G/AG/GEN/133  
 
2 September 2016  
(16-4682) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Agriculture    
 
  INFORMATION SESSION  
ENHANCING TRANSPARENCY AND THE COA REVIEW PROCESS  
13 SEPTEMBER 2016  
PROGRAMME  
Note by the Secretariat1 
1.  The Secretariat of the World Trade Organization  is organizing an information session on 
enhancing transparency and the  review process  of the Committee  on Agriculture ( CoA), to  be held 
in Geneva, Switzerland on 13 September  2016. The session  will be followed by the formal meeting 
of the Committee on Agriculture on 14 -15 September. R epresentatives of Members, Observers and 
Observer Organi zations are all invited to participate in this  information  session as well as the 
subsequent Committee meetings . 
2.  The information session will include a presentation on online sources of information useful for 
the work of the CoA, with an emphasis on the Ag riculture Information Management System 
(AG IMS). The AG IMS allows Members access to the complete set of notifications submitted by the 
WTO Membership . Using the system Members can  analyse notified information and search and 
submit questions and responses  in the context of the CoA review process . Delegates will get a 
preview of the upcoming function in the AG  IMS for the online submission of agriculture 
notifications.  
3.  In addition , the information session will provide  a forum for discussion and experience s haring 
with respect to  the preparation and submission of notifications  and the implementation of the 
review process of the Agreement on Agriculture . 
                                                
1 This document has been prepared under the Secretariat's own responsibility and is without prejudice 
to the positions of Members or to their rights and obligations under the WTO.  G/AG/GEN/133  
 
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  10:00 -10:15  
Opening  remarks  
 
 Director  of the Agriculture and Commodities Division, WTO  
 Chair of the Comm ittee on Agriculture  
10:15-11:00  
Session 1 : Introduction  
Speaker : WTO Secretariat  
Overview  of the review process and the transparency elements in the AoA and of relevant 
Committee/Ministerial Decisions and recommendations : 
 Formats  
 Frequency  
 Committee  procedures  
 Additional  resources  
11:00 -12:00  
Session 2 : WTO sources of information  
Speakers : WTO Secretariat  
 Documents  for the CoA meeting.  
 Presentation of the Agriculture Information Management System (AG IMS)  
o Search  of notifications  
o Compliance  reports  
o Analys is of notified information  
o Questions and Answers  
o Online submission of notifications (prototype)  
12:00 -13:00  
Session 3: Notification Practices - Sharing of national experiences - (4 speakers, 10-15 
minute presentations)  
This session should include speakers  from developed and developing country Members . 
Participants will present their experiences and share best practices in relation to their national 
notification processes.  
 Afghanistan  
 Costa Rica  
 Russian Federation  
 United States of America  
13:00 -15:00  Lunc h break  
15:00 -16:00  
Session 4: The Review process - Sharing of national experiences  - (3 speakers, 15 minute 
presentations)  
This session should include speakers from developed and developing country Members . 
Participants will present their experiences and  share best practices in relation to their participation 
in the review process of the CoA.  
 Brazil  
 Canada  
 European Union  
16:00 -17:00  
Session 5: Round Table  - Challenges and opportunities  
 New Zealand  
 Pakistan  
 Senegal  
17:00 -17:30  
Session 6: Wrap-up and Conc lusions  
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