WT/COMTD/SE/9  
 
10 November 2015  
(15-5928)  Page: 1/2  
    
 
  
REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON  TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT  
IN DEDICATED SESSION TO THE GENERAL COUNCIL 
 
 
1  INTRODUCTION 
1.1.  In paragraph 35 of the Doha Ministerial Declaration, Members agreed to a work programme 
with the objective of framing responses to the trade-related issues identified for the fuller integration of small, vulnerable economies (SVEs) into the multilateral trading system. Members were instructed not to create a sub-category of WTO Members and to report to the General Council 
which, in turn, was to review the work progra mme and make recommendations for action. Since 
then, Members have issued five such re ports: WT/COMTD/SE/ 1, WT/COMTD/SE/4, 
WT/COMTD/SE/6, WT/COMTD/SE/7 and WT/COMTD/SE/8 in July 2003, November 2005, 
October 2009, October 2011 and November 2013, respectively. 
1.2.  In the framework and procedures for the conduct of the Work Programme on Small 
Economies, the General Council agreed that the Wo rk Programme would be a standing item on its 
agenda and that the Committee on Trade and Development (CTD) would report regularly to the 
General Council on the progress of work in the Dedicated Sessions. Since the Ninth Ministerial Conference (MC9), progress reports have been made by the CTD Chairpersons at each General Council meeting.  
2  SUBMISSIONS AND PROCEEDINGS 
2.1.  There have been four formal meetings of  the CTD in Dedicated Sessions since MC9. At the 
27
th Dedicated Session on 10 October 2014, Members discussed follow-up activities and work 
related to the December 2013 Ministerial Decision on the Small Economies Work Programme 
(WT/MIN(13)/33 – WT/L/908).1 With regard to work on global value chains, Members agreed with 
the Chair's suggestion to circulate an outline for an upcoming Secretariat report on the challenges 
and opportunities facing small economies when linking into global value chains in trade in goods 
and services. The outline was circulated in WT /COMTD/SE/W/30 and described various areas of 
research which the SVE group had identified as priority areas for the Secretariat report. 
2.2.  At the 28th Dedicated Session on 27 November 2014, Members agreed to a revised outline of 
proposed research in WT/COMTD/SE/W/30/Rev.1.2 
2.3.  At its 29th Session on 5 June 2015, the Secretariat presented its research paper "Challenges 
and Opportunities experienced by Small Economies when linking into Global Value Chains in Trade 
in Goods and Services" (WT/COMTD/SE/W/31). Members exchanged initial views on the paper and 
its findings.3 
2.4.  At the 30th Session of the CTD in Dedicated Session on 29 October, Members addressed the 
research paper prepared by the Secretariat in greater detail and focused on challenges small 
economies encounter when linking into global value chains in the agri-food and seafood sectors. Presentations were made by representatives from the International Trade Centre, and the Standards and Trade Development Facility. They also took note of a revised compilation paper in 
WT/COMTD/SE/W/22/Rev.7 which monitors progress of the proposals submitted by the SVEs to 
the Doha Development Agenda negotiating groups and other WTO bodies. Also at the 30
th Session, 
Members adopted the Dedicated Session's report to the General Council and agreed to 
                                               
1 Document WT/COMTD/SE/M/27. 
2 Document WT/COMTD/SE/M/28. 
3 Document WT/COMTD/SE/M/29. WT/COMTD/SE/9 
 
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  subsequently forward it as document (WT/COMTD/SE/9) to the General Council for proposed 
action by Ministers at the Tenth Ministerial Conference.4 
3  FUTURE WORK 3.1.  Pursuant to the mandate contained in the Doha Ministerial Declaration, the Framework and 
Procedures for the Work Programme on Small Economies and the General Council Decision of 
1 August 2004, the WTO's Sixth Ministerial Declaration in Hong Kong, the Seventh and Eighth Ministerial Conferences in Geneva and the Ninth in Bali, Indonesia, issues relating to the 
trade of small economies have been examined in  the Dedicated Sessions of the CTD and proposals 
for responses have been made. However, there is a need for further work in order to fully achieve 
the mandate of the Doha Ministerial Declaration. 
3.2.  The Dedicated Session of the CTD therefore proposes that the General Council recommend to 
the Tenth Ministerial Conference that Ministers reaffirm their commitment to the Work Programme 
on Small Economies and take note of all the work conducted to date. In particular, it is noted that document WT/COMTD/SE/W/22/Rev.7 and its previous revisions reflect the work of the Dedicated 
Session up to the Tenth Ministerial Conference. The Dedicated Session also proposes that Ministers 
take note of the work carried out since 2013, including that on the challenges and opportunities faced by small economies when linking into global value chains in trade in goods and services, and 
instruct the CTD to continue its work in Dedicate d Session under the overall responsibility of the 
General Council. Furthermore, it is proposed that the Dedicated Session consider in further detail the various submissions that have been received to date, examine any additional proposals that Members might wish to submit and, where possible, and within its mandate, make 
recommendations to the General Council on any of these proposals. Also, the CTD in Dedicated 
Session proposes that the General Council direct relevant subsidiary bodies to frame responses to the trade-related issues identified by the CTD wi th a view to making recommendations for action. 
It also proposes to instruct the WTO Secretariat to provide relevant information and factual 
analysis for discussion among Members in the CTD's Dedicated Session, inter alia , in the areas 
identified in item k of paragraph 2 of the Work Programme on Small Economies and, in particular, 
to continue its work on the challenges and op portunities experienced by small economies when 
linking into global value chains in trade in goods and services. It is also proposes that the General Council request the Secretariat to conduct work on the challenges small economies experience in their efforts to reduce trade costs, particularly in the area of trade facilitation. 
3.3.  The CTD in Dedicated Session will continue monitoring the progress of the small economy 
proposals in WTO bodies and in negotiating groups with the aim of providing responses, as soon as possible, to the trade-related issues identified for the fuller integration of SVEs in the multilateral 
trading system. 
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4 Document WT/COMTD/SE/M/30 (to be issued).