RESTRICTED  
  
  
WT/INF/219  
 
18 March 2019  
(19-1683) Page: 1/2 
    
 
 
NOTE BY THE SECRETAR IAT 
NOTICE TO CBFA MEMBERS  
Guidelines for the Receipt and Notification of Voluntary Fund Contributions  
For your information, p lease find attached the Guidelines for the Receipt and Notification of Voluntary 
Fund Contributions  that were issued to WTO Secretariat Staff Members on Friday 15 March 2019. 
These guidelines represent the Director General's commitment to transparency and consistency in 
the handling of all voluntary funds.  
 
 
  
 
  WT/INF/219  
 
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  GUIDELINES FOR THE R ECEIPT AND NOTIFICAT ION OF VOLUNTARY FUN D 
CONTRIBUTIONS  
1.  In keeping with a commitment to streamline the procedures for the notification, approval, 
implementation and reporting on voluntary fund contributions , the Director General has authorised 
the following guideline s which are aimed at improving transparency and consistency in the handling 
of all voluntary funds. These procedures shall be applied in strict conformity with Financial Regulation 
191. 
2.  In the case of formal pledges made for the future establishment of a fund or fu nds, these pledges  
will be notified to members for transparency purposes. Once an actual Fund is proposed in 
furtherance of the pledge, it will be notified as such, in accordance with the guidelines below .  
3.  All voluntary funds will be submitted to the Director General for his consideration and may be 
accepted where he determines that "...the purposes for which the contributions are made are 
consistent with the policies, aims and activities of the WTO" . 
4.  In considering the proffered voluntary contribution , the Director General will receive the 
Administration and General Services Division´s  (AGSD) determination whether the contribution 
would involve direct or indirect financial liability for the WTO.  
5.  When the Director General assesses the proffered funding positively, and u pon receipt of the 
AGSD´s assessment, a notification will be transmitted promptly to the Committee on Budget Finance 
and Administration (CBFA) for consideration.  
• Where the voluntary fund involves no additional financial liability the CBFA will be notified 
within 14 days of the Director General´s receipt of the assessment  and any Member so 
inclined can express its views . 
 
• Where the voluntary fund contribution involves direct or indirect financial liability, the 
notification will be submitted  for consideration and consent by the CBFA  within 14 days of 
the Director General´s receipt of the assessment . 
 
6.  The Secretariat will give detailed notification of all trust funds arising under voluntary fund 
arrangements and will make available supporting documentation to members where required.  
7.  The trust fund notification will outline – 
• The objectives of the trust fund  
• The expected beneficiaries (if specified)  
• The implementation strategy  
• The expected deliverables  
• The amount of the funding dedicated to the trust fund  
• The expected duration  
• The implementation partners identified  
• The secretariat focal points for the trust fund.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Nthisana Phillips  
           Director  
        Administration and General Services Division  
                                                
1 Regulation 19: "Voluntary contributions, gifts or donations from WTO Members and Observers may be 
accepted by the Director -General provided that the purposes for which the contributions are made are 
consistent with the policies, aims and activities of the WTO, and provided that the acceptance of such 
contributions which directly or indirectly involve additional financial liability for the WTO shall require the 
consent of the Committee. Voluntary contributions, gifts or donations from Non -Governmental Donors are 
subject to the additional guidelines  laid out in Annex C…."