RESTRICTED  
  
WT/PCTF/M/12  
 
16 October 2015  
(15-5448)  Page: 1/2  
Preparatory Committee on Trade Facilitation    
 
 MINUTES OF THE MEETING 
HELD IN THE CENTRE WILLIAM RAPPARD 13 OCTOBER 2015 
Chairman: H.E. Mr. Esteban Conejos (Philippines) 
1  INTRODUCTION 
1.1.  The Chairman welcomed Members and recalled that the proposed agenda had been circulated 
in WTO/AIR/PCTF/3. As delegations would have noticed from the airgram, there were two main 
items to address: 
1.2.  First, the Committee would take up its standard business of formally receiving the 
notifications of category A commitments that Memb ers had submitted since the last meeting. That 
would be followed by an informal working session where delegations would be briefed on the state 
of additional work, both on the ratification of  the Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) and the 
operation of the Trade Facilitation Agreement Facility. In addition, Members would have the opportunity to benefit from another experience sharing session, similar to the useful exchanges 
they had had in the past. Several delegations had indicated their interest in informing the 
Committee of preparations for the Trade Facilitation Agreement's operation and entry into force, as well as of related assistance needs. 
1.3.  The agenda was adopted with the requested additions. 
2  RECEIPT OF CATEGORY A NOTIFICATIONS 
2.1.  The Chairman informed that the Committee had received seven new submissions since it last 
met. 
2.2.  The list of new notifications covere d submissions from the following Members: 
Trinidad and Tobago (WT/PCTF/N/TTO/1), Barbados (WT/PCTF/N/BRB/1), Uganda 
(WT/PCTF/N/UGA/1), Belize (WT/PCTF/N/BLZ/1 ), Lao PDR (WT/PCTF/N/LAO/1), St. Lucia 
(WT/PCTF/N/LCA/1) and the Seychelles (WT/PCTF/N/SYC/1). 
2.3.  The Committee received those notifications. 
2.4.  The Chairman reported that the overall num ber of category A notifications had grown to a 
current total of 72, which already offered a fairly good picture of Members' implementation plans 
in this field. 
2.5.  More notifications were expected to follow and the Secretariat also continued to receive 
queries about the process. He therefore wished to recall that the Secretariat stood ready to assist 
with the preparation of submissions and related ques tions. While swift notifications were of course 
appreciated, it was also important to get the input right as those notifications formed an integral part of the Trade Facilitation Agreement. The Se cretariat would be very happy to assist Members 
in this regard. 
2.6.  The Committee took note of the Chairman's report. WT/PCTF/M/12 
 
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  3  INFORMAL OPEN-ENDED WORKING SESSION 
3.1.  This part of the meeting covered (i) an upda te by the Secretariat on the latest state-of-play 
with respect to the acceptance of the amendment pr otocol, (ii) an exchange of experiences on the 
ratification of the Trade Facili tation Agreement and the preparat ions for its implementation and 
(iii) an update by the Secretariat on the operat ion of the Trade Facilitation Agreement Facility. 
Members also referred to assistance needs and informed of available support. It was conducted in informal mode. 
3.2.  The Committee took note of the statements made. 
4  OTHER BUSINESS 
4.1.  The Chairman proposed 24 February as th e date of the subsequent Preparatory Committee 
meeting. Details on the meeting and its agenda  would be communicated in due course. In the 
unlikely event of there being need for an earlier session, he would get in touch and give Members 
advance notice. 
4.2.  It was so agreed. 
4.3.  The Preparatory Committee took note of the statements made. 
4.4.  The meeting was adjourned. 
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