings 
of the General Council (WT/L/161) be applied mutatis mutandis  to meetings of the C ommittee on 
Trade Facilitation , except as follows : 
(a) Rule 1 of Chapter I (Meetings) should be amended in line with paragraph 1.2 of Article 23 of 
the Agreement on Trade Facilitation  to provide  that: 
"The Committee shall meet as needed and envisaged by the  provisions of the Agreement on 
Trade Facilitation, but no less than once a year ." 
(b) The first part of Rule 2 of Chapter I (Meetings) should be amended to read as follows : 
"Meetings of the Committee shall be convened by the Direc tor-General by a notice i ssued 
preferably three weeks, and in any event not less than ten calendar days, prior to the date 
set for the meeting ." 
(c) Rule 5 of Chapter  II (Agenda ) should not be applied . 
(d) Rule 6 of Chapter II (Agenda) should be amended so that both the representa tives and the 
Chairperson  of the Committee can suggest  amendments to the ag enda or additions under "Other 
Business".   Thus, the relevant part of Rule 6 should read as follows : 
"Representat ives or the Chairperson may suggest amendments to the proposed agend a, or 
additi ons to the agenda under 'Other B usiness'."  G/TFA/W/2   
 
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  (e) Rule 11 should be modified to read as follows:  
"In accordance with Article 23.1.5 of the Trade Facilitation Agreement, the Committee on 
Trade Facilitation may invite representatives of internation al organizations operating in the field of 
trade facilitation, or their subsidiary bodies to:  
(a) attend meetings of the Committee; and  
(b) discuss specific matters related to the implementation of the Trade Facilitation 
Agreement. "  
(f) Rules 12, 13 and 14 of Chapter V (Officers ) should be amended to authorize the Committee to 
elect a Vice -Chairperson.  Accordingly, Rules 12, 13 and 14 should  read as follows:  
"Rule 12 . The Committee shall elect a Chairperson1 and may elect a Vice -Chairperson from 
among the  representatives of Members.  The election shall take place at the first meeting of 
the year and shall take effect at the end of the meeting.  The Chairperson and 
Vice-Chairperson shall hold office until the end of the first meeting of the following year.  
Rule 13. If the Chairperson is absent from any meeting or part thereof, the Vice -Chairperson 
shall perform the functions of the Chairperson.  If no Vice -Chairperson was elected or if the 
Vice-Chairperson is not present, the Committee shall elect an interim Ch airperson for that 
meeting or that part of the meeting.  
Rule 14 . If the Chairperson can no longer perform the functions of the office, the Committee 
shall designate the Vice -Chairperson referred to in Rule 12 or, if no Vice -Chairperson was 
elected it shall  elect an interim Chairperson to perform those functions pending the election 
of a new Chairperson."  
(g) Rule 16 of Chapter  VI (Conduct of B usiness , quorum)  should not be applied.  
(h) The first part of Rule  24 of Chapter  VI (Conduct of B usiness ) should be amended to read 
as follows : 
"In order to expedite the conduct of business, the Chairperson may invite representatives 
that wish to express their support for a given proposal to show their hands, in order to be 
duly recorded in the records as supporting sta tements …." 
(i) Rule 33 of Chapter VII (De cision -Making ) should be amended to read as follows : 
"Where a decision cannot be arrived at by consensus, the matter at issue shall be referred to 
the Council for Trade in Goods ." 
(j) Rule 34 of Chapter  VII (Decisio n-Making, vote ) should not apply . 
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1 The Committee shall apply the relevant guidelines contained in the "Guidelines for Appointment of 
Officers to WTO Bodies" (WT/L/31 , dated 7 February 1995).