WT/TPR/ 387 
 
7 November 2016  
(16-6078) Page: 1/6 
Trade Policy Review Body   
 
TRADE POLICY REVIEW MECHANISM  
REPORT OF THE TRADE POLICY REVIEW BODY F OR 2016  
Chairperson: Ms Irene YOUNG, Permanent Representative of Hong Kong, China  
1. This Report by the Trade Policy Review Body (TPRB) provides a brief assessment of its 
activities in 2016 . The annexed tables provide information on Members reviewed up to the end of 
2016, the geographical coverage of the reviews conducted to date, the programme of reviews for 
2017, and candidates for review in 2018.  
Sixth Appraisal of the TPRM  
2. In June, the T PRB agreed to undertake the sixth appraisal  this year . Members plan to 
complete the appraisal by the end of 2016 and to present the results to the 11th Ministerial 
Conference  in 2017.  
3. Having regard to the results of the fifth appraisal, which were presente d to the 9th Ministerial 
Conference in 20131, the main issues being discussed as part of the current appraisal include: 
preparation for trade policy review ( TPR) meetings; organization and structure of TPR meetings; 
follow -up to TPR meetings ; and other are as of the Trade Policy Review Mechanism (TPRM) . 
Activities of the TPRB  
4. By the end of 2016, the TPRB will have conducted 452 reviews since its inception in 1989 
(up from 429 in 2015), at 345 review meetings (Annex I). The reviews have covered 153 out of 
164 Members.2 The trade policies and practices of two Members were reviewed for the first time in 
2016.3 The TPRB will have conducted reviews of 23 Members in 2016 (Annex  II).  
5. The review process, from start to finish , has run relatively smoothly. The Secreta riat's 
reports continue to be prepared in close consultation with the authorities of the Member s under 
review. Responses to requests for data, documentation and information have generally been 
provided within the suggested deadlines. In preparing its repor ts, the Secretariat has continued its 
efforts to reduce the burden on Members under review by using, to the extent possible, other 
sources of documentation, including Members' official websites or other credible sources. Essential 
elements to the process h ave been the responses by the authorities to draft reports and visits to 
capitals by teams from the Secretariat.  
6. There have been a few adjustments to the programme of reviews during the course of the 
year.4 Efforts continue to be made to space meetings of  the TPRB as evenly as possible throughout 
the year and to avoid clashes with other meetings at the WTO so as to reduce pressure on 
Members. However, the increasing number of WTO Members, while a success for the multilateral 
trading system, is also increas ing the number of reviews necessary to comply with paragraph C (ii) 
of Annex 3 of the Marrakesh Agreement . This  adds to the burden on Members, chairpersons and 
the Secretariat.  
                                                
1 WTO document WT/MIN(13)/5 of 17 October 2013.  
2 Members not yet reviewed by end -2016 are: Afghanistan;  Cuba;  Kazakhstan; Lao People's Democratic 
Republic;  Liberia; Montenegro; Samoa;  Seychelles; Taji kistan;  Vanuatu; and Yemen . 
3 Russian Federation and Ukraine . 
4 The TPR of Sierra Leone has been postponed at its request.  WT/TPR/387  
 
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  7. The TPR programme for 2017 comprises 16 review meetings covering 24 Members, co unting 
the EU as one (Annex III). It includes a joint review of members  of the West African Economic and 
Monetary Union ( WAEMU ) (Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte  d'Ivoire, Guinea -Bissau, Mali, Niger, 
Senegal,  and Togo ), and the postponed review of Sierra  Leone. A nnex IV provides the list of 
Members that can be considered as candidates for review in 2018.  
Coverage of LDCs and follow -up to TPRB meetings  
8. Trade policy reviews of LDCs have been beneficial to them in terms of improving their 
understanding of WTO Agreeme nts, as well as encouraging their compliance with , and integration 
into, the multilateral trading system. Of the 36 least -developed Members of the WTO, 31 will have 
been reviewed by the end of 2016.5 
9. At the request of the Member concerned, the Secretariat organizes follow -up workshops to 
discuss the outcome of its Trade Policy Review with domestic stakeholders . In 2016, four follow -up 
workshops for Botswana ( a member of the Southern African Customs Union (SACU)), El Salvador, 
Guyana, and Madagascar  are to b e conducted. Building on the success of the Myanmar and 
Pakistan follow -ups, the WTO Secretariat has enhanced  its approach. Rather than just 
disseminating the results/outcomes of the Review , the Secretariat now works closely with the 
Member under review, u pon its request, to plan for a workshop that reflects its priorities and 
technical assistance needs. For example, in the case of Myanmar, the workshop provided the 
opportunity to identify priority areas for reforms requiring technical cooperation and 
capac ity-building assistance, and to synchronize these priorities with the Enhanced Integrated 
Framework (EIF) work and donor programm es. Several donors made pledges during the workshop 
to provide specific assistance in some of these identified areas. With rega rd to Pakistan, the 
authorities ' primary objectives were to enhance awareness of the WTO and the multilateral trading 
system among domestic stakeholders , and to promote the Agreement on Trade Facilitation ( TFA). 
These examples would suggest that  the follow -up workshops are responding  more closely  to 
Members' needs and priorities.  
Monitoring of trade and trade -related measures  
10. The TPRM requires Members, in between their reviews, to provide information on significant 
trade policy changes. The WTO Secretariat  uses this and other information to prepare, on a regular 
basis, reports on the trade and trade -related developments of Members and Observer 
Governments. The information  is consolidated and presented in the Director -General's Annual 
Report on Developments in the International Trading Environment, as called for by paragraph G of 
Annex 3 of the Marrakesh Agreement. Cooperation from Members  in the collection of  this 
information  is improving .  
11. The latest trade monitoring report covered measures taken during the period from 
mid-October 2015 to mid -May 2016.6 The report provided information on the latest trends and 
developments with respect to trade -restrictive measures as well as those facilitating trade. The 
report drew attention to a significant increase in the  number of trade -restrictive measures 
implemented by Members compared to  at the time of the previous report. The overall stockpile of 
restrictive measures recorded for Members grew by 11% during this last review period, large ly due 
to the slow rate at which Members have been eliminating previous trade restrictions. The report 
underscored the need, in the midst of a time of economic and financial uncertainty, for WTO 
Members, individually and collectively, to  resist protectionist measures.  
12. The Director -Gener al's 2016 Annual Report on Developments in the International Trading 
Environment will be discussed by the TPRB in December 2016.  
                                                
5 First reviews are due for Vanu atu in 2018, for Lao People' s Democratic Republic in 2019 , for Yemen in 
2020, and for Afghanistan and  Liberia in 2022 . 
6 An informal meeting of the TPRB was held on 25 July 2016 to discuss the trade monitoring report 
contained in document WT/TPR/OV/W/ 10. WT/TPR/387  
 
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  ANNEX I   
TRADE POLICY REVIEWS   
WTO Members reviewed, 1989 -2016 
Europe/Middle East  Asia/Pacific  Africa  America  
Albania (2)  Australia (7)  Angolab (2) Argentina (4)  
Armenia  Bangladeshb (4) Beninb, 2 (3) Antigua and Barbuda2 (3) 
Austria1 Brunei Darussalam (3) Botswana2 (4) Barbados (3)  
Bahrain, Kingdom of2 (3) Cambodiab Burkina Fasob, 2 (3) Belize (2)  
Bulgaria1 China (6)  Burundib, 2 (2) Bolivia, Plurinational State of (3)  
Croatia1 Fiji (3) Cabo Verde  Brazil (6)  
Cyprus1 Hong Kong, China (7)  Cameroon2 (4) Canada (10)  
Czech Republic1 (2) India (6)  Central African Republicb, 2(2) Chile (5)  
European Union (12)  Indonesia (6)  Chadb, 2 (2) Colombia (4)  
Finland1 Japan (12)  Congo, Dem. Rep. of theb (2)  Costa Rica (4)  
Georgia (2)  Korea, Rep. of (7)  Congo, Rep. of 2 (2) Dominica2 (3) 
Hungary1 (2) Kyrgyz Republic (2)  Côte d'Ivoire (2)  Dominican Republic (4)  
Iceland (4)  Macao, China (4 )  Djiboutib, 2 (2) Ecuador (2)  
Israel (4)  Malaysia (6)  Egypt (3)  El Salvador (4)  
Jordan (2) Maldives (3)  Gabon2 (3) Guatemala (3) 
Kuwait, the State of  Mongolia (2)  The Gambiab (2) Grenada2 (3) 
Liechtenstein2 (4) Myanmarb Ghana (4)  Guyana (3)  
Moldova,  Rep. of  Nepalb Guinea, Republic ofb (3) Haitib (2) 
Norway (6)  New Zealand (5)  Guinea -Bissaub Honduras (3)  
Oman2 (2) Pakistan (4)  Kenya2 (4) Jamaica (3)  
Poland1 (2) Papua New Guinea (2)  Lesothob, 2 (4) Mexico (5)  
Qatar2 (2) Philippines (4) Madagascarb (3) Nicaragua (3)  
Romania1 (3) Singapore (7) Malawib (3) Panama (2) 
Russian Federationa Solomon Islandsb (3) Malib, 2 (3) Paraguay (3)  
Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of (2) Sri Lanka (4)  Mauritaniab (2) Peru (4)  
Slovak Republic1 (2) Chinese Taipei (3)  Mauritiu s2 (4) St. Kitts and Nevis2 (3) 
Slovenia1 Thailand (7)  Morocco (5)  St. Lucia2 (3) 
Sweden1 (2) Tonga  Mozambiqueb (2) St. Vincent & Grenadines2 (3) 
Switzerland2 (6) Viet Nam  Namibia2 (4) Suriname (2)  
The FYR of Macedonia   Nigerb, 2 (2) Trinidad and Tobag o (3) 
Turkey (6)   Nigeria (4)  United States of America (13)  
Ukrainea  Rwandab (2) Uruguay (4)  
United Arab Emirates (3)   Senegalb, 2 (3) Venezuela, Bolivarian Rep. of (2)  
  Sierra Leoneb  
  South Africa2 (5)  
  Swaziland2 (4)  
  Tanzaniab, 2 (3)  
  Togob (3)  
  Tunisia (3)   
  Ugandab, 2 (4)  
  Zambiab (4)  
  Zimbabwe (2)   
    
49 Members (85 reviews)  29 Members (122  reviews)  42 Members (121 reviews)  33 Members (124 reviews)  
The parentheses indicate the number of reviews completed (where this  is greater than one).  
a First review in 2016.  
b Least -developed Member.  
1 Now included in European Union (EU -28). 
2 Joint review but counted as individual Members for statistical purposes from 2009.  
Reviews conducted at end -2016  = 452 reviews at 345 TPRB  meetings  
WTO Members reviewed   = 153 out of 164  
Least-developed WTO Members reviewed  = 31 out of 36   WT/TPR/387  
 
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  ANNEX II  
Trade policy reviews conducted in 2016  
Member  Meeting date  Review cycle (years)  
Georgia (2)  19 and 21 January  6 
Morocco (5)  2 and 4 February  6 
Fiji (3)  23 and 25 February  6 
Turkey (6)  15 and 17 March  4 
Maldives (3)  21 and 23 March  6 
Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of (2)  4 and 6 April  4 
Ukraine (1)  19 and 21 April  6 
Malawib (3) 27 and 29 April  6 
Honduras (3)  2 and 4 May  6 
Albaniaa (2) 11 and 13  May 6 
United Arab Emirates (3)  1 and 3 June  4 
Zambiab (4) 21 and 23 June  6 
Tunisia (3)  13 and 15 July  6 
China  (6) 20 and 22 July  2 
Singaporea (7) 26 and 28 July  4 
El Salvador (4)  14 and 16 September  6 
Russian Federation (1)  28 and 30 September  4 
Korea, Republic of (7)  11 and 13 October  4 
Democratic Rep ublic of the Congob (2) 25 and 27 October  6 
Sri Lanka (4)  1 and 3 November  6 
Guatemalaa (3) 16 and 18 November  6 
Solomon Islandsb (3) 13 and 15 December  6 
United States of America (13)  19 and  21 December  2 
Note:  Figures in parentheses indicate the total number of reviews that will have been conducted by the 
end of 2016.  
a Alternative timeline.  
b Least -developed country.  WT/TPR/387  
 
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  ANNEX III 
Programme of reviews for 2017  
Member  Meeting dates (scheduled ) 
Sierra Leonea 14 and 16 February  
Japanb 8 and 10 March  
Mozambiquea 22 and 24 March  
Mexicob 5 and 7 April  
Belize  24 and 26 April  
Switzerland and Liechtenstein  16 and 18 May  
Nigeria  13 and 15 June  
Brazil 20 and 22 June  
European Unionb 5 and 7 Ju ly  
Jamaica  13 and 15 September  
Paraguayb 20 and 22 September  
Iceland  4 and 6 October  
WAEMU (Benina, Burkina Fasoa, Côte  d'Ivoire, 
Guinea -Bissaua, Malia, Nigera, Senegala and Togoa) 25 and 27 October  
Bolivia, Plurinational State ofb 14 and 16 November  
Cambodiaa 21 and 23 November  
The Gambiaa, b 6 and 8 December  
a Least -developed country.  
b Alternative timeline.  
 WT/TPR/387  
 
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  ANNEX IV  
32 candidates for review in 2018  
(Due date in parentheses)  
Member  
Armenia (2016)  Nepala (2018)  
Bangladesha (2018)  Nicaragua (20 18) 
Burundia (2018)  Norway (2018)  
China (2018)  Papua New Guinea (2016)  
Colombia (2018)  Philippines (2018)  
Cuba (2001)  Rwandaa (2018)  
Ecuador (2017)  Samoa (2018)  
Egypt (2011)  Chinese Taipei (2018)  
Guinea, Rep ublic ofa (2017)  Tanzaniaa (2018)  
Hong Ko ng, China (2018)  Trinidad and Tobago (2018)  
Israel (2018)  Ugandaa (2018)  
Kenya (2018)  United States (2018)  
Kuwait (2018)  Uruguay (2018)  
Malaysia (2018)  Vanuatua (2018)  
Mauritaniaa (2017)  Venezuela, Bolivarian Rep ublic of (2008)  
Montenegro (2018)  Zimbabwe (2017)  
a Least -developed country.  
 
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