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Reference:    WLI/100            14 September 2017  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
AMENDMENT OF THE TRA DE POLICY REVIEW MEC HANISM  
CONTAINED IN ANNEX 3  TO THE MARRAKESH AGR EEMENT  
ESTABLISHING THE WOR LD TRADE ORGANIZATIO N 
 
 
TRANSMISSION OF CERT IFIED TRUE COPY OF T HE AMENDED PROV ISIONS  
 
  
 I have the honour to furnish herewith a certified true copy of paragraph C(ii)  of the Trade 
Policy Review Mechanism  contained in Annex 3 to the Marrakesh Agreement Establishing the 
World Trade Organization as amended by the Decision of the Gener al Council circulated in 
document WT/L/1014, effective 1 January 2019 . 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
           Roberto Azevêdo  
         Director -General  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
17-4726                         WT/Let/1276   
  
 
AMENDMENT OF THE TRA DE POLICY REVIEW MEC HANISM  
CONTAINED IN ANNEX 3 TO  THE MARRAKESH AGREEM ENT 
ESTABLISHING THE WOR LD TRADE ORGANIZATIO N 
 
 
TRANSMISSION OF CERT IFIED TRUE COPY OF T HE AMENDED PROVISION S 
 
 I have the honour to inform you that on 26 July 2017 , conducting the functions of the 
Ministerial Confe rence in the interval between meetings pursuant to Article IV:2 of the 
Marrakesh  Agreement Establishing the World Trade Organization (the "WTO Agreement"), 
the General Council adopted a decision pursuant to Article X:8 of the WTO Agreement (the 
"Decision")1 to amend the English, French, and Spanish versions of paragraph C(ii) of the Trade 
Policy Review Mechanism contained in Annex  3 to the WTO Agreement as follows:  
 
(a) the phrases "every two years", "tous les deux ans", and "cada dos años" shall be 
replace d with "every three years", "tous les trois ans", and "cada tres años", respectively, in 
the English, French, and Spanish versions of the third sentence of paragraph C(ii);  
 
(b) the phrases "every four years", "tous les quatre ans", and "cada cuatro años" shall be 
replaced with "every five years", "tous les cinq ans", and "cada cinco años", respectively, in 
the English, French, and Spanish versions of the fourth sentence of paragraph C(ii); and  
 
(c) the phrases "every six years" and "cada seis años" shall b e replaced with "every seven 
years" and "cada siete años", respectively, in the English and Spanish versions of the fifth 
sentence of paragraph C(ii), and the phrase "tous les six ans" shall be replaced with "tous 
les sept ans" in the French version of the  fourth sentence of paragraph C(ii).  
 
 As a result of the Decision, the amended English, French, and Spanish versions of 
paragraph  C(ii) of the Trade Policy Review Mechanism contained in Annex  3 to the 
WTO Agreement shall read as follows:  
 
English:  
 
"(ii) The trade policies and practices of all Members shall be subject to periodic review. The 
impact of individual Members on the functioning of the multilateral trading system, defined 
in terms of their share of world trade in a recent representative period, w ill be the 
determining factor in deciding on the frequency of reviews. The first four trading entities so 
identified (counting the European Communities as one) shall be subject to review every 
three years. The next 16 shall be reviewed every five years. Ot her Members shall be 
reviewed every seven years, except that a longer period may be fixed for least -developed 
country Members. It is understood that the review of entities having a common external 
policy covering more than one Member shall cover all compon ents of policy affecting trade 
including relevant policies and practices of the individual Members. Exceptionally, in the 
event of changes in a Member's trade policies or practices that may have a significant 
impact on its trading partners, the Member conc erned may be requested by the TPRB, after 
consultation, to bring forward its next review."  
 
French:  
 
"ii) Les politiques et pratiques commerciales de tous les Membres seront soumises à un 
examen périodique. L'incidence des différents Membres sur le fonctio nnement du système 
commercial multilatéral, définie d'après leur part du commerce mondial pendant une période 
représentative récente, sera le facteur déterminant pour décider de la fréquence des 
examens. Les quatre entités commerciales qui viendront en têt e de liste (les Communautés 
européennes comptant pour une), seront soumises à un examen tous les trois ans. Les 16 
suivantes feront l'objet d'un examen tous les cinq ans, et les autres tous les sept ans, un 
intervalle plus long pouvant être fixé pour les p ays les moins avancés Membres. Il est 
entendu que l'examen des entités ayant une politique extérieure commune s'appliquant à 
plus d'un Membre portera sur tous les éléments de politique touchant le commerce, y 
compris les politiques et pratiques pertinentes  de chaque Membre concerné.  
 
                  WT/Let/1276  
 
                                                
1 The General Council's amendment decision is contained in document WT/L/1014. Its adoption was 
based on a proposal submitted to the General Council  by the Trade Policy Review Body in document 
WT/TPR/399.   
 
 
Exceptionnellement, au cas où des changements interviendraient dans la politique ou les 
pratiques commerciales d'un Membre, qui pourraient avoir des répercussions importantes  
pour ses partenai res commerciaux, l'OEPC pourrait demander à ce Membre, après 
consultation, d'avancer l'examen suivant."  
 
Spanish:  
 
"ii) Las políticas y prácticas comerciales de todos los Miembros serán objeto de un 
examen periódico. La incidencia de los distintos Miembros  en el funcionamiento del sistema 
multilateral de comercio, definida en términos de su participación en el comercio mundial en 
un período representativo reciente, será el factor determinante para decidir la frecuencia de 
los exámenes. Las cuatro primeras e ntidades comerciantes determinadas de ese modo 
(contando a las Comunidades Europeas como una) serán objeto de examen cada tres años. 
Las 16 siguientes lo serán cada cinco años. Los demás Miembros, cada siete años, pudiendo 
fijarse un intervalo más extenso para los países menos adelantados Miembros. Queda 
entendido que el examen de las entidades que tengan una política exterior común que 
abarque a más de un Miembro comprenderá todos los componentes de la política que 
influyan en el comercio, incluidas las po líticas y prácticas pertinentes de cada Miembro. 
Excepcionalmente, en caso de que se produzcan cambios en las políticas o prácticas 
comerciales de un Miembro que puedan tener una repercusión importante en sus 
interlocutores comerciales, el OEPC podrá pedir  a ese Miembro, previa consulta, que 
adelante su próximo examen."  
 
 In accordance with paragraph 2 of the Decision, the above amendments shall take effect for 
all WTO Members, in accordance with the provisions of Article X:8 of the WTO  Agreement, on 
1 Janu ary 2019 .  
 
In accordance with paragraph 3 of the Decision, I hereby furnish a certified true copy of the 
relevant provisions of the Trade Policy Review Mechanism contained in Annex 3 to the WTO 
Agreement as amended by the Decision.  Pursuant to paragraph 4  of the same Decision, the above 
amendments shall be registered in accordance with the provisions of Article 102 of the Charter of 
the United Nations.  
 
 DONE at Geneva this first day of September, two thousand and seventeen.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
        Roberto Azevêdo  
        Director -General  
 
 
 
 
 
 
Certified true copy:  
 
 
 
 
 
 
Director -General  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
             WT/Let/1276