WT/GC/W/837  
 
19 November 2021  
(21-8737) Page: 1/4 
General Council  
22-23 November 2021    
 
 
PROPOSED AGENDA  
1. REPORT BY THE CHAIR OF THE TRADE NEGOTIATIONS COMMITTEE AND REPORT BY 
THE DIRECTOR -GENERAL  
 
2. IMPLEMENTATION OF THE BALI, NAIROBI AND BUENOS AIRES OUTCOMES 
(G/RO/94) – STATEMENT BY THE CHAIR  
 
3. WORK PROGRAMME ON SMALL ECONOMIES – REPORT BY THE CHAIR OF THE 
DEDICATED SESSION OF THE COMMITTEE ON TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT 
(WT/COMTD/SE/11)  
 
4. REVIEW OF THE OPERATION OF THE BALI DECISION ON TRQ ADMINISTRATION – 
REPORT TO THE GENERAL COUNCIL (G/AG/32)  
 
5. THE DEVELOPMENT A SSISTANCE ASPECTS OF COTTON - PERIODIC REPORT BY THE 
DIRECTOR -GENERAL (WT/GC/238 – WT/CFMC/DG/9 – WT/MIN(21)/5)  
 
6. TRIPS COUNCIL MATTERS  
 
A. ANNUAL REVIEW OF THE SPECIAL COMPULSORY LICENSING SYSTEM - PARAGRAPH 7 
OF THE ANNEX TO THE AMENDED TRIPS AGREEMENT AND PARAGRAPH 8 OF THE 
DECISION ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF PARAGRAPH 6 OF THE DOHA DECLARATION 
ON THE TRIPS AGREEMENT AND PUBLIC HEALTH (WT/L/540 AND WT/L/540/CORR.1) 
– REPORT OF THE COUNCIL FOR TRIPS (IP/C/90)  
 
B. PROPOSAL FOR A DECISION ON AN EXT ENSION OF THE PERIOD FOR THE ACCEPTANCE 
BY MEMBERS OF THE PROTOCOL AMENDING THE TRIPS AGREEMENT (IP/C/89)  
 
C. TRIPS NON -VIOLATION AND SITUATION COMPLAINTS (IP/C/91)  
 
D. STATUS REPORT ON THE CONSIDERATIONS BY THE TRIPS COUNCIL ON THE REVISED 
"PROPOSAL FOR A  WAIVER FROM CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF THE TRIPS AGREEMENT 
FOR THE PREVENTION, CONTAINMENT AND TREATMENT OF COVID -19" 
(IP/C/W/669/REV.1) – STATEMENT BY THE CHAIR OF THE COUNCIL FOR TRIPS  
 
7. PREPARATIONS FOR THE TWELFTH SESSION OF THE MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE  
 
A. MC12 OUTCOME DOCUMENT – REPORT BY THE CHAIR  
 
B. WTO RESPONSE TO THE PANDEMIC – REPORT BY THE FACILITATOR  
 
8. WORK PROGRAMME ON ELECTRONIC COMMERCE  
 
A. REPORT BY THE CHAIR  
 
B. COMMUNICATION FROM AUSTRALIA; CANADA; CHILE; COLOMBIA; COSTA RICA; 
ECUADOR; EL SALVADOR; GEORGIA; GUATEMALA; HONG  KONG, CHINA; ICELAND; 
KOREA, REPUBLIC OF; MEXICO; NEW  ZEALAND; NORWAY; PERU; SINGAPORE; 
SWITZERLAND; SEPARATE CUSTOMS TERRITORY OF TAIWAN, PENGHU, KINMEN AND 
MATSU; THAILAND; UKRAINE; UNITED KINGDOM AND URUGUAY 
(WT/GC/W/8 31/REV.2)  WT/GC/W/837  
 
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  C. THE MORATORIUM ON CUSTOMS DUTIES ON ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSIONS: NEED 
FOR CLARITY ON ITS SCOPE AND IMPACT – COMMUNICATION FROM INDIA AND SOUTH 
AFRICA (WT/GC/W/833)  
 
9. A SMOOTH TRANSITION PACKAGE IN FAVOUR OF MEMBERS GRADUATING FROM THE 
LDC CATEG ORY 
 
A. LDC GROUP'S INTERIM ARRANGEMENT SUBMISSION ON LDC GRADUATION - 
COMMUNICATION FROM CHAD ON BEHALF OF THE LDC GROUP(WT/GC/W/829)  
 
B. TRADE RELATED CHALLENGES OF THE LEAST DEVELOPED COUNTRIES AND WAY 
FORWARD: A DRAFT FOR MC DECISION – COMMUNICATION FROM CHAD ON BEHALF 
OF THE LDC GROUP (WT/GC/W/807)  
 
10. REINVIGORATING THE WORK OF THE COMMITTEE ON RULES OF ORIGIN ON THE 
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE BALI AND NAIROBI MINISTERIAL DECISIONS ON 
PREFERENTIAL RULES OF ORIGIN FOR LDC s – STATEMENT BY TH E LDC GROUP  
 
11. PAPER TITLED "THE LEGAL STATUS OF 'JOINT STATEMENT INITIATIVES' AND THEIR 
NEGOTIATED OUTCOMES" BY INDIA, SOUTH AFRICA AND NAMIBIA 
(WT/GC/W/819/REV.1)  
 
12. PROPOSED GENERAL COUNCIL DECISION ON PROCEDURES TO ENHANCE 
TRANSPARENCY AND IMPROVE COMPLIANCE WITH NOTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS 
UNDER WTO AGREEMENTS – ARGENTINA; AUSTRALIA; CANADA; CHILE; COSTA 
RICA; THE EUROPEAN UNION; ICELAND; ISRAEL; JAPAN; REPUBLIC OF KOREA; 
MEXICO; NEW ZEALAND; NORWAY; PARAGUAY; THE PHILIPPINES; SINGAPORE; 
SWITZERLAND;  THE SEPARATE CUSTOMS TERRITORY OF TAIWAN, PENGHU, 
KINMEN AND MATSU; UNITED KINGDOM; AND THE UNITED STATES 
(JOB/GC/204/REV.8 - JOB/CTG/14/REV.8)  
 
13. PROPOSED MINISTERIAL DECISION ON STRENGTHENING RESILIENCY AND 
PREPAREDNESS THROUGH TRADE FACILITATION – COSTA RICA; JAPAN; MEXICO; 
NORWAY; PANAMA; URUGUAY; AND THE UNITED STATES (WT/GC/W/836)  
 
14. PROPOSED SANITARY AND PHYTOSANITARY DECLARATION FOR THE TWELFTH WTO 
MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE: RESPONDING TO MODERN SPS CHALLENGES - 
ARGENTINA, AUSTRALIA, BELIZE, BRAZI L, BURKINA FASO, CABO VERDE, CANADA, 
CHILE, COLOMBIA, COSTA RICA, CÔTE D'IVOIRE, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, ECUADOR, 
EL SALVADOR, THE GAMBIA, GUATEMALA, HONDURAS, JAPAN, MEXICO, NEW 
ZEALAND, PANAMA, PARAGUAY, PERU, SENEGAL, SINGAPORE, TAJIKISTAN, TOGO, 
THE UNITED  STATES, UKRAINE, URUGUAY AND VIET NAM (WT/GC/W/835 – 
G/SPS/GEN/1758/REV.9)  
 
15. PROCEDURAL GUIDELINES FOR WTO COUNCILS AND COMMITTEES ADDRESSING 
TRADE CONCERNS (WT/GC/W/777/REV.6) - UPDATE FROM ALBANIA; AUSTRALIA; 
CANADA; CHINA; EUROPEAN UNION; HONG KONG,  CHINA; ICELAND; REPUBLIC OF 
KOREA; REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA; NEW  ZEALAND; NORTH MACEDONIA; NORWAY; 
PANAMA; QATAR; SINGAPORE; SWITZERLAND; THE SEPARATE CUSTOMS 
TERRITORY OF TAIWAN, PENGHU, KINMEN AND MATSU; THAILAND; TURKEY; AND 
UKRAINE  
 
16. STRENGTHENING THE W TO TO PROMOTE DEVELOPMENT AND INCLUSIVITY –INDIA; 
THE AFRICAN GROUP; AND CUBA  
 
17. REVIEW OF THE EXEMPTION PROVIDED UNDER PARAGRAPH 3 OF GATT 1994 
(WT/L/1108, WT/L/1121)  
 
18. PROCEDURE FOR THE INTRODUCTION OF HS 2022 CHANGES TO SCHEDULES OF 
CONCESSIONS USI NG THE TARIFF SCHEDULES (CTS) DATABASE – DRAFT DECISION 
(G/C/W/802)  
 WT/GC/W/837  
 
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  19. WAIVERS UNDER ARTICLE IX OF THE WTO AGREEMENT1 
 
A. INTRODUCTION OF HARMONIZED SYSTEM 2002 CHANGES INTO WTO SCHEDULES OF 
TARIFF CONCESSIONS – DRAFT DECISION (G/C/W/796)  
 
B. INTRODUCTION OF HARMONIZED SYSTEM 2007 CHANGES INTO WTO SCHEDULES OF 
TARIFF CONCESSIONS – DRAFT DECISION (G/C/W/797)  
 
C. INTRODUCTION OF HARMONIZED SYSTEM 2012 CHANGES INTO WTO SCHEDULES OF 
TARIFF CONCESSIONS – DRAFT DECISION (G/C/W/798)  
 
D. INTRODUCTION O F HARMONIZED SYSTEM 2017 CHANGES INTO WTO SCHEDULES OF 
TARIFF CONCESSIONS - DRAFT DECISION (G/C/W/799)  
 
E. CUBA – ARTICLE XV:6 – EXTENSION OF WAIVER – DRAFT DECISION (G/C/W/803)  
 
F. REVIEW OF WAIVERS PURSUANT TO ARTICLE IX:4 OF THE WTO AGREEMENT  
 
(i) Preferential treatment in favour of services and service suppliers of least 
developed countries, granted on 17  December  2011 until 31 December 2030 
(WT/L/847, WT/L/982)  
 
(ii) Preferential tariff treatment for least -developed countries, granted on 
16 October  2019 until 30  June 2029 (WT/L/1069)  
 
(iii) European Union – Application of autonomous preferential treatment to the 
Western Balkans (WT/L/1116)  
 
(iv) United States – African Growth and Opportunity Act, granted on 
30 November  2015 until 30  September 2025 (WT/L /970, WT/L/1117)  
 
(v) United States – Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act, granted on 
16 October  2019 until 30 September 2025 (WT/L/1070, WT/L/1115)  
 
(vi) United States – Former trust territory of the Pacific Islands, granted on 
7 December 2016 until 31 December 2026 (WT/L/1000, WT/L/1118)  
 
(vii) United States – Trade preferences granted to Nepal, granted on 7 December 2016 
until 31  December 2025 (WT/L/1001, WT/L/1119)  
 
20. REVIEW OF WTO ACTIVITIES  
 
 Reports of: 
 
(i) General Council  (WT/GC/W/834), Dispute Settlement Body (WT/DSB/83) and 
Trade Policy Review Body (WT/TPR/ 471) 
 
(ii) Sectoral Councils (G/L/1418, S/C/62, and IP/C/92), SPS  Committee 
(G/L/ 1413/ Rev.1), TBT Committee ( G/L/1420) and Committee on Agriculture 
(G/L/1421)  
 
(iii) Committees  on Trade and Development (WT/COMTD /101), Trade and 
Environment (WT/CTE/ 28), Balance -of-Payments Restrictions (WT/BOP/R/ 119), 
Budget, Finance and Administration (WT/BFA /201), and Regional Trade 
Agreements (WT/REG /32) 
 
(iv) Working Group on Trade, Debt and Finance (WT/WGTDF /20), Working Group on 
Trade and Transfer of Technology (WT/WGTTT/ 23) 
 
 
1 In connection with this Item, the attention of Members is drawn to the Decision -Making Procedures 
under Articles IX and XII of the WTO Agreement agreed by the General Council on 15 November 1995 (WT/L/93).  WT/GC/W/837  
 
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  (v) Committees under the Plurilateral Trade Agreements (GPA/AR/4, WT/L/1120 – 
TCA/18)  
 
21. COMMITTEE ON BUDGET, FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION - REPORTS ON MEETINGS 
OF SEPTEMBER, OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER 2021 (WT/BFA/198, 
WT/BFA/198/CORR.1, WT/BFA/199 AND WT/BFA/200)  
 
22. APPOINTMENT OF OFFICERS TO WTO BODIES  
 
A. REPORT BY THE CHAIR  
 
B. ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE CHAIR PURSUANT TO PARAGRAPH 7.1(A) OF THE GUIDELINES 
(WT/L/510)  
 
OTHER BUSINESS  
 
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