WT/GC/W/861  
 
16 December 2022  
(22-9365) Page: 1/3 
General Council  
19-20 December 2022    
 
PROPOSED AGENDA  
1. REPORT BY THE CHAIR OF THE TRADE NEGOTIATIONS COMMITTEE AND REPORT BY 
THE DIRECTOR -GENERAL  
 
2. FOLLOW -UP TO OUTCOMES OF MINISTERIAL CONFERENCES  
 
 A. MC12  
 
i. WTO Reform – Statement by the Chair 
ii. Work Programme on Electronic Commerce  – Statement by the Facilitator  
iii. Paragraph 8 of the Ministerial Decision on the TRIPS  Agreement - Report by the 
TRIPS  Council  
 B. BUENOS AIRES (MC11), NAIROBI (MC10), AND BALI (MC9) (G/RO/97)  
 
3. WORK PROGRAMME ON SMALL ECONOMIES – REPORT BY THE CHAIR OF THE 
DEDICATED SESSION OF THE COMMITTEE ON TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT  
 
4. DATE AND VENUE OF THE THIRTEENTH SESSION OF THE MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE 
AND VENUE OF THE FOURTEENTH SESSION – STATEMENT BY THE CHAIR  
 
5. THE DEVELOP MENT ASSISTANCE ASPECTS OF COTTON – STATEMENT BY THE 
DIRECTOR -GENERAL  
 
6. COMMITTEE ON BUDGET, FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION – REPORTS ON 
MEETINGS OF 22 SEPTEMBER, 5 OCTOBER, 8 NOVEMBER, 1 AND 5 DECEMBER 2022 
(WT/BFA/206, WT/BFA/207, WT/BFA/208, WT/BFA/209)  
 
7. REJUVENATION OF WORK PROGRAMME ON ELECTRONIC COMMERCE AND 
MORATORIUM ON IMPOSING CUSTOMS DUTIES ON ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSIONS –
REQUEST FROM INDIA AND SOUTH AFRICA  
 
 A. CONSUMER PROTECTION IN E -COMMERCE - COMMUNICATION FROM INDIA 
(WT/GC/W/857)  
 
8. TRADE R ELATED CHALLENGES OF THE LEAST DEVELOPED COUNTRIES AND WAY 
FORWARD: PROPOSAL FOR WTO SMOOTH TRANSITION MEASURES IN FAVOUR OF 
COUNTRIES GRADUATED FROM THE LDC CATEGORY – COMMUNICATION FROM 
DJIBOUTI ON BEHALF OF THE LDC GROUP (WT/GC/W/807/REV.2)  
 
9. IMPLEMEN TATION OF THE MINISTERIAL DECLARATION ON THE WTO RESPONSE TO 
THE PANDEMIC AND PREPAREDNESS FOR FUTURE PANDEMICS – COMMUNICATION 
FROM THE AFRICAN GROUP (WT/GC/W/858)  
 
10. DERESTRICTION OF THE URUGUAY ROUND NEGOTIATING MATERIALS – DRAFT 
DECISION (G/C/W/822)  
 WT/GC/W/861  
 
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  11. WAIVERS UNDER ARTICLE IX OF THE WTO AGREEMENT1 
 
A. INTRODUCTION OF HARMONIZED SYSTEM 2002 CHANGES INTO WTO SCHEDULES OF 
TARIFF CONCESSIONS – DRAFT DECISION (G/C/W/815)  
 
B. INTRODUCTION OF HARMONIZED SYSTEM 2007 CHANGES INTO WTO SCHEDULES OF 
TARIFF CONCESSIONS – DRAFT DECISION (G/C/W/816)  
 
C. INTRODUCTION OF HARMONIZED SYSTEM 2012 CHANGES INTO WTO SCHEDULES OF 
TARIFF CONCESSIONS – DRAFT DECISION (G/C/W/817)  
 
D. INTRODUCTION OF HARMONIZED SYSTEM 2017 CHANGES INTO WTO SCHEDULES OF 
TARIFF CONC ESSIONS - DRAFT DECISION (G/C/W/818)  
 
E. INTRODUCTION OF HARMONIZED SYSTEM 2022 CHANGES INTO WTO SCHEDULES OF 
TARIFF CONCESSIONS – DRAFT DECISION (G/C/W/820)  
 
F. REVIEW OF WAIVERS PURSUANT TO ARTICLE IX:4 OF THE WTO AGREEMENT  
 
i. Preferential treatment in favour of services and service suppliers of least 
developed  countries, granted on 17  December  2011 until 31 December 2030 
(WT/L/847, WT/L/982)  
ii. Preferential tariff treatment for least developed countries, granted on 
16 October  2019 until 30 June 2029 (WT/L/1069)  
iii. Cuba – Article XV:6 – Extension of waiver, granted on 23 November 2021 until 
31 December 2026 (WT/L/1128, WT/L/1157)  
iv. United States – African Growth and Opportunity Act, granted on 
30 November  2015 until 30  September 2025 (WT/L/970,  WT/L/1153)  
v. United States – Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act, granted on 
16 October  2019 until 30 September 2025 (WT/L/1070, WT/L/1154)  
vi. United States – Former trust territory of the Pacific Islands, granted on 
7 December 2016 until 31 December 2026 (W T/L/1000, WT/L/1155)  
vii. United States – Trade preferences granted to Nepal, granted on 7 December 2016 
until 31  December 2025 (WT/L/1001, WT/L/1156)  
12. ANNUAL REVIEW OF THE SPECIAL COMPULSORY LICENSING SYSTEM - PARAGRAPH 
7 OF THE ANNEX TO THE AMENDED TRIPS A GREEMENT AND PARAGRAPH  8 OF THE 
DECISION ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF PARAGRAPH 6 OF THE DOHA DECLARATION 
ON THE TRIPS AGREEMENT AND PUBLIC HEALTH (WT/L/540 AND 
WT/L/540/CORR.1) – REPORT OF THE COUNCIL FOR TRIPS (IP/C/94)  
 
13. INTERNATIONAL TRADE CENTRE UNCTAD /WTO - REPORT OF THE JOINT ADVISORY 
GROUP ON ITS 56th SESSION (ITC/AG(LVI)/288)  
 
14. REVIEW OF WTO ACTIVITIES  
 
Reports of:  
 
i. General Council (WT/GC/W/856), Dispute Settlement Body (WT/DSB/84) and 
Trade Policy Review Body (WT/TPR/488)  
 
1 In connection with this Item, the attention of Members is drawn to the Decision -Making Procedures 
under Articles IX and XII of the WTO Agreement agreed by the General Council on 15 November 1995 
(WT/L/93).  WT/GC/W/861  
 
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  ii. Sectoral Councils (G/L/1463, S/C/62, and IP/C/93) and Committee on Trade 
Facilitation (G/L/1468),  
iii. Committees  on Trade and Development (WT/COMTD/102), Trade and 
Environment (WT/CTE/29), Balance -of-Payments Restrictions  (WT/BOP/R/120), 
Budget, Finance and Administration (WT/BFA/210), and Regional Trade 
Agreements (WT/REG/33)  
iv. Working Group on Trade, Debt and Finance (WT/WGTDF/21), Working Group on 
Trade and Transfer of Technology (WT/WGTTT/24)  
v. Committees under the Plurila teral Trade Agreements (GPA/AR/5, WT/L/1158 – 
TCA/20)  
15. APPOINTMENT OF OFFICERS TO WTO BODIES - ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE CHAIR 
PURSUANT TO PARAGRAPH 7.1(A) OF THE GUIDELINES (WT/L/510)  
 
OTHER BUSINESS  
 
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