RESTRICTED  
  
WT/PCTF/M/7  
 
17 July 2014  
(14-4154)  Page: 1/2  
Preparatory Committee on Trade Facilitation    
 
 MINUTES OF THE MEETING 
HELD IN THE CENTRE WILL IAM RAPPARD 10 JULY 2014 
Chairman: H.E. Mr. Esteban Conejos (Philippines) 
 
 1  INTRODUCTION 
1.1.  The Chairman recalled that the proposed agenda for the meeting had been circulated in 
WTO/AIR/4329 and that it contained two main items:  First, Members would be invited to formally 
adopt the legally reviewed text of the Trade Fa cilitation Agreement (TFA) in the official WTO 
languages. Following that, time had been set aside for the possibility of action on the Protocol of 
Amendment to insert the Agreement into Annex 1A of the WTO Agreement – with the qualifier of 
that happening "as necessary".  
1.2.  The agenda was adopted. 
2  FORMAL ADOPTION OF THE LEGALLY REVI EWED TEXT OF THE TRADE FACILITATION 
AGREEMENT IN THE OFFICIAL WTO LANGUAGES 
2.1.  The Chairman recalled that the legal review of the TFA text agreed upon in Bali was the first 
part of the Ministerial mandate taken up by the Preparatory Committee on Trade Facilitation 
(PrepCom). He had been heartened to see work progress so smoothly. The deliberations on the English version were essentially concluded on 2 May 2014 and after a few weeks of additional work on the French and Spanish translations a point had been reached where Members had a text in the 
three languages that nobody seemed to object to . All documents had been circulated to Members 
multiple times during the process. First after the conclusion of PrepCom work on the English text at the beginning of May – the French and Spanish versions still having the status of provisional 
Secretariat translations at that time. A second time following the conclusion of additional work on 
the French and Spanish texts, to which all interested delegations had been invited. Ambassador Suescum, in his function as a Friend of the Ch air, regularly updated Members on the outcome of 
his open-ended consultations and circulated their final result at the end of June. All three linguistic 
versions were distributed once again on 1 July, informing Members of the intention to subsequently turn them into official W-documents.  No objections were recorded, making it possible 
to issue the text in English, French and Spanish as WT/PCTF/W/27 on 7 July.  When communicating 
the documents to Members that day, he had info rmed Members that they would be invited to 
formally adopt the text at the PrepCom session scheduled for 10 July.  
2.2.  He expressed his thanks to Ambassador Su escum, the WTO translators and each delegation, 
including experts back in capital for their ha rd work, dedication and a collective sense of 
constructive spirit which had allowed the Committee to successfully conclude the legal review and to reach a point where Members had a fina l text that everybody agreed on.   
2.3.  The Preparatory Committee was invited to formally adopt the legally reviewed text as 
circulated in document WT/PCTF/W/27.  
2.4.  It was so agreed.   WT/PCTF/M/7 
 
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  2.5.  The representative of El Salvador, on the instructions of her authorities, expressed their 
thanks to the Chairman of the Committee and to Ambassador Suescum of Panama for their very 
intensive work with the Spanish-speaking delegations, and for the leadership Ambassador Suescum had shown in the work on the Spanish version of the text.  Her authorities were 
extremely grateful and very pleased.    
3  AS NECESSARY: ADOPTION OF PROTOCOL OF AMENDMENT TO INSERT THE TRADE 
FACILITATION AGREEMENT INTO ANNEX 1A OF THE WTO AGREEMENT 
3.1.  The Chairman stated that, when the airg ram convening the meeting had been issued, the 
situation regarding this agenda item had not been clear. The tentative character of this item was 
reflected in the convening language, referring to action being taken "as necessary".   
3.2.  He would have liked to have been in a position where he could have invited the Committee to 
adopt the amendment protocol. Unfortunately, the Committee did not appear to be at that point.  
Members would recall that the Committee had been unable to agree on protocol language at its meeting of 2 to 4 July, and consensus still appeared elusive at the present day.  
3.3.  It therefore would not be possible to procee d with an adoption at this meeting.  There was 
little point in going through yet another round of repetitive discussions at this meeting, unless there were new developments that changed last week's situation in a positive way. The current 
session had never been meant to be a platform for abstract debate. It had been scheduled to allow 
Members to take concrete action should the situation have been ripe. Unfortunately, it did not appear that the Committee was already there.  
3.4.  This was not to suggest that further exchanges would not be useful. Quite the opposite. 
Discussions were very much required and he strongly urged every delegation to reach out to 
others to allow for a constructive debate. It was a conversation, however, that would need to take place at another time, and possibly at a different le vel.  Details were yet to be worked out, but the 
Chairman remained open to everyone wishing to see him. He also planned on reaching out to 
delegations at his own initiative, mostly in bilateral setting. There were no plans for open-ended meetings at this stage, but delegations would be informed of any change. The Chairman would 
approach the coming weeks with an open mind and hoped that delegations would be equally 
flexible, willing to do their bit.  
3.5.  The airgram for the upcoming General Council meeting would be issued on 14 July 2014. In 
the current absence of an agreement on the protocol , the Trade Facilitation item would have to be 
phrased in general terms. The agenda would list a report by the Chairman of the Preparatory 
Committee on Trade Facilitation. Hopefully, the protocol could still be adopted at that meeting, which was feasible in procedural terms if there was an understanding on substance. The possibility 
for an agreement remained on the table and delegations were urged to do their best, and more, to 
make it happen.  
4  OTHER BUSINESS 
4.1.  The Chairman addressed the issue of the dates for the next meeting of the Preparatory 
Committee. Discussions were still ongoing regarding when it would be most opportune to meet 
again. He hoped that there would be good reason to do so very soon and urged delegations to remain ready to engage, even on short notice.   
4.2.  It was so agreed. 
4.3.  The Preparatory Committee took note of the statements made. 
 
4.4.  The meeting was adjourned.  
 
 
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