WT/TPR/429  
27 February 2019  
(19-1135) Page: 1/2 
Trade Policy Review Body    
 
TRADE POLICY REVIEW MECHANISM  
COMMUNICATION FROM THE CHAIRPERSON  OF THE TRADE POLICY REVIEW BODY  
EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY (EAC)  MEMBERS  
Arrangements for Review Meeting  
1.  In pursuance of Article IV, paragraph 4 and Annex 3 of the WTO Agreement, a meeting of the 
Trade Policy Review Body is scheduled for 20 and 22 March 2019  to conduct the  third joint review 
of the trade policies and practices of East African Community (EAC)  members  (WTO/AIR/TPR/82 ). 
2.  This communication sets out arrangements concerning the review meeting. In this connection, 
attention is also drawn to the procedures for the conduct of reviews contained in the rules of 
procedure of the Trade Policy Review Body ( WT/TPR/6/Rev.4).  
1  QUESTIONS IN WRITING  IN ADVANCE OF THE M EETING AND MAIN POIN TS 
3.  Members wishing to submit written questions to the Member s under review should do 
so at least 2 weeks before the review meeting  to allow replies to be prepared in time for 
the first session of the meeting . For the forthcoming review, such questions should therefore be 
with the Trade Policies Review Division of the Secretariat ( tprd@wto.org ) by 5.30 p.m. , Wednesday  
6 March 2019, at  the latest.  Delegations are informed that the traditional way of handling questions 
and answers will be followed.  
4.  In accordance with the rules of procedure of the Trade Policy Review Body 
(WT/TPR/6/Rev.4,  paragraph 17), Members are reminded that they should group thei r written 
questions into the following three categories so as to facilitate responses: those related to the 
Secretariat report (with a reference to relevant paragraph numbers); those concerning the 
Government report (with a reference to relevant paragraph numbers); and other questions.  
5.  The Secretariat shall identify the main points contained in the questions submitted at least 
two weeks before a review meeting, post them on the Members' website one week before the 
meeting, and distribute a revised list of main points during the first ses sion of a review when 
questions received after the two-week deadline give rise to significantly new issues. The main points 
may be found on the Members' website under "Forthcoming Meetings: Documents for Meetings".   
2  ANSWERS  IN WRI TING BY THE MEMBER S UNDER REVIEW  
6.  Answers by the Member s under review should be distributed in writing. Advance questions 
submitted by the two -week deadline before the start of the TPRB review should be 
answered in writing by the Member s under review by the start of the meeting . Que stions 
posed subsequently should be answered, to the extent possible, before the start of the second 
session of the meeting. Questions left unanswered at the end of the second session should be 
answered in writing no later than one month after the meeting with some latitude in the Chair's 
discretion for Members reviewing a very large number of questions.  
7.  In the course of the discussions at the review meeting, the Member s under review may indicate 
that they intend  to provide supplementary information, in wri ting, on specific points raised. Upon 
receipt, the Secretariat will circulate a document containing this information to all Members.  WT/TPR/429  
 
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  3  DISCUSSANT  
8.  In consultation with the Member s under review, the Chairperson of the Trade Policy Review Body 
may choose a disc ussant who, in her/his personal capacity, will introduce the discussions in the 
Body. H.E. Dr. Athaliah Lesiba MOLOKOMME  (Botswana ) will act  as discussant for the review of  the 
East African Community (EAC)  members . 
4  STRUCTURE OF THE MEETING  
9.  Trade policy rev iews cover four broad headings:  
a. appreciation of the full range of the Member's trade policies and practices;  
b. relevant background: wider economic and developmental needs, including the 
external  environment;  
c. impact of the Member's trade policies and practice s on the functioning of the multilateral 
trading system; and  
d. general comments by way of assessment and evaluation.  
10.  Meetings take place in two sessions. The first session is devoted to the opening statements by 
the Member under review and the discussant, an d remarks and questions from the floor. The 
discussion in the second session, when the Member under review will reply to questions, is based 
on main themes identified after the opening meeting by the Chairperson, the discussant and the 
Secretariat in consu ltation with the Member.  
11.  As indicated in the rules of procedure of the Trade Policy Review Body 
(WT/TPR/6/Rev.4,  paragraph 21), the speakers list will follow the order in which questions are 
received by the Secretariat and, in the event of more than one batch of questions, the final batch 
will determine the order of speakers. Delegations not submitting written questions will continue to 
speak second, in the order in which their flags are raised. On the day before each review meeting, 
the Secretariat will post on the WTO Members' website a provisional  list of speakers for the 
first session of that meeting, for Members' advance information.  
5  DOCUMENTATION AND PRESS ARRANGEMENTS  
12.  Reports by the Member s under review and the Secretariat are contained in the 
following  documents:  
WT/TPR/G/ 384 Report by East A frican Community M embers  
WT/TPR/S/ 384 East African Community Members : Report by the Secretariat  
13.  The press embargo for the review of East African Commun ity Members will end at 2 p.m.  Geneva 
time on 20 March  2019. 
6  RECORD OF THE MEETING  
14.  The record of the meeting will be circulated as a draft to Members for comments on their own 
statements and placed on the WTO website.   
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