WT/TPR/4 21 
 
11 September  2018 
(18-5607) Page: 1/2 
Trade Policy Review Body    
 
TRADE POLICY REVIEW MECHANISM  
COMMUNICATION FROM THE CHAIRPERSON  
OF THE TRADE POLICY REVIEW BODY  
VANUATU  
Arrangements for Review Meeting  
1.  In pursuance of Article IV, paragraph 4 and Annex 3 of the WTO Agreement, a meeting of the 
Trade Policy Review Body is scheduled for 23 and 25 October 2018 to conduct the first review of 
the trade policies and practices of Vanuatu  (WTO/AIR/TPR/74 ). 
2.  This co mmunication sets out arrangements concerning the review meeting. In this connection, 
attention is also drawn to the procedures for the conduct of reviews contained in the rules of 
procedure of the Trade Policy Review Body (WT/TPR/6/Rev.4).  
3.  Members' attenti on is drawn to the use of the "alternative" time -frame by Vanuatu  
for submission of written questions and responses (see below).  
1  QUESTIONS IN WRITING  IN ADVANCE OF THE ME ETING AND MAIN POINT S 
4.  Members wishing to submit written questions to the Member under  review should do 
so at least five weeks before the review meeting, to al low replies to be submitted 
one week prior to the first session of the meeting. For the forthcoming review, such 
questions should therefore be with the Trade Policies Review Division of the Secretariat 
(tprd@wto.org ) by 5.30 p.m.  on Tuesday 18 September 2018, at the latest.  Delegations are 
informed that Vanuatu has opted for the traditional way of handling questions and answers.  
5.  In accordance with th e rules of procedure of the Trade Policy Review Body 
(WT/TPR/6/Rev.4,  paragraph 17), Members are reminded that they should group their written 
questions into the following three categories so as to facilitate responses: those related to the 
Secretariat report (with a reference to relevant paragraph numbers); those concerning the 
Government report (with a reference to relevant paragraph numbers); and other questions.  
6.  The Secretariat shall identify the main points contained in the qu estions submitted at le ast 
five weeks before a review meeting, post them on the Members' website one week before the 
meeting, and distribute a revised list of main points during the first session of a review when 
questions received after the five-week deadline give rise to signi ficantly new issues. The main 
points may be found on the Members' website under "Forthcoming Meetings: Documents for 
Meetings".  
2  ANSWERS  IN WRI TING BY THE MEMBER UNDER REVIEW  
7.  Answers by the Member under review should be distributed in writing. Advance quest ions 
submitted by the five-week deadline before the start of the TPRB review should be 
answered in writing by the Member under review one week prior to the start of the 
meeting ( 16 October 2018 ). Written answers will be made available on the Members' 
websi te four working days prior to the meeting ( 17 October  2018). Questions posed 
subsequently should be answered, to the extent possible, before the start of the second session of WT/TPR/421  
 
- 2 - 
 
  the meeting. Questions left unanswered at the end of the second session should b e answered in 
writing no later than one month after the meeting with some latitude in the Chair's discretion for 
Members reviewing a very large number of questions.  
8.  In the course of the discussions at the review meeting, the Member under review may indicat e 
that it intends to provide supplementary information, in writing, on specific points raised. Upon 
receipt, the Secretariat will circulate a document containing this information to all Members.  
3  DISCUSSANT  
9.  In consultation with the Member under review, the Chairperson of the Trade Policy Review 
Body may choose a discussant who, in her/his personal capacity, will introduce the discussions in 
the Body. H.E. Miss Cheryl K. SPENCER (Jamaica ) will act as discussant for the review of  Vanuatu . 
4  STRUCTURE OF THE MEET ING 
10.  Trade policy reviews cover four broad headings:  
a. appreciation of the full range of the Member's trade policies and practices;  
b. relevant background: wider economic and developmental needs, including the 
external  environment;  
c. impact of the Member's trade p olicies and practices on the functioning of the multilateral 
trading system; and  
d. general comments by way of assessment and evaluation.  
11.  Meetings take place in two sessions. The first session is devoted to the opening statements by 
the Member under review and the discussant, and remarks and questions from the floor. The 
discussion in the second session, when the Member under review will reply to questions, is based 
on main themes identified after the opening meeting by the Chairperson, the discussant and th e 
Secretariat in consultation with the Member.  
12.  As indicated in the rules of procedure of the Trade Policy Review Body 
(WT/TPR/6/Rev.4,  paragraph 21), the speakers list will follow the order in which questions are 
received by the Secretariat and, in the eve nt of more than one batch of questions, the final batch 
will determine the order of speakers. Delegations not submitting written questions will continue to 
speak second, in the order in which their flags are raised. On the day before each review meeting, 
the Secretariat will post on the WTO Members' website a provisional  list of speakers for the 
first session of that meeting, for Members' advance information.  
5  DOCUMENTATION AND PRESS ARRANGEMENTS  
13.  Reports by the Member under review and the Secretariat are con tained in the 
following  documents:  
WT/TPR/G/ 378 Report by Vanuatu  
WT/TPR/S/ 378 Vanuatu : Report by the Secretariat  
14.  The press embargo for the review of Vanuatu  will end at 2 p.m.  Geneva time on 
23 October  2018. 
6  RECORD OF THE MEETING  
15.  The record of the meeting  will be circulated as a draft to Members for comments on their own 
statements and placed on the WTO website.  
__________