JOB/GC/112  
 
8 December 2016  
(16-6713) Page: 1/2 
General Council    
 
 AGENDA ITEM 4: IMPLEMENTATION OF TH E BALI AND NAIROBI  OUTCOMES  – 
STATEMENT BY THE CHA IRMAN  
WEDNESDAY, 7 DECEMBER 2016  
1.1.  This item remains on the agenda so that we can continue to follow up the decisions adopted 
in Bali and Nairobi – and to do so in an inclus ive and transparent manner.  
1.2.  On 29 November, I met with the Chairpersons of Regular Bodies to discuss implementation 
issues and progress on regular work in furtherance of our collective agenda this year. I thank them 
for all the hard work that they have don e so far in their respective regular bodies – their updates 
from that meeting form the basis of my statement today.  
1.3.  Regarding the so -called Decisions on "regular work", we have separate agenda items for two 
of them: the Work Programmes on Small Economies a nd E-commerce, and we will hear relevant 
updates under those items.  
1.4.  Concerning TRIPS non -violation and situation complaints, in the discussions in the TRIPS 
Council this year, delegations mostly reiterated their well -known positions. The Chair will continu e 
to explore options for possible ways forward.  
1.5.  On Aid for Trade,  I would like to thank all the Members - nearly 70 - who participated in the 
Trade Monitoring and Evaluation Exercise, which will inform the discussions at the 6th Global 
Review in July next year.  Since my last report, the second thematic workshop under the Aid for 
Trade Work Programme on "Promoting Connectivity - Exploring the Services Dimension" was held 
in October, while the next thematic workshop will be held in February next year.  
1.6.  Regardi ng the Bali decision on Trade and Transfer of Technology, work proceeded primarily 
on the basis of a discussion on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable 
Development Goals and contributions by a number of Members.  
1.7.  Moving on to Agr iculture , the Ministerial guidance from Bali and Nairobi indicates that the 
Committee on Agriculture (CoA) undertakes follow -up activities in terms of monitoring and review 
in the areas of Export Competition; TRQ administration; and Public Stockholding for  food security 
purposes.  
1.8.  With respect to Export Competition, at the dedicated disc ussion which took place in 
June 2016, Members exchanged questions and responses on specific measures in relation to the 
implement ation of the Nairobi Decision. The Cairns Gr oup submitted a paper which supplemented 
the Secretariat's background document circulated earlier this year and drew some key conclusions 
from the analysis. During 2016, Members with scheduled export subsidy reduction commitments 
also provided updates on t he steps taken to implement the Decision. During the November 
meeting of the CoA, follow -up questions were asked in relation to the implementation of the 
Nairobi Decision and Members also shared views on how the Committee should conduct the review 
of the p rovisions on international food aid within its monitoring of the implementation of the 
Marrakesh Ministerial Decision on Least -Developed and Net Food -Importing Developing countries 
(NFIDCs).  
1.9.  No information was provided by Members in the context of the moni toring foreseen under the 
Bali Decisions on Public Stockholding for Food Security purposes and TRQ administration during 
the 2016 meetings of the Committee.  JOB/GC/112  
 
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  1.10.   On DFQF market access for LDCs, the CTD conducted its annual review at its meeting in 
November, on the basis of a Secretariat report. Divergent views were expressed on what should be 
the scope and coverage of the Secretariat report, and what should, or should not, be included. At 
the same meeting, the Committee considered a revised submission by Benin, on behalf of the LDC 
Group, concerning the draft terms of reference for a Secretariat study on DFQF implementation. 
The delegation of Benin indicated that consultations with Members would continue.  
1.11.   Regarding the Preferential Rules of Origin for LDCs, the r eport of the Committee on Rules of 
Origin to the General Council has been circulated in document G/RO/79 . In 2016, the Committee 
on Rules of Origin adopted modalities for the calculation of utilization rates and instructed the 
Secretariat to prepare a firs t report on the matter. It also reviewed the notification by Members of 
data regarding their preferential tariff rates and annual imports. The Committee also adopted a 
template for the notification of preferential rules of origin for LDCs.  
1.12.   On the operation alization of the LDC services waiver, the LDC Group shared with the 
Services Council its assessment of the waiver preferences notified and sought further clarifications 
from the notifying Members, both at the October and November meetings . The Members 
concerned provided answers and indicated their willingness to follow -up bilaterally on any 
outstanding questions. The tally of notifications of preferences for LDC services and service 
suppliers received by Council for Trade in Ser vices remains at 23.  
1.13.   Regardin g the Bali Decision on the Monitoring Mechanism on Special and Differential 
Treatment, although six meetings of the CTD's Dedicated Session have now been held, no written 
submissions have yet been made. The most recent meeting took place on 15 November, wh ere a 
number of Members shared their thoughts and perspectives on why the Monitoring Mechanism was 
not being tested and also what they saw as possible ways forward.  
1.14.   Regarding p aragraph 28 of the Nairobi Ministerial Declaration, the Chairman of the CRTA 
continued his consultations, particularly on the systemic implications of RTAs for the multilateral 
trading system. Several Members said they would support such work in the CRTA and have 
encouraged the Chair to continue his consultations.  
1.15.   And finally, on Trad e Facilitation, since my last report in October, you are all aware that the 
number of deposited acceptance instruments has gone up furthe r, reaching a current total of 102 
as of today. This means that we are now very close, with over 90% of instruments dep osited, and 
less than 10 ratifications still required for the TFA to enter into force. The PCTF has so far received 
90 notifications of category A commitments and 6 notifications for both B and C. With the TFA now 
being fairly close to taking effect, I urg e Members to hand in their B and C notifications without 
undue delay and equally urge delegations who have not yet deposited their acceptance instrument 
to intensify their efforts to complete their ratification processes so that the TFA  can swiftly enter 
into force.  
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