RESTRICTED  
  
WT/BFA/1 70 
 
17 November  2017 
(17-6255) Page: 1/2 
   
 
 ANNUAL REPORT FOR 20 17 OF THE COMMITTEE ON BUDGET,  
FINANCE AND ADMINIST RATION  
1.1.  In accordance with the procedures for an annual overview of World Trade Organization 
(WTO) activities, adopted by the General Council on 15  November 1995 (WT/GC/M/8, item 11), a 
report on the activities of the Committee on Budget, Finance and Administration in 201 7 is hereby 
submitted.   
1.2.  The Committee held several meetings and submitted  ten reports1 to the General Council in 
2017. The Committee reviewed and took note of the quarte rly reports on the financial and extra-
budgetary situation of the Organization ; regular updates on the arrears of contributions from 
Members and Observers ; a progress report on the  WTO Pension Plan ; a report on the WTO Medical 
Plan and ASHI contributions; the Actuarial Position of the WTO Pension Plan ; the WTO Risk 
Management  report; t he Annual report on Diversity in the WTO Secretariat; the Human Resources 
Annual report on Grading Structure and Promotions ; the 2016 -2017 repor t on Staff Learning 
Development  as well as the re port of the Office of Internal Oversight .  
1.3.  The Committee took note of  outstanding contributions from Members and Observers  and 
invited the General Council to urge Members and Observers under Administrative Measures to  
liquidate  their arre ars. In addition, t he Committee made a recommendation to  the General Council 
to suspend the application of administrative measures for the Republic of Guinea -Bissau which 
agree d to liquidate all arrears over a period of 30 years. The General Council approv ed the 
recommendation.  
1.4.  The Director General addressed the Committee  on two occasions  on the following subjects: 
the WTO Building Renovation Fund; the Dispute Settlement area; the Secretariat Structure; After 
Service Health Insurance (ASHI) Liabilities; the  Office of Internal Oversight (OIO); the 2018 -19 
Budget and the upcoming Ministerial Conference (MC11).  
1.5.  The Chief of the Office of Internal Oversight (OIO) presented his report on the Activity Plan 
conducted by the OIO from March 2016 to June 2017.  
1.6.  The C ommittee was informed about the launch of  the new e -Registration application  that will 
also be used for the Members' accreditation for the Eleventh Ministerial Conference . 
1.7.  The Committee reviewed the External Auditor's report for 2016 and recommended it for  
approval by the General Council. The General Council approved the External Audit or's report.  
1.8.  The Secretariat presented the 2016 WTO Financial Performance Report. The Committee 
proposed that the General Council approve the transfers between budgetary sect ions therein 
outlined. The General Council approved the 2016 Financial Performance Report.  
1.9.  During its meetings in 2017, t he Senior Management  strongly encouraged the Members to 
liaise with their authorities to consider making contributions in order to faci litate participation of 
LDC Members in the 11th Ministerial Conference. The Fund has been sufficiently replenished  to 
enable Least Developed Countries to participate at the Ministerial Conference  in Buenos Aires .  
                                                
1 Reports: WT/BFA/ 161 covering the meeting held on 24 February  2017; WT/BFA/16 2 covering the 
meeting of 31 March,  WT/BFA/163 covering the meeting 18 May,  WT/BFA/ 164 & WT/BFA/ 164/Rev.1 covering 
the meeting of 22 June; WT/BFA/165 covering the meeting of 18 July and WT/BFA/166 covering the meetings 
of 25 September, WT/BFA/167 covering the meeting of 12 October, WT/BFA/168 covering the meeting of 
6 November and WT/BFA/169 covering the meeting of the 16 November 2017 . WT/BFA/1 70 
 
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  1.10.   The Monitoring Group on ASHI, established in 2014 by the CBFA,  presented to the 
Committee the WTO Medical Plan and ASHI Liabilities Strategy. That report highlighted the 
importance of establishing a Working Group on an ASHI Fund. The Committee agreed to establish 
this Working Group in February 201 7 to further monitor the development of an ASHI Strategy 
Reserve Fund proposal . The Working Group on an ASHI Fund  submitted its report to the 
Committee  in October 2017 . The Committee approved the  establishment of a Special Reserve 
Account.  
1.11.   The Committee de liberated extensively on the subject of dependency allowances. 
Recommendations were made to the General Council in July and the General Council approved 
these.  The Committee further endorsed the 2018 amounts on Dependency Allowances and 
submit ted its recom mendation to the General Council.  
1.12.   The Committee reviewed a request from the Staff Council to be represented during CBFA 
meetings.  The Committee did not accede to this request . 
1.13.   Finally, the Committee examined and proposed to the Gene ral Council to approve t he 
2018-2019 Biennium budget proposals for the WTO and the International Trade Center (ITC) as 
well as the 2018 -2019 Biennial Technical Assistance and Training Plan.  
 
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