WT/TPR/38 5 
22 November  2016 
(16-6164) Page: 1/2 
Trade Policy Review Body   
 
  TRADE POLICY REVIEW MECHANISM  
COMMUNICATION FROM THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE  
TRADE POLICY REVIEW BODY  
SOLOMON ISLANDS  
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  13 and 15 December  2016 to conduct the third review 
of the trade policies and practices of Solomon Islands  (WTO/AIR/ TPR/42). 
2.  This communication sets out arrangements concerning the review meeting . In this connection, 
attention is als o 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.3).  
1  QUESTIONS IN WRITING IN ADVANCE OF THE MEETING AND MAIN POINTS  
3.  Members wishing to submit written questions to the Mem ber under review should do so at least 
two weeks before the review meeting to allow replies to be prepared in time for 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., 
Tuesday 29 November  2016, at the latest.  
4.  In line with the results of the 4th Appraisal of the TPRM (WT/MIN(11)/6, paragraph 27.2.b and 
Annex 2), Members are reminded that they should group their written quest ions 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.  
5.  The Secretariat shall identify the main points contained in the questions submitted at least two 
weeks before a review meeting, post them on the Members' website one week before the meeting, 
and distribute a revised list of main points duri ng the first session of a review when questions 
received after the two-week deadline give rise to significantly n ew issues . The main point s may be 
found on the Members' w ebsite under "Forthcoming Meetings : Documents for Meetings".  
2  ANSWERS IN WRITING BY THE  MEMBER UNDER REVIEW  
6.  Answers by the Member under review should be distributed in writing ; advance questions 
submitted by the two -week deadline before the start of the TPRB review should be answered 
in writing by the Member under review by the start of the meeting . Questions posed subsequently 
should be answered, to the extent possible, before the start of the second session of the meeting . 
Questions left unanswered at the end of the second session should be 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 . WT/TPR/38 5 
- 2 - 
  7.  In the course of the discussions at the review meeting, the Member under review may indicate 
that it intends to provide supplementary informati on, in writi ng, on specific points raised . 
Upon receipt, the Secretariat will circulate a document containing this information to all Members.  
3  DISCUSSANT  
8.  In consultation with the Member under review, the Chairperson of the Trade Policy Review Body 
may choo se a discussant who, in her/his personal capacity, will introdu ce the discussions in the 
Body. Mrs. Dalia KADIŠIENĖ  (Permanent Representative of Lithuania to the WTO ) will act as 
discussant for the review of  Solomon Islands . 
4  STRUCTURE OF THE MEETING  
9.  Trade Policy R eviews 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 policies an d practices on the functioning of th e multilateral 
trading system ; and 
d. general comments by way of assessment and evaluation.  
10.  Meeti ngs take place in two sessions . The first session is devoted to the opening statements by 
the Member under review and the disc ussant, and remark s 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 the Secretaria t in consultation with the Member.  
11.  The speakers list will follow the order in which questions are received by the Secretariat and 
in the event of more than one batch, the final batch will determine the order of speakers . 
Delegations not submitting written questions will continue to speak second, with precedence given 
to Ambassadors present and asking for the floor.  
5  DOCUMENTATION AND PRESS ARRANGEMENTS  
12.  Reports by the Member under review and the Secretariat are contained in the following 
documents:  
WT/TPR/G/ 349 Report by Solomon Islands  
WT/TPR/S/ 349 Solomon Islands : Report by the Secretariat  
13.  The press embargo for th is review will end at 2  p.m. Geneva time on 13 December  2016. 
6  RECORD OF THE MEETING  
14.  The record of the meeting will be circulated as a draft to Mem bers for comments on their own 
statements and placed on the WTO website.  
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