WT/MIN(17)/3  
 
26 October 2017  
(17-5801) Page: 1/3 
Ministerial Conference  
Eleventh Session  
Buenos Aires, 10 -13 December 2017  Original: English  
 
 
ACP GROUP MINISTERIA L DECLARATION ON THE   
ELEVENTH WTO MINISTE RIAL CONFERENCE  
The following communication, dated 24 October 2017, is being circulated at the request of the 
delegation of  Guyana on behalf of the ACP Group.  
 
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We, Ministers of the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Group of States responsible for WTO 
trade matters, meeting in Brussels on the 20 October 2017 to, among other things, review 
preparations for a nd provide political guidance on ACP Group interests at the Eleventh WTO 
Ministerial Conference to be held during 10  to 13 December  in Buenos Aires, Argentina;  
 
Recalling  the commitment to the developmental mandate and issues adopted at Doha in 2001, and 
the outcomes of the Ministerial Conferences in Hong Kong in 2005, Geneva in 2011, Bali in 2013, 
Nairobi in 2015 as well as the General Council Decision adopted on 1 August 2004;  
 
Noting  the commitment of all Members to achieve the UN Sustainable Developmen t Goals by 2030 
and the recognition of trade as an important vehicle in the social, economic and environmental 
dimensions of the SDGs;  
 
Concerned  that the challenges of job creation, poverty, inequality and exclusion across the global 
economy have not been  overcome, and that new risks to an inclusive multilateralism that supports 
development are emerging; and that the rules -based multilateral trading system could be 
undermined;  
 
Recalling and reaffirming  all of the ACP agreed Declarations and positions on WTO matters, 
adopted since 2001, for previous WTO Ministerial Conferences and the respective outcomes of ACP 
and G90 Trade Ministers meetings;  
 
Emphasizing  the need for priority at tention to be accorded to Least -Developed Countries (LDCs);  
 
Noting  that wi thin the ACP Group of States, developing countries include , but are not limited to, 
Least -Developed Countries (LDCs), Small Island Developing States (SIDS), Small Vulnerable 
Economies (SVEs), Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs), Preference Dependent Ec onomies 
(PDEs), Net Food Importing Developing Countries (NFIDCs), Low Income Countries (LICs), Middle 
Income Countries (MICs), Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC), Heavily Indebted Middle Income 
Countries (HIMICs), limited commodity exporting countries, and countries in war, post -conflict, 
and post -natural disaster situations;  
 
Further concerned  about potential erosion of gains made as a result of graduation of some ACP 
States from LDC status;  
 
Emphasizing  the need for the WTO to ensure that its rules, on a priority basis, enable , and do not 
inhibit , least -developed cou ntries and developing countries from pursuing policies to achieve 
industrialization, structural transformation and diversification of their economies, in order to raise 
the standard of living of their population and integrate into the multilateral trading system  on a 
sustainable basis . 
 WT/MIN(17)/3  
 
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  Further emphasi zing the need for targeted and sustainable financial, technical and capacity 
building assistance programmes to support the ACP Group of St ates to implement their 
agreements, to manage the reform process, and to be able to benefit from opportunities 
presented, thereby facilitating their strategic integration into the multilateral trading system in a 
manner that advances their development;  
 
Recogni zing that in the post Nairobi period considerable effor ts have been made in Geneva by 
Members to find ways to advance negotiations as called for in paragraph 33 of the Nairobi 
Declaration:  
 
1  11TH WTO MINISTERIAL CONF ERENCE  
We reaffirm that the ACP Gro up of States will continue co nstructive engagement with WTO 
Members in the pursuit of a meaningful developmental outcome at the Eleventh WTO Ministerial 
Conference (MC11) in Buenos Aires and call on WTO Members to take all decisions, including on a 
Ministe rial Declaration, through a transparent, inclusive, and consensus -based Member -driven 
process. We look forward to effectively and constructively participate in these deliberations of the 
Ministerial Conference and hereby adopt the following common position s in the context of the 
forthcoming Eleventh WTO Minister ial Conference in Buenos Aires:  
 
Decisions in Buenos Aires  
On the DDA  
1.1.  We urge Ministers in Buenos Aires to deliver on decisions in keeping with the DDA and, in 
accordance with paragraphs 31, 32 and 3 3 of the Nairobi Declaration and other Ministerial 
Declarations and WTO mandates focused on:  
 Fisheries subsidies disciplines in line with the ACP proposal TN/RL/GEN/192 ; 
 Agriculture, notably on domestic supports, as set out in Rev 4;  
 Special Safeguard Mech anism;  
 Special Products ; 
 Cotton in line with the C -4 proposal ; 
 A permanent solution to Public Stockholding including for future programmes, without 
onerous conditions ; 
 Special and Differential treatment proposals submitted in accordance with paragraph 44 
of the Doha Declaration . 
 
1.2.  Regarding services, any decisions or outcomes should adhere to the GATS framework and 
principles of progressive liberaliz ation, the right to regulate, and the positive list of commitments 
and limitations that are consistent with th e development needs and capabilities of developing 
countries, and include agreed flexibilities in favour of developing countries, including LDCs and 
SVEs; any outcomes on mandated domestic regulations negotiations, should ensure reduction of 
barriers to qu alifications of ACP services suppliers and recognize that developing countries have 
full discretion to determine whether disciplines are necessary, while preserving their right to 
regulate, to pursue their development policy objectives.  
Standing Agenda Ite ms  
1.3.  We support a decision at MC11 to extend for two years current practice of not imposing 
customs duties on electronic transmissions, and to continue the existing electronic commerce work 
programme. We call on Members to give dedicated attention to issues rai sed by developing 
countries, particularly least -developed country Members and least connected countries, regarding 
the building of capacity to close the digital divide, promote digital industrial policy in order to 
promote inclusive development through ele ctronic commerce domain.  
1.4.  We also call on WTO Members to agree in Buenos Aires to the moratorium on the application 
of Subparagraphs 1(b) and 1(c) of Article XXIII of GATT 1994 on non -violation and situation 
complaints (NVCs) to the TRIPS Agreement.  WT/MIN(17)/3  
 
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  1.5.  We rea ffirm Paragraph 35 of the Doha Ministerial Declaration and paragraph 41 of the Hong 
Kong Ministerial Declaration on the small economies work programme, and paragraph 26 of the 
Nairobi Ministerial Declaration that due regard be given to the priorities of SV Es in all areas of the 
negotiations to ensure their further integration into the multilateral trading system.  
Least -Developed Countries  
1.6.  We reaffirm paragraph 24 of the Nairobi Ministerial Declaration and emphasise the need for 
binding decisions on LDC Grou p proposals and where alr eady agreed or relevant recogniz ing LDC 
concerns in other MC11 decisions.  
Regular work of the WTO  
1.7.  WTO mandates in areas of interest to the ACP Group of States, in particular the development 
component should continue to be pursued in the relevant WTO bodies beyond MC11.  
Accessions  
1.8.  We welcome the recent accession to the WTO of the ACP State Liberia sinc e the last 
Ministerial Conference.  
1.9.  Acceding ACP States should make concessions commensurate with their size and 
development needs and cu rrent WTO rules and standards. In this regard, we urge the 
implementation of the General Council's Decision of 25 July 2 012 on Accession of LDCs 
operationalising the 2002 LDCs Accession Guidelines.  
LDC Enhanced Integrated Framework  
1.10.   We urge donors to improve on pledges made to Phase 2 of the EIF in Nairobi and to come 
forward with substantial pledges in Buenos Aires.  
Aid fo r Trade  
1.11.   We call on donors to continue to support the trade capacity building efforts of ACP Members 
and Aid for Trade assistance should be in the form of new funding, without diverting from existing 
bilateral assistance in other areas.  
New Issues  
1.12.   With resp ect to any new issues, paragraph 34 of the Nairobi Declaration should be 
respected.  
Post-MC11 Work  
1.13.   We call upon Members to reaffirm in Buenos Aires the Ministerial declarations and General 
Council Decisions relevant to all WTO mandates; and to take concre te steps to conclude the 
remaining issues in the DDA, keeping development at th e centre of the work program.  
1.14.   We urge the Eleventh WTO Ministerial Conference to give due consideration to this present 
ACP Declaration.  
Brussels, on 20 October 2017  
 
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