RESTRICTED  
  
WT/COMTD/MMSDT/M/4  
 
21 December 2015  
(15-6828)  Page: 1/2  
Committee on Trade and Development 
Fourth Dedicated Session on the Monitoring Mechanism 
on Special and Differential Treatment    
 
   
NOTE ON THE MEETING OF 13 NOVEMBER 2015 
Chairman: H.E. Mr. Juan Esteban Aguirre Martínez (Paraguay) 
 
A. ADOPTION OF TH E AGENDA .................................................................................... 1  
B. MONITORING OF SPECIAL AN D DIFFERENTIAL PROVISIONS .................................. 1  
-  Statement by th e Chairman ....................................................................................... 1  
C. OTHER BUSINESS .................................................................................................... 2  
 
 
A. ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA 
1. The draft agenda as contained in document WTO/AIR/COMTD/MMSDT/2 of 
2 November 2015 was adopted. 
B. MONITORING OF SPECIAL AN D DIFFERENTIAL PROVISIONS 
- Statement by the Chairman 
2. The Chairman said that, at the Ninth Ministerial Conference held in Bali, a Decision was 
taken to establish a Monitoring Mechanism (MM) on Special and Differential Treatment (S&D). The 
Decision was contained in document WT/MIN(13)/45 - WT/L/920. According to the Decision, the 
MM was to act as a focal point within the WTO to analyze and review the implementation of S&D provisions. It was to review all aspects of implementation of S&D provisions with a view to 
facilitating the integration of developing and leas t developed Members into the multilateral trading 
system. The Mechanism operated in Dedicated Sessions of the Committee on Trade and Development (CTD), and was to meet at least twice a year. Two meetings of the Dedicated 
Session on the MM were therefore held in 2014, and the present meeting was the second meeting 
of the Dedicated Session in 2015. He recalled that , in previous meetings, an overview had been 
provided of the Decision establishing the MM, in cluding its scope, functions and operations. He did 
not intend to repeat these points, but wished to  take the opportunity to remind Members that, 
according to the Decision, the monitoring of special and differential provisions in the Mechanism 
was to be undertaken on the basis of written inputs or submissions made by Members, as well as on the basis of reports received from other WTO bodies to which submissions by Members could 
also be made. However, no written submissions had been made to date. He emphasized the 
importance of the Decision establishing the MM, and once again called on Members to make 
written submissions, so that the MM could become operational. 
3. The representative of the United States recalled the effort that had been put into 
negotiating the MM, and said that her delegation was disappointed that this had not led to 
anything. She indicated that the analytical approach envisioned in the Decision establishing the MM held promise, and could have usefully informed  and shaped the work of the Special Session of 
the CTD. She noted in this regard that the Special Session had not made much progress in its 
work, due in part to a lack of serious analysis of the problems for which solutions were being WT/COMTD/MMSDT/M/4 
 
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  sought. Her delegation hoped that the MM could prove its usefulness in the future, on the basis of 
submissions from the Members that had sought its establishment. 
4. The Committee took note of the interventions. 
C. OTHER BUSINESS 
5. No matter was raised under "Other Business". 
6. The meeting was adjourned. 
 
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