JOB/GC/88  
 
1 December 2015  
(15-6337)  Page: 1/2  
General Council    
 
 AGENDA ITEM 2: IMPLEMENTATION OF THE BALI OUTCOMES 
STATEMENT BY THE CHAIRMAN 
MONDAY, 30 NOVEMBER 2015 
1.1.  As delegations will recall, we have had th is agenda item on implementation of the Bali 
outcomes since July 2014. All the reports that I – and my predecessor – have provided under this item have been circulated to delegations, and are reflected in the Annual Report of the General 
Council which we will take up later in our agenda. Of course, the Annual Reports of all the 
subsidiary bodies reflect in detail the work they have conducted in the implementation of the Bali outcomes when appropriate.  All the Annual Reports will be in front of the Ministers at MC10. 
1.2.  Before I move to the specific report on th e implementation of the Bali decisions, and since I 
have referred to the Annual Reports, allow me take this opportunity to highlight the importance of 
the work carried out by WTO regular Councils and Committees. I met with the Chairs of all regular bodies on 9 November. The reports I heard from them  on their activities this year give the picture 
of a busy and dynamic institution. The day-to-day  business might not always be very visible or 
make the headlines, but it is a fundamental component of this organization.  I wish to thank the Chairs of regular bodies for their hard work this year, and for the productive cooperation that I 
have enjoyed from them. 
1.3.  Turning now to the specific report on the Bali Outcomes, let me stress that of course I am 
only focusing here on the implementation work carried out by regular bodies with respect to the Bali Decisions, and not on the possible Nairobi outcomes in some of these issues, which are 
currently under discussion. 
1.4.  Regarding the Bali decisions on regular work, we will take up TRIPS non-violation and 
situation complaints and the work programme on electronic commerce under Item 6(c) on MC10. 
Similarly, Small Economies and the recommendations from the CTD in Dedicated Session will be 
taken up under our next item. 
1.5.  On Aid for Trade, the formal CTD Session and the Workshop on the 2030 Agenda for 
Sustainable Development held in October were the last activities planned under the current Aid-
for-Trade work programme. At the formal Sessio n, Members agreed that a work programme for 
the 2016-2017 period would be developed after MC10. The CTD Chairman noted his intention to forward this new programme to the General Council under his own responsibility, as per past 
practice.  
1.6.  On Trade and Transfer of Technology, Me mbers have continued to discuss the relationship 
between trade and transfer of technology on th e basis of three briefings from Ecuador, the 
Philippines and Chinese Taipei on their experience s with innovation, technology generation and its 
transfer. Deliberations in the Working Group also benefited from the findings of a WTO Workshop 
on Environmental Technology Dissemination held in 2013, as well as from the elements that 
emerged from a Workshop held in June 2014. In  parallel, the Working Group has also proceeded 
with its deliberations on possible recommendations on the basis of a non-paper submitted earlier by India, Pakistan and the Philippines titled "Facilitating Access to Information on Appropriate Technology Sourcing – Steps to Increase Flows of Technology to Developing Countries". In its 
Annual Report, the Working Group has recommended that it continues work to fully achieve its 
mandate. JOB/GC/88 
 
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  1.7.  Moving now to the Monitoring Mechanism on Special and Differential Treatment, which 
operates in a Dedicated Session of the CTD, the Bali Decision stipulates that it has to serve as a focal point within the WTO to analyse and review the implementation of S&D provisions. Although 
four meetings of the Dedicated Session have been held since Bali, no written submissions from 
Members have been received. At the Dedicated Session held this month, the CTD Chairman once 
again called on Members to make written submissions in order to make the Mechanism operational. 
1.8.  On DFQF market access for LDCs, I had mentioned in my last report that a special meeting of 
the CTD was held in September. This provided an opportunity for Members to have an in ‑depth 
exchange on the issues involved with the implem entation of DFQF market access for LDC products. 
Discussion on a possible way forward focused on a "clinical examination" of the issues involved 
and possible impact arising from the implementation  of DFQF market access for LDCs, on the basis 
of a study to be prepared by the Secretariat. The CTD Chairman subsequently undertook informal 
consultations with interested delegations to defi ne the parameters of such a study. However, I 
understand that his consultations did not succeed in finding convergence on these parameters. Let me also add that the CTD conducted its annual DFQF review on the basis of a Secretariat report, 
which was prepared in the context of the mandate given in the Bali DFQF Decision. 
1.9.  On Rules of Origin for LDCs, the Committee on Rules of Origin conducted its annual review on 
new developments in preferential rules of origin applicable to imports from LDCs, as mandated in the Bali Ministerial Decision. A report of that review has been circulated for consideration by the 
General Council in document G/RO/77.   
1.10.  On the LDCs Services waiver, so far the Council for Trade in Services has received a total of 
19 notifications of preferences for LDC services and service suppliers. These were submitted by: 
Canada; Australia; Norway; China; Korea; Hong Kong, China; Chinese Taipei; Singapore; New 
Zealand; Switzerland; Japan; Mexico; Turkey; the United States; India; Chile; Iceland; Brazil; and the EU.   
1.11.  The Services Council held a Dedicated Session on the Waiver on 2 November, where the 
LDC Group shared a detailed assessment of the notifications received. Specific technical questions were also asked and clarifications sought on each of the notifications submitted. It was agreed that Members would reply to the LDCs' questions bilaterally. 
1.12.  At that Session, the Council also approv ed preferences with respect to measures going 
beyond GATS Article XVI contained in all notifica tions submitted before 2 November. As provided 
in the MC8 Waiver Decision, preferences going be yond Article XVI have to be approved by the 
Council for Trade in services. 
1.13.  And finally, on Trade Facilitation work  has continued to progress. Members submitted 
additional category A notifications, bringing th eir overall number to 75. Several delegations also 
completed their ratification process and we have received almost half of the instruments required 
for the Trade Facilitation Agreement to enter into force. This is a positive development that I hope to see followed by additional ratifications. I equally hope that Members will present their category B and C notifications in the not too distant future.   
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