WT/ACC/31  
WT/GC/189  
WT/MIN(17)/6  
 
29 November 2017  
(17-6551) Page: 1/50 
    
  
 
WTO ACCESSIONS  
2017  ANNUAL REPORT BY THE  DIRECTOR -GENERAL* 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                
* Unless otherwise specified, t his Annual Report takes account of confirmed accession -related 
developments u p until 24 November 2017 . This document has been prepared under the Secretariat's own 
responsibility and is wi thout prejudice to the positions of Members or 
to their rights and obligations under the WTO.  WT/ACC/31 • WT/GC/189 • WT/MIN(17)/6  
 
- 2 - 
 
  TABLE  OF CONTENTS  
 
I.  OVERVIEW 2017 AND OU TLOOK 2018  ................................ ................................ ............  3 
II.  2017 DEVELOPMENTS  ................................ ................................ ................................ ..... 7 
1. ACCESSION WORKING PA RTIES: AN OVERVIEW O F ACTIVITIES ................................ .... 7 
2. WORKING PARTY CHAIRP ERSONS  ................................ ................................ .................  7 
3. TRANSPARENCY IN THE ACCESSION PROCESS  ................................ ...............................  9 
4.  TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE  AND OUTREACH  ................................ ................................ ...... 9 
5. ACCESSIONS TRANSPARE NCY TOOLS BOX  ................................ ................................ ... 13 
III.  STATE OF PLAY IN ACC ESSION WORKING PARTI ES ................................ .....................  13 
IV. LEAST -DEVELOPED COUNTRIES'  ACCESSIONS  ................................ .............................  17 
V.  WTO ACCESSION AND TH E BUSINESS ENVIRONME NT ................................ ..................  18 
1. INTRODUCTION  ................................ ................................ ................................ ............  18 
2. REASONS FOR ACCESSIO N: ENHANCING THE BUS INESS ENVIRONMENT  .....................  19 
3. BUSINESS INVOLVEMENT  IN THE ACCESSIONS PR OCESSES  ................................ ........  19 
4. THE OUTCOMES OF ACCE SSION: COMMITMENT PA RAGRAPHS AND THE DOM ESTIC 
REGULATORY FRAMEWORK  ................................ ................................ ..........................  20 
5. ACCESSION AND BEYOND : ACCEDING GOVERNMEN TS' AND ARTICLE XII MEMBERS' 
REFLECTIONS ON IMP ROVEMENTS TO THE BUS INESS ENVIRONMENT  .........................  24 
6. EMPIRICAL CORRELATIO N BETWEEN THE BUSINE SS ENVIRONMENT AND W TO 
ACCESSION: THE WORLD  BANK DOING -BUSINESS INDICATORS  ................................ . 28 
7. CONCLUSION  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................  30 
VI. WTO POST -ACCESSION SUPPORT  ................................ ................................ .................  30 
VII.  TRADE AND ECONOMIC P ERFORMANCE OF ARTI CLE XII MEMBERS  ..............................  31 
ANNEX 1 – ACCESSIONS DIVISION WORK INDICATORS FOR CALENDAR YEAR 2017  ............  35 
ANNEX 2 – ACCESSIONS NEGOTIATE D PURSU ANT TO ARTICLE XII  ................................ ...... 36 
ANNEX 3 - WTO ACCESSIONS WORKI NG PARTY (WP) CHAIRP ERSONS ................................ . 37 
ANNEX 4 – LENGTH OF TIME OF CO MPLETED ACCESSIO NS ................................ ...................  38 
ANNEX 5 – BASIC ECONOMIC PROFI LES OF ARTICLE XII M EMBERS AND ACCEDING 
GOVERNMENTS  ................................ ................................ ................................ .....................  39 
ANNEX 6 – DATA ON TRADE PERFOR MANCE  ................................ ................................ ..........  42 
ANNEX 7 – WORLD BANK DISTANCE -TO-FRONTIER DATA ANALYS IS ................................ .... 43 
ANNEX 8 – ACCESSIONS MANAGEMEN T ................................ ................................ ................  49 
 WT/AC C/31 • WT/GC/189 • WT/MIN(17)/6  
 
- 3 - 
 
  I.  OVERVIEW 2017 AND OU TLOOK 2018  
1. I am pleased to present the Ninth Annual Report on WTO Accessions.  This is my fifth such 
report since I started my term as Director -General in September 2013, and my first since I started 
my second term in September th is year.  I would thus like to take this opportunity to reflect on the 
Organization's achievements in the Accessions arena in the last four and a half years, and in 
particular in 2017, and how we could build on that success going forward into 2018.  
2. Looking  back on my first term as Director -General, I take great pride in what the 
Organization has achieved in the field of Accessions.  In my first Annual Report in 2013, 
I emphasized that "WTO accession is a strategic priority for the Organization."  The follow ing years 
bore this out.  Since I took office, the WTO family grew from 159 to 164 Members, that is, on 
average, one new Member per year, expanding the coverage of WTO rules to include over 98% of 
global trade.  The accessions of these new Members, three o f whom are post -conflict least 
developed countries (LDCs), demonstrate the enduring value of the multilateral trading system to 
a wide variety of countries as a key driver to strengthen their economies.  However, there are still 
21 Acceding Governments1, in addition to others, that remain outside the multilateral trading 
system.  Moreover, accessions processes are long and arduous.  These governments thus need our 
help to realize their goal of membership.  Therefore, WTO accessions remain a strategic priori ty for 
the Organization and for my second term as Director -General.   
3. During 2017, several governments registered remarkable progress in their accessions 
processes.  By the end of the year, the accessions of Bosnia and Herzegovina and of the Union of 
the C omoros were both at an advanced stages, thanks to the intensive technical work undertaken 
by the two respective Acceding Governments on the one hand, and the constructive engagement 
by WTO Members on the other.  In the accession of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the government 
completed the outstanding accession -related legislative reforms and made vigorous efforts to 
conclude outstanding bilateral market access negotiations.  In the accession of the Union of the 
Comoros, the Working Party met three times within a  period of ten months, and several bilateral 
market access negotiations were concluded on the margins of the Working Party meetings. 
As such, we shall make both of these accessions priorities in 2018 to support the goal set by 
Sarajevo for a conclusion in the first half of the year and to target an early conclusion to the Union 
of the Comoros' accession, even if the initial target for a completion by MC11 was not met.  
4. There was a surge in Working Party activity in 2017. Such a surge is reflected not only in  the 
number of meetings which increased four -fold over 2016, but also in the amount of documentation 
issued for the eight meetings which amounted to over 3,000 pages.  At the level of accession 
Working Party, in addition to Azerbaijan which maintained the regular pace of its 20 -year 
accession process, there were intensive efforts to reactivate several accessions whose processes 
had been inactive for many years. These reactivation efforts included the accessions of: Belarus 
(its Working Party met twice this year, resuming after 12 years of limited activity in informal 
mode), Iraq (its Working Party resumed on an informal basis after nine years of dormancy), the 
Lebanese Republic (a comprehensive set of multilateral documentation circulated to its Working 
Party after eight years of dormancy), and Sudan (its Working Party met twice this year, resuming 
after 13 years of dormancy).  These reactivations were assisted by high -level political 
commitments by the respective governments to pursue WTO accession for domes tic structural 
reforms and deeper integration into the global economy. I thus hope to see concrete progress 
made in 2018 on all these accessions. In particular, however, I expect that Belarus can accelerate 
the pace of negotiations to reach an advanced sta ge by the end of next year if the current level of 
political and technical engagement is sustained. I am also optimistic that the accession of Sudan 
will continue to make substantive progress in 2018, building on the momentum generated by a 
successful and vigorous resumption of Working Party activity.  Other Acceding Governments, 
including the Bahamas, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia and Serbia, have also indicated their plans to 
reactivate their accessions processes in 2018.  
5. Recalling the priority that WTO Me mbers attach to LDC accessions, I note with satisfaction 
that acceding LDCs registered substantial progress in their respective processes in 2017.  
                                                
1 Twenty -one accessions include: Algeria, Andorra, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Belarus, Bhutan*, 
Bosnia  and Herzegovina, Union of the Comoros*, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia*, Islamic Republic of Iran, Iraq, 
Lebanese Republic, L ibya, S ao Tome and  Principe*, Serbia, Somalia*, Suda n*, Syrian Arab Republic, 
Timor -Leste* and Uzbekistan (* is LDC).  WT/ACC/31 • WT/GC/189 • WT/MIN(17)/6  
 
- 4 - 
 
  In addition to the accessions of the Union of the Comoros and Sudan mentioned above, two new 
LDC applicants — Somalia and Timor -Leste — which had started their accessions in December 
2016, have circulated their Memoranda on the Foreign Trade Regime (MFTR) during their first year 
of the accession process. These early submissions of the base documentation represen ts an 
extraordinary mobilization of resources on the part of these post -conflict LDCs, as the preparation 
of the MFTR is one of the first major challenges often encountered by LDC Acceding Governments 
in the accession process.  It has taken, on average, mo re than four years for LDCs to accomplish 
this early step. I very much hope that this achievement allows these Governments to start 
substantive discussions at the level of the Working Party in 2018 so these accessions can start to 
make direct contributions  to the Governments' ongoing efforts to rebuild their economies within 
international frameworks.  In this regard, the Secretariat is ready to support the efforts of a newly 
formed g7+ WTO Accessions Group2, which will be inaugurated at MC11 in Buenos Aires , as a 
platform for post -conflict LDCs to support and realize the objective of integration into the 
multilateral trading system to promote peace, security and stability.  
6. I am confident that the gains made this year will eventually lead to multiple accessio ns in 
the foreseeable future. Such gains, however, do not arise in a vacuum.  Rather, they flow from the 
energy and resolve at all levels, including the highest levels, of Acceding Governments to 
undertake and tackle the rigorous demands of accession -related reforms.  It is in that context that 
I introduce this year's thematic focus, "WTO Accessions and the Business Environment".  Business 
is the lifeblood of economies.  A thriving private sector, among other things, increases 
employment, augments real inco mes, expands the production of goods and services, and raises 
standards of living overall. In short, it is essential to effectively pursue the very goals that led 
nations to found first the General Agreement on Tariff and Trade (GATT) 70 years ago and then  to 
establish the WTO as the global trade governing body in 1995.  It is fitting, therefore, that 
governments enter the accession process with the goal and, indeed, the expectation that joining 
the WTO will help improve their own business environments and therefore could attract greater 
investments, from both domestic and foreign sources.  The thematic section explores the 
relationship between WTO accession and the business environment, including through an analysis 
of empirical data from the annual World B ank Doing Business Indicators.  This exploration 
indicates that the WTO accession process is accompanied by improvements to Acceding 
Governments' regulatory business environments.  
7. Outreach and technical assistance also saw major and exciting expansion in 2 017, focusing 
on the regions with the largest numbers of ongoing and future accessions (Africa, Middle East/Arab 
Region, and Central Asia and the Caucasus). In August, the first Regional Dialogue on WTO 
Accessions for the Greater Horn of Africa was held, i n partnership with the Government of Kenya 
and the University of Nairobi, offering a platform for the Acceding Governments from the region to 
exchange lessons learned from their accessions processes, and to discuss how to sequence these 
processes and ongoi ng regional integration initiatives. In September, in cooperation with the WTO 
Arab Group, a public outreach session was organised at the 2017 WTO Public Forum, showcasing 
three ongoing Arab accessions which offered practical insights on not only the value  of accession 
and the national contexts in which it occurs, but also the realities and opportunities that underlie 
the accession process.  The Second Trade Policy Forum on Central Asia and the Multilateral Trading 
System, initially also scheduled for Septe mber in Astana, Kazakhstan, was postponed to 2018.  
Finally, in Geneva, building on the success of the training course on Trade in Services in 2016, the 
first Advanced Course on Goods Scheduling was held in March, focusing on legal, procedural and 
practica l aspects of bilateral market access negotiations. Moving forward into 2018, outreach and 
technical assistance efforts will continue to evolve. The Secretariat will continue to develop and 
implement tailor -made approaches to the specific needs and challeng es of individual Acceding 
Governments, with the objective of realising and maximising the gains from WTO accessions.  
Special focus will continue to be placed on LDCs, in particular, post -conflict states among them.  
8. The Secretariat, however, cannot meet t he technical -assistance needs of acceding 
governments alone. I am thus grateful for the support that the WTO has received in the area of 
technical assistance and capacity building from China, the European Union (including its Member 
states), India, Japan, Kenya, Oman, the Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, and the United States.  
I am also grateful for the support provided by sister agencies, and in particular the Advisory 
                                                
2 The g7+ WTO Accessions Group includes: three Article XII LDC Members (Afghanistan, Liberia, and 
Yemen), four acceding LDCs (Union of the Comoro s, Sao Tome and Principe, Somalia and Timor -Leste) and one 
expression of interest to submit application for WTO accession (South Sudan).   WT/AC C/31 • WT/GC/189 • WT/MIN(17)/6  
 
- 5 - 
 
  Centre on WTO Law, the African Development Bank, the Asian Development Bank, the 
International Monetary Fund,  the Enhanced Integrated Framework,  the International Trade Centre, 
the Islamic Development Bank, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, the UN 
Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, t he UN Developm ent Programme, the 
World Intellectual Property Organization, and the World Bank.  
9. Moreover, the "China's LDCs and Accessions Programme (The China Programme)" continued 
to make valuable and targeted contributions by supporting Acceding Governments and Articl e XII 
Members from the LDC Group to realize the benefits of WTO accession and membership.  
This year, two China Round Tables were held — in March in Siem Reap, Cambodia, and in 
December in Buenos Aires, Argentina — providing platforms to connect, exchange and share 
accession experiences.  In Siem Reap, under the leadership of the LDC Coordinator, Cambodia, 
which was one of the first LDCs to accede to the WTO, the Fifth China Round Table focused on the 
"Best Practices on the Accession of Least -Developed Coun tries".  In Buenos Aires, just one day 
before the 11th WTO Ministerial Conference, the Sixth China Round Table will officially launch the 
WTO Accession Negotiators' Network.  These activities demonstrate that the most valuable 
resource for Acceding Governm ents is often each other and other Article XII Members who have 
completed the accession process, and thus have been imbued with uniquely relevant experience.   
Furthermore, under the WTO Accessions Internship Programme, seven Interns were trained, 
bringing the total number of trained young professionals to 24 over the last five years.  Moving 
forward into 2018 and beyond, t he China Programme will remain one of the main vehicles to meet 
the unique needs of Acceding Governments, as it offers a valuable tool bo x which can address 
multiple challenges that the Acceding Governments face, both during and after accession.  
10. In 2017, the Secretariat continued in the best traditions of transparency to enable our 
Members, Acceding Governments, partners, and the public to  stay informed of developments in 
various dossiers through monthly meetings of the Informal Group on Accessions and monthly 
Accessions Newsletters.  It is hoped that these transparency tools can shed light not only on the 
progress made in the accession pro cess, but also the challenges met by the Acceding Governments 
in the process.  Further, in 2017 work continued in the area of post -accession implementation 
support, expanding the knowledge pool of experiences and lessons learned from recently acceded 
Membe rs. I have no doubt that the Secretariat will carry forth these positive trends into the New 
Year.  
11. Finally, I would be remiss if I did not mention the departure of Deputy Director -General Mr 
David Shark from the WTO in September 2017, after his four year term.  His contributions to, and 
tireless support for, WTO accessions, including as former Working Party Chairperson who 
successfully concluded the accession of Cabo Verde in 2008, is deeply appreciated and will be 
missed.  At the same time, I would like t o warmly welcome his successor, Ambassador Alan Wm. 
Wolff.  Even in his short time at the WTO thus far, Ambassador Wolff has taken up an active role in 
promoting and facilitating the work of WTO accessions.  We thus look forward to his engagement, 
leadersh ip, and support.  
12. As we prepare for another charged yet exciting year with WTO Accessions in 2018, I am 
ready to mobilise resources from across the Secretariat to provide tailored support and advice to 
Acceding Governments at all stages of accession, as wel l as for post -accession implementation 
support when they become Members.  Let me also take this opportunity to call upon all Members 
to dedicate their attention and resources and sustain their engagement with governments aspiring 
to join them in the covete d ranks of WTO Membership.  My door is always open to Acceding 
Governments, and I encourage them to cultivate relationships among themselves and with former 
Acceding Governments to enrich their own accessions processes through cross -pollination of ideas, 
advice and experiences.   
13. Our coordinated efforts on this score are doubtlessly well spent.  Recently acceded Members 
and Acceding Governments clearly see WTO membership as the foundation for focussing their 
nations in positive directions and for enhancing the well -being of their people.  Afghanistan, the 
latest addition to the WTO family, sees it as creating a basis for restoring and transforming its 
war-torn economy to a hub of commerce between Central and South Asia. Liberia, which 
completed its accession  process in 2015, was recovering from civil war when Ebola hit just the 
year before, and is now an ardent supporter of WTO accession as a means to drive reforms and 
create a climate to attract foreign investment. Perhaps being inspired by these examples, t his 
year, we have been reminded, once again, of the power of WTO membership to attract and drive WT/ACC/31 • WT/GC/189 • WT/MIN(17)/6  
 
- 6 - 
 
  economic transformation. Timor -Leste and, hopefully, soon South Sudan, will embark on the 
accession journey as part of state -building after long and costly str uggles for independence.  
Somalia seeks membership to help recover from extended periods of conflict and instability.  
Moreover, while domestic challenges in many Acceding Governments — from Bosnia and 
Herzegovina, Iraq, the Lebanese Republic, to Sudan — are well known, they have reactivated their 
respective WTO accessions processes as a means to stabilize or diversify their economies.  
Their commitment to WTO accession and their determination to use WTO membership to work for 
themselves constantly remind a ll of us the values of multilateralism which cannot be met by 
alternative arrangements.  
14. I thus close by reaffirming the importance of our mission as an Organization, and how proud 
I am to be a part of it. The principles upon which the Members founded the W TO are not, after all, 
an historical aberration, or bred of expediency. Rather, they are sound and deep. Our goal of 
universality is neither platitude nor a reflection of inertia. It is, rather, a reflection of the appeal of 
the benefits that arise from th is special Member -driven organization. Going forward, we will 
continue to secure those benefits for Members, both present and future.   WT/AC C/31 • WT/GC/189 • WT/MIN(17)/6  
 
- 7 - 
 
  II.  2017 DEVELOPMENTS  
1. ACCESSION WORKING PARTIES : AN OVERVIEW OF ACTIVITIES  
15. At the start of the year, 21 Acceding Government s were in the process of WTO accession. 
These negotiations were managed through a combination of formal and/or informal multilateral, 
plurilateral , and bilateral meetings ( see An nex 1).  In the year under review:  
 Seven  formal Working Party meetings were held. These were on the accessions of 
Azerbaijan (one3 meeting) , Belarus (two4 meetings) , the Union of the Comoros 
(two5 meeting s), and Sudan (two6 meetings).  
 One informal Working P arty meeting was held for Iraq.7 
 Three  meetings addressed specific technical issues in the area of agriculture. These were 
on the accessions of Azerbaijan (one8 meeting) , Belarus (one9 meeting) , and Sudan 
(one10 meeting).  These  plurilateral meetings were ch aired by the Officer -in-Charge of 
the Accessions Division.  
16. In 2017, progress in the accession Working Parties was documented as follows:  
 A Memorandum on the Foreign Trade R egime (MFTR)  was circulated for the Working 
Parties  of Somalia11 and Timor -Leste . 
 A revised MFTR was circulated to the Working Party o f Sudan.  
 Factual Summar ies of Points Raised  were prepared by the Secretariat for the Working 
Parties of the Union of the Comoros and Sudan.  
 Elements of a draft Report of the Working Party were  prepared by th e Secretariat for the 
Working Parties of Belarus and the Union of the Comoros . 
 A first version of a draft Report of the Working Party was prepared by the Secretariat for 
the Working Party of Belarus . 
 Draft Reports of the Working Party were revised by the S ecretariat for three Working 
Parties: Azerbaijan (one  revision), Bosnia and Herzegovina (one revision) , and the 
Lebanese Republic  (one revision).  
2. WORKING  PARTY  CHAIRPERSONS  
17. There were a number of  changes in the  status of Acces sion Working Party Chairpersons  in 
2017, in a chronological order :  
 H.E. Mr Kemal Madenoğlu (Turkey) was designated as Chairperson of the Working Party 
on the Accession of Belarus in December 2016, following the departure of H.E. Mr Haluk  
Ilicak (Turkey).  
                                                
3 The 14th meeting of the Working Party held on 28 July 2017.  
4 The eighth  meeting of the Working Party held on 24 Ja nuary 2017  and the ninth meeting of the 
Working Party held 13 September 2017.  
5 The second  meeting of the Working Party held on 1 June 2017  and the third meeting of Working Party 
held on 12 October 2017 . 
6 The third meeting of the Working Party h eld on 31 January 2017 and the fourth  meeting of the 
Working Party held on 14 July 2017.  
7 Held on 17 November 2017 . 
8 Held on 27 July 2017.  
9 Held on 12 September 2017.  
10 Held on 13 July 2017.  
11 At this writing, the MFTR for Somalia is scheduled for circulation the  first week of December 2017.  WT/ACC/31 • WT/GC/189 • WT/MIN(17)/6  
 
- 8 - 
 
   H.E. Mr Carsten Staur  (Denmark)  was designated as Chairperson of the Working Party 
on the Accession of Ethiopia in September 2017 , following the departure of 
H.E. Mr Steffen Smidt (Denmark).  
 H.E. Mr Pedro Nuno Bártolo  (Portugal)  was designa ted as Chairperson of the Working 
Party on the Accession o f Timor -Leste in September 2017.  
18. At present, eight of the Chairpersons are Geneva -based.  There are eight vacancies for the 
position s of Chairpersons of Accession Working Parties (see Annex 3). These  include vacancies on 
accessions at the ir initial stages, where no documentary basis for work exists , at this time.  
19. In 2017 , Working Party Chairpersons remained actively engaged . They consulted with 
Members and Acceding Government s in various formats and c onfigurations , and engaged in 
outreach to improve technical and policy understanding  on WTO accessions . The active 
engagement of Chairpersons advanced the accession s process es, including through country visits. 
20. The Chairperson  of the Working Party on the A ccession of the Union of the Comoros, 
H.E. Mr Luis Enrique Chávez Basagoitia (Peru), led a mission, accompanied by the Officer -in-
Charge of the Accessions Division and the Working Party Secretary, to Moroni from 8 to 10 March 
2017. The  WTO delegation held high-level meetings with the Government, including : H.E. Mr Azali 
Assoumani, President of the Union of the Comoros; H.E. Mr Mohamed Daoudou, Minister of 
Interior; H.E. Mr Said Ali Said Chayhane, Minister of Finance; H.E. Mr Mohamed Bacar Dossar, 
Minister o f Foreign Affairs; H.E. Mr Hamadi Idaroussi, the Secretary General of the Government; 
Mr Michel Bua, Resident Representative of the International Monetary Fund ; and representatives 
from the private sector.  The meetings confirmed that the WTO accession proc ess enjoyed support 
at all levels of Government, which considered WTO membership as  central to the country's 
socio-economic development, and that the private sector stakeholders were engaged in the 
accession process.  
21. The Chairperson of the Working Party on  the Accession of Sudan, Mr Ryosuke Kuwana  
(Japan) , led a mission, accompanied by the Officer -in-Charge of the Accessions Division  and the 
Secretary of the Working Party, t o Khartoum from 10 to 11 April  2017, at the invitation of the 
Government.  The WTO de legation held meetings with: H.E. General Bakhri Hassan Saleh, Prime 
Minister; H.E. Mr Hassabo Mohammed Abdel Rahman, Vice President and Chairman of the Higher 
Committee on Sudan's Accession to the WTO; H.E. Mr Osman Ahmed Fadul Wash, Minister of 
Internati onal Co -operation; H.E. Mr Ibrahim Ahmad Abd al -Aziz Ghandour, Minister of Foreign 
Affairs; and H.E. Mr Salah Mohamed Al -Hassan, Minister of Trade. The delegation also toured the 
Sudan National Assembly and met with H.E. Mr Ibrahim Ahmed Omer,  Speaker and interacted with 
Dr Mohamed El Mustafa Eldaw Ahmed, Chairman and Members of the Foreign Affairs and 
International Cooperation Committee of the Assembly. The meetings underscored Sudan's 
commitment to its accession process and highlighted the government's vi ew that WTO access ion 
was a catalyst to deepen  economic  reforms and improve trade relationships.  
22. The Chairperson of the  Working Party on the  Accession of Belarus , H.E. Mr Kemal Madenoğlu 
(Turkey), led a mission, accompanied by the Officer -in-Charge of the Accessions Division and the 
Secretary of the Working party, to Minsk from 1 to 3 November 2017. The Chairperson met with : 
H.E. Mr Andrei Kobyakov , Prime Minister;  H.E. Mr Vladimir Makei , Minister of Foreign Affairs; 
H.E. Mr Andrei Yeudachenka , First Depu ty Minister of Foreign Affairs; H.E.  Mr Dmitry Krutoy , 
First Deputy Minister of the Economy; H.E.  Ms Alla Lomakina , Deputy Mi nister of Agriculture and 
Food; and  Mr Vladimir Ulakhovich , Chairman  of the Chamber of Commerce and Indus try of 
Belarus . These meetin gs confirmed that the Governm ent of Belarus fully supports the WTO 
accession process and that the private sector is also very supportive of Belarus' WTO membership. 
In addition, the Secretariat team accompanying the Chairperson met with representatives of the 
International Monetary Fund  and the United Nations Development Programme . The Secretariat 
also met with the Belarusian technical team to address general questions related to the 
preparation of accession documents . WT/AC C/31 • WT/GC/189 • WT/MIN(17)/6  
 
- 9 - 
 
  23. In keeping with systemic transparency obligations, the C hairpersons of the Working Parties  
reported to Members on the progress of the work in their respective Working Parties,  including the 
results of their visits, at the Informal Group on Accessions.12 
3. TRANSPARENCY IN THE ACCESSION PROCESS  
24. Ensuring transparency and predictability in the accession process remain key priorities for 
the WTO Director -General and the WTO Membership.  In 2017, the transparency measures that 
were introduced since  2010 continued to be implemented and reinforced.  
i. Informal Group on Accessions  (IGA)  
25.  The IGA held ten meetings in 2017.  Consultations in the IGA focused on:  (i) information 
exchange on accessions; (ii) Secretariat reports on technical developments in acce ssions 
processes; (iii) Secretariat reports on technical -assistance and outreach activities; (iv) reports by 
Working Party Chairpersons; (v) planning of accession meetings;  and (vi) addressing specific 
concerns raised by Members.  
ii. WTO Accessions Newsletter  
26. In 2017, the Secretariat prepared 11 WTO Accessions Newsletters , including one special 
edition . The Newsletter has served its purpose to ensure transparency on accession matters, 
report on  monthly meetings of the IGA , and enhance communication with Accedin g Government s, 
Chairpersons, Members , and the broader global trade policy community.  The number of 
subscribers to the Newsletter in 2017 was 721, excluding the Secretariat . 
iii. 2017 Annual Outreach Dialogue with WTO Regional Groups   
27. As part of its 2017 annual outreach dialogue with WTO regional groups, a briefing for  
least-developed countries  was provided at the 81st session of the Sub -Committee on LDCs held on 
3 October  2017. Annual outreach dialogue on accessions was also conducted  with the Informal 
Group of Developing Countries  on 20 October  2017; the Asian Gr oup of Developing Members  on 
25 October  2017; the Informal Group of Latin -Amer ican members of the WTO  on 9 November  
2017; and the Arab Group on 13 November  2017.13 The objective  of the annual outreach dia logue 
is to strengthen communication channels with Members and Acceding Government s, and to 
provide a platform to exchange region -specific information on WTO  accessions.  These outreach 
activities  strengthen the collaboratio n between Members and Acceding Go vernment s, and assist in 
building greater ownership for WTO accessions.  
4.  TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND OUTREACH  
i. Overview  
28. The WTO Biennial Technical Assist ance and Training Plan for 2016 –2017 establishes support 
for Acceding Governments as one of its four ove rarching objectives.14 The Plan grants priority 
attention to acceding LDCs.  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 . 
29. In the period under review, technical -assistance  and capacity -building  activities  delivered by 
the Accessions Division  included:  (i) national seminars; (ii ) sessions on accessions in advanced 
                                                
12 The Chairperson of the Working Party on the Accession of the Union of the Comoros, H.E. Mr Luis 
Enrique Chávez Basagoitia (Peru), reported to the IGA on 4 April  2017. The Chairperson of the Working Party 
on the accession of Leban ese Republic , Mr Jean-Paul Thuillier (France), also reported to the IGA on 
4 April 2017. The Chairperson of the Working Party on the Accession of Sudan, Mr Ryosuke Kuwana (Japan), 
reported to the IGA on 2 May  2017. 
13 At this writing, the annual outrea ch dialogue with the African Group is scheduled for December 20 17. 
14 WT/COMTD/W/211.  WT/ACC/31 • WT/GC/189 • WT/MIN(17)/6  
 
- 10 - 
 
  trade policy courses15, and introductory courses for LDCs; (iii) workshops; (iv) technical missions; 
(v) establishment/upgrade of WTO Reference Centres16; (vi) e -Learning; (vii)  outreach d ialogue 
with WTO groupings17; (viii) presentations to students18; and (ix) participation in conferences.  
30. In 2017, the Accessions Division was involved in the delivery of 21 technical  assistance  
activities, including the activities specified above.  The beneficiary countries included Acceding  
Governments  and several Members.  Specifically, tailor -made technical assistance  was delivered to 
Afghanistan (post -accession) , Belarus, Lebanese Republic , the Union of the Comoros, Sudan, and 
Somalia .  
31. At the request of the Government of the Union of the Comoros, the Secretariat travelled to 
Moroni to assist the core team of officials in the preparation of negotiating inputs (Factual 
Summary of Points Raised, revised market access offers on goods and services) and background 
documents (Questions and Replie s and a revised Legislative Action Plan) . The technical working 
sessions took place over  three  days (from 8 to 10 March) and involved about a dozen officials 
mainly drawn from the Ministry of Economy and External Trade and  the customs authority, as well 
as one Member of Parliament .   
32. At the request of the Government of Lebanese Republic , the Secretariat undertook a 
technical mission to Beirut from 20 to 25 February 2017. The objective of the mission was to 
review and update negotiating inputs for a formal r esumption of the Working Party on the 
accession of the Lebanese Republic , and to agree on specific next steps in the accession process. 
The Secretariat team held intensive technical working sessions with the Lebanese Republic 's WTO 
accession team and the r epresentatives of the line ministries involved in the accession process. 
These sessions reviewed the required accession documentation, including the draft Working Party 
Report, to reflect policy and legislative developments which had taken place in the Leb anese 
Republic  since the last meeting of the Working Party held in October 2009.  
33. At the request of the Government of Sudan, the A ccessions Division undertook a nine -day 
mission to Khartoum  from 3 to 11 April 2017. The mission had  two technical components  focussing 
on: (i) the revision of Sudan's services offer (jointly with the Trade in Services and Investment 
Division); (ii) the preparation of negotia ting inputs on rules .  These components of the 
Secretariat's technical -assistance activities were held in conjunction with a visit by the Working 
Party Chairperson who held high -level meetings with the Government and dom estic stakeholders.  
34. This year, the Secretariat organi zed the first  Course on Goods Schedule s for WTO Acce ssion 
from 27 to 31 March  2017. Participants included 26  representatives from 12 Acceding 
Governments  and two  representatives from Members. The main objectives of this training course 
were to: (i) enhance understanding of bilateral market access negotiations on goods as well as the 
technical aspects of the goods schedules; and (ii) learn from experience -sharing sessions with 
former accession negotiators who had been directly involved in goods negotiations  as well as other 
experts. P articipants requested this cou rse be held on a regular basis.  
35. On 13 July  2017, the Accessions Division organi zed the Forum on WTO Accessions  on 
Accession -Related Technical Assistance and Capacity -Building , on the margins of the Aid for Trade 
Global Review 2017. The Forum brought t ogether  Acceding Governments, selecte d Members , and 
development partners (multilateral institutions and other donors) to discuss the challenges faced 
by Acceding Governments and their specific technical -assistance  and capacity -building  needs and  
to establish direct contacts between th e Accedi ng Governments and  donors.  This high -level event 
was opened by H.E.  Mr Axel Addy, Minister of Trade and Industry of Liberia and former Chief 
Negotiator on Liberia's WTO accession . Sudan , the Union of the Comoros, Somalia , and 
Timor -Leste made presentations  on their respective accessions and related technical -assistance 
and capacity -building  needs. In response, Members and development partners described  types of 
                                                
15 The Accessions Division participated in Advanced Trade Policy Courses in Geneva in January, June, 
and November 2017.  
16 In Sudan from 13 to 15 November 2017.  
17 See, e.g. above para.  27. 
18 The Accessions Division met with students from UBIS University (Geneva), the Diplomatic Academy 
(Vienna), IELPO (Barcelona), Lviv National University (Ukraine), and the Eu ropean Public Law Organization 
(Athens) . WT/AC C/31 • WT/GC/189 • WT/MIN(17)/6  
 
- 11 - 
 
  technical assistance and capacity building  that they were prepared  to provide to the Acceding 
Governments.19 
36. From 28 to 30 August 2017 , the Accessions Division organi zed the first Regional Dialogue on 
WTO Accessions for the Greater Horn of Africa in Nairobi, Kenya,  in partnership with the 
Government of Kenya and the University of Nairobi. The Regional Dialogue gathered high -level 
government officials from four Acceding Governments ( Union of the Comoros, Ethiopia, Somalia , 
and Sudan), and South Sudan (non -WTO observer) , as well as the representatives from Article XII 
Members and development partners and international organizations . The dialogue had three main 
sessions: (i) WTO Membership: Structural Reforms and Regional Integration; (ii) Accession to  the 
WTO; and (iii) Mobilising S upport for WTO Accession . At the conclusion of the Regional Dialogue, 
participants adopted the "Nairobi Outcome : Fostering Synergies and Coherences between Regional 
Integration and the Multilateral Trading System through WTO Accessions ".20 The Regional Dialogue 
was followed by a two -day speciali zed training for  government official s of Somalia  and South 
Sudan from 31 August to  1 September 2017. This training provided an overview of the WTO 
accession process, focusing on drafting the MFTR  and Legislative Action Plan .21 
37. On 27 September  2017, in cooperation with the WTO Arab Group, the Accessions Division 
organi zed a session at the 2017 Public Forum "Accessions Behind the Headlines: Integration of 
Arab Countries into the Global Economy", affording representatives from the Arab region  a chance  
to offer perspectives on accession (Union of the Comoros, Somalia and Sudan) and e xplore the 
realities and opportunities that underlie the accession process. These events showcase not only the 
steadfast engagement of Acceding Governments, but the dedication and initiative of the 
Secretariat team in m eeting their needs.22 
38. In 2017, Acceding Governments were invited to participate in over 16  technical  assistance 
and capacity  building  WTO activities.  Figure  1, below, shows the number of participants from 
Acceding Governments that completed technical -assist ance activities during 2017 . 
Figure 1: Participants fro m Acceding Governments in WTO technical -assistance  activities 
(2017)  
 
                                                
19 https://www.wto.org/engl ish/thewto_e/acc_e/forum0717_e/programme_e.htm . 
20 The outcome was circulated in document with joint symbols: WT/ACC/30, WT/GC/185, 
WT/MIN(17)/2, WT/COMTD/95, WT/COMTD/LDC/26. See dedicated webpage at: 
https://www.wto.org/english/thewto_e/acc_e/dialogue0817 _e/programme_e.htm . 
21 South Sudan's participation in the Regional Dialogu e and the two -day specialised training was 
supported by the Enhanced Integrated Framework.  
22 https://www.wto.org/english/forums_e/public_forum17_e/session44prog.pdf . 
WT/ACC/31 • WT/GC/189 • WT/MIN(17)/6  
 
- 12 - 
 
  39. Accession -related technical assistance and capacity building  were also provide d by other 
institutions, and often in partnership with WTO Members.  This year, t he Secretariat continue d to 
work in partnership  with the Advisory Centre on WTO Law, the  African Development Bank , the 
Asian Development Bank, the International Monetary Fund,  the Enhanced Integrated Framework,  
the International Trade Centre, the Islamic Development Bank, the United Nations Conference on 
Trade and Development, the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, t he UN 
Development Programme, the World  Intellectual Property Organization , and the World Bank.  
Activities have been coordinated with positive results.   
ii. "China's  LDCs and Accessions Programme  (The China Programme)"  
40. "China's  LDCs and Accessions Programme (the China  Programme )" was established by  the 
Government of China and the WTO on 14  July 2011.  China undertook the fifth renewal and 
extension on 20 March 2017, with a contribution of US$500,000.  
41. The China Programme is aimed at strengthening LDCs' participation in the WTO and at 
assisting Accedin g Government s in joining the WTO.  The p rogramme supports and finances 
activities under five principal pillars:  
I. WTO Accession s Internship Programme;  
II. Annual China Round Tables on WTO Accessions ; 
III. Increasing participation of LDCs i n WTO meetings;  
IV. South -South d ialogu e on LDCs and development; and  
V. LDCs' Trade Policy Revie w follow -up workshops.  
42. The Accessions Division is responsible for the implementation of Pillar I and Pillar II, as well 
as other accession -specific support.23 With respect to the WTO Accessions In ternship Programme,  
under which  the WTO Secretariat selects candidates,  seven  interns benefited from this Programme 
in the year under review.24 Since the launch of the Programme, 24  trainees have  benefitted from 
the WTO Accession s Internship Programme .25 
43. The Fifth Chin a Round Table on WTO Accessions  took place from 20 to 23 March  2017 in 
Siem Reap, Cambodia. The theme of the Round Table , which was organi zed in partnership with  the 
Government  of Cambodia, was "Best P ractices on the Accession of Least -Developed  Countries ". 
Around 50 participants from LDC Acceding Government s and Arti cle XII LDC Members, including 
eight Ministers, actively engaged in sharing experience on accession negotiations. The results of 
these discussions are reflected in the outcome docume nt: "The Siem Reap Statement", which was 
circulated, at the request of the Government of Cambodia, in document: WT/ACC/29, WT/GC/183, 
WT/MIN(17)/1, WT/COMTD/94, and WT/COMTD/LDC/25 .26 
44. The Sixth China Round Table was  held on 9 December 2017, back-to-back wit h the 11th 
WTO Ministerial Conference . This China Round Table, to be hosted by the Government of 
Argentina, will focus o n "Strengthening the Rules -based Multilateral Trading System and Building a 
Network to Promote Accessions ".27 
45. Specific support has also b een extended towards the accessions of the Union of the Comoros 
and Somalia. On the accession of the Union of the Comoros, the China Programme funded a total 
of five delegates to attend the first and second Working Party meetings held on 2 December 2016 
and 1 June 2017, respectively.  It also contributed towards a Round Table and Technical Working 
Sessions held during the Chair person's  visit to Moroni on 8  to 10 March 2017.28 On the accession 
                                                
23 More background  and information on the five pillars can be found here: 
https://www.wto.org/english/thewto_e/acc_e/china_programme_e.htm . 
24 The China WTO Accession Internship participants are from  Angola (LDC),  India (original Member), 
Iran (Acceding Government), Tajikist an (Article XII Member), Timor -Leste (LDC), and Zambia (LDC).   
25 An overview of former and current participants, including alumni stories, can be found here: 
https://www.wto.org/english/thewto_e/acc_e/pillar1_e.htm . 
26 More background and information on the  Fifth China Round Table can be found here:  
https://www.wto.org/english/thewto_e/acc_e/chinaround2017_e.htm.  
27 More information on this and previous round tables can be found here: 
https://www.wto.org/english/thewto_e/acc_e/pillar2_e.htm . 
28 See above, para s. 20 and 31 (discussing these  trips). WT/AC C/31 • WT/GC/189 • WT/MIN(17)/6  
 
- 13 - 
 
  of Somalia, the China Programme facilitated the participation of si x Somali officials in a Specialized 
Training on WTO accessions held in Nairobi, Kenya from 31  August to 1 September 2017.29 
5. ACCESSION S TRANSPARENCY TOOL S BOX 
i. WTO Accessions Intelligence Portal (AIP ) 
46. The Accessions Intelligence Portal (AIP), launched in 2016, forms an integral part of the 
WTO's  initiative  to enhance transparency on WTO accession negotiations.  The AIP is available at:  
https://www.wto.org/accessions.  
47. The Accessions Intelligence Portal provides access to documentation and data on the 
WTO accessions process es, including 36 completed accessions and 21 ongoing accessions . 
Key features of the AIP include:  
 all documentation submitted to accession Working Parties since 1995;  
 access to all noti fied legislation to accession Working Parties since 1995;  
 a Legislative Action Plan Register for all WTO Members that have joined since 1995;  
 an interactive tracker, which provides comprehensive information on the status of 
ongoing accessions; and  
 an inter active WTO accessions map with a feature  allowing users to see the evolution of 
WTO membership since 1995.  
While the Accessions Intelligence Portal is open to the public, some parts of the website, including 
access to documents of ongoing accession negotia tions, remain password -protected and only 
accessible to WTO Members and Acceding Government s. 
ii. Accession Commitments Database (ACDB)  
48. The Accession Commitments Database (ACDB) provides access to all accession -specific 
commitments  and related information cont ained in Accession  Working Party Reports of 
36 Article  XII Members.  The ACDB is available in the three official languages of the WTO at: 
http://acdb.wto.org.  
iii. Secretariat Register of Bilateral Market Access Agreements  
49. The Register of Bilateral Market Access  Agreements contains basic information regarding 
signed Bilateral  Market Access Agreements on Goods and Services that have been deposited with 
the Secretariat.  The specific information includes: the sector of the agreement (goods; services; or 
both, as app licable) , and the dates of signature and deposit.  
50. Reports generated by this Register are available only to WTO  Members via a password -
protected access:  https://www.wto.org/english/thewto_e/acc_e/xacc_e/register_e.htm . 
In accordance with long -standing pract ice, the substantive content of Bilateral Market Access 
Agreements remains confid ential to the parties that signed the Agreement, as well as the 
Secretariat with who m the Agreements are deposited.  
III.  STATE  OF PLAY IN ACCESSION WORKING PARTIES  
51. WTO accession negotiations advance on the basis of three interdependent tracks — with 
multilateral, bilateral, and in many cases, plurilateral processes running in parallel.  Separately, 
there are domestic  processes in the Acceding Government s to establish national negotiating 
positions a nd to decide on inputs.  In 2017 , there was mixed pr ogress in the 21  ongoing 
accessions.  Some advanced whereas others did not advance, as planned.  A range of factors, as in 
the past, remain s in play.  They include,  but are not limited to, continued negotiations with 
Members; technical complexities; domestic challenges; political choices to delay for more impact 
analysis; re -ordered priorities; and/or post -conflict situations.  This Section provides the state of 
play on the ongoing accessions, as of November 2017.  More details of the state of play are 
                                                
29 See above, para. 36 (discussing this event).  WT/ACC/31 • WT/GC/189 • WT/MIN(17)/6  
 
- 14 - 
 
  provide d and regularly updated in the monthly Accessions Newsletter, which can be found on the 
WTO accession website.  
Table 1: Current a ccessions by general s tatus , as of November 2017  
General Status  Accessions  
Advanced Stage  Bosnia and Herzegovina , Union of the Comoros*  
Work in Progress  Azerbaijan , Belarus , Sudan*  
Reactivation  Equatorial Guinea , Ethiopia *, Iraq, the Lebanese 
Republic , Serbia  
Activation  Somalia* , Timor -Leste*  
Working Party Inactive  Andorra , Algeria , the Bahamas , Bhutan* , Iran, Libya, 
Sao Tom e and Principe*, Syrian Arab R epublic,  
Uzbekistan  
Notes: * LDCs.  
"Work in Progress " indicates techn ical advanc ement and regular exchang e of information with WTO Members 
and the Secretariat.  
"Reactivation" indicates exchang e of information with the Secretariat and/or WTO Members with the objective 
of early resumption of activities at the level of the Wor king Party after a period of dormancy/inactivity.  
"Activation" indicates new activities at the level of the Working Party.  
"Inactive" indicates no activities at the level of  the Working Party for at least  three years.  
52. Algeria : Algeria submitted a reque st for 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 most recent version of the draft Working Party Report was circulated in 
February  2014.  To date, seven  bilateral market access agreements have signed and deposited with 
the Secretariat.  The latest market access offers were circulated to the Working Party in October 
2013 ( services ) and in November 2013 (goods).  The next meeting of the Working Party will be 
convened once Algeria submits required negotiating inputs , including  inputs for the  update of the 
draft Working Party Report.  
53. Andorra : Andorra applied for WTO accession in July 1997. The Working Party on the 
Accession of Andorra  was establis hed in October 1997.  The Working Party held its first and only 
meeting in October 1999.  This accession process is inactive , and there are no indications of any 
intentions to re -start the process.   
54. Azerbaijan : Azerbaijan applied for WTO accession in June 19 97. The Working Party on the 
Accession of Azerbaijan was established in July 1997.  The 14th meeting of the Working Party was 
held in July  2017. Multilateral negotiations ar e underway on the basis of the draft Working Party 
Report, whose third revision was circulated in May 2017 . To date, f our bilateral market access 
agreements ha ve been signed and deposited with the Secretariat.  Bilateral market access 
negotiations are ongoing with interested Members on the basis of revised market access offers 
circulated on a bilateral basis.  The 15th meeting of the Working Party is envisaged for mid -2018, 
subject to the submission of required negotiating inputs.  
55. The Bahamas : The Bahamas applied for WTO accession in May 2001.  The Working Party on 
the Accession of The Baham as was established in July 2001.  The second  Working Party meeting 
was held in June 2012.  A Factual Summary of Points Raised was sent to Nassau for factual updates 
in August  2013.  The most recent market access offers on goods and services were circulated to  
the Working Party in March 2012 (goods) and in August 2013 (services). The next meeting of the 
Working Party will be convened once the Bahamas submits required updated negotiating inputs, 
including an updated Legislative Action Plan  and revised market acc ess offers on goods and 
services.   
56. Belarus : Belarus submitted a request for 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 , and i nformal Consultations by the Chairperson took place in 2010, 
2012, and 2013.  The Working Party formally resumed its activities in 2017, and t he eighth  and 
ninth meetings took place in January and September 2017. The first version of the draft Working 
Party Rep ort was circulated in July 2017 , following the examination of an "Elements" of a draft 
Working Party Report at the eight meeting . In 2017 , four bilateral market access agreements were WT/AC C/31 • WT/GC/189 • WT/MIN(17)/6  
 
- 15 - 
 
  concluded . Bilateral negotiations are ongoing with a number of intereste d Members.  The tenth  
meeting of the Working Party is envisaged for the first quarter in 2018.   
57. 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 t he Working Party 
was held in January 2008.  The first version of the draft Working Party Report was circulated in 
December 2007.  The most recent market access offers on goods and services were circulated in 
November 2007.  There has been no activity in the W orking Party since the fourth  meeting.  
58. 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 w as held in June 2013.  The latest version of the 
draft Working Party Report was circulated in October 2017 . Thirteen  bilateral agreements have 
been signed and deposited with th e Secretariat.  Bilateral market access negotiations remain with 
only a limited nu mber of Members.  The next meeting of the Working Party will be convened, when 
appropriate , likely in the first quarter of 2018,  to: (i) review recent domes tic legislative 
developments ; (ii) finalize the draft  Working Party Report; and (iii) review the stat us of bilateral 
market access negotiations.  
59. 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. Three meetings of t he Wo rking Party were held, in December 2016, and in June and 
October 2017. The first version of the draft Working Party Report is being prepared  by the 
Secretariat , following the examination of an "Elements" of a draft Working Party Report at the 
third meeting  of the Working Party.  The first two bilateral  market access agreements were signed 
and deposited with the Secretariat in 2017.  Bilateral negotiations are ongoing with a limited 
number of interested Members.  The fourth  meeting of the Working Party is envis aged for the first 
quarter in 2018, subject to the submission of required negotiating inputs by the Union of the 
Comoros.   
60. Equatorial Guinea : Equatori al Guinea applied for WTO accession in March 2007. The Working  
Party on the Accession of Equatorial Guinea  was established in February 2008. No  Working Party 
meeting has been held to date.  Equatorial Guinea has not submitted any negotiating inputs to 
initiate the accession process.  
61. Ethiopia : Ethiopia applied for WTO accession in January 2003.  The Working Part y on the 
Accession of Ethiopia was established in February 2003. The third meeting of the Working Party 
was held in March 2012.  The Factual Summary of Points Raised was circulated in March 2012.  
An initial market access offer on goods was circulated in Feb ruary 2012.  The next meeting of the 
Working Party will be convened once Ethiopia submits negotiating inputs , including its market 
access offer s on goods (revised) and services  (initial) . 
62. Islamic Republic of Iran : The Islamic Republic of Iran applied for WT O accession in 
July 1996.  The Working Party on the Accession of the Islamic Republic of Iran was established in 
May 2005. The MFTR was circulated in November  2009.  Technical inputs submitted by Iran, 
including replies to Members' questions on the MFTR, wer e circulated in 2011.  To convene the first 
meeting of the Working Party, the Chairperson of the General Council would need to undertake 
consultations with Members on the designation of a Chairperson of  the Working Party.  
63. Iraq: Iraq applied for WTO accessi on 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.  The MFTR was circulated in 2005.  Iraq provided several negotiating inputs 
requested by the Wo rking Party.  An informal meeting of the Working Party was held in November 
2017. The third meeting of the Working Party will  be scheduled when Iraq submits negotiating 
inputs, including its initial market access offers on goods and services . 
64. Lebanese Repub lic: The Lebanese Republic applied for WTO accession in January 1999.  
The Working Party on the Accession of the Lebanese Republic was established in April 1999.  
The seventh  meeting of the Working Party was held in October 2009.  The most recent version of 
the draft Working Party Report was circulated in April 2017 . The latest revisions of the market 
access offers on goods and services were circulated in June 2004.  In preparation for the eighth WT/ACC/31 • WT/GC/189 • WT/MIN(17)/6  
 
- 16 - 
 
  meeting of the Working Party, in 2017, the Lebanese Republic circulated updated negotiating 
inputs to the Working Party . The timing of the n ext meeting will depend on the resumption of 
bilateral market access negotiations with interested Members, based on revised offers on goods 
and services.   
65. Libya : Libya applied for W TO 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 not 
submitted any negotiating inputs to initiate the process of accession negotiations . Libya is subject 
to Category III administrative measures.30 
66. Sao Tom e and Principe : Sao Tome and Principe  applied for WTO accession in February  2005. 
The Working Party on the Accession of Sao Tome and Principe  was established in June 2005. Sao 
Tome and Principe  has not submitt ed any inputs to initiate the process of accession negotiations. 
Sao Tome and Principe  is subject to Category III administrative measures.31  
67. Serbia : Serbia applied for WTO accession in December 2004. The Working Party on the 
Accession of Serbia was establi shed 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.  Thirteen  bilateral  market access agreements have been signed and deposited with 
the Sec retariat.  Bilateral market access negotiations remain with only a limited number of 
Members.  The next meeting of the Working  Party will be convened when: (i) outstanding domestic 
legislative action is completed; (ii) work on the latest draft of the Working  Party Report is 
finalized; and (iii)  substantial progress on the remaining bilateral market acc ess negotiations is 
registered.  
68. Somalia : Somalia applied for WTO accession in December 2015. The Working Party on the 
Accession of Somalia was  established in De cember 2016. No Working Party meeting has been held 
to date. Somalia has not yet submitted any negotiating inputs to initiate the process of accession 
negotiations.  
69. 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.  After many years of dormancy, the Working Party resumed its 
activities in 2017 , and the third and fourth  meeting s of the Working Party were held in January 
and July  2017. The Factual Summary of Point Raised was circulated in June 2017.  Three  bilateral 
market access agreements have been signed and deposited with the Secretariat.  Bilateral ma rket 
access negotiations are on going with interested Member s on the basis of revised market access 
offers circulated to the Working Par ty in November 2016 (goods) and  in May 2017 (services).  
The fifth meeting of the Working Party is envisaged for the first quarter in 2018, subject to the 
submission of required neg otiating inputs by Sudan.  
70. Syrian Arab Republic : The Syrian Arab Republic applied for WTO accession in October  2001.  
Its application was reviewed 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 not submitted any negotiating inputs to initiate the process of 
its accession negotiations .  
71. Timor -Leste : The Democratic Republic of Timor -Leste applied for WTO accession in  
November 2016.  The Working Party on the Accession of Timor -Leste was established in December 
2016.  The MFTR was circulated in June 2017. The  first meeting of the Working Party is envisaged 
for the first quarter in 2018.  
72. Uzbekistan : Uzbekistan applied for WTO accession in December 1994.  The Working Party on 
the Accession of Uzbekistan was also esta blished in December 1994.  The third meeting of the 
Working Party took place in October 2005.  This accession is inactive.  
                                                
30 As of November  2017.  
31 As of November  2017.  WT/AC C/31 • WT/GC/189 • WT/MIN(17)/6  
 
- 17 - 
 
  IV. LEAST -DEVELOPED COUNTRIES' ACCESSIONS  
73. Since the estab lishment of the WTO, nine  Members have acceded as LDCs pursuant to 
Article XII of the Marrakesh Agreement Establishing the  WTO.32 In the year under review, there 
were seven  ongoing LDC a ccessions, many of which have reg istered significant progress.  
Equatorial Guinea graduated from the LDC status in June 2017.  Under the Work Programme for 
the LDCs , the Secretariat provides regular briefings on the state of play on the accessions of LDCs 
to the Sub -Committee on LDCs.33  
74. There have been a number of p ositive developments in the accessions of the Union of the 
Comoros and Sudan.  The Union of the Comoros sustained its renewed level of engagement 
politically and technically , and has made considerab le progress towards the conclusion of its 
accession.  Since December 2016, the Working Party on the accession of the Union of the Comoros 
held three meetings an d the Union of the Comoros concluded two bilateral market access 
negotiations. Similarly, Sudan  remained committed to advance its accession negotiations. 
Since  January 2017, the Working Party on the accession of Sudan held two  meetings and Sudan 
concluded one bilate ral market access negotiation.  
75. Following the establishment of the Working Part ies on th eir respective accessions by the 
General Council in December 2016, Somalia and Timor -Leste kick-started their technical 
preparations  for the fact-finding phase. Timor -Leste  circulated its MFTR to Members in June 2017. 
After the first round of questions and  replies,  and the submission of additional negotiating inputs, 
the first Working Party meeting on the accession of Timor -Leste could be convened in the first half 
of 2018. Somalia  appointed a Chief Negotiator for WTO accession in July 2017 . With the suppor t of 
international partners, Somali a has prepar ed its MFTR , which was expected for circulat ion to WTO 
Members by the 11th WTO Ministerial Conference . 
76. Ethiopia  indicated its intention to reactivate its accession process, with the submission of 
updated negot iating inputs envisioned for the first half of 2018.  Bhutan  sustained contacts with the 
Secretariat, but there has been no substantive technical engagement at the level of the Working 
Party. Sao Tome and Principe  is still subject to Category III Administra tive Measures.  
77. The Union of the Comoros, Sao Tome and Principe, Somalia, South Sudan  and Timor -Leste 
supported the initiative of Afghanistan, with the participation of Liberia and Yemen, to establish 
the g7+ WTO Accessions Group, as a sub -group of the g7+ association of 20 fragi le and 
conflict -affected states34, consisting of its WTO acceding governments and Article XII Members. 
The main objectives of the g7+ WTO Accessions Group are: (i) to facilitate the integration of post -
conflict and fragile economies i nto the multilateral trading system through WTO accession -related 
reforms, including the establishment of credible economic and trade policy frameworks and 
institutions, and the promotion of transparency and good governance, based on in ternational best 
practices; and  (ii) to support the efforts of the WTO acceding governments in the Group, including 
through information and experience sharing. The official inauguration of the Group is envisaged on 
the margins of the 11th WTO Ministerial Conference in Decembe r. 
78. To maintain regular and effective contact  with capital -based technical negotiating teams and 
facilitate LDC participation at Working Party meetings, the Se cretariat made use of its 
video -conference  facilities. In  total, the Secretariat held 15  video -conference meetings with 
Acceding G overnments and three Working Party meetings were broadcast live to capital -based 
representatives.  These efforts engendered a great deal of positive feedback from participants.  
79. In response to the human  capital  and resource co nstraints of LDCs, the Secretariat 
continues to provide a combination of generalized start -up technical -assistance  activities with 
                                                
32 Article XII Members that acceded to the WTO as LDCs were: Afghanistan (2016) , Cabo Verde  (2008) , 
Cambodia (2004) , Lao Peop le's Democratic Republic  (2013) , Liberia (2016) , Nepal (2004) , Samoa (2012) , 
Vanuatu (2012) , and Yemen (2014) . 
33 In 2017, the Accessions Division provided a presentation on the state of play on LDC accessions at 
the 81st session of the Sub -Committee on LDC s held on 3 October.   
34 Twelve of the g7+ group are original WTO Members (Burundi, Central African Republic, Chad,  Cote 
d'Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Guinea, Guinea -Bissau, Haiti, Papua New Guinea, Sierra Leone, 
Solomon Islands, and Togo); three are Article XII LDC Members (Afghanistan, Liberia, and Yemen); four are 
acceding LDCs ( Union of the Comoros, Sao T ome and Principe, Somalia, and  Timor -Leste); and one is a 
non-observer currently considering an application for WTO accession (South Sudan).  WT/ACC/31 • WT/GC/189 • WT/MIN(17)/6  
 
- 18 - 
 
  tailored accession -specific activities to acceding LDCs at all stages of their WTO accession s 
process es. This year, as in pre vious years, technical assistance  to acceding LDCs ' delegations in 
Geneva was combined with assistanc e to capital -based officials , including to the Union of the 
Comoros, Somalia, and Sudan.35 
80. In addition to in -house Secretariat support, Members have continu ed to provide technical 
support for LDC accessions.   This includes, amongst others, capacity building  on the platform of 
the "China's  LDCs and Accessions Programme  (the China Programme) ".36  So far, 11 of the 
24 interns that have been trained under the WTO Accessions Internship Programme  were from 
LDCs, including two from acceding LDCs37 and three from Article  XII LDCs.38 
81. Several WTO Members continue to sustain and upgrade their capacity building  and technical 
support for a cceding LDCs.  Some do so through nati onal programmes and institutions,  while 
others do so  through  the Enh anced Integrated Framework . Steady support has been extended 
from a number of Members , including the European Union (including dedicated programmes from 
its individual member States), Japa n, Oman, Saudi Arabia, and the United States.  
82. In 2012, the General Council adopted the Addendum to WT/L/508 to strengthen, streamline 
and operationalize the 2002 LDC Accession  Guidelines .39 Member s are mi ndful of these Guidelines 
in on going active LDC acces sions.  The Director -General has underscored the vital importance of 
Members to be cognizant of these Guidelines in facili tating negotiations with LDCs.  
V.  WTO  ACCESSION AND THE BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT  
1. INTRODUCTION  
83. A business -friendly environment  is a sine qu a non of strong economies. Indeed,  as the 
World Bank has explained,  "[t]he role of the private sector is now almost universally rec ognized as 
a key driver  of economic growth and development. Nearly 90% of employment (including formal 
and informal jobs) occurs within the private sector".40 Governments, however, "play a vital role by 
ensuring that the conditions are in place for strong p rivate sector –led growth and by alleviating the 
constraints that hinder the private sector from creating good jobs for development."41 In short,  the 
business environment and the regulatory environment are intertwined.  
84. WTO accession  has a significant  impact  on Acceding Gov ernments' regulatory environment s, 
and thus also their business environments . This is so for two main reasons. First, the constellation 
of WTO obligations to which governments accede apply not only at Members' customs borders, but 
extend int o their domestic regulatory and institutional regimes. Second, as observed in previous 
Annual Reports, Acceding Gov ernments use WTO accessions processes as platforms from which to 
launch domestic structural reforms that touch upon a vast array of economic issues.42 Thus, that 
WTO accession will have effects on an Acceding  Government 's business environment is plain.  
85. This Thematic Section explores those effects. It proceeds in six parts. First, it examines the 
reasons for accession identified by the Acceding Governments. Second, it examines how  the 
private sector  is involved i n the accessions process. Third , it explores  how commitments 
undertaken as part of accessions processes can affect Acceding Governments' domestic businesses 
in specific ways. Fourth, it r ecounts Acceding Governments' and Article XII Members' own 
descriptions regarding how the accession process facilitated improvements to their business 
environments. Fifth, it uses data from the World Bank "Doing Business" reports to empirically 
explore the  relationship between the business environment and WTO accession. Finally, it offers 
some conclusions.  
                                                
35 See above, Section II(4)(i).  
36 See above, Section II(4)( ii). 
37 Ethiopia and Timor -Leste.  
38 Afghanistan, Liberia,  and Yemen.  
39 WT/L/508/Add.1 .  
40 The World Bank Group, Doing Business 2017 , p. v (2017).  
41 The World Bank Group, Doing Business 2013 , p. 15 (2013).  
42 World Trade Organization, WTO Accessions: 2016 Annual Report by the Director -General , WT/ACC/28 
(2 Dec. 2016), section V.  WT/AC C/31 • WT/GC/189 • WT/MIN(17)/6  
 
- 19 - 
 
  2. REASONS FOR ACCESSIO N: ENHANCING THE BUS INESS ENVIRONMENT  
86. To date, 36 state s or separate customs territories have acceded to the Organization under 
Article XII of the Marrakesh Agreement  Establishing the WTO . In the Introductory Statements in 
their Working Party Reports, they have offered a variety of reasons for their respective  accessions, 
each reflecting the future Member's own unique circumstances. Notwithstanding such diversity, 
certain reasons were common to many . These include , for example, the desire to enhance 
economic growth and stability, increase economic diversificati on, and/or achieve poverty 
reduction. Moreover, and importantly, half of the Article XII Members cited the desire to transition 
their economies from a centrally planned model to a market –based economy as a main reason to 
join the WTO.43 Such goals, of cours e, are strongly connected to the need for  an environment 
friendly to business.  
87. Some Article XII Members have explicitly highlighted  this connection  in their Working Party 
Reports. For example , Liberia, an LDC which became a WTO Member in July 2016 , explain ed that 
"future growth and ability to reduce poverty [lay] in increasing Liberian trade with the rest of the 
world" and as part of that strategy "it was critical […] to stimulate the development of local 
business".44 Samoa, which joined the WTO as an LDC in  2012 but graduated from LDC status in 
2014, stated that "[a]ccession was considered important to help maintain a stable macroeconomic 
environment and improve private sector development and employment creation."45 Ukraine, one of 
the largest states from the  former Soviet Republics to join the Organization , which it did  in 2008 , 
explained  that " accession to the WTO was an integral part of overall domestic economic reform 
and a major component of Ukraine's economic policy", and stated the  desire to see "accele rated 
investment, [and] small and medium sized enterprise development" as part of that policy.46 
The Russia n Federation, which joined in 2012,  also cited the desire to enhance the role of small - 
and m edium -sized enterprises , and thus " since requesting acces sion to the GATT and afterwards 
to the WTO, the Russian Federation had undertaken an unprecedented process of reform of its 
economy, progressively adopting laws and regulations consistent with WTO multilateral rules and 
disciplines", and further aspired  to make itself a "better, more competitive and rewarding place in 
which to work and do business."47 
88.  If an Acceding Gov ernment intends  to use the WTO accession process as a means by which 
to enhance its domestic business environment, one would  expect to see p rivate sector involvement 
in that process. Notwithstanding  the government -to-government character of the WTO accession 
negotiations themselves, such involvement does  regularly occur. Indeed, the participation of the 
private sector during the accession proc ess is likely to have a substantial influence on benefits of 
accession once finalized. We explore that dynamic below.  
3. BUSINESS INVOLVEMENT  IN THE ACCESSIONS PR OCESS ES 
89. Acceding Governments ' private sectors are regularly and actively involved in accession s 
processes , though in varying degrees . A primary arena in which such activity occurs is at the 
domestic level through regular political discourse and consultation s between  an Acceding 
Government and its domestic stakeholders. In many Acceding Governments, private sector 
representatives  are formally part of the national inter -ministerial steering committee on WTO 
accession, as in the case  of Afghanistan, Belarus, the Union of the Comoros, and  Liberia. T hey also 
participate in Geneva -based accession activities, including Working Party meetings and bilateral 
market access negotiations, as in the case of the Afghanistan48, Sudan49, and the Union of the 
Comoros.50 Working Party Chairpersons and the Secretariat often meet with the private sector, 
including the Chambers of Commerce, during their country visits to Acceding Governments.51 
                                                
43 See generally World Trade Organization, WTO Accessions: 2016 Annual Report by the Director -
General , WT/ACC/28 (2 Dec. 2016), p. 2 and Table 1 (discussing reasons for accession).  
44 WT/ACC/LBR/23 and WT/MIN(15)/2, para. 4.  
45 WT/ACC/SAM/30  and WT/MIN(11)/1, para. 6.  
46 WT/ACC/UKR/152, paras. 4 –5.  
47 WT/ACC/RUS/70, para. 5 . 
48 The fourth and fifth  Working Party meetings held in 2013 and 2015, respectively.  
49 The third Working Party meeting held in 2017.  
50 The second  Working Party meeting held in 2017.  
51 See WTO Accessions Newsletter for March and April 2017, available at 
https://www.wto.org/english/thewto_e/acc_e/newsletter_archive_e.htm . Also, i n July 2016, for example, the WT/ACC/31 • WT/GC/189 • WT/MIN(17)/6  
 
- 20 - 
 
  90. Moreover, the Secretariat provides outreach activities dedicated to the private sector, 
regularly bringing  together the  business community  in a variety of settings  to discuss the 
challenges and opportunities they face in conducting trade operations and to discuss how the WTO 
can help in dealing with them.52 Also in Geneva, at the request of Acceding Governments, the 
Secreta riat provides briefings to private sector representatives.  For instance, in 2016, the 
Secretariat met a 50 -member delegation of Iran's Chamber of Commerce to discuss the process, 
opportunities, and challenges of the WTO accession process.  
4. THE OUTCOMES OF ACCESSION: COMMIT MENT PARAGRAPHS AND THE 
DOMESTIC REGULATORY FRAMEWORK  
91. Upon accession, Acceding Governments undertake commitments embodied in commitme nt 
paragraphs ( CPs) in, or that are incorporated by reference into, their Accession Protocols. 
Many  CPs refer to obligations already present in the WTO agreements, whereas some others go 
beyond those obligations . Whichever is the case, they reflect the acc essions negotiations' focus on 
the topics address ed in the accession process .   
92. The acceptance of CPs, ranging from those that address tariff reductions to disciplines 
governing technical regulations, by Acceding Governments, will have an impact on and  potentially 
benefit their businesses, and the business enabling environment more broadly. This Section takes 
special note of a variety of CPs undertaken by Article XII Members that focus on something of 
necessarily great importance for domestic business, i.e.  the structure of the domestic regulatory 
environment. Below appears a summary of these types of CPs  that have appeared in the Working 
Party Reports of the 36 Article XII Members , along with a synopsis of the primary way(s) in which 
they can benefit domest ic business.  
Table 2: Summary of commitment paragraphs relating to domestic b usiness  
Issue and Significance for 
Domestic Businesses  Summary of Commitment Paragraphs53 
Transparency  
 
Significance : Commitments 
enhance domestic business es' 
access to domestic rules.   A total of 74 CPs in the dedicated "Transparency" section of 
Article XII Members' Working Party Reports reaffirm and detail 
the general transparency obligations in the WTO Agreements to 
publish information on trade and to noti fy the trade regime and 
new trade measures to the WTO (esp. GATT Art. X; GATS Art. 
III; and TRIPS Art. 63).  
 
 Additionally, Article XII Members have undertaken over 200 CPs 
in other sections of their Working Party Reports and/or Accession 
Protocols, reaffir ming or referencing specific transparency 
commitments in the WTO Agreements, or representing additional 
transparency requirements with respect to specific subjects.  
 
                                                                                                                                                  
Secretar iat led a delegation to Liberia  on post -accession  issues , whic h included representatives of the private 
sector. In 2015 , the Chairman of the Working Party on the Accession of Afghanistan visited Kabul, 
accompanied by the Accessions Division Director, during which they consulted with members of the private 
sector. In 2014, WTO Deputy Director -General David Shark visited the Bahamas, during which he met with 
members of the business community to discuss the accession process. In 2013, the Chairperson of the Working 
Party on the Accession of Seychelles  visited Victoria, d uring which she met with private sector stakeholders to 
discuss WTO accession.  
52 See, e.g. Business, trade and the WTO, 
https://www.wto.org/english/forums_e/business_e/business_e.htm .  
53 This list is not intended to be, nor is it, exhaustive. Different num bers of Article XII Members possess 
the types of CPs described below. Types of CPs described below may be expressed in different technical 
language in different Working Party Reports.  WT/AC C/31 • WT/GC/189 • WT/MIN(17)/6  
 
- 21 - 
 
  Issue and Significance for 
Domestic Businesses  Summary of Commitment Paragraphs53 
Clarification of Domestic Legal 
Framework  
 
Significance : Commitments create 
legal certain ty for businesses by 
clarifying the legal framework under 
which businesses operate.   Conﬁrm the international  status  of the WTO Agreement  and its 
precedence  over national  legislation.  
 
 Clarify  that, as an international  agreement,  the provisions  of the 
WTO Customs  Valuation Agreement  (CVA) supersede  domestic  
law, upon accession.  
 
 Clarify  that WTO commitments  shall be respected at  the regional  
trade  agreement  (RTA)  level.  
 
 
 Conﬁrm the speciﬁc  obligation  to apply  WTO provisions  uniformly  
throughout  the entire  customs  territory  and other  territories  
under  Members'  control,  including  in regions  engaging  in border  
trade  or frontier  trafﬁc, special  economic  zones,  and other areas  
where  special  regimes  for tariffs,  taxes  and regulations  are 
established.  
 
 Conﬁrm that sub-central  authorities  shall have no jurisdiction  or 
autonomous  authority  over issues  covered by  WTO provisions . 
 
 Conﬁrm also that all laws, regulations  and other  measures  of 
sub-central  authorities  (must) comply  with the WTO provisions 
and are administer ed in a uniform,  impartial  and reasonable  
manner, and that all measures  taken  by sub-central  authorities  
that are inconsistent  with the WTO Agreement  are eliminated  or 
nulliﬁed.  
 
 Conﬁrm the obligation  to have the WTO Agreement  as the legal 
basis of trade  with other Members and  to ensure  consistency  
with WTO rules.  
 
 Clarify  that sub-central  authorities  have no right to formulate  
non-tariff measures;  only the central  government  can issue 
regulations  on non-tariff measures;  and that these  measures  
would  be implemented  or enforced  only by the central  
government  or subnational  authorities  with authorisation  from 
the central  government.  
 
 Regarding Other Customs Formalities, there  shall be application  
in a uniform,  impartial and reasonable  manner of  any such 
legislation,  rulings  and/or  measures  throughout  the territory  of 
the member,  as required  by the WTO Agreement.  
 
 Conﬁrm that voluntary  standards  contained  in private  sector  
agreements  would  not be enforced.  
 
 Conﬁrm that  free zones  and special  economic  areas  are fully 
subject  to speciﬁc  obligations  in the Accession  Protocols.  
 
 Clarify  that normal  customs  formalities,  tariffs  and taxes  are 
applied  when  goods  produced  or imported into  the free zones  
enter the rest of the Acceding Governments' economy  under  the 
specia l tax and tariff regime  of those  zones.  
 
 Accept the  obligation  to identify, list and make  precise  those  
speciﬁc WTO agreements  for which  Acceding Governments  would  
ensure  enforcement and  compliance  of their WTO obligations  in 
free zones  and special  economi c areas.  
 
 Accept the  speciﬁc  commitment  to list and notify  WTO-
inconsistent  requirements  (such  as export performance,  trade 
balancing,  or local content requirements)  that shall be banned  in 
the free zones  and special  economic  areas  of the Acceding 
Governme nts. 
 
 WT/ACC/31 • WT/GC/189 • WT/MIN(17)/6  
 
- 22 - 
 
  Issue and Significance for 
Domestic Businesses  Summary of Commitment Paragraphs53 
 Clarify  for Members  the meaning  of speciﬁc  legal provisions  as 
found  in national  intellectual  property  laws and provisions  in 
order  to ensure  compatibility with  the Trade -Related Aspects of 
Intellectual Property Rights ( TRIPS)  Agreement and, in some  
instances,  conﬁrm the content  of speciﬁc  intellectual  property  
laws and provisions  in place.  
 
 Identify,  explicitly,  the relevant  domestic  laws on certain  services  
sectors,  boosting  Members'  conﬁdence  in legislation -based  
domestic  reform  in the Acceding Go vernments.  
 
Enforcement of Rules, 
Establishment of Tribunals, and 
Impartiality  
 
Significance : Commitments create 
obligations to enforce rules that will 
likely apply to domestic businesses 
or affect their activities, and help 
ensure that such enforcement w ill 
be performed by impartial tribunals 
and regulators.   Establish  the obligation  that when  appraised  of a situation  where  
WTO provisions  are not being applied  or are applied  in a non-
uniform  manner,  central  authorities  shall act to enforce  WTO 
provisions  without  requiring  affected parties  to petition  through  
courts.  
 
 Conﬁrm and elaborate  the right of traders  to appeal  
administrative  rulings  on matters  subject  to the WTO Agreement  
to an independent  tribunal  (i.e. the prov2ision  of the right to an 
independent  review) in conformity  with the WTO commitments,  
including  but not limited to Article X:3(b) of  the GATT 1994,  and 
the relevant  provisions  of the Agreement  on Subsidies  and 
Countervailing  Measures  (SCM),  the Agreement on  Customs 
Valuation, the TRIPS Agreem ent and the GATS.  
 
 Establish  the obligation  for the deﬁnition  of a special  mechanism 
or a tribunal  responsible  for prompt review  of all administrative  
actions  relating  to the implementation  of laws, regulations,  
judicial  decisions  and administrative  rulings  of general  
application, to be established/designated  and operated,  and that 
the government  authorities  shall act promptly  to address  the 
situation,  and inform  the individual or  entity of  the decision  or 
action  taken in  writing w ith an opportunity  to appeal. Also, 
establish  the obligation  that such tribunals  shall be impartial  and 
independent  of the agency  entrusted  with administrative  
enforcement  and shall have no substantial  interest  in the 
outcome  of the matter.  
 
 Upon accession, consularisation/notarisation  by consular  ofﬁcers  
in the country  of export  would  not be required  for the import  of 
goods . A dispute  settlement  mechanism,  as part of the customs  
service,  would  be established  to address  concerns  raised  on 
smuggling  and any other  customs  administration  issues,  within  a 
speciﬁc  time-frame.  
 
 Reinforce  the right of appeal  of decisions  taken  by Preshipment 
inspection (PSI)  service  providers,  and identify  the relevant  
legislation.  
 
 With respect to intellectual property, con ﬁrm for Members  that all 
laws, administrative  regulations  and implementing  rules would  
be enforced  by national  courts.  
 
 Regarding intellectual property rights, con ﬁrm for Members  the 
enhancement  of enforcement  measures  and reduction  of 
infringement  efforts  by relevant  agencies,  in number of  
instances,  referring  to special  border  measures.  
 
 Conﬁrm that for the services  consolidated  in the Schedule  of 
Speciﬁc  Commitments,  relevant  regulatory  authorities  would  be 
separate  from,  and not accountable  to, any service  suppliers  
that the authorities  regulated.  
 WT/AC C/31 • WT/GC/189 • WT/MIN(17)/6  
 
- 23 - 
 
  Issue and Significance for 
Domestic Businesses  Summary of Commitment Paragraphs53 
Identities and Responsibilities 
of Domestic Economic Actors  
 
Significance : Commitments clarify 
the identities of certain major 
economic actors (e.g. state -trading 
enterprises and state -owned 
enterprises) or actors upon whom 
the government relies for certain 
services, and clarify such entities' 
responsibilities and expected 
behaviour.   Clarify  the relationship  between  Articles  XVII:1(a)  and XVII:1(b)  
of the GATT  1994 by the distinction  of a separate  category  of 
commitment  on State Trading Enterprises/State Owne d 
Enterprises  (STEs/SOEs) pursuant  to operation  ‘in accordance  
with commercial  considerations '. 
 
 Regarding STEs/SOEs, identify  the criteria  for commercial  
considerations  for making  purchases and sales (including price,  
quality,  availability,  marketability  and transportation); and the 
listing of  the existing  STEs/SOEs in  Working  Party Reports.  
 
 Deﬁne STEs/SOEs  through  state ownership  criteria,  allowing  a 
wider  sub-set of entities  to be covered  by WTO rules,  so a 
broader  range  of discriminatory  or anti-competitive  practices  
could  be internationally regulated,  and listing  of the STEs.  
 
 Conﬁrm and enhance  the non-discrimination  requirements  for 
STEs/SOEs  by setting  out market -speciﬁc  obligations  applied  to 
entities provided  with ﬁnancial  or regulatory  advantages,  for 
example: Setting  out a list of products  subject  to state trading.  
 
 Clarify  whether  the Acceding Governments  have concluded  
contracts  with PSI service  providers,  and reafﬁrm that any 
existing  or future  PSI regimes/programmes  would  fully adhere  
to/implement  the requirements  of the Agreement  on 
Preshipment  Inspection.  
 
 Ensure  that any existi ng or future  PSI regimes  conducted  by PSI 
service  providers,  on behalf  of the government,  would  be solely  
temporary,  until customs authorities  could  carry out the 
activities,  which  were temporarily  performed  by PSI service  
providers.  
 
 Conﬁrm that Acceding Governments  have the sole responsibility 
in ensuring  that PSI enterprises,  operating  on behalf  of Acceding 
Governments,  comply  with the provisions  of the WTO 
Agreement.  
 
 Identify  patterns  for WTO-consistent  price-control measures  
regulating  tariff rates for goods  and services rendered  by natural  
monopolies  (including  their operation  on the basis of normal  
commercial  considerations).  
 
Minimization of Trade -
Restrictive Regulations  
 
Significance : Commitments seek to 
minimize certain rules that may 
hinder dom estic business' trading 
activities.   Accept the obliga tion that the application of any 
measur es/restr ictions on foreign exchange shall be consistent  
with WTO provisions, and accept  the elimination  of prior 
author isation requirement s on foreig n exchange and payments  
upon WTO access ion. 
 
 Set out that existing  registration  systems regarding trading rights  
shall conform  to WTO rules.  They shall not restrict  trade or be 
more burdensome  than necessary.  
 
 Encourage  the removal  of export  licensing  requirements.  
 
 Extend the requirements  of the Agreement  on Import  Licensing  
Procedures  to export  licensing  procedures,  and reafﬁrm  that 
such procedures  shall comply  with Article  XI of the GATT  1994 
and other WTO requirements.  
 
 Accept  a commitment  to minimise  the use of expor t taxes,  post-
accession.  
 
 Extend  the scope  of commitments  to elimination  of all internal  
taxes, charges  and fees applied to  exports  (with exemptions  for 
listed  products) and speciﬁc  export -related  measures,  including  
re-export and  non-automatic  export  licences. 
 WT/ACC/31 • WT/GC/189 • WT/MIN(17)/6  
 
- 24 - 
 
  Issue and Significance for 
Domestic Businesses  Summary of Commitment Paragraphs53 
 Accept  a commitment  to foreclose  the use of export  duties.  
 
 Enhance  the requirement  of Article  V:4 of the GATT  1994 on the  
reasonableness  of charges imposed  on trafﬁc  in transit.  
 
 Improve,  signiﬁcantly,  GATS  Article  VI (Domestic  Regulation),  so 
that licensing  procedures  and conditions  in Acceding 
Governments  are more transparent,  user-friendly  and impartial.  
 
Involvement of Private Sector in 
Legislative Process  
 
Significance : Commitments 
empower domestic actors to 
participate in the legislative pro cess 
regarding laws that  could affect 
their businesses.  
  Conﬁrm that internal  mechanisms  exist to inform  and consult  
with government  agencies  and private  sector  interests  on the 
rights  and obligations  under  the GATT  1994 and the TBT 
Agreement.  
 
 Enhance,  signiﬁcantly,  a binding  commitment  that requires  
public  commen ts on SPS proposals  prior to the adoption  of SPS 
measures.  
Equal Business Opportunities  
 
Significance :  Certain CPs 
encourage the liberalization of 
criteria under which entities may 
perform certain economic functions.  
 
 
  Conﬁrm the right to trade in goods (import/export)  on a non-
discriminatory  basis,  at any level of distribution.  
 
 Liberalise  the scope  and availability  of trading  rights,  including  
through  granting  the right to trade  to all enterprises  and the 
elimination  of the system  of examination  and approval  of 
trading  rights.  
 
 Clarify  that any enterprise  shall be permitted  to register  as 
importer/exporter.  
 
 Conﬁrm the trading  right to select  distributor(s).  
 
 Conﬁrm  that requirements  for commercial  registration  or 
application  for trading  rights  shall be for customs  and ﬁscal 
purposes  only. 
 
 Improve,  signiﬁcantly,  GATS  Article  VI (Domestic  Regulation),  so 
that licensing  procedures  and conditions  in Acceding 
Governments  are more transparent,  user-friendly  and impartial. 
This result,  thus, provides  a degree of  certainty  to Members  that 
their services  providers  in the Acceding Governments  would  be 
treated  fairly,  predictably,  and in a non-discriminatory  manner.  
 
 Guarantee  the freedom  of foreign  services  suppliers,  so that they 
have the right to choose  their partners.  
93. Such types of CPs reflect how the accession process often results in concrete, legally binding 
outcome s that can benefit domestic businesses of Acceding Governments.54  
5. ACCESSION AND BEYOND : ACCEDING GOVERNMENTS ' AND ARTICLE XII 
MEMBERS' REFLECTIONS ON IMPROVEMENTS TO T HE BUSINESS 
ENVIRONMENT  
94. This Section focuses on the extent to which Article XII Members themselves considered 
whether the accession process has a positive impact on  their business environments. It does  so by 
exploring Article XII Members' reflections on their accessions processes  made in two main 
contexts: (i) statements made by the ir representatives during the ir final Working Party meetings; 
and (ii) the first WTO Trade Policy Reviews for Article XII M embers  following accession.  
i. Final Working Party Meetings  
95. At the end of the substantive accession negotiations, the Working Party  adopts the Acceding 
Government's accession package, including the draft Accession Protocol and Working Party Report, 
which c ontain the Acceding Government's CPs , which is then sent to the General Council for 
                                                
54 CPs are enforceable in WTO dispute resolution procedures.  WT/AC C/31 • WT/GC/189 • WT/MIN(17)/6  
 
- 25 - 
 
  consideration. The final Working Party meeting, which is the only meeting where the official record 
is produced in the entire accession process during the Working Party sta ge, generally provides an 
opportunity for reflection, often after long years of negotiations, regarding the as sociated domestic 
reforms performed as part of the accession process. The representatives of recentl y acceded 
Members  took this opportunity to hig hlight the benefits that had  accrued, and that were expected 
to accrue going forward,  for their private sectors as a result of the accession process.  
Table  3: Examples of statements of recently acceded Article XII Members  at final 
Working Party meetings  regarding the business environment  
Acceding 
Government  Final 
Working 
Party 
Meeting  Representative  Comments  
Afghanistan  Fifth 
Meeting  
November 
2015 H.E. Humayoon 
Rasaw, Minister 
of Commerce 
and Industries  The representative stated that "[o]ur President views  WTO 
membership as a catalyst for implementation of reforms that 
will […] strengthen market institutions and mechanisms" and 
"adherence to WTO agreements [is] critical for strengthening 
the rule of law, increasing transparency, and building the 
foundation for sound economic development", and that "WTO 
membership is essential to strengthen our trade and 
investment framework for developing our private sector". The 
WTO accession will result in "a win -win accession package 
that is commercially meaningful for WT O Members and, at the 
same time, enables us to achieve our goals of creating new 
economic opportunities". He also stressed the private sector's 
support for WTO accession.  
Kazakhstan  20th 
Meeting  
June 2015  H.E. Zhanar 
Aitzhanova, 
Minister of 
Economic 
Integ ration  The representative summarized a multitude of measures 
taken by Kazakhstan during the accession process, explaining 
that "[a]ll these steps were taken to improve the business 
and investment climate in Kazakhstan. Moreover, 
Kazakhstan's accession term s to the WTO will guarantee 
transparent, predictable and stable investment and trade 
climate in the country." Moreover, the representative 
explained that "continued efforts of the Government were 
reflected in the World Bank's Doing Business Report, where 
Kazakhstan ranks 77th in the list of 189 countries."  
Lao PDR  Tenth  
Meeting  
September 
2012 H.E. Dr  Nam 
Viyaketh, 
Minister of 
Industry and 
Commerce  The representative stated that, as part of its accession 
process, Lao PDR  had "made tremendous efforts in impr oving 
investment climate and opening its market for goods and 
services", and that "Lao PDR has used the accession process 
as a useful blueprint for reforms in our trade and economic 
framework on the basis of interna tional best practices." "T he 
accession pr ocess … has provided us with the necessary basis 
to achieve our goal of meeting the Millennium Development 
Goals by 2015 and graduating from the LDC by 2020."  
Liberia  Fourth  
Meeting  
October 
2015 H.E Axel M. 
Addy, Minister of 
Commerce and 
Industry  The repr esentative stated that "domestic reforms, however 
painful at times; will facilitate an enabling business 
environment that will lead to fair and healthy competition 
that will drive innovation and economic diversification 
ensuring our economic resilience to crises."  
Tajikistan  Ninth  
Meeting  
October 
2012 H.E. Sharif 
Rahimzoda, 
Minister of 
Economic 
Development 
and Trade  The representative stated that since its application for 
accession was made in 2001, "significant changes have 
occurred in Tajikistan. Many of  these can be directly linked to 
the WTO accession process […] [such as] improvements in 
the financial and banking systems. In turn, this has 
strengthened a number of economic sectors and has led to 
their rapid development. To a large extent, this has also  
allowed Tajikistan's economy to successfully overcome the 
potential negative impact of the global economic and financial 
crisis."  
Yemen  11th 
Meeting  
September 
2013 H.E. Dr  
Saadaldeen 
Talib, Minister of 
Industry and 
Trade  The representative stated that "W TO membership shall result 
in positive progression and would significantly contribute to 
domestic efforts to consolidate and stabilize the country […] 
[and] also marks [the] Yemen economy as being open for 
business".  
 WT/ACC/31 • WT/GC/189 • WT/MIN(17)/6  
 
- 26 - 
 
  96. Of course, a certain amount of time f ollowing accession may often be required in order for 
an Article XII Member to more fully assess the effects that accession had on its business 
environment. This is especially so because, as reflected in certain statements above,  reforms 
undert aken during the accession process  often provide a basis for future economic development o f 
the private sector. The next Section investigates the outcomes observed in the years following 
WTO accession.  
ii. Trade Policy Reviews of Article XII Members  
97. The Trade Policy Re view Mechanism (TPRM) enhances  the transparency of Members ' trade 
regimes by subjecting them to examination by the entire WTO Membership. All WTO Members are 
subject to the TPRM at intervals depending on their shares of world trade. Many, but not all, Arti cle 
XII Members have had their first TPR .55 The focus of such TPRs is to discuss developments in the 
Member's trade regime.  It should be noted, therefore, that the effects of a Member's WTO 
accession, per se , is not the focus of Article XII Members' TPRs, and that many years may pass 
between an Article XII Member's accession and its first TPR. Nevertheless,  of the Article XII 
Members that  have had their first TPR , many have taken the opportunity to reflect on the impact s 
that their  accessions  have had on the ir business environments. They have done so both in the 
governments' reports submitted to the WTO as part of the TPR, and in their government officials' 
statements in the Trade Policy Review Body (TPRB).  Examples of such statements appear below.  
Table  4: Examples of s tatements of recently acceded Article XII Members  during first 
Trade Policy Reviews  regarding the business environment  
Article XII 
Member  Date of 
Accession  Date of 
First TPR  Statements by Article XII Member56 
Bulgaria  December  
1996 October  
2003 In the TPRB, the government explained that "[a]ccession to 
the WTO has facilitated the country's transition to a market 
economy, ensured stability of the domestic market, and 
promoted investment".57 
Cambodia  October  
2004 November  
2011 In the TPRB, the gov ernment explained that, "[t]o date, 
Cambodia has adopted 19 laws and regulations to fulfil 
specific WTO legal obligations, and has also adopted a 
number of other trade - and business -related laws and 
regulations that have improved the overall legal 
environm ent." Further, "[w]e work constantly to improve 
the legal framework for business. […] Full compliance with 
WTO rules is an important component of these 
improvements."58 
Nepal  April 
2004 March  
2012 In the TPRB, the government explained that "the 
[economic] liberalization process gained momentum after 
our accession to the WTO", "while the private sector has 
been encouraged to take the leading role in the economy".59 
Panama  September  
1997 September  
2007 In the TPRB, the government explained that when Panama 
first began negotiating its accession, it "lacked clear rules". 
But "[t]he accession process had triggered a series of 
reforms", and in this way the "accession had […] a clear 
impact on Panama's trade and economic structure. […] [I]t 
also contributed towards  attracting new investment and 
boosting productivity."60 
The Russian 
Federation  August  
2012 September  
2016 In its TPR Report, Russia stated that " Russia's accession to 
the WTO was accompanied by fundamental legislative 
changes that laid solid and predictab le foundations in the 
Russian market for all its participants, including foreign 
trade operators. As a result, the implementation of the WTO 
rules into the national legislation has contributed towards 
                                                
55 At this w riting, the most recently acceded Member  to have had a TPR is the Russian Federation, which 
acceded in 2012.  
56 Statements by representatives before the TPRB are taken from the Minutes of these meetings 
circulated by the Secretariat.  
57 WT/TPR/M/121, para. 8 . 
58 WT/TPR/M/253, paras. 21–22. 
59 WT/TPR/M/257, para. 143.  
60 WT/TPR/M/186, paras. 4, 7, and 9.  WT/AC C/31 • WT/GC/189 • WT/MIN(17)/6  
 
- 27 - 
 
  Article XII 
Member  Date of 
Accession  Date of 
First TPR  Statements by Article XII Member56 
an improvement in Russia's international ratings. For 
instance, since 2012, Russia has been annually moving 
upwards in the Doing Business rating compiled by the World 
Bank Group. From being ranked 120th (out of 183) in 2012, 
Russia moved to the 51st place (out of 189) in 2016."61 
Chinese Taipei  January  
2002 June 
2006 In its TPR Report, Chinese Taipei explained that "[s]ince its 
accession to the WTO in 2002, the evidence clearly shows 
that [Chinese Taipei] has continued to benefit from the 
multilateral trading system. Its trade value has increased by 
an impressi ve 41.62%, with more jobs being created and 
unemployment diminishing".62 In the TPRB, the government 
explained that "economic growth that had been accelerated 
by its accession to the WTO", and explained that "Chinese 
Taipei had used its accession to the WTO  to establish a 
foundation for domestic reforms" that had continued to 
benefit the economy.63 
Tonga  July 
2007 February  
2014 In its TPR Report, Tonga stated that " WTO membership  has 
been, and continues to be, a key catalyst to the legislative, 
regulatory an d administrative reforms which are necessary 
to revitalise Tonga's economy. Important reforms 
stimulated in whole or in part by WTO accession have taken 
place in [ inter alia ] […] the business regulatory 
environment". Further, "[b]uilding on the momentum fr om 
its WTO accession, Tonga is currently reviewing a range of 
key laws and regulations that affect import and export 
trade. This review process is aimed at not only ensuring 
compatibility with Tonga's WTO obligations, but also to 
create a more private sect or oriented and investment -
friendly climate for firms operating in Tonga."64 
Ukraine  May 
2008 April 
2016 In its TPR Report, Ukraine stated that "Ukraine's accession 
to the WTO […] was an integral part of domestic economic 
reform and a major component of Uk raine's economic 
policy."65 Before the TPRB, the government explained that 
"[s]ince its accession to the WTO, Ukraine has already 
improved its ranking in World Bank 'Doing Business' by 43 
positions".66 
Viet Nam  January  
2007 September  
2013 In the TPRB, the g overnment explained that "the recent 
WTO accession have catalysed the country's legislative and 
regulatory drafting process, which results in a more 
transparent, stable, predictable, and efficient legal system 
that has gone well beyond the framework of int ernational 
trade.  
[…] Not so long ago few people in the business community 
would have expected the Government to solicit their 
comments or inputs for a draft law, a government 
regulation, or a ministerial circular. […] Not so long ago, the 
business commun ity would not have thought of being 
consulted on Market Access and Trade Liberalization issues 
for the on -going FTAs negotiations, such as TPP or EVFTA. 
These changes, which implied a radical departure from 
traditional legal and institutional practices, ul timately have 
brought about a rule -of-law mindset, which in turn 
significantly induces economic and social changes."67 
98. These statements, made by a diverse set of Article XII Members  often years following their 
respective accessions, reflect  that the expect ed benefits of accession for the domestic business 
                                                
61 WT/TPR/G/345, para. 1.2.  
62 WT/TPR/G/165, para. 3. (footnote omitted)  
63 WT/TPR/M/165, paras. 26 and 28.  
64 WT/TPR/G/291, paras. 3.10 and 8.22.  
65 WT/TPR/G/334, p ara. 1.3.  
66 WT/TPR/M/334, para. 2.19. 
67 WT/TPR/M/287, paras. 2.7 –2.8. WT/ACC/31 • WT/GC/189 • WT/MIN(17)/6  
 
- 28 - 
 
  environments of Acceding Governments often not only do in fact accrue, but endure as a result of 
the WTO commitments the Article XII Members carry moving forward.   
6. EMPIRICAL CORRELATIO N BETWEEN THE BUSI NESS ENVIRONMENT AND  
WTO ACCESSION: THE WORLD BANK DOING -BUSINESS INDICATORS  
99. Since it first appeared in 2004, the World Bank' s annual "Doing Business" Report measures 
business regulations for local firms in economies around the world. The reports rank countries 
according to how attractive those regulatory environments  are for firms. An economy's rank, 
however, is necessarily rel ative to others. Thus, to analyse how a single economy has individually 
improved its business environment over time requires a somewhat different metric. The Doing 
Business Reports created the Distance -to-Frontier ( DTF) metric to do precisely this. With re spect 
to a given economy, DTFs score certain regulatory indicators on a standardized scale from 1 to 
100, the former being the worst and the latter being the best, or the "frontier".68 
100.  Currently, the World Bank assigns DTFs to the following ten regulatory i ndicators: (i) 
Starting a Business; (ii) Dealing with Construction Permits; (iii) Getting Electricity; (iv) Reg istering 
Property; (v) Getting C redit; (vi) Protecting Minority Investors; (vii) Paying Taxes; (viii) Trading 
Across Borders; (ix) Enforcing Cont racts; and (x) Resolving Insolvency.69 
101.  This Section uses these DTFs to empirically explore the relationship between WTO accession 
and changes  to the domestic business environments of Article XII Members. It does so by 
analysing DTF scores between 200470 and 201471, inclusive, assigned to the economies of the 
12 Article XII Members'72 that acceded to the WTO between 200573 and 2014, inclusive, thus 
ensuring a reasonable temporal nexus between the accession of these Members and the examined 
DTF scores. It examines  the evolution of these DTFs during three time periods: (i) during the 
Members' accession s process es; (ii) after the Members' accession s; and (iii) for the entire 
time-period of 2004 –2014, inclusive.74 For each of these three periods, the DTF data is organi sed 
in two different ways: (i) DTF changes by Member; and (ii) DTF changes by regulatory indicator. 
This yields six data tables. These Tables appear in Annex 7.75 The following tables sum marize the 
DTF changes observed.  
                                                
68 The frontier represents essentially the best that any economy has managed to do with respect to t hat 
indicator in recent years. F or a full explanation of DTFs, see World Bank, Doing Bu siness 2018: Distance to 
Frontier and Ease of Doing Business Ranking  (2018), available at 
http://www.doingbusiness.org/data/~/media/WBG/DoingBusiness/Documents/Annual -Reports/English/DB18 -
Chapters/DB18 -DTF-and-DBRankings.pdf . 
69 Recalling the deep structura l reforms often undertaken as part of accessions processes, it stands to 
reason that such reforms would often touch upon these issues. This is particularly so because, as demon strated 
above in Table 2,  many commitments undertaken as part of an accession pr ocess are generally geared at 
making Acceding Governments' regulatory regimes more transparent and efficient.  
70 This is the first year for which DTF scores are available for any indicator.  
71 The year 2014 was chosen as the cut -off because starting in 2015  the World Bank changed the 
methodology it used to calculate DTFs for a number of indicators, thus rendering them incomparable to prior 
years. (See explanation at World Bank: Doing Business (Distance to Frontier), 
http://www.doingbusiness.org/data/distance -to-frontier ). 
72 Cabo Verde, Lao PDR, Montenegro, Russian Federation, Samoa, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan, Tonga, 
Ukraine, Vanuatu, Viet  Nam, and Yemen.  
73 The year 2005 was chosen so that for every Article XII Member examined, at least one year of DTF 
scores w ould be available for the period during  that Member's accession. For purposes of this Section, the 
accession process is measured from the time of the establishment of an Acceding Government's Working Party.  
74 The first uses the first year for which data is  available for each indicator through the year of 
accession, inclusive. The second  time-period uses the year of accession through the 2014, inclusive.  
75 Notes accompany these Tables explaining the relevant data presentations.  WT/AC C/31 • WT/GC/189 • WT/MIN(17)/6  
 
- 29 - 
 
  Table 5: Indicators' DTF score change s across Article XII Members76 
 Avg. No. 
Indicators 
Improved 
Per Member  Weighted 
Avg. 
Improvement 
Per Indicator  Avg. No. 
Indicators 
Declined 
Per Member  Weighted 
Avg. 
Decline Per 
Indicator  Avg. No. 
Indicators 
Unchanged 
Per Member  Overall 
Weighted 
Avg. 
Change  Per 
Indicator  
During 
Accession  5.33 + 10.55  1.33 - 2.62 2.42 +5.81  
After 
Accession  6.45 + 10.75  1.27 - 4.54 2.27 +6.37  
Overall  7.00 + 16.88  1.33 - 5.29 1.67 + 11.11  
 
Table 6: Members' DTF score c hanges across  indicators  
 Avg. No. 
Members 
Improved 
Per 
Indicator  Weighted 
Avg. 
Improvement 
Per Member  Avg. No. 
Members 
Declined 
Per 
Indicator  Weighted 
Avg. 
Decline Per 
Member  Avg. No. 
Members 
Unchanged 
Per 
Indicator  Overall 
Weighted 
Avg. 
Change Per 
Member  
During 
Accession  6.40 + 10.54  1.60 - 2.63 2.90 + 5.80  
After 
Accession  7.10 + 10.76  1.40 - 4.54 2.50 + 6.37  
Overall  8.40 + 16.88  1.60 - 5.29 2.00 + 11.11  
102.  With respect to the period during accession , the Members enhanced their DTF scores by an 
average of 5.81 DTF points. Further, every Member improved its av erage DTF scores. Moreover, 
across all Members, all individual indicators' aver age DTFs increased except one (E nforcing 
Contracts), which only decreased by 0.05 DTF points. The top three most improved DTFs by 
indicator were: Starting a Business (16.86 DTF points); Getting Credit (9.66 DTF points); and 
Trading Across Borders (8.42 DTF points). All sampled Members improved their DTF scores with 
respect to the indicators of Starting a Busine ss and Trading Across Borders.  
103.  With respect to the period after acces sion, the Members enhanced their DTF scores by an 
average of 6.37 DTF points. Every Member but one77 improved its average DTF scores. Moreover, 
across all Members, average DTF scores improved for all indicators. The top three most improved 
indicators were: Getting Credit (15.57 DT points); Starting a Business (10.12 DTF points); and 
Dealing with Construction Permits (8.98 DTF points). The most consistent gains were registered 
with respect to Dealing with Construction Permits, Getting Electricity, Starting a Business, and 
Trading Across Borders.  
104.  Overall, between 2004 and 2014, inclusive, the 12 Article XII Members increased their 
average DTF scores by 11.11 points. Further, every Member increased its average DTF score  
(across indicators) . Moreover, the average  DTF scores of all individual indicators increased  (across 
Members) . Every Member increased its DTF scores with respect to Starting a Business and Trading 
Across Borders, with a strong majority of Members increasing their DTF scores with respect to 
most in dicators.  
105.  Such data indicate that these Members' accessions were generally accompanied by material 
improvements to their domestic business environments. The following graphs visually illustrate 
this point:  
                                                
76 Any discrepancies between th e data in Tables 5 and 6 or Annex 7  are due to rounding.  
77 The Member whose score declined had a very low number of years for which data were available with 
respect to this time -period, and the drop was very low, i.e. 0.60 DTF points. We also note that thi s Member 
had a significant improvement in its DTF scores for the overall period including during and after, i.e. +10.66 
DTF points.  WT/ACC/31 • WT/GC/189 • WT/MIN(17)/6  
 
- 30 - 
 
  Figure 2: Average DTF c hanges for Members and i ndicators  
    
0246810IndicatorsAverage DTF Changes for a Member
Declined
Unchanged
Improved
051015MembersAverage DTF Changes for an Indicator
Declined
Unchanged
Improved  
Source: Tables 5 and 6 . 
7. CONCLUSION  
106.  This Section has explored the relationship between the WTO accession process and the 
domestic business environments for Acceding Governments. It indicates that accessions processes 
are generally accompanied by both expectations and realizations of improvements to the domestic 
business environments of Acceding Governments. We therefore recall the following statement 
made by th e representative of the Seychelles at its seventh and final Working  Party meeting : 
We recognized that we had to be become a member of the WTO, not simply because it 
was a process or because most others are in and we have to be too, but rather 
because it wa s the right decision for Seychelles; due to the benefits that WTO 
membership would bring to our economy and to our people.  
VI. WTO  POST-ACCESSION SUPPORT  
107.  The post-accession implementation  support framework , which  had been developed in 
2014-2016, consists of the following five pillars :  
i. Country -Specific Post -Accession Implementation Strategy;  
ii. Specialized training on WTO post -accession;  
iii. Secretariat Note on "Best Practices on WTO Post -Accession";  
iv. Dedicated  web-page on "Post -accession — what next?" in the WTO Accession Website;  
v. Internal Secretariat Note on Post -Accession Implementation and Monitoring.  
108.  Based on this five -pillar framework, in 2017, the Secreta riat continued its work on 
post-accession support  to the recentl y acceded Members, focusing on the provision of tailor -made 
technical assistance and support.   
109.  A tailor-made Programme on the implementation of the WTO commitments of Afghanistan 
was organized by the Institute for Training and Technic al Cooperation  in collaboration with the US 
Department of Commerce from 23 to 27 January  2017, in Geneva. Building on the first specialised 
training on post -accession in July 2016, t his programme focused on practical issues related to the 
implementation of  Afghanistan's  WTO accession commitment s, based on the identified 
post-accession needs and priorities; the rights and obligations of Afghanistan as a Member; and its 
day-to-day participation in the work of the WTO, including sharing of best practices by th e 
Coordinator of the LDC Consultative Group. The objective was also to expose senior officials to the 
work carried out by partner institutions, such as the Advisory Centre on WTO Law  and the 
International Trade Centre , and forge a network of contacts among  the officials of Afghanistan and 
the WTO.  A key output of this programme included a clear plan for the training and 
technical -assistance needs and priorities of Afghanistan over the post -accession period.  WT/AC C/31 • WT/GC/189 • WT/MIN(17)/6  
 
- 31 - 
 
  110.  In addition , the Secretariat regularly monitors th e participation of Article XII Members in the 
work of the WTO.  Overall, Article XII Members are active, often more active than the original WTO 
Members, in several WTO bodies . Such active participation is reflected in a generally higher 
average annual numb er of WTO notifications  (see Figure 3 , below ), as well as in the membership 
and observership in the plurilateral Government Procurement Agreement . 
Figure 3: Average noti fications made annually  
 
*This includes Original Members and Article XII Members.  
Source: WTO Notifications database  
 
111.  At present, out of 47 Members that have acceded to the Government Procurement 
Agreement ( GPA), ten are Article XII Members (which also acceded to the revised GPA which 
entered into force on 6 April 2014), namely: Armenia, Bu lgaria, Croatia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, 
Moldova, Montenegro, Chinese Taipei , and Ukraine.  Currently, 15 out of the 31 GPA observers are 
Article XII Members , and nine of them are in the process of acceding to the GPA , accounting for 
90% of the ongoing  GPA accession negotiations.  These nine Article XII Members  are: Albania, 
China, Georgia, Jordan, Kyrgyz Republic, Oman, Russian Federation, Tajikistan,  and the former 
Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia .78 As of November 2017, 29  Article XII Members ratified th e Trade 
Facilitation Agreement , which entered into force on 22 February 2017.79 Thirteen Article XII 
Members (Albania, Bulgaria, China, Croatia, Georgia, Jordan, Kyrgyz Republic, Moldova, Oman, 
Panama, Chinese Taipei, Ukraine, and Viet  Nam) participate in th e Inform ation Technology 
Agreement . 
VII. TRADE AND ECONOMIC PERFORMANCE OF ARTICLE XII MEMBERS80 
112.  According to the World Trade Statistical Review  2017, world trade registered  positive 
growth, albeit at a modest rate , with  the volume of global trade gr owing by  1.3% in 2016 
compared to 2015 . In contrast, its nominal value decreased by 2.3% compared to 201 5. The US 
dollar value of world trade in commercial services increased by 0.7% in 2016 , while t he value of 
world merchandise  trade decreased by 3.2%  from 2015.  The discrepancy  in trade growth  was 
mostly attributed to strong fluctuations in commodity prices and exchange rates.  Also, structural 
factors have been suggested to explain the glob al slowdown of trade growth. These include the 
                                                
78 Five other Article XII Members have undertaken commitments to initiate accession to the GPA, in 
future. They are: Afghani stan, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Saudi Arabia, and Seychelles.  
79 Afghanistan, Albania, Armenia, Bulgaria, Cambodia, China, Croatia, Estonia, Georgia, Jordan, 
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Latvia, Lithuania, Lao PDR, Republic of Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Nep al, 
Oman, Panama, Russian Federation, Samoa, Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, Chinese Taipei, The former Yugoslav 
Republic of Macedonia, Ukraine, Viet  Nam.  
80 See Annex 6 to this Report.  WT/ACC/31 • WT/GC/189 • WT/MIN(17)/6  
 
- 32 - 
 
  lack of coordination between monetary policies of leading economies, geopolitical tensions in the 
Middle East and Eastern Europe, and falling demand in emerging economies.  Against this 
background, individual s ituations reflect diversity.  
113.  Figure 4  provides three snapshots that illustrate the evolution of market shares  of world 
trade  by WTO membership status . Original Members' share of world trade decreased from 91% in 
1995, to 86% in 2005 , and again  to 81% in 20 16. The share of world trade of Article XII Members' 
increased from 8% in 1995 , to 12% in 2005 , and to 17% in 201 6, thus expanding the reach of the 
multilateral trading system to cover approximately 98.4% of world trade in 2016. 
Figure 4: Share of world trade by membership status  (1995, 2005 and 201 6) 
Art. XII 
Members
7.8%
Original 
Members
91.0%Acceding 
Governments
1.0%Rest of the 
World
0.2%1995
 
Art. XII 
Members
12.4%
Original 
Members
85.7%Acceding 
Governments
1.8%Rest of the 
World
0.1%2005   
Art. XII 
Members
17.0%
Original 
Members
81.4%Acceding 
Governments
1.5%Rest of the 
World
0.1%2016
 
Source:  WTO Statistics Database  
114.  Figure 5  shows that since the establishment of the WTO in 1995, the nominal value of world 
trade in goods  and commercial services grew by 2 25%, or at an average annual gr owth rate of 
5.8%. Over the same period, that  value  attributed to of Article XII Members increased by 6 00%, 
or at an average annual growth rate of 9.7%. Even excluding the largest Article XII Member by 
trade value (China), over the same period, the other A rticle XII Members' nominal value of trade 
increased  by 298%, or at an average annual growth rate of 6.8%, i.e. approximately 18% faster 
than global trade growth rate.  WT/AC C/31 • WT/GC/189 • WT/MIN(17)/6  
 
- 33 - 
 
  Figure 5: Evolution of world trade in nominal value by membership status  (1995–2016) 
(Index, 1995=100. Logarithmic scale)  
1341
700
398
325
293
1002004008001600
1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
China Article XII Members Article XII Members (excluding China) World Rest of the World
 
Source:  WTO Statistics Database  
115.  Overall, Article XII Members have consistently register ed rapid trade growth  above the world 
average . Figures 6 and 7 show that, in the period 1995 to 201 6, the nominal value of trade in 
merchandise goods and commercial services of Article  XII Members increased by 591% and 645% 
respectively.  This was faster than the increase of the nominal value of global trade in goods and 
services, which in comparison increased by 2 08% and 301%. Even if C hina, a major trader, is 
excluded from the calculations, the trend remains.  In other words, the trade growth of Article XII 
Members is faster than that of the rest of the world.  
Figure 6: Value of merchandise trade of Article XII M embers ( 1995–2016) 
(Index , 1995=100)  
691
308
100200300400500600700800900
1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
Article XII Members World
 
Source:  WTO Statistics Database  WT/ACC/31 • WT/GC/189 • WT/MIN(17)/6  
 
- 34 - 
 
  Figure 7: Value of trade in commercial service s of Article XII Members  (1995–2016) 
(Index, 1995=100)  
745
401
100200300400500600700800
1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
Article XII Members World
 
Source:  WTO Statistics Database   
116.  As a result of their stronger trade performance relative to the world aver age, Article XII 
Members have expanded their share of global  trade  of merchandise goods and commercial 
services  significantly . As shown in Figure 8, from 1995 to 201 6, the share of global  trade of 
Article  XII Members has more than doubled, increas ing from 7.9% to 17. 0%. 
Figure 8: Share of global  trade of Article XII Members  (1995 and 201 6) 
Article XII 
Members
7.9%
Rest of the 
World
92.1%1995
Article XII 
Members
17.0%
Rest of the 
World
83.0%2016
 
Source : WTO Statistics Database  
 
_______________   
  WT/ACC/31 • WT/GC/189 • WT/MIN(17)/6  
 
- 35 - ANNEX 1 – ACCESSIONS DIVISION WORK INDICATORS  FOR CALENDAR YEAR 2017  
Year Formal WP 
Meetings  Informal WP 
Meetings/  
Consultations  Technical  
Verification 
Meetings  
 Plurilateral 
Meetings  IGA Technical 
Assistance, 
Capacity  
Building & 
China Round 
Table 
Process  Article XII 
Accessions  
 Newsletters  DG's Annual  
Report on  
Accessions  Accessions 
Annual 
Outreach 
Cycle  
 
2017 
 7 
Azerbaijan (1)  
Belarus (2)  
Sudan (2 ) 
Union of the  
Comoros ( 2) 1 
Iraq 0 3 
Azerbaijan (1)  
Belarus (1)  
Sudan (1)  10 21 0 11 1 
(WT/ACC/31  
WT/GC/189  
WT/MIN(17)/6)  6 
African Group *; 
Arab Group; 
Asian Group o f 
Developing 
Members  
(AGDM) ; 
Informal Group 
of Latin -
American 
members of the 
WTO 
(GRULAC ); 
Informal Group 
of Developing 
Countries  
(IGDC) ; Sub-
Committee on 
LDCs. 
 
 
Source:  Accessions Division internal data.  
  
*  At this writing, the annual outreach with th e African Group is scheduled for December 2017.  
  WT/ACC/31 • WT/GC/189 • WT/MIN(17)/6  
 
- 36 - ANNEX 2 – ACCESSIONS NEGOTIATE D PURSUANT TO ARTICL E 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 & Corr.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/AC C/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 Y ugoslav 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 o f 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  
33. Seychelles, Republic of  26/04/2015  WT/ACC/SYC/64  Add.1  Add.2  WT/L/944  WT/L/944  
34. Kazakhstan  30/11/20 15 WT/ACC/KAZ/93  Add.1  Add.2  WT/L/957  WT/L/957  
35. Liberia  14/07/2016  WT/ACC/LBR/23  Add.1  Add.2  WT/MIN(15)/38  
WT/L/973  WT/MIN(15)/38  
WT/L/973  
36. Afghanistan  29/07/2016  WT/ACC/AFG/36  Add.1  Add.2  WT/MIN(15)/39  
WT/L/974  WT/MIN(15)/39  
WT/L/974  
*  Sorted by date of  membership . WT/ACC/ 31 • WT/GC/189 • WT/MIN(17)/6  
 
- 37 - 
 
  ANNEX 3 - WTO ACCESSIONS WORKI NG PARTY (WP) CHAIRP ERSONS  
 
No. Government  Date Working 
Party established  WP Chairperson*  Geneva
-based  
(Y/N)  
1.  Algeria  17 June 1987 Pending  
2.  Andorra  22 October  1997 Pending  
3.  Azerbaijan  16 July 1997 H.E. Dr Walter WERNER  (Germany)  Y 
4.  The Bahamas  18 July 2001 H.E. Mr Wayne McCOOK (Jamaica)  Y 
5.  Belarus  27 October  1993 H.E. Mr Kemal MADENOĞLU (Turkey)  Y 
6.  Bhutan  6 October  1999 H.E. Mr Thomas HAJNOCZI (Austria)  Y 
7.  Bosnia and 
Herzegovina  15 July 1999 Pending  
8.  Comoros, Union of 
the 9 October  2007 H.E. Mr Luis Enrique CHÁVEZ BASAGOITIA 
(Peru)  N 
9.  Equatorial Guinea  5 February  2008 Pending  
10.  Ethiopia  10 February  2003 H.E. Mr Carsten STAUR (Denmark)  Y 
11.  Iran 26 May 2005 Pending  
12.  Iraq 13 December  2004 H.E. Mr Omar HILALE (Morocco)  N 
13.  Lebanese Republic  14 April 1999 Mr Jean-Paul THUILLIER (France)  Y 
14.  Libya 27 July 2004 Mr Victor ECH EVARRÍA UGARTE (Spain)  N 
15.  Sao Tome and 
Principe  26 May 2005 Pending  
16.  Serbia  15 February  2005 H.E. Mrs . Marie -Claire SWÄRD CAPRA 
(Sweden)  N 
17.  Somalia  7 December 2016  Pending  
18.  Sudan  25 October  1994 Mr Ryosuke KUWANA (Japan)  Y 
19.  Syrian Arab 
Republic  4 May 2010 Pending  
20.  Timor -Leste  7 December 2016  H.E. Mr Pedro Nuno BÁRTOLO (Portugal)  Y 
21.  Uzbekistan  21 December  1994 H.E. Mr Seokyoung CHOI (Korea)  N 
*  As of November 2017.  
 WT/ACC/31 • WT/GC/189 • WT/MIN(17)/6  
 
- 38 - 
 
  ANNEX 4 – LENGTH OF TIME OF CO MPLETED ACCESSIONS  
No. Article XII Member  Date of  
WP 
Establishment  Date of 
Membership  Total Time of 
Accession 
Process  
1.  Ecuador  09/1992  01/1996  3 years 4 months  
2.  Bulgaria  11/1986  12/1996  10 years 1 month  
3.  Mongolia  10/1991  01/1997  5 years 3 mont hs 
4.  Panama  10/1991  09/1997  5 years 11 months  
5.  Kyrgyz Republic  04/1996  12/1998  2 years 8 months  
6.  Latvia  12/1993  02/1999  5 years 2 months  
7.  Estonia  03/1994  11/1999  5 years 8 months  
8.  Jordan  01/1994  04/2000  6 years 3 months  
9.  Georgia  07/1996  06/2000  3 year s 11 months  
10.  Albania  12/1992  09/2000  7 years 9 months  
11.  Oman  06/1996  11/2000  4 years 5 months  
12.  Croatia  10/1993  11/2000  7 years 1 month  
13.  Lithuania  02/1994  05/2001  7 years 3 months  
14.  Moldova, Republic of  12/1993  07/2001  7 years 7 months  
15.  China  03/1987  12/2001  14 years 9 months  
16.  Chinese Taipei  09/1992  01/2002  9 years 4 months  
17.  Armenia  12/1993  02/2003  9 years 2 months  
18.  The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia  12/1994  04/2003  8 years 4 months  
19.  Nepal*  06/1989  04/2004  14 years 10 months  
20.  Cambodia*  12/199 4 10/2004  9 years 10 months  
21.  Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of  07/1993  12/2005  12 years 5 months  
22.  Viet Nam  01/1995  01/2007  12 years  
23.  Tonga  11/1995  07/2007  11 years 8 months  
24.  Ukraine  12/1993  05/2008  14 years 5 months  
25.  Cabo Verde*  07/2000  07/2008  8 years  
26.  Monte negro  02/2005  04/2012  7 years 2 months  
27.  Samoa*  07/1998  05/2012  13 years 10 months  
28.  Russian Federation  07/1993  08/2012  19 years 1 month  
29.  Vanuatu*  07/1995  08/2012  17 years 1 month  
30.  Lao PDR*  02/1998  02/2013  15 years  
31.  Tajikistan  07/2001  03/2013  11 years 8  months  
32.  Yemen*  07/2000  06/2014  13 years 11 months  
33.  Seychelles  07/1995  04/2015  19 years 9 months  
34.  Kazakhstan  02/1996  11/2015  19 years 9 months  
35.  Liberia*  12/2007  07/2016  8 years 7 months  
36.  Afghanistan*  12/2004  07/2016  11 years 7 months  
 
Overall Averag e 10 years 2 months  
LDCs Accessions  12 years 6 months  
Non-LDCs Accessions  9 years 4 months  
 
*  LDC. Cabo Verde and Samoa acceded to the WTO as LDCs.  They graduated from LDC  status in 2007 
and in 2014, respectively.  
 
  
  WT/ACC/31 • WT/GC/189 • WT/MIN(17)/6  
 
- 39 - ANNEX 5 – BASIC EC ONOMIC PROFILES O F ARTICLE XII MEMBERS AND ACCEDING GOVERNMENT S 
Table 5-1: Acceding Governments  
Acceding 
Government  Population1 
(thousands)  GDP2 
(millions 
USD)  GDP per 
Capita3 
(USD)  Trade per 
capita3 
(USD)  Trade as % 
GDP3 Merchandise 
exports4 
(millions 
USD)  Merchandise 
imports4 
(millions 
USD)  Commercial 
services 
exports4 
(millions 
USD)  Commercial 
services 
imports4 
(millions 
USD)  
Algeria  40 606.05  160 784  4 498  1 360  30.2 28 883  46 727  3 498  10 317  
Andorra  77.28  No data available  
Azerbaijan  9 762.27  37 556  5 790  2 201  38.0 10 900  9 200  4 347  7 438  
Bahamas  391.23  8 939  24 186  10 562  43.7 440 2 340  2 784  1 430  
Belarus  9 507.12  48 847  6 465  3 728  57.7 23 340  27 573  6 787  4 244  
Bhutan*  797.76  2 115  2 557  1 184  46.3 470 1 030  142 191 
Bosnia and  
Herzegovina  3 516.82  16 605  4 434  1 977  44.6 5 327  9 130  1 700  473 
Comoros, Union of 
the* 795.60  620 789 2645 31.95 14 206 806 826 
Equatorial Guinea  1 221.49  11 636  19 583  12 6935 51.75 4 800  2 800  416 24076 
Ethiopia*  102 403.20  72 523  716 141 19.7 4 612  16 588  2 763  3 579  
Iran 80 277.43  376 755  4 891  957 19.6 66 000  40 000  9 949  13 907  
Iraq 37 202.57  167 026  5 512  1 448  26.3 43 735  47 900  4 744  9 901  
Lebanese Republic  6 006.67  51 991  11 175  5 6545 51.65 3 930  18 955  15 5846 13 3306 
Libya  6 293.25  33 157  5 101  4 6635 69.55 6 000  10 600  4836 4 0676 
Sao Tome and 
Principe * 199.91  350 1 668  697 41.8 12 142 83 55 
Serbia  7 057.41  37 745  5 608  2 883  51.4 14 852  19 230  5 056  4 034  
Somalia*  14 318.00  6 217         
Sudan*  39 578.83  94 421  2 141  192 9.0 2 368  8 656  1 526  1 429  
Syrian Arab 
Republic  18 430.45  60 0437 2 642  8678 32.87 1 800  4 500  2 4349 2 8189 
Timor -Leste*  1 268.67  2 498  2 727  484 17.7 20 780 62 444 
Uzbekistan  31 848.20  66 502  2 100  48210 27.98 10 000  11 500  252611 1 03211 
                                                
 Source: WTO Statistics Database, unless otherwise indicated.  For dates of establishment of Working Parties for Acceding Governments, and dates of Membership  for Article 
XII Members, see Annexes 3 and 4, respectively.  
1 For year 2016. Source: World Bank, Population: All Countries and Economies, available at https://data.worldban k.org/indicator/SP.POP.TOTL . 
2 For 2016 unless otherwise indicated.  
3 For 2014 –2016 unless otherwise indicated.  
4 For 2016 unless otherwise indicated.  
5 For 2013 –2015.  
6 For 2015.  
7 For 2010.  
8 For 2008 –2010.  
9 For 2011.   
  WT/ACC/31 • WT/GC/189 • WT/MIN(17)/6  
 
- 40 -  
Table 5-2: Article XII Members  
Article XII Member  Population12 
(thousands)  GDP13 
(millions 
USD)  GDP per 
Capita14 
(USD)  Trade per 
capita3 
(USD)  Trade as % 
GDP3 Merchandise 
exports15 
(millions 
USD)  Merchandise 
impo rts4 
(millions 
USD)  Commercial 
services 
exports4 
(millions 
USD)  Commercial 
services 
imports4 
(millions 
USD)  
Afghanistan*  34 656.03  18 886  609 143 23.5 520 9 150  281 1 139  
Albania  2 876.10  12 126  4 241  1 545  36.4 1 962  4 669  2 611  1 711  
Armenia  2 924.82  10 499  3 640  1 353  37.2 1 783  3 293  1 578  1 703  
Bulgaria  7 127.82  52 418  7 422  4 720  63.6 25 978  28 846  2 579  1 862  
Cabo Verde  539.56  1 636  3 222  1 726  53.6 60 666 573 341 
Cambodia*  15 762.37  19 398  1 157  831 71.8 10 040  12 600  3 850  1 943  
China  1 378 665.00  11 218 281  7 995  1 601  20.0 2 098 161  1 587 431  207 275  449 833  
Croatia  4 170.60  50 441  12 385  5 901  47.6 13 736  21 688  13 490  3 866  
Ecuador  16 385.07  98 010  6 153  1 457  23.7 16 798  16 324  1 972  3 111  
Estonia  1 316.48  23 130  18 233  14 356  78.7 13 171 14 948  6 062  4 166  
Georgia  3 719.30  14 222  4 012  2 098  52.3 2 114  7 236  3 272  1 680  
Jordan  9 455.80  38 743  5 479  2 707  49.4 7 509  19 207  6 041  4 335  
Kazakhstan  17 797.03  133 757  10 170  3 049  30.0 36 776  25 175  6 044  10 816  
Kyrgyz Republic  6 082.70  6 551  1 148  659 57.4 1 545  3 919  857 963 
Lao PDR*  6 758.35  13 790  1 811  5835 34.35 3 020  4 720  7986 5806 
Latvia  1 960. 42  27 684  14 460  8 548  59.1 12 101  14 269  4 652  2 604  
Liberia*  4 613.82  2 111  478 256 256 170 1 311  47 196 
Lithuania  2 872.30  42 749  15 254  11 671  76.5 24 946  27 196  7 375  4 982  
Moldova  3 552.00  6 750  1 992  1 058  53.1 2 045  4 020  1 010  799 
Mongolia  3 027.40  11 031  3 922  1 944  49.6 4 917  3 358  798 1 924  
Montenegro  622.78  4 126  6 825  3 544  51.9 361 2 283  1 396  517 
Nepal*  28 982.77  21 154 730 188 25.8 740 9 650  993 1 238  
Oman  4 424.76  63 171  18 589  12 1785 59.15 25 302  22 700  3 4836 10 1026 
Panama  4 034.12  55 122  13 117  6 912  52.7 10 060  18 710  12 221  4 343  
Russian Federation  144 342.40  1 280 731  10 946  2 622  24.0 281 825  191 406  49 679 72 872  
Samoa  195.13  786 4 128  1 564  37.9 56 350 160 80 
Saudi Arabia  32 275.69  639 617  21 894  7 379  33.7 174 919  139 390  15 268  50 966  
Seychelles  94.68  1 405  14 795  15 261  103.1  448 1 043  879 505 
Chinese Taipei  16 528 550  22 483  15 115  67.2 280 321  230 568  41 105  51 739  
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           
10 For 2011 –2013.  
11 For 2013.  
12 For year 2016. Source: World Bank, Population: All Countries and Economies, available at https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.POP.TOTL . 
13 For 2016 unless otherwise indicated.  
14 For 2014 –2016 unless otherwise indicated.  
15 For 2016 unless otherwise indicated . 
16 Data unavailable.  * Current LDC.   
  WT/ACC/31 • WT/GC/189 • WT/MIN(17)/6  
 
- 41 - Article XII Member  Population12 
(thousands)  GDP13 
(millions 
USD)  GDP per 
Capita14 
(USD)  Trade per 
capita3 
(USD)  Trade as % 
GDP3 Merchandise 
exports15 
(millions 
USD)  Merchandise 
impo rts4 
(millions 
USD)  Commercial 
services 
exports4 
(millions 
USD)  Commercial 
services 
imports4 
(millions 
USD)  
Tajikistan  8 734.95  6 922  944 256 27.1 900 3 100  232 364 
The former Yugoslav 
Republic of 
Macedonia  2 081.21  10 912  5 206  2 933  56.3 4 787  6 757  1 594  1 134  
Tonga  107.12  403 4 026  1 681  41.8 22 260 73 82 
Ukraine  45 004.64  93 263  2 476 1 279  51.7 36 364  39 151  12 081  10 131  
Vanuatu*  270.40  773 2 882  1 504  52.2 51 424 327 154 
Viet Nam  92 701.10  201 326  2 103  1 869  88.9 176 785  174 231  12 236  18 296  
Yemen*  27 584.21  27 318  1 276  3435 23.35 1 000  6 770  5626 1 2466  
  WT/ACC/31 • WT/GC/189 • WT/MIN(17)/6  
 
- 42 - ANNEX 6 – DATA ON TRADE PERFORMANCE  
Table 6-1: Value of merchandise trade and year -on-year percentage change ( 1995–2016) 
(Billion dollars and percentage)  
    1995  1996  1997  1998  1999  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006  2007  2008 2009  2010  2011  2012  2013  2014  2015  2016  
Article XII 
Members  Value  857 911 975 899 941 1,208  1,194  1,360  1,747  2,307  2,846  3,469  4,217  5,122  3,999  5,279  6,578  6,926  7,277  7,330  6,341  5,923  
Year-on-year 
percentage change   6.2%  7.1%  -7.8%  4.6%  28.4%  -1.1% 13.9%  28.4%  32.1%  23.3%  21.9%  21.6%  21.4%  -21.9%  32.0%  24.6%  5.3%  5.1%  0.7%  -13.5%  -6.6%  
World  Value  10,453  10,953  11,331  11,186  11,645  13,183  12,679  13,242  15,459  18,797  21,379  24,592  28,353  32,732  25,337  30,812  36,841  37,201  37,970  38,106  33,232  32,180 
Year-on-year 
percentage change   4.8%  3.5%  -1.3%  4.1%  13.2%  -3.8%  4.4%  16.7%  21.6%  13.7%  15.0%  15.3%  15.4%  -22.6%  21.6%  19.6%  1.0%  2.1%  0.4%  -12.8%  -3.2%  
Source:   WTO Statistics  Database.  
 
Table 6-2: Value of trade in commercial services* and year -on-year percentage change ( 1995–2016) 
(Billion dollars and percentage)  
    1995  1996  1997  1998  1999  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006  2007  2008  2009  2010  2011  2012  2013  2014  2015  2016  
Article XII 
Members  Value   155   168   189   177   179   200   210   237   274   349   412   490   629   736   639   789   929   1,004   1,105   1,225   1,156  1,154  
Year-on-year 
percentage change   8.6%  12.5%  -6.3%  0.7%  12.1%  4.7%  12.9%  15.8%  27.2%  18.0%  18.9%  28.4%  17.0%  -13.2%  23.4%  17.8%  8.1%  10.0%  10.9%  -5.6%  -0.2%  
World Value   2,369   2,536   2,629   2,653   2,784   2,955   2,975   3,159   3,644   4,396   5,126   5,763   6,866   7,759   6,898   7,546   8,486   8,773   9,330  10,017   9,432  9,502  
Year-on-year 
percentage change   7.1%  3.7%  0.9%  4.9%  6.1%  0.7%  6.2%  15.4%  20.6%  16.6%  12.4%  19.1%  13.0%  -11.1%  9.4%  12.4%  3.4%  6.3%  7.4%  -5.8%  0.7%  
*  From 2005 onwards, the commercial services values are compiled using a new services classification in the balance of payments (BPM 6). Thus, figures are not directly 
comparable to those from earlier years.  
 
Source:   WTO Statistics Database. 
  WT/ACC/31 • WT/GC/189 • WT/MIN(17)/6  
 
- 43 - ANNEX 7 – WORLD BANK DISTANCE -TO-FRONTIER DATA  ANALYSIS  
Table 7-1: Change s in Article XII Memb ers' DTFs during accession – by M ember  
Member  Number of 
Indicators for 
which Data are 
Available 1 Average 
Number of 
Years for which 
Data are 
Available Per 
Indicator2 Number of 
Indicators 
Improved3 Average 
Improvement 
Per Indicator4 Number of 
Indicators 
Declined5 Average  
Decline Per 
Indicator6 Number of  
Unchanged  
Indicators7 Overall Average 
Change Per 
Indicator8 
Cabo Verde  9 3.00 4 + 1.50  0 — 5 + 0.67  
Lao PDR  10 8.40 8 + 11.48  0 — 2 + 9.18  
Montenegro  10 5.70 5 + 10.85  3 - 1.23 2 + 5.06  
Russian 
Federation  10 7.40 8 + 13.09  1 - 0.60 1 + 10.41  
Samoa  10 7.40 6 + 8.94  1 - 0.17 3 + 5.35  
Saudi Arabia  3 1.60 1 + 0.67  0 — 2 + 0.22  
Tajikistan  10 7.60 5 + 25.61  3 - 5.15 2 + 11.26  
Tonga  9 2.89 4 + 0.51  2 - 0.89 3 + 0.03  
Ukraine  9 3.89 7 + 8.48  1 - 1.77 1 + 6.40  
Vanuatu  10 7.40 6 + 9.67  1 - 3.71 3 + 5.43  
Viet Nam 9 2.89 5 + 1.80  1 - 1.54 3 + 0.83  
Yemen  10 9.40 5 + 21.46  3 - 4.41 2 + 9.41  
Weighted 
Average  9.08 5.63* 5.33* + 10.55  1.33* - 2.62 2.42* + 5.81  
 
 
 
 
 
                                                
1 The World Bank began assigning DTF scores to certain indicators before others, and to certain Members before others. Further,  Article XII Members acceded in different 
years during the 2005 –2014 time -period. This colu mn indicates the number of Members or indicators for which data were available in the specified time period.  
2 Of the indicators/Members for which data were available (see previous column), the average number of years for which data wer e available with res pect to those 
indicators/Members. The number of years varies in light of the data issues discussed in the previous footnote.  
3 The number of indicators that improved with respect to each Member over the relevant time -period.  
4 For those indicators that im proved with respect to each Member, the average amount of that improvement expressed as points on the 100 -point DTF scale.  
5 The number of indicators that declined with respect to each Member over the relevant time -period.  
6 For those indicators that decli ned with respect to each Member, the average amount of that decline expressed as points on the 100 -point DTF scale.  
7 The number of indicators that did not change with respect to each Member over the relevant time -period.  
8 With respect to all indicators f or which data were available for each Member, the average change in those indicators' DTF scores expressed as points on the 1 00-point DTF 
scale.  
 Equal to the simple average.   
  WT/ACC/31 • WT/GC/189 • WT/MIN(17)/6  
 
- 44 - Table 7-2: Change s in Article XII Members' DTFs during accession – by indicator  
Indicator  Number of 
Members for 
which Data are 
Available1 Average 
Number of 
Years for which 
Data are 
Available Per 
Member2 Number of 
Members 
Improved9 Average 
Improvement 
Per Member10 Number of 
Mem bers 
Declined11 Average  
Decline Per 
Member12 Number of  
Members 
Unchanged13 Overall Average 
Change Per 
Member14 
Starting a 
Business  12 6.67 12 + 16.86  0 — 0 + 16.86  
Dealing with 
Construction 
Permits  11 5.17 8 + 4.50  3 - 3.48 0 + 2.32  
Getting 
Electricity  7 2.08 5 + 3.74  2 - 2.70 0 + 1.90  
Registering 
Property  11 5.92 9 + 7.77  2 - 3.36 0 + 5.75  
Getting Credit  11 5.92 6 + 18.75  1 - 6.25 4 + 9.66  
Protecting 
Minority 
Investors  11 5.17 1 + 50.00  0 — 10 + 4.55  
Paying Taxes  11 5.17 5 + 16.18  2 - 2.85 4 + 6.84  
Trading 
Across 
Borders  11 5.17 11 + 8.42  0 — 0 + 8.42  
Enforcing 
Contracts  12 6.67 2 + 2.59  3 - 1.93 7 - 0.05 
Resolving 
Insolvency  12 6.67 5 + 1.30  3 - 0.60 4 + 0.39  
Weighted 
Average  10.90* 5.46* 6.40* + 10.54  1.60* - 2.63 2.90* + 5.80  
 
                                                
9 The number of Members that improved with respect to each indicator over the re levant time -period.  
10 For those Members that improved with respect to each indicator, the average amount of that improvement expressed as points on  the 100 -point DTF scale.  
11 The number of Members that declined with respect to each indicator over the rele vant time -period.  
12 For those Members that declined with respect to each indicator, the average amount of that decline expressed as points on the  100-point DTF scale.  
13 The number of Members for whom the DTF score with respect to each indicator remained st atic. 
14 With respect to all Members for which data were available for each indicator, the average change in those Members' DTF scores  expressed  as points on the 100 -point 
DTF scale.   
  WT/ACC/31 • WT/GC/189 • WT/MIN(17)/6  
 
- 45 - Table 7-3: Change s in Article XII Members' DTFs after accession – by Member  
Member  No. of 
Indicators for 
which Data are 
Available1 No. of Years 
Data are 
Available Per 
Indicator2 Number of 
Indicators 
Improved3 Average 
Improvement 
Per Indicator4 Number of 
Indicators 
Declined5 Average  
Decline Per 
Indicator6 Number of  
Indicators 
Unchanged7 Overall Average 
Change Per 
Indicator8 
Cabo Verde  10 6.80 8 + 9.25  0 — 2 + 7.40  
Lao PDR  10 2.00 6 + 1.03  0 — 4 + 0.62  
Montenegro  10 3.00 7 + 6.75  0 — 3 + 4.73  
Russian 
Federation  10 3.00 7 + 15.72  2 - 1.97 1 + 10.61  
Samoa  10 3.00 5 + 2.84  1 - 4.66 4 + 0.96  
Saudi Arabia  10 9.10 6 + 19.51  1 - 0.06 3 + 11.70  
Tajikistan  10 2.00 4 + 1.59  2 - 6.19 4 - 0.60 
Tonga  10 7.70 7 + 7.23  2 - 10.27  1 + 3.01  
Ukraine  10 6.80 9 + 24.00  1 - 0.69 0 + 21.53  
Vanuatu  10 3.00 3 + 10.48  4 - 3.40 3 + 1.79  
Viet Nam 10 7.70 9 + 10.05  1 - 7.64 0 + 8.29  
Yemen  0 — — — — — — — 
Weighted 
Average  10.00* 4.92* 6.45* + 10.75  1.27* - 4.54 2.27* + 6.37  
 
  
  WT/ACC/31 • WT/ GC/189 • WT/MIN(17)/6  
 
- 46 -  
Table 7-4: Change s in Article XII Members' DTFs after accession – by indicator  
Indicator  Number of 
Members for 
which Data are 
Available 1 Average 
Number of 
Years for which 
Data are 
Available Per 
Member2 Number of 
Members 
Improved9 Average 
Improvement 
Per Member10 Number of 
Members 
Declined11 Average  
Decline Per 
Member12 Number of  
Members 
Unchanged13 Overall Average 
Change Per 
Member14 
Starting a 
Business  11 5.09 9 + 12.65  2 - 1.24 0 + 10.12  
Dealing with 
Construction 
Permits  11 5.00 10 + 10.42  1 - 5.47 0 + 8.98  
Getting 
Electricity  11 3.73 10 + 9.34  1 - 0.06 0 + 8.49  
Registering 
Property  11 5.09 7 + 7.11  3 - 5.11 1 + 3.13  
Getting Credit  11 5.09 7 + 25.00  1 - 3.75 3 + 15.57  
Protecting 
Minority 
Investors  11 5.00 2 + 11.67  0 — 9 + 2.12  
Paying Taxes  11 5.00 7 + 10.4 0 2 - 8.78 2 + 5.02  
Trading 
Across 
Borders  11 5.00 9 + 4.18  0 — 2 + 3.42  
Enforcing 
Contracts  11 5.09 4 + 1.99  2 - 0.44 5 + 0.64  
Resolving 
Insolvency  11 5.09 6 + 14.29  2 - 8.98 3 + 6.16  
Weighted 
Average  11.00* 4.92* 7.10* + 10.76  1.40* - 4.54 2.50* + 6.37 
  
  WT/ACC/31 • WT/GC/189 • WT/MIN(17)/6  
 
- 47 -  
Table 7-5: Changes in Article X II Members' DTFs (2004 –2014) – by Member  
Member  No. of 
Indicators for 
which Data are 
Available 1 Average 
Number of 
Years for which 
Data are 
Available Per 
Indicator2 Number of 
Indicators 
Improved3 Average 
Improvement 
Per Indicator4 Number of 
Indicators 
Declined5 Average  
Decline Per 
Indicator 6 Number of  
Indicators 
Unchanged7 Overall Average 
Change Per 
Indicator8 
Cabo Verde  10 8.60 8 + 10.01  0 — 2 + 8.00  
Lao PDR  10 9.40 8 + 12.25  0 — 2 + 9.8 0 
Montenegro  10 7.70 7 + 13.99  1 - 0.05 2 + 9.79  
Russian 
Federation  10 9.40 8 + 26.37  1 - 0.78 1 + 21.02  
Samoa  10 9.40 7 + 9.06  0 — 3 + 6.30  
Saudi Arabia  10 9.40 6 + 19.62  1 - 0.06 3 + 11.77  
Tajikistan  10 8.60 5 + 25.73  4 - 5.51 1 + 10.66  
Tonga  10 9.40 7 + 7.48  2 - 11.02  1 + 3.03  
Ukraine  10 9.40 9 + 30.59  1 - 2.46 0 + 27.29  
Vanuatu  10 9.40 5 + 17.71  2 - 8.20 3 + 7.21  
Viet Nam 10 9.40 9 + 10.88  1 - 7.64 0 + 9.03  
Yemen  10 9.40 5 + 21.46  3 - 4.41 2 + 9.41  
Weighted 
Average  10.00* 9.13* 7.00* + 16.882 1.33* - 5.292 1.67* + 11.111 
 
 
 
 WT/ACC/31 • WT/GC/189 • WT/MIN(17)/6  
 
- 48 - 
  WT/ACC/31 • WT/GC/189 • WT/MIN(17)/6  
 
- 48 -  
 
Table 7-6: Changes in Article X II Members' DTFs (2004 –2014) – by indicator  
Indicator  Number of 
Members for 
which Data are 
Available 1 Average 
Number of 
Years for which 
Data are 
Available Pe r 
Member2 Number of 
Members 
Improved9 Average 
Improvement 
Per Member10 Number of 
Members 
Declined11 Average  
Decline Per 
Member12 Number of  
Members 
Unchanged13 Overall Average 
Change Per 
Member14 
Starting a 
Business  12 10.42  12 + 26.16  0 — 0 + 26.16  
Deali ng with 
Construction 
Permits  12 8.92 10 + 13.83  2 - 6.99 0 + 10.36  
Getting 
Electricity  12 5.00 9 + 12.44  3 - 1.71 0 + 8.90  
Registering 
Property  12 9.67 9 + 12.52  2 - 7.56 1 + 8.13  
Getting Credit  12 9.67 10 + 28.38  1 - 6.25 1 + 23.13  
Protecting 
Minority  
Investors  12 8.92 3 + 24.45  0 — 9 + 6.11  
Paying Taxes  12 8.92 7 + 21.50  3 - 6.68 2 + 10.87  
Trading 
Across 
Borders  12 8.92 12 + 10.85  0 — 0 + 10.85  
Enforcing 
Contracts  12 10.42  5 + 2.63  3 - 2.22 4 + 0.54  
Resolving 
Insolvency  12 10.42  7 + 12.85  2 - 8.76 3 + 6.04  
Weighted 
Average  12.00* 9.13* 8.40* + 16.88  1.60* - 5.29 2.00* + 11.11  
 WT/ACC/31 • WT/GC/189 • WT/MIN(17)/6  
 
- 49 - 
  WT/ACC/31 • WT/GC/189 • WT/MIN(17)/6  
 
- 49 - ANNEX 8 – ACCESSIONS MANAGEMEN T 
Table 8-1: Accession Working Party Manageme nt 
Accession Working Party  Code  Secretary  Co-Secret ary Administrative 
Manager/Support  
Maika Oshikawa, Officer -in-Charge  
1. Algeria  
 DZA Bratanov  Soumaré  Tandara -Stenier  
2. Andorra  
 AND accessions@wto.org  - No Activity   
3. Azerbaijan  
 AZE Carlson  Rasulo v 
Kouchaki  Evans  
4. Bahamas  
 BHS Lee Mudliar  Tandara -Stenier  
5. Belarus  
 BLR Bratanov  Varyanik  
Rasulov  Evans  
6. Bhutan*  
 BTN Lee Mudliar  Tandara -Stenier  
7. Bosnia and 
Herzegovina  BIH Beslać  Simutowe  Tandara -Stenier  
8. Comoros, Union of the * 
 COM Bratanov  Sandstad  
Soumaré  Tandara -Stenier  
9. Equatorial Guinea  
 GNQ Sandstad  Soum aré Evans  
10. Ethiopia*  
 ETH Carlson  Lee 
Simutowe  Evans  
11. Iran 
  IRN Varyanik  Kouchaki  Tandara -Stenier  
12. Iraq 
 IRQ Carlson  Varyanik  
Kouchaki  Evans  
13. Lebanese Republic  
 LBN Varyanik  Kouchaki  Tandara -Stenier  
14. Libya  
 LBY Soumaré  Rasulov  Evans  
15. Sao Tome and 
Principe * STP Sandstad  da Silva  Evans  
16. Serbia  
  SRB Beslać  Simutowe  Tandara -Stenier  
17. Somalia*  
 SOM Sandstad  Soumaré  
Simutowe  Evans 
18. Sudan*  
 SDN Lee Mudliar  
da Silva  Tandara -Stenier  
19. Syrian Arab Republic  
 SYR Beslać  Kouchaki  Evans  
20. Timor -Leste * 
 TLS Varyanik  da Silva  Evans  
21. Uzbekistan  
 UZB Lee Rasulov  Evans  
 
Table 8-2: Expressions of Interest / Watching Briefs  
Country  Code  Focal Point  Co-Focal Point  Administrative 
Manager/Support  
1. Curaçao  CUW Carlson  da Silva  Tandara -Stenier  
2. Kosovo  KOS Beslać  Simutowe  Tandara -Stenier  
3. Palestine  PSE Lee Mudliar  Tandara -Stenier 
4. South Sudan*1 SSD Soumaré  Sandstad  Evans  
5. Turkmenistan  TKM Rasulov  Simutowe  Evans  
*  LDCs.  
 
1  Application circulated (WT/L/852), but not yet considered by the General Council.  WT/ACC/31 • WT/GC/189 • WT/MIN(17)/6  
 
- 50 - 
  WT/ACC/31 • WT/GC/189 • WT/MIN(17)/6  
 
- 50 -  
Table 8-3: Non -Working Party Workload Distribution  
Responsibility  Focal Point  Co-Focal Point  Administrative 
Manager/ 
Support  
Acting in the absence of the Director  
 Oshikawa   Tandara -Stenier  
DG's Annual Report on WTO 
Accessions  Carlson  Kouchaki  Tandara -Stenier  
Informal Group on Accessions (IGA)  
 Bratanov  
(Secretary of IGA)  Sandstad  Tandara -Stenier  
Accessions Newsletter  
 Carlson  Soumaré  Tandara -Stenier  
Annual Outreach  
 Varyanik  Beslać  Tandara -Stenier  
TA Focal Point  
 Lee Carlson  Evans  
 Trade Policy Forum for 
Central Asia, 2018  Lee Rasulov  
Mudliar  Evans  
 Training on Access ion Rules,  
Q1, 2018  Carlson  Rasulov  
Kouchaki  Evans  
Post-Accession Support  
 Varyanik  Lee Evans  
China Programme /  
Accessions Interns (Pillar I)  Beslać  Lee Tandara -Stenier  
China Programme /  
Sixth China Round Table (Pillar II)  Bratanov  Soumaré  Tandara -Stenier 
LDC Focal Point  
 Soumaré  da Silva  
Simutowe  Evans  
Central Asia Focal Point  
 Lee Rasulov  Evans  
Databases:  
    
 Accessions Commitments 
Database (ACDB)  Beslać  Simutowe  Evans  
 Market Access Register  
 Sandstad  Rasulov  Evans  
 Trade performance of Article 
XII Members  Sandstad  Rasulov  Tandara -Stenier  
Accessions Intelligence Portal (AIP) 
Update  Beslać  Simutowe  Evans  
Knowledge and Information 
Management  Beslać  Simutowe  Evans  
Accessions Division Follow -up 
Tracker  Tandara -Stenier  Evans  Tandara -Stenier  
Acce ssions Annual Output Plan  
 Rasulov  Simutowe  Evans  
Accessions Retreat  
 Beslać  Simutowe  Tandara -Stenier  
Eurasian Book Project  
 Varyanik  Rasulov  Evans  
Update of Accessions Handbook  
 Bratanov  Rasulov  
Kouchaki  Evans  
ACCESSIONS STAFF DIS POSITION 2017  
 Office r-in-Charge;  
 Six Professionals;  
 Two Administrative Managers; and  
 Four rotating  interns  under the  WTO Accessions Internship Programme . 
 
 
__________