RESTRICTED  
  
WT/GC/M/163  
 
6 September  2016 
(16-4754) Page: 1/65 
General Council  
27 July 2016    
 
MINUTES OF THE MEETI NG 
HELD IN THE CENTRE W ILLIAM RAPPARD ON 27 JULY  2016 
Chairperson:  H.E. Mr Harald Neple (Norway)  
At the outset, the Chairman, on behalf of the General Council, said a few wor ds condemning the 
acts of terror  that had happened recently in different parts of the world.  Several delegations made 
similar statements  of condemnation  during the course of the meeting.  
 
The Chairman, the Director -General and several delegations  welcomed the Republic of Liberia, 
which formally became the 163rd Membe r of the WTO community on 14 July and congratulated the 
Islamic Republic of Afghanistan for completing its domestic ratification process of its Accession 
Protocol. Afghanistan formally became the 164th WTO Member on 29 July.  
 
During the course of the meeti ng, the Chairman, the Director -General and several delegations 
bade farewell to  Amb. Gabriel Duque (Colombia), Amb. Remigi Winzap (Switzerland) , Amb. Päivi 
Kairamo  (Finland), Amb. Haluk Ilicak (Turkey), Amb. Bertrand De Crombrugghe (Belgium), 
Amb. Esteban Conejos  (Philippines), Amb. Martin Eyjólfsson (Iceland),  Amb. Marcos Galvão 
(Brazil), Amb. Eviatar M anor (Israel), Dr. Shih -Yuan Lai (Chinese Taipei), Amb. Nguyen Trung 
Thanh (Viet  Nam), Amb. Thongphane Savanphet  (Lao PDR) , and th e 21st Chairman of the WTO  
General Council – Amb. Fernando de Mateo (Mexico) , who were leaving their post at the WTO, and 
expressed appreciation for their valuable contribution during their time as Permanent 
Representatives.  They also bade farewell  to Mrs Selina Jackson  who was lea ving her post as the  
World Bank Special Representative to the UN and the WTO . 
 
Subjects discussed1: 
1   REPORT BY THE CHAIRM AN OF THE TRADE NEGO TIATIONS COMMITTEE  ....................  2 
2   IMPLEMENTATION OF TH E BALI AND NAIROBI O UTCOMES – STATEMENT BY 
THE CHAIRMAN  ................................ ................................ ................................ ..............  11 
3   WORK PROGRAMME ON SM ALL ECONOMIES — REPORT BY THE CHAIRM AN OF 
THE DEDICATE D SESSION OF THE COM MITTEE ON TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT  .............  15 
4   WORK PROGRAMME ON EL ECTRONIC COMMERCE – REVIEW OF PROGRESS  ..............  16 
5   ELEVENTH SESSION OF THE  MINISTERIAL CONFEREN CE – COMMUNIC ATION 
FROM ARGENTINA  ................................ ................................ ................................ ..........  21 
6   WTO ACCESSIONS – STATEMENT BY MOROCCO  ON BEHALF OF THE AFR ICAN 
GROUP  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...........................  22 
7   RUSSIAN FEDERATION'S  TRADE MEASURES AFFEC TING UKRAINIAN TRANS IT 
OF PRODUCTS – STATEMENT BY UKRAINE  ................................ ................................ ..... 26 
8   WAIVERS UNDER ARTICL E IX OF THE WTO AGRE EMENT  ................................ ...........  29 
8.1   United States – Former Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands – Statement by the 
Chairman of the Council for Trade in Goods  ................................ ................................ ........... 29 
8.2   Review of Waivers pursuant to Article IX:4 of the WTO Agreement  ................................ ...30 
                                                
1 The proposed agenda was ci rculated i n document WT/GC/W/720 . WT/GC/M/163  
 
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  8.2.1    Canada – CARIBCAN, granted on 28 July 2015 until 31  December  2023 ......................... 30 
8.2.2    Preferential Treatment for Least -Developed Countries, granted on 27 May 20 09 
until 30  June 2019 ................................ ................................ ................................ ............. 30 
8.2.3    United States – Former Territory of the Pacific Islands, granted on 27  July 2007 
until 31  December  2016 ................................ ................................ ................................ .....30 
8.2.4    United States – Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act, granted on 5 May 2015 
until 31 De cember 2019  ................................ ................................ ................................ ....30 
8.2.5    Philippines – Special Treatment for Rice, granted on 24  July 2014 until 
30 June 2017 ................................ ................................ ................................ .................... 30 
9   COMMITTEE ON BUDGET,  FINANCE AND ADMINIST RATION – REPORT O N 
MEET ING OF 21 JUNE 2016  ................................ ................................ ............................  31 
10   WTO PENSION PLAN  ................................ ................................ ...............................  32 
10.1   Annual Report of  the Management Board  ................................ ................................ .....32 
10.2   Report of the Independent External Auditor on the Audit of the Financial 
Statements of the WTOPP  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...32 
10.3   Election of r eplacement members  ................................ ................................ ............... 33 
11   ENHANCING THE PARTIC IPATION OF MICRO, SM ALL AND MEDIUM 
ENTERPRISES IN REGIO NAL AND GLOBAL MARKE TS – STATEMENT BY THE 
PHILIPPINES  ................................ ................................ ................................ .................  33 
12   ELEVENTH SESSION OF THE MINISTERIAL CONF ERENCE – COMMUNICATION 
FROM URUGUAY  ................................ ................................ ................................ .............  34 
13   CHAIRMANSHIPS OF THE  NEGOTIATING GROUP ON  MARKET ACCESS, THE 
COUNCIL FOR TRADE IN  SERVICES IN SPECI AL SESSION AND THE 
PREPARATORY COMMITTE E ON TRADE FACILITAT ION – STATEMENT BY THE 
CHAIRMAN  ................................ ................................ ................................ .....................  35 
14   ADMINISTRATIVE MEASU RES FOR MEMBERS IN A RREARS – STATEMENT BY 
THE CHAIRMAN  ................................ ................................ ................................ ..............  35 
ANNEX 1 – THE DIRECTOR -GENERAL'S REPORT AT THE INFORMAL HEADS O F 
DELEGATION MEETING H ELD ON 25 JULY 2016  ................................ .............................  37 
ANNEX 2 – STATEMENTS BY MEMBER S AT THE INFORMAL HEADS O F 
DELEGATION MEETING HELD ON 25 JULY 2016  ................................ .............................  39 
ANNEX 3 – STATEMENT BY UKRAINE  ON THE WORK PROGRAMM E ON 
ELECTRONIC COMMERCE (AGENDA ITEM 4)  ................................ ................................ ... 64 
ANNEX 4 – STATEMENT BY JAPAN O N WTO ACCESSIONS (AGENDA I TEM 6)  ..................  65 
 
1  REPORT BY THE CHAIRM AN OF THE TRADE NEGO TIATIONS COMMITTEE  
1.1.  The Chairman  recalled that a meeting at the level of Heads of Del egation had been held on 
25 July.2 
1.2.  The Director -General , Chairman of the TNC , referred to his report at the Heads of 
Delegations meeting on 25 July circulated in JOB/GC/102 .3 Some of t he Negotiating Group Chairs 
                                                
2 At their request, the s tatements delivered at the 25 July  Informal Meeting at the level of Heads of 
Delegation by the following delegations are incorporated in the minutes of this meeting and can be fo und in 
Annex 2 of this docume nt: Argentina; Bangladesh; Benin (LDCs); Plurinational State of Bolivia; Brazil; China; 
Colombia; Costa Rica; Cuba; Ecuador; European Union; Guatemala (SVEs); Hong Kong, China; India; 
Indonesia; Japan; Republic of Korea; Liberia; Mali (C -4); Montenegro; Ne w Zealand; Norway; Pakistan; 
Paraguay; Peru; Russian Federation; Rwanda (ACP); Singapore; South Africa; Switzerland; Chinese Taipei 
(Article XII Members); United States; and Uruguay.  
3 At The Director -General's request, his statement at the 25 July  Informa l Meeting at the level of Heads 
of Delegation is incorporated in the minutes of this meeting and is reproduced in Annex 1 of this document.  WT/GC/M/163  
 
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  had also circulated their reports .4 Members  had had a good exchange on 25 July and he  reiterate d 
his call to them  to be ready to move into a full proposal -driven process immediately after the 
summer break.  
1.3.  All delegations that spoke  thanked the Director -General and the Chairs of the Negotiating 
Group s for their reports, their hard efforts  and for sharing their assessment on the way forward.  
1.4.  The representative of Turkey  thank ed his colleague s and the Secretariat for their coop eration 
and friendship during his tenure. He had a great pleasure being part of the WTO community and 
was happy to have witnessed small yet important outcomes reached by the WTO . Given the 
increase in momentum  on various subjects in recent weeks , he was certain that there was more to 
come.   
1.5.  He recalled that o n 15 July , a group of p lotters in the army  attached to the Fethull ah Gulen 
terrorist organization  had attempted to stage a coup d'état  in Turkey. It had been  an act of terror 
of a gigantic scale. But thanks to the determined resistance of the people , President Erdoğan  and 
the elected Governm ent committed to democracy, the  coup attempt had been foiled and 
democracy had won. Turkey  wished to thank all nations for standing with it during that  difficult 
time. The event had had no effect at all  on Turkey's economic and trade policies . As before, c apital 
movements were free, exchange policy wa s liber al, import and export policies were stable, and the 
WTO remained a priority. Turkey  present ed its  sincere condolences to the families of all the people 
who had sacrificed their lives during the coup attempt and  to the families and countries of the 
victims of the terrorist attack s perpetrated recently in many Member -countries.  
1.6.  Turkey remind ed Members that time was not on thei r side. After the summer break, they 
would  be almost half -way to wards  the next Ministerial Conference. T he remaining time should 
therefore be used efficiently to  reach credible outcomes on as many i ssues as possible by MC11.  
1.7.  During the  25 July HODs meeting , the new motto "from reflection to action " had been said  
repeatedly . Rather than being rhetoric, it should serve to guide their  aims and deeds.  
1.8.  On services, the renewed energy and  readiness to engage among the M embership  was 
encouraging. There had been  many written contributions on e -commerce, some of which were co -
spons ored by Turkey. Turkey was  studying all of them with an ope n-mind and constructive spirit. 
The MIKTA workshop on e -commerce was also a credible contri bution to the discussion on that  
issue.  The op portu nity to negotiate strong domestic r egulation  discipline s should not be missed . 
Turkey sense d a general willingness on that area and would  continue to engage in all endeavo urs 
to that end. Trade Facilitat ion for trade in services was likewise a great idea and Turkey looked 
forward to written proposals in that r egard.  
1.9.  Concerning agriculture,  there wa s a growing tendency among some M embers t o push forward 
domestic support  as the pri ority subject to deliver at MC11. Reaching a fair and development -
oriented outcome in domestic support, as required by their negotiati ng mandates, wa s also a 
priority  for Turkey. Any outcome in that  pillar should focus on reducing the imbalances of the 
Agreement on Agriculture. I n the absence of a comprehensive and ambitious deal in the  domestic 
support pillar envisaged in the Rev.4 text , Members  should work to eliminate the inequal ity 
between Members with  AMS commitments and those bound with only de minimis . For that 
purpose, adopting product -specific AMS limits based on the v alue of production should be 
prioritised. The Agreement on Agr iculture did not  likewise  impose any limitation on  the Green and 
Blue Box support . To effectively contain their trade distorting effects, priority in the negotiations 
should be given to develop disciplines on those two types of support.  In that regard, t he Rev.4 
modalities would provide  a good basis for discussion . 
1.10.   On the other hand, domestic support was  not the only priority issue in agriculture for 
Turkey. As had been persistently expressed by Turkey before and after MC10 , correct ing current 
imbalances un der the  Agreement  on Agriculture remained an absolute necessity. Turkey and a 
large group of developing Members regarded SSM  and Public Stockholding for F ood Security 
Purposes as priorities as well . Following  the respective Nairobi Ministerial Decisions, M embers 
                                                
4 Reports of some Negotiating Group Chairs were circulated as follows: Committee on Agriculture in 
Special Session i n JOB/AG/81, Council for Trade in Services in Special Session in JOB/SERV/237 and the 
Committee on Trade and Development in Special Session in JOB/DEV/38.  WT/GC/M/163  
 
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  needed to advance the negotiations on those areas with a sense of urgency. They should  thus 
adopt a simple and operational SSM for de veloping Members and find a permanent solution to th e 
PSH issue for all developing M embers  without distinguishing th ose with  such programmes from the 
rest. Without those elements, w orking on any pa ckage in agriculture for MC11 would be difficult.  
1.11.   Some M embers, inc luding some major players, did not  believe that they could yield  any 
potential outcome on  NAMA. L ooking for solutions outside the WTO t hrough RTAs , mega tra de 
deals and plurilaterals seemed to be  the recent trend. An outcome on NAMA  would  however  be 
important for the credibility of the WTO and t he multilateral trading system. Each Member had  the 
right to have it s own perspective on the negotiations . But losing  hope in liberalising  trade in NAMA 
products  through the WTO  would bring negative implications for achiev ing comprehensive results 
in other important pillars .  
1.12.   Although it would not be easy to determine w hich way to follow and how to  move further, 
Turkey hoped that Members would  find a working and practical solution for them  and for the future 
of the organization. Turkey stood  ready to e ngage in tho se efforts. As the  outcome achieved in 
Nairobi had been limit ed, Members  should also contin ue to work on LDC issues. Turkey remained 
ready to engage . 
1.13.   The representative of Ukraine  said that Members  should follow Ministers ' clear in structions 
enshrined in  paragraph  31 of the Nairobi Ministerial Declaration on advanci ng thei r work in 
Agriculture, NAMA, Services, Development, TRIPS and Rules. 
1.14.   Ukraine noted  the priorities of some Members o n specific issues and remained  firm in 
assigning agriculture as a priority sector. Substantial reforms on agriculture sho uld remain a core 
pillar in achieving Members'  common goal of a successful  MC11. Ukraine thus commended  the 
work of the Chair of the Co A-SS in deepening the discussions on tho se important issues.  
1.15.   Existing agri cultural market access preserved  an excess of p rotectionist tools. Members had  
tariff peaks, tariff escalation, high bound tariffs, occasional unbound tariffs, permanently invoked 
special safeguards and quantitative restrictions among many other protecti ve border tools. They 
should address tho se issues  urgently to establish fair and more predictable market access in their 
global food and fib re markets.  
1.16.   Domestic support remained  of great importance for Ukraine. Misuse and extreme  use of 
domestic support created  price volatility, overproduction and generally unpredict able and trade -
unfriendly consequences for other Members. Ukraine therefore support ed the concept of " levelling 
the playing field"  in agricultural support policies.  
1.17.   Ministers had taken  a significant step at Nairobi through actions to reduce and eliminate all 
forms of export subsidies and all export me asures with equivalent effect. The world should not 
wait longer to make the agricultural policy and trade system fair a nd more predictable. The WTO 
could and should  do its  fair share towards a more food -secure  world.  
1.18.   Members should move  soon after the summer break to wards  a common, fact -based action 
on the o utstanding agricultural issues. Amid the task's complexity and many political distractions, 
Ukraine remained  ready to engage in meaningful, creative exchang es to uncover the best possi ble 
outcomes and stood  firmly behind strengthen ing the WTO system.  
1.19.   The representative of Mexico5, said that the years he had  been in  Geneva as Mexico 's 
Permanent Representative had been a wonderful p eriod of his life, particular ly due to the  support 
and friendship  of his colleagues. He was  leaving with the uplifting feeling that the WTO was a very 
successful o rganization, but at the same time with a deep sense of frustration for not having been 
able to successfully conclude the n egotiations that would further re -invigorate it , bringing benefits 
to all its M embers.  
1.20.   With the almost miraculous  exceptions of trade facilitation and export competition courtesy 
of Director -General Azevêdo, t he negotiations Members had  started 15 years before had not 
                                                
5 The farewell speech of Ambassador Fernando de Mateo (Mexico), 21st Chairman of the  WTO General 
Council, was subsequently circulated in JOB/GC/104.  WT/GC/M/163  
 
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  succeeded b ecause they were collectively not sufficiently interested in a substantive multilat eral 
outcome any longer. T hey had  thus found comfort in delivering piecemeal res ults every two years. 
At the same time, m ost of them had  been subscri bing to ambitious RTAs. There had  moreover  
been an avoidance of engaging in negotiations with those Members that could  constitute a threat 
to the vested interests of thei r own constituencies.  
1.21.   Income and wealth inequalities among  and particularly within nat ions had repeatedly been 
denounced as the main problem of their times  and correctly so . Those that had been left behind 
were rightly  demanding to be treated better. They we re demanding to close the gap between 
themselves and the most privileged ones.  
1.22.   Globalization had  increasingly been blamed for  such inequalities – and trade wa s the most 
tangible reflection of globalization. Hence, trad e alongside with migration was blamed as the 
source of the rising inequalities and the so -called de -industri alization. Th e corollary of that view 
was that restricting trade would  solve all or most problems. No wonder the number of trade 
restricting measures imposed b y countries around the world had  been increasing year after year 
since the outbreak of the crisis with little roll-back as the WTO Secretariat periodically reported . 
Alarmingly, the mee tings of the TPRB to examine those reports had  become a routine  with no 
substantive discussion and no real peer review.  
1.23.   But c ritics of trade liberalization we re barking up t he wrong  tree. Globalization had  just 
amplified a problem that had existed already because of the exponential acceleration of 
technological progress and the implementation of inappropriate domestic  policies. In reality, trade 
had made the world ric her and its bene fits of it had  reached most countries and most people 
around t he world. Attribution should not be placed on trade i f those benefits had  not been shared 
equitably within countries  but to the lack of the required complementary policies and institutional 
structures – the effective fight against poverty, the provision of appropriate re -training, the 
improvement of a high -quality education system  and the sheer rule of law.   
1.24.   For the pa st few years, world trade had  been growing at a slower pace than global GDP. I f 
the claims of those pr eaching anti -trade policies had been right, the world would currently be 
better off. In fact, they were in dire st raits. What was needed was more,  not less trade. They  
require d a game -changer. Though during the past 20 years many FT As had  been implemented, 
none of them could be considered to fulfi l that role – perhaps with the exce ption of the TPP, when 
it would enter  into force.  
1.25.   A far-reaching agreement in the WTO would provide a huge impetus to world trade and 
consequently to econ omic growth. B ut the stars and constellations, for those who believe d in 
astrology, did not seem to be pointing to that  part of the universe  at least for the time being. The 
last train seemed  to have departed barely one month before the explosion of the fi nancial crisis – 
though it would be a bit audacious to draw a correlation between one and the other.  
1.26.   World economic power had  been re -aligned, with consequent changes on the balance of soft  
power in W TO negotiations. He had been long enough in the busines s to have  had to do with the 
Quad, the Blair House G -2, the G-5, G-6 and even G -7. Like it or not, they were currently  stuck 
with a G -2 that barely talk ed to each other.  
1.27.   As long as one Member continued  insisting that it had  paid enough during its accessio n to 
the WTO and  another maintaining that it had  contributed more tha n anyone else since the GATT 
had been created, they we re going nowhere  or nearby nowhere. The reality was that both those 
Members had  benefitted more than anyone else from the mult ilatera l trading system and  he was  
sorry to say that  both should bring back to t he system some of what they had  received from it – 
simple logic of sustainability. That was not a zero -sum game. Members would all benefit from a 
strengthened multilateral trading sys tem. 
1.28.   Some other Members did not  believe in trade or th ey did not believe in imports and we re 
happy with the status  quo all in the name of policy space – a space that was seldom used and 
when used it wa s often misused. In a time of rapid technological chang e, import substitution not  
inserted in the world economy wa s either applicable to basic consumer goods or an i llusion. In 
either case, it put  the br akes to economic development. Members  tended to for get that poor WT/GC/M/163  
 
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  people were also consumers and yet they we re the ones who would suffer  the most when they 
could  only acquire low -quality, expensive goods and services.  
1.29.   Development should continue to be at  the core of trade negotiations  and it would be best 
served if trade liberalization had taken  place in the goo ds and services e xported by developing 
country Members  including the LDCs. But Members would do a disservice to themselves if they  
believe d that development was synonym ous to only looking for exceptions. T hat wa s not the 
special and differential treatment he believe d in as he did  not believe in the exceptions in 
agriculture that allow ed for particularly but not  only for developed country Members  high levels of 
domestic support and outrageously high tariffs.  
1.30.   He wished that someday back in Mexico City  he wou ld read in a newspaper that the WTO 
had succeeded in reform ing the rules applicable to that  sector, opening up markets and providin g 
only green box subsidies. That  would be one of the best ways to support development.  
1.31.   He could not leave Geneva without sayi ng a word on s ervices – the backbone of the wor ld 
economy. Efficient services we re behind a competitive economy. In a sect or where the amount of 
"water" was huge, for  both de veloped and developing country Members , negotiations could have 
been e asily conclu ded a long time ago  as mandated by the built -in agenda of the Urugua y Round. 
Short -sightedness by  all Members  by linking the outcomes in serv ices with those of other issues  
had made progress impossible. He hoped that at least bits and pieces could  be part of the outcome 
of a successful MC11  particularly those related to the digital economy.  
1.32.   It wa s great to have a bottom -up, consen sus-based organization. But the system had its 
downsides. In his  many years dealing with the GATT/WTO, the veto power had  been us ed a 
number of times  and unnecessarily so in all of them. Com ing from a country that believed that 
vetoes we re to be cast ed only in extreme situations, he could  assert that Members need ed to deal 
with that issue if they  wanted the WTO to survive the sclero sis that wa s engulfing it little by little.  
1.33.   And the cherry on the pie wa s also  going through rough waters. He was  not just talking 
about the increasing workload of th e panels and the Appellate Body  or the process to reappoint 
Appellate Body Members – a huge problem by itself that Members should solve soon – but also t he 
way the selection processes we re being carried ou t. The vetoes and cross -vetoes were getting too 
complicated. They  all should start serious conversations t o avoid situations as the one they  were 
in. In fact, the whole system should be reviewed in a s erious way – and many ideas had  already 
been floated.  
1.34.   He said that  Director -General Azevêdo had proven  to be a fantastic Director -General and 
therefore should b e reappointed for a second term , if he so wish ed. He had  a great team of 
exceptional prof essionals many of whom he had worked closely with. He could  not leave without 
mentioning Victor  do Prado  and his colleagues, Valerie  Hughes  and her team, and Hamid  Mamdouh 
and the rest of the Services and Investme nt Division. With all of them he had worked closely all 
those yea rs, and  with DDG Yi , DDG Agah , DDG Shark  and DDG Brauner . He also thanked all the  
interpreters  who had done a terrific job.  
1.35.   Chairs were just pieces of furniture but if one  would break them  one would  have to sit on 
the floor – and it would  not be comfortable. Members should therefore t ake care  of them , 
particularly of GC Chairman Neple.  
1.36.   He thanked  the Mexican Government  and particula rly Secretary Guajardo  for allowing him 
to serve h is country. He had done his  best to defend Mexico's interests.  
1.37.   He believe d that it had been his  longest spee ch in the General Council  but he  would be 
remiss if he did not  mention the unrestricted support he had received all tho se years from 
everyone in th e Mexican Mission  and from his  wife. H e simply would  not be there that day  without 
her behind him . 
1.38.   The representative of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , on behalf of the Arab Group , 
commend ed the people and the G overnment of Turkey for their determination and  sacrifices to 
maintain the rule  of law and to preserve their democ ratically elected government. The Arab Group 
sent their condolences and sympathies to the families of the victims  from that event.  WT/GC/M/163  
 
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  1.39.   In the p ast few weeks, Members had been active ly engaging  in discussing the way forward 
in various areas of WTO negotiations. The momentum and the emerging signs of moving the 
negotiations from reflection to action  were encouraging. Many Members had  recently renewed 
their optimism for future negotiations  particu larly on Agriculture by submitting some proposals to 
revive the efforts in moving the negotiations forward . Those discussions however had  not brought 
them closer in determining how to proceed. Nevertheless, they should not be discouraged from 
continuing th eir work in a positive manner to achieve meaningful a nd balanced outcomes at  MC11. 
They should capitalise on the momentum  obtained f rom the success  of the Bali and Nai robi 
Ministerial Conferences.  
1.40.   In preparation for MC11, Members should make sure to  use their time wisely and  to work  
with a sense of urgency to make tangible progress for  the interest of all. To achieve their  collective 
goal, they  should work in a positive spirit and show their  strong political will to deliver a succ essful 
outcome at MC11. The ir future work should be guided by the Decisions adopted in the previous 
Ministerial Conferences both in spirit and in letter. They should redouble thei r efforts to achieve 
more success and to have meaningful outc omes of the various issues on their agenda.  They should 
continue thei r work on the Doha remaining issues, and maintain development and S&D provisions 
at the heart of the  negotiations.  
1.41.   The Arab Group reiterated its commitment to the multilateral trading system and remained  
ready to engage constructi vely in the work ahead.  
1.42.   The representative of Malaysia , on behalf of ASEAN , noted that considerable work had  been 
done since Nairobi, both through formal WTO Committees and Negotiating Groups, and also 
through informal work shops organized by Members – including  the infor mal workshop on MSMEs 
which had been  co-organiz ed by a number of ASEAN Member States.  
1.43.   However,  the pace of Members' work should  pick up signific antly in the second semester. 
Efforts  should be redoubled  to give fresh ideas on the remaining D DA issues and continue 
exploratory conversations  on non -DDA issues. M ore attention should be given to work on NTBs – 
an area of common inter est to many developing country Members. ASEAN would do its  part and 
engage actively in all tho se areas.  
1.44.   Multilatera lism should  remain  at the heart of the WTO's work. Members should not forget 
the development di mension of their work. ASEAN  urged all Members, especially the majors, to do 
their part in keeping the WTO at the forefront of the international trade governance  system.   
1.45.   The representative of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela  express ed Venezuela's  concern  
on the discussions in the  respective negotiating groups in recent weeks. T hose discussions  
appeared to have taken place in a vacuum due to the absence of  a common understanding of what 
mandate they were basing them from. In the Nairobi  Declaration, Ministers  had collectively 
decided not to end the Doha  Development Work Programme  and they had not  agreed to  address 
other or new issues . Proposals  had however bee n submitted in negotiating groups that we re not 
necessarily  supported by existing mandates. Furthermore, regular bodies had  replicated some 
discussions that took  place simultaneously in the negotiating groups. If Members were to  move 
from refl ection to act ion based on text ual proposals, they should first have  a clear understandin g 
of what mandates they were anchoring their actions from . 
1.46.   Venezuela  reiterate d its commitment to the Doha Declaration  in terms of its architecture 
and the negotiating mandate  and v alued the  documents that had  been drafted collectively in the 
house since then . For example, t he Rev.4 Modalities text in Agriculture had been  the basis for the 
Nairobi  Decision  on Export Competition. It could likewise be a basis for  resolvin g other agricultural 
issues . It was essential to p rogress in agriculture  but reform s should  not only  respond to offensive 
interests.  Members should also  address in a balanced way the concern s of importing Members 
whose agricultural sector  provided livelihood, rural deve lopment and food security.  
1.47.   The development dimension should prevail in all areas. S&D  treatment should  not be 
reduced to longer implementation period s with the same commitment  for all Members. The 
development  dimension should  be translated into conc rete me chanisms and disciplines many of 
which had  already  been extensively discussed in the negotiations . WT/GC/M/163  
 
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  1.48.   Venezuela remained concerned that discussions on  new or other iss ues had  garnered more 
momentum than those areas under the current negotiating agenda.  Such t rend had been taking 
place despite neither  having an understanding nor a mandate on how to address tho se issues.  
1.49.   Entering into plurilateral agreements was  becoming the new narra tive at the WTO, a 
multilateral forum par excellence , which  worried  Venezuela . Much effort had been exerted to make 
a forum such as the GATT into the WTO. Members should therefore  support  a more inclusive and 
participatory international trade  with disciplines that address ed the broader and di fferent interests 
and realities and that  served as a means to achieve the ultimate goal of development.  
1.50.   Venezuela was committed to WTO work, particularly heading towards MC11, and was ready 
to engage in a transparent and inclusive process.  
1.51.   The representative of Uganda  associated  with the statement s made by the LDCs, the ACP 
and the African Group  at the 25 July HODs meeting . Uganda  request ed Members to recall and take 
note of the views it had expressed during the May  General Council meeting which remained  valid 
and should be reflect ed as part of the  record of the current  meeting6. 
1.52.   The representative of Nepal  associated with the statement made by the LDCs at the 25 July 
HODs meeting. It was indeed  time to move from reflection to action wit h specificity at the core as 
had been rightly mentioned. The mu ltilateral trading system h ad an important role to play in line 
with the spirit and momentum created by the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, 
particularly in making international trade a driver of poverty elimination, inclusive economic 
growth and s ustainable development in all parts of the worl d. Specific proposals  should therefore 
be developed to ensure that there would be  enough time for deliberations and reaching points  of 
convergence on issues of  collective importance in the lead -up to MC11.  
1.53.   The LDC Group had  already  submitted its post -Nairobi indicative priority list for Membe rs' 
consideration in line with paragraph  24 of the Nairobi D eclaration as men tioned by the Coordinator 
of the Group. Could Members  put the concerns and interests of the  LDCs at the centre and build up  
in a bottom -up manner while equitably accommodating interes ts of the developing country 
Members  commensurate with the ir development needs?  For LDCs like Nepal, systemic and full 
implementation of the Bali and Nairobi packages a nd further concrete outcome in delivering the 
intended bene fits from the S&D Treatment provisions bore great importance. The call to ensure  a 
more predictable market access to the LDCs'  goods and products by properly addres sing the non -
tariff barriers had  moreover become timely.  
1.54.   Learning from the run -up to Nairobi, Members should bridge the ir differences as early as 
possible and move towards convergence  in their common agenda. Nepal remained  hopeful that 
they would succeed in that respect by putting the LD C agenda at the centre  of their work . 
1.55.   The representative of Colombia , on a personal note,  thanked  the Chairman and the 
Director -General for their kind words. During his p ast three year s in Geneva, one simple idea had  
always guided his actions: the multilat eral trading system was a global public good that Members  
should all defend and that the sum wa s more than the parts . He agreed  with what Ambassador de 
Mateo had said . The growing interdependence of countries because of technological advancements  
and new w ays of doing business,  the notion of consumers and global challenges mean t that the 
WTO was becoming more relevant each  day. Its ordinary functi oning and the benefits it offered  to 
the people being rep resented by each Member therefore required the WTO to a dopt a 
comprehensive approach that  would overcome Members' particular interests by heading  towards 
global governance.  
1.56.   He was completing an important stage in his life  as the Permanent R epresentative of 
Colombia to the WTO. They had a saying in Colombia th at nobody could  take away the dance s that 
one had had . Despite  major int ernal challenges in Colombia , they had always tried to be a bridge 
by playing a constructive role in the organization in making it responsive to the needs of their 
people and  the inter national c ommunity .  
                                                
6 At Uganda's request, its statement at the 12 May Ge neral Council meeting found in paragraph s 1.23 to 
1.28 of the minutes of that meeting in WT/GC/M/162  is incorporated by reference in the records of this 
meeting.  WT/GC/M/163  
 
- 9 - 
 
  1.57.   As it was his last General Council meeting, he  thank ed all his colleagues in the house who 
had made his  experience in Geneva  unforgettable. He  extend ed his gratitude  to the competent 
officials in the Secretariat more particularly to Ha mid Mamdouh , Victor  do Prado  and their 
incredible teams , and to the inter preters for their patience. The WTO was made up of Members 
represented by their best technicians and professionals who were equally  wonderful people.  
1.58.   Gabriel Garcia Marquez in  his bo ok "Love in the Time of Cholera" talked  about the mem ory 
of the heart that eliminated all problems. Due to the WTO, Members had managed to overcome 
the past. He was  grateful for the incredible experiences he had had in the organization  and for 
learning  so much during his short passage  at the WTO . In a time of growing interconnectivity, he 
hoped to be able to see many of his colleagues  again  soon. 
1.59.   The representative of Chile said that time wa s moving on more quickly than the WTO's  
decisions and their impleme ntation. Looking at MC11, Members we re on the home strai ght towards 
the finishing line. In Chile's view, t he remaining stretch required them  to work expe ditiously and 
simultaneously on : (i) the s wift implement ation of the Nairobi outcomes,  where the credib ility 
gained at MC10 and the optimism that surrounded them  were at stake;  (ii) continuing the 
negotiations on unresolved issues that concern ed all Members  such as domestic support and 
market access in agriculture; and , (iii) NAMA and Services , which remain ed key to achieving a 
balanced outcome.  
1.60.   As regards the negotiations on agriculture, Chile welcome d Ambassador Vitalis' recent 
report and his unstinting efforts in sear ch of substantial results in tho se negotiations with a view to 
MC11. Through his c onsulta tions in various formats he had  encouraged Me mbers to table 
documents which provided impetus to the process. I t would be crucial to secure outcomes in both 
market access and domestic support  and to ensure implementation of the Nairobi Declaration in  
the ex port competition pillar. One aspect that Chile  would be particularly i nterested in addressing 
concerned  domest ic subsidies in agriculture , which mad e the export of agricultur al products 
commercially viable  generating considerable distortion in foreign mark ets and hence unfair 
competitio n with domestic exports abroad. Although divergent positions remained,  recent 
meetings of the CoA -SS had  generated good di scussions. A ny progress made in levelling the 
playing field would  be a major achievement.  
1.61.   Concerning th e Services negotiations, it wa s important to highlight the work under way in 
the Working  Party on Domestic Regulation  whose progres s towards a negotiating text had Chile's 
support. As Chile had stated on other occasions, it was  open to simul taneous conside ration of the 
so-called new issues which were not in fact new  because in substan ce they could  be traced back to 
the origins of the o rganization.  
1.62.   The recent UNCTAD 14 Conference had empha sized the implementation of Agenda 2030 
and its trade an d sustainable development goals on how to promote economic growth and its 
impact on employment and social and environmental sustainability by enhancing and broadening 
the scope of international trade. The WTO thus was at the heart of the challenge. MC11 should 
deliver o utcomes that we re consistent with Agenda 2030's expectation s regarding international 
trade  in line  with the decision adopted by thei r governments at the United Nations.  
1.63.   Chile stood  ready to advance work on the least contentious issues  but with a view to 
addressing the most complex ones  in the lit tle time that remained and to work towards tho se 
outcomes with creativity, openness and political will.  
1.64.   The representative of China  referred to the  outcomes of the G20 Trade Ministers Meet ing 
recently held in Shangh ai on 9 -10 July. M inisters had agreed to enhance trade growth and i mprove 
global trade governance. O n the basis of  consensus, the Trade Ministers' Statement and three 
annexes: Terms of Reference of the G20 Trade and Investment Working Group, G20 Strategy f or 
Global Trade Growth and G20 Guiding Principles for Global Investment Policymaking  had been 
released. T he Ministers ' Statement tog ether with the three annexes had been circulated in 
WT/L/989 on 18 July 2016. Interested Members could approach China for fu rther details. China  
wished to  commend  Ambassador Jonathan Fried (Canada)  for his excellent contribution to the final 
outcome as the co -chair of the G20 Trade and Investment Working Group. China would inform the 
Chairman and the Members should there be new development s in the areas of trade and 
investment from the G20 leaders'  meeting to be held in Hangzhou on  the first week of September.  WT/GC/M/163  
 
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  1.65.   The representative of Barbados  wished to pose  two basic questions as a basis for reflection. 
First, could  a premier trad e and devel opment organization, as the WTO certainly wa s, stand apart 
from emerging trade, economic and soci al developments that were currently  weaving themselves 
into the global economic fabric? The WTO could not. Second, could the WTO turn its ba ck on 
understandings, decisions and agreements that had  been forged through the negotiating sweat of 
its collective Membership ? The WTO could not.   
1.66.   The WTO's agenda should  therefore consist of a judicious mix of the past, the present and 
the future. To move forwar d, Members should respect the past and embrace the future with  all the 
potential risk involved. They should assume the risk on development. They could not set thei r 
negotiating lines in concrete. They ought  to use a m ore malleable material – he suggest ed sand 
particularly those sourced from the pr istine beaches of Barbados.  
1.67.   He had the impression that the WTO wa s being viewed as a distant organization  – a distant 
creature. If they would be distant, they would be committing a fundamental mistake. Members 
should remember that t he WTO was them selves . Its failure would be the Membership's  collective 
failure.  
1.68.   The representative of Liberia  extend ed Liberia's  apprec iation for all the kind words f rom 
Members that had welcomed it on board. Liberia  expressed its willingness to contin ue to work 
along with all Members during the post-accession  stage.  
1.69.   The representative of Brazil , on a personal note, recalled that in mid -May he had abruptly 
left Geneva without saying goodbye. One afterno on he had received a phone call and  24 hours 
later he had flown out to Brasilia. The two years and seven months he had spent working with all 
Members  and with colleagues that had left Geneva ahead of him had been a happy period of his 
professional and  personal life . Landing dur ing the final  stretch of the negotiations for Bali had 
however been  a stressful experience , but it had led to a steeper and thus faster learning curve. I t 
would have been harder to take up his current job had he not had that  experience — one that he  
intensely value d and would definitely miss.  
1.70.   He said that s itting beside him at the meeting was Ambassador Evandro Didonet. He had  
already been approved by the Senate and formally a ppointed by the President as Brazil's  new 
Permanent Representative  to the WTO. Ambassador  Didon et had  a long experience as a trade 
negotiator and formulator and had had the chance to work with the Director -General on that front. 
He was sure that all delegations would  enjoy working with him.  
1.71.   Ambassador Didonet would  have the mission  of representing a  Brazil that wa s changing. 
Changing, among other ways, in the sens e that over the recent years Brazil's  society, business 
communi ty and political leadership had  moved towards a consensual understanding that that time 
around  returning to econ omic growth wou ld require  a greater contribution from its  presence in 
international trade and investment flows than in the past. The strength of its  large and dynamic 
domestic market would  continue to be rel evant  but certainly not sufficient.  
1.72.   As Brazil  looked around to t he current key players, it knew that to a certain extent it would  
be rowing against a tide of anti -trade, anti -integration sentiments, discourses and potentially of 
policies resu lting from such an environment. Brazil could see all of that but it would  not turn 
around and give up. Rather, it would persevere. Brazil would  be proa ctive and try to be creative. It 
would  not be constrained by preconceived reservations, by ideological or policy do gmas. That 
change had  already  been taking place i n the recent past a nd would  proceed.  
1.73.   As he had said when he had taken  office in Brasilia, in the presence of Minist er Jose Serra of 
Brazil's Foreign Ministry: Brazil had  turned  off the autopilot. Nothing would  be dec ided or done 
only because that was the way it had been done  before. Brazil had switched to manual mode and 
in Geneva  Ambassador Didonet would  take over the flight deck.  
1.74.   In the same vein,  for almost three years, he had witnessed  Director -General Azevêdo  do the 
same thing as WTO Director -General. He had  switched  off the autopilot and had gently but firmly 
steered Members'  work towards the p ath that the majority had  wanted to take: one of concrete 
results achieved with determination , pragmatism, more transparency and  more dialogue. Bali and WT/GC/M/163  
 
- 11 - 
 
  Nairobi had been  an express ion of that — digging out real  progress from grounds that had been  
made le ss fertile by expectations ranging  from sceptical  to outright pessimistic.  
1.75.   Brazil was proud of Director -General  Azevêdo 's work at the WTO and  had always understood 
that he was not Br azil's D irector -General . He was the D irector -General  of all Members. His  
decisions  had always reflected that and Brazil was  fully co mfortable with the fact that he was  there 
to serve the int erests of the entire M embership . Brazil was glad to note that the choices he had 
made had more often been  right than wrong. Brazil shared  and support ed his  unwavering 
commitment to multilateralism, inclus iveness and development and was convinced that he would 
decisively help lead Members'  work to further harvests and acc omplishments.  
1.76.   On behalf of the Brazilian Governme nt at the highest level  he said that should Director -
General Azevêdo consider making himself available to the o rganization, to all Members, for a 
second period as Director -General, he could count on the sam e level of support, the same priority 
engagement from Brasilia that he had  relied on since the beginning of his journey in late 2013. 
The decision was then in his  hands to make. As far as Brazil's support and mobilization was 
concerned, its government had already decided. Brazil would be behind him  all the way.  
1.77.   Before wrapping up, he  owed a special word of gratitude to all members of his Mission 
beginning with Marcia Donner, who had passed the torch to him  after eight months as charg é 
d’affaires and  after another three months in charge would pass the torch to Ambassador Didonet  
with whom she had worked before  in Washington and Brasilia.  He thank ed the Chairman, all his 
colleagues, the Director -General  and Victor do Prado and all mem bers of the Secretariat f or their  
fundamental and always frie ndly and illuminating support . 
1.78.   The Director -General  said that Brazil had touch ed on a few points which  would be useful to 
comment  on particularly regarding the support  of the Government of Brazil for a potential second 
term. He  thank ed the support that Brazil had  given th roughout and  that of Members who had 
helped made all of tho se possible. After two successful Ministerial C onfere nces, he was energized 
about what the WTO  had achieved . There wa s still a lot m ore to be d one and they should not leave 
critical moments behind. W ith all the work ahead , he said that  uncertainty would not be  good. He 
had been  receiving a lot of questions from delegations,  the press, capitals and Ministers.  He had 
also been hearing a lot of rumour s in Geneva. Even tho ugh the process of selection had not yet 
begun, he thought it would be useful for the sake of transpa rency and for the Membership that he 
made his  thinking clear  – he would be available for a second term if Members believe d that that 
was something that was helpful , but he would only make a formal announcement  at the start of 
the selection process that would be commenced by the Chairman.   
1.79.   The Chairman  drew attention to the Procedure s for the Appointment of Directors -General in 
WT/L/509. The first step would  take place at the October  General Council meeting where he would  
inform delegations that the proc ess would  commence in December. It also provided that a  serving 
Director -General , if he  decided to seek reappointment, should notify the C hairman of the General 
Council befo re the s tart of the process, which in that case would be  before t he beginning of 
December.  
1.80.   The General Council took note  of the Director -General's report and of the statements.  
2  IMPLEMENTATION OF TH E BALI AND NAIROBI O UTCOMES – STATEMENT BY THE 
CHAIRMAN  
2.1.  The Chairman7 said that to continue to follow up the decisions made in Bali and Nairobi  and 
to do that in an inclusive and transpare nt manner,  he had suggested  at the May meeting to  keep 
that item on the agenda and that he would  continue to provide a report on implementation 
matte rs at their succeeding meetings  where updates would be  available.  
2.2.  On 21 July, he had  met with the Chairpersons of Regular Bodies to discuss implementation 
issues and progress on r egular work in furt herance of their collective agenda. He was  grateful to 
all of them for their earnest efforts in making tangible progr ess in thei r work in their respective 
bodies – their updates from that meeting form ed the basis of his statement . 
                                                
7 The Chairman's statement was subsequently circulated in JOB/GC/103.  WT/GC/M/163  
 
- 12 - 
 
  2.3.  Regarding the so -called  Decisions on "regular work", there would be  separate agenda items 
for two of them: the Work Programmes on Small Economies an d E-commerce and Members would 
hear relevant updates under those items.  
2.4.  Concerning TRIPS non -violation and situation complaints, furt her to the MC10 Dec ision, the 
Council for TRIPS had  discussed the matter at its March and June meetings when delegations had 
mostly reiterated their well -known positions. While they had recognized the Ministerial mandate 
given to the Council to examine sco pe and modalities that would be applicable to non -violation and 
situation complaints, Members had remained divided on whether such complaints should a pply to 
TRIPS, whether there had been  a need to establish scope and modalities and whose task it would 
be to propose possible elements for scop e and modalities. The Chair's consultations with 
delegations on the matter would  continue before the TRIPS Council's next meeting in November.  
2.5.  Regar ding Aid -for-Trade, he recall ed that the General Council had taken note  of the Aid -for-
Trade biennial work programme at the  February meet ing. An integral element of the biennial work 
programme wa s the Sixth Global Review of Aid -for-Trade, with the theme of "Promoting 
Conne ctivity". The Global Review would  take place in mid -2017. Like in the past, an extensive 
monitor ing and evaluation exercise would underpin the Global Review. T he CTD  Chairman had  
finalized work on the monitoring and evaluation questionnaire. The backgro und note, the case 
story format  and the different questio nnaires we re being circulated  to Members. The Director -
General would also be writing to Members inviting them  to respond befo re the 31  October 
deadline. He also encouraged them  to provide the completed questionnaires by that date.  
2.6.  On Agriculture, in the Ju ne meeting of the CoA , Members had held the third — and first post -
Nairobi — annual dedicated discussion on export c ompetition. For the first time some Members had 
submitted questions in writing to other Members and many had responded to tho se questions in  
the meeting. The Secretariat would  circulate a compilation  of tho se questions and responses. The 
revised version of the background document prepared b y the Secretariat to inform the discussion 
had been circulated the previous week . The next dedicated disc ussion on export competition would 
be held in 2017 . At the June CoA meeting, Members had also intervened on the implementat ion of 
the Nairobi Decision on Export C ompetition  including in relation to the next steps to be undertaken 
by Members with scheduled export subsidy entitlements.  
2.7.  Regarding the Decisions on Public Stockholding for Food Security Purposes, on the SSM for 
Developing Country Members and on Cotton, the CoA -SS Chair had provided a detailed report on 
work in those areas at the 25 July HODs meet ing and he referred Members to that report.   
2.8.  Concerning LDC issues, o n the operationalization of the LDC Services Waiver, at the June 
meeting of the Services Council, the LDC Group had offered its assessment of th e preferences 
notified in 2015 by some Memb ers. The LDCs would  continue to share its examination of the 
notifications receiv ed at each CTS meeting in 2016 . Following the Nairobi mandate, a number of 
Members had shared information on various technical assistance measures to promote the 
increasing pa rticipation of LDCs in ser vices trade  and a World Bank representative had also made a 
presentation in that  regard. Another Member had introduced its revised notification of preferences. 
The tally of notifications of preferences for LDC services and service  suppliers received by t he CTS 
remained at 23. The CTS would take up that  standing item on its agenda at its next meeting.  
2.9.  On Preferential Rules of Origin for LDCs, discussions at th e Committee on Rules of Origin 
were ongoing on enhancing access to informa tion on preferential rules of origin (i.e. through a new 
notification template), the calculation of utilization rates in preferences for LDCs and the 
notification by preference -granting Members of measures being taken to implement the Decision, 
among other s. Those would also be taken up at the next CRO meeting in September  where 
Members would  adopt a more detailed report on recent developments  to be forwarded to the 
General Council as required in the Bali and Nairobi Decisions.  
2.10.   Regarding DFQF Market Access for LDCs, at its July meeting, the CTD had considered a new 
proposal from the LDC Group containing the draft terms of reference for a Secretariat study on 
DFQF implementation. However, Members could not agree to the proposal because of concerns 
expressed w ith some of the proposed eleme nts. T he delegation of Be nin – the LDC Coordinator – 
would  consult with those Members that had expressed  concerns and the CTD Chair would  keep in 
touch with Members to see how to make progress.  WT/GC/M/163  
 
- 13 - 
 
  2.11.   On the  Monitoring Mechanism on S pecial and Differential Treatment, f ollowing the Bali 
Decision, five meetings of the CTD's Dedicated Session on the Monitoring Mechanism had been 
held, although no written submissions had yet been made. The most recent meeting had taken 
place in July where  a number of Members had shared their thoughts and perspectives on why the 
Monitoring Mechanism had not been tested and what they had seen as the possible way forward. 
The next meeting would be in  November.  
2.12.   Regarding  Trade Facilitation, several Members had  complete d their domest ic ratification 
process since his  last report. The overall number  of instruments of acceptance had reached 87 
bringing Members closer to what wa s required for the TFA  to enter into force. They had  also 
received a total of 87 ca tegory  A notifications — a positive development. However, notifications on 
the two other categories continue d to lag behind . He therefore urge d all eligible delegations which 
had not yet handed in their category notifications especially the ones on B and C  to present them 
as soon as possible. He  equally urge d Members to intensify their efforts to complete their 
ratification pro cesses so that the TFA could  enter into force quickly.  
2.13.   Concerning paragraph s 28 and 29 of the Nairo bi Declaration, discussions had  been on going 
in various WTO regular bodies. He would  continue to report on tho se issues, as appropriate.  
2.14.   The Director -General  reported on his ongoing consultations on the Nairobi Decision on 
Export Competition. He had continued his conversations with the 16 devel oped and developing 
Members with scheduled export subsidies entitlements for agric ultural products. The Nairobi 
Decision  on Export Competition required  the el imination of such entitlements. In his consultations 
with th e 16 Members, they all  had said that t hey would  revise their schedules to eliminate those 
entitlements. That could however  take place at different points in time b ecause the Nairobi 
Decision set  out different timelines for the elimination  of scheduled entitlements. It wa s also 
necessary to tak e into accou nt that domestic procedures varied among Members. He  looked 
forward to receiving their draft revised s chedules as soon as possible. He, t ogether with the 
Secretariat, would be available to help M embers wit h any technical support they would  need. 
2.15.   The representative of Benin , on behalf of the LDCs , associated with the statements made by 
the African Group  and the ACP  at the 25 July HODs meeting . The LDC Group had identified its 
priorities during the LDC Retreat  with Ambassadors and Group of Experts  on 18 April as reflected 
in its comm unication circulated in WT/GC/W/717 – TN/C/W/73 and WT/COMTD/LDC/W/63. Tho se 
issues include d, among others: t he implementation by the Members of the Decision adopted by 
Ministers in Nairobi on the elimination of export subsidies f ollowing the terms of the decision; t he 
substantial r eduction of domestic support with a view towards its elimination, including cotton; 
DFQF market access for LDCs; notifications to be made by Members in accordance with the 
Decision on Preferen tial Rules of Origin; continued implementation of the S ervices  Waiver for 
LDCs; and t he resumption of con sultations on S&D  for the adoption of appropriate decisions in that 
regard for developing country Members  and LDCs in particular.  
2.16.   On DFQF market access  for LDCs, the LDC Group had  presented on 8 July to the CTD  its 
proposal on the Terms of R eference for the developm ent of the clinical examination  for the 
implementation of the relevant decision. The Group hoped that consensus among Members would 
soon be a chieved on  the Terms of Reference  to allow the  requested study to be conducted as soon 
as possible.   
2.17.   The LDC Group had  submitted proposal s to the various WTO Bodies and Negotiating Groups 
concerned to stimulate work on the monitoring and implementation of all the above -mentioned 
decisions. In that regard, the Group reminded Members of the following submissions : Submission  
on the Draft Terms of Reference f or the Clinical E xamination of  the Implementation of the Decision 
on Duty Free and Quota Free (DFQF) Mar ket Access for LDCs in WT/COMTD/W/218;  Submission 
containing questions on the notifications of preferences for service suppliers from LDCs made by 
South Afr ica and by the European Union where the Group welcomed  the commitment undertaken 
by tho se two Member s to follow up the Decision on the Services Waiver and following the 
evaluation of tho se notifications and the first bilateral consultations, the Group had sent both 
Members follow  up and clarification questions; Submission  on the Implementation of the Nairobi 
Ministerial Decision o n Preferential Rules of Origin for LDCs in G/RO/W/159 dated 12 April 
presenting  some issues that the LDC Group had raised to facilitate discussions in the Committee 
on Rules of Origin and a Submission on the Template for the Noti fication of P referenti al Rules of 
Origin in G/RO/W/160; and Communication on their Questions on the Agricultural Negotiations WT/GC/M/163  
 
- 14 - 
 
  regarding Domestic Support  in the CoA -SS in JOB/AG/73, where the Group had asked, among 
others, on  issues related to  export  subsid ies and the reduction of domestic  support, including for 
cotton.  
2.18.   The LDC Group also underscore d the need for consultations on fisheries subsidies to move 
forward so that the effects of subsid ies on fishing activities to the  developing countr y Members , in 
particular the LDCs, could  be appropriately addressed.  
2.19.   The LDCs welcomed the financial contributions from its partners under the Enhanced 
Integrated Framework (EIF) and Aid for Trade and urged their partners to provide further 
assistance to them in order to  promote trade, development and poverty reduction in LDCs.  
2.20.   The representative of Tanzania  said that i mplemen tation of Ministerial Decisions was vital. It 
should not be an option but rather an imperative for the viability of the organization and to 
maintain  its relevance to  the Members. The time had come for active engagement. Tanzania would  
work with other delegation s in support of the preparation s for MC11.  
2.21.   The representative of Uganda  associate d with the statement made by the LDCs. On DFQF 
market access f or LDCs, Uganda had been surpri sed by the response it had received from 
Members with respect to the LDC submission on the draft terms of reference for a clinical study of  
DFQF market access for LDCs. Uganda  would like to allay the fears and concerns of s ome of the 
Members. What had  been submitted was neither  a neg otiating document nor  a draft d ecision for 
adoption. The study would  not even pre -judge any outcome. Any recommendation that could or 
could  not be adopted would have to be agreed to by  all Members in the CTD.  
2.22.   What the LDCs  were seeking to do was to understand why they had  the difficulty with the 
implementation of the Hong Kong Mini sterial Decision on DFQF. In their specific situation  as 
Africans, they  would want to understand what amo unt of prefere ntial treatment they should  
continue to have within the AG OA framework when the TPP would come into effect.  
2.23.   The LDCs had  always been to ld that the major problem why they could not move forward on 
DFQF wa s because of lack of gro up harmony on the matter. It  had always been suggested that 
they thems elves had been  the change they we re looking for. Unlik e the most recent history of the 
group, on that issue, they had  a unique situation of explicit consensus on moving  forward without 
distinction. Uganda therefore  appeal ed to Members to join  the consensus and allow the study to 
proceed without delay or hindrance.  
2.24.   On the LDC Services Waiver, a ccording to the WTO Secretariat Study o n LDC Market Access 
in WT/COMTD/LDC/W/60, the LDCs' exports of commercial services had reached USD  31.5B in 
2013 up from some USD 5B in 1995. In the same year, the LDCs' imported services had been  
USD 73.4B compared to USD 11.3B in 1995. However, the integration of LDCs in inter national 
services trade remained limited due to a number of con straints including poor infrastructure, 
limited skills and lack of financial resources.  
2.25.   Between 1995 and 2013, the share of LDCs in world exports of commercial services had 
increased from a mer e 0.4 % to only around 0.7%. It should be recalled that LDC ser vices trade 
went beyond mere economic significance due to the major role services play ed in achieving social 
and developm ent objectives and in  addressing poverty, upgrading welfare, improving universal 
availability and access to basic services and ensuring  sustainable development including its social 
dimension. It was with that in mind that Uganda  welcome d 23 notifications that had  so far been 
submitted by both de veloped and developing country Members .  
2.26.   In the  implementation of the post-Nairobi phase , Membe rs should  package  technical 
assistance and capacity  building programmes that correspond ed to paragraph  3.2 of the  LDCs' 
collective request and paragraph  1.4 of the Nairobi Decision on the implementation of the waiver. 
They should provide  specific assistanc e and ca pacity building and facilitate  training a nd orientation 
in any programme  to orient sup pliers on the preference s and benefits  availa ble to the LDC 
suppliers and to enable them to  utilize the preferences granted.  
2.27.   Uganda  discourage d Members from payi ng too much attention to Geneva -based 
programmes. It wa s no longer useful for Members to structure programmes to be implemented in WT/GC/M/163  
 
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  Geneva. More value addition would occur when the  supply -side capacity would be  built on the 
ground. When their people would b e sensitized about the benefits accruing as a result of the 
waiver, sufficient baseline studies  could be  undertaken.  
2.28.   The LDC collective request was recognized in the relevant Nairobi  Decision. Members  
therefore ought to move forward with the view to en suring full implementation in thei r countries. 
They should  be able to view an inclusiv e space of shared prosperity — one that truly ensured  the 
integration of LDCs in the multilateral trading syst em. Uganda requested Members to  undertake 
some waiver -related d omestic awareness raising  among their respective constituencies to afford 
them sufficient understanding of the  preferential treatment that had  been granted to LDCs.  
2.29.   The representative of the Russian Federation  said that implementation of  the Bali and 
Nairo bi out comes should be prioritized , especially the entry into force of the  Trade Facilitation 
Agreement. Russia  encourage d all M embers to finalize the necessary internal procedures for TFA 
ratification by the end of 2016 . Other v ital agreements had  been r eached on export competition. 
Russia believed t he practical implementation of export competition arrangements to be of utmost 
importa nce. In Nairobi, Members had  agreed to work towards the transformation of the current 
provisional Transparency Mechanism for Regional Trade Agreements into a permanent one. Russia 
called for all M embers to take steps towards the realization of such transf ormation as soon as 
possible. Prompt and efficient implementation of the abovementioned arrangements would not 
only benefit ea ch WTO Member individually but would also solidify and reaffirm the central role of 
the WTO thus supporting the multilateral trading s ystem as a whole.  
2.30.   The General Council took note  of the Chairman's report, the Director -General's statement  
and of the othe r statements.  
3  WORK PROGRAMME ON SM ALL ECONOMIES — REPORT BY THE CHAIRM AN OF THE 
DEDICATED SESSION OF  THE COMMITTEE ON TRA DE AND DEVELOPMENT  
3.1.  The Chairman  recalled that in line with the framework and procedures agreed by the General  
Council in 2002, the Work  Programme on Small Economi es wa s a standing item on the General 
Council's agenda and the Committee on Trade and Development reported  regularly to the Council 
on the progress of work in its Dedicated Sessions.  At Nairobi, Ministers  had adopted a Decision 
reaffirming their commitment to the Work Programme and instructing the CTD to continue its work 
in Dedicated Sessions under the overall responsibility of the General Council. He invite d 
Ambassador Christopher Onyanga Aparr (Uganda) , Chair person  of the CTD, to report on 
developments in the  area. 
3.2.  Ambassador Christopher Onyanga Aparr (Uganda) , Chairperson of the Dedicated Session of 
the CTD , report ed that the CTD's Dedicated Session on Small Economies had met on 12 July to 
continue  its review of the paper prepa red by the Secretariat (WT/COMTD/SE/W/31) on the 
challenges and opportunities small economies face d when accessing global value chains in trade in 
goods and services.  
3.3.  The meeting had focu sed on the chapter on T ourism in the Secretariat paper. The discussio ns 
had been  based on presentations by a number of intern ational organizations and  governmen t 
agencies highlighting how small economies had been accessing GVCs  in the tourism sector.  
3.4.  It had been  noted that t ourism was  of great importance to many small econo mies and that 
its direct and  indirect contributions to GDP we re signifi cant. It had however been necessary  to 
conduct more research and to gather more precise statistics so that small economies could gain a 
better understanding of the various interlinkages  which exist ed in the touri sm industry. There had 
likewise been  a need for government ministries to coordinate their policies and strategies and to 
liaise with the private secto r to ensure that tourism reached  its full potential.  
3.5.  It had been the third sess ion organ ized under the aegis of the CTD following sessions in  
March  2016 and in October 2015 which had  focused on the involvement of small economies in 
value chains. Sectors discussed to date include d the agri -food and fisheries sector and  the textiles 
and clothing sector. The next Dedicated Session was planned for November and would focus on 
how small economies we re acc essing value chains in services  such as information technology 
services or those dealing with business outsourcing.  WT/GC/M/163  
 
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  3.6.  The work in the Dedica ted Session followed  the mandate given by Ministers in Bali in 2013 
and reiterated more r ecently in the Nairobi Decision in WT/L/9 75. In Nairobi , Ministers had 
instructed the Secretariat to continue its work on global value chains and examine the challenge s 
which small economies face d in their efforts to reduce trade costs, particularly in the area of trade 
facilitation. Preliminary work had  begun with the Dedicated Session set to further advance its work 
in the  area at it s next meeting in November. It was hoped that Members would  participate activ ely 
to see which aspects of the  topic they would like to discuss in further detail at future meetings.  
3.7.  The representative of Honduras , on behalf of the SVEs , thank ed Members and the WTO 
Secretariat for the organiza tion and successful conclusion of the two latest sessio ns of the CTD 
Dedicated Session  on Textiles and Apparel and Tourism  Services. The debate during those sessions 
had been fruitful and specific challenges  and opportunities for SVEs had been highlighted.  As had 
been agreed by the Committee, for  the next session they would  be focusing on Tr ansport and 
Logistics and  Business Processing and Outsourcing Services.  
3.8.  The SVEs informed Members that they we re working on a proposal for new meetings in 2017 
to tackl e the topic of " Reducing trade costs, par ticularly on trade facilitation" following Ministers'  
Mandate contained in the Ministerial Decision on the Work Pro gram on Small Economies. They 
would  be holding consultations with interested Members and hope d that a final proposal could  be 
discussed and agreed in the next CTD Dedicated Session.  
3.9.  The General Council took note  of the report of the Chairperson of the Dedicated Session of 
the Committee on Trade and Development and of the other statement.  
4  WORK PROGRAMME O N ELECTRONIC COMMERC E – REVIEW OF PROGRESS ( S/C/49, 
G/C/57)  
4.1.  The Chairman  recalled that a t MC10, Ministers had adopted a Decision on the Work 
Programme  on Electronic Commerce. In that  Decision, Ministers had decided to continue the work 
under the Work Progr amme on Electronic Commerce since their last session and  had instructed the 
General Council to hold periodic reviews in its sessions of July and December 2016 and July 20 17 
based on the reports that may be submitted by the WTO bodies entrusted with the imp lement ation 
of the Work Programme. Those bodies we re the Councils for Services, Goods and TRIPS and the 
Commi ttee on Trade and Development. He drew attention to the reports submitted by the Chairs 
of the Council for Trade in Services and of the Goods  Counc il to the General Council  contained  in 
documents S/C/49 and G/C/57 respectively. He  invited Ambassador Alfredo Suescum  (Panama)  to 
report on developments under the Work Programme on e -commerce since the General Council's 
last periodic review in July 2015.  
4.2.  Ambassador Alfredo Suescum (Panama)8 said that in Nairobi, Ministers had instructed 
delegations  to continue with the Work Programm e on Electronic Commerce. He had  continued to 
hold consultations on that matter in his  role as Friend of the Chair on the Work  Programme on 
Electronic Commerce  followin g the mandate in that decision. The report which he was making 
under his  own responsibility and without prejudic e to Members ' positions or views covered  
developments in the horizontal discussions under the Work Pro gramme since the Nairobi 
Ministerial Conference.   
4.3.  In May, he had  met individually with 20 delegations. The obje ctive of those consultations had 
been to gauge Members' ambitions  and to hear their views  on the way forward under the E -
commerce Work Programme . 
4.4.  During the consultations, he had  sensed a greater interest to discuss the  topic although views 
had remained divergent. Some delegations had expressed an interest in possibly p ursuing rule -
making. Others had  not been ready to do so or had believed that la y outside th e Nairobi mandate. 
All had however  expressed their open -mindedness and readiness to discuss e -commerce further. 
Most had also underlined the importance of the developmental dimension, balance and being 
mindful of Members' different levels of de velopment.  
                                                
8 Amba ssador Suescum's report was subsequently  circulated in WT/GC/W/721.  WT/GC/M/163  
 
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  4.5.  On institutional  aspects, some delegations had been of the view that discussions on e -
commerce should be concentrated in one forum. Delegations had also stressed the importance of 
coordinating  with other IGOs working in the  area such as UNCTAD,  ITC and ITU.  
4.6.  Regarding the moratorium, the positions of Members  had remained the same. Some had 
suggested making the moratorium permanent or extending it for a period lo nger than two years. 
Others had been uncomfortable doing so  especially given the lack  of data on the moratorium's 
possible effects.  
4.7.  Members had expressed interest in a discussion on issues such as consumer protection, data 
flows and server localisation, privacy, access to the internet, e -commerce readiness and the 
effects of e -commerce on  the economy  of developing country Members  and LDCs.  
4.8.  Followin g the bilateral consultations, he had  convened an informal open -ended transparency  
session on 6 June to report back on his  consultations and to give those delegations that had not 
participated an  opportunity to share their views.  Compared to past meetings, the Informal Open -
Ended meeting had been  well attended and over 20 delegations had intervened.  
4.9.  Several delegations had reiterated the importance of electronic commerce to their economies 
but had also noted the many challenges they  had faced. It had been noted by some that the WTO 
had been lagging behind in the  area and should play its role in unleashing the full potential of e -
commerce.  
4.10.   Some delegations had expressed concern regarding the scope  of the discussions. Many had 
felt it had been  necessary to identify the contents of the discussion and what would be covered. 
Some delegations had mentioned the need to address issues of necessary infrastructure, access 
and connectivity.  
4.11.   On the morato rium, the range of positions had been  the same as in the c onsultations. In the 
course of the meeting, two delegations had made separate requests to the Secretariat. The first 
delegation had proposed that the Secretariat provide an assessment of the implicatio ns of the 
moratorium. The second had desired the Secretariat to update its 2015 background paper 
(JOB/GC/73  and JOB/GC/73/Corr.1).  
4.12.   On process, many  delegations  had felt a need to have more Dedicated Discussions on 
electronic commerc e. In concluding that me eting, he had  expressed hope that a t the next 
Dedicated Discussion  Members would engage in a structured manner and possibly have some 
clarity on where and how they would wish  to proceed and which topics they would wish  to discuss.  
4.13.   On 25 and 26 July, he had  chaired the 11th Dedicated Discussion under the auspices of the 
General Council on cross -cutting issues. With regard to the two requests to the Secretariat in th e 
Informal Open -ended meeting, he had  reported that the Secretariat had expressed its readines s to 
prepare an assessment on the possible implicati ons of the moratorium and  to update its 2015 
background note. No delegation had objected to the Secretariat proceeding as requested.  
4.14.   Delegations had held preliminary discussions on seven separate submiss ions presented by 
Members prior to the meeting  and had discussed possible ways forward.  
4.15.   Many delegations had welcomed the renewed int erest in e -commerce discussions  but had 
noted that they had  still been studying the numerous submissions and that they wou ld revert at a 
later stage. While th e discussions and reactions had been  of a preliminary nature, a range of 
issues covered by the submissions had been raised covering both substance and process.  
4.16.   As he had informed delegation s at the Dedicated Discussion,  he intend ed to consult further 
with them after the summer break on how to organize future  and hopefully in -depth discussion  
which could include workshops as had been suggested by a few delegations. He would  explore also 
the possibility of another Dedicate d Sessio n before the end of September.  
4.17.   He encourage d delegations to remain engaged. As had been agreed by Ministers in Nairobi, 
the Work Programme should continue on the basis of proposals submitted by Members. In past 
consultations, many delegations had emphasised the importance of a bottom -up approach.  WT/GC/M/163  
 
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  4.18.   He welcome d the renewed interest in e -commerce discussions as had been shown by the 
number and quality of recent submissions and by the appearance of various groups such as MIKTA 
and the "Friends of E -comm erce for Development". As had been noted by several delegations,  
those were complementary in nature and would contribute to thei r ongoing discussions. The 
proponents had noted that their submissions we re not negotiating proposals but we re rather aimed 
at stimulating discussion.  
4.19.   He looked forward to more concrete discussions after the summe r break. He  would welcome 
any ideas, questions, sug gestions or comments Members could  have and remain ed ready to 
consult further.  
4.20.   The Chairman  welcome d all the recent  subm issions  from a number of delegations, as well as  
the active engagement that Members were showing on e -commerce  including through a lively 
discussion at the ded icated meeting. He said that it  was an encouraging development which he  
hoped would  contribute to  the reinvigoration of work in the  area. 
4.21.   The representative of the United States  welcomed  the contributions made by various 
Members to provide a starting point for continuing the WTO's work programme on electroni c 
commerce. Document JOB/GC/94 wa s the Uni ted States' contribution to the process. The non -
paper had been  distributed not as a negotiating proposal , but as an infor mational discussion 
document. The United States had  had success advancing  the digital economy through its  regional 
trade agreements and the non -paper described some of what it saw as some of the most 
important policies to ensure  that progress. The policie s and principles outlined in its  non-paper 
reinforce d the openness that had  allowed the internet to be a dynamic force for economic growt h 
and bolster the internet's ability to facilitate commerce in digital products, services and physica l 
goods. The United States looked forward to discussing tho se and other ideas going forward with a 
view to advancing the WTO's work programme on electronic  commerce, providing a foundation for 
robust digital trade and economic growth. Despite some worrie s on recent signs, the United States  
remain ed hopeful that e -commerce could  represent an ar ea where meaningful outcomes would be  
possible in a fully multilat eral configuration.  
4.22.   The representative of Zimbabwe  associated with the statements made by the African Group  
and the ACP  at the 25 July HODs meeting . Zimbabwe supported  the work under the work prog ram 
on e -commerce following Ministers ' mandate  in Nairobi an d other previous ones , and 
acknowledge d the increasing importance of e - commerce in trade  and development which wa s 
thriving in some  developing countries  albeit at the domestic level. He said that s ome of the 
proposals that had been recently tabled by Memb ers we re, however , an att empt to take the work 
under the  work program me beyond the agreed mandate which was to examine and report issues – 
not to engage in debate on negotiations.  
4.23.   Under paragraph  31 of the Nairobi Ministerial Declaration, Ministers had agreed to prioritise 
work on the rema ining DDA issues. Ministers  at MC10 had  also provided that a ny decision to 
launch neg otiations multilaterally on new/other  issues would need to be agreed by all Members . 
E-Commerce wa s a new issue in terms of the curr ent D DA package of negotiations and there wa s 
no negotiating mandate for i t. Zimbabwe remained  committed to i mplementing the Ministers ' 
Nairobi  mandate and to prioritis ing work towards concluding the DDA negotiations.  
4.24.   The digital divide between African countrie s and d eveloped countries remained  large, due 
several challenges which  included  lack of infrastructure and connectivity, inadequate national 
regulatory and policy instruments and logistical arrangements to facilitate e -commerc e. To address 
those challenges , Zimbabwe would appreciate if focus would be given  on the development aspect 
of e-commerce  in line wi th the current mandate . 
4.25.   The developme nt aspect of e -commerce required  technical assistance and transf er of 
technology which could be  achieved without disc iplines or rules on  e-commerce. Members should 
first address the absence of a level playing field for all of them  to benefit  from a ny outcome on 
discipline s or rules on e -commerce. Otherwise, it would  further worsen the digital divide.  
4.26.   On the proposal to put the work on e -commerce under the auspices of the Gene ral Council, 
Members should continue to discuss the  subject in t he relevant WTO bodies to ensure that specific 
issues would be  adequately and ef fectively addressed.  WT/GC/M/163  
 
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  4.27.   The representative of Chile highli ghted  the work that had  been accomplished under the 
Work Prog ramme on Electronic Commerce. Chile was  optimistic about the Membership's renewed 
interest in advancing substan tive discussions on the matter. The large number o f submissions put 
forward recently  was a positive sign which should encourage Members to move forward.  
4.28.   E-commerce had currently gained momentum which had not been  seen since the 
establishment  of the  work programme in 1998. Various international agencies had already 
identified e -commerce a s an area of considerable importance for the economy and development  
prompting them to car ry out significant work that had  helped Members  bolster their regulatory 
mechanisms. The WTO could not lag behind , because it had  the tools to strengthen  the current 
regulatory system. Members should therefore take advantage of the current  momentum and put 
discussions to more effective use in areas where views converge d and  in those where opinions 
differed.  
4.29.   As a starting point, the Nairobi Decision on Electronic Comme rce had opened the way for 
Members  to work towards abstaining from imposing customs duties on electronically traded 
products on a permanent basis. Achievin g a permanent moratorium in that respect wa s thus one 
of the key areas on which they should focus the ir endeavours for MC11. Members should n ot also 
neglect the role played by e -commerce in facilitating the internationalization of small and medium 
sized enterprises as a key driver of economic growt h and development.  
4.30.   Chile reiterated its  support for the W ork Programme on Electronic Commerce and 
emphasis ed the importance of promptly initiatin g substantive discussions on those matters of 
concern to allow the WTO to  contribute to the establishment of an efficient regulatory framework 
providing legal certainty  for international trade operators.  
4.31.   The representative of Mexico  said that  the success of the seminar on e -comme rce organized 
by MIKTA was a clear example of Members  could do  to lead to greater  understanding on issues of 
great relevance to the work of the organization .  
4.32.   Growth on e -commerce at the global level raised  new challenges and gave renewe d impetus 
to the work within  the e-commerce work programme. That was evidenced  by the enormous 
number of non -papers and submissions that had  been put forward for d iscussion  – two of which 
had been co -sponsored by Mexico. Tho se proposals contain ed common elements and most of th em 
were complementary. Mexico  welcome d all submissions and hoped that Members would  have more 
detailed discussions on them in the forthcoming dedicated discussions.  
4.33.   Electronic Commerce  included a series of elements which were  dealt with by the various  
Committees and Councils in the organization , but it wa s an issue related basically to  trade in 
services. E -commerce wa s a reflection of how servi ces could  constitute  the glue which held  
together trade in goods and services  and the GVCs. Mexico was  in the best position to participate 
in future discussio ns on electronic commerce and  hoped that it would  have an active role to play in 
the forthcoming d edicated discussions or any other  related meetings in the  organization.  
4.34.   The representative of the European Union  said that Members had collectively opted for a 
simple but robust decision on e -commerce  in Nairobi . By stressing the importance of having a 
Member-driven process on e -commerce, Members had  paved the way for th e numerous 
submissions that had been circulated r ecently. The European Union was pleased with the number 
of submissions and thrilled by the ir depth and substance . In particular, the EU  noted a great deal 
of commonalities betw een tho se proposals as all of them attempt ed to identi fy trade -related 
policies that we re conducive to the development of e -commerce.  
4.35.   The non -paper by the US, the submission by Brazil and the second submission by Japan 
provide d for an interesting list of issue s to discuss. There wa s significant and welcome overlap with 
the submission the EU and Canada and eight other co -sponsors had produced. T he EU looked 
forward to  diving into the details of the various items and  warmly  welcome d the mapping exercise 
that had  started thro ugh the exchange of papers.  
4.36.   Members should therefore  begin  to get into the details. The submission by Japan, Russia, 
Singapo re and Chinese Taipei and  the submission by Brazil confirm ed the need for more 
discussions. The EU  support ed the idea for more horizontal work on e -commer ce at the WTO. WT/GC/M/163  
 
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  Many Members had  called for the reinvigoration of the wor k programme for years and that wa s 
actually  currently happening . The workshop orga nized by the MIKTA countrie s had been a success. 
As soon as Members  return ed from the ir summer bre ak, they should dedicate more time to the 
topic.  The EU looked forward  to concrete, focused and detailed discussions on e -commerce.  
4.37.   The representative of Japan  thanked  Ambassador  Suesc um and noted that, a s indicated  in 
his report , a number of proposals and non -papers had been  submitted to the Dedic ated Discussion 
by many Members , which Japan welcomed . The contribution of many papers was something that 
Members had not seen in recent years  and was repr esentative of their  strong appetite for 
discussion on  the e -commerce issue. A s many Members had expressed during the Dedica ted 
Discussion, Japan also viewed the submissions  and the non -papers as mutually complementary. 
Although many valuable i nputs, statements and preliminar y comments on the proposals had been 
previously made, Members should commit to in -depth and substantial discussion s to achieve 
meaningf ul outcomes in that area in the future. Japan looked  forward to that discussion after the  
summer break.  
4.38.   The representative of the Republic of Korea  appreciate d Ambassador Suescum 's report and 
effort s as the friend of the GC Chair to facilitate discussions on  the e-commerce work programme. 
Korea welcome d the enhanced activities on e -commerce in  recent weeks including the MIKTA 
workshop on e -commerce and the submission of seven communications and non -papers. Korea 
was pleased that that had led to an active discussion at the dedicated session o n e-commerce. All 
those efforts provided useful ground work for Members to engage in more specific technical and in -
depth discussions among themselves  from September.  
4.39.   The task at hand would be to identify e -commerce related issues that warrant ed further 
discussions in the WTO and to explore how best those iss ues could be addressed in the  
organiza tion. I nitial discussions should cover all areas related to trade and e -commerce without 
prejudice to the views and positions of all Members.  They should  continue to have inputs o f 
experts and stakeholders in thei r discussions. In addition to the Dedicated Discussion  on e-
commerce, Korea hoped to have discussions in  different format s that would  allow the participation 
of experts a nd stakeholders. They should also pay particular attention on  the development 
dimension of e-commerce to realize the potential of e -commer ce for  SMEs and developing country 
Members while minimizing cost for unintended consequence s on development. Korea  looked 
forward to constructive and productive discussions on e -commerce.  
4.40.   The representative of  the Russian Federation  noted that , due the fast development of digital 
techn ology, electronic commerce had  become a major component of global economic growth. 
Russia therefore appreciated  the revived discussions on issues relating to electronic commerce t hat 
had taken  place during the last few months  which had proven to be valuable. Those discussions 
would be helpful for Members to understand what measures should be developed and approved in 
the framework of ele ctronic commerce in order to reap  its full be nefits. In that regard,  Russia 
suggested to start by  defining the related terminology.  As for the process , work on e -commerce  
should be conducted in a unified forum following the  Dedicated Discussion o n the Work Programme 
on Electronic C ommerce. As a  cross-cutting i ssue, only a  holistic approach on e -commerce would  
be beneficial to all Members.  
4.41.   The representative of Pakistan  welcome d the  report  by Ambassador Suescum and 
appreciated  his efforts in the dedicated discussion  on e-commerce. In the recent past , Members 
had had a MSMEs  seminar organized by the Philippines, a MIKTA seminar on e -Commerce and a 
trade dialogue with businesses all of which had highlig hted the growing importance of e -commerce 
for glob al trade. Those activities had  further ignited the int erest of Members in work related to e -
commerce and dig ital trade. Various M embers had floated discussion papers. Pakistan  thank ed 
Japan, Singapore,  the EU, Canada, Brazil and  the US for their pape rs on that  important issue.  
4.42.   During the UNCTAD Ministerial i n Nairobi, there had been a number of e -commerce specific 
activities  such as a policy round table involving governments and private sector highlighti ng the 
development aspect of e -commerce, an initiative under the  rubric of "e-Trade for All " had also 
been launched, thus accepting the development deficit and marginalization of many associated 
with digital economy.  WT/GC/M/163  
 
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  4.43.   E-commerce had grown beyond Members' imagination. If internet had been  a country, its 
economy would be amo ng the five largest in the world. Two bi llion people in the world currently 
belonged to the internet generation. For them e -commerce was a lifestyle  and a  great opportunity. 
By 2017, there would be three  times more connected devices than people on the planet. In the 
pre-digital age, only massive  corporations had had the economies of scale to operate on a global 
level. At present , any entrepreneur with a laptop and a big idea could  access global markets.  
4.44.   Serious challenges however hindered progre ss on  e-commerce in many dev eloping 
countries. Four  billion people in developing countries remain ed offline. The problem wa s 
particularly acute in the LDCs where 850 mil lion out of one billion people we re offline. While the 
share of enterprise receipts from sales through electronic ne tworks as a percentage of total 
turnover had reached 15% in Europe in 2014, the comparable number for Africa had been  less 
than 5%.  
4.45.   UNCTAD e -commerce readiness index  for the developed world was 77, 22 for Africa, 41 for  
Developing Asi a and 36 for Pakistan. Such data had  shown s eeds that could deepen  the digital 
divide which could also be institutionalised in trade. It wa s therefore critical for Members to  focus 
on the development dimension of e -commerce.  
4.46.   The e -commerce divide had  even become  wider than the digital divide. As the  digital 
economy had been  increasingly becoming part of the real economy, digital and e -Commerce 
divides could readily translate into real economic divi des. Unless developing country Members  
would grasp  the ra pidly growing opportunity of e -commerce, they  would risk  falling furt her behind. 
Such could have a detrimental effect in not only impeding progress  but also increasing inequality 
and the gap between the rich and  the poor. 
4.47.   Costa Rica, Kenya and Pakistan had  therefore agreed to create a collaborative gro up called 
"Friend s of e -Commerce for Development". S ystematic and organized representation of developing 
country Members  and LDCs would be important for future discussions on e -commerce and digital 
trade.  
4.48.   The representative of Brazil  said that  e-commerce w as an example of  an area which 
illustrated  a changing Brazil. For a long time Brazil  had resiste d discussing issues such as e-
commerce  and had insisted that Members could only do so after they had  dealt more significantly 
with agriculture. Brazil would continue to push hard for agriculture and to insist that they  make 
progress in domestic support . But Brazil was also prepared and willing and would be proactive  in 
discussing issues such as e -commerce as it had  demonstrated by putting forward a paper along 
with those  of other Members. They could therefore count on Brazil's  constructive participation.  
4.49.   The General Council took note  of the reports by the Chairpers ons of the Goods Council in 
G/C/57  and the Services Council in S/C/49 , of Ambassado r Suescum's report , and of the 
statements .9 
5  ELEVENTH SESSION OF THE MINISTERIAL CONF ERENCE – COMMUNICATION FROM 
ARGENTINA (WT/GC/180 ) 
5.1.  The Chairman  recall ed that at the May Council meeting he had announced that , in line with 
Ministers' instructions he  would start consultatio ns on the matter of the date and ven ue for MC11. 
He referred Members to the faxes he had sent on 18 May and on 15 July, in that regard. He also 
drew attention to the communication from Argentina kindly offering to host MC11 circulated to all 
delegations on  12 July in WT/G C/180. He therefore invited  Argentina to say a few words regarding 
its communication.  
5.2.  The representative of Argentina  said that through their  respective offers, Argentina and 
Uruguay represent ed the commitment of thei r countries and the ent ire Latin American region to 
the multilateral trading system. Argentina and Uruguay offer ed the best of themselves to host the 
Eleve nth Ministerial Conference. That  should be a note of satisfaction for  all Members of the WTO 
and in fact was two -fold becaus e Argentina and Uruguay  aside from having  their individual 
                                                
9 At Ukraine's request  made to the Chairman at the meeting , its statement under this item is 
incorporated  in the minutes of this mee ting and can be found in Annex 3  of this report.  WT/GC/M/163  
 
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  personalities we re one and the same people united by the Río de la Plata. Buenos Aires and Punta 
del Este — one exuberant in culture, t he other bountiful in nature — were one and the same. Their 
respective offers were expressions from  two countries that  were open and committed WTO 
Members. Argentina wa s prepared to host the Ministerial Confere nce in the same way as Uruguay 
was. Either of the two would  do it with pride and responsibility . MC11 would undoubtedly be a 
success.  
5.3.  The Chairman  thank ed the Government of Argentina for its kind offer to host the Conference, 
a sign of its commitment to the organization and to the multilateral trading system.  
5.4.  The Director -General  welcome d Argentina's application  and thank ed them for the initiative. 
He saw that as a vote of confidence in their work at the WTO. T he successes of  Bali and Nairobi 
underlined  a new le vel of expectation about what Members could achieve. That had to be positive.  
5.5.  The Chairman  said he would continue his  consultative process on the matter of the date and 
venue of MC11 immed iately after the summer break. He  urged all delegations to engage 
constructively in the process  and to  come forward to consult with him as soon as possible. He  
stress ed the complex logistical preparations that need ed to be done for an event of that  
magnitude. As such, preparations sho uld begin as soon as possible. He hoped that the General 
Council would  be in a position to take a formal decision at their October meeting, at  the latest. In 
that regard, if there we re any other delegations considering m aking a proposal to host MC11, he  
would urge them to submit any such proposal by 31 August at the latest.  
5.6.  The General Council took note  of the statements.  
6  WTO ACCESSIONS – STATEM ENT BY MOROCCO ON BE HALF OF THE AFRICAN GROUP  
6.1.  The Chairman and a ll delegations that spoke  welcomed  H.E. Dr Kamal Hassan Ali, Minister of 
International Cooperation of the Republic of Sudan, and his delegation.  
6.2.  The Chairman  said that a t Morocco's request  on behalf of the African Group  made to the 
Secretariat on 8 July the item had  been i ncluded in the agenda of the meeting. He  therefore 
invite d the delegat ion of Morocco to introduce the agenda item . 
6.3.  The representative of Morocco , on behalf of the African Grou p, said that there we re three 
main benefits  from WTO M embership: (1) strengthening of domestic policies and institutions to 
promote national development and for the conduct of international trade in both goods and 
services; (2) improvements in the ease and  security of market access to major export markets; 
(3) access to a dispute settlement mechanism for trade issues.  
6.4.  Accession was also important for the WTO as an institution and for the m ultilateral trading 
system. It was in the interest of the o rganizati on to achieve universal membership.  
6.5.  However, t he process of accession to the  WTO wa s demanding and lengthy. Since the 
establishment of the WTO, 36 accessions under Article XII  of the Marrakesh Agreement had been 
concluded. The latest we re Liberia and Afgha nistan whose delegations the African Group wished  to 
welcome and congratu late warmly. Nineteen countries we re currently  in the process of negotiating 
their terms of accession to the WTO, including seven from Africa, namely Algeria, Comoros, 
Equatorial Guin ea, Ethiopia, Libya, Sao -Tomé and Principe and Sudan.  
6.6.  Regarding progress in  accession s, several had been involved in the process for a long time. 
According to the WT O Accessions Division, it took on average  a little more than nine years f rom 
the time the working party wa s established t o the time WTO M embership entered  into force. Such 
length was due to many reasons among which we re political issues and inherent time -consuming 
processes. For a variety of reasons, the process of WTO accession had been and wo uld likely to 
continue to be lengthy, compl ex and challenging for all especially for the LDCs.  
6.7.  Recognizing that the process of W TO accession was inherently time -consum ing, the African 
Group expressed  its full solidarity with all the African acceding count ries and hereby made two 
recommendations:  WT/GC/M/163  
 
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  6.8.  First, recalling paragraph  18 of the MC10 D eclaration and the Guidelines on the accession 
process of LDCs to the WTO adopted by the WTO M embers in December 2002 and by the WTO 
General Council in Ju ly 2012, the Afr ican Group urged all WTO M embers to facilitate and expedite 
the process of  those acceding to the WTO . It was noteworthy that the acceding African countries 
should not be comp elled to make concessions that we re incompatible with their level of 
development o r that would go  beyond the existing WTO rules. WTO M embers should  consider the 
institutional weaknesses of acceding governments and moderate their demands for adherence to 
WTO provisions by agreeing to suitable, time bound extensions in meeting WTO obligat ions. That  
should involve appropriate requirements and provide adequate time to meet them.  
6.9.  Second, the African Group underline d the necessity of in tensifying the provisions of technical 
assistance before and during the accession of the African acceding co untries to help them focus on 
and identify those areas of the WTO agreements in which weaknesses in their institutional 
infrastructure require d that they delay imp lementation of WTO provisions. Assistance wa s 
particularly needed in the preparation of the M emorandum of the foreign trade regime and of  the 
acceding country and in the follow -up. That  phase in t he process of accession presented  serious 
difficulties t o governments which typically did  not have human or material resources  to address 
the issues that  had to be discussed in detail in the  memorandum. Most of them  had had to seek 
assistance from outside experts funded by b ilateral aid agencies and  from the  WTO itself and the 
World Bank. Developed countries should also  consider increasing the resources ma de available to 
the WTO S ecretariat to better assist acceding governments.  
6.10.   The African Group expressed its  support to the designation of Mr. Ryosuke Kuwana, Deputy 
Permanent Representative of Japan, as Chairperson for the Working Party o n the A ccession of 
Sudan. The Group looked  forward to witness progress in that process for which Sudan had applied 
in 1994 and wished Sudan and those  in the process of acceding to the WTO  the best of luck . 
6.11.   The representative of Oman , on behalf of the ACP  Group , Brazil , Cuba, the C-4, Japan , 
Oman , the Russian Federation , Turkey  and Viet Nam, welcome d the decision of the Government of 
the Republic of the Sudan to resume the accession process to join the WTO. Sudan had applied for 
accession to  the WTO in 1994 and since 2004  the negotiations  for the a ccession of Sudan had  
been dorm ant. The Government of Sudan had  recen tly demonstrated political  commitment and 
seriousness to m ove the process forward – a positive  sign in the right direction. They  called upon 
all Members of the WTO t o cooperate with the delegation of Sudan to complete the required 
procedures for the accession to the WTO. With the support of all Members and the appointment of 
the Chairperson for the Working Party on the Accession of Sudan, they hoped that the meetings 
for ne gotiating Sudan's accession would  be commenced as soon as possible. They looked  forward 
to receiving Sudan's updated documen ts after the summer break and hoped  that the meeting for 
the Working Party on the Accession of Sudan would be held before the end of the  year. 
6.12.   The representative of Benin , on behalf of the LDCs , associated with the statement of the 
African Group. The LDC Group had  identified its priorities in its recent c ommunicat ion in 
WT/GC/W/717 – TN/C/W/73 – WT/COMTD/LDC/W/63 dated 24 June  which included  accession s to 
the WTO.  Paragraph 11 of the Nairobi Declaration provided,  "to work together to quickly complete 
the ongoing accessions, f acilitating their process." It was in that respect that the LDC Group had  
invited Members to facilitate and  accelerate the accession process of LDCs to the WTO in 
accordance with the 2002 Guidelines on the acces sion process of LDCs to the WTO which had been  
revised in 2012. The LDCs had also requested that the acceding LDC s receive assistance for 
capacity build ing and integration of LDCs accessing t he multilateral trading system.  
6.13.   The LDC Group appreciated  the efforts and social and ec onomic reforms undertaken by 
Sudan  and its commitment and determination to continue the process of its accessio n to the WTO. 
Sudan had  demonstrated in recent y ears its commitment to the process by streamlining  its 
preparations for its accession. The Group welcomed  the resumption of the accession process of 
Sudan and hoped that it would be accelerated and concluded soon. The LDCs tha nked Japan for 
agreeing to chair the Working Party on t he Accession of Sudan and would  be glad to see Sud an 
become a  Member of the WTO in the near future. They urged technical p artners to assist Sudan in 
that important process that would necessitate balanc ed reforms on its  economic an d trade policies . 
6.14.   The representative of Chinese Taipei  echoed  the statement made by the African Group and  
consider ed that accessions of LDCs had a special systemic value for demonstrating  the 
developme nt dimension of the WTO. A cceding to the WTO  could help them  secure a share in WT/GC/M/163  
 
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  international trade that would fo ster economic growth and poverty alleviation. Chinese Taipei was 
committed to efforts in facilitating  WTO accession negotiations  in particular for  LDCs and would 
actively and constructively engage  in the accession process following the 2002 Guidelines on the 
accession process of LDCs to the WTO  in WT/L/508 and the 2011 M inisterial Decision in WT/L/846 
which  took into acc ount the needs of acceding LDCs, particularly those i n Africa . 
6.15.   On a personal note, she said that her last three years and seven months as Permanent 
Representative to the WTO of the Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and 
Matsu had been an honour and had provided valuable learning experience in her career. As  William 
Shakespeare  had said , "parting i s such sweet sorrow". She would however leave with fond 
memories of many colleague s and friends in the WTO who  had all been  such a privilege to work 
with. She would also leave as an even stronger be liever in the multilat eral trading system than 
before. She vowed to promote the WTO in the future as  the organization that played  the most 
important role in t he development of world trade. She  wished the WTO great success that it 
deserved  for all its efforts over the past decade. She  wished everyone the very best and hoped 
that their paths would  cross again sometime in the future.    
6.16.   The representative of India welcome d the statem ent made by  the African Group. M ore 
broadly and from a systemic per spective, In dia had  been a consistent supporter of facilitating the 
efficient processes of those  desiring to be a Memb er of the WTO. I ntegration of new Members into 
the multilateral trading system would  not onl y benefit those acceding  but also their tr ading 
partners i n helping to make the organization universal and representative. India  therefore 
support ed the call for expediting all the ongoing accession processes including that of Sudan,  and 
looked forward to positive engagement from all Members including the accedin g Members in the 
ongoing accession processes.  
6.17.   The representative of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , on behalf of the Arab Group , welcomed  
the designation of Mr.  Kuwana as Chair of  the Working Party  on the Accession of Sudan . The Arab 
Group c ommend ed Sudan for  its efforts to reactiva te its accession process and was certain that 
that step would help speed up the  accession of Sudan to the WTO. A ccession to the WTO would  
have a positive contribution to the process of economic reform and sustainable development in 
LDCs. The accession of Sudan to the WTO wa s an important step in integrating Sudan into the 
world economy and in impro ving its business environment. The Group therefore called upon 
Members  to expedite the accessi on of Sudan to the WTO which was crucial for  an LDC since trade 
could  be an engine for growth a nd poverty reduction. The Group  wished Sudan every success in its 
accession process and hoped to welcome it soon as a full -fledged WTO Member.   
6.18.   The representative of Chad associated  his delegation  with the  statements made by the 
African Group, the LDCs and the ACP and congratulate d the WTO Secretariat for its continued 
efforts in the area of accessions . Chad appreciated the WTO's commitment on implementing the 
operational strategies that would  enable low -income economies to unleash their potential and 
move towards achieving sustainable development  through  having  access and contributing  to the 
rules-based multilateral trading system which provided governance for the stability of the global 
economy.  
6.19.   Chad congr atulated Sudan for th e progress it had made in  bringing its trade regime int o 
conformity with WTO rules. Sudan had exercised its political will and had constantly reaffirmed its 
commitment to advance its accession process. Sudan had  made significant progre ss in improvin g 
its business climate creating  a favo urable environment for i nvestment and business. All of those 
were done  after undertaking a comprehensive reform program to accelerate  its economic growth 
amid difficult conditions.  
6.20.   Sudan had  undeniable as sets to attract investment particularly in agric ulture, mining and 
tourism. Its  largely untapped potential which the Sudanese government focused on  in its economic  
diversification policy deserved  to be supported by its technical and financial partners. Cha d 
encourage d the WTO Secretariat and its  development partners to continue their tec hnical 
assistance to enable Sudan to achieve its development goals by e nabling it to join the WTO. Its 
accession to the WTO would  give new impetus to Sudan in its longstandi ng commitment to open  
its economy , to transparency and  good governance and to the use of commercial tools to deve lop 
its economy and private sector , to fight against poverty and to increase prosperity.  WT/GC/M/163  
 
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  6.21.   Economic growth dr iven by trade would create new econo mic opportunities and would help 
reduce poverty and increase prosperity. It would also contribute to significantly reverse extremism 
and promote p eace and security in the world. T he ac cession of Sudan to the WTO would  
significantly contribute to improving its opportunities fo r market access and to strengthen the 
relevance and  credibility of the WTO. It would also offer Sudan the foundation from which it would  
acquire a long -term program me of domestic reforms to promote welfare and growth. Chad 
welcomed  the various actions taken by the Government of Sudan to its economy towards  inclusive  
and sustainable development and called on the development partners to support Sudan in its 
efforts to set up and improve its economy , trade and investment.  
6.22.   Chad stressed  the need to accelerate the WTO accession process to enable the most 
vulnerable countries to move from the stage of negotiations to  the stage of concrete action. Chad 
welcomed  the appointment of Mr. Kuwana  to chair the Working Party  on the Accession of Sudan  
and wish ed him and those acceding to the WTO all the best . 
6.23.   The representative of Qatar  wished to reiterate  his country's  firm solidarity with the people 
and the elected government of Turkey under the leadership of President Erdoğ an, and commend ed 
the brave p eople of Tu rkey for standing up against tho se terrorist acts. Qatar's thoughts and 
prayers went  to the famili es and friends of those who had  sacrificed their lives.  Qatar  associated 
with the statement delivere d by the Arab Group and welcome d the designatio n of Mr Kuwana as 
Chairperso n for the Working Party on the A ccession of Sudan. The accession of th e Republic of 
Sudan to the WTO wa s an important step forward to its integration and to the gl obal economy. As 
an LDC, it would  have a positive impact in achie ving sustainable dev elopment and economic 
reform. Qatar stoo d ready to work  actively with Mr . Kuwana and the  colleagues from the mission 
of Sudan in expediting the accession process.  
6.24.   The representative of the Republic of Korea  supported  Sudan's effort for its access ion to the 
WTO. Sudan's accession would  benefit th e WTO and its Members as it would contribute in the 
strengthening of  the multilateral trading system and in creating mutual ly beneficial trade relations  
between Suda n and the Members. Korea looked  forward to working with Sudan and other 
Members to move forward Sudan's accession process.  
6.25.   The representative of Yemen  said that Yemen had been fortunate to closely follow  the 
accession process of Sudan and commended the Government of Sudan for its  energetic effort to 
reactivate its accession process. Yemen congratulated Sudan for such move and looked forward to 
the conclusion of its accession process soon.  Yemen thanked Japan for accepting to chair Sudan's 
Working Party. Sudan wa s one of the LDCs that ful ly deserve d the support and assistance needed 
to navigate through such  a complex and difficult process . Yemen thus called upon all Members to 
support the reactivation  of the process and the appointment of its Working Party Chair.  
6.26.   The representative of China joined Morocco, Oman, Chinese Taipei  and other speakers in 
supporting the resumption of Sudan's accession  process. Sudan's persistent effort  for the past 22 
years wa s a political vote  to the multilateral trading system which should be appreciated. China 
wished  to be as helpful as possible i n the process.  
6.27.   The representative of the Dominican Republic , on behalf of the IGDC , thanked the African 
Group for its statement  on facilitating  the ac cession process of Sudan and support ed the 
nomination  of Mr. Kuwana t o chair the Working Party on the Accession of Sudan . 
6.28.   The representative of Bangladesh  associate d with statement made by the LDCs, the African 
Group and Oman . The WTO maintained the practice of welcoming LDCs as its Members and that 
day they also welcome d and express ed satisfaction on  the formal Membership of Liberia and 
Afghanistan . Bangladesh thus  request ed all Members to support Sudan towards  its early accession 
to the WTO following the 2002 Guidelines on the accession process of LDCs to the WTO . 
6.29.   The repr esentative of Indonesia  joined others in  support ing the reactivation of the Working 
Party on the Accession of Sudan. Indonesia would  construc tively engage in that process.  
6.30.   The representative of the Russian Federation  associated with the statement made by t he 
African Group. B ilateral relations between Russia  and Sudan had  a long-standing history. They had 
recently celebrated the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic re lations between their WT/GC/M/163  
 
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  countries. The leaders of both countries we re aiming at  strengthening and improving mutually 
beneficial eco nomic relations. They we re confident that Sudan should be part of the rules -based 
global trading system. Trade wa s a force for economic gro wth and sustainable development  and — 
not least — peace, stabilit y and security. Russia assured Members of its  consiste nt support to  the 
aspirations of Sudan to become a WTO Member.  
6.31.   The representative of the European Union  supported  Sudan's accession to the WTO and 
welcome d the renewed commitments of the Sudanese Govern ment to that effect. Accession wa s a 
useful tool to boost integration in global trade and to pursue ambitious and sustainable internal 
reforms especially for LDCs. The stories of Afghanistan an d Liberia, the Members that had  most 
recently joined the WTO, s howed that in the presence of strong political will and leadership from 
all parties  the current framework g overning accession processes could  deliver the right resu lts. 
Each accession had  its own specificities j ust as each acceding Member  had its own speci fic 
interests and needs. The European U nion remained  ready to discuss with those acced ing and in 
particular the LDCs  the specific constraints they could face. The EU would  keep on working with 
them to facilitate their accession in accordance with  the exist ing guidelines and procedures.  
6.32.   The Chairman  recalled that  Deputy Director -General David P. Shark had conducted 
consultations on his  behalf on the Chairmanship of the A ccession Working Party of Sudan. He  
referred to the fax da ted 21 June 2016 and inform ed Members that , following those consultations  
and in kee ping with usual WTO practice , it was his understanding that there wa s a broad 
consensus on Mr . Ryosuke Kuwana, Deputy Permanent Representative of Japan, to serve as Chair 
of the Working Party on the  Accession of Sudan. Mr . Kuwana wa s therefore appointed as Chair.  
6.33.   H.E. Dr Kamal Hassan Ali, Minister of International Cooperation  of the Republic of Sudan , 
speaking as an Observer , said that the Sudanese Delegation was delighted to attend the  meeting 
of the WTO  General Council , where  an important  phase of its accession had commenced after 
declaring Mr. Kuwana Ryosuke, Deputy Pe rmanent Representative of Japan, as Chairperson  for the 
Working Party on the Accession of Sudan . He express ed his  deep gratitude to Japan  for chairing 
Sudan's  Working Party, to Members for supporting Sudan's accession  and to the WTO Secretariat 
for its  preparation and guidance.  
6.34.   Sudan was firmly committed to the objectives and principles of the rule s-based multilateral 
trading system. It had  under taken domestic and institutional reform s which pursued a progressive 
opening up of its economy to the world and enhanced  ties and har monization with  the global 
economy. WTO accession wa s a process of undergoing economic, legal and policy reforms and 
more remained to be done. The Sudanese Government was however committed to fulfil its part in 
Sudan's accession process.  
6.35.   Sudan,  as an LDC , urged M embers to  facilitate and accelerate its accession process and to 
ensure that they followed  the General Council  decision of 25 July 2012 on  the accession of LDCs 
which aimed at strengthening , streamli ning and operationa lising the 2002 Guidelines on the 
accession process of LDCs to the WTO , leading towards a more balanced and fair multilateral 
trading system.  
6.36.   The Ge neral Council took note  of the statements .10 
7  RUSSIAN FEDERATION'S  TRADE MEASURES AFFEC TING UKRAINIAN TRANS IT OF 
PRODUCTS – STATEMENT BY UKRAINE  
7.1.  The Chairman  said that at Ukraine's request  made in writin g to the Secretariat on 13 July the 
item had  been inclu ded in the agenda  of the  meeting.  He therefore invited the delegation of 
Ukraine to introduce it. 
7.2.  The representative of Ukraine  wished to draw the Council's attention to  the continuous 
burdensome situation on the settlement of the problem with trade restri ctions being ap plied by the 
Russian Federation,  which restrict ed and unduly complicated international traffic in transit from the 
territory of Ukraine to third country destinations via the territory of the Russian Federation.  
                                                
10 At Japan's request  made to the Chairman at the meeting , its statement under this item is 
incorporated in the minutes of this meeting and can be found in Annex 4 of this report.  WT/GC/M/163  
 
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  7.3.  She stressed that, n otwithsta nding numerous communications (of 13 Janua ry and 11 July) 
and raising the  issue at the last meeting of the  Council, two meetings of the Council of Trade in 
Goods (15 April and 14  July) and  in several relevant WTO Committees: Committe e on Agriculture 
(9 Mar ch and 7  June); SPS Committee (30 June) and TBT Commit tee (15 June), the measures had  
not been removed. Moreover, no relevant replies from the Russian Federation had  been provid ed. 
The Ukrainian delegation had been  deeply disappointed to receive communicat ion G/C/W/727 from 
the Russian Federation dated 14 July 2016. The lack of substantive engagement on behalf of the 
Russian Federation could n ot be clearer in its response. The Russian Federation claimed that it 
believed that its transit measure wa s in full conformity with WTO rules and disciplines.  
Unfortunately,  the Russian Federation neglected WTO's basic obligation to provide practical, 
transparent, factual information and relevant justifications on problematic trade measures. 
Delivering the r equested cla rity obviously risked  disclosing a groundless belief.  
7.4.  Ukraine  highlighted that, since the last meeting of the General Council , the situation with 
transit restrictions through the territo ry of the Russian Federation had  deteriorated dramatically. 
Starting f rom the 1 July , transit of all goods  for which import tariff rates in the Russian Federation 
exceed ed zero value  from the territory of Ukraine through the territory of the Russian Federation 
to the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Kyrgyz Republic was complet ely banned. She said that  no 
preliminary notification and expla nation from the Russian side had been  given. As  a result, 
hundreds  of cars and railway wagons had been  stopped at the border of the Russian Federation 
and had been prevented from en tering the R ussian territory. T housands of Ukrainian companies 
had thus lost contracts with their partners in the Republic of Kazakhstan and  the Kyrgyz Republic.  
7.5.  However, Ukraine currently wished  to take a  slightly broader perspective. Initial reflections 
indicate d trade across the particularly large region to its  east to be systemically impacted. Ukraine 
enjoyed  excellent acces s to many global markets via its  seaports on the Black Sea. H istorically , 
however , Ukraine and other countries had also  reached important marke ts to the east via 
extensi ve land transportation routes. Just a few years before , Ukrainian  traders used various 
overland rout es to provide a great part of their  exported goods to diverse country destinati ons in 
that eastwardly region. Ukraine' s bilateral trade result towards that multi -country region had 
unfortunately dropped dramatically.  
7.6.  She stressed that t he current broader questions would therefore focus on how they could 
collectively have better common understandings reg arding not just Ukraine' s trad e but the factual 
nature of overarching regional trade, its recent chan ges and its relative importance. She wondered 
whether  the overall multi -nation trade with that eastward region produce d similar results  as 
Ukraine's bilateral trade? Assuming a decline was the result, had trade in that  specific region been 
impacted more or less when compared to trends in o ther regions around the globe? What we re the 
key underlying reasons leadin g to significant trade changes in that region? Were tho se key 
underlying reas ons unique to that eastward region or we re such reasons reflective of wider global 
and regional t rade conditions and trends? If, for  example, regional trade in that vast region to its 
east wa s impacted more compared to o ther regions, to what might that  be attributed  to: general 
economic conditions in the region; type of leading economic activity compared to other regions 
where commodi ties markets have a high impact; or could such a negative trade result be due to 
an observably higher level and severity of t rade restric tive measures in the region?  
7.7.  The WTO' s June 201 6 Report on Trade Measures noted  a significant increase in new trade -
restrictive measures globally. The report did  not seek to evaluate on a regional basis either the 
relative frequency of measures  or the potential economic impact.  In the absence of such further -
going analysis, Ukraine invited  Members to reflect on the relative importance of trade -restrictive 
measures in specific regional contexts. Uk raine had unfortunately sensed  that the cumulativ e 
number and the severity of tr ade-restrictive measures in that particular large region on its eastern 
borders contributed  markedly to trade  reductions and also foreshadowed impact on trade' s future 
attractiveness.    
7.8.  The study of regional trade was not new . The WTO  devoted  much ti me and energy on 
regional trade  but typically in the context of spe cific regional trade agreements  which promote d 
trade. Perhaps questioning and looking more attentively at regional trade from the reverse 
perspective could  also p rovide beneficial information. Perhaps gaining a common understanding 
through investigating regional trade in the context of the relative impact of cumulative, 
burdensome trade restrictions would be worthwhile.   WT/GC/M/163  
 
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  7.9.  Ukraine could  conclude that its bilateral trad e flows in the neighbo uring eastern region had 
dropped dramatically  due in large part to the Russian Federation' s erection of national trade  
barriers. Ukraine also observed  that the impact of some national measures had an even wider 
reach through the triggering of customs union disciplines. Ukraine did not seek to speak for others , 
but it had  a preliminary impres sion that other WTO Members had  simila r negative trade results in 
that particular region due to the Russian Federation's  barriers.   
7.10.   A positive way forward would  carefully and critically examine the factual basis. S uch 
relevant factual details had been and continued to be Ukraine' s request regarding a number of 
different trade -impeding measures. The Russian Federation's  forthcoming Trade Poli cy Review  in 
late September would  offer a more comprehensive opportunity to be informed of the facts. The 
WTO policy reviews serve d as one critical moment and tool to p rovide a common factual basis. 
Ukraine hoped that the upcoming review would  improve the fact ual b asis and policy context. 
Ukraine would  continue to seek a better common understand ing of  the regional trade facts with 
the objective of promoting more trade -friendly and trade -promoting policies in the region.   
7.11.   Ukraine urged  the Russian Fe deration to immed iately lift tho se unreasonable and restrictive 
transit restrictions and re -establish non -discriminating, ope n transit treatment for all Members and  
hoped that all Members understood that it wa s not a political rhetoric.  Ukraine was there to ensure 
that the  rules were respected by all Members.  
7.12.   The representative of the United States  remained concerned that Russia had , without 
credible justification, apparently cut off virtually all of Ukraine's land -based trade to the east 
adversely impacting trade throughou t the region. Because of the fundamental importance for all 
trading nations of the GATT and WTO provisions governing the freedom of  transit, the United 
States saw tho se measures as a systemic issue of relevance to all Members. In the interest o f 
transparen cy, a fulsome discussion of tho se issues in the Council for Trade in Goods and other 
technically -oriented subsidiary bodies including det ailed explanations as to why those measures 
were necessary and j ustified under WTO rules remained  necessary. The United  States reiterated its 
statement from the last meeting of the Council, namely,  to urge all Members with an interest in 
that matter to adhere faithfully to their WTO obligations.  
7.13.   The representative of the European Union  reiterate d its strong concerns about the trade 
restrictive measures introduced by the  Russian Federation through Presidential Decree No.1  
modified and extended until the end of 2017. The severity of tho se transit restrict ions wa s a 
matter of deep concern. As the new measures appear ed to affec t a large group of products for 
which east -bound land trade from Ukraine wa s impossible. Those trade restrictions appear ed to be 
in violation of important WTO rules in particular on the freedom of transit. Moreover, they 
appear ed to have a direct economic impact on other WTO Members including the EU by impeding 
the transit of EU goods to Kazakhstan and to the Kyrgyz Re public. The European Union called on 
the Russian Federation to abide  by the provisions of the mult ilateral legal framework and provide 
non-discriminatory treatment on  transit wi thout unnecessarily delaying tho se transits or  imposing  
other types of costs. The EU expressed its dissatisfaction on  the communication sent by Russia on 
14 July 2016 as its reply to Ukraine's questions on the issue. The  EU regret ted that Russia had not 
replied  to any of the questions and had only indicated that the measures t aken by the Russian 
Federation we re in full confor mity with the law of the WTO. The EU would continue to follow  the 
situation closely and reserve d its right to further address those measures should they not be 
repealed by the Russian Federation.  
7.14.   The representative of Japan  joined other Members in expressing its  concerns from a 
systemic point of view. Japan, to gether with other Members, looked  forward to Russia’s detailed 
responses to the questio ns circulated by Ukraine and hoped that the  situation would be resolved as 
soon as possible.  
7.15.   The representative of Canada  thank ed the Deputy -Minister of Ukrai ne for providing 
Members  with an update and for outli ning Ukraine's  concerns.  According to what had been set out, 
it appear ed that another Member of the WTO wa s not living up to its obligations. He noted that,  
from the description , the measures taken impact ed several other Members in the region in  addition 
to Ukraine. That meant that those measures we re having potentially sy stemic implications for all 
Members and certainly others in the region in particular. The recent broadening of the restrictive 
measures in  regard to transit heightened Canada's concerns. A s others had said before, the way 
the events had  unfolded and the impa ct on third countries and  on Ukraine underscore d the WT/GC/M/163  
 
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  importance of all Members respecting the rights and obligations set out in the WTO Agreements. 
As one of his colleagues had  already s aid, it therefore behoved  the parties involved by resp ecting 
WTO rules to resolve the  problem as swiftly as possible. Canada , like others, look ed forward to 
what should have been for thcoming much earlier which wa s explanation, if not justification, from 
Russia for the mea sures , since no explanation had  been provided.  
7.16.   The representative of Georgia  noted that , as a transit country , Georgia deemed the topic  
raised by Ukraine  important . The topic deserved  a deta iled approach. Georgia therefore  urged the 
Russian  Federation to provide more substantive replie s to the questions posed by  Ukraine.  
7.17.   The representative of Australia  reiterate d Australia's  concerns and call ed on the Russian 
Federation to avoid the use of trade r estrictive measures. Australia wa s particular ly conc erned 
about any actions that could violate  the principle of freedom of tr ansit. Freedom of transit was  a 
fundamental element for trade facilitatio n. Measures that would violate that principle would clearly 
have a detrimental trade and economic  impac t for an entire region. Australia  asked Ukraine and 
the Russian Federation to work to resolve the  issue promptly and to restore integrity to the 
principle of free transit.  
7.18.   The representative of the Republic of Korea  thank ed Ukraine for drawing  Members' att ention 
to the issue. Korea shared  the concern s expressed by Ukra ine and other Members on a  systemic 
perspective. The  issue should be addressed in accordance with the rules and spirit of relev ant WTO 
rules and agreements. Korea hoped that solutions could be  reached promptly.  
7.19.   The representative of Norway  joined  previous speakers in expressing systemic concerns on 
the issue. All Members had  the responsibility to act in a transparent and predictable manner and to 
ensure that the ir respective trade practices com plied with WTO rules and regulations.  
7.20.   The representative of the Russian Federation  said that r estrictions on transit of goods from 
Ukraine to Kazakhstan and the Kyrgyz Republic  applied by the Russian Federation  cover ed a 
clearly defined group of products. Ukrainian representatives had  been informed of the list of goods 
subject to those restrictions and  of the requirements applied to international transit transport of 
goods from the territory of Ukraine to Kazakhstan and the Kyrgyz Republic through the terri tory of 
the Russian Federation.  
7.21.   The measures which had  been ado pted by the Russian Federation we re in full conformity 
with its oblig ations under the WTO Agreement. The response to the concerns expressed by the 
delegati on of Ukraine in respect of the situa tion had been  given by Note Verbale of the Permanent 
Mission of the Russian Federation to the WTO , as con tained in G/C/W/727 dated  14 July 2016.  
7.22.   The General Council took note  of the statements.  
8  WAIVERS UNDER ARTICL E IX OF THE WTO AGRE EMENT  
8.1  United States – Former Trust Territory o f the Pacific Islands (G/C/W/721) – 
Statement by the Chairman of the Council for T rade in Goods  
8.1.  The Chairman  said that this sub -item related  to a factual report on a request for the 
extension of the waiver by the United States on th e Former Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands 
contained in document G/C/W/721.  Article IX:3(b) of the Mar rakesh Agreement stipulated  that a 
request for a waiver should be considered by the relevant Council during a time not exceeding 90 
days, at the end of which the relevant Council should  submit a report to the Ministerial Conference 
– therefore to the General Council.    
8.2.  He understood that the Council for Trade in Goods had considered the  request at its meeting 
on 14 July 2016. He therefore read the stat ement of Ambassador Hamish Mc Cormick (Australia), 
Goods Council Chair, on that matter on his behalf: "I would like to report that, since 15 April 2016, 
the Council for Trade in Goods has been considering document G/C/W/721 containing a request 
and a draft waiver decision submitted by the United States to extend its preferences to the Former 
Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands. With reference to Article IX:3(b) of the Marrakesh 
Agreement, and given that the 90 days for consideration of a waiver  request fe ll in this case on WT/GC/M/163  
 
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  8 June 2016, I am making this factual report to the General Council to inform it that the Goods 
Council will continue to give its consideration to this request."  
8.3.   In light of the  report and of the request by the Goods Coun cil to continue  to consider the 
request, the Chairman propose d for the General Council to agree to allow the Goods Council to 
continue to consider the United States' request and to report back to  the General Council once it 
had complet ed that  work.  
8.4.  The General Council so agreed . 
8.2  Review of Waivers pursuant to Article IX:4 of the WTO A greement  
8.2.1   Canada – CARIBCAN , granted on 28 J uly 2015 until 31  December  2023 
(WT/L/958, WT/L/987)  
8.2.2   Preferential Treatment for Least -Developed C ountries, granted on 27 May 2009 
until 30  June  2019 (WT/L/759)  
8.2.3   United S tates – Former Territory of the Pacific Islands, granted on 27  July 2007 
until 31  December  2016 (WT/L/694, WT/L/990 and WT/L/990/Corr.111) 
8.2.4   United States – Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act, granted on 5 May 2015 
until 31 D ecember 2019  (WT/L/950, WT/L/988)  
8.2.5   Philippines – Special Treatment for R ice, granted on 24  July 2014 until 
30 June  2017 (WT/L/932)  
8.5.  The Chairman  recalled that, in accordance with paragraph  4 of Article IX of the WTO  
Agreement, "any waiver granted for a period of more th an one year shall be reviewed by the 
Ministerial Conference not later than one year after it is granted, and thereafter annually until  the 
waiver terminates." There we re five waivers before the General Council for review.  Three of the 
waivers under review provide d that an annual report should be submitted by the Member 
concerned regarding the operation or implementation of those waivers with a view to facilitating 
their annual review by the General Council.  The reports from C anada and the United States had  
been circulated in documents WT/L/987, WT/L/988 and WT/L/990 respectively.  
8.6.  The representative of Jamaica  welcomed  the reports on the CARIB CAN and CBERA waivers 
which had been submitted to the  Council by both Canada and the United States, respectiv ely. 
Jamaica thank ed both Canada and the United States for their continued partnership with t he 
Caribbean Community and noted  that CARIBCAN and CBERA continue d to be of significant 
economic value to Jamaica. T he sentiment it had expressed wa s reflective of the view s held by the 
wider Caribbean Community on the  matter.  
8.7.  The representative of Benin , on behalf of the LDCs , thanked the Chairman for including  that 
item on the agenda  in accordance with  paragraph  4 of the Decision  in WT/L/ 304 of 17 June 1999 
granting a waiv er on preferential tariff treatment for LDCs  extended until 30 June 2019. The LDC 
Group also thank ed the developed and developing Members who had granted  preferential tariff 
treatment  to LDCs within the framework of  market a ccess under the Generali sed Syst em of 
Preferences for export s from LDCs without prejudice to Article I:1  of the GATT 1994.  
8.8.  The objective of the LDCs to achieve  a 2% export market share had not yet  been met . 
Pursuant to  the SDGs , the global share of LDCs i n world trade should double  from 1.15% to 
2.30% . Such increase would enable the LDCs to  register  7% growth for ten consecutive year s to 
promote their capacity, to integrate  them into the multilateral tra ding system, for development, to 
fight against poverty and to end the ir marginalizatio n. 
8.9.  In light of tho se findings, the LDC Group reiterated  the relevance of  the extension of t he 
waiver until 2019. The LDCs urged Members to notify the preferences they grant ed to them in 
accordance with paragraph  2 of the 1999 General Council Decision . Appr opriate mechanisms 
                                                
11 In English only.  WT/GC/M/163  
 
- 31 - 
 
  should  be put in place to protect the LDCs against the effects of tariff erosion affecting them  and 
to maintain  their levels of  market share in international trade. T he impact of non -tariff barriers on 
LDC trade  should be analysed and addressed  appropriately. Members were encouraged  to pursue  
and to increase  their contribution  to the tools put in place at the WTO to promote LDC participation 
in international trade, including the Enhanced Integrated Framework and Aid for Trade that would  
develop and strengthen the production and export capacities of LDCs.  
8.10.   The representative of Senegal  associate d with the statement made by the LDCs. T he 
circumstances that had led to that waiver still exist ed. The LDCs had been marginalis ed in 
international t rade and  their share in global exports remained weak compared with  the objective 
set in the Istanbul Programme of Action for LD Cs. That waiver wa s the legal foundation for the 
preferential regime for LDCs. The extension of the waiver contain ed in the decis ion of 
15 June 1999 in WT/L/304 should make it possible to increase the trading possibilities of LDCs and 
to strengthen south-south coopera tion. Senegal thank ed the developing  country  Members that had  
taken measures in conne ction with that waiver and calle d upon other developing  country  Members  
to take similar measure s. Senegal called upon developed Members  to improve the system in 
favour of LDCs in terms of products covered and preferentia l regimes relating thereto. That type of 
improvement would  make it p ossible to effectively implement the Bali Decision on DFQF Market 
Access for LDCs and the Nairobi Decision on Preferential Rules of Origin.  
8.11.   The General Council took note  of the reports contained in documents WT/L/987, WT/L/ 988 
and WT/L/ 990 and of the statements, and reverted  to the review of multi -year waivers under 
Article IX.4 of the WTO Agreement at its meeting in December.  
9  COMMITTEE ON BUDGET,  FINANCE AND ADMINIST RATION – REPORT ON MEETING OF  
21 JUNE 2016 (WT/BFA /155)  
9.1.  The Chairman  drew the Council's  attention to the report of the Budget Committe e in 
document WT/BFA/155  and invite d Ambassador Inga Ernstsone (Latvia), Chairperson of the 
Committee, to introduce the report.  
9.2.  Ambassador Inga Ernstsone (Latvia), Chairperson of the Committee on Budget, Finance a nd 
Administration , recalled that a t its meeting in June, the Committee had reviewed the WTO 2015 
Financial Performance Report and the related report of the External Auditor.  
9.3.  Officials from the Secretariat had informed the Committee  that budgetary  savings of 
CHF 4.6 million had been realized in 2015. Tho se savings had resulted from a combination of 
savings from vacant posts and cost savings achieved through efficiencies in other areas. The 
financial result, determined in accordance with International Publi c Sector Accounting Standards, 
was a deficit of 6.7 million.  
9.4.  The Supreme Audit Institution of Germany, the External Auditor of the WTO, had expressed 
an unqualified audit opinion on the 2015 WTO Financial Statements. Notably, the External Auditor 
had closed the issue that had resulted in a reservation on the 2014 WTO Financial Statements, 
being the recommendation to consolidate ITC financial statements with those of the WTO.  
9.5.  The External Auditor had also conducted performance audits on the Facility Managem ent, 
Security Services and IT Governance and  had underlined that the Secretariat had taken  note of the 
Auditor's recommendations and had intended to implement them.  
9.6.  On the 2015 accounts, the Committee recommended  that the General Council approve d the 
transfers between bud getary sections as outlined in paragraph s 2.31 and 2.39 of document 
WT/BFA/W/392. The Committee further recommended  that the General Council approve d the 2015 
WTO Audited Financial Statements.  
9.7.  The Chair of the WTO Pension Plan Management Board had presented his report on the on -
going work of the Board. The Chair had informed the Committee about modifications to be made 
to the WTOPP's internal rules that  would  also be presented for approval by the General Council.   WT/GC/M/163  
 
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  9.8.  The Chair of the Monitori ng Group on After Service Health Insurance Strategy Development 
had reported that the Group had been  satisfied with the progress made by the Secretariat's 
Strategy Development Team.  
9.9.  The Chair of the Working Group concerning an Audit Committee had updated the CBFA on the 
Working Group's deliberations to date. He had highlighted the fact that Members of the Working 
Group had not reached consensus.  The Working Group  had therefore requested the CBFA to 
extend the deadl ine to deliver the final report  from 30 Ju ne to 30 September. The CBFA  so agreed.  
9.10.   The Committee had reviewed the annual report on the overall grade structure and 
promotions within the Secretariat. The Secretaria t was carefully monitoring the grade structure by 
recruiting at lower grades for vacan cies previously held  by high grade members of staff  after their 
separation from service. The Secretariat had updated the Committee on internal mobilit y and 
lateral staff movements. Senior Management had updated the Committee on progress on the 
Organization al Review of the Secr etariat. Two working groups had  been established within the 
Secretariat, one to review the bonus philosophy and policy and the other to review the 
Performance Evaluation System. Senior Management had also presented the current WTO grad e 
structure and informed the Committee about the allocation of 30 promotions assigned for 2016.  
9.11.   A member of the Secretariat had informed the Committee of revisions to the revised 
Treasury Management Policy in order to enable the Secretariat to take appropr iate measures to 
stem the negative i nterest charged by Swiss banks. The Committee had been  informed that the 
new Chief of the Office of Internal Oversight would assume duty in September 2016.  
9.12.   The Senior Management had requested Members to liaise with their  capitals to make 
contributions to replenish the LDC Trust Fund to cover the participation of LDC delegate s at 
Ministerial Conferences.  
9.13.   The General Council took note  of the statement, approved  the Budget Committee's specific 
recommendation s in paragraph  2.13 of the  report in WT/BFA/155 and adopted  the said report.  
10  WTO PENSION PLAN  
10.1  Annual Report of the M anageme nt Board (WT/L/985)  
10.2  Report of the Independent External Auditor on the Audit of the Financial 
Statements of the  WTOPP (WT/L/984)  
10.1.   The Chairman  drew the Council's  attention to the Annual Report of the Management Board 
for 2015 contain ed in document WT/L/985, which wa s submitted to the General Council in 
accordance with Article 5(d) of the Regulations of th e WTO Pension Plan. He also drew attention to 
the R eport of the Independent External Auditor on the Audit of the Financial Statements of t he 
WTOPP in document WT/L/984. He  invite d Mr Johannes RÜHL (Switzerland), Chairperson of the 
Management Board, to introduce the reports.  
10.2.   Mr Johannes R ühl (Switzerland), Chairperson of the Management Board , said that  the 20 15 
Annual R eport  of the Management Board had  been prepared by the Management Board in 
accordance with Article 5  of the Regulations of the Plan  for presentation to the General Council and 
to Plan particip ants and beneficiaries. Compared to previous years, 2015 had been  a challenging 
year for financial markets. Stock markets had remained volatile  while yields  on long -term 
government bonds were low or even negative. The fund' s portfolio had a negative nomina l rate of 
return. After several years of over -performing, the plan' s portfolio was currently  getting closer to 
its long -term target rate of return. Nevertheless, it appeared  likely that the economic a nd 
investment circumstances would  remain challenging for  some t ime. Information about the Plan' s 
investment st rategy could  be fou nd in the Annex to the Report. The Management Board was  aware 
of its mandate to ensure the long -term viability of the Pension Plan. He therefore highlight ed the 
modifications to the r egulations passed by Members in 2015 which would  contribute to bringing 
the plan closer to long -term actuarial balance.  WT/GC/M/163  
 
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  10.3.   The second document wa s the report by the external auditor (the German 
"Bundesrechnungshof") on the Pension Plan' s financial statements for 2015. The External Auditor 
had placed an unqualified opinion on the financial statements for 2015.  
10.4.   The General Council took note  of the Annual Report of the Management Board for 2015 in 
document WT/L/985, the Report of the Independent External Auditor on the Audit of the Financial 
Statements of the WTOPP in document W T/L/984, and of the statement.  
10.3  Election of replacement members (WT/GC/W/719)  
10.5.   The Chairman  recalled that Article 4(a) of the Regulations of the  WTO Pension Plan 
provided , inter alia, for the  election by the General Council of a Chairperson, four members and 
four alternates to the Management Board of the Pension Plan.  
10.6.   At the May meeting, the General Council had agreed to revert to the item at the  July session 
to give all Members enough time  to consider the matter. In that  regard, Mr Johannes Rühl, 
Chairperson of the Pension Plan Management Board, had sent a fax on his  behalf on 28 June, 
informing Members that he would conduct consultations with regard to the vacancies on the 
WTOPP Management Bo ard and would receive expressions of interest before 8 July.  
10.7.   Following the  process of consultations by the Chair of the Board, in a communication 
subsequently circulated to delega tions in document WT/GC/W/719, he had  indicated the vacancies 
on the WTOPP M anagement Board and had proposed the names of representatives for elect ion as 
members and alternates. He had  also invited delegations to submit any comments th ey could  have 
by close -of-business on 22 July.  
10.8.   He had  not received any comments regard ing the ind icated nominations. He  therefore 
propose d that the General Council elect ed Mrs. Alicia Goujon (Mexico), Mrs . Eleni Patibouli 
(Greece), Mr . Ian Medcalf (Canada) and Mr . Rodolfo Rivas (Israel) to serve as members and 
alternates, respectively, on the Pension Plan Management Board for the remainder of the terms of 
their respective predecessors and subject to renewal in 2017.  
10.9.   The General Council so agreed .12 
11  ENHANCING  THE PARTICIPATION OF  MICRO, SMALL AND MED IUM ENTERPRISES IN 
REGIONAL AND GLOBAL MARKETS – STATEM ENT BY THE PHILIPPINES  
11.1.   The representative of the Philippines , speaking under "Other Business ", on behalf of the 
Philippines , Brunei Darussalam , Lao PDR , Malaysia , Singapore  and Thailand , said that at the 
beginning of the year, they had  laid out an indicati ve work plan and timetable for addressing 
MSMEs  in 2016. The first activity had been  a workshop entitled "Enhancing the Participation of 
Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in International Markets " held on 21 June during 
the Geneva Week.  
11.2.   The works hop had offered a platform for a dialogue among Members, practitioners, and 
policy -makers and addressed three issues, namely (1) identifying existing rules in the WTO 
toolbox that could benefit MSMEs, (2) identifying gaps and ways of improving the ability of MSMEs 
to participate in global markets, and (3) inquiring into the treatment of MSMEs in various regional 
trade agreements. While th e speakers and participants had been  of diverse areas of specialization, 
the views had converged towards a few broad them es.  
11.3.   National initiatives we re thriving and should be complemented by internat ional cooperation. 
A number of M embers had shared their own MSME -friendly policies and we re working towards 
building on tho se policies through the development of strategic plans and roadmaps.  
11.4.   However, MSMEs had  a productivity ga p compared to larger firms. That gap wa s bigger in 
the developing world, almost two or three times the size of the gap in the industrialized world.  
                                                
12 The decision was subsequently circulated in document WT/L/991.  WT/GC/M/163  
 
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  11.5.   Furthermore, the trade costs we re also higher for MSMEs as  they face d a large share of 
fixed and variable costs of trade due to their relatively small turnover.  
11.6.   Nevertheless, WTO agreements help ed MSMEs by reducing the variable and fixed costs. The 
special situation of MSMEs wa s acknowledged and addressed in a nu mber of WTO agreements, 
plurilateral agreements, work programmes and in technical cooperation. Flexibilities for SME 
policies we re likewise built into several WTO agreements.  
11.7.   Focusing on what Members could do in the  house, the workshop had identified some 
potential areas relating to the effective implementation of WTO provisions t o make them "MSME -
friendly". Tho se include d: further improvement in transparency to enhan ce MSMEs' access to 
information; h elping MSMEs navigate the world of regulatory en vironment , particularly on NTMs  
(i.e. assisting MSMEs with policy and legal analysis by having the WTO and other international 
organizations cooperate so th at a methodology could  be designed such as studying the cost impact 
of new, emergi ng, and existing trade meas ures); e nsuring the implementation of th e TFA and 
helping MSMEs adjust to it – a suggestion had been  made on how simplifying procedures of low 
value shipments by MSMEs could  unlock their trading potential; and lastly,  it had been  pointed out 
that Members  needed to have an improved a nd continuous dialogue in order to create awareness 
about MSMEs' challenges across the board and developing a better understand ing of what the 
major barriers we re for MSMEs.  
11.8.   The Philippines invited all M embers to the next activit y in the  work plan: a working session 
in the WTO Public Forum entitled " Towards a MSME Marketplace: Growing Global MSMEs for 
Inclusive Development" on 27 September. The session sought  to tackle specific programs of 
various MSME stakeholders and how they co uld be improved and supplemented by the WTO. On a 
related note, the launching of the  World Trade Report on SMEs would precede the working session. 
The full report of the 21 June  workshop could  be found in JOB/GC/95 circulated on 7 July 2016.  
11.9.   The Director -General  thanked the Philippines and all the other delegations that had  been 
involved in promoting the  conversation about sm all and medium enterprises – a cross -cutting 
issue. Small and medium enterprises exist ed everywhere. They face d severe challenges 
particularly in the developing world . He was  happy to s ee that conversation going and wished  to 
congratulate all those involved for the excellent jo b. 
11.10.   The representative of Chinese Taipei  echoed the stat ement made by the Philippines aimed 
at maintain ing Member s' mo mentum on MSMEs. Small and medium  enterprises had  been the key 
driving force of Chinese Taipei's  economic developme nt over the past half century. Many MSMEs 
had unique tec hnology and innovative products  but lack ed the scale, capit al, technology and 
talents of many large businesses with which they regularly compete d. But there we re challenges 
facing small and medium enterprises to part icipate in global value chain s. Fostering the 
participation of MSMEs in domestic and international markets and facilitat ing their business 
activities had always b een one of the priorities of Chinese Taipei's economic policy. Chinese Taipei 
recommend ed for  Members to try to identify and examine cross -cutting issues relevant to the WTO 
which could help integrate MSMEs  into gl obal trade and therefore welcomed the initiative taken by 
the Phil ippines and other proponents. Chinese Taipei  looked forward to working with other 
Members to continue to discuss the MSME s topic.  
11.11.   The General Council took note  of the statements.  
12  ELEVENTH SE SSION OF THE MINISTE RIAL CONFERENCE – COMMUNICATION FROM 
URUGUAY  
12.1.   The Chairman  drew attention to the communication from  Uruguay circulated to all 
delegations in WT/GC/181. He therefore invite d Uruguay to make its statement.  
12.2.   The representative of Uruguay , speaking under "Other Business" , said  that f ollowing the  
statement of Argentina, there was not much left that he had to add. He  thank ed the Ambassador 
of Argentina for his generous comments. The candidac y for hosting  the Ministerial Conference 
would strength en the organization . Uruguay renewed  its decision to submit its candidacy to host 
MC11  in 2017 h aving closely examined the matter and conducted an internal evaluation . Uruguay  
expressed  its commitment to the WTO  and to th e multilateral trading system . WT/GC/M/163  
 
- 35 - 
 
  12.3.   The Chairman  thank ed the Government  of Uruguay for its offer to host MC11 which 
reflected its  strong commitment to the WTO and to the multilateral trading system.   
12.4.   The Director -General  thanked Uruguay for stepping forward . It was  great to have m ultiple 
applica tions to host Ministerial Conferences . Uruguay's initiative showed again the importance that 
many attach ed to WTO Ministerial C onferences, and the growing confidence and engagement in 
WTO's work. He also welcome d the collaborative s pirit that both Uruguay and Argentina had  shown 
and that should serve as an exam ple and inspiration to all Members . He was certain that they 
would all be following the  process closely as the  General Council Chair continued  his consultations.  
12.5.   The Chairman  said he would continue hi s consultations in that  regard with a view to 
reaching a decision on the matter of dat e and venue hopefully at the October meeting  of the 
General Council , at the latest. He  renew ed his  encouragement to all delegations to engage 
constructively.  
12.6.   The General Council took note  of the statements.  
13  CHAIRMANSHIPS OF THE  NEGOTIATING GROUP ON  MARKET ACCESS, THE C OUNCIL 
FOR TRADE IN SERVICE S IN SPECIAL SESSION  AND THE PREPARATORY COMMITTEE ON 
TRADE FACILITATION – STATEMENT BY THE CHA IRMAN  
13.1.   The Chairman , speaking under "Other Business ", recalled that a s had been announced in 
the fax sent on 28 June, he had been consulting on the C hairmanships of the Negotiating Group on 
Market Access; the Council for Trade in Services in Special Session; and the Preparatory 
Committee on Trade Facilitation, following the departure of the  respective Chairs – 
Ambassador  Remigi Winzap (Switzerland), Ambassador Gabriel Duque (Colombia), and 
Ambassador Esteban Conejos (Philippines).  
13.2.   In line with the Guidelines for Appointment of Offi cers to WTO  Bodies (WT/L/510), he had 
started conducting tho se consultations with the assistance of Ambassador Carim (South Africa), 
Chairman of the DSB, and Ambassadors de Mateo (Mexico) and Fried (Canada), former Chairmen 
of the General Council. They had  met with t he coordinators of the four Groups (Africa, Asia, Latin 
America and the Caribbean and the Developed Countries) and with a number  of interested 
delegations. The process was still ongoing and they would continue thei r consultati ons after the 
summer break. He  invite d Group C oordinators to consult with their respective  groups and to revert 
back to them  as soon as possible.  
13.3.   The representative of Switzerland  on a personal note subscribed to the farewell statement 
of Ambassador de Mateo (Mexico) and said that it h ad been  a privilege for him to work with the 
Director -General, the Chairman and all his colleagues during tho se four years  and to be part of 
what Ambassador de Mateo had  dubbed "a college class " – a class of high class pe ople assisted by 
a first class Secr etariat. It had been  rewarding to work with all of them  and to have had successes 
at two Ministerials in a row. Members had  succeeded by working ha rd and by working together. He  
urged them to  keep on going, keep on serving the multilateral tr ading system. He assure d the 
Director -General that he would continue to be an ambassador not to but for  the WTO. He was 
grateful that he  had the chance to meet all of them and to make many friends in Geneva. He  
hoped thei r path s would cross again and wished everyone fut ure successes.  
13.4.   The General Council took note  of the statements.  
14  ADMINISTRATIVE MEASU RES FOR MEMBERS IN A RREARS – STATEMENT BY THE 
CHAIRMAN  
14.1.   The Chairman , speaking under "Other Business",  recalled  that at its meeting in 
October  2012 the General Council had a pproved a recommendation from the Budget Committee 
regarding revised Administrative Measures for Members in arrears which had entered into force on 
1 January 2013. Among those Measures there was a requirement that at the end of each meeting 
of the General Council the Chairperson of the Budget Committee should provide information with 
regard to which Members and Observers were under Administrative Measures. He invited 
Ambassador  Inga E rnstsone  (Latvia) , Chairperson of the Committee, to provide the Council wi th 
the information.  WT/GC/M/163  
 
- 36 - 
 
  14.2.   Ambassador Inga Ernstsone (Latvia), Chairperson of the Committee on Budget, Finance and 
Administration , said that the General Council had approved the new rules for Members and 
Observers subject ed to Administrative Measures. Those rules  had been implemented effectively on 
1 March 2013 and as required by the decision of the General Council she should list Members and 
Observers under all categories of Administrative Measures as of  11 May. There were 4 Members 
and 1 Observer in Category 1: Cameroon; Congo; Dominican Republic; Yemen and Sudan 
(Observer). There were 6 Members and 2 Observers in Category 2: Dominica; Grenada; Malawi; 
Suriname; Vanuatu; Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela; Equatorial Guinea (Observe r) and Libya 
(Observer). There we re 6 Members and 1 Observer in Category 3: Central African Republic; 
Djibouti; Guinea -Bissau; Mauritania; Niger; Sierra Leone and Sao Tomé and Principe (Observer).  
She also informed Members that during that day the Secretariat had  received a payment in the  
amount of CHF 29, 900. Once the payment was attributed , the list would  be changed accordingly.  
14.3.   The Chairman  said that u nder the new revise d Administrative Measures he was  also 
required at each Council meeting to request Members and Observers in Categories II and III of the 
Measures to inform the Secretariat as to when their payment  of arrears could  be expected.  
14.4.   The General Council took note  of the statements.  
 
_______________  
 
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  ANNEX 1  
THE DIRECTOR -GENERAL'S REPORT AT THE INFORMAL HEADS O F DELEGATION MEETI NG 
HELD ON 25 JULY 20161 
When we met here in May, I said that we should be looking to move from reflection to action. 
Members should be ready to provide more specifics about what issues they would like to pursue 
between now and MC11 and how these should be  advanced.  
 
Since then, I have continued to talk to Members and have reached out to a number of capitals. I 
have attended a range of ministerial meetings, including UNCTAD 14 in Nairobi just last week. I 
also attended: the APEC ministerial meeting in Peru;  the ministerial meeting hosted by Australia 
and Norway in the wings of the OECD meeting in Paris; the ministerial meeting of Landlocked 
Developing Countries which we hosted here at the WTO; the meeting of G20 trade Ministers in 
Shanghai; and, alongside th e G20, I also took part in a constructive ministerial meeting on the 
Environmental Goods Agreement.  
 
In each case I have continued to highlight the importance that the WTO must keep delivering, and 
the need for Ministers to increase their engagement in our  discussions. In each case, I have been 
very pleased at the response. The increase in engagement that we are seeing here in Geneva has 
been reflected in each of these meetings. And this brings into sharper focus the need to increase 
the specificity of our discussions here. We should seek to use this encouraging kind of engagement 
to keep making progress.  
 
I have been in regular contact with the Negotiating Group Chairs in recent weeks, and convened a 
meeting of all the Chairs on the 6 July. They will report  on their consultations in more detail in a 
moment, but I just want to underline the importance of their work and that Members stay engaged 
in these Groups. There are signs that we are gradually moving towards a more proposals -driven 
process. This is exact ly what is needed now.  
 
I was very pleased to see that Members have submitted a number of papers in recent weeks. In 
agriculture, for example, seven papers have been submitted with ideas and queries on a range of 
issues, including Domestic Support. This sh ows that Members are following through on their 
commitment to pursue this work. We are also seeing some positive engagement in Services, 
though less in NAMA.  
 
Fisheries subsidies continue to draw much attention. On the 13 July I convened a meeting on this 
topic with proponents (and delegations that expressed an interest in pursuing those 
conversations). That meeting was quite constructive.  
 
Looking at the DDA issues overall, if we want to move forward I think we will need to significantly 
deepen our discuss ions in the months ahead to see if there is any potential for outcomes. And in 
all of these conversations we need to maintain and enhance our focus on development and LDC 
issues. This applies to all elements of our work.  
 
Members have undertaken a wide ran ge of exchanges in different formats as well, raising a 
number of other issues. For example, groups of Members have taken the initiative of organizing 
informal workshops on issues including MSMEs and e -commerce, or digital trade. And a number of 
submission s have been circulated on e -commerce, in particular. I also have to note that the 
private sector has become significantly more engaged. In response, I accepted a request to 
facilitate a meeting with the private sector at the WTO at the end of May. At the e nd of that 
gathering, WTO Members were invited to interact with the private sector representatives. So I 
don’t have to brief you on that, given that you had a first -hand report from them.  
 
I have heard positive reports of the nature and tone of all these e xchanges. I think we should 
welcome the very fact that a range of discussions is taking place – and that other constituencies 
are becoming more engaged.  
 
                                                
1 Also issued as JOB/GC/102.  WT/GC/M/163  
 
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  So there is a lot to be positive about. But, if we really do want to deliver, then Members will need 
to be pragmatic, realistic and creative. We succeeded in Bali and Nairobi because we adhered to 
these principles.  
 
The Trade Facilitation Agreement in particular showed that Members can be creative in structuring 
agreements to reflect Members differing need s and priorities – also including technical assistance 
as a fundamental ingredient for success. Models and approaches like this should inspire us now.  
 
But the most important thing we need now is specificity, in each and every area. We need to 
change the p ace of our engagement – if we want to make progress – and dive into a real proposal -
driven process immediately after the summer break.  
 
We should all have one eye on MC11. I am delighted that we now have an application to host the 
conference. I think I spe ak for all Members when I thank Argentina for putting forward their offer. 
We'll be following this process closely as the General Council Chair continues his consultations.  
 
If we want to deliver new outcomes in the near future, then we need to accelerate our work 
significantly in the autumn. And, with these words, I conclude my report.  
 
_______________  
 
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  ANNEX 2 
STATEMENTS  BY MEMBERS AT THE IN FORMAL HEADS OF DELEGATION MEETING  
HELD ON 25 JUL Y 2016  
At their request, the statements made by a number of deleg ations at the above -mentioned 
meeting are included below as part of the Minutes of the General Council meeting.  
 
_______________  
 
1. Argentina  
 
Argentina would like to stress once again the importance of the progress achieved at the Tenth 
Ministerial Conferen ce, particularly on the export competition pillar of the Agreement on 
Agriculture, and urges Members that have bound agricultural export subsidies in their schedules to 
implement the commitments they made in our Nairobi decision as rapidly as possible.  
 
We note with satisfaction that the domestic support pillar in agriculture is emerging as a "clear 
priority" for the immense majority of Members, including ourselves. Do not get me wrong: this 
does not mean that the market access pillar or the other disciplin es of the export competition pillar 
are not also a priority for Argentina; but at this point the prospect of reaching a broad and 
ambitious agreement on domestic support for the Eleventh Ministerial Conference appears more 
promising.  
 
We are working with a  group of Members to ensure that at the next Ministerial Conference we 
finally achieve an ambitious outcome on fisheries subsidies. We must bear in mind that this 
subject forms part of one of the objectives of the UN's 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Developme nt, 
target 14.6 of which mentions the WTO as the forum for negotiating the prohibition of certain 
forms of fisheries subsidies by 2020.  
 
Argentina is also interested in seeing results in the services area for the next Ministerial 
Conference in view of the importance of the sector in our economy and, in particular, because it 
creates jobs. We are prepared to work to achieve progress on services, including market access 
and domestic regulation.  
 
We also reaffirm what was said by Foreign Minister Susana Malcor ra at the Davos meeting in 
January 2016 regarding our readiness to tackle all of the topics. In that context, we think that 
there is a momentum to move forward in the discussions on e -commerce with a view to ensuring 
that it is a "deliverable" at the next Ministerial Conference.  
 
Argentina is at the WTO once again with its multilateral vocation intact and renewed, ready and 
committed to work with all of the Members of this Organization on all subjects identified as being 
of interest to the membership, the a im being to reach a successful outcome to the next Ministerial 
Conference in keeping with the increasingly complex aspirations of our peoples.  
 
2. Bangladesh  
 
What we learn from the reports is that we have largely continued to be in the reflection mode 
since we returned from Nairobi. The main question before us is how long it will take to move to 
action mode. We hope it will be possible soon after the summer break.  
 
We agree with you that WTO must keep delivering particularly on the issues of importance to the  
developing countries. You asked what issues we want discussed. Looking back we see that in 
Nairobi, among issues we discussed, agreement was reached only on Agriculture. We could not 
reach any agreement in S&DT despite extensive discussion during MC10. Bu t those discussions 
were not in vain. We strongly feel that we need to re -start our discussions on S&DT. We believe if 
we can engage in constructive discussion in this area with understanding for each other's concerns 
on specific proposal and resume discus sions after summer break, we should be able to reach 
agreement.  
 
We all know that trade in goods is the core issue of our work, on which discussion started way 
back in 1947. Since then, we made substantial progress in reducing tariff and streamlining the WT/GC/M/163  
 
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  non-tariff measures through rules. However, we can't help but note that recently new forms of 
non-tariff barriers are seen cropping augmenting trade -restricting effect. Under the circumstance, 
and recalling a similar initiative in the past, we wish to propo se that we create a working group on 
non-tariff barriers under the guidance of either Negotiating Group on market Access on Council for 
Trade in Goods. We wish that this statement be recorded in the minutes of the next General 
Council meeting.  
 
3. Benin (LDCs ) 
 
The Group of Least Developed Countries (LDCs) offers its condolences and reaffirms its solidarity 
with the countries and families that have been victims of the terrorist attacks carried out over the 
past few days and weeks.  
 
We warmly congratulate Liber ia and welcome it as a new Member of our Organization.  
 
The LDC Group associates itself with the statements made by Morocco on behalf of the African 
Group, and Rwanda on behalf of the ACP Group.  
 
We thank the WTO Director General for his report, as well as  the chairs of the negotiating groups 
and bodies for their organizational arrangements in connection with the follow up to the Nairobi 
outcomes, and for the recent consultations they have held with Members, including the LDCs.  
 
The LDC Group would like to take this opportunity to draw Members' attention once again to the 
communication on the priorities of the LDCs identified at the LDC Group Ambassadors and Experts 
Retreat on 18 April 2016. The document was circulated to members under the triple symbol 
WT/G C/W/717 -TN/C/W/73 -WT/COMTD/LDC/W/63 on 24 June 2016. The Group invites Members to 
take these priorities into consideration in their post Nairobi negotiations in accordance with the 
mandate given by our Ministers in Nairobi under paragraph  24 of the Ministe rial Declaration.  
 
We stress that the issues set forth in that communication are of specific interest to the LDCs, and 
should be examined in the light of the specific needs and particular situations of the LDCs.  
 
It is to that end that the communication wa s submitted, in the context of the post Nairobi 
negotiations and with an eye to the Eleventh WTO Ministerial Conference in December 2017. Since 
then, in order to stimulate our work, the Group has raised issues and suggested approaches in the 
different subj ect areas within the different negotiating groups.  
 
The LDC Group would like to stress the importance of moving resolutely from the reflection phase 
to the action phase when we resume our work in September 2016.  
 
Accordingly, we recommend that our work be based on concrete and detailed proposals which take 
account of the concerns and priorities of the LDCs.  
 
4. Plurinational State of Bolivia  
 
On how to move forward in the work of this Organization; I believe that the Nairobi Ministerial 
Declaration is clear on  what this Organization must do over the next one and a half years before 
the next Ministerial Conference. The Nairobi Ministerial Delegation indicates that priority must be 
given to the Doha Round issues and that is what this Organization must do; it must  respond to the 
development issues, and development refers not only to matters of special and differential 
treatment, but also to levelling the playing field and having fairer and more balanced rules.  
 
In agriculture, for example, the domestic support used  mainly by developed countries must be 
eliminated; the Ministerial Decision on export competition must become an international 
agreement, and the green box mechanisms must be revised in order to prevent a change of boxes. 
Developing countries must also be provided with a special safeguard measure to enable them to 
protect themselves against highly subsidized goods.  
 
In services, there can be no further rules that limit the State's capacity to regulate, and sufficient 
policy space must be given to Members, p articularly developing countries, to implement their plans 
for combating poverty and inequality.  
 WT/GC/M/163  
 
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  In the area of electronic commerce, we have seen much enthusiasm from some Members for 
moving forward on this topic. Those proposals will be analysed in our c apital, and we will return 
with reactions in due course. We understand that this sector has a global dynamic, but we are also 
aware of the great disparities and imbalances between developing and developed countries. We 
know that some developing countries a re interested in this theme, but that is not the case for all 
of them. As you may be aware, more than two thirds of the world lacks Internet connection, just 
as more than 50% of developing countries do not even have legislation in this field. This is also a 
problem of lack of infrastructure, costs and connectivity. These are issues that must be resolved so 
that all may benefit from the progress in electronic commerce, but more particularly so that it may 
contribute to the more balanced participation of deve loping countries in international trade.  
 
With regard to the new issues, we would refer to the Nairobi Ministerial Declaration, which states 
that, although there are countries that are interested in new issues, other Members, such as 
Bolivia, prefer to pri oritize the pending Doha Round issues that were not concluded.  
 
5. Brazil  
 
Brazil is pleased to note that we are seeing a great deal of movement in the WTO as of lately, at a 
pace we hadn’t seen here for a while.  
 
I recall my much missed boss, Ambassador Mar cos Galvão – who is actually in town this week and 
will join us at the General Council on Wednesday, together with our new Permanent 
Representative designate – saying that we needed to conclude our reflection period by summer and 
come back ready to fully en gage in September. As it seems, we appear to be moving in the good 
direction – a direction that will help us maintain the WTO as a significant trade negotiating forum.   
 
Brazil has been actively engaged in the ongoing dialogue. In Agriculture, whose centra lity to us 
doesn’t need to be stressed, we note with satisfaction that the great majority of members has 
identified Domestic Support as the key area where progress can and shall be made in the next 
Ministerial. A number of papers on DS have been presented,  including one by Brazil, Argentina, 
Colombia and Paraguay, as well as substantive contributions by t he ACP, the LDCs and the 
Cotton -4 Group, and the technical document by Australia and others. Together with the extensive 
list of questions tabled by the Co A-SS Chair, these documents allowed for a fruitful discussion at 
the Special Session held a week ago, where Paraguay also raised the issue of market access.  
 
On other AG issues, Singapore highlighted the need for transparency on quantitative export 
restri ctions, and Brazil has indicated that we intend to contribute, later on, ideas for a discussion 
focused on the need to reinforce the scientif ic nature of sanitary and phyto sanitary measures.  
 
Meetings were also convened on the parallel track discussions o f PSH and SSM. In these two areas 
we note that positions have not changed significantly from the past. Brazil remains open to 
exploring potential outcomes on public stockholding with the appropriate safeguards, but does 
note, however, that in an environmen t of raising protectionism, it is difficu lt to envisage an 
outcome at MC 11 that would only create additional constraints to our agricultural exports. We 
need to find the right balance here.  
 
Electronic commerce/digital economy is another area where Members  engagement and interest 
seems to be building up. A well -attended seminar was convened by the MIKTA group in early July, 
the dedicated discussion under the General Council has been held this morning, and not less than 
six submissions have been presented in  the past two weeks, including one by Brazil – where we 
highlight our perception that it is timely and appropriate that the WTO engages in a structured 
exchange of views on the trade -related aspects of e -commerce.  
 
We are convinced that a horizontal dialo gue convened in the second half of the year will facilitate a 
scoping exercise to identify those elements Members believe shall be addressed on possible future 
WTO disciplines on e -commerce. The goal is to ensure that all can benefit from the legitimate 
business and development opportunities offered by the Internet, combined with disciplines that 
ensure network neutrality, the protection of copyright and author’s rights in the new digital 
environment, as well as the adequate cooperation to enforce consumer and privacy rights and 
prevent unwarranted limitations to access to, and transfer of, related technologies.  
 
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  6. China  
 
I would like to take this opportunity to share with members two of China’s observations:  
 
First, we remain committed to promoting the negot iations of all remaining DDA issues.  
 
In recent months, we have seen new ideas and proposals p ut on the table and discussed. 
However, through the discussions, no sign of consensus has emerged so far and the prospect for 
gathering future consensus on these new approaches seems unfavourable.  We do not need to 
colour print the situation. China believes that the Doha framework and mandate remain the largest 
denominator among Members to deliver more in the run -up to MC11.  
  
For agriculture negotiations, we note that some members have strong interests i n discussing 
domestic support. The success of MC10 is to a large extent attributed to its contribution toward a 
level playing field by eliminating agricultural export subsidies, and we believe that MC11 could go 
further in that direction by eliminating the AMS of domestic support, in particular those prov ided 
by the developed members. There are only 32 m embers who are entitled to AMS.  It is most trade -
distorting and unfair to the rest of membership. It is clearly imp ossible to reach consensus in this 
house, if we leave the issues of AMS unresolved and take up the issue of de minimis , in particular 
the de minimis  of developing members, let alone the de minimis  of Article 12 members.  
 
The outcome on agriculture cannot r est on domestic support only.  We should also advance 
agriculture market access, particularly issues to the interest of developing members such as tariff 
simplification, tariff peaks and tariff escalation of developed members.  We believe that those 
issues a re proper candidates for the deliverables at MC11, noting the importance of those issues to 
global agricultural trade.  Of course, the issues of public stocking for food security purposes and 
SSM are stand -alone issues that must be delivered by MC11.  
  
Regarding the NAMA negotiations, any MC11 package without NAMA outcomes cannot be claimed 
as success, taking into consideration of the importance of non -agricultural trade in global trade.  
One narrative cannot justify by itself that market access is unnecessar y to be dealt with 
multilaterally as they could be addressed at RTAs.  We are deeply concerned with that, as it would 
push WTO further away from the calls of industries and worsen the segmentation of rules and 
marginalization of developing members, as not a ll developing members are part of the Mega -RTAs.  
The strong performance of services in global trade made it imperative to revitalize and advance 
the multilateral services negotiations expeditiously including discussions on domestic regulation.  
  
We are als o willing to discuss the potential rules for fishery subsidies and anti -dumping in the 
negotiating group on rules.   
 
Of course, it is hard to envisage a scenario where development and LDC issues in particular will be 
excluded from the final package.  
  
Second, we are willing to work with others and advance new issues, on the basis of adequate 
consultations, to achieve low -hanging and development -friendly outcomes at MC11.  
   
Indeed, E -commerce has been discussed here almost since two decades ago. However, in  terms of 
rule-making globally, it is a NEW issue. Several proposals have been submitted, each with different 
focus and priority though.  My Capital is currently reviewing them in a careful and positive manner. 
In our view, E -commerce is a cross -cutting iss ue, thus our discussion should not be limited only to 
the area of trade in services.  The development dimension needs to be the focus of the discussion 
such as capacity building, technical assistance, and trade facilitation, etc.  In this regard, we take 
note with interest of the proposal recently tabled by Pakistan.  
  
In general, China is willing to actively engage in discussion on e -commerce, and we will make our 
contribution in due course.  
 
The summer break is just around c orner. We encourage Members to ma ke full use of summer time 
to prepare our own proposals while analysing those of others.  China is willing to work closely with 
all members in the spirit of solidarity and proposal -driven manner and take concrete actions to  
advance all the negotiations.  
 WT/GC/M/163  
 
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  7. Colombia  
 
We also wish to reiterate what was said by some of the previous speakers, to the effect th at a 
properly functioning rules -based multilateral trading system benefits the entire membership. The 
Marrakesh Agreement itself recognizes that the work done  in this Organization must contribute to 
raising standards of living and the optimal use of the world's resources, while seeking both to 
protect and to preserve the environment. Consequently, our continued commitment and 
engagement in the trade negotiation s contributes to objectives that transcend the economic 
perspective and make this Organization a global public good which must be preserved and 
strengthened.  
 
We are collectively responsible for preserving the relevance of this institution, "the WTO". To t hat 
end, each of the Members must have the possibility of being heard and all interests and concerns 
must be taken into account.  
 
To our mind, the foregoing calls for an analysis of the benefits of the system as a whole, not just 
as a mechanism for achievi ng temporary triumphs at each Ministerial Conference. In this 
connection, we stress the need to adopt an incremental approach as a principle for action, looking 
not only at what it is possible to achieve in the short and medium term, but also the advances for 
which we must strive in the long term.  
 
Since our Nairobi meeting, the WTO has been in a phase of productive reflection, and we are 
among those who think that we have before us a work programme that generates hope.  
 
As an intermediate country, Colombia  depends on the WTO and its negotiating pillar. The 
negotiation in itself contains the hope of a possible improvement in the current state of affairs, and 
under this great plan of action it is possible to identify at least two specific goals: (i) on the on e 
hand, improving the overall transparency and predictability of the WTO agreements; and 
(ii) levelling the playing field for Members by recognizing differences in levels of development. The 
negotiating pillar and related activity are, moreover, of fundame ntal importance to the functioning 
of the follow up and dispute settlement pillars.  
 
We are therefore calling for progress in all areas of the negotiation and we believe that, in order to 
achieve agreements, we must continue to be open to proposals on the different issues.  
 
We take a positive view of the ongoing advances in the agriculture negotiations. Although we 
desire progress in the reform of the three pillars of agriculture, progress on domestic support is a 
priority. We reiterate that this institutio n is the only forum for successfully reducing distortions in 
agricultural markets and enhancing their transparency and predictability, reducing the volatility of 
international prices. We must also generate conditions that make it possible to level the play ing 
field and thus ensure fairness in competition.  
 
The new drive among Members to tackle outstanding Doha issues, including the negotiations to 
curb fisheries subsidies and move forward on services, are subjects to which we also attach the 
highest importa nce. 
 
We also take heart from Members' commitment to move the negotiations forward by actions on 
different fronts, such as the recent initiatives on electronic commerce. We emphasize the 
importance of continuing to hold informal meetings and different type s of interactive dialogue 
between Members and the private sector, and with other international organizations.  
 
Finally, we consider that this commitment by the membership should be strengthened in the 
autumn, maintaining the momentum achieved through the p ossible media and platforms, be they 
negotiating groups, standing committees, or informal workshops. For this purpose, Members must 
go forward with an open mind, without prejudice to the positions of others.  
 
I cannot conclude without reiterating Colombia' s support for the work being done by the 
Director -General and his leadership of the Organization. We would be grateful if this statement  
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  8. Costa Rica  
 
The implementation of the Nairobi and Bali outcomes is vital to maintaining the credibility of the 
rules based multilateral trading system and to ensuring that this system continues functioning 
effectively with the overall coherence required to meet the sustainable development objectives, 
which, as my Peruvian colleague rightly said, constitute a multilateral  mandate from our Heads of 
State.  
 
Regarding implementation, we hope to soon reach the number of ratifications required for the 
entry into force of the Agreement on Trade Facilitation. Costa Rica remains committed to this 
process and is making every possib le effort to complete its domestic procedures.  
 
Costa Rica has put its trust in this Organization from the very beginning. This element of trust may 
be what is missing from attempts to ensure a more effective Organization. We therefore feel 
responsible for  ensuring that the WTO continues to be relevant, more than 20 years after its 
creation. Further developing disciplines and improving market access conditions in the WTO is 
fundamental for levelling out the playing field between all Members. The post Nairob i reflection 
period has helped us to gain a better idea of how to move ahead in our work and give the WTO 
fresh impetus.  
 
With regard to the negotiations, there is renewed interest in making progress in the area of 
domestic services regulation, and new que stions and ideas have been put forward with a view to 
addressing the issue of domestic support for agriculture.  
 
We welcome, amongst other things, the exchanges of opinion and ideas that have occurred in 
respect of various issues, such as e commerce. In th e Committee on Trade and Development we 
have discussed the possibility of engaging in dialogue on how trade could help to counteract 
climate change.  
 
All these ideas make us optimistic about the future of the WTO. We hope to be able to bring some 
of them t o fruition and achieve results soon. The next Ministerial Conference might be a good 
opportunity to achieve this. It is, however, important to consider the benefits for the system as a 
whole, and to assess each issue in terms of both its relevance to meeti ng the WTO's objectives 
and its level of maturity. Without losing sight of the high ambitions we have for the WTO, we must 
view this agenda pragmatically. We believe that inaction in the WTO is not so much harmful to 
trade itself as to the developing count ries whose slice of the pie is smaller than what it could be if 
there were rules that made trade more predictable, fairer and more sustainable. Costa Rica will 
continue trying to contribute as we move along this path.  
 
9. Cuba  
 
We appreciate the convening of this meeting, which we consider necessary to comply with the 
principle of transparency, to keep all Members informed and to promote a dialogue between all the 
actors, both large and small.  
 
We also welcome the report submitted by the Director General on hi s contacts, visits and recent 
meetings and his views on the negotiating process.  
 
We stand by the previous statements made by the Cuban delegation in this forum and in the 
General Council meetings held this year. Our position on the various issues under di scussion is well 
known and has not changed.  
 
Cuba's participation in the Doha Round negotiations is geared to addressing the gross imbalances 
inherited from the Uruguay Round, on the basis of the mandate and the development dimension 
enshrined in the Doha Ministerial Declaration, as well as the architecture designed since then, 
including tools to meet the interests of developing countries. Paragraph 32 of the Nairobi 
Ministerial Declaration reflects this aim when it states: This work shall maintain developm ent at its 
centre and we reaffirm that provisions for special and differential treatment shall remain integral.  
 
My delegation therefore sees it as essential to maintain the provisions on special and differential 
treatment and the flexibilities that take a ccount of the development dimension, which have been 
developed by dint of much time and effort through years of negotiation.  WT/GC/M/163  
 
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We reiterate our disappointment that the Doha Development Agenda was not explicitly reaffirmed 
in the Nairobi Declaration, and our  concern at the attempt to introduce new topics and new 
approaches which may have consequences such as limiting our policy space and the exercise of 
State sovereignty.  
 
Before weighing the acceptance of new topics in the WTO, we must satisfactorily complet e the 
Doha Development Round and, in any case, we must be clearer about how we are going to deal 
with outstanding mandates at the next Ministerial.  
 
At the negotiating body meetings held in June and July, we listened with concern to ideas about 
new approac hes which would reshape the negotiating function of the Organization and, with it, the 
multilateralism that has been consolidated over the course of many years under this trading 
system.  
 
Cuba is not in favour of initiatives which undermine the multilatera l nature of the WTO that has 
been recognized in existing agreements, or which promote the abandonment of the basic concepts 
of the principle of special and differential treatment for developing and least developed countries. 
We do not want to see any regre ssion with regard to either the principle of special and differential 
treatment or the multilateral nature of the Organization.  
 
Similarly, the plurilateral initiatives devised outside this institution should remain outside it, 
including those that have in formation purposes as in the case of the TISA meetings.  
 
With regard to the agriculture negotiations, we support the priorities defended by the G 33, on the 
basis of various ministerial decisions concerning the special safeguard mechanism and public 
stockh olding for food security purposes. We also argue that the basis of the negotiation should 
continue to be the Rev.4 modalities text of 2008. The flexibilities agreed for Cuba in that context 
are the maximum that we are prepared to accord.  
 
Over the coming m onths we must work to complete the Doha Round, placing the development 
dimension at the centre of our work. We stand ready, as always, to work in a constructive manner 
consistent with the interests of the great majority of Members of this Organization.  
 
10. Ecuador  
 
Discussions continue on the work that we should undertake in the near future to ensure that the 
Organization functions effectively. In this context, Ecuador feels that Members should make every 
possible effort to achieve concrete results in time for  the next Ministerial Conference.  
 
The mandate approved in Nairobi was very clear and reaffirmed the keen commitment of all 
Members to move forward negotiations on the remaining Doha issues, while keeping development 
at the heart of the regular work conduc ted in the General Council and Doha Development Agenda 
framework and reaffirming the integrality of provisions for special and differential treatment.  
 
In this light, a credible approach that might give impetus to the negotiations would be one centred 
on the continuation of outstanding Doha issues, where priority is given to the development 
dimension and to special and differential treatment as a core WTO principle.  
 
Regarding the negotiations on agriculture, Ecuador has repeatedly stated that it is in favo ur of 
agricultural trade reform that recognises the existing asymmetries affecting conditions of 
competition between WTO Member countries. It has also expressed its preference for initiating 
negotiations on the basis of the modalities document TN/AG/W/4/Re v.4. This position favours the 
pursuit of balanced commitments that will enable developing countries, in particular small and 
vulnerable economies and Members that acceded to the Organization under Article XII, to further 
their participation in world trade  without harming their production structures.  
 
Ecuador participates in and supports the negotiations relating to the domestic support pillar, and 
therefore welcomes the proposals submitted by various Members; for our country, however, the 
agricultural mark et access pillar continues to be the main focus for the next Ministerial Conference.  
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  We therefore call upon Member countries to ensure that both issues are included, on an equal 
basis, in the outcomes of the 11th Ministerial Conference. Unless there is st rong determination to 
move forward in these negotiations, the current inequalities between Member countries will 
continue to affect the multilateral trading system.  
 
Another aspect that could form part of a credible approach, leading to outcomes for the ne xt 
Ministerial Conference, relates to the proposals submitted by the G 33 on the special safeguard 
mechanism and public stockholding for food security purposes   issues for which specific 
negotiating mandates were established in Nairobi. We believe that bot h of these issues should be 
negotiated independently, so as not to be conditional upon the general agriculture negotiations.  
 
Regarding the negotiations on non -agricultural products (NAMA), Ecuador's view is that, in order 
to achieve a balanced result, the  flexibilities envisaged in the Rev. 3 modalities document must be 
preserved, as well as the principles of special and differential treatment and less than full 
reciprocity. With regard to non -tariff measures, which are the main focus of these negotiations , we 
believe that any action taken should guarantee full and unrestricted access to developed country 
markets for exports from developing countries.  
 
One more point my delegation would like to emphasize is the importance of deepening the 
Organization's mul tilateral negotiations. Adapting the negotiations to new approaches that would 
sideline multilateralism affects the credibility of the multilateral system. Ecuador will therefore not 
support approaches that deviate from the principle of multilateralism.  
 
The negotiations must be transparent and comply with WTO rules.  
 
Lastly, regarding the issue of e commerce, Ecuador has participated in discussions and in the most 
recent workshop organized by the MIKTA countries, with a view to keeping itself informed. We 
thank the countries that have submitted proposals on this topic, but w ould like to remind Members 
of paragraph  34 of the Nairobi Declaration, in the sense that identifying and discussing non Doha 
issues with a view to multilateral discussion requires a dec ision that must be adopted by 
consensus. Ecuador believes that it will be difficult to support the creation of a new WTO agenda 
including new issues, when no provision has been made for concluding outstanding issues; our 
priority is the conclusion of the D oha Development Agenda.  
 
11. European Union  
 
The Director -General's recent ministerial discussions in Paris and in Shanghai as well as 
discussions here in Geneva have shown that there is a considerable interest among Members to 
engage in discussions on a varie ty of areas. This renewed engagement is very much welcome, but 
it is not enough. We need to shift into a higher gear so that we can get a clearer view of what we 
can aim for at the next Ministerial Conference.  
 
Members will have to have a frank discussion already this autumn to arrive at a common 
understanding of the subjects where there is sufficient traction to advance toward MC11. We 
welcome the submissions that have been made in recent weeks to populate the discussion. More 
submissions are however neede d. The EU will stay active in the coming weeks and urges others to 
do the same so that ideas are circulating in writing and further talks can be held soon after the 
summer.  
 
Focussing on the individual areas, the EU welcomes the high level of activity show n by Members in 
terms of presenting their expectations regarding domestic support and possible option to advance. 
The EU strongly believes that this is an area where efforts need to be XXXX in order to identify 
realistic solutions that put us on course tow ard disciplining trade distorting support across all WTO 
Members.  
 
Equally, we welcome the interest shown regarding e -commerce and digital trade which was very 
much in evidence again this morning. The EU together with other Members has put forward a 
submi ssion setting out the issues, which we hope can serve as a basis for further exploratory talks 
and the elaboration of concrete textual proposals.  
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  A considerable amount of interest has also been shown on fisheries subsidies, which is one of the 
areas where  we could not advance in Nairobi. We are ready to engage with other WTO Members to 
look for multilateral disciplines which allow us to advance together.  
 
And, we welcome the interest expressed in domestic regulation in services, where there is an 
urgent n eed to advance to text -based negotiations and where we can build from a solid basis of 
existing material.  
 
With regard to other prospective areas, we have taken good note of the recent submission by the 
LDC group regarding their post -Nairobi priorities, w here considerable attention was devoted to 
NTBs. The EU firmly believes that progress in this area is much overdue and that an incremental 
step forward can be achieved as part of our preparations of MC11. The EU will therefore engage 
with other delegations  to explore this area further.  
 
Finally, the EU would like to recall the outcome of the recent G20 Trade Ministers' Meeting in 
Shanghai, where overcapacity was recognized as a global problem requiring collective responses 
and where there was recognition t hat market distorting subsidies require attention. The EU 
therefore looks forward to working with all WTO Members to advance discussions on subsidies in 
multiple fora including in the Rules Negotiating Group, in order to give life to these commitments.  
 
Director -General, while MC11 is still more than a year away, we should not be under any illusion 
that time is on our side. It is not and we must avoid the inefficient and disorderly process that 
characterised the preparation for Nairobi.  
 
The EU has shown i ts readiness to advance. We have made submissions and intend to come with 
new ones after the summer. We hope all Members share this spirt of active and positive 
engagement.  
 
12. Guatemala (SVEs)  
 
On behalf of the SVEs, we would like to thank the Chairs for the  work they have done to achieve 
progress in the discussions surrounding the negotiations and to come up with a work plan for 
MC11 in which the interests of the Group must be taken into account.  
 
We remain committed to moving the discussions forward, partic ularly on the issues that are of 
interest to the developing c ountries  including the SVEs on the basis of p aragraph 26 of the Nairobi 
Declaration.  
 
13. Hong Kong, China  
 
It is useful that we review from time to time how we have collectively taken forward our Mi nisters’ 
commitment to advance the negotiations.  
 
One positive development that I have observed since our last meeting is that there is now clearly a 
desire to move from reflection to action.  In your introductory remarks, DG, you are calling for 
greater sp ecificity.  Indeed, in some of the Negotiating Groups, we start to see concrete ideas 
emerging - about domestic support, about fisheries subsidies, about domestic regulations and 
trade facilitation in services, etc.  HKC finds this very encouraging.  To us, t hese are serious 
attempts to reinvigorate our negotiations.  
 
But are we giving these ideas the serious attention that they deserve?  It seems to me that the 
level of engagement varies among Members.  And that can be a problem as we move forward.  
 
I understan d that we all have our own priorities.  Some of us also have the means and options to 
pursue their interests outside of the WTO, but not all of us do.  And I believe multilateral rule 
making is still everyone's preferred choice, not only because Members have  repeatedly said so, but 
also because as a matter of fact, multilateral agreement is much more inclusive, efficient and 
effective in achieving trade liberalisation on a global scale.  If we believe in the values of the WTO 
and the impact that we can make to gether, we must not give up multilateral negotiations so 
easily.  
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  “Not giving up” means more than allowing the negotiations to go on.  It means making a real effort 
to be constructively engaged, and giving new ideas a chance – even though they may not be yo ur 
priorities; even though they may touch upon your sensitivities.  Only if we are willing to do so can 
we wriggle out of the entrenched positions.  In the WTO, it takes not 2, but 164, to tango.  If we 
refuse to keep our minds open; or worse, if some of us d ecide to pack up and go somewhere else, 
we are denying all the others the prospect of a success, no matter how much they need it or how 
hard they try.  
 
When I said “let’s give other people's ideas a chance”, I meant not only the outstanding Doha 
issues, bu t also other issues.  Recently, we have seen heightened interest in e -commerce and SMEs 
which, in HKC’s view, have great potential to inject new impetus to our ongoing discussions.  I 
thank the delegations which have taken the initiative to organise workshop s and collect views on 
these subjects.  We hope to see deeper conversations in due course.  
 
At the coming General Council meeting, we will be talking about preparations for MC11.  Apart from 
the date and venue, we also need to consider the process which can lead us to a meaningful 
outcome.  I hope we will be charting our way forward together and making the final decisions 
together, because we all have a stake in the negotiations, and every Member should be well 
informed and encouraged to take ownership.  We loo k to you, DG, as TNC chair, to ensure a 
transparent and inclusive negotiation process.  
 
14. India  
 
As brought out in the reports, it has been an interesting phase of technical discussion among 
members in recent weeks in a variety configurations to seek common ground for advancing work 
on DDA and other relevant issues. While we may not be close to bridging the gaps, these 
consultations have nonetheless allowed Me mbers to understand each others'  perspective better.     
 
India has participated actively in the ongoi ng process of consultations. We believe it is only 
through this kind of engagement and dialogue among Members or, in other words, through a 
Member -driven and an inclusive process that we will be able to achieve clarity on how to advance 
the negotiations in  a concrete manner.  Mr. Chairman, one major pre -requisite for shifting gears to 
a substantive dialogue would be to have concrete ideas and proposals from Members. Some 
members have shared their ideas, options, or questions on certain topics, which is a wel come step. 
However, a note of caution would perhaps be in order as it would be premature to conclude or 
even deduce potential contours of any future set of deliverables from these initial ideas. We would 
need greater engagement and exploration of the subst ances of these, and other  new ideas and 
proposals.  
 
India and the G -33 members, have participated constructively in the dedicated sessions of the 
Committee on Agriculture in Special Session to discuss the issue of public stockholding for food 
security purp oses as well as special safeguard mechanism for developing country members. 
Outcomes in these areas are crucial for India and several other developing members. We look 
forward to focused engagement on both these issues, as well as other issues in the agric ulture 
negotiations.   
 
Services trade has emerged as a new frontier for enhancing the participation of developing 
countries and LDCs in international trade. As we continue with our internal assessments and the 
consultations, we believe that Members would n eed to find ways to achieve progress in services 
negotiations in each of its pillars, and to facilitate ‘trade in services’, through reduction of 
transaction costs associated with unnecessary regulatory and administrative burden on cross 
border supply of s ervices across all modes.  
 
India firmly believes that we would need timely implementation of all the decisions emerging from 
the Bali and Nairobi Ministerials. Advancing negotiations on the DDA issues should remain a matter 
of priority for the membership.  
 
Going forward, it would be imperative that we do not lose sight of the centrality of the 
development dimension enshrined in the DDA, nor disregard the progress that we have made thus 
far. My delegation will not be able to support any initiative or approa ches that would attempt to 
erode the ‘development compact’ of the ongoing multilateral negotiations.  
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  As we transition from the ‘reflection’ to ‘action’ mode but not without adequate exploration of 
issues, we would need to have greater clarity on the way forward through continued conversation 
and dialogue to understand member’s perspectives and proposals on various issues before us. 
There should be no attempt to try and crystallize deliverables prematurely or spell them out 
without full consensus.  
  
We loo k forward to enhanced engagement in all areas of our work to seek ‘balanced outcomes’, 
which would benefit the entire membership.  
 
15. Indonesia  
 
First of all, my delegation would like to express great gratitude to you, Mr. Director -General for 
your brief upda te on the state of play of the Doha negotiations, particularly to follow -up the 
outcomes of Nairobi Ministerial Conference. My delegation would also like to thank the Chairs of 
various negotiating groups for their comprehensive reports.  
 
As we have reitera ted in previous informal HOD meetings, our window of opportunity is not so 
wide if we ar e to deliver outcomes in the MC 11. In this respect, my delegation  shares you views, 
Mr. Director -General, that we must immediately switch our reflection mode into actio n mode. It is 
time for us now to demonstrate our political will to seriously follow -up Nairobi Ministerial 
Declaration. Members must therefore start substantive conversations to identify possible 
overlapping interests and positions.  
 
While recognizing para . 31 of the Nairobi Ministerial Declaration which mandates Members to 
advance the negotiations on the remaining Doha issues, such as Agriculture, NAMA, Development, 
Services, and in the absence of shared views on how we should advance negotiations, Indones ia is 
of the view that our conversations shall continue to be guided by the centrality of development, as 
clearly mandated by the DDA and the Nairobi Ministerial Declaration. Keeping this in mind, 
Indonesia welcomes any proposals put forward by Members to advance negotiations.  
 
In the negotiation of agriculture, my delegation would like to emphasize that it remains the priority 
for Indonesia. The substantial agriculture reforms should remain the core of future successful 
negotiations, and Members should pr ioritize follow -up works for issues agreed in Bali and Nairobi 
as well as works where results have not yet been achieved, particularly on public stockholding for 
food security purposes (PSH) and Special Safeguard Mechanism (SSM). In this context, we 
apprec iate the COASS Chair’s initiative to hold Dedicated Sessions for PSH and SSM, which we 
believe will facilitate a more focused discussion on those issues, with a view to arrive at agreed 
solutions.  
 
While delivering all outstanding issues is our ultimate g oal, it is very clear that SSM and PSH are 
two of the few priorities under the Nairobi Declaration and Decisions. Therefore, Indonesia is of the 
firm view that SSM and PSH must be an integral part of any package of agreements that we all 
ought to deliver i n MC11.  
 
In conclusion, Indonesia trusts your leadership and is confident that you would continue to ensure 
the Nairobi Ministerial Decisions are respected. Indonesia stands ready to continue to work 
constructively with you and with other Members to follow  up the Nairobi Ministerial Decisions.  
 
16. Japan  
 
As the previous speakers have pointed out, it is encouraging to see in recent weeks growing 
momentum to advance the negotiations on several fronts.  
 
On domestic support in agriculture, many proposals in the fo rm of questions and options have 
been put on the table. In trade in services, concrete initiatives can be seen in the areas of 
domestic regulations. As for the rules issues, increasingly intensive discussions on fisheries 
subsidies to overfished stocks hav e been taking place. Concerning the EGA, the political will to 
conclude the negotiations this year has been confirmed at the G20 Trade Ministers Meeting in 
Shanghai.  
 
This positive trend has been created and supported by the flexible and constructive appro aches 
taken by many Members, in an effort to explore possibilities in various areas, based on the value WT/GC/M/163  
 
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  and feasibility of each issue, regardless of whether it is a remaining issue or a new one, and 
without dwelling on the previous linkages and sequences.  
 
In this positive spirit, Japan has actively engaged itself in all the talks taking place here. On 
electronic commerce in particular, Japan has recently submitted a proposal with other co-sponsors. 
As e-commerce has a huge potential to change global trade and the economy, keeping in mind the 
broad challenges it presents including rule -making and development dimensions, we need to 
identify what the WTO should do in this area as soon as possible.  
  
In order for the WTO to be relevant to the changes in the rea l world and to continue to play a 
critical role, it is necessary to take various approaches that adopt and combine out -of-the-box 
thinking and flexibility, multilateral and plurilateral, hard and soft law, and the combination 
thereof.  
 
All of these efforts  and endeavours  will contribute to revitalizing the negotiation function of the 
WTO. The DG called for moving from "reflection to action" at the previous meeting. We are now 
entering the action phase. And of course we need to achieve concrete outcomes at t he end of this 
phase. As the successes  of MC9 and MC10 were valuable for the WTO to maintain its credibility, 
Japan is ready to deepen discussions with other Members on what achievements we should pursue 
for a successful MC11.  
 
17. Republic of Korea  
 
When we l ast met in May, many emphasized the need to move from reflection to action. It is 
encouraging that such a transition is now taking place in some DDA negotiating areas as well as in 
a few so -called " new" issues, albeit at a different speed and intensity.  
 
On the outstanding Doha issues, the AG negotiations have been most active. A number of 
submissions were made ahead of the COA -SS meeting last week. Various findings (such as trends 
in domestic support), questions and ideas contained in these contributions and subsequent 
discussions among Members helped us better understand the current situation and Members’ 
perspectives on the work ahead. Although we saw significant differences among Members 
concerning their priorities and preferred approaches, the work at the COA -SS so far has laid a 
useful groundwork for our ongoing efforts to advance the negotiations.  
 
In other areas including NAMA, Services and Rules, progress has been quite limited to say the 
least, while some ideas and questions have been suggested to  help identify a way forward in the 
post-Nairobi context.  
 
We should be mindful that, in order to deliver outcomes in areas such as Agriculture, parallel, if 
not identical, progress has to be made in other negotiating areas as well. Ultimately, it is a bal ance 
resulting from trade -offs that will enable us to agree to a package of deliverables at MC 11 and 
beyond.  
 
On non -DDA issues, we are also glad to see a transition from expressions of general interests to 
concrete activities, for example, in the areas of  e-commerce and MSMEs (Enhancing the 
participation of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises in international trade). It is noteworthy that 
these two topics have important bearing on efforts to further integrate SMEs and developing 
Members into global trade.  
 
On e-commerce, the MIKTA Workshop held in early July was a good opportunity to canvass various 
issues and contemplate the potential work to be done at the WTO in this area. This morning, we 
had substantive discussions at the Dedicated Session on e -commer ce based on a number of 
written proposals and communications sponsored by many Members. This is a very positive 
development, and we hope that work in this area will gain further momentum in order that the 
WTO can play a role in creating a conducive framewo rk to facilitate e -commerce for the benefit of 
all Members.  
 
Given the risk of increasing protectionism, the continued relevance of the WTO in its market -
opening and rule -making pillar is all the more important. With this in mind, we would like to make 
a few points on the way forward.  
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  First, we need to be clearer about our o bjectives and priorities for MC 11, while keeping in mind a 
mid- to long -term agenda for the WTO.  
 
Second, we should engage in more concrete and substantive discussions after the summer  break. 
In this regard, Members with ideas are encouraged to present their proposals in writing as early as 
possible.  
 
Third, we need to be practical and open -minded in terms of negotiating approaches. While we 
prefer a multilateral outcome, we are open to  a plurilateral or hybrid approach, with the 
understanding that multilateralization remains our ultimate goal. Regarding MFN -based plurilateral 
market access agreements, we hope that more Members will join such agreements. If a plurilateral 
approach is to be pursued in a rules -related area, the initiative should include all the major players 
in that area.  
 
Finally, we need to make more efforts to mobilize political capital. Continued ministerial 
involvement is essential in providing guidance and injecting p olitical momentum into our work here 
in Geneva. In this regard, we welcome the outc omes of the G20 Trade Ministers'  Meeting held in 
Shanghai earlier this month. We should continue to take advantage of Ministerial gatherings in 
different fora.  
 
18. Liberia  
 
I first bring you warm greetings with appreciation from H.E. Excellency Madam Ellen Johnson 
Sireleaf, President of the Republic of Liberia to all that made it possible for Liberia to be a member 
of the WTO today.  
 
Allow me to also add voice on behalf of my de legation in expressing condolences to government 
and family members of victims around the globe for the recent acts of terrorism.  
 
Because we have been assisted by many of you in this room during the process, my apology for 
not naming you individually beca use of time constrain. However, we like you to know that Liberia 
is very grateful and continue to rely on your mentor -ship and directions.   
 
For Liberia, the WTO Accession was never an isolated process, rather intertwined with Liberia's 
national plan for a genda for transformation. We consider our accession as a critical component of 
our domestic reform agenda targeted at improving our economy, promoting international trade 
and encouraging local and Foreign investment as well as empowering women and promotin g of 
"SME"; beyond the usual traditional Extraction industries.  
 
To conclude, Honorable Directors, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, Liberia is appealing for your 
continue support for the post accession which I consider the challenge after the Challenges  for 
Liberia.  
 
19. Mali (C -4) 
 
I am speaking on behalf of the co -sponsors of the Sectoral Initiative in Favour of Cotton, the C4.  
 
Our Group fully endorses the statements made by Benin on behalf of the LDCs, and by Rwanda on 
behalf of the ACP.  
 
I thank you for  convening this meeting in order to report on the recent developments in the 
consultations held by you and by the chairs of the negotiating groups.  
 
The C4 welcomes your tireless efforts and those of the chairs of the negotiating groups to move 
our discuss ions forward in this post Nairobi phase and in the lead up to the next WTO Ministerial 
Conference in 2017.  
 
We note with satisfaction that from the time it was launched in 2003, 13 years ago, up to the 10th 
Ministerial Conference in Nairobi, the Sectoral I nitiative in Favour of Cotton has kept the African 
cotton issue at the heart of the WTO negotiations.  
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  Our Group would like to recall, in this connection, the commitment made by all Members to finding 
a fair solution for cotton, as set out in the different  decisions and statements made over the last 
13 years.  
 
The decision taken in 2005 to address the cotton issue "ambitiously, expeditiously and specifically" 
must not remain an empty slogan; on the contrary, it should provide genuine motivation to take 
concrete action aimed at significantly amending the rules.  
 
It is in this context that the C4 submitted for adoption by the last Ministerial Conference in Nairobi 
a realistic draft decision aimed at:  
 
­ facilitating access for African cotton to developed and dev eloping country markets;  
­ eliminating export subsidies on cotton;  
­ eliminating domestic support policies that distort the international cotton market.  
 
The C4 values the achievements of MC10 and is grateful to all of the Members that made the 
Nairobi outcome s possible, thereby helping to advance the negotiations on the cotton issue at the 
WTO.  
 
Seven months after MC10 in Nairobi, the proper and effective implementation of the provisions 
contained in the Ministerial Decisions that were adopted, including the D ecision on Cotton, remains 
a priority for the C4.  
 
Another priority, as emphasized in Nairobi in the Ministerial Decision on Cotton, is to make 
effective progress on domestic support.  
 
Although domestic support is largely responsible for distortions in wor ld cotton prices, the issue 
was only raised in the Decision to recall the policy reform efforts made by certain Members to 
reduce their domestic subsidies for cotton, and to stress the need to strengthen transparency 
through regular notification of measure s taken in this area.  
 
Consequently, the issue of domestic support should be at the centre of the negotiations on 
agriculture in general, and cotton in particular.  
 
This is why the C4 asks that we effectively address the issue of the elimination of subsidi es that 
have a distorting effect on cotton prices, and set ourselves an ambitious objective, namely to 
eliminate all forms of export subsidies and domestic support for the production and marketing of 
cotton in preparation for the forthcoming 11th Ministeri al Conference.  
 
It is to that end in order to move on from reflection to concrete action   that the C4 submitted to 
Members a communication targeting precise substantive issues.  
 
The 9th Ministerial Conference in Bali and the 10th Ministerial Conference in Nairobi were both 
important stepping stones in the development of international trade, thus contributing to the 
WTO's credibility.  
 
If we place the needs and interests of the develo ping countries which represe nt the majority of 
WTO Members  at the heart of our discussions, the DDA remains more relevant than ever.  
 
The C4 appreciates the WTO's central role as the sole and proper forum for trade negotiations 
capable of successfully concluding the negotiating rounds it has undertaken and of benefitting all 
of its Members.  
 
We reaffirm our commitment to this multilateral trading system and our faith in the WTO's ability 
to contribute to the integration of our economies in global value chains, thereby ensuring that 
trade is a true springboard for growth and develo pment, a tool in the fight against poverty and a 
guarantee of peace and stability in the world.  
 
We recall that 36 African countries produce cotton, in addition to several developing and least 
developed countries in Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean. I n those countries, cotton 
represents about 8 to 12% of GDP, 40% of total export income, 70% of total farm receipts, and WT/GC/M/163  
 
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  80% of the active population is employed in the cotton production, processing and marketing 
chain.  
 
The C4 remains committed to achievin g the ambitious objective of reaching a balanced and fair 
agreement acceptable to all the parties involved by the 11th Ministerial Conference. What is at 
stake is the development and preservation of the cotton industries in the African countries and the 
cotton producing and exporting LDCs.  
 
The C4 is counting on the construc tive engagement of all Members.  
 
20. Montenegro  
 
Montenegro considers multilateral trading system and the centrality of the WTO as the cornerstone 
and stands ready to support negotiations on  the long -standing trade issues that should result in 
balanced and commercially meaningful outcome. At the same time we are ready to join advanced 
discussions on the new issues as outlined in the Nairobi Ministerial Declaration. To this end 
Montenegro has defined the national plan for technical and capacity building assistance for 2016 
that was recently approved by the ITTC, with the following activities: First – National workshop on 
E-Commerce, WTO and Digital Economy and second – National workshop on Trad e and 
Environmental goods. We believe that these training activities will help us to better design our 
internal assessment and preparation for advanced discussions on cross cutting issues in global 
trade. In addition, I would like to use these opportunity to inform the membership that my 
government has recently adopted " Strategy for the information technology until 2020 " as the base 
for dynamic funding in development and in new business opportunities.  
 
Finally, Montenegro has recently completed domestic pro cedures necessary for the implementation 
of the ITA 2 Declaration and subsequently our schedule can be formally certified.  
 
In conclusion, my Delegation would like to reiterate appreciation for your tireless work and to 
thank your team and the WTO Secretar iat for their continuous assistance. This is time for courage 
and leadership and like many previous speakers we believe that with you WTO will continue to 
have an effective leader. Montenegro is looking forward to the constructive engagement with other 
members in supporting the common objective – strengthening of the multilateral trading system 
and the relevance of the WTO.  
 
21. New Zealand  
 
New Zealand has three specific observations to make regarding both the process since Nairobi and 
the way forward to the W TO Ministerial Conference in 2017 and beyond. These are with regard to 
1) the systemic benefits of multilateralism; 2) international economic policy coherence; and 3) the 
way forward in our post -Nairobi negotiations.  
 
I. Systemic Benefits  
 
To state the ob vious multilateralism in general and the WTO in particular with its set of core 
principles of non -discrimination, transparency and so on is in all of our shared interests. This is a 
universal truth, whether you are a small or large, developed or developing , Member. Put simply, 
implementing, participating and negotiating in the WTO is in our collective enlightened self -
interest. Members should not lose sight of this important point.  
 
II. International Economic Policy Coherence  
 
There are four specific elemen ts to note in terms of international economic policy coherence:  
 
1) There is an important nexus between domestic economic policy and international economic 
policy. This is an obvious focal point for our work here at the WTO, whether in the Regular 
Committees,  through the Dispute Settlement Mechanism or in the negotiating instruments of 
the WTO;  
 
2) There is also an important coherence component to the work of international agencies, not 
least the WTO and its 'colleagues'  the OECD, UN  Agencies, the World Bank, IMF  and so on both 
here in Geneva and elsewhere;  WT/GC/M/163  
 
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3) The UN Sustainable Development Goals are a clarion call for coherence –across trade, the 
environment and development. Or sustainable development for short. It is difficult to see how 
the UNSDGs can be achieved  without a substantive contribution from the trade policy 
community, not least the WTO. Poverty alleviation, the reform of agricultural domestic support, 
addressing fisheries subsidies; and mitigating climate change are all very specific SDGs. All of 
them can be achieved, but only with a substantive contribution from trade. Delivering on this 
promise would make real the mutually reinforcing nature of the trade and environment regimes 
working together for sustainable development; and  
 
4) New Zealand is wanting to understand how WTO Member s will deliver on their Leaders'  
commitments last September at the United Nations in the form of these SDGs. For New Zealand 
it is clear trade must contribute and, more particularly the WTO needs to be seen to contribute 
to achi eving the SDGs. To this end, we will be  working with our partners and 'Friends'  to 
advance some thinking on this, including to bring some thoughts to the Membership before the 
end of this year.  
 
III. The Way Forward in the Post -Nairobi Negotiations  
 
For Ne w Zealand there are four specific inter -related elements as follows:  
 
1) Leadership is necessary. There is no substitute for it. This has been missing since Nairobi, but it 
is a vital ingredient. Put simply, New Zealand looks to the major players to step up a nd take 
responsibility. They have a special obligation to sustain and support the multilateral trading 
system which has benefitted them as much as it has smaller members, like New Zealand;  
 
2) We need now to move from reflection into action – that is happenin g in agriculture, in services 
and arguably elsewhere but it needs to happen across the board and in clear measurable ways. 
The focus after the summer break must be on defining by doing and considering what is 
practical and plausible;  
 
3) An intensification of  effort is now needed. Concrete proposals in writing are needed to take the 
negotiations forward. Nothing should be taken off the table at this point in our negotiating  arc 
to MC11 and beyond and all Members should be able to see their interests reflected in the 
forward negotiating agenda; and  
 
4) We would prefer ‘big bang’ outcomes and continue to work for and seek these. That said, we 
also acknowledge that incremental outcomes of the kind secured at Nairobi have meaning. 
Such outcomes help level the playing field. They matter commercially. They matter in 
development terms; and they are important systemically.  
 
New Zealand stands ready to work with Members to deliver on the promise upheld at Nairobi and 
before then in Bali, as well as the commitments our Lead ers made in New York on the SDGs. We 
are confident MC11 will be a success and after the summer break will be the time to start making 
this real.   
 
22. Norway  
 
It is also important to keep the Multilateral Trading System relevant and updated in light of 
develop ments of the global economy such as the increased importance of global value chains and 
electronic commerce.  
 
We call on major Members to show leadership. We appreciate that G20 Trade Ministers at their 
meeting in Shanghai earlier this month agreed to wor k with all WTO members to set the direction 
together towards achieving positive outcomes at MC11 and beyond.    
 
Many have remarked today that development must remain at the center of our work and that we 
must give priority to LDC issues.  
 
Today the ACP, Ar gentina and Peru are among the Members who have already highlighted the 
importance of addressing fisheries subsidies. The issue continues to draw much attention. That 
was also the case last week in Nairobi when UNCTAD -FAO-UNEP issued a joint statement on WT/GC/M/163  
 
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  regulating fisheries subsidies. The statement was supported by around 90 countries. Norway is 
among the members who are eager to reenergize the multilateral negotiations on elimination and 
prohibition of certain forms of fisheries subsidies in line with SDG  14.6.  
 
Many have mentioned the next ministerial. To make progress and reach results at MC11 and 
beyond what we need in our view is political will; active engagement; focus on results; flexibility in 
approaches; and pragmatism.  
 
Together we should explore  in more detail how best to proceed when we meet again in 
September.  
 
23. Pakistan  
 
Two successful Ministerial Conferences have brought multilateralism back on track. The lesson 
from these two Ministerial meetings is that we can develop consensus through a ste p by step 
approach. Keeping in view the spirit of the decisions made in Nairobi, Members need to continue 
the work in areas identified by developing countries, and especially LDCs, for a fair trading system.  
 
Global trade indicators are showing sluggish gr owth and trade restrictive measures are on the rise. 
Big economies are experiencing important political processes and transformational changes 
through major reforms. In these changing times, many countries might be cautious and that is 
understandable.  
 
On Monday morning, we had a very engaged Dedicated Session on E -commerce, which spilled 
over to next day. While analyzing the impact of changes brought by the ICT revolution, we cannot 
deny the emerging unlimited opportunities unleashed by this sector. There fore, dedicated work on 
e-commerce, with a view to understand the challenges faced by micro, small and medium 
enterprises, is a priority for many developing countries. This is a cross -cutting work, that needs to 
be prioritized in all relevant forums, simul taneously with a view to increase income opportunities 
for the marginalized. In our view, work on the legal framework and commitments must provide 
due consideration to capacity constraints of poor developing countries. Challenges emerging from 
the digital economy could divide countries into high income jobs and low income jobs for the next 
phase of industrial revolution. To overcome this divide, development has to be central to E -
commerce debate.  
 
MC11 is an opportunity to look at the existing frameworks an d approaches to e -commerce and 
develop principles or guiding framework to facilitate integration of poor developing countries into 
the trading system.  
 
Agriculture is an outstanding issue in every mandate of this organization, we have not had any 
WTO Minis terial without mentioning agriculture as a core negotiating issue. Article 20 of the 
Agreement on Agriculture also binds us to continue the reform process, therefore Pakistan would 
welcome reform oriented proposals in all three pillars of agriculture. Impl ementation of MC -10 
decisions will add credibility to the work of this organization. Similarly, substantial reduction in 
domestic support through caps on all forms of distorting support will ensure participation of poor 
developing countries in the trading system. Low commodity prices and reducing farm incomes are 
pushing poor farmers into poverty trap. Therefore, MC -11 is an opportunity to work for substantial 
cuts in production and trade distorting domestic support in agriculture generally and cotton 
specifically. Work program on Public Stock Holding and SSM may continue within the format of 
interim solution of policy monitoring through the regular CoA and lessons from the use of SSG. We 
are open to any other reform -oriented suggestion on these issues.  
 
There are other issues, such as fisheries, that are being discussed among Members for developing 
further disciplines; we are ready to work on this issue within the mandate of SDGs, while 
recognizing the supremacy of WTO rules and the need to develop these rul es further in order to 
advance policy coherence at the global level.  
 
We positively look forward to more engaged and specific work in all other areas after summer 
break.  
 WT/GC/M/163  
 
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  24. Paraguay  
 
As stated in the last HODs meeting in May, Paraguay has been engaged in va rious discussions in 
this house about how to move the negotiations forward. In that sense, we are pragmatic, we want 
to continue negotiations on issues with existing mandates, and we are open to discuss any other 
topic that is relevant for our economies.  
 
We would like to reiterate that Agriculture is the cornerstone of any future outcome; beside the 
great achievement we got in Nairobi, the agricultural trade still is the most unbalanced one, where 
agriculture exporter Members face all kind of restrictions,  from 500% tariff, to wide and complex 
domestic support schemes.  
 
Last week during the COASS cluster, my delegation submitted an informal paper pointing out the 
current disparities in the .Member's schedules, highlighting the situation of tariff peaks and tariff 
escalation. This contribution received very positive comments and will be further considered in the 
next COASS.  
 
On the other issues, we belong to the club of Members who seek for more trade liberalization and 
enhancing transparency. Additionally, w e consider that we should start tackling in the WTO the 
unfortunate increase of non -tariff measures. Hence, we support any negotiation on NTBs.  
 
Another thing worth mentioning is the momentum on the e -commerce Work Program. Paraguay 
joined a group of Membe rs In presenting document JOB/GC/97/Rev.1, titled "Trade Policy, the 
WTO and the Digital Economy" that was briefly presented this morning in the dedicated session. 
We hope to be able to continue this positive trend in order to have a better understanding o f a 
possible MC11 outcome on this issue.  
 
We would like also to make a brief comment on fisheries subsidies. Paraguay co -sponsored the 
Ministerial Declaration signed in Nairobi last December. Although our interest there is more from 
the consumer side, we s ee here a real potential for the WTO to contribute not only to its own 
agenda, but also for the bigger multilateral context. We thus support from a systemic perspective 
any effort on this dossier, preferably in the multilateral area.  
  
Last but not least, I would like to mention today that in the last CTD meeting, Paraguay, on behalf 
of Land -locked developing countries, presented the outcomes of the Fifth Meeting of Ministers of 
Trade of LLDCs, held in this room, on 23 and 24 June 2016, where Ministers call ed for a dedicated 
work programme for the LLDCs in the WTO.  
 
This Work Programme will address the special needs, challenges and vulnerabilities of LLDCs in 
order to increase their participation in the Multilateral Trading System. A concept note and a Draft  
proposal will be presented to members after the summer break, in order to have the Work 
Programme as one of the deliverables for MC11, that we wish that will happen in Argentina.  
 
25. Peru  
 
All of the reports seem to agree that there are certain topics which,  owing to their specific weight 
and to the impetus given them by Members during that period are beginning to emerge as areas of 
interest to Members in the run up to MC11, and could consequently end up being deliverables:  
 
 E commerce;  
 The elimination of fis heries subsidies;  
 Agriculture, especially the domestic support pillar.  
 
Whether these, or other subjects, can crystallize at the next Ministerial Conference will depend on 
all of us Members, who reaffirmed in Nairobi the pre -eminence of the WTO as the glob al forum for 
trade rules setting and governance, recognizing once again that the WTO would remain the main 
forum to negotiate multilateral trade rules.  
 
The time has come to move from reflection to action, from words to facts. But it is not enough to 
give our work a greater impetus: we need to fundamentally rethink our approach.  
 WT/GC/M/163  
 
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  Already last February, I mentioned that when deciding our future work, we must bear in mind the 
three lessons learned in Nairobi, which I shall repeat here:  
 
1) We cannot accept that one particular issue should determine, a priori, our level of 
ambition in the future. Experience shows that such a premise is not constructive, and 
that, on the contrary, it prevents proper discussion on all the issues of interest to 
Members; worse still, it leads to a levelling down of the results of a Ministerial 
Conference.  
 
2) Consequently, we should address each issue on its own merits, and without prejudging a 
final outcome as a condition for starting negotiations. Any other approach would prevent 
us fro m achieving further success at MC11.  
 
3) Text based negotiations are the only way to guarantee an inclusive and transparent 
process. This is why we appreciate the proposals submitted through the negotiating 
groups as the only way of starting up negotiations i n the second half of the year.  
 
It is common in this forum to raise "systemic concerns". I would like, in my turn, to raise a 
concern that is also "systemic", but somewhat different in that it has nothing to do with the 
obligations we have assumed under WT O, but rather with the role that this Organization should be 
playing in an interdependent multilateral international system.  
 
Specifically, my delegation is convinced that the WTO has been given a clear mandate by our 
Heads of State, in the form of the Sus tainable Development Goals adopted in New York last year. 
These goals are an obligatory reference for our future work, as some of them refer specifically to 
negotiations that should be conducted at the WTO, for instance goal 14.6 on the prohibition of 
certain fisheries subsidies, which remains a priority for Peru.  
 
The WTO must contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, which are 
the political expression of a consensus reached by our Heads of State. In other words, we who are 
here t oday must promote the Sustainable Development Goals in this Organization. When a 
President has spoken, it is not up to an Ambassador to interpret, or worse still, to disregard what 
are clearly instructions given by our Heads of State.  
 
26. Russian Federation  
 
We note with satisfaction that during the first half of this year Members demonstrated their 
support for the implementation of the Bali and Nairobi outcomes.  In particular, up to now, 86 
Members have ratified the Trade Facilitation Agreement. Members have also conducted the first 
review of agricultural export policies since the Nairobi decision.  
  
The interaction among Members in other areas has also been constructive. The discussions, aimed 
at identifying issues where agreement may be reached by MC11, have  considerably intensified 
during that period. Some specific ideas and proposals have been presented in agriculture, services, 
rules and e -commerce. Thus, Members have generally responded to Director -General’s appeal to 
start moving from reflection to actio n. 
 
Russia has always been a systemic proponent of the efforts to increase transparency in regional 
trade. Paragraph 28 of the Nairobi Declaration instructs Members to discuss systemic implications 
of the RTAs for the multilateral trading system and their relationship with the WTO rules. We are 
ready to contribute actively to common efforts in this direction.  
 
We believe that future negotiating agenda should include issues that present challenges in trade to 
the WTO Members. We are ready to explore them, to gether with other Members. However, we are 
to bear in mind that any decision to launch negotiations multilaterally o n such issues, according to 
paragraph  34 of the Nairobi Declaration, would need to be agreed by all Members.  
 
Having said that, we also beli eve that future negotiating agenda should be aimed at bringing the 
level of commitments of original Members to the level of those that acceded under Article XII of 
the WTO Agreement.  
 WT/GC/M/163  
 
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  Let me conclude with saying that the Russian Federation is ready for a c onstructive engagement 
with our partners.  
 
27. Rwanda (ACP)  
 
At the outset, I wish to reaffirm the ACP Group’s commitment to a rules -based Multilateral Trading 
System that is predictable, transparent and which contributes to improving lives of our people.  Our 
position stems from our conviction in the nexus between Trade, Investment and Development.  As 
reflected in various parts of the Nairobi Ministerial Declaration, all Members must keep their 
commitment to maintain the WTO relevant as the premier forum for tr ade negotiations and 
governance of international trade rules and must ensure that issues of interest to developing 
countries are taken into account.  
 
It is against this background that the ACP Group expects a development -oriented outcome at the 
MC-11, con sistent with various recent global commitments and goals, in particular the UN 
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).  
 
With this in mind, the ACP Group calls upon Members to effectively move from reflection to action 
so that we collectively start a substan tive and constructive engagement immediately after the 
summer break if we are seriously contemplating an ambitious result at the MC -11. We must 
ensure substantial reductions in trade -distorting domestic support in order to achieve the 
longstanding agricult ure reform to level the playing field in the agriculture trading system. The ACP 
Group has submitted questions aimed at stimulating discussions with a view to exploring ways of 
finding solutions that can be acceptable to all. The Group will follow -up ager the summer break 
with a more substantive submission after a thorough discussion at our Group level.  
 
As is well -known, the basis of further advancin g negotiations is contained in paragraph  31 of the 
Nairobi Ministerial Declaration, among others, which high lights the “strong commitment of all 
Members to advance negotiations on the remaining Doha issues”, including “advancing work in all 
three pillars of agriculture, namely domestic support, market access and export competition, as 
well as non -agriculture mar ket access, services, development, TRIPS and rules”.  
 
As the Chairman of the Committee on Agriculture in Special Session (CoA -SS) reported, meetings 
held last week demonstrated a keen interest of the wider Membership in addressing agricultural 
Trade -distorting Domestic Support.  This is indeed, one of the key issues where the ACP Group 
expects a development -oriented outcome at the MC -11. We must ensure a substantial reductions 
in trade -distorting domestic support in order to achieve the longstanding agricul ture reform to 
level the playing field in the agriculture trading system.  The ACP Group has submitted questions 
aimed at stimulating discussions with a view to exploring ways of finding solutions that can be 
acceptable to all.  The Group will follow -up afte r the summer break with a more substantive 
submission after a thorough discussion at our Group level.  
 
The ACP Group is also interested in a permanent solution on Public Stockholding for Food Security 
Purposes that must satisfactorily address the legitima te food security concer ns of all developing 
countries.  The permanent solution should cover both existing and new public stockholding 
programmes.  
 
The ACP Group is further interested in an outcome on a Special Safeguard Mechanism (SSM) for 
developing count ries that would limit the negative impacts of import surges  or sharp drops in the 
prices. Conditions of SSM should be less stringent than those of Special Agricultural  Safeguard 
(SSG). The SSM must be simple to use and effective in addressing import surges .  
 
Another important issue for the ACP Group, in addition to outcomes in agriculture, is the urgency 
to address fisheries subsidies in a manner that will ensure sustainable fishing for food security, 
livelihood security and job creation.  This is also anot her developmental deliverable at the MC -11 
for many ACP countries.   
 
Furthermore, the ACP Group emphasizes that Special and Differential Treatment (S&DT) for 
developing countries must remain at the core of any negotiation and any outcome.  Additionally, 
S&DT under the Committee on Trade and Development in Special Session (CTD -SS) must 
effectively resume and we call upon Members for a constructive engagement on this longstanding 
issue.  As the Chair of the CTD -SS has reported, some Members seem to indicate a c lear negative WT/GC/M/163  
 
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  attitude in the continuation of negotiations in this area.  From our perspective, S&DT in WTO 
Agreements must be integral part o f negotiations as reflected in  paragraph 44 of the Doha 
Ministerial Declaration and must be integral part of future  outcomes.  Indeed, some of these 
flexibilities that are under discussions in CTD -SS are linked to industrialization and have been used 
in the past by many countries in moving up the development ladder.  Our ambition and aspirations 
of our people are: to cli mb the development ladder moving away from economic stagnation, 
though industrialization, value addition, export diversification and structural transformation.  We, 
therefore, expect that our Negotiating Partners will listen to our call and equally contribu te to our 
common resolve for achieving SDGs through trade, industrial development, technological catch -up 
and structural transformation for all.  
 
On Services, as in other negotiating areas, development remains central to any outcome as 
inscribed in GATS A rticles XIX:2 and IV: 3 and subsequent Ministerial Declarations since t he 
establishment of this Organiz ation.  
 
Let me conclude with a few words on new issues. We have recently witnessed a sort of more 
engagement by some Members on e -commerce. I wish to be clear in stating that our Na irobi 
position is still valid. From our perspective, negotiations on new issues will depend on a number of 
factors. It will require, among others, a positive indication for the treatment of longstanding 
development issues under the DDA; and a prior explicit mandate for negotiations agreed by all 
Members.  
 
With this, I wish to rest here and look forward to a more collective inspir ation during the summer 
break. The ACP Group would like to assure all Members of our readiness to con structively engage 
in negotiations and we encourage other Members to do so.  
 
28. Singapore  
 
As the WTO transitions from reflection to action mode, it is important to be reminded of the 
fundamentals driving why we do what we do.  
 
Going back to first principles , a well -functioning, rules -based multilateral trading system benefits 
us all. It provides a stable, predictable environment for the conduct of global trade. This is true 
regardless of development status, the size of our economies or our trade profile.  
 
Second, multilateralism must remain at the heart of the WTO’s work. The WTO must remain a 
place where all Members are heard, and where all Members’ interests and concerns are taken into 
account. That said, extreme care must also be taken such that Members d o not fall back into 
ideological debates which would lead only to paralysis and push action outside of the WTO.  
 
Third, we are collectively responsible for the WTO’s continued relevance. This means that we will 
all need to consider what benefits the syste m as a whole.  Harvesting ‘quick -wins’ for the next 
Ministerial can be useful, and is sometimes politically necessary.  However, the WTO’s core work in 
addressing trade distortions, promoting the smooth flow of global trade and enabling development 
are long term endeavours which cannot be defined only in two -year cycles.  They require continual 
investments of effort and attention even if they do not grab headlines.   
 
The work done in the first semester since Nairobi has set a useful foundation. While the proce ss of 
reflection has been a gradual one, time has not been wasted. The following points are worth 
highlighting:   
 
a) Informal interactions amongst Members, and also with other constituents have increased. For 
instance, the informal workshops on MSMEs and e -commerce; WTO Trade Dialogues with the 
Private Sector.  
 
b) Some new ideas and questions are emerging at the Negotiating Groups. E.g. the 18 July COASS 
had 7 papers tabled (meeting stretched from 3 to 730pm!); the discussions on fisheries 
subsidies in Rules NG, and domestic regulation in Services are also noteworthy.  
 
c) Steady progress on TFA and TRIPS. On the TFA, we have seen 86 ratifications thus far, bringing 
us closer to the two -thirds needed for the Agreement to come into force. On the TRIPS WT/GC/M/163  
 
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  Amendment, we ha ve also made progress, and are left only with 6 acceptances before the 
Amendment takes effect.  
 
d) Revitalisation of regular committees. The 6th appraisal of the Trade Policy Review Mechanism is 
launched.   
 
We should continue working and maintaining this mom entum post -summer through different 
platforms – negotiating groups, regular Committees, informal workshops etc.  
 
Members should continue to engage with an open mind, without prejudging the positions of others 
or foreclosing options at this point.  
 
The pro cess will have to be Member -driven.  The DG also has a key role to play in helping to forge 
consensus and to shape the way forward.  
 
29. South Africa  
 
This is difficult work and, indeed, despite commendable effort, the reports all indicate that - in one 
way or another - much more needs to be done to close the gaps between Members.  
 
This task is made more challenging in a context of low global growth, depressed global demand, 
widening inequality and unemployment. We are also aware of growing calls that we rethin k 
approaches to trade policy so that it delivers on inclusive growth and sustainable development 
more effectively in future.   
 
In our work, aside from a range of specific issues that make progress difficult, there are several 
more deep -seated challenges. T he first revolves around the starting point for engagement: While 
most Members have not abandoned the DDA texts as the basis for work, others, who propose new 
approaches, have not been able to offer any agreed alternative. In addition to divergences on 
“how”, we are not clear on “what” to advance. Members have different views on whether we 
should move forward on all the Doha Round issues or on a smaller basket of issues. The essential, 
unresolved challenge remains defining a ‘balanced’ agenda acceptable to all.  
 
Another fault line running through the work is the different views on how we understand “Trade 
and Development”, and the importance of policy space for development. This is compounded by 
upfront calls to narrow the scope and application of special a nd differential treatment.  
 
The situation is not very different on new issues: some want them; others do not. In our view, 
until there is some shared understanding on how we intend to address the remaining Doha issues, 
deemed ‘the priority’ at MC10, it wi ll be difficult to get ‘buy in’ from all Members to even discuss 
non-DDA issues, lest we create a new ‘imbalance’ in the negotiating process.  
 
We have heard that we are moving from reflection into a proposal -driven phase, and we will see 
how this unfolds over the next few months. However, it seems clear to us that we need to come to 
terms with the deeper divergences if we are to make real progress. It also seems clear that we 
need a continued focus and progress on trade distorting domestic support – includ ing and notably 
on cotton - and public stockholding if we are to unlock progress on any of the other issues.  
 
As we have said previously, to have any chance of success, any proposal - on any issue, including 
non-DDA issues - would need to be sensitive to our developmental objectives and would need to 
include an undiminished application of the principle of special and differential treatment. We also 
need to see a much greater appreciation of the varied developmental needs of developing 
countries - as define d by developing countries themselves.  
 
While this is complex and difficult work, we should resist becoming impatient or bein g tempted to 
pursue short -term "solutions"  that run the risk of fragmenting the trading system and storing 
problems for the future.  Plurilateral formats for negotiation will inevitably divert attention from our 
collective work: And we know they fall short in their developmental content and can undermine the 
objectives of inclusive growth.  
 WT/GC/M/163  
 
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  We need more patience, more hard work and mo re time to close the gaps amongst Members. 
Difficult as it is, multilateral cooperation and engagement continues to offer the best chance for 
inclusive growth and sustainable development from which all Members can derive benefit.  
 
I conclude by associating  South Africa with the statement delivered by Rwanda on behalf of the 
ACP. 
 
30. Switzerland  
 
MC10 in Nairobi – just as the recent G20 Trade Ministers Meeting in Shanghai – reaffirmed the 
central role of WTO and committed to further strengthening the Multilater al Trading System.  
 
Translating that commitment into post -Nairobi action is the job of all Members and in particular 
that of us here in Geneva.  
 
In that respect, I agree with you DG and colleagues, that we have seen encouraging developments 
in recent month s. 
 
A lot of energy has gone into new thinking and new submissions by a broad spectrum of Members.  
Substantive discussions have recently taken place in informal settings as well as in some 
negotiating groups.  
 
Such kind of pragmatic approach, complemented  with a big portion of creativity and specificity, as 
you asked us, DG, in your report of today, should be pursued after the summer break – both on 
remaining DDA issues and on other issues, while avoiding to fall back into ideological debates that 
are lead ing nowhere.  
 
With the WTO having become nearly universal, the best value will always be multilateral – or at 
least MFN -based – solutions, even by modest steps, including through the reduction of policy 
space or the “consolidation” of bilateral or regional  preferences.  
 
Switzerland shares the view that Members should aim at further tangible results at MC11, 
particularly in areas where we already have a substantive basis.  
 
At the same time, we think that it will be just as important for Members to build a pa th towards 
meaningful advances also beyond MC11.  
 
31. Chinese Taipei (Article XII Members)  
 
The recent development on advancing our future work is quite encouraging. We note that some 
Members have started to present their ideas and initiates in various areas, such as agriculture, 
domestic regulation in services, and e -commerce. At the same time, we also see the increasing 
interest and engagement from the Membership in the discussions.  We are pleased with this rising 
momentum that could drive us from reflection to action.  
 
Our group hopes that we could carry the momentum over across all remaining Doha issues, 
including all three pillars of agriculture, NAMA, services, development, TRIPS and rules.  We must 
find a path forward to achieve meaningful outcomes at the  MC11, in a way of full participation, 
inclusiveness, and transparency.  
 
We take note of the papers that are tabled recently on e -commerce. We recognize the increasing 
importance of e -Commerce for trade, economic growth and development. We welcome further  
discussions in this regard.  However, we should always bear in mind that launch of the multilateral 
negotiations on any non -DDA issues, including e -commerce, would need to be agre ed by all 
Members according to p aragraph 34 of the Nairobi Ministerial Declar ation.  
 
I would also like to reiterate that the extensive contributions made by the Article XII Members 
could help to light the way forward. In fact, the Article XII Members have made more extensive 
market access commitments, so called the WTO plus commitm ents, upon their accession than 
other Members. This special situation should be taken into account in future negotiations as 
reflec ted in p aragraph 27 of the Nairobi Ministerial Declaration, in order to bridge the gap and to 
create a level playing field ac ross the whole Membership.  WT/GC/M/163  
 
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Last but not least, our Group reaffirms its commitment to the multilateral trading system. We will 
continue to work with you and fellow Members constructively to advance our future work. The 
upcoming summer break is time to res t as well as to prepare for a longer journey. We should 
make good use of the summer break by working together with our capitals to well digest what we 
have by now and to prepare concrete and creative proposals that could address the challenges we 
are facin g. 
 
32. United States  
 
This is an appropriate moment to recall the outcomes of the Nairobi Ministerial Conference, reflect 
on where things stand in the WTO eight months out from Nairobi, and assess what may come next 
for the remainder of 2016 and beyond, inclu ding in the build up to the next Ministerial Conference.  
 
In looking back to Nairobi, we share the views of those who have emphasized the importance of 
fully implementing the Nairobi decisions and the Nairobi Ministerial Declaration, and we take note 
of related efforts, such as those under discussion in the Committee on Agriculture.  
 
It is also important that we avoid drifting back to the dynamics of negotiations prior to Nairobi.  
Our observation is that we are doing reasonably well on this front; we percei ve a new spirit and a 
new openness at work here at the WTO.  Even if that new spirit remains a bit tentative, and even if 
the precise path is not yet clear, we find it encouraging.  
 
The United States is ready to engage in a variety of formats, so long as we  see serious efforts to 
explore new approaches to longstanding negotiation issues, many of which predated the Doha 
Ministerial Conference.  We also believe firmly that now is the moment for Members to encourage 
exploratory discussions on how to move ahead o n other issues that may be important for the 
future relevance of the WTO.  Again, we feel encouraged on this front – we have especially 
appreciated the efforts of some Members to organize workshops on certain issues to help all of us 
better understand the c ontours of issues that may merit our future attention.  We have seen a 
hopeful uptick in the submission of thought -provoking  papers on both "new" and " old" issues.  We 
are asking each other good and important questions on issues ranging from agriculture to d igital 
trade.  We are also seeing openness to considering negotiating formats that may offer the best 
prospects for achieving high -ambition outcomes for the WTO.  
 
The recent G20 Trade Ministerial Meeting, chaired by China, also offered important contributio ns, 
as these major economies agreed to an important statement on trade and investment issues.  
All of these developments are hopeful.  Still we must be on guard against going back to failed 
approaches, and we are concerned by some indications of clinging to old mandates – even though 
there was a lack of consensus in Nairobi on these mandates.  We need new approaches on issues 
covered by these mandates, and we need readiness to look at new issues.  
 
In our view, the new beginning for the WTO that Nairobi promise d can only be realized if we have 
more of a common spirit to move on from the past.  
  
We recognize that this process of moving on creates anxiety – some may fear the unknown or 
worry that their vital interests will be ignored, and in some respects, these are understandable 
dynamics.  
 
But it was incredibly important for the future viability of the WTO that we confronted the truth in 
Nairobi and that we now break from a negotiating structure that had so clearly failed.  We now 
have the opportunity – if we use  it correctly – to create new and more promising negotiating work 
for the WTO.  
 
For the US, this is a moment of opportunity.  We view the WTO and its framework of rules as our 
bedrock, and we are deeply committed to sustaining and building on the strengths of this system.  
 
There simply is no substitute for the WTO framework.  Its principles are woven deeply into every 
free trade agreement the United States has ever negotiated.  We trust that other WTO Members 
feel exactly the same way and have similarly pursue d their bilateral and regional agreements 
outside the WTO in the same manner – with the WTO as the foundation on which all trade 
relationships are built.  WT/GC/M/163  
 
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We also want to emphasize a related point.  We should not forget that there is an existing structure 
of WTO bodies, established at the beginning of the institution.  We remain concerned that these 
WTO committees, which exist to serve as venues to review and discuss implementation of WTO 
agreements, have been in some respects been neglected over many years w hile attention was 
focused on negotiating new WTO agreements.  
 
We believe the time has come to inject new energy into these bodies in order to explore how they 
might be better utilized at this historic turning point.  These bodies ought to be laboratories f or 
discussing relevant trends in trade and testing ideas on how new areas of trade, or even new 
patterns associated with longstanding trade issues, might be negotiated in the future.  We 
appreciate signals that other Members share these views, and we call f or strong efforts, on the 
part of all WTO Members, to focus on these bodies and offer creative ideas on their work for the 
near future.  
 
Finally, we offer the view that the WTO may continue to be too rigid in perceiving that new 
agreements and other forms  of outcomes can only occur at Ministerial Conferences, with only the 
occasional exception.  If the WTO is to reclaim its credibility as a vibrant negotiating and 
implementation forum, just as it was in its early days, Members must take advantage of every 
opportunity to advance work and seize resul ts as they present themselves.  
 
We share the broad view that our Ministerials are important, and we should begin the process of 
identifying opportunities to achieve accomplishments, even if incremental ones.  But it  may be 
prudent to avoid falling into the predictable, and often risky, formula of leaving everything to a 
package of results for Ministerial action.  Whether the issue is agriculture or digital economy, the 
WTO will impress capitals and stakeholders most b y simply doing rather than packaging and 
posturing for the next Ministerial Conference.  
 
As a final word, we think the period since Nairobi has been important for individual and collective 
reflection.  We welcome the informal conversations that have been ta king place in Geneva and 
outside it.  
 
Like others, we are evaluating the current discussion and debate to evaluate which ideas have the 
best prospects for leading to results.  While some debates feel frustratingly stale, a few seem to 
offer hope for fresh s tarts.  We are particularly encouraged by the large and diverse group of 
Members that recognize the urgency of work to discipline harmful subsidies for fishing.  We will be 
working with others to promote a Leaders Group on this issue.  
 
On this and other issu es, we look forward to coming back to Geneva in September to begin to 
crystalize emerging ideas for concrete action and to share more specific views on how to pursue 
them, and to do so in an accelerated manner, as suggested by the DG.  
 
33. Uruguay  
 
Uruguay wis hes to make an announcement with regard to its candidacy to host the 11th Ministerial 
Conference to be held in December 2017.  
 
I have just received instructions from our Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Rodolfo Nin Novoa, to 
submit Uruguay's candidacy to ho st the 11th Ministerial Conference in the city of Punta del Este.  
 
I should like to thank you for giving me the opportunity to make the announcement at this 
meeting.  
 
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 WT/GC/M/163  
 
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  ANNEX 3  
STATEMENT BY UKRAINE  ON THE WORK PROGRAMM E ON ELECTRONIC COMM ERCE 
(AGENDA ITEM 4)  
 
At its request, the statement of Ukraine  is included below as part of the Minutes of the General 
Council meeting.  
 
_______________  
 
 
Ukraine appreciate s the comprehensive report on the Work P rogram me made by 
Ambassa dor Suescum. Ukraine  would also like to  join other Members in su pporting the Work 
Programme on Electronic C ommerce and looks forward to further work in this area. Indeed, the 
digitalization of the economy and the electronic commerce are two unavoidable aspects of today's 
trade and economic development. We are supportive of Brazil's proposal regarding updating the 
document S/C/W/68 by the WTO Secretariat. We thank the WTO Members for the proposals tha t 
have been recently circulated. O ur capital is considering them closely. Ukra ine is ready to take part 
in future discussions on this issue.  
 
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 WT/GC/M/163  
 
- 65 - 
 
  ANNEX 4  
STATEMENT BY JAPAN O N WTO ACCESSIONS  (AGENDA ITEM 6)  
 
At its request, the statement of Japan  is included below as part of the Minutes of the General 
Council meeting.  
 
_______________  
 
 
It is a great hono ur and pleasure for me to be appointed as the chairperson of the Accession 
Working Party of the Republic of the Sudan.  
 
Sudan is one of the largest countries yet to be a member of the WTO. It is encouraging to see the 
strong political will of the Sudanese government to resume the accession process. Its accession, 
without doubt, would be a big achievement not only for Sudan but also for all the Members as well 
as for the multilateral trading system as a whole.  
 
I truly th ank Sudan and all the Members for your trust and confidence in me. I will do my best to 
push this process forward.  
 
For an early and successful conclusion, I count on your support for this important task.  
 
 
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