RESTRICTED  
  
WT/COMTD/LDC/M/78  
 
26 September  2016 
(16-5096) Page: 1/10 
Sub-Committee on Least Developed Countries  
Seventy -Eighth Session    
 
NOTE ON THE MEETING OF 24 JUNE  2016 
Chairperson: Ambassador Roderick Van Schreven  (Netherlands)  
 
A. ADOPTION OF THE AGEN DA ................................ ................................ ....................  1 
B. TRADE -RELATED TECHNICAL AS SISTANCE AND CAPACIT Y-BUILDING 
INITIATIVES FOR LEAS T DEVELOPED COUNTRIE S ................................ ...........................  1 
- WTO Technical Assistance and Training to the Least Developed Countries: Oral 
Report by the Secr etariat  ................................ ................................ ................................ ..... 2 
- An Update on the Enhanced Integrated Framework (EIF): Oral Report by the EIF 
Executive Secretariat  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...........  5 
C. FOLLOW -UP TO  MINISTERIAL DECISION S/DECLARATIONS  ................................ .... 7 
- Follow -up to Ministerial Declarations and Decisions Taken in Favour of Least 
Developed Countries (WT/COMTD/LDC/W/62)  ................................ ................................ ........  7 
D. ISTANBUL PROGRAMME O F ACTION FOR THE LEA ST DEVELOPED 
COUNTRIES FOR THE DE CADE 2011 -2020: MIDTERM REVIEW , ANTALYA, 
TURKEY, 27 -29 MAY 2016  ................................ ................................ ................................  7 
- Report by the Coo rdinator of the LDC Group  ................................ ................................ .. 7 
E. LDC GROUP RETREAT HE LD IN MONTREUX, SWIT ZERLAND, 18 APRIL 20 16: 
REPORT BY THE COORDI NATOR OF THE LDC GRO UP ................................ ........................  9 
F. OTHER BUSINESS  ................................ ................................ ................................ .. 10 
 
A. ADOPTION OF THE AGEN DA 
1. The Chairman  said that the agenda  for the Seventy -Eighth Session of the Sub-Committee on 
Least Developed Countries (hereinafter Sub -Committee) was contained in documen t 
WTO/AIR /COMTD/LDC/5 . 
2. The representative of the European Union  said that , under the agenda item "Other 
Business",  she wished  to bring to Members' attention relevant  information concerning  the 
upcoming change in the system of certification of origin under the European Union 's (EU) 
Generalised Scheme of Preferences ( GSP). 
3. The agenda was adopted . 
B. TRADE -RELATED TECHNICAL AS SISTANCE AND CAPACIT Y-BUILDING INITIATIVES  
FOR LEAST DEVELOPED COUNTRIES  
4. The Chairman  recalled that t he Work Programme for the Least Develo ped Countries 
mandate d the Su b-Committee to monitor capacity -building initiatives taken in favour of LDCs to 
promote information flows and coordination. He noted  that the WTO Secretariat and the EIF 
Executive Secretariat would provide reports on their technical assistance and capacity -building 
activities in this respect.  WT/COMTD/LDC/M/78  
 
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  - WTO Technical Assistance and Training to the Least Developed Countries : Oral Report 
by the Secretariat  
5. The Chairman  said that Members had been receiving yearly  update s from the Secretaria t on 
WTO's technical assistance and training provided to the LDCs. The LDCs were given priority in the 
delivery of this assistance, which, inter alia , aimed at helping them better exercise their rights and 
obligations  in the WTO . He invited the Secretariat  to report on  the activities undertaken in favour 
of LDCs during 2015. 
6. The representative of the Secretariat  (Institute for Tra ining and Technical Cooperation , 
ITTC), said that the WTO  continue d to accord  priority to the LDCs in the delivery of its 
trade -related technical assistance (TRTA) . As in previous years, LDCs benefitted from over 50% of 
technical -assistance activities carried out in 2015. Africa, where the majority of the LDCs were 
located, was  the largest beneficiary region of WTO's TRTA activities .  
7. He said that the  three -week I ntroduction Course for LDCs  in French had to be cancelled in 
2015 due to  insufficient applications . He encouraged the French -speaking LDCs to mobilize 
demand for such course s. However,  it had been possible to hold the Introd uction Course in French 
in April 2016 . He noted that since 2013 advanced thematic courses for the LDCs (at intermediate 
level 2 ) had been  offered in Geneva. Following the  first t hematic course for French -speaking LDCs 
in 2014 , a similar course had been hel d for English -speaking LDCs in 2015. Those advanced 
thematic course s had been  highly appreciated as they focuse d on issues  of importance to LDCs 
such as  the LDC Services Waiver,  duty-free and quota -free (DFQF) market access  and the 
implications of the Trad e Facilitation Agreement  (TFA) . A thematic course on LDC participation in 
the multilateral trading system  (MTS) was planned for  October 2016 . He encourage d LDC 
delegations to nominate  candidates to participate in this course. He reiterated  that continued 
priority was given to technical assistance  requests by LDCs both at t he national and regional level , 
though demand from LDCs for such activities had been limited.  
8. He continued by noting that the Reference Centre  (RC) Programme  was another product of 
interes t to the LDCs as it provid ed them with access to WTO -related information . He explained that 
the WTO provided the information technology  equipment for RCs in LDCs and offered training , 
including the organization of  meetings of RC managers in Geneva.  He said  that t here were around 
115 RCs, of which one third were located in LDCs. In 2015, the WTO had established  or upgraded 
RCs in seven  Africa n countries , which included six LDCs, i.e. Chad, Democratic Republic of the 
Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Guinea,  Lesotho and Uganda.  The RC in Mozambique had been 
upgraded in May  2016,  and further RC missions were scheduled in Bangladesh, Bhutan, Haiti and 
Zambia.  
9. He briefed  Members on the participation  of LDCs  in three internship programmes, i.e . the 
Netherlands Trainee Pro gramme  (NTP) , the French & Irish Mission Intern ship Programme  (FIMIP) , 
and the Regional Coordinator Internship programme (RCI) . He said that over the lifespan of these 
programmes,  the share of interns  from LDCs had been  65% for the  NTP, 60% for the FIMIP  and 
40% for the RCI. In 2015, LDC participants had accounted for 71%, 58% and 33% of participants 
in the NTP, FIMIP  and RCI, respectively. In 2016 , available data suggested an LDC participation of 
50% (NTP), 61% ( FIMIP ) and 50% (RCI ). 
10. He continued by noting  that LDCs, especially from Africa, ha d been among  the biggest users 
of WTO's e -Learning programme . In 2015 , 2,330 LDC participants had registered in online courses , 
which represented  one third of participants. The number of successful annual participants from 
LDCs in the e-Learning courses ha d almost tripled  from 502 in 2010 to 1,434 in 2015.  These 
positive results had been achieved thanks to sustained outreach efforts and enhanced knowledge 
transfer through the use of interactive activities and multimedia  in the e -Learning courses.  
11. He went on to elaborate on how the WTO assisted LDCs in assess ing and identifying their 
needs . He said that beneficiaries of the NTP  and the FIMIP  were encourage d to undertake needs 
assessments for capacity -building requests . In the context of Trade Policy Reviews ( TPRs), the 
Secretariat worked with beneficiaries , in particular with the LDCs,  to include an element of needs 
identification for TRTA and capacity building  in the Reviews . The Secretariat also organized 
follow -up sess ions to TPRs to align the planning of the LDCs' capacity -building programme s with 
the recommendations stemming from the TPR process.  WT/COMTD/LDC/M/78  
 
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  12. The representative of Benin , on behalf of the LDC Group, thanked the Secretariat  for its 
comprehensive report . He said that  the products that ha d been delivered were useful . He noted 
that the LDCs, in particular the French -speaking  LDCs, needed  to bolster the ir participation  in WTO 
TRTA activities . He stressed that WTO 's technical assistance and training was a key tool for 
collecting and processing trade data and for building knowledge on trade . He thank ed donors  for 
supporting the LDCs in their efforts to build trade -related capacity  and urged them to continue 
providing such support. He also urged Members, which had not yet do ne so, to contribute to 
capacity -building activities for LDCs. He expressed appreciation for the internship programme s, 
which had proven beneficial for LDC missions in Geneva . He underlined that trade was a key dri ver 
for sustainable development and that t he LDCs had to use TRTA to achieve the Sustainable 
Development Goals  (SDGs)  contained in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.  
13. The representative of Vanuatu  thanked the WTO for the assistance extended to Vanuatu in 
terms of training and workshops . She expressed  appreciation for the internship programme s, 
which was a valuable tool for Vanuatu in building the capacity of its officials on WTO issues. She 
recalled that Vanuatu had acceded to the WTO  in 2012. The internship programme s had helped 
strengthe n the skills of officials to implement the WTO accession  commitments  as well as to deal 
with the implementation of the TFA . She said that Vanuatu had participated in the FIMIP  in 2015 
and was participating in the RCI in 2016. She commended  the WTO for prio ritizing interns from 
LDCs in its internship programmes and requested that such prioritization be continued in future . 
14. The representative of Mali associated himself with  the statement  of the LDC Coordinator. He 
took the opportunity to make  a request regard ing support  for the Cotton Four Group ( C4). He 
pointed out that the C4 had limited staff in Geneva , and recalled the support provided  to the 
coordinating country of C4 in the past. He expressed the interest of the C4 to benefit from an 
intern and asked the  Secretariat to positively consider this  request.  
15. The representative of the United States  thanked the Secretariat for its report. He drew 
Members' attention to the sixth appraisal of the TPR Mechanism, initiated earlier that week . He 
was of the view that the issue of  needs assessment and  capacity building for LDCs in the TPR 
context could be looked at as part of th is appraisal. He encourage d the LDC delegations  to 
participate actively in that process.  
16. The representative of China  thanked the Secretariat for  its report. He emphasized the 
importance of strengthening activities such as RCs and internship programmes  to help the LDCs 
better integrate into the MTS. He said that China w ould continue its efforts and offer any 
necessary support within  its capaci ty, with a view to improving the LDCs' trade capacity.  
17. The representative of Japan  thanked the Secretariat for its report.  He said that the LDCs 
constituted a priority  for Japan and that it  would continue to assist the LDCs in their integration 
into the MTS, including through the implementation of the relevant Nairobi Ministerial Decisions. 
He updated Members on recent initiatives of Japan in support of developing country Members, 
including the LDCs.  
18. He said that poverty reduction through economic growth was a focus of Japan's assistance 
to the LDCs. He mentioned that in May 2016, the Government of Japan had announced the 
"Expanded Partnership for Quality Infrastructure" initiative, which aimed at provid ing financing of 
approximately US$200 billion  for the devel opment of sustainable and resilient infrastructure. In 
the same month, his Government had also launched the SDG promotion headquarters , which was  
headed by the Prime Minister for domestic and internatio nal implementation of the SDGs.  
19. He went on to say that  the Sixth Tokyo International Conference on African Development 
(TICAD VI) would be held in Nairobi in August 2016. He thanked African countries for their 
participation in the Preparatory Meeting at the Ministerial level that had been held in Gambia 
recen tly. He said that TICAD VI would be an important opportunity to reaffirm  and strengthen 
Japan's partnership on critical issues related to African development, including economic 
diversification and industrialization. He concluded by saying that through the  success of TICAD VI, 
Japan would like to assist Africa's efforts toward s achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable 
Development as well as the Agenda 2063.  WT/COMTD/LDC/M/78  
 
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  20. The representative of Mozambique  thank ed the WTO for the support provided to the LDCs. 
Her Governmen t had been  benefitt ing from assistance given to its RC . Their participation in the 
internship programme had also been useful. She underlined the importance of continued support 
by the WTO for the capacity development of LDCs.  
21. The representative of the Secretariat  emphasized  that WTO TRTA was a Secretariat -wide 
undertaking  and noted with satisfaction the appreciation expressed by Members.  He informed 
Members that an external evaluation of WTO's TRTA was being conducted  and that  Members m ight 
be contacted  by the external evaluator (Saana Consulting ). In response  to the request by the 
delegation of Mali , he said that it was possible for the C4 to obtain an intern thr ough the internship 
programmes , and offered  to do the necessary  follow -up regarding this request . He concluded by 
saying  that two LDCs, Benin and Senegal, were participating in the WTO Chairs Programme  funded 
by the Netherlands . He pointed to the importance of this Programme  as it linked  academi c 
research with trade policy , contributing thereby to st imulating debates on policy issues such as Aid 
for Trade. 
22. The representative of Benin  thanked the Secretariat for  the update on  the Chair s Programme  
and the Netherlands for their contributions to the Programme . He remarked that r esearch on aid 
and developm ent was of high interest to the LDCs and pointed to  the benefits of sharing country 
experiences. He concluded by asking the Secretariat to provide a written summary of its report  
that could be passed on to capitals.   
23. The representative of Mali regretted  that the Introduct ion Course for French -speaking LDCs  
had to be cancelled  in 2015 , and acknowledged that a low number of candidates  had been  put 
forward.  However, he noted  that often candidates , particularly young officials , were not selected  
for such course s as they did not fully meet the course requirements . He requested more flexibility 
regarding the requirements to participate in the Introduction Course, which would allow for a 
greater number of participants  to benefit from the course.  
24. The representative of the Secretariat  reiterated  that while in 2015 the course had been  
cancelled;  the course in 2016 had been a  positive experience  with good quality participation . He 
emphasized the need to apply certain requirements to harmonize the level of the courses. While 
more flexibility was possible and , in fact , applied  in the case of the Introduction Course, certain 
minimum requirements  still had to be respected.  He pointed to the possibility of getting in contact 
with the Secretariat if candidates were not success ful. He would be  available to discuss any 
particular case to appropriately address any issue that might have come up  in the selection 
process . 
25. The representative of Chinese Taipei  expressed appreciat ion for  the comprehensive report of 
the Secretariat. He underlined the need for more support for the LDCs . He pointed out that there 
were some overlap s in the provision of TRTA and capacity building by the WTO Secretariat  with 
some programmes offered by Members . He suggested that the WTO could consider collabora ting 
with Chinese Taipei's International Cooperation Development Fund (ICDF), which offered training 
programmes for developing countr y Members , including LDCs. In this regard,  his delegation would 
like to explore the opportunity to cooperate with the WTO i n the future.  
26. The representative of the Secretariat  thanked the delegation of Chinese Taipei for the 
suggestion to explore the opportunity to cooperate with the ICDF. He remarked  that the WTO  was 
cooperat ing with many partners  to implement its TRTA activit ies, since partnerships were a main 
element of its programmes. He said that he would follow  up on this issue with the Director of the 
ITTC, who  had recently visited Chinese Taipei . 
27. The Chairman  thank ed the Secretariat for its report an d Members for their s tatements. He 
was pleased to note that the LDCs remain ed a priority beneficiary of WTO TRTA. In 2015, the LDCs 
had benefi tted from more than half of all technical -assista nce activities. He was encourag ed to see 
that the LDCs were increasingly taking advant age of WTO's e-Learning offer , as a third of 
participants had been  from LDCs  in 2015. He reminded Members  of the deadline of 8 July 2016 to 
submit nominations for a capacity -building course on trade in services statistics for statisticians 
from LDCs , which  would be held from 14 to 18 November 2016. He hoped that the LDCs would 
take advantage of the various activities offered to them by the WTO and enhance their capacity in WT/COMTD/LDC/M/78  
 
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  the fields of trade policy, trade statistics and trade negotiations.  He suggest ed that the 
Sub-Committee take note of the report made by the Secretariat as well as the statements made.  
28. It was so agreed .  
- An Update on the Enhanced Integrated Framework (EIF): Oral Report by the EIF 
Executive Secretariat  
29. The Chairman  said that  the EIF was a flagship Aid -for-Trade programme exclusively 
designed for the LDCs. He recalled that  the EIF had entered its Phase Two at the beginning  of 
2016 and that during the Nairobi Ministerial Conference a Pledging Conference was held to 
replenish the EIF Trust F und. He invited the EIF Executive Secretariat  to provide  the 
Sub-Committee with  an update on the activities of the EIF.   
30. The representative of the EIF Executive Secretariat  recalled that a t the 76th Sub-Committee 
meeting on 12  October 2015, it had provided  an update on the main elements of Phase Two and 
the organization of the P ledging Conference. He provide d an update on the roll -out of Phase Two, 
the outcomes of the Pledging Conference , the programme prioritization process that would be  
applied until 2018 , and an overview of the results achieved during  Phase One.  
31. Regarding the roll-out of Phase Two , he said that t he EIF Board had approved key elements 
of the Programme Framework for Phase Two  in November 2015 . These elements  included  a 
Change Management Pl an, a Results Framework and  a Risk Management Matrix. Other elements 
adopted by t he Board were  Sustainability Guidelines , which set out  that the EIF National 
Implementation Unit should work closely with the Executive Secretariat and the Trust Fund 
Manager on sustainability in the LDCs as well as on exit plans.  He also said that t he revised  Tier 2 
project template for Phase Two had been adopted by the Board  and focused on leveraging  
resources,  poverty  reduction , gender and environmental assessment. Revised terms of reference 
for the EIF Board and Steering Committee had also been  approved. The revision of the Diagnostic 
Trade Integration Study (DTIS) guidelines , the recruitment of two new positi ons for the EIF 
Secretariat and the revision of the EIF Compendium  were under process .  
32. Regarding the o utcomes of the Phase Two  Pledging Conference , which had been held in 
December 2015 , he said that 15 donors had pledged around US$90 million. He remarked that t he 
EIF was pleased to welcome the Netherlands as a new partn er. He said that t he funding envelope 
provide d a good basis for starting some key Phase Two  activit ies. However, in order to fulfil  the 
Programme's  objectives and mandate over seven year s, resource mobilization efforts w ould need 
to continue . He thank ed the donors for their commitment, and encourage d those donors that had 
not yet done so, to contribut e to the EIF Trust Fund.  
33. Regarding the prioritization process , he said that  the EIF Board had approved guiding 
principles for the allocation of funding betwee n 2016 and 2018  at its meeting in April 2016 . He 
stressed that the EIF faced the operational challenge of delivering the Programme Framework for 
Phase Two  with significantly less funds  as only a third of the required US$274 million had been 
pledged at the Pledging Conference. He pointed out that this amount would  be made available in 
annual tranches, w hile during Phase One  the bulk of funds had been  available from the beginning . 
Therefore , between 2016 and 2018, the allocation of funding w ould give priority  to institutional 
support (Tier 1) and the DTIS work, followed by other types of support .  
34. He continued by elaborating on the EIF results achieved  during Phase One and in 2015. He 
noted  that t he EIF partnership continued to grow, with Equatorial Guinea joi ning the EIF as the last 
of the 48 LDCs. The EIF therefore  had reached its target of  helping  51 countries, including three 
graduated countries (Cabo Verde, Maldives and Samoa) . He said that t he EIF Board had approved 
140 projects totalling US$156  million d uring Phase One . Of these  projects, 100 had supported the 
formulation of trade policy and regulatory frameworks , including 45 DTISs. In 2015/16, eight  
DTISs or their updates were validated . Another  41 Tier 2 projects had been  helping countries to 
overcome obstacles to trade and provide incom e opportunities for poor people. He noted  that 30 % 
to 60% of beneficiaries of t hose projects were women . He also mentioned that t he process of 
developing sustainability and exit strategies was under way in four LDCs. During 2015, 38% of 
resources had been  leveraged through LDC government contributions.  WT/COMTD/LDC/M/78  
 
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  35. He went on to highlight some  of the  results achieved through  EIF support. During  
Phase  One, 24 countries  had formulated and implemen ted trade strategies;  33 countries had 
integrated trade in their national development plans; 38 countries had produced sector strategies 
(mainly agriculture, tourism, industry);  37 countries had conduct ed regular public -private 
consultations; in 34 countries government and donors had been meeting regularly to discuss 
trade;  in 28 countries donor-coordination mechanisms had been put in place ; and 33 countries ha d 
prioritiz ed trade issues in a medium -term implementation plan based on  the DTIS Action Matrix .  
36. He provided  examples of how the EIF's s upport translat ed into impact on the ground. In 
Burkina Faso,  EIF support had contributed to an increase in  the value of sesame exports by 77% 
between 2013-14 and 2014 -15. In Nepal, as a result of an EIF project on ginger, farm -level 
income had increased b y 62% and post -harvest loss had decreased by 30%. I n Cambodia, there 
had been  a 74% increase in exports of silk products by EIF project beneficiaries within a two-year 
period, which had led to  the creation of over 80 new jobs.  In Zambia, EIF project benefi ciaries  
could increase the quality of their honey  through improvements in the production process , which 
allowed them to export honey to European and other markets.  
37. He continued by  pointing out that the EIF's unique role was recognized in several global 
initiatives. The EIF was referred to in the Addis Ababa Action Agenda on Financing for 
Development and in Goal 8a of the SDGs . The EIF was also mentioned in the Istanbul Programme 
of Action  (IPoA)  for the LDCs and in the Political Declaration of its Midterm  Review, which had been  
held in Antalya, Turkey,  in May 2016. He said that the EIF Programme had a high profile 
throughout the Midterm Review Conference thanks to the participation of the EIF Board Chair  and 
the co-organiz ation of  two well -attended side -events on the role of the EIF in supporting 
graduation and the EIF partnership approach. He concluded by saying that t he EIF looked forward 
to its partnership achieving more results, with a view to supporting LDCs in advancing  their trade 
and development agend a.  
38. The representative of Benin , on behalf of the LDC Group, thanked the EIF Executive 
Secretariat for the report. He recalled that in the 2001 Doha Declaration, Ministers  had taken 
specific commitments on technical cooperation  and capacity building , which  indicated that  priority 
should be given to the LDCs. He stressed that the EIF was part of that effort. Recalling the success 
stories mentioned by the EIF Secretariat, h e commended  the EIF's efforts in contribut ing to value 
addition and diversification  in LDC economies . He expressed appreciation for the support, expertise 
and financial contributions provided to the LDCs and recommended that such efforts be continued . 
39. He thank ed the donors of the EIF Programme , and call ed upon other Members  to join the 
group  of donors. He stressed that success stories like the EIF should be encouraged. He said that a 
number of needs had been identified in individual countries and regions, whi ch would need to be 
addressed  to allow the LDCs to make progress. He  called upon all partners  to provide the 
resources required for Phase Two  of the EIF Programme . He expressed the LDCs ' commitment to 
effectively engage and improve results from the EIF process . He reiterated his appreciation to 
partners for their support  and hoped  to move forward with th e implementation of the EIF 
Programme.  
40. The representative of Mali thanked the EIF Executive Secretariat for the update.  He said that 
Mali ha d taken full advantage of Tier 1 and Tier 2 projects of the Programme during Phase One. 
Also, i n Phas e Two, Mali  had embarked on  an important project with the EIF. He commended 
partners for their  pledges in Nairobi  and encourage d them to contribute towards  the success of 
Phase Two . He recalled that  under the development component of  the Nairobi  Ministeria l Decision 
on Cotton, the C4 and other cotton -producing developing countries were invited to submit  to their 
partners , projects and programmes that could foster the ir economic development and integration 
into the MTS. He underlined  that Aid  for Trade  and t he EIF  played an important role in the 
implementation of this work on cotton. He hoped that those Members  that had not done so in 
Nairobi would come forward and pledge funding for  the EIF Programme.  
41. The Chairman  thanked the EIF Executive Secretariat for it s report and Members for their 
statements. He said that the EIF remained a n important capacity -building initiative for the LDCs. 
He was encourag ed that this was also recognized by the international community. He re called  that 
Goal 8 of the SDGs  recogniz ing the vital role of the EIF in promoting inclusive and sustainable 
development in LDCs. The Political Declaration of the Midterm Review of the IPoA welcome d the 
extension of the EIF Programme and urge d Members to contribute to the replenishment of the EIF WT/COMTD/LDC/M/78  
 
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  Trust Fund. He hoped that  the LDCs would continue to benefit fully from the EIF process.  He 
suggested that the Sub -Committee take note of the report provided by the EIF Executive 
Secretariat, as well as the statements made.  
42. It was so agreed . 
C. FOLLOW -UP TO MI NISTERIAL DECISIONS/ DECLARATIONS  
- Follow -up to Ministerial Declarations and Decisions Taken in Favour of Least 
Developed Countries (WT/COMTD/LDC/W/62)  
43. The Chairman  recalled that at the previous Sub -Committee meeting, Members had a 
substantive discussion o n the Secretariat Note titled "Follow -up to Ministerial Declarations and 
Decisions Taken in Favour of Least Developed Countries" (WT/COMTD/LDC/W/62). He further 
recalled the views expressed by Members on the Note. A number of LDCs had suggested that more 
information be included in the Note regarding the implementation of decisions taken in favour of 
LDCs. Other Members had expressed the view that such work should remain factual in nature. 
These Members had also drawn the attention of the Sub -Committee to th e mandate of the LDC 
Work Programme , which stipulated that it was Members that had been invited to report on 
measures taken in fulfilment of decisions and declarations. It had also been flagged that a number 
of implementation issues were dealt with by othe r WTO bodies.  
44. He recalled that he had asked the Secretariat to hold consultations with concerned Members 
with a view to finding common ground on the way forward. The Secretariat had organized a 
private informal consultation on 18 May 2016 with the delegati ons mostly involved with this 
discussion. He reported to Members that the consultations undertaken with interested Members to 
explore possibilities of further work in this respect had been inconclusive, and that positions had 
not converged. He invited Memb ers to take the floor.  
45. The representative of Benin , on behalf of the LDC Group,  thanked  the Chairman  for his 
accurate  report. He recall ed the exchange at the 77th Sub-Committee  meeting  on the nature and 
content of the Note, and the recommendation made by t he LDC Group. He reiterated the interest 
of the LDC Group in this discussion, in particular in gauging the progress made in the 
implementation of LDC decisions and in identifying the difficulties that need ed to be addressed for 
the LDCs to fully benefit fr om those decisions. He acknowledged that t he consultations held by the 
Secretariat ha d not led to a consensual outcome.  He said that the dialogue with interested 
delegations would continue in order to see how best to forge consensus . 
46. The Chairman  thanked t he LDC Coordinator for his statement. He hoped that Members could 
agree to a common approach to take this work forward. He attached due importance to this 
discussion. He requested Members to further reflect on how best to proceed work under this item. 
He remained available to facilitate this process and hold consultations with delegations if required. 
If need be, the Secretariat could also hold private consultations with interested delegations as 
before. He also suggested that delegations should consult amo ngst each other to find a way 
forward. The Sub -Committee might resume discussion on this item at its next meeting. He 
proposed that the Sub -Committee take note of the statement made under this item.  
47. It was so agreed . 
D. ISTANBUL PROGRAMME O F ACTION FOR THE LE AST DEVELOPED COUNTR IES FOR 
THE DECADE 2011 -2020: MIDTERM REVIEW , ANTALYA, TURKEY, 2 7-29 MAY 2016  
- Report by the Coordinator of the LDC Group  
48. The Chairman  recalled that the Work Programme for the Least Developed Countries tasked 
the Sub -Committee to monit or the mainstreaming of the trade -related elements of the IPoA into 
WTO’s work insofar as they rel ated to the mandate of the WTO. A High-Level Midterm Review of 
the implementation of the IPoA for the LDCs had taken place  in Turkey from 27 to 29 May  2016. A 
Political Declaration had been  adopted  at that meeting , which would  guide the implementation of 
the IPoA in the next five years. The WTO Secretariat had participated in the Midterm Review  
Conference;  it had organized a side -event, which had provided an op portunity to inform the UN WT/COMTD/LDC/M/78  
 
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  community on the developments on LDC issues in the WTO and how they contributed to achieving 
the goals of the IPoA.  He invited the LDC Coordinator, who had participated in the Midterm 
Review, to provide the Sub -Committee with his report . 
49. The representative of Benin , on behalf of the LDC Group, said that six Geneva -based LDC 
Ambassadors (Benin, Bangladesh, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Uganda and Vanuatu) had participated 
in the Midterm Review of the IPoA in  Antalya from 27 to 29 May 201 6. The Review was productive 
both in evaluating the results achieved since the adoption of the IPoA in 2011, and in formulating 
a roadmap to achieve the remaining objectives of the IPoA until 2020.  
50. He recalled that the IPoA provid ed a global framework to help LDCs integrate into the global 
economy. It laid out the actions to be taken by the LDCs, its development partners and the 
international community to help LDCs overcome their structural challenges in order to eradicate 
poverty, achieve internationally agreed development goals and enable graduation from the LDC 
category.  He emphasized that the Midterm Review Conference had offered the international 
community an opportunity to examine progress made in the implementation of the IPoA and to 
reaffirm the glo bal commitment to respond to the particular needs of the LDCs.  
51. He said that the Conference adopted a Political Declaration, which contained two parts.  The 
first part covered the state of progress and lessons learned, while the second part provid ed 
recommen dations  on how  to achieve the goals of the IPoA in the remainder of the decade 
(2016 -2020).  He reminded Members that the Work Programme for the Least Developed Countries 
provided the Sub-Committee with the mandate to monitor initiatives that the WTO was ta king to 
implement the IPoA,  as relevant to the WTO' s mandate . He said that t he outcome of the Midterm 
Review would help WTO Members examine the situation of LDCs with a view to taking measures to 
accelerate growth and development in the LDCs .  
52. He pointed o ut that paragraphs 5 9 to 71 of the Political Declaration  recommended specific 
measures on trade and investment to achieve the objective s of doubling the  LDCs'  export share to 
2% and enabl ing at least half of the LDC s to meet the eligibility criteria for gr aduation by 2020.  He 
expressed his concern that the LDCs were still distant from meeting th ose objectives. He said that 
the share of LDCs in global exports had fallen to below 1% in 2015. The growth rate of the LDCs' 
gross domestic product (GDP) , as a Grou p, had been  4.5% in 2015 , which was still far from the 
SDG target of at least 7% annual GDP growth . This demonstrate d that concerted efforts were  
required to help the LDCs increase their share in world trade.  He was therefore pleased to note 
that the Polit ical Declaration called upon development partners to respect their commitment to  
allocat e 0.2% of their Gross National Income (GNI) as Official Development Assistance (ODA) to 
the LDCs.  
53. He continued by  saying that the EIF had organiz ed two side-events at t he Midterm Review , 
which  had involved both beneficiaries and donors. Th e exchanges at those events had allowed 
evaluating the progress made and the prospects for Phase Two of the EIF Programme. He 
reiterated the importance of the Programme and called upon Members to continue supporting the 
EIF activities.  He expressed appreciation for the  renewed commitment  made  by partners in the 
Political Declaration to increase Aid -for-Trade support, in particular for  the LDCs. He also noted 
that the Declaration called upon Members to contribute to the  replenish ment of  the EIF Trust Fund.  
54. He was pleased to note  that the Political Declaration emphasiz ed the pre -eminence of the 
WTO as a global forum for trade rules and governance , and reaffirmed t he inclusive and 
consensus -based nature of the WTO.  He welcomed that the Declaration urge d the LDCs and their 
devel opment partners to make use of WTO decisions , including  on DFQF market access and 
preferential rules of origin.  
55. In conclusion, h e call ed upon Members to attach  particul ar importance to the 
implementation of the IPoA over the  next five years and  to help the LDCs accelerate their growth 
and improve their prospects for graduation.  
56. The representative of the European Union  thanked the LDC Coordinator  for his report  and 
congra tulate d the LDC Group on a successful conference in Antalya . She noted that  the Political 
Declaration recognize d the positive potential of trade and investment for the LDCs and provided 
insightful coverage of trade -related issues.  The Declaration also arti culated the balance between WT/COMTD/LDC/M/78  
 
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  the importance of external support and the primacy of domestic reforms. She reaffirmed the EU's 
support for all LDCs on their path to graduation.  
57. The Chairman  thanked the LDC Coordinator for the report and Members for their 
statements. He said that t he Political Declaration reaffirm ed the global commitment to address the 
special needs of the LDCs and provide d guidance for the implementation of the IPoA in the second 
half of the decade. He was  encourag ed to see the continued commi tment of the international 
community to significantly increase the share of LDCs in global trade and the intention to allocate 
an increasing proportion of Aid for Trade to the LDCs. He hoped that the outcome of the Midterm 
Review w ould provide further impe tus to the implementation of the IPoA for the remaining five 
years. He remarked that the background note prepared by the Secretariat for the WTO side -event 
provided Members with good insights. He underlined the importance of improving market access 
and oth er support for the LDCs, which faced difficulties to achieve 7% annual GDP growth , and to 
reach the target of a 2% share  in global exports  by 2020 . He suggest ed that the Sub -Committee 
take note of the report made by the LDC Coo rdinator as well as the state ments made . 
58. It was so agreed . 
E. LDC GROUP RETREAT HE LD IN MONTREUX, SWIT ZERLAND, 18 APRIL 20 16: 
REPORT BY THE COORDI NATOR OF THE LDC GRO UP 
59. The Chairman  said that the purpose of the LDC Group Retreat , held on 18 April 2016,  had 
been to reflect on the outcomes  of the Nairobi Ministerial Conference and to discuss how to 
advanc e the LDC interests in the post -Nairobi context. He invite d the LDC Coordinator to  provide 
Members with his report on the outcome of the Retreat.  
60. The representative of Benin , on behalf of t he LDC Group, said that the  Retreat was part of 
the Group' s activities relating to  the Nairobi follow -up process . Besides  the LDCs, participants in 
the Retreat  had, inter alia , included developed and developing country Membe rs, international 
organizations and the c hairs of selected  negotiating groups.  He said that  it had been a  fruitful 
exercise , where  discussions  had focused on the implemen tation  of the Nairobi outcomes and how 
the LDCs could contribut e to the remaining issues under the Doha Development Ag enda. The LDCs 
had also discuss ed other issues.  In this regard, h e stressed that discussion s on these issues  should  
remain exploratory in nature and that any outcome from such processes  should follow established  
WTO procedures .  
61. He said that, based on the deliberations in the Retreat, the LDC Group ha d prepared a 
submission on its post -Nairobi priorities  (WT/COMTD/LDC/W/63 ), which was circulated in the 
meeting  room. He outlined the priorities laid out in the  document , which  included agricultural 
issues, particularly domestic support, the implementation of the LDC Services Waiver and the 
Decision on preferential rules of origin. He also stressed  the importance of special and differential 
treatment  (S&D)  on which no  result had been achieved i n Nairobi. He reca lled that the LDCs had 
put forward a text  on S&D  in the consultations prior to Nairobi.  He stressed that the  LDC priorities 
in this regard should  be taken into account  and that there should be results on S&D at the 
Eleventh  Ministerial  Conference .  
62. He underlined  that cotton remained a strategic issue as it involved all  three pillars of the  
agriculture  negotiations . The Aid-for-Trade Initiative and the EIF Programme were  important to 
help LDCs implement trade rules and build the ir capacity to produce and exp ort. He also called  for 
meaningful progress  on rules governing fisheries to support the  LDCs'  income . He pointed to the 
need of address ing the increasing nu mber of non-tariff measures (NTMs) that  were restricting the 
LDCs' participation in international tr ade.  
63. He went on to highlight  that DFQF market access remained a priority for the LDCs and  that 
the Group was working on draft terms of reference for a  "clinical " examination  of the 
implementation of the decisions on DFQF  market access for LDCs.  The object ive for the LDCs was 
to benefit from DFQF market access and to ensure that interests of certain Members of the Group 
were not adversely affected.  He said that the Group would submit the terms of reference for 
Members' consideration at the Committee on Trad e and Development (CTD) meeting scheduled for  
8 July 2016.  WT/COMTD/LDC/M/78  
 
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  64. He reiterated that the LDC submission  on post -Nairobi priorities would serve the LDCs as a 
roadm ap in the negotiations and the post-Nairobi work. He expressed his conviction that Members 
would tak e into consideration the se priorities and work with the LDCs in order to achieve concrete 
results.  
65. The Chairman  thanked the LDC Coordinator  for his statement  and welcomed the Group's 
submission on its post -Nairobi priorities . He was pleased to hear that th e LDCs had held fruitful 
discussions on the implementation of decisions taken in favour of LDCs and on their priorities with 
respect t o the post -Nairobi work agenda. He hoped that the LDCs w ould remain engaged in the 
ongoing discussions and would  play an a ctive role in the months ahead to ensure that their 
interests were duly taken into account in WTO 's works . He suggested that the Sub -Committee take 
note of the rep ort made by the LDC Coordinator.  
66. It was so agreed . 
F. OTHER BUSINESS  
67. The Chairman  gave the floor  to the representative of the EU. 
68. The representative of the European Union  reminded Members  that t he system of certification 
of origin of goods in the EU 's GSP w ould be modified as from 1 January 2017. The current system 
with certificates of origin Form A issued by governmental authorities w ould be replaced by a 
simpler and less burdensome  system  of self -certification of origin of goods, called the registered 
exporter (REX) system . 
69. She noted that under  the new REX system, exporters would  self-certify the or igin of their 
goods with so -called statements on origin. The REX system had to be applied by each GSP 
beneficiary country as of 1 January 2017, unless the beneficiary country notifie d the European 
Comm ission (EC) that it w ould be applied later, either  from 2018 or 2019  onwards.  She said that it 
was in the hands of beneficiary countries to decide  when  to move from the current system to the 
new one.  
70. She underlined that t he notification of deferment ha d to be sent to the EC's 
Directorate -General of Taxation an d Customs Union (DG TAXUD) before  the end of June 2016 . If 
no notification was received, the EU w ould assume that the beneficiary country d id not need more 
time and would  apply the REX system as from 1 January 2017.  She mentioned that DG TAXUD had 
sent a reminder  to beneficiaries  via EU delegations  at the beginning of June  2016. She listed the 
GSP beneficiary countries that had shown their awareness of the upcoming change by replying to 
the EU, some of which ha d asked for a deferral : Afghanistan, Bangladesh , Benin, Cambodia, 
Indonesia, Kenya, Laos , Myanmar,  Philippines, Senegal, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Viet Nam. She 
called upon delegations to check  that their governments were  aware of th e move to the new REX 
system and of the June deadline to notify the EC in case of the postponement of the system's 
application.  
71.  The Chairman  thanked the  representative of the  EU for the briefing , and suggest ed that the 
Sub-Committee take note of it.  
72. He was encouraged to see the developments in LDC accessions. He noted that Liberia had 
submitted its instrument of acceptance to the WTO and that Afghanistan ha d ratified its accession 
and would soon  submit its instrument . He said that the next meeting of the Sub -Committee  was 
tentatively scheduled for  mid-October . The exact date would  be communicated in due course.  At 
the October meeting,  the Sub -Committee would discuss  the LDC market access paper , which  the 
Secretariat  had been preparing every year . As had been indicated in the previous Sub -Committee 
meeting, the Secretariat w ould provid e a more concise report with the most relevant trade 
statistics and market access information on LDCs. He was confident  that the report w ould provide 
for a rich discussion at the next meeting.  
73. In the absence of any other business, t he meeting wa s adjourned . 
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