RESTRICTED  
  
WT/COMTD/SE/M/25  
 
14 May 2013  
(13-2489)  Page: 1/3  
Committee on Trade and Development 
Twenty-Fifth Dedicated Session    
 
NOTE ON THE MEETING OF 3 APRIL 2013 
Chairperson:  H.E. Ms Marion Williams (Barbados) 
A. ADOPTION OF TH E AGENDA .................................................................................... 1  
B.  CONTINUATION OF THE EXAMINATION OF NTMS/NTBS IN FULFILMENT OF 
THE MC-8 MANDATE (WT/ COMTD/SE/W/27) .................................................................. 1  
-  Statement by Barbados on be half of Small Economie s ................................................... 1  
C. FOLLOW-UP TO THE MINISTERIAL DECISION ON SMALL ECONOMIES 
TAKEN AT THE WTO'S EIGHTH MINIST ERIAL CONFERENCE (WT/L/844) ......................... 3  
D. OTHER BUSINESS .................................................................................................... 3  
 
 
A. ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA 
1. The draft agenda for the meeting was contained in Airgram WTO/AIR/4102, issued on 
20 March 2013. The agenda was adopted. 
B. CONTINUATION OF THE EXAMINATION OF NTMS/NTBS IN FULFILMENT OF THE 
MC-8 MANDATE (WT/COMTD/SE/W/27) 
- Statement by Barbados on behalf of Small Economies 
2. The Chairperson made reference to a recent informal meeting held on 4 March 2013 when 
Members had a brief discussion of this proposal by  Barbados on behalf of small economies. The 
proposal had since then been circulated in WT/COMTD/SE/W/27. 
3. In presenting the proposal, the representative of Barbados said her delegation's proposal 
on behalf of small economies addressed two main areas: the first was a continuation of the work 
on the identification and effects of NTMS on Smal l Economies, which had been agreed by Ministers 
at MC-8 and had been addressed in part in the Secretariat’s background document 
WT/COMTD/SE/W/26/Rev.1; the second area concerned the idea of complementing MC-8 work on 
NTMs and Small Economies with a workshop. She explained that such a workshop could provide a way to disseminate the results of the Secretariat’s work. It could also provide a form of experience sharing in regard to a few aspects on the types of NTMs and the particular experience of some 
small economies with NTMs and, the experience some Members or bodies have with over-coming 
certain NTMs. She said her delegation saw this as an excellent opportunity for highlighting some of the problems and for identifying avenues for resolving them.   
4. She added that the CTD was required to update Ministers at MC-9 on the progress of the 
Small Economies' Work Programme and that a work shop would be a good way to highlight, what 
was being done on NTMs at a practical level. Given the desire to have discussions in a less 
restrictive environment and not to hamper Members' possible contributions, she believed that such 
a workshop could be conducted either on the margins of the CTD-DS or in an informal CTD-DS. Her delegation remained flexible but was interested in having an informative, interactive and useful session. She saw the workshop as something that the Secretariat had the capacity to 
organise without incurring undue additional costs. She hoped all delegations would actively WT/COMTD/SE/M/25 
 
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  participate. She welcomed Members’ technical ex periences with regulatory bodies and possible 
financial assistance to ensure that the workshop  was well attended, interactive and informative. 
5. The representative of El Salvador said he supported the proposal made by Barbados. This 
proposal was in line with the Small Economies' Work Programme and also with the Decision taken 
by Ministers at the 8th Ministerial Conference. He added that small economies wished to go further 
in their work on NTMs than the past Secretariat paper. Further research could help quantify the effects of NTMs on small economies. He underlined  the need for a workshop where such research 
could be further discussed. Such a workshop could also include examples of how to address NTMs. 
He said that such an event could also have a positive impact on the work of the Dedicated Session.  
6. The representative of the United States said he would appreciate receiving additional 
information from the proponents about the factual assessment they propose. His specific question 
was what the proponents would like to see includ ed in future work which had not already been 
addressed in the Secretariat background note (WT/COMTD/SE/W/26/Rev.1). In regard to complementing the background work, he wished to know what was meant by "the assessment 
shall complement the initial background work, by inter alia , identifying and, where possible, 
quantifying the NTMs/NTBs faced by SVEs". He sought clarification on what other work the proponents considered as being part of this pr oposal, other than identifying, and where possible 
quantifying, the NTMs and NTBs faced by SVEs. He said his delegation would take note of 
Barbados's statement that they were flexible ab out the kind of meeting which could be held to 
discuss these issues. He also asked the Secretariat about its views and ability to quantify the NTMs and NTBs faced by SVEs. The 2012 Secretariat background note referenced a number of reports 
and work being done by outside organizations and he  thought that it might be useful to take stock 
of the other work that has already been done on this topic. He added that paragraph 3 of WT/COMTD/SE/W/27 suggested sharing case studie s and examples of successful collaboration 
between importers and SVE exporters, including best practices. He said his delegation was 
interested in discussing this topic further, but added that he had some initial concerns that the proposal as written might be rather general and broad and could benefit from more focus and 
clarity. He would welcome the opportunity to discu ss it further and looked forward to receiving the 
responses in regard to his questions.  
7. The representative of El Salvador said that as a preliminary reaction, he wished to say that 
the proposal being discussed was drawn up by the proponents in a very simple and practical way 
and tried to use clear language. He said the proponents did not try to use very specific language or 
to be too prescriptive but wanted to allow the Committee to look for areas to discuss issues such as NTMs. He said he took note of the questions ra ised by the representative of the United States 
and wished to come back to them. 
8. The representative of Barbados said she wished to ask the representative of the United 
States if he had any comments to make on the idea of holding a workshop.   
9. The representative of the United States said El Salvador's emphasis on using practical 
language was very useful. He was concerned, howe ver, about the use of the phrase "inter alia" 
and wished that the proponents could be more spec ific. In regard to the idea of a workshop or a 
regular meeting of the Dedicated Session, he said he wondered whether or not the Secretariat's 
reports had to be discussed in separate workshops as compared to using existing avenues for 
discussion in the CTD or the CTDDS. He believed there was wide room in these settings to be able to hold discussions and was open to discussing further as to whether a workshop should be held or 
not.  
10. The representative of Nigeria referred to the decision taken at MC-8 and the effects of 
NTMs on small economies. He said there could be added value to examine the main NTMs and 
their effects. He added that the Dedicated Session needed to have an agreement as to how it 
could implement these important decisions. In terms of the way forward, he suggested a combined approach where the CTD could organize a workshop where the SVE concerns would be discussed on the grounds of the background study prepared by the Secretariat. 
11. The representative of Brazil said it was important to add value to the work of this initiative. 
He said he was flexible about the idea of a workshop and how it could be organized.  WT/COMTD/SE/M/25 
 
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  12. In summing up, the Chairperson said the proponents of SVEs would respond to the 
questions raised by the United States as soon as possible.  
13. The representative of the United States added that further to the questions he had raised 
in the course of the meeting, he looked forward to hearing from the proponents and also from the 
Secretariat. 
14. The Chairperson suggested that the proponents  of the SVEs meet with the United States 
representative to discuss further. She added that the CTD DS would most likely have to soon meet 
again to formally make a decision as to what to do about a possible workshop.  
C. FOLLOW-UP TO THE MINISTERIAL DECISION ON SMALL ECONOMIES TAKEN AT 
THE WTO'S EIGHTH MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE (WT/L/844) 
15. The Chairperson recalled the Decision taken at the WTO's 8th Ministerial Conference in 
December 2011 concerning the Work Programme on Small Economies. The Decision had been 
circulated as WT/L/844 and instructs the General Council to direct relevant subsidiary bodies to frame responses to the trade-related issues iden tified by the CTD with a view to making the 
recommendations to the General Council. The Decision further instructs the General Council to 
report on progress and action taken together with any further recommendations as appropriate to the next Ministerial Conference. Since the next Ministerial would be held in Bali in eight months' 
time, the Chairperson asked Members whether or not they would like to start work in the coming 
weeks on making such a report to the General Council. She asked that if that was the case, which elements do Members think should be mentioned in such a report? She recalled that the last time 
Members issued such a report was to the General Council in 2011. It was circulated as 
WT/COMTD/SE/7. She added that the Dedicated Session must now report to the General Council 
on its work since then.  
16. The representative of Barbados spoke on behalf of the SVEs and said the process of 
drafting could begin. The process to be followed could be similar to that taken for previous 
Decisions as for MC-7 and for MC-8 and that informal consultations would be necessary. The areas for inclusion and for specific language would need to be decided but she added that the SVEs 
believed updates on the work that has been under way could be included as well as the progress 
made on the Work Programme on Small Economies and the decision relating to NTMs as mandated by Ministers at MC-8. She said the proponents were  ready to engage with Members on this process 
with a view to beginning the drafting of textual language in the near future.  
17. The Chairperson requested that the Secretariat begin work on such a report and share it 
with Members when it was ready. Further meetings would then be held to finalize the language.  
D. OTHER BUSINESS 
18. Since no item had been raised under "Other Business," the Chairperson adjourned the 
meeting.   
 
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