G/TFA/W/1  
22 May 2017 
(17-2793) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Trade Facilitation  Original:  Spanish  
 
  RULES OF PROCEDURE O F THE COMMITTEE ON T RADE FACILITATION  
COMMUNICATION FROM  ARGENTINA  
The following communication, dated  22 May 2017, is being circulated at the request of the 
delegation of Argentina . 
 
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The Republic of  Argentina suggests that the Rules of Procedure for meetings of the General Council 
(WT/L/161) be applied mutatis mutandis  to meetings of the Committee on Trade Facilitation (CTF) , 
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 issued 
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 representatives and the 
Chairperson  of the Committee can suggest  amendments to the ag enda or additions under "Other 
Business". Thu s, the relevant part of Rule 6 should read as follows : 
 
"Representat ives or the Chairperson may suggest amendments to the proposed agenda, or 
additi ons to the agenda under 'Other B usiness'."  
 
(e) Rules 12, 13 and 14 of Chapter V (Officers ) should be amende d 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 Chairperson for that 
meeting or that part o f the meeting.  
 
                                                
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).  G/TFA/W/1  
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  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."  
 
(f) Rule 16 of Chapter  VI (Conduct of B usiness , quorum)  should not be applied.  
 
(g) 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 statements … . " 
 
(h) 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 ." 
 
(i) Rule 34 of Chapter  VII (Decision -Making, vote ) should not apply . 
 
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