WT/ACC/23
24 November 2014
(14-6856)  Page: 1/34
   
  
 
  
 
 
WTO ACCESSIONS 
 
2014 ANNUAL REPORT BY THE DIRECTOR-GENERAL* 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
                                               
* This Annual Report takes account of confir med accession-related de velopments up until 
24 November 2014.  This document has been prepared under the Secretariat's own 
responsibility and is without prejudice to the positions of Members or 
to their rights and obligations under the WTO. WT/ACC/23 
 
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  TABLE  OF CONTENTS 
I.  INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW ............................................................................. 3  
II.  2014 DEVELOPMENTS .............................................................................................. 5  
1. ACCESSION WORKING PARTIES:  AN OVERVIEW OF ACTIVITIES ............................ 5  
2. WORKING PARTY CH AIRPERSONS .......................................................................... 5  
3. TRANSPARENCY IN THE ACCESSION PROCESS ........................................................ 6  
4. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE  AND OUTREACH ............................................................... 7  
5. ACCESSIONS TRANSPARENCY TOOLS BOX (A TTB) ................................................ 10  
III.  STATE-OF-PLAY IN ACCESSI ON WORKING PARTIES ............................................. 11  
IV. LEAST-DEVELOPED COUNTR IES' ACCE SSIONS ...................................................... 15  
V.  POST-ACCESSION: PERFORMANCE AND SUPPORT FOR ARTICLE XII 
MEMBERS .............................................................................................................. 16  
1. INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................... 16  
2. CONCEPT OF POST -ACCESSI ON ............................................................................. 17  
3. ARTICLE XII MEMBERS' IMMEDIATE POST-ACCESSION OPERATIONAL 
SUPPORT  ............................................................................................................... 17  
3.1 Internal Coor dination ............................................................................................ 17  
3.2  Information Dissemina tion.................................................................................... 18  
3.3  Multilateral Post -Accession Su pport ...................................................................... 18  
4. POST-ACCESSION TECHNICAL ASSISTAN CE FOR ARTICLE XII MEMBERS .............. 20  
5. CONCLUSIONS ....................................................................................................... 21  
VI. TRADE AND ECONOMIC PERFORMANC E OF ARTICLE XII MEMBERS ....................... 21  
VII.  CONCLUSIONS - OU TLOOK 20 15 ........................................................................... 26  
ANNEX 1 - ACCESSION S DIVISION WORK INDICATO RS ................................................ 28  
ANNEX 2 - ACCESSIONS NE GOTIATED PURSUANT TO ARTICLE XII ................................ 29  
ANNEX 3 - WTO ACCESSIONS WORKIN G PARTY (WP) CH AIRPERSONS.......................... 30  
ANNEX 4 – LENGTH OF TIME OF COMPLETED ACCESSIONS ............................................ 31  
ANNEX 5 - SECTION VI-DATA ON ECONOMIC PERFORMANCE ......................................... 32  
ANNEX 6 - ACCESSION S MANAGEME NT .......................................................................... 33  WT/ACC/23 
 
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  I.  INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW 
1. This is the Sixth Annual Report on WTO Accessions and my Second as Director-General.  
At the start, I reiterated the vital importance of WTO accession as a strategic priority for the Organization.  Members have rallied in support of this priority.  There is greater engagement by a 
wider group of Members.  Broader and deeper en gagement has improved systemic understanding 
of the benefits of accession for Members and Acceding Governments alike.  This needs to be sustained.   
2. As the WTO approaches its Twentieth Anniversary, we should take stock of the acquis  as we 
look ahead.  Since 1995, 32 accessions have been concluded.  As Members review this report, the Accession of Seychelles is the first item on the agenda of the GC for a formal decision.  When 
Seychelles ratifies its Accession Protocol and deposi ts its Instrument of Ratification, the number of 
completed accessions will rise to 33 and member ship to 161.  The accession negotiations of 
Kazakhstan are at an advanced stage of maturity and on the threshold of conclusion, as soon as the remaining decisions are taken.  On current pace, I believe that the stage should be set for a 
formal decision by the General Council early in the new year.   
3. The results of accession have been far-reaching and positive.  They have contributed to 
WTO rule-making through greater precision, clarification and otherwise strengthening our rules 
based system.  Pursuant to Accession Protocols and as reconfirmed by WTO jurisprudence, these 
Protocols are integral to the "WTO Agreement".  On market access, the results from accession negotiations, as codified in Goods and Services Schedules, have improved commercial opportunities for all Members, hence contributing to growth and job creation.  To illustrate, it is 
significant that the rules-based Multilateral Trad ing System has expanded to cover approximately 
98% of World Trade in 2013, from where it stood  at 90.9% in 1995 because of the enlargement 
through new Members.  To reinforce this fact, average yearly growth of the commerce of new – 
Article XII Members – for the period 1995 to 2013 was 12.4%, almost double that of original 
members at 6.7%.  As a consequence, the share of world trade of new Members increased from 7.8% in 1995 to 17.6% in 2013.  This is not a st andalone fact.  This more rapid growth has 
contributed to global economic growth.  All new Members, including those still in the process of 
negotiating their membership terms, have underlined the fact that a major reason, inter alia , for 
why they embark on accession negotiations is to use the process as an instrument for their domestic reforms and strengthen domestic governance by building strong institutions for law and 
policy.   
4. On the average, it takes about a decade to conclude an accession, with some being 
concluded in less time, and others requiring more time.  More broadly, because of the time and 
scope of these negotiations, I believe that the experiences from these negotiations carry very 
useful lessons for the negotiating leg of the trip od of the WTO.  This is why in September 2013, 
I encouraged a stocktaking of the diverse experiences and outcomes from all accessions so far in a 
book to be published in 2015: "WTO Accessions and Trade Multilateralism: Case Studies and 
Lessons for the WTO at Twenty" .  There are contributions from Chief Negotiators of new and 
original Members, analysis from economists, lawy ers, trade policy professionals and academics, 
from different institutions, to ensure objectivity, integrity of analysis and balance.  I look forward 
to launching this book next year and reviewing the analysis together with Members.  The purpose 
of such analysis is to find out what the Organization has achieved and ask are there lessons to be drawn more broadly.  Surely, twenty years of a ccessions negotiations and 33 Accession Protocols 
hold systemic lessons for all.   
5. More specific to the year under review, I have already alluded to the progress made.  
Although progress was achieved, it was accompanied by tough negotiating challenges in a year 
marked by geopolitical risks and turbulence that had complex effects on the pace and ability of the 
Organization to advance as rapidly as planned.   
6. Progress on accessions in 2014 was defined by a range of key outcomes.  In June, Yemen 
became a WTO Member, bringing the total number of Members to 160 and hence advancing the 
Organization closer to the goal of trade universality.  Prior to this, in March, the Draft Accession 
Package of Afghanistan emerged and was circulated to Members of the Working Party.  The Draft Package of Afghanistan is stable.  However, final consideration for adoption, by Members of the 
Working Party, awaits appropriate signalling from Kabul for re-engagement.  The Accession 
Package of Seychelles is be fore you for adoption.   WT/ACC/23 
 
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  7. Progress was made on a number of other accessions with established Working Parties, such 
as The Bahamas and Algeria.  I have been in contact with several Governments.  It is important to know that beyond the 22 Working Parties where ne gotiations are on-going in different degrees, 
what is self-evident to me, in the various contacts, is that WTO membership holds a strong 
gravitational pull for governments.  Acceding Go vernments have reaffirmed their commitment to 
WTO membership.  Those that are active have inte nsified their technical negotiating engagement.  
I believe that the governments that continue to negotiate or those that have signalled their 
intention to apply for membership represent continued evidence that the WTO is an indispensable 
global public good to be safeguarded and strengthened.   
8. Side-by-side with progress made, accession negotiations are complex and challenging.  
For instance, pursuant to the mandate in Article XII of the Marrakesh Agreement Establishing the 
WTO, eligibility for WTO membership is for either states or separate customs territories.  In the 
year under review, the accession negotiation of Kazakhstan, presented unique negotiating challenges, of the type that the Organization ha d never previously addressed.  Kazakhstan, with 
the Russian Federation and Belarus, is party to the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) Treaty, which 
is scheduled to enter into force on 1 January 2015.  The accession negotiations of Kazakhstan are addressing uniquely complex questions, associat ed with the integration and functioning of 
individual members of a Customs Union in a rules-based system founded on non-discrimination.  
Some of these questions include tariff adjustment and questions related to the relationship between different and complementary jurisdictions at national and customs union levels.  The progress on these questions is a significant st ep forward for the Organization and a tribute to 
the pragmatism of Members to solve problems and the capacity of the Organization to deliver.  
Some of the approaches pursued and the results hold useful lessons for multilateral negotiations in the WTO.   
9. At a more technical level, this year, we improved on the tools for managing the work of the 
Organization on accessions.  Creating an intelligent system that would make our work more accessible to Members and the user community  was overdue.  I initiated an "Accessions 
Intelligence Portal" (AIP).  Several Divisions within the Secretariat are working on its development.  
I hope to launch it next year.  The Annual Outreach Cycle with the range of "Constituency Groups" has improved on their delivery.  The dialogue is more interactive and Q&A-based.  Accession-specific technical assistance and capacity building are better tailored to the 
requirements of Acceding Governments.  For instan ce, in all accessions, where there is serious and 
sustained technical engagement, I have requested staff to suggest a Road Map to the Acceding Government, which, if they own, provides a basis for facilitating their accession negotiations, 
efficiently.  To support the Secretariat's efforts on technical assistance, I pay tribute to Australia, 
China, European Union (EU) and several of its in dividual Members, such as Sweden and Germany 
in particular, India, New Zealand, Oman and the United States (US).   
10. Thematically, every year, these Annual Report s have a focus.  Post-Accession is the 
thematic focus this year.  There is a systemic need, demand-driven by some new Members, including Least Developed Members, for Post-Acce ssion support.  Such Post-Accession support is 
focused, primarily on implementation of accessio n-specific obligations in a rules-based system 
where membership is balanced on rights and obligations.  An internal Secretariat platform was 
established in June this year to coordinate Se cretariat Post-Accession support for new Members to 
assist them with the implementation of their obli gations from day 1 of membership until their First 
Trade Policy Review (TPR), if they request such su pport.  In the coming year, the Secretariat will 
work to improve on this platform.   
11. The "business" of trade negotiations as illustrated in accession negotiations is challenging 
and complex, but the welfare gains and rewards are plentiful.  For the progress made this year, 
I would like to express my appreciation to the Working Party Chairpersons, Members in the various 
Working Parties and Secretariat Staff, led by the Accessions Division that coordinates and facilitates this complex process.   
 
  
 
  WT/ACC/23 
 
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II.  2014 DEVELOPMENTS 
 1. ACCESSION WORKING PARTIES:  AN OVERVIEW OF ACTIVITIES 12. Twenty three (23) acceding governments were in  the process of WTO accession, at the start 
of the year. These negotiations were managed through a combination of formal and/or informal 
multilateral, plurilateral and bilateral meetings (See Annex 1).  In the year under review: 
- Five (5) formal Working Party meetings were held.  These were on the - accessions of: 
Algeria (one (1)1 meeting); Azerbaijan (one (1)2 meeting); Kazakhstan (one (1)3 meeting); 
and Seychelles (two (2)4 meetings), of which 
- One (1) final formal Working Party meeting was convened on the Accession of Seychelles on 
17 October 2014.  At this meeting, the Draft Accession Package of Seychelles was adopted ad referendum by the Working Party; 
- Three (3) informal Working Party meetings took place
5 in context of the accession of 
Kazakhstan, of which one special Transparency session on the Eurasian Economic Union 
Treaty was held in the context of the 19th Working Party on the accession of Kazakhstan6; 
- At four (4) Technical Verification meetings the Consolidated Draft Schedules on Goods and 
Services of Afghanistan, Kazakhstan and Seychelles were verified; and,  
- Thirteen (13) plurilateral meetings addressed spec ific technical issues such as in the areas of 
agriculture7; SPS8; and, tariff adjustment9 on the accessions of Azerbaijan; Kazakhstan and 
Seychelles.  The plurilateral meetings were chaired by the Secretariat10.  Two (2) Small 
Group Consultations11 on the Draft Working Party Report took place in the context of the 
accession of Kazakhstan, chaired by the WP Chairperson. 
13. In 2014, progress was documented as follows:  
- Draft Reports were revised by the Secretaria t for four Working Parties – Afghanistan (one 
revision); Algeria (one revision); Kazakhstan (three revisions); and Seychelles (two 
revisions);  
- Two (2) Draft Accession Packages  were prepar ed by the Secretariat and circulated on the 
Accessions of Afghanistan and Seychelles, of which one (1) Draft Accession Package, of 
Seychelles, was adopted ad referendum , and the Package was re-issued in the WT/ACC- and 
General Council series, for formal action by  the December 2014 WTO General Council.   
 
2. WORKING PARTY CHAIRPERSONS 
14. Two new Working Party Chairpersons were appointed in 2014.  Following consultations with 
WTO Members, in July 2014 the Chairperson of the General Council announced12 the appointments 
of:   
a. H.E. Ambassador Mehmet Haluk Ilicak (T urkey), as Chairperson of the Working 
Party on the Accession of Belarus; and 
                                               
1 31 March 2014. 
2 21 February 2014. 
3 23 July 2014. 
4 3 July and 17 October 2014. 
5 26 September 2014 and 12 November 2014. 
6 21 July 2014. 
7 20 February 2014 in the context of the accession of Azerbaijan, 2 July 2014 in the context of the 
accession of Seychelles, 22 July and 10 November 2014 in the context of the ac cession of Kazakhstan. 
8 25 June 2014 and 11 November 2014 in the co ntext of the accession of Kazakhstan. 
9 22 July 2014, 17 and 24 September 2014, 11 November 2014 in the context of the Accession of 
Kazakhstan. 
10 Plurilateral meetings on Tariff Adjustment (22 July 2014, 24 September 2014 and 11 November 
2014) in the context of the accession of Kazakhstan were chaired by the WP Chairperson. 
11 25 September 2014 and 10 November 2014.  
12 Minutes of the meeting of the General Council on 24-25 July 2014, contained in document 
WT/GC/M/152 of 9 October 2014. WT/ACC/23 
 
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  b. H.E. Ambassador Thomas Hajnoczi (Austria), as Chairperson of the Working Party 
on the Accession of Bhutan.  
Background briefings for both new Chairpersons were organized by the Secretariat.   
15. At present, 58% (or 10) of the Chairpersons are Geneva-based (See Figure 1).  There are 
six (6) Chairmanship vacancies (See Annex 3), which include vacancies on the accessions at the 
initial stages, where in most cases no documentary basis for work exists at this time. 
Figure 1 - Accession Working Party Chairmanships in 2014, by number 
Vacant, 6
Non-Geneva based, 7
Geneva-based, 10
 
 
16. In 2014, Working Party Chairpersons remained actively engaged.  They met with 
representatives of Members and Acceding Govern ments in various formats and configurations.  
They facilitated the resolution of complex ques tions.  They engaged in outreach to improve 
technical and policy understanding.  The active engagement of Chairpersons advanced the process, including through country missions.  In 2014, the Chairman of the Working Party on the 
Accession of Algeria, H.E. Ambassador Alberto D' Alotto (Argentina), visited Algiers from 18 to 
21 October. There were meetings with high level authorities in Government and with the Negotiating Team, with the purpose of confirming high level political commitment advancing on 
the technical substance of Algeria's accession negotiations.  In keeping with systemic transparency 
obligations, the Chairman of the Working Party reported to WTO Members on the results of his visit at the 9
th Informal Group on Accession s, on 29 October.    
3. TRANSPARENCY IN THE ACCESSION PROCESS 
17. Ensuring transparency and predictability in the accession process remain key priorities for 
the Membership and the Secretariat. During 2014, the transparency measures that were 
introduced since 2010, continued to be implemented and reinforced.   
i. Informal Group on Accessions (IGA) 
18. The Informal Group on Accessions13 held 9 meetings14 in 2014 (up until 24 November 
2014)15.  Consultations in the Informal Group were focused, as traditionally, the case, on:  
(i) information exchange on accessions; (ii) Secretariat reports to Members on technical 
developments in accession processes; (iii) report s to Members by Chairpersons of Working Parties 
on the results of their visits to Capitals of Acceding Governments; (iv) planning accession meetings 
and related activities, based on the Evolving Calendar of Accession Meetings (ECAM) proposed by 
                                               
13 Chaired by the WTO Secretariat. 
14 30 January 2014; 27 February 2014; 26 March 2014; 29 April 2014; 26 May 2014; 26 June 2014; 
17 July 2014; 25 September 2014; and 29 October 2014.    
15 The 10th and final meeting of the Informal Group on  Accessions is scheduled for 26 November 2014. WT/ACC/23 
 
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  the Secretariat; and (v) addressing specific concerns raised by Members and Acceding 
Governments.  Two additional items were introduced this year to the agenda of IGA meetings.  These were: i) Accession Best Practices; and, ii) the Trade Growth Performance of Article XII 
Members; the latter a subject of thematic focus in the Director-General's Annual Reports on 
Accessions.  The purpose of these two additional items were to make available, in particular for 
new Members and new delegates, the facts on systemic best practices on accessions , over time; 
and, underscore the domestic and global effects, with a bearing on WTO-consistent reforms.   
ii. WTO Accessions Newsletter 
19. The WTO Accessions Newsletter is designed  to ensure transparency and enhance 
communication with Acceding Governments, Chairpersons, Members and the broader global trade policy community.  It provides regular update on ongoing accessions through summary reports of 
IGA meetings.  It has proven to be a useful tool for the dissemination of accession-related 
information and negotiating developments; and, the preparation and planning of accessions-related activities.  This year, the Secretariat prepared 11 WTO Accessions Newsletters.  
The Newsletter is issued monthly.  A special edition of the Newsletter is normally issued in the 
month of August; a month when Members do not meet in the IGA.  This was also the case in August this year.  The "August" Accession s Newsletter apprises Members and Acceding 
Governments of developments over the summer period and prepares them for activities pour la 
rentrée .   
iii. 2014 Annual Outreach Dialogue with WTO Regional Groups  
20. In 2014, the Annual Outreach Dialogue with WTO Regional Groups comprised customized 
briefings for the Informal Gr oup of Developing Countries
16, the Latin-American and Caribbean 
Group (GRULAC)17, the African Group18 and the Asian Group of Developing Members19.  
The objective of the Annual Outreach Dialogue is to strengthen communication channels with 
Members and Acceding Governments alike, through the Regional Groups.  The briefings provide a 
platform to exchange region-specific information on WTO accessions; and respond to concerns by Members and Acceding Governments.  They strengthen the collaboration between Members, 
Acceding Governments and the Secretariat.   
4. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND OUTREACH 
21. The WTO Biennial Technical Assistance and Training Plan for 2014-2015 (hereinafter "the 
Plan") establishes support for Acceding Governments as one of its four overarching objectives
20.  
The Plan grants priority attention to a cceding Least-developed countries (LDCs).   
22. Traditionally, accession-related technical assistance and capacity-building focus on training 
for government officials.  These activities, however, also cover outreach and awareness-raising 
activities for Parliamentarians, the private sector, academia, civil society and the media.  
23. In 2014, technical assistance and capacity-building activities included:  (i) national 
seminars; (ii) sessions on accessions in advanced trade policy courses, regional courses and 
introductory courses for LDCs; (iii) workshops; (iv) technical missions; (v) establishment/upgrade 
of WTO Reference Centres; (vi) e-Learning; (vii) ou treach dialogue with WTO groupings; and, (viii) 
participation in conferences.  Customized briefings on accessions for delegations (including non-residents) were also provided during the 28
th Geneva Week, held in May 2014. 
24. In addition to these activity types of TA de livery, the Secretariat also initiated and/or 
participated in video conferences; telephone conf erences; and dedicated electronic exchanges, in 
the supply of accession-related technical assistance and the formation of institutional partnerships.  
In the year under review, these modes of supply were used, for example, on the Accessions of 
Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Lebanon, Liberia, Iraq, The Bahamas, and Seychelles.   
                                               
16 7 May 2014 and 21 July 2014. 
17 30 October 2014. 
18 7 November 2014. 
19 20 November 2014. 
20 WT/COMTD/W/200. WT/ACC/23 
 
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  25. In 2014, Acceding Governments were invited to participate in over 120 WTO TA activities.  
Five Acceding Governments acted as hosts for some  of these activities.  Table 1, below, records 
the number of participants from Acceding Governments that completed TA activities during 201421.  
Table 1 - Participants from Acceding Go vernments in WTO TA Activities – 2014 
3027
042
1624
1554
385
33
19
935
13
1 281432
131
6
0102030405060708090
 
26. Accession-related TA and capacity-building were also provided by other institutions, and 
often in partnership with WTO Members.  The Secretariat continues to work in a strong and effective partnership with the Enhanced Integrat ed Framework (EIF) and the International Trade 
Centre (ITC).  Activities have been coordinated with positive results.   
27. In the year under review, the Enhanced Inte grated Framework (EIF) provided significant 
technical and capacity-building support in selected Acceding Governments and completed 
accessions.  WTO accessions are currently in progress in the following EIF Countries: Afghanistan, 
Bhutan, Comoros, Ethiopia, Liberia, Sao Tomé and Principe
22 and Sudan.  Vanuatu and Yemen 
acceded to the WTO in 2012 and 2014, respectively.  The EIF is supporting the accession process 
in accordance to with countries' demands. The Diagnostic Trade Integration Studies (DTIS, EIF 
flagship country reports highlighting trade opportunities and constraints to trade integration) for Sao Tomé and Principe and Sudan which were completed in 2014, address WTO accession issues. Accession to the WTO is an important aspect of  DTIS Updates for Comoros and Ethiopia which 
were launched in 2014.  The EIF provides concrete support in Vanuatu and Yemen following their 
accession.  In Yemen, the DTIS Update under way since 2013 includes the formulation of a "post-Accession" capacity development plan.  In Vanuatu, the EIF helped to enhance the country's 
capacity to manage the "post-Accession" process.   Beyond the DTIS and DTIS Updates, a number 
of countries use EIF funded projects to support a ccession.  In Liberia, support for WTO accession is 
part of an EIF funded institutional capacity bu ilding project (extended for a second phase in 
May 2014) which for accession issues are closely coordinated with the Swedish National Board of 
Trade project.  In the Comoros and Ethiopia, EIF funded institutional support projects are instrumental for capacity building for trade negotiations and outreach and awareness-raising on accession issues.  The project for Ethiopia was launched in October 2014.  The project in the 
                                               
21 Data source: WTO TRTA Database (14 October 2014). 
22 The Working Party on the Accession of Sao Tomé and Principe is in suspension due to non-payment of 
assessed contributions.   WT/ACC/23 
 
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  Comoros was extended for a second phase in June 2014.  Sao Tomé and Principe initiated the 
preparation of an institutional capacity building project in 2014, including activities through which legislation would be revised in light of the planned WTO accession. 
i. WTO/ITC Joint Programme for Trade Capacity for Acceding LDCs 
28. The Joint Programme for Trade Capacity for Acceding LDCs was launched by the WTO and 
the International Trade Centre (ITC) on 1 December 2009. This Joint Programme provides accession-specific technical assistance for the private sector, parliamentarians and government 
officials.  The purpose is to enhance their understanding of the accession process and 
WTO Membership.  During 2014, Afghanistan, Comoros, Ethiopia, Lao PDR, Liberia and Sudan benefited from this Joint Programme.   The International Trade Centre remains pro-active in accession-tailored support.  It was instrumental into securing increased national awareness for 
WTO accession and high level political engagement.  The coordinated partnership between ITC and 
the WTO Secretariat is vital in the delivery of technical assistance and capacity building.  The two Secretariats will continue and improve on its coordinated partnership in the year to come.   
ii. China LDCs' and Accessions Programme 
29.  China's "Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Accessions Programme" (hereafter:  
China Programme) was established by the Government of China with the WTO on 14 July 2011. 
It was renewed and extended by the Government of China with a contribution of USD$400,000 in 
December 2013.   
30. The China Programme is aimed at strengthening LDCs' participation in the WTO and 
assisting LDCs acceding to the WTO.  The China Programme comprises three main pillars:  (a) the 
WTO Accessions Internship Programme; (b) an annual high-level WTO Accessions Round Table 
Meeting; and (c) support to improve the participation of officials of LDCs in WTO meetings. 
31. With respect to the WTO Accessions Internship Programme, in the year under review, five 
interns benefited from this Programme. The prog ramme admitted three interns from Members and 
two interns from Acceding Governments including one acceding LDC
23.  
32. Regarding, the annual high-level WTO Accession s Round Table Meeting, consultations have 
been underway on the venue, theme and programm e for the Third High-Level Round Table (RT).  
It is expected that the details would be fi nalised and communicated to WTO Members shortly.24  
iii. Other Outreach Activities 
33. Notably, a Geneva-based workshop for Iraqi Officials was organized in collaboration with the 
US Department of Commerce (17-21 March 2014). The country visit by Deputy Director-General 
David Shark and the Secretary of the Working Party provided impetus to the domestic efforts in Nassau.  As a consequence, Chief Negotiator Minister Pinder visited Geneva in June to meet with 
the Director-General and consult with a range of Members to take stock and identify "Next Steps".   
34. As part of outreach, the Secretariat participated in the Astana Economic Forum 
(21-23 June 2014) and the High-Level "International Conference on Kazakhstan's Role in a 
Globalizing World: Trade and Investments" (3-5 September 2014). Furthermore, a specific 
seminar on the Multilateral Trading System was organized at the request of Comoros. 
                                               
23 The five interns are from China (Member), Kazak hstan (acceding Government), Liberia (acceding 
LDC), Nigeria (Member) an d Uganda (LDC Member). 
24 The Thematic focus of the First China Roundtable wa s "Best Practices in the WTO Accession Process".  
This First Round Table, focused on LDCs, took pl ace in Beijing, China from 29 May to 1 June 2012. 
The thematic focus of the Second China Round Table on WTO Accessions was on the: "Future of the Multilateral 
Trading System: Perspectives of LDCs  and Article XII Members".  It took place in Luang Prabang, Lao PDR, 
from 15 to 18 October 2013.    WT/ACC/23 
 
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  5. ACCESSIONS TRANSPARENCY TOOLS BOX (ATTB) 
i. Accession Commitments Database (ACDB) 
35. The Accessions Commitments Database (ACDB) provides access to all accession-specific 
commitments and related information contained in Accession Working Party Reports and the 
Accession Protocols of the 32 Article XII Members.  The ACDB is available in the three official 
languages of the WTO at: http://acdb.wto.org.   
36. In 2014, the ACDB was updated to include the specific accession commitments as contained 
in the Accession Working Party Report of Yemen.     
ii. Secretariat Register of Bilateral Market Access Agreements 
37. The Register of Bilateral Market Access Agreements contains basic information regarding 
signed Bilateral Market Access Agreements on Good s and Services that have been deposited with 
the Secretariat, namely: the sector of the agr eement (goods; services; or both, as applicable); 
and the dates of signature and deposit.  Reports generated by this Register are available on the 
secure (i.e. password-protected) WTO Members' website.   
38. In accordance with long-standing practice, the substantive content of Bilateral Market Access 
Agreements remains absolutely confidential to the parties that signed the Agreement, as well as 
the Secretariat with whom the Agreements are deposited.  
iii. Easy access to draft laws (bills), Legislation and "Consultation Documents", notified 
as part of the WTO accession process 
39. Accessions-related resources can be accessed on the secure (i.e. password-protected) 
WTO Members' website.  The platform provides Members, for instance, with easy access to the 
electronic versions of legislation ("E-legislation link") and other "Consultation Documents" 
submitted by Acceding Governments, as part of their WTO accession process.   
iv. WTO Accessions Intelligence Portal (AIP) 
40. In 2012, the WTO Accessions Division initiated the design and development of an enhanced 
Accessions Information Management System (AIMS), so as to achieve a modernized accessions website interface.  The purpose of this projec t was to: (i) efficiently register and manage 
accession-related information; and (ii) provide easy access to accession documentation and data. 
In the test phase, the operational design of the AI MS did not fully respond to the original concept.  
Changes were made, to relinquish the AIMS and embark on the Accessions Intelligence Portal 
(AIP).  The design concept of the AIP is superior in respect of integrating all relevant information 
and joining Members and the Secretariat on an advanced platform for information exchange.  
41. As follow-up, in 2014, the Accessions Division, in partnership with the Information and 
External Relations Division, developed and designed the prototype of the modernized the 
"Accessions Intelligence Portal (AIP)".  The AIP ha s been designed to ensure data integrity by 
providing easier access to the WT/ACC-; WT/ACC/ SPEC-; or JOB/ACC-documents, circulated as 
part of the WTO accession processes, as well as to  internal documents, including but not limited to 
speaking notes of accession Working Party Chairpersons; delegation lists; statements by heads of 
delegations of acceding governments; and, with links to essential historical facts of all accessions.   
42. When launched, the AIP interface will offer ea sier access to comprehensive accession-related 
information, which will include: 
a. general accession-relevant information, including the Accessions Transparency Tool Box 
(ATTB);   
b. a comprehensive overview of documentation and information related to each completed 
WTO accession process since 1995 - organized by Article XII Member; and  
c. accession-related information for active WTO accession negotiations - organized by the 
Acceding Government.  The increased transparency and simplified access to relevant WT/ACC/23 
 
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  documents and data of active WTO accession processes should facilitate the work of the 
parties involved in the negotiations in question (i.e. WTO Members/Accession Working Party 
Members and Acceding Governments).   
43. While the AIP will provide greater transparen cy, it will also ensure and safeguard the 
existing, agreed restriction levels of different types of negotiating inputs, documents and 
information.  Therefore, certain accession information and documentation shall remain restricted and only available to relevant parties through a secure (i.e. password-protected) access.  
This would include, for instance, but would not be limited to, documentation and data linked to 
active WTO accession negotiations.     
44. Since 2009 specifically, the Accessions Division, in close coordination with WTO Members, 
has stepped up its efforts to enhance and further improve transparency on WTO accessions.  
The new "Accession Intelligence Portal (AIP)" w ill be yet another component of this "Accession 
Transparency Initiative" and shall be launched as pa rt of the activities of the 20th Anniversary of 
the Organization in 2015.  There will always be scope to do more and improve.  This is only one 
more step in a rapidly changing policy and oper ational environment that generates ever greater 
demands for openness and transparency to ensure sustainability.   
III.  STATE-OF-PLAY IN AC CESSION WORKING PARTIES 
45. WTO accessions advance on the basis of interdependent tracks of multilateral, plurilateral 
and bilateral negotiations.  In the period under review, the Accession of Seychelles was concluded at the level of the Working Party and shall be on  the formal agenda of the December 2014 General 
Council.  While some accessions progressed considerably in 2014, others have not advanced as 
planned due to a range of factors, including, but not limited to, continued negotiations with Members; technical complexities; domestic challenges; political choices to delay for more impact analysis, for example, re-ordered priorities, and/or immediate post-conflict situations.  
46. Afghanistan: Afghanistan applied for WTO acce ssion in November 2004. The Working Party 
on the Accession of Afghanistan was establishe d in December 2004. The fourth meeting of the 
Working Party was held in July 2013.  This accession is queued up for conclusion. The Draft 
Accession Package of Afghanistan was circulat ed in March 2014. The Draft Accession Package 
contains the draft Working Party Report, the draf t Decision of the General Council and the draft 
Accession Protocol; and, the Consolidated Draft Goods and Services Schedules. The next meeting 
of the Working Party, which was postponed at the request of Kabul, is envisaged to be the final 
one. The purpose of the meeting would be  to adopt the Draft Accession Package, ad referendum .  
However, before this meeting, updates may be required on the Draft Accession Package because of the passage of time since circulation in March 2014.   
47. Algeria: Algeria applied for WTO accession in June 1987. The Working Party on the Accession 
of Algeria was established in June 1987.  The 12th meeting of the Working Party was held in March 
2014.  The latest version of the Draft Working Party Report was circulated in February 2014.  
Bilateral market access negotiations are ongoing with interested Members on the basis of revised 
market access offers on goods, circulated in November 2013; and services, circulated in October 2013.  Six bilateral market access agreements have been concluded (Argentina, Brazil, Cuba, 
Switzerland, Uruguay and Venezuela).  The next meeting of the Working Party will be convened 
after a complete set of updated technical inputs have been submitted by the Acceding Government, processed by the Secretariat and Members have had, at the minimum, four weeks to review the updated inputs. The Chairman of the Working Party undertook a visit to Algeria in 
October 2014.  The Chairman reported to Members in the Informal Group on Accessions on the 
results of his visit on 29 October 2014.
25   
48. Andorra: The Working Party held its first and on ly meeting in October 1999.  This accession 
process is inactive, and there are no indications of any intentions to re-start the process.   
49. Azerbaijan: Azerbaijan applied for WTO accession in June 1997.  The Working Party on the 
Accession of Azerbaijan was established in July  1997.  The 11th meeting of the Working Party was 
held in February 2014.  Multilateral negotiations are under way on the basis of a Draft Working 
                                               
25 JOB/ACC/47.    WT/ACC/23 
 
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  Party Report, circulated in December 2012.  Bilateral market access negotiations with interested 
Members are ongoing on the basis of revised market access offers on goods, circulated in September 2013, and on services, circulated on in October 2013.  Four bilateral agreements have been deposited with the Secretariat (Kyrgyz Repub lic, Oman, Turkey and United Arab Emirates).   
50. The Bahamas: The Bahamas applied for WTO accession on in May 2001.  The Working Party 
on the Accession of The Bahamas was established in July 2001.  The Second Working Party 
meeting was held in June 2012.  A Factual Summary was sent to Nassau for factual updates in 
August 2013. Nassau's feedback is still pending.  Deputy Director-General David Shark undertook 
on a High Level Accession Mission to The Bahamas from 9 to 11 April 2014, accompanied by the Secretary of the Working Party.  DDG Shark met with key stakeholders, led by Minister Pinder (Ministry of Financial Services, Chief Negotiator).  The outcomes of this Mission were reported at 
the Informal Group on Accession in April 2014.  In June/July 2014, Minister Pinder visited Geneva 
to meet with a group of WTO Members to take stock of the state-of-play on the WTO accession negotiation of The Bahamas and to set-out for Me mbers the plans and Road Map of Nassau for the 
Accession of the Bahamas.  Minister Pinder also met with the Director-General to discuss the 
state-of-play.  The next meeting of the Working Pa rty will be subject to the receipt of required 
Negotiating Inputs and the Factual Summary from  Nassau.  Required Negotiating Inputs from 
Nassau include an updated Legislative Action Plan (LAP); and revised Market Access Offers on 
Goods and Services. 
51. Belarus: Belarus applied for WTO accession in September 1993.  The Working Party on the 
Accession of Belarus was established in October 1993.  The seventh meeting of the Working Party 
was held in May 2005.  Informal Consultations by the Chairperson took place in 2010, 2012 and 
2013.  The latest version of the Factual Summary of Points Raised was circulated in November 2012.  One bilateral market access agreemen t (with Cuba) has been deposited with the 
Secretariat.  At the Informal Consultations, Belarus was asked to submit a complete set of updated 
technical inputs.  The Secretariat was mandated to revise the Factual Summary on the basis of these inputs.  Belarus was also asked to submit revised market access offers for goods and 
services.   On 28 October 2014, the Chairman of the Working Party Ambassador Haluk Ilicak 
(Turkey) met with H.E. Mr. Aleksandr Guryanov, Deputy Foreign Minister and WTO Chief Negotiator for Belarus.  The meeting took stock of the state-of-play.  Required negotiating inputs were identified.  These included: i) an updated Factual Summary, which would serve as a basis for 
a future Draft Working Party Report; ii) an updated Legislative Action Plan; and, iii) revised market 
access offers that would take account of all CU-related market access developments so far and bilateral market access agreements that may have been concluded and signed by Belarus.  Belarus 
reaffirmed its commitment to reactivate its accession, fully, effectively and sustainably in light of 
the imminent conclusion of the Accession of Kazakhstan and the entry into force of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) Treaty on 1 January 2015.   It was agreed that the Chairman of the 
Working Party would consult with Members of the Working Party to decide on "Next Steps".   
52. Bhutan: Bhutan applied for WTO accession in September 1999.  The Working Party on the 
Accession of Bhutan was established in October 1999.  The fourth meeting of the Working Party 
was held in January 2008.  The latest market access offers on goods and services were circulated 
in November 2007.  The latest version of the Draft Working Party Report was circulated in 
December 2007.  The Secretariat prepared a revision of the draft Report in 2008, but Bhutan is yet to submit its comments on the revised draft.  Although this accession is de facto  inactive, 
Mr. Lyonpo Norbu Wangchuk, Minister for Economic Affairs met with the WTO Director-General on 
13 October 2014 for an exchange of views, includin g on questions related to the state-of-play on 
its WTO accession.  At that meeting, the Minister confirmed Bhutan's plan to join the WTO, and 
emphasized the need for capacity building and awareness about the WTO in the country.  
The Director-General indicated that the Secretariat stood ready to assist Bhutan to the extent possible in the process leading to the country's accession to the WTO. 
53. Bosnia and Herzegovina: Bosnia and Herzegovina applied for WTO accession in May 1999.  
The Working Party on the Accession of Bosnia and Herzegovina was established in July 1999.  
The 12th meeting of the Working Party was held in June 2013.  The latest version of the Draft 
Working Party Report was circulated in May 2013.  Eleven (11) bilateral agreements have been 
deposited with the Secretariat on goods (Canad a, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, the 
European Union, Honduras, India, Japan, Korea,  Mexico, Norway and Switzerland); and seven (7) 
bilateral agreements deposited on services (Canad a, the European Union, India, Japan, Korea, 
Norway and Switzerland).  Bilateral market access  negotiations with other interested Members are WT/ACC/23 
 
- 13 - 
 
  ongoing.  The next meeting of the Working Pa rty would be convened when: (i) outstanding 
domestic legislative action pertaining to, inter alia , trading rights has been completed; (ii) work on 
the latest Draft Working Party Report has been finalized (pertaining to, inter alia , pricing policies; 
framework for making and enforcing policies; trading rights; government procurement; trade in 
civil aircraft; services; and agricultural policies); and (iii) substantial progress on the remaining 
bilateral market access negotiations has been registered.   
54. The Union of the Comoros: The Union of the Comoros applied for WTO accession in 
March 2007. The Working Party on the Accession of the Union of the Comoros was established in 
October 2007. The first meeting of the Working Party will be convened after the Acceding 
Government completes its first cycle of Replies to  questions from Members of the Working Party on 
the Memorandum on the Foreign Trade Regime. The Memorandum on the Foreign Trade Regime 
was circulated in October 2013.   
55. Equatorial Guinea: Equatorial Guinea applied for WTO accession in March 2007. The Working 
Party on the Accession of the Republic of Equa torial Guinea was established in February 2008. 
Equatorial Guinea has not yet submitted its Memorandum on the Foreign Trade Regime to initiate 
the process of accession negotiations. 
56. Ethiopia: Ethiopia applied for WTO accession in January 2003.  The Working Party on the 
Accession of Ethiopia was established in Februa ry 2003. The third meeting of the Working Party 
was held in March 2012.  At the meeting, the Working Party mandated the Secretariat to upgrade the Factual Summary of Points Raised to "Elements of a Draft Working Party Report". The next Working Party meeting would be convened once Ethiopia submits the inputs required for the 
preparation of the Elements of the Draft Working Party Report, and the Initial Market Access Offer 
on Services.  At this stage, there is no multilateral activity in the Working Party on the Accession of Ethiopia.  There is domestic preparatory activi ty to provide a platform for the re-engagement of 
Ethiopia when ready.  Periodically, the Delegation of Ethiopia briefs Secretariat officials on 
domestic activity underway.   
57. Islamic Republic of Iran: The Islamic Republic of Iran applied for WTO accession in 
July 1996.  The Working Party on the Accession of the Islamic Republic of Iran was established in 
May 2005. The Memorandum on the Foreign Trade Regime (MFTR) was circulated in November 2009.  In February 2010, questions from Me mbers on the MFTR were forwarded to the 
Government of Iran.  Technical inputs submitted by Iran, including the replies to Members' 
questions, were circulated in 2011.  To conv ene the first meeting of the Working Party, 
consultations with Members would need to be undertaken by the Chairperson of the General Council for the designation of a Chairperson of th e Working Party.  The Islamic Republic of Iran 
has increased its contacts with the Secretariat and specifically requested that Members be urged to 
reach a consensus on the designation of a Chairperson for its Working Party, as soon as possible.  There is domestic preparatory activity to provid e a platform for the re-engagement of the Islamic 
Republic of Iran when a Chairperson is designated.  Prior to that moment, the Secretariat 
continues to provide technical assistance and capacity-building support, either upon request, or as part of WTO Regional Activities.   
58. Iraq: Iraq applied for WTO accession in September 2004. The Working Party on the 
Accession of Iraq was established in December 2004. The second meeting of the Working Party 
was held in April 2008.  Iraq has provided a number of documentary inputs requested by the Working Party.  Iraq has yet to submit its initial market access offers on goods and services.  
The next Working Party meeting would be scheduled as soon as Iraq submits its initial market 
access offers.   In October 2014, the Government of Iraq decided to establish a permanent Trade Office in Geneva, to work exclusively on WTO accession, and appointed a commercial attaché to 
start contact and engagement with Members of the Working Party on the Accession of Iraq.   
59. Kazakhstan: Kazakhstan applied for WTO accession in January 1996.  The Working Party on 
the Accession of Kazakhstan was established in February 1996.  The 19th Cycle of Meeting of the 
Working Party was held in July 2014.  Since then, two Informal Cycles of Working Party meetings 
were held in September and November.  The latest version of the Draft Working Party Report 
(DWPR) was circulated in November 2014.  The draft sections on "Ordinary Customs Duties", "Agricultural Policies" and "Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures" were considered in plurilateral WT/ACC/23 
 
- 14 - 
 
  format.  On bilateral market access negotiations, 29 bilateral agreements on goods26; and 
15 bilateral agreements on services27 were deposited with the Secretariat in 2012.  On goods, the 
fifth revision of the Consolidated Draft Goods Schedule is envisaged for circulation to Signatory Members in December 2014.  On services, the Consolidated Draft Services Schedule was verified 
by the Signatory Members on 26 September 2014 and thereafter was circulated to Working Party 
Members.  The draft accession package is expe cted to emerge over the next few weeks.  
A December 2014 cycle of meetings is envisaged.   
60. Lebanese Republic: The Lebanese Republic applied for WTO accession in January 1999.  
The Working Party on the Accession of the Leba nese Republic was established in April 1999.  
The seventh meeting of the Working Party was held  in October 2009.  The first revision of the 
Draft Working Party Report was circulated in October 2009.  The latest revision of the market 
access offer on goods and services was circulated in June 2004. The next meeting of the Working 
Party will be convened after the Lebanese Republic submits the necessary inputs; above all an updated Legislative Action Plan (LAP) to indi cate the enactment of laws and associated 
implementing regulations.   
61.  Liberia: Liberia applied for WTO accession in June 2007.  The Working Party on the 
Accession of Liberia was established in December  2007.  The First Meeting of the Working Party 
was held in July 2012.  In May 2014, H.E. President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf communicated with 
Director-General Azevêdo, reaffirming Liberia's WTO accession as a priority for her Government 
with a goal of a 2015 completion.  Since then, despite the public health challenge, Liberia's WTO accession technical work is steadily progressing.  The Liberian Negotiating Team, led by Chief 
Negotiator, Minister Axel Addy, has engaged, technically, substantively and constructively, on the 
basis of a Road Map.  Monrovia has submitted initial market access offers in goods and services, which have been circulated to Members of the WP.  In accordance with longstanding accession 
market access best practices and the right of Members to request bilateral market access 
negotiations, Members of the WP on the Accession of Liberia, who so wish, have been invited to 
request bilateral market access negotiations with Liberia.  However, the Director-General and the 
Chairman of the Working Party, together, have ad vised Members to be mindful of the negotiating 
circumstances of Liberia, exercise maximum restraint, inter alia , because of Liberia's LDCs' status 
and facilitate the accession negotiations of Liberia while ensuring WTO-consistent terms and conditions of membership.  In appealing to WP Member, the Director-General and the Chairman of 
the WP have brought to the attention of Members the fact that the initial market access offers 
submitted by Liberia approximate and improve on  market access opportunities hitherto by the 
7 Article XII LDCs.    
62. Libya: Libya applied for WTO accession in June 2004.  The Working Party on the Accession of 
Libya was established in September 2004.  The Working Party has never met.  Libya has neither 
submitted a Memorandum on the Foreign Trade Regime (MFTR) nor initial market access offers, to 
initiate the process of accession negotiations.   
63. Sao Tomé and Principe: Sao Tomé and Principe applied for WTO accession in February 2005. 
The Working Party on the Accession of the Democr atic Republic of Sao Tomé and Principe was 
established in June 2005.  Sao Tomé and Principe has neither submitted a Memorandum on the 
Foreign Trade Regime (MFTR) nor initial market access offers to initiate the process of accession 
negotiations.  Sao Tomé and Principe is subject to Category III28 administrative measures and 
therefore its Accession Working Party is in suspension until its debts are redeemed.     
64. Serbia: Serbia applied for WTO accession in December 2004. The Working Party on the 
Accession of Serbia was established in February 2005.  The 13th Meeting of the Working Party was 
held in June 2013.  The latest version of the Draft Working Party Report was circulated in October 
2012.  Twelve (12) bilateral agreements on goods (Canada, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, 
El Salvador, the European Union, Honduras, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Norway, Panama and 
                                               
26 Argentina; Australia; Brazil; Bulgaria; Canada; China; Cuba; Dominican Re public; Ecuador; Egypt; 
El Salvador; the European Union; Georgia; Guatemala; Honduras; India; Israel; Japan; Korea; Kyrgyz Republic; Malaysia; Mexico; Norway; Oman; Pakistan; Saudi Arabia; Switzerland; Turkey; and the United States. 
27 Australia; Brazil; China; Canada; Egypt; the European Union; India; Japan; Korea; Norway; 
Saudi Arabia; Switzerland; Chinese Taipei; Turkey and the United States. 
28 As of November 2014. WT/ACC/23 
 
- 15 - 
 
  Switzerland) and nine (9) bilateral agreements on  services (Canada, the European Union, India, 
Japan, Korea, Mexico, Norway, Panama and Switzerland) have been deposited with the Secretariat.  Bilateral market access negotiations with other interested Members are ongoing.  The next meeting of the Working Party would be convened when: (i) outstanding domestic 
legislative action (pertaining to, inter alia , commodity reserves; commodity exchange; GMOs; and 
services) has been completed by Serbia; (ii) work on the latest Draft Working Party Report has been finalized (including but not limited to trading rights; export regulations; government 
procurement; agricultural policies; trade in civil aircraft; notifications); and (iii) substantial 
progress on the remaining bilateral market access negotiations has been registered. The Negotiating Team in Belgrade is in technical contact with the Secretariat to provide updates on domestic activity preparatory to its substantive re-engagement.   
65. Seychelles: Seychelles applied for WTO accession in May 1995.  The Working Party on the 
Accession of the Republic of Seychelles was es tablished in July 1995.  The Seventh and Final 
Meeting of the Working Party was held on 17 Octobe r 2014.  At this meeting, the Draft Accession 
Package was adopted, ad referendum .  The Working Party concluded its mandate and transmitted 
the Report of the Working Party on the Accession of the Republic of Seychelles to the December 
2014 General Council, for formal action. 
66. Sudan: Sudan applied for WTO accession in October 1994.  The Working Party on the 
Accession of Sudan was also established in October 1994.  The Second meeting of the Working 
Party was held in March 2004.  Two signed bilateral market access agreements were deposited with the Secretariat (Brazil and China).  Updated technical Negotiating inputs are still pending, 
including a description of Constitutional changes after the independence of South Sudan in 2012.  
The Secretariat has been in technical contacts with Sudan to identify areas where updated materials and information are required.  However, there is no substantive technical engagement 
by Sudan.  
67. The Syrian Arab Republic: The Syrian Arab Republic applied for WTO accession in October 
2001 and renewed its application in 2004, 2005, and 2010.  The Working Party on the Accession of 
the Syrian Arab Republic was established in May 2010.  No Working Party meeting has been held 
to date.  The Syrian Arab Republic has neither submitted a Memorandum on the Foreign Trade Regime (MFTR) nor initial market access offers to initiate the process of accession negotiations.   
68. Uzbekistan: Uzbekistan applied for WTO accession in December 1994.  The Working Party on 
the Accession of Uzbekistan was also establishe d in December 1994.  The Third Meeting of the 
Working Party took place in October 2005.  This accession is dormant.  
IV. LEAST-DEVELOPED COUNTRIES' ACCESSIONS 
69. The year 2014 has been active for a number of LDCs.   On 26 June 2014, Yemen, an LDC, 
became the 160th WTO Member.  Eight29 other LDCs are at various stages in their accession 
process.   
70. In the year under review, Afghanistan and Liberia were active.  Bhutan, Comoros, Ethiopia 
and Sudan have been in contact with the Secretariat.  However, at the multilateral level of the Working Parties, there was no substantive technical engagement on these dossiers.  Equatorial Guinea remains dormant while Sao Tomé and Principe is still under Category III of Administrative 
Measures.  
71. Afghanistan concluded substantive work on its accession process.  Signatory Members 
concluded the Technical Verification of the conso lidated Draft Goods and Services Schedules, on 
27 February 2014. The Draft Accession Package was circulated to the Membership on 
3 March 2014.  The Secretariat awaits a signal from the Government of Afghanistan to convene 
the next and final Working Party meeting where it is expected that the Working Party will consider 
the entire Draft Accession Package for adoption ad referendum , with any updates that may be 
required with the passage of time.  When adopte d the Draft Accession Package will be forwarded 
to the General Council for a formal decision.  
                                               
29 Afghanistan, Bhutan, the Union of the Comoros, Ethiopia, Equatorial Guinea, Liberia, Sao Tomé and 
Principe and Sudan.  WT/ACC/23 
 
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  72. At the 24 July General Council meeting, Liberia conveyed to the Membership the high-level 
political commitment of the Government to conclu de Liberia's Accession to the WTO in 2015.  
It has noted that undeterred by the public health challenges, domestic preparatory work and substantive technical engagement with the Secretariat are progressing rapidly on its accession 
dossier.   
73. LDCs are constrained by limited human and reso urce capacities.  In response, to support 
LDCs' accessions, the Secretariat provides tailored technical assistance to acceding LDCs at all 
stages of their WTO accession process.  This year, as in previous years, technical assistance was 
provided to acceding LDCs through interactions with delegations in Geneva or in Capitals.   This customized assistance is being improved and refined in several ways.  For instance, accession-specific 2 to 3-day training sessions have been developed to train entire LDCs' 
Negotiating Teams.  These are timed to coincide with their scheduled Working Party Cycles.   
74. In addition to in-house Secretariat support,  Members have continued to provide technical 
support for LDC Accessions.  This includes, amongst others, capacity-building on the platform of 
the China "Least-Developed Countries (LDCs) and Accessions Programme".  So far, eleven 
(11) China Accession interns have been trained.  The "China Programme" has been extended for 
another year.   
75. Several other WTO Members continue to sustain and upgrade their capacity-building and 
technical support for Acceding LDCs.  Some do, nationally, others on the platform of the Enhanced Integrated Framework (EIF).  Steady support has been extended from Australia, Brazil, Canada, 
European Union (including individual Member States), India, New Zealand and the United States. 
76. In 2012, the General Council adopted the Addendum to WT/L/508 to strengthen, streamline 
and operationalize the Guidelines on LDCs' Accessions.
30  Members are mindful of these Guidelines 
in on-going active LDCs' accessions.  The Director-General has underscored the vital importance of 
Members to be cognizant of these Guidelines in facilitating negotiations with LDCs and in 
particular, at this time, in the accession negotiations of Liberia.   
V.  POST-ACCESSION: PERFORMANCE AND SUPPORT FOR ARTICLE XII MEMBERS  
1. INTRODUCTION 
77.  WTO accession is a tool for domestic reform and integration into the rules-based Multilateral 
Trading System and the global economy.  Thes e reforms have assisted Acceding Government 
adjust their domestic economy to global best prac tices.   The WTO accession process and resulting 
Membership carry significant trade and development benefits.  All countries that have navigated 
the process have enhanced their economic welfare and prospered, as suggested in Section VI of this Report on Trade and Economic Performance of  Article XII Members.  The process has provided 
impetus not only for economic modernization and growth, but also the rule of law and good 
governance from a systemic point of view.     
78.  Yet, it is a uniquely challenging process because it is linked to a system of long-term 
domestic reforms.  Also WTO Membership does not automatically lead to trade-related 
development.  Enjoyment of the benefits of Membership is inter-dependent with sustained 
domestic reforms and implementation of the obligations and commitments of Membership, including those that are accession-specific.  Reforms associated with accession negotiations 
themselves do not market the end of the reform process but the end of one stage and the start of 
another.
31   
79. After 32 completed accessions, the evidence suggests that new Members require 
"post-Accession" support to adjust to the balance and rights and obligations of, and full benefit 
from Membership.  Exploring how best to provid e and improve on this "post-Accession" support 
                                               
30 WT/L/508/Add.1, 30 July 2012.   
31 H . E .  D r .  N a m  V i y a k e t h ,  f o r m e r  M i n i s t e r  o f  I n d u s t r y  a n d  C o m m e r c e  o f  L a o  P D R  s a i d  a t  t h e  
10th meeting of the Working Party on the Accession of Lao PDR that "Lao PDR is convinced that joining the 
WTO is not an end in itself, but the beginning of the road to lead our economy into full integration into the Multilateral Trading System."   WT/ACC/23 
 
- 17 - 
 
  and how new Members have performed constitute a central focus for this year's 2014 
Director-General's Annual Report on WTO Accession.   
80. The focus of the treatment of the question of "post-Accession" support is to identify 
operational challenges in the immediate "post-Acce ssion" period, explore how to best tackle those 
challenges, and what technical assistance could be provided in response.   
2. CONCEPT OF POST-ACCESSION 
81. The concept of "post-Accession" is virtually wholly hinged on implementation.  It turns on 
how best, systemic support can be provided, includ ing on request, for the implementation of the 
obligations of Article XII Members, in a rules-based system, structured on a balance of rights and obligations.  So far, regardless of levels of development and even though Article XII Members rank amongst the most technically able delegations because of extended periods of accession 
negotiations, virtually all Article XII Members have requested that the Secretariat provide 
"post-Accession" support, principally to further buttress their technical capacity in the initial period of Membership.  There are also the particular "post-Accession" challenges that emerge from the 
very nature of WTO accessions pursuant to Arti cle XII of the Marrakesh Agreement Establishing 
the WTO.    
82. The challenges in the immediate "post-Accession" phase tend to manifest on two fronts: 
i) ensuring continued buy-in from all domestic constituencies, including members of parliament 
who, in most cases, have to ratify the accession protocol; and ii) re-focusing the mandate of the Negotiating Team to implementation of obligat ions and accepting the responsibilities of 
Membership to safeguard the rules-based system of which it is now a Member. 
3. ARTICLE XII MEMBERS' IMMEDI ATE POST-ACCESSION OPERATIONAL 
SUPPORT 
83. New WTO Members tend to be confronted with a range of operational tasks, immediately, 
"post-Accession".  The questions for many are the same: what next; what should we do; where do 
we go; how can start to "enjoy" the benefits of membership?  The operational and policy challenge that face new WTO Members, inter alia , is to : i) re-focus from negotiations to implementation of 
accepted obligations, including through deeper capacity-building;  ii) deepen internal coordination; 
and, iii) enhance information dissemination, particularly with regard to demonstrating the benefits of Membership.  These are constant recurring po ints for transition from Acceding Government 
status to Membership.   
3.1 Internal Coordination  
84. There are no templates for "post-Accession" support.  However, as a starting point, Article 
XII Members are encouraged to establish a "Natio nal WTO Implementation Strategy".  The essence 
of this is to have a vision of WTO Membership and implementation of obligations and exercise of 
the rights of Membership.
32  Specifically, such an implementation strategy could be elaborated 
hereunder in the indicative Checklist Box for internal coordination. 
                                               
32 This is an idea originating from the Second China Round Table, Luang Prabang, Lao PDR, 15 to 
18 October 2013.   WT/ACC/23 
 
- 18 - 
 
  INDICATIVE CHECKLIST BOX FOR INTERNAL COORDINATION   
 Adjusting domestic institutional structure to cope with/target "post-Accession" challenges – 
rather than accession negotiation challenges. 
 Linking stakeholders within the government (intra-ministry and executive with legislative 
branches), between the public and private sectors, and between the government and 
trading partners, through a proper consultative mechanisms.  
 Establishing a transparent coordination mechanism amongst all the relevant stakeholders 
to achieve regular horizontal communication at the technical level, this could substantially 
reduce the governance management risks. 
 Establishing WTO contact points in all the Ministries and government authorities. 
 Establishing a representative office in Geneva (if this does not already exist). 
 Developing a central registry notification system (e.g. at the Ministry of Trade in close 
collaboration with other line Ministries). 
 Familiarization and implementation of notification requirements.   
 Mobilizing and directing limited resources to the targeted areas of trade policy (within the 
framework of a trade and development agenda). 
 Requiring complementary actions, including macroeconomic reforms, adjustment 
assistance, and training. 
3.2 Information Dissemination 
85. It is essential to undertake a factual dissemination of WTO-related information to all 
stakeholders.  Focus on implementation and elabor ation of associated benefits is an on-going 
effort.  The process does not stop at the conclusion of accession negotiations.  "Post-Accession" 
outreach and technical support are just as relevant.  It is crucial to raise business sector awareness of opportunities derived from the WTO Membership.    
86. Internally, within the Secretariat a platform has been created for Post-Accession support.  
This platform establishes a coordinated base for providing support for implementation of 
obligations assumed by the new Member.  Forward action on accession-specific commitments is assumed by the Divisions with competent jurisdiction.   
87. Other platforms of "post-Accession" outreach su pport include the invitation to new Members 
to join the Informal Group on Accessions and participate; the Secretariat Accession Newsletter; the Accessions Commitments Database; the soon-to-be -launched Accessions Intelligence Portal; and, 
direct interaction between the new Member and Secretariat Divisions.   
3.3 Multilateral Post-Accession Support 
88. Multilaterally, from the Secretariat, "post-Accession" support is provided in two stages: 
• Stage 1 – immediate  "post-Accession"; and,    
• Stage 2 – in the "transition period" – from Day 1 of Membership until the new 
Members' First Trade Policy Review (TPR).   
89. In reality, these stages are not clear-cut, and may vary amongst different Article XII 
Members.  From the perspective of Acceding Gove rnments, the staging of "post-Accession" support WT/ACC/23 
 
- 19 - 
 
  enables them to better organize for a proactive engagement in the system and to address and 
resolve the issues based on the experience of previous Article XII Members.   
Stage 1 – Immediate "post-Accession"  
90. "Post-Accession" preparations and implementation should start immediately.  Immediate 
planning by Article XII Members for the next steps that need to be taken to realize the full 
potential provided by Membership is important.  It is to be noted that LDCs have made a case for "post-Accession" support with regard to the implem entation of commitments Article XII LDCs have 
undertaken as part of their WTO accession terms and conditions.
33   
91. At the immediate "post-Accession" stage, it is useful for Article XII Members, including 
Article XII LDCs to develop an "own plan" for "pos t-Accession".  The implementation of this "own 
plan" should be based on a technically competent well-staffed mission to the WTO.  The flow of 
information from the WTO (and its environment) via the Permanent Mission in Geneva and back to 
capitals should be well organized in order to provide a sound basis for decision-making.   
92. In general, the Permanent Mission of Geneva for any Member of the WTO is essential in 
"translating" the dynamics of daily WTO business and "interfacing" between Geneva and domestic 
stakeholders in the capital.  This process of di stribution of information and interface with the 
capital is crucial for Article XII Members who have just acceded to the WTO. 
93. Operationally, the principal activities of the new Member's mission in the immediate 
"post-Accession" stage is to participate in the work of regular WTO bodies (Committees, Councils, and Working Groups); and, engagement in the Doha Negotiations.   
94. Consistent attendance and participation at meetings of regular WTO bodies is a simple but 
effective approach for building immediate "post-Accession" competence in the regular work of the 
Organization.  Experience has consistently indicated that attendance and effective participation at meetings is the most reliable and effective form of building immediate "post-Accession" capacity 
and deep knowledge of the WTO.  Systemic part icipation by Article XII Members in on-going 
Accession Working Parties on Accessions is encouraged.  Such participation is useful for shared experiences that enable the recently acceded to support those still in the process.   
Stage 2 – "transition period" – between Day 1 and New Members' First Trade Policy Review (TPR)   
95.   For new Members, the period leading up to the First Trade Policy Review is critical.  In this 
period, new Members would focus on implementation, including the obligations associated with 
action plan-based transition periods and developing their "habits" for membership to pursue their interests and safeguard the rules-based trading syst em.  At the First TPR, the focus of Members is 
on the implementation of obligations and any a ssistance the new Member may require in areas 
where implementation is lagging. The objective of new Members in this period leading up to the 
First TPR is to ensure that they have a good story to tell at their TPR.  These are positive signals for the trade and investment community.   
96. The Trade Policy Review Mechanism (TPRM) is a key part of the functioning of the 
rules-based Multilateral Trading System.  Table 2 summarizes the TPR participation of 22 of the 32 Article XII Members that have undergone TPRs.  As indicated, in spite of the key importance of the 
TPR for all Members, calendar pressures and resource constraints have delayed some of the TPRs.  
As of September 2014, 10 Article XII Members are yet to be reviewed.  An area of possible assistance would be to assist the timely scheduling of TPRs for new Article XII Members.   This entails enhanced resources for the TPRD.   
                                               
33 Proposal for the establishment of a work programm e on "post-Accession" for recently acceded LDCs, 
submission by the LDC Group, Sub-Committee on Least developed countries, WT/COMTD/LDC/W/50, 
21 April 2011. WT/ACC/23 
 
- 20 - 
 
  TABLE 2 - ARTICLE XII MEMBERS AND THEIR TRADE POLICIES REVIEW 
Government* Membership 
Date Year of  
the First  
Trade Policies 
Review 
Meeting Years of the 
Subsequent  
Trade Policies Review 
Meetings  Total No. of 
Trade Policies 
Review Meetings 
since Membership 
1. Ecuador 21/01/1996 2005 2011 2 
2. Bulgaria 01/12/1996 2003+ 2009, 2011, 2013 4 
3. Mongolia 29/01/1997 2005 2014 2 
4. Panama 06/09/1997 2007 2014 2 
5. Kyrgyz Republic 20/12/1998 2006 2013 2 
6. Latvia 10/02/1999 2004* 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013 5 
7. Estonia 13/11/1999 2004* 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013 5 
8. Jordan 11/04/2000 2008 None yet 1 
9. Georgia 14/06/2000 2009 None yet 1 
10. Albania 08/09/2000 2010 None yet 1 
11. Oman 09 /11/2000 2008 2014 2 
12. Croatia  30/11/2000 2010 None yet 1 
13. Lithuania 31/05/2001 2004* 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013 5 
14. Moldova 26/07/2001 None yet None yet 0 
15. China 11/12/2001 2006 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014 5 
16. Chinese Taipei 01/01/2002 2006 2010, 2014 3 
17. Armenia 05/02/2003 2010 None yet 1 
18. FYROM 04/04/2003 2013 None yet 1 
19. Nepal 23/04/2004 2012 None yet 1 
20. Cambodia 13/10/2004 2011 None yet 1 
21. Saudi Arabia 11/12/2005 2012 None yet 1 
22. Viet Nam 11/01/2007 2013 None yet 1 
23. Tonga 27/07/2007 2014 None yet 1 
24. Ukraine 16/05/2008 None yet None yet 0 
25. Cape Verde 23/07/2008 None yet None yet 0 
26. Montenegro 29/04/2012 None yet None yet 0 
27. Samoa 10/05/2012 None yet None yet 0 
28. Russian 
Federation 22/08/2012 None yet None yet 0 
29. Vanuatu 24/08/2012 None yet None yet 0 
30. Lao PDR 02/02/2013 None yet None yet 0 
31. Tajikistan 02/03/2013 None yet None yet 0 
32. Yemen 26/06/2014 None yet None yet 0 
+ Before Bulgaria joined the EU in 2007. 
* Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania joined the EU in 2004, and their first and subsequent TPR meetings have been 
under the membership of the EU. 
4. POST-ACCESSION TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FOR ARTICLE XII MEMBERS 
97. The principal responsibility for the operationa l challenges faced by new Article XII Members 
lie within their jurisdiction.  "Post-Accession" behaviour and performance largely depends on a strategy for ownership  that the new Article XII Member may have designed and put in place, 
including with possible support from its partners.  Also, as already indicated there is a role for 
technical assistance and capacity building programmes by the Secretariat that, in coordination and 
upon request, could be provided to support the "post-Accession" needs of new Article XII Members.  There is also a role that can be played  by prior Article XII Members who could facilitate 
the transition of newer Article XII Members by sharing their experiences and reviewing routine 
best practices in the immediate "post-Accession" stage.   
98. In the past few years, the Secretariat has developed a comprehensive Accessions Tool Box 
that provides sound technical support to both Acceding Governments and new Article XII Members 
in their immediate "post-Accession" phase.   
99. The Secretariat has worked to improve internal coordination for the provision of support for 
new Article XII Members in the immediate "post-Accession" stage.  This coordinated exercise is 
based on the platform of a "Post-Accession Secretariat Implementation and Monitoring Note".  
The specific purpose is to: i) support new Members, in the implementation of their 
"accession-specific commitments"; and ii) track and monitor progress.  The internal platform WT/ACC/23 
 
- 21 - 
 
  provides a sounder technical basis for providing support for Article XII Members and improving the 
Secretariat's assistance in respect of their accession-specific obligation.   
100.  Upon accession, new Article XII Members are invited to participate in the Informal Group on 
Accessions (IGA).  The balance and quality in the exchange of views in the IGA have been 
improved with the participation of new Members.   They continue to share their experiences, 
provide information on the benefits of WTO-consistent domestic reforms and, have contributed to the cross-cutting Membership partnership to safe guard and strengthen the rules-based Multilateral 
Trading System.   
101.  The Accession Commitments Database (ACDB) was launched in 2012
34.   I t  p r o v i d e s  a n  
inventory on accession-specific commitments, now integral to the "WTO Agreement" and related 
information contained in the Working Party Reports and the Accession Protocols of the Members 
that have acceded to the WTO pursuant to Article XII of the Marrakesh Agreement Establishing the 
WTO.  The ACDB has become invaluable to Governments still in the process of negotiating their Membership and to the new Article XII Members to keep track of their obligations that they need 
to implement.  This cannot be taken for granted in the ever-changing composition of delegations.   
102.  Technical assistance and capacity building support remain indispensable.  A range of 
complementary assistance has been provided by several Members in particular Australia, Brazil, 
China, European Union, India, New Zealand, Oman and the United States.  
103.  "Post-Accession" technical assistance is esse ntially demand-driven.  A "post-Accession" 
strategy and roadmap, designed by Article XII Me mbers, who need such assistance, would serve to 
focus attention on the specific areas where assistance could be provided and who could best 
provide such assistance.   A reliable source of inputs to "post-Accession" support can be found in 
"Action Plans" in Accession Working Party Report s, negotiated and agreed with Working Party 
Members.   
104.    Addressing technical assistance needs in a structured and transparent way will raise overall 
confidence in the work of Article XII Members and gi ve a clear indication of the intention to derive 
benefits from effective participation and implem entation of Membership obligations.     
5. CONCLUSIONS 
105.  The tangible benefits of WTO accession accrue from full and effective implementation of 
Membership obligations, including those that are accession-specific-negotiated and agreed pursuant to Article XII accession negotiations.  A "post-Accession" strategy and support are 
required in the immediate "post-Accession" stage to accompany the new Members as they proceed 
with the implementation of obligations and specific commitments.   
106.  Furthermore, "post-Accession" support should be designed to deepen the integration and 
participation of new Article XII Members in the rules-based Multilateral Trading System, 
constructively and credibly.   
107.  Previously, while the Secretariat and the Membership tended to focus on Acceding 
Governments up until the conclusion of accession negotiations, it is more and more evident that 
attention and support are required in the immediate "post-Accession" phase.  Newer Members have combined both requests and appeals to the Secretariat to provide targeted coordinated immediate post-accession support.      
VI. TRADE AND ECONOMIC PERFORMANCE OF ARTICLE XII MEMBERS
35  
108.  In the period 1995 to 2013, the value of world trade in goods and services increased by 
264% at an average annual growth rate of 7.4%.  These performance metrics, though registering 
a positive general trend, concealed a diverse situation.  Over the same period, the share of world 
trade in goods and services which originated in or was destined to WTO's Original Members' markets reduced from 90.9% to 80.1%.  The reach of the rules-based Multilateral Trading System 
                                               
34 http://acdb.wto.org/index.aspx   
35 See Annex 5 of this Report. WT/ACC/23 
 
- 22 - 
 
  
(MTS) on world trade expanded from 90.9% to 97.7%.  Article XII negotiations results are central 
for explaining, in part, these changes.     
109.  An important result is the addition of the 32  Article XII Members' share of world trade as 
part of trade conducted under the Multilateral Tr ading System.  Figure 2 shows that while Article 
XII Members' share of world trade increased from  7.8% in 1995 to 17.6% in 2013; the share of 
world trade of Original Members decreased from 90.9% in 1995 to 80.1% in 2013.  Although these static measures quantify market shares, they do not fully characterize the dynamics of the 
evolution of market shares.   
Figure 2 - Share of World Trade by Membership Status 
 
110.  Figure 3 shows that, in the period 1995 to 2013, the velocity of trade growth that was 
registered by Article XII Members (720%) was subs tantially higher than that of Original Members 
(221%).  Even with the largest Article XII Member by trade value (China), excluded, Article XII 
Members' share of world trade grew by 418%.  A salient element which emerged from this 
statistical analysis was that 26 of the 32 Article XII Members have outperformed Original Members in trade growth.   
111.  Overall, Article XII Members have recorded more rapid economic and trade growth, as 
shown in Tables 4 and 5.     
WT/ACC/23 
 
- 23 - 
 
  Figure 3 - Share of World Trade by Membership Status 
 
112.  Figure 4 and Figure 5 show that, in the period 1995 to 2013, trade in goods and services of 
Article XII Members registered average annual gr owth rates of 12.6% and 11.4%, respectively.  
This was faster than the growth of global trade in goods and services, which expanded at rates of 
7.4% and 7.7%.  In the period between 1995 and 2013, the value of merchandise trade of Article 
XII Members rose by approximately 740%, in contrast to world trade that increased by 
approximately 260%.  Even if China, a major trader, is excluded from the calculations, the trend 
remains.  In other words, the trade growth of Articl e XII Members is faster than that of the rest of 
the world. 
 
 
 WT/ACC/23 
 
- 24 - 
 
  Figure 4 - Value of total merchandise tr ade of Article XII Members:  1995-2013 
 (Index, 1995=100) 
 
Source :  WTO Statistics Database   
Figure 5 - Value of total trade in commerc ial services of Article XII Members:  
1995-2013  
(Index, 1995=100) 
 
Source :  WTO Statistics Database  
113.  Article XII Members have also registered strong trade performance in terms of their 
expanded share of world merchandise trade.  As shown in Figure 6, from 1995 to 2013, the share 
of world merchandise trade of Article XII Members increased significantly from 8% to 18%. WT/ACC/23 
 
- 25 - 
 
  Figure 6 - Share of World Merchand ise Trade of Article XII Members 
 
 
 
Source :  WTO Statistics Database  
 WT/ACC/23 
 
- 26 - 
 
  VII. CONCLUSIONS - OUTLOOK 2015 
114.  My report this year indicates the considerable progress that was made in accession and the 
continuing challenges.  WTO accession is work in progress.  On-going negotiations and the 
imminent increase in the queue of those that want to accede, continue to highlight the 
indispensable value of the Organization.  The ca se made by Acceding Governments, stating why 
they want to join, shine strong floodlights on the benefits of membership, and the uses and advantages of the Organization that, all too of ten, are taken for granted.  WTO membership 
retains an ineluctable pull for governments still outside our doors for a combination of cited 
reasons.  The WTO is seen both as an economic institution and a citadel for the rule of law.  Accession negotiations are used as an instrument for sustained legislation-based domestic reforms.  The point has been reiterated by new Members and those acceding that the legal 
framework of the WTO is invoked to manage complex relationships, ranging from questions in 
trade economics, law and policy to geostrategic challenges.   
115.  In many ways and in most instances, Article XII Members have served to renew the 
Organization: injecting negotiating impetus, improving market access opportunities, extending the 
policy debate in trade law and economics and, hence strengthening the WTO.  I urge Members to sustain the focus on accession as a strategic priority.  Although the rules-based system currently 
covers approximately 98% of global trade, the goal is to attain trade universality and membership.   
116.  Yet the evidence suggests that accession negotiations will be tougher not easier, not least 
because the scope of trade policy negotiations is increasing.  Domestic stakeholders involved are more insistent that they be heard in determining the positions of their negotiators and that trade 
negotiations are reconciled with domestic core values and public policy purposes.  The global 
economy is more complex.  Geopolitics introduces unforeseen twists and turns.  Yet, with all these 
variables taken into account, I believe that the prospects for progress in 2015 hold opportunities 
for advancing work on several accessions.  Crisis should not lead to despondency.  In every crisis, 
opportunities exist.  Riddles can be solved.  As Director-General, I appeal to Members to seize these opportunities to advance the work of the WT O on accessions in the year to come, although 
the cardinal responsibility for decisions necessary to make accessions possible, on the basis of 
WTO-consistent laws and regulations, rest with A cceding Governments.  As Director-General, it is 
important that I am clear that the litmus test is that every Protocol of Accession must safeguard, add to and reinforce the existing stock of Accession Protocols so as to strengthen the rules-based 
Multilateral Trading System.  On this point, we cannot err.  The rules-based Multilateral Trading 
System is greater than the sum of its parts.   
117.  LDCs are most in need of Members' support for their WTO-consistent domestic reforms, 
appropriately transitioned, for growth, poverty reduct ion and development.  It is a signal point that 
the LDCs that have either graduated, or are queued-up for graduation are those that have used their accession negotiations as a platform for do mestic reforms.  Looking ahead, Acceding Least 
Developed Countries have a primary claim on Members' support, if they have negotiating inputs on 
the table that provide a basis for engagement by Members of Working Party.   
118.  The Draft Accession Package of Afghanistan is on the table.  It was circulated to Members in 
March.  When Kabul reverts, Members should help Afghanistan cross the finish line.   
119.  The accession of Liberia should be a priority in the New Year to support the goal set by 
Monrovia for a 2015 conclusion.  The tragic public  health challenge faced by Liberia deserves 
solidarity and support.  The Liberian Negotiatin g Team has been intensively engaged on the 
technical substance.  Their submitted Negotiating In puts rank as well and better, in the main, than 
that of other LDCs and other new Members that ha ve acceded.  As Director-General, I am focused 
on the substance and trend lines of this accession.  President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf has 
demonstrated outstanding leadership in the face of daunting challenges.  I would like to salute 
Members for their support for Liberia and in particular China, Cuba, the European Union (EU), Nigeria (and several other African countries); and the United States.  Members' facilitation of the WTO accession of Liberia can make a positive diff erence for poverty reduction, improved economic 
welfare and growth for the People of Liberia.  I am committed to this objective.  I am in contact 
with the Chairman of the Working Party to do a ll that is possible to advance the Accession of 
Liberia to conclusion as soon as possible.  WT/ACC/23 
 
- 27 - 
 
  120.  With the conclusion of the Accession of Seyc helles, which I wholeheartedly welcome, there 
are 22 Accession Working Parties, of which approximately ten (10) are active.  The potential for progress in individual accessions is fluid and subj ect to unpredictable change.  At present, based 
on internal Secretariat assessments, possible opportunities for progress exist in the Accessions 
negotiations for Algeria, the Bahamas, Belarus and Serbia.  However, as in all negotiations, 
substance and not calendar will determine progress towards conclusion.   
121.  Accession-specific tailored technical assistance and capacity-building, based on Road Maps 
and ownership by Acceding Governments, are central in improvements being made to our 
accession process.  I would appeal to Members to  sustain and, whenever possible, expand their 
support for WTO technical assistance and capacity-building, to support accession negotiations.  I am hopeful that Members will support Secretariat efforts in the provision of Post-Accession 
assistance for those new Members that request it to contribute to the implementation of their 
obligations.   
122.  Transparency is a key factor for the predictabi lity in the rules-based system and to ensure 
that results are owned by all.  This is why I attach importance to the functioning of the Informal 
Group on Accessions.  I have encouraged greate r participation of Members because it is an 
open-ended process to ensure wider acceptance of process and results.  I have also encouraged 
the greater involvement of Chairpersons of Workin g Parties.  I am grateful to Members for their 
fulsome support in this arrangement, coordinated by the Secretariat, acting in the best interest of 
the entire membership and in service to the Organization.  Transparency is sine qua non  for 
ownership and sustainability of process and results.   
123.  I am pleased with the collaboration and partne rship between Members and the Secretariat in 
the year under review and I look forward to raising the level in the year to come.   
 
_______________  
  WT/ACC/23
 
- 28 - ANNEX 1 - ACCESSIONS DIVISION WORK INDICATORS FOR CALENDAR YEAR 2014 Years 
Formal WP 
Meetings  
Informal WP 
Meetings 
Technical  
Verification 
Meetings 
(Schedules) 
Plurilateral 
Meetings 
Divisional 
Meetings 
IGA 
Documentation 
Pages 
Processed  
Archiving 
Folders 
Processed 
Technical 
Assistance & 
Outreach 
Article XII 
Accessions1 
Newsletters 
Annual 
Reports 
Information 
Management + 
Databases2 
Regional Group 
Annual 
Outreach 
2014 5 3 4 13 43 10 6,900 0 28 (13) 11 1 3 5 
2013 11 1 1 11 29 9 8,334 0 28 1 10 1 3 6 
2012 22 3 2 20 29 10 19,865 0 38 2 11 1 3 6 
2011 15 27 3 20 33 10 17,269 1 12 4 9 1 1 6 
2010 10 11 0 3 41 14 4,829 39 15 0 4 1 1 4 
2009 10 11 n/a* 7 46 7 3,881 560 24 0 n/a*n/a*n/a*9 
2008 18 14 n/a* 4 n/a*4 8,172 n/a* 13 1 n/a*n/a*n/a*n/a*
2007 14 21 n/a* 7 n/a*5 7,035 n/a*14 1 n/a*n/a*n/a*n/a*
2006 16 25 n/a* 7 n/a*6 7,646 n/a*12 1 n/a*n/a*n/a*n/a*
2005 23 34 n/a* 21 n/a*4 10,383 n/a*15 2 n/a*n/a*n/a*n/a*
2004 26 19 n/a* 18 n/a*6 7,907 n/a*12 0 n/a*n/a*n/a*n/a*
2003 18 n/a*n/a* 9 n/a*3 8,629 n/a*8 2 n/a*n/a*n/a*n/a*
2002 16 n/a*n/a* 6 n/a*2 10,284 n/a*22 2 n/a*n/a*n/a*n/a*
2001 14 n/a*n/a* 10 n/a*0 5,482 n/a*20 3 n/a*n/a*n/a*n/a*
2000 20 n/a*n/a* 8 n/a*1 8,626 n/a*8 4 n/a*n/a*n/a*n/a*
1999 17 n/a*n/a* n/a* n/a*0 16,916 n/a*5 3 n/a*n/a*n/a*n/a*
1998 21 n/a*n/a* n/a* n/a*0 6,913 n/a*7 2 n/a*n/a*n/a*n/a*
1997 30 n/a*n/a* n/a* n/a*0 7,019 n/a*17 0 n/a*n/a*n/a*n/a*
1996 26 n/a*n/a* n/a* n/a*0 7,520 n/a*9 3 (+54) n/a*n/a*n/a*n/a*
1995 17 n/a*n/a* n/a* n/a*0 3,869 n/a*n/a* 1 n/a*n/a*n/a*n/a*
(Source:  Accessions Division internal data) 
*n/a: data not available. 
                                               
1 By date of formal adoption by the General Council / Ministerial Conference; 2013: Yemen (4 December); 2012: Lao PDR (26 Octobe r) and Tajikistan (10 December); 
2011:  Montenegro (17 December), Russian Federation (16 December ), Samoa (17 December), and Vanuatu (26 October); 2008: Ukraine  (5 February); 2007: Cape Verde 
(18 December); 2006:  Viet Nam (7 November); 2005:  Saudi Arabia (11 November) and Tonga (15 December); 2003:  Cambodia and Nep al (11 September); 2002: Armenia 
(10 December 2002) and The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (15 October); 2001:  China (10 November), Moldova (8 May) and Chinese Taipei (11 November); 2000:  
Albania and Croatia (17 July), Lithuania (8 December) and Oman (10 October); 1999:  Estonia (21 May), Georgia (6 October) and J ordan (17 December); 1998:  Latvia and 
Kyrgyz Republic (14 October); 1996: Bulgaria (2 October), Mongol ia (18 July) and Panama (2 October); and 1995:  Ecuador (16 Aug ust). 
2 Databases:  (i) ACDB; (ii) Register of Bilateral Market Access Agreements; and, (iii)  Accessions Intelligence Portal (work in progress). 
3 The Draft Package of the Accession of Seychelles was adopted on 17 October 2014, ad referendum , and will be considered for formal adoption at the 2014 December 
General Council. 
4 Granada; Papua New Guinea; Qata r; St. Kitts and Nevis; and, the United Arab Em irates acceded to the WTO after 1 January 1995, under the special procedures 
established by the General Council - WT/L/30.  This procedure afforded these 5 acceding governments addi tional time to complete  the negotiations of their Schedules.    
  WT/ACC/23
 
- 29 - ANNEX 2 - ACCESSIONS NEGOTIATED  PURSUANT TO ARTICLE XII 
Government* Membership 
Date Working Party Report Goods Schedule Services 
Schedule Protocol of Accession General Council 
Decision 
1. Ecuador 21/01/1996 WT/L/77 & Corr.1 Add.1 & Corr.1, 2 Add.2 WT/ACC/ECU/6 WT/ACC/ECU/5 
2. Bulgaria 01/12/1996 WT/ACC/BGR/5 & Corr.1 Add.1 Add.2 WT/ACC/BGR/7 WT/ACC/BGR/6 
3. Mongolia 29/01/1997 WT/ACC/MNG/9 & Corr.1  Add.1 & Corr.1 Add.2 WT/ACC/MNG/11 WT/ACC/MNG/10 
4. Panama 06/09/1997 WT/ACC/PAN/19 & Corr.1 Add.1 Add.2 WT/ACC/PAN/21 WT/ACC/PAN/20 
5. Kyrgyz Republic 20/12/1998 WT/ACC/KGZ/26 & Co rr.1 Add.1 Add.2 WT/ACC/ KGZ/29 WT/ACC/KGZ/28 
6. Latvia 10/02/1999 WT/ACC/LVA/32 Add.1 & Corr.1 Add.2 WT/ACC/LVA/35 WT/ACC/LVA/34 
7. Estonia 13/11/1999 WT/ACC/EST/28 Add.1 Add.2 & Corr.1 WT/ACC/EST/30 WT/ACC/EST/29 
8. Jordan 11/04/2000 WT/ACC/JOR/33 & Corr.1 Add.1 Add.2 WT/ACC/JOR/35 WT/ACC/JOR/34 
9. Georgia 14/06/2000 WT/ACC/GEO/31 Add.1 Add.2 WT/ACC/GEO/33  WT/ACC/GEO/32 
10. Albania 08/09/2000 WT/ACC/ALB/51 & Corr.1 Add.1 Add.2 & Corr.1, 2 WT/ACC/ALB/53 & Corr.1 WT/ACC/ALB/52 & Corr.1 
11. Oman 09/11/2000 WT/ACC/OMN/26 Add.1 Add.2 WT/ACC/OMN/28 WT/ACC/OMN/27 
12. Croatia  30/11/2000 WT/ACC/HRV/59 Add.1 Add.2 & Corr.1, 2 WT/ACC/HRV/61 WT/ACC/HRV/60 
13. Lithuania 31/05/2001 WT/ACC/LTU/52 Add.1 & Corr.1 Add.2 WT/ACC/LTU/54 WT/ACC/LTU/53 
14. Moldova, Republic of 26/07/2001 WT/ACC/MOL/37 & Corr.1-4 Add.1 Add.2 WT/ACC/MOL/40 WT/ACC/MOL/39 
15. China 11/12/2001 WT/ACC/CHN/49 & Corr.1 
WT/MIN(01)/3 Add.1 
Add.1 Add.2 
Add.2 WT/L/432 WT/L/432 
16. Chinese Taipei 01/01/2002 WT/ACC/TPKM/18 
WT/MIN(01)/4 Add.1 
Add.1 Add.2 
Add.2 WT/L/433 WT/L/433 
17. Armenia 05/02/2003 WT/ACC/ARM/23 & Corr.1 Add.1 Add.2 WT/L/506 WT/L/506 
18. The former Yugoslav 
Republic of Macedonia 04/04/2003 WT/ACC/807/27 Add.1 Add.2 WT/L/494 WT/L/494 
19. Nepal 23/04/2004 WT/ACC/NPL/16 Add.1 Add.2 WT/MIN(03)/19 WT/MIN(03)/19 
20. Cambodia 13/10/2004 WT/ACC/KHM/21 Add.1 Add.2 WT/MIN(03)/18 WT/MIN(03)/18 
21. Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of 11/12/2005 WT/ACC/SAU/61 Add.1 Add.2 WT/L/627 WT/L/627 
22. Viet Nam 11/01/2007 WT/ACC/VNM/48 Add.1 Add.2 WT/L/662 WT/L/662 
23. Tonga 27/07/2007 WT/ACC/TON/17 
WT/MIN(05)/4 Add.1 Add.2 WT/L/644 WT/L/644 
24. Ukraine 16/05/2008 WT/ACC/UKR/152 Add.1 Add.2 WT/L/718 WT/L/718 
25. Cabo Verde 23/07/2008 WT/ACC/CPV/30 Add.1 Add.2 WT/L/715 WT/L/715 
26. Montenegro 29/04/2012 WT/ACC/CGR/38 
WT/MIN(11)/7 Add.1 Add.2 WT/L/841 WT/MIN(11)/28 
WT/L/841 
27. Samoa 10/05/2012 WT/ACC/SAM/30 
WT/MIN(11)/1 Add.1 Add.2 WT/L/840 WT/MIN(11)/27 
WT/L/840 
28. Russian Federation 22/08/2012 WT/ACC/RUS/70 
WT/MIN(11)/2 Add.1 Add.2 WT/L/839 WT/MIN(11)/24 
WT/L/839 
29. Vanuatu 24/08/2012 WT/ACC/VUT/17 Add.1 Add.2 WT/L/862 WT/L/823 
30. Lao People's Democratic 
Republic 02/02/2013 WT/ACC/LAO/45 Add.1 Add.2 WT/L/865 WT/L/865 
31. Tajikistan 02/03/2013 WT/ACC/TJK/30 Add.1 Add.2 WT/L/872 WT/L/872 
32. Yemen 26/06/2014 WT/ACC/YEM/42 Add.1 Add.2 WT/MIN(13)/24 
WT/L/905 WT/MIN(13)/24 
WT/L/905 
* Sorted by date of Membership WT/ACC/23 
 
- 30 - 
 
  ANNEX 3 - WTO ACCESSIONS WORKING PARTY (WP) CHAIRPERSONS 
No. Government Date WP established WP Chairperson* Geneva-
based 
(Y/N) 
1. Afghanistan 13 December 2004 H.E. Mr. Roderick van Schreven 
(Netherlands) Y 
2. Algeria 17 June 1987 H.E. Mr. Alberto Pedro D'Alotto 
(Argentina) Y 
3. Andorra 22 October 1997 Vacant 
4. Azerbaijan 16 July 1997 H.E. Mr. Walter Lewalter (Germany) N 
5. The Bahamas 18 July 2001 H.E. Mr. Wayne McCook (Jamaica) Y 
6. Belarus 27 October 1993 H.E. Mr. Haluk Ilicak (Turkey) Y 
7. Bhutan 6 October 1999 H.E. Dr. Thomas Hajnoczi (Austria) Y 
8. Bosnia and 
Herzegovina 15 July 1999 H.E. Dr. István Major (Hungary) N 
9. Comoros, Union of 
the 9 October 2007 H.E. Mr. Luis Enrique Chávez Basagoitia 
(Peru) Y 
10. Equatorial Guinea 5 February 2008 Vacant 
11. Ethiopia 10 February 2002 H.E. Dr. Steffen Smidt (Denmark) Y 
12. Iran 26 May 2005 Vacant 
13. Iraq 13 December 2004 H.E. Mr. Omar Hilale (Morocco) Y 
14. Kazakhstan 6 February 1996 H.E. Mr. Vesa Himanen (Finland) N 
15. Lebanese Republic 14 April 1999 H.E. Mrs Laurence Dubois-Destrizais 
(France) N 
16. Liberia 18 December 2007 H.E. Mr. Joakim Reiter (Sweden) N 
17. Libya 27 July 2004 Mr. Victor Echevarría Ugarte (Spain) N 
18. Sao Tomé and 
Principe 26 May 2005 Vacant 
19. Serbia 15 February 2005 H.E. Mrs. Marie-Claire Swärd Capra 
(Sweden) N 
20. Seychelles 11 July 1995 Ms. Hilda Ali Al-Hinai (Oman) Y 
21. Sudan 25 October 1994 Vacant 
22. Syrian Arab Republic 4 May 2010 Vacant 
23. Uzbekistan 21 December 1994 H.E. Mr. Seokyoung Choi (Korea) Y 
* As of November 2014 WT/ACC/23 
 
- 31 - 
 
  ANNEX 4 – LENGTH OF TIME OF COMPLETED ACCESSIONS 
No. Article XII Member Date of Application Date of Membership Total Time of 
Accession Process 
1 Albania 11/1992 09/2000 7 years 10 months 
2 Armenia 11/1993 02/2003 9 years 3 months 
3 Bulgaria 09/1986 12/1996 10 years 3 months 
4 Cambodia* 12/1994 10/2004 9 years 10 months 
5 Cabo Verde* 11/1999 07/2008 8 years 8 months 
6 China 07/1986 12/2001 15 years 5 months 
7 Croatia 09/1993 11/2000 7 years 2 months 
8 Ecuador 09/1992 01/1996 3 years 4 months 
9 Estonia 03/1994 11/1999 5 years 8 months 
10 Georgia 07/1996 06/2000 4 years 1 months 
11 Jordan 01/1994 04/2000 6 years 4 months 
12 Kyrgyz Republic 02/1996 12/1998 2 years 10 months 
13 Lao PDR* 07/1997 02/2013 15 years 7 months 
14 Latvia 11/1993 02/1999 5 years 3 months 
15 Lithuania 01/1994 05/2001 7 years 5 months 
16 Moldova, Republic of 11/1993 07/2001 7 years 4 months 
17 Mongolia 07/1991 01/1997 5 years 6 months 
18 Montenegro 12/2004 04/2012 7 years 4 months 
19 Nepal* 05/1989 04/2004 14 years 11 months 
20 Oman 04/1996 11/2000 4 years 7 months 
21 Panama 08/1991 09/1997 5 years 1 months 
22 Russian Federation 06/1993 08/2012 19 years 2 months 
23 Samoa* 04/1998 05/2012 14 years 1 months 
24 Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of 06/1993 12/2005 12 years 6 months 
25 Chinese Taipei 01/1992 01/2002 10 years 
26 Tajikistan 05/2001 03/2013 11 years 10 months 
27 The former Yugoslav 
Republic of Macedonia 12/1994 04/2003 8 years 3 months 
28 Tonga 06/1995 07/2007 12 years 1 months 
29 Ukraine 11/1993 05/2008 14 years 6 months 
30 Vanuatu* 07/1995 08/2012 17 years 1 months 
31 Viet Nam 01/1995 01/2007 12 years 
32 Yemen* 04/2000 06/2014 14 years 2 months 
 
 Overall Average   9 years 8 months 
 LDCs Accessions   13 years 5 months 
 Non-LDCs Accessions   8 years 7 months 
 
* Least-developed country (LDC). Cabo Verde acceded to the WTO as an LDC.  It graduated from 
LDC status on 20 December 2007. 
  
  WT/ACC/23
 
- 32 - ANNEX 5 - SECTION VI-DATA ON  ECONOMIC PERFORMANCE  
Table 1 - Value of Merchandise Trade and Ye ar-on-Year Percentage Change:  1995-2013 
(Billion dollars and percentage) 
 
  1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 
Article XII 
Members Value 846 899 962 887 928 1,191 1,176 1,340 1,722 2,270 2,796 3,403 4,131 5,006 3,921 5,179 6,445 6,765 7,119 
  Year-on-year 
percentage change  6.2% 7.1% -7.8% 4.6% 28.3% -1.2% 13.9% 28.5% 31.9% 23.1% 21.7% 21.4% 21.2% -21.7% 32.1% 24.4% 5.0% 5.2% 
World Value 10,453 10,955 11,331 11,186 11,642 13,182 12,679 13,238 15,458 18,797 21,378 24,591 28,352 32,731 25,335 30,810 36,832 37,015 37,7 06 
  Year-on-year 
percentage change  4.8% 3.4% -1.3% 4.1% 13.2% -3.8% 4.4% 16.8% 21.6% 13.7% 15.0% 15.3% 15.4% -22.6% 21.6% 19.5% 0.5% 1.9% 
Source:  WTO Statistics Database 
 
Table 2 - Value of Trade in Commercial Services and Year-on-Year Percentage Change:  1995-2013 
(Billion dollars and percentage) 
 
  1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 
Article XII 
Members Value 153 166 187 175 176 197 206 232 269 341 397 476 608 719 641 757 878 967 1,073 
  Year-on-year 
percentage change 8.5% 12.4% -6.5% 0.7% 11.9% 4.2% 12.6% 16.0% 27.1% 16.4% 19.8% 27.7% 18.3% -10.9% 18.1% 16.0% 10.0% 11.1% 
World Value 2,369 2,536 2,629 2,653 2,784 2,955 2,975 3,159 3,644 4,396 4,900 5,511 6,596 7,482 6,789 7,441 8,351 8,571 9,026 
  Year-on-year 
percentage change 7.1% 3.7% 0.9% 4.9% 6.1% 0.7% 6.2% 15.4% 20.6% 11.5% 12.5% 19.7% 13.4% -9.3% 9.6% 12.2% 2.6% 5.3% 
Source:  WTO Statistics DatabaseWT/ACC/23 
 
- 33 - 
 
  ANNEX 6 - ACCESSI ONS MANAGEMENT 
Table 1 - Accession Working Party Management 
Accession Working 
Party Code Secretary Co-Secretary Administrative 
Manager/Support 
Chiedu Osakwe, Director, Accessions Division 
1. Afghanistan* AFG Varyanik  Tebagana Evans 
2. Algeria DZA Sekkate Fahn Tandara-Stenier 
3. Andorra AND accessions@wto.org - No Activity   
4. Azerbaijan AZE Pardo de León Varyanik Evans 
5. Bahamas BHS Lee Okenwa Tandara-Stenier 
6. Belarus BLR Oshikawa Sekkate 
Varyanik Tandara-Stenier 
7. Bhutan* BTN Oshikawa Lee Tandara-Stenier  
8. Bosnia and 
Herzegovina BIH Besla ć Okenwa Tandara-Stenier  
9. Comoros, Union 
of the* COM Sekkate  Tandara-Stenier Tandara-Stenier  
10. Equatorial 
Guinea* GNQ Sekkate Fahn Evans 
11. Ethiopia* ETH Varyanik Tebagana Evans 
12. Iran, the 
Islamic 
Republic of IRN Varyanik Sekkate Evans 
13. Iraq IRQ Varyanik Lee Evans 
14. Kazakhstan KAZ Oshikawa 
 Sekkate  
Varyanik Tandara-Stenier 
 
15. Lebanese 
Republic LBN Pardo de León Sekkate Evans 
16. Liberia* LBR Lee  Varyanik Evans 
17. Libya LBY Pardo de León Sekkate Evans 
18. Sao Tomé and 
Principe* STP Sekkate Tebagana Evans 
19. Serbia  SRB Beslać Okenwa Tandara-Stenier 
20. Seychelles SYC Besla ć  Okenwa Tandara-Stenier 
21. Sudan* SDN Lee Sekkate Evans 
22. Syrian Arab 
Republic SYR Besla ć - Evans 
23. Uzbekistan UZB Lee  Fahn Tandara-Stenier 
*Least-developed countries (LDCs) 
 WT/ACC/23 
 
- 34 - 
 
  Table 2 - Non-Working Party Workload Distribution 
Responsibility  Professional Administrative Manager/ 
Support 
Director-General's Annual 
Accession Reports  Director & Professional (rotating) 
(2014: Lee) Evans 
Acting in the absence of the 
Director 
 Oshikawa Tandara-Stenier 
Informal Group on Accessions 
 Pardo de León Tandara-Stenier 
WTO Accessions Newsletter 
(monthly) 
 Director & Varyanik  Tandara-Stenier 
China Programme / MOU /  
Round Tables Pillar  Director & Oshikawa Evans 
China Programme / MOU / 
Accessions Interns Pillar 
 Oshikawa & Tandara-Stenier  
TA Focal Point / Annual 
Outreach  Pardo de León Evans 
LDC Focal Point 
 Oshikawa Evans 
Databases: 
 
− Accessions 
Commitments Database (ACDB)   
 Sekkate     
 Rotating interns Tandara-Stenier   
− Market Access Register 
 Varyanik 
Fahn 
 Evans 
 
− Accessions Intelligence 
Portal (AIP) Beslać 
 Rotating interns 
Evans 
− Trade performance of 
Article XII Members Sekkate Evans 
Accessions Website Update 
 Working Party Secretaries Rotating interns 
Tandara-Stenier  
Accessions Book project 
 Accessions Division Evans 
 
ACCESSIONS STAFF DISPOSITION:   
 
- Director; 
- 6 Professionals; - 2 Administrative Managers; - 5 rotating China's LDCs and A ccessions Programme interns; and 
- 2 regular Accessions  Division interns. 
 
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