RESTRICTED  
  
WT/COMTD/PTA/M/2  
 
28 July 2015  
(15-3873)  Page: 1/3  
Committee on Trade and Development 
Second Dedicated Session on Preferential Trade 
Arrangements    
 
  
NOTE ON THE MEETING OF 9 JUNE 2015 
Chairman: H.E. Mr. Juan Esteban Aguirre Martínez (Paraguay) 
A. ADOPTION OF TH E AGENDA .................................................................................... 1  
B. CONSIDERATION OF PREFERENTI AL TRADE ARRANGEMENTS ................................. 1  
(i) Status of the work of the Dedicate d Session - report by the Chairman  ......................... 1  
(ii) Chile - duty-free and quota-free scheme for least developed countries 
(G/C/W/695 - WT/COMTD/N/44, G/C/W/695/Add.1/Rev.1 - 
WT/COMTD/N/44/Add.1/Rev.1, WT/C OMTD/PTA/2/1, WT/COMTD/PTA/2/2)  ...................... 1  
C. OTHER BUSINESS .................................................................................................... 3  
 
 A. ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA 
1. The draft agenda as contained in document WTO/AIR/COMTD/PTA/1 of 29 May 2015 was 
adopted. 
B. CONSIDERATION OF PREFERENTIAL TRADE ARRANGEMENTS 
(i) Status of the work of the Dedica ted Session - report by the Chairman 
2. The Chairman said that he wished to provide Members with a brief update on the 
preferential trade arrangements (PTAs) that were to be considered in the Dedicated Sessions on 
PTAs of the Committee on Trade and Development (CTD ). He indicated firstly that Chile's duty-free 
and quota-free (DFQF) scheme for least developed countries (LDCs) would be considered at the 
present meeting. With regard to four other PTAs that had been notified since the establishment of the Transparency Mechanism (TM) for PTAs - PTAs being implemented by China, India, the Russian 
Federation and Chinese Taipei - he said that the full set of data required for the preparation of the 
factual presentations had not yet been provided  to the Secretariat. He urged the notifying 
Members to provide the data as soon as possible.  
3. The Committee took note of the Chairman's report. 
(ii) Chile - duty-free and quota-free scheme for least developed countries (G/C/W/695 - 
WT/COMTD/N/44, G/C/W/695/Add.1/Rev.1 - WT/COMTD/N/44/Add.1/Rev.1, WT/COMTD/PTA/2/1, WT/COMTD/PTA/2/2) 
4. The Chairman said that Chile's DFQF scheme for LDCs legally entered into force on 
1 November 2013. Subsequent implementing regula tions entered into force on 28 February 2014. 
The scheme was notified under paragraph 1(b) of the TM for PTAs on 10 April 2014. This 
notification was contained in document WT/COMTD/N/44. A subsequent communication from Chile 
concerning the Certificate of Origin relating to the scheme was circulated in document WT/COMTD/N/44/Add.1/Rev.1. He noted that the scheme had also been notified to the Council for Trade in Goods. The factual presentation – document WT/COMTD/PTA/2/1 dated WT/COMTD/PTA/M/2 
 
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  11 March 2015 - had been prepared by the Secretariat on its own responsibility, in full consultation 
with the notifying Member and in accordance with paragraph 7(c) of the TM for PTAs.  Written questions from the US, and the replies from Chile, had been circulated in document 
WT/COMTD/PTA/2/2. Turning to the consideration of  the DFQF scheme at the present meeting, he 
said that he would first give the floor to Chile - and then other Members - to provide any general 
comments.  Members could then consider the spec ifics of the scheme on the basis of the factual 
presentation, after which Chile could make any final comments if it so wished. Members would also 
have the opportunity to submit written questions after the meeting was concluded. 
5. The representative of Chile said that Law 20.690, on eliminating import tariffs on goods 
from LDCs, was published in the Chilean Official Journal on 28 September 2013. Chile's DFQF 
scheme, which was now in force and fully operational, fixed customs duties on imports of goods 
originating from LDCs at 0%, with the exception of imports of wheat, wheat flour and sugar. He 
said that Chile firmly believed in the multilat eral trading system and the importance of the 
development pillar. He highlighted the importance of initiatives to assist LDCs to increase their 
participation in international trade. By implementing the DFQF scheme, Chile was complying with 
the Bali Decision on DFQF market access for LDCs. He indicated that it was necessary for LDCs to comply with certain formalities in order to bene fit from the scheme, for example by submitting 
information on their respective certification bodies. At the time of the circulation of the factual 
presentation, three LDCs - Angola, Cambodia and Ha iti - had registered the signatures and stamps 
required for issuing certificates of origin, while 15 import operations under Law No. 20.690 had been recorded. He recognized Members' interest  to learn more about the scheme, and expressed 
appreciation to the LDC Group for constructive interactions. He also thanked the Secretariat for its 
cooperation in the preparation of the factual presentation.  
6. The representative of Bangladesh, on behalf of the LDC Group, expressed appreciation to 
Chile for the establishment of the DFQF scheme. He believed that this was an important step taken 
by Chile towards implementing the Hong Kong and Bali Decisions on DFQF market access for LDCs. 
He indicated that he wished to take the opportunity to encourage other developing countries to 
follow the initiative by Chile.  
7. The representative of the European Union commended Chile for its ambitious DFQF 
scheme. Her delegation believed that it set an example which could be followed by a growing 
number of emerging economies. The current  UN discussions in the context of the 3rd International 
Conference on Financing for Development, to be held in July 2015 in Addis Ababa, provided an 
opportunity to make commitments in this respect. She went on to say that the EU was deeply attached to the Hong Kong and Bali Decisions on DFQF market access for LDCs. Considerable 
progress had been made by Members towards these commitments. For its part, the EU granted 
DFQF market access to all products from LDCs except arms and ammunition. She also indicated that her delegation would welcome discussion on the other DFQF schemes notified to the WTO. In 
this regard, she invited the concerned Members to fulfil their obligations and submit the necessary 
data to the Secretariat as soon as possible for the preparation of the factual presentations. This would allow Members to fully review the notified PTAs, as provided by the TM for PTAs. 
8. The representative of the United States indicated that his delegation had an additional 
question on Chile's DFQF scheme. Specifically, the US wished to know how the scheme aligned 
with the Bali Decision on Preferential Rules of Origin for LDCs, which encouraged cumulation in 
unilateral preference programmes. 
9. The representative of Chile said that the additional question from the US would be 
transmitted to his capital. He noted that the el ements of Chile's DFQF scheme had been put in 
place before the Bali Ministerial Conference. Finally, he expressed Chile's commitment to WTO 
Ministerial Decisions.    
10. The Chairman said that oral discussion of Chile's DFQF scheme could be concluded in 
accordance with paragraph 11 of the TM for PTAs. Any additional questions by delegations were to 
be submitted in writing to the Secretariat within one week, by 16 June 2015. Chile would then be 
given two weeks to submit written replies, by no  later than 30 June 2015. In accordance with 
paragraph 13 of the TM for PTAs, all written submissions as well as the minutes of the meeting would be circulated promptly in all WTO official languages, and would be made available on the 
WTO website. 
 WT/COMTD/PTA/M/2 
 
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  11. The Committee took note of all interventions. 
C. OTHER BUSINESS 
12. No matter was raised under "Other Business". 
13. The meeting was adjourned. 
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