WT/COMTD/SE/8  
 
7 November 2013  
(13-6200)  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 four such re ports: WT/COMTD/SE/ 1, WT/COMTD/SE/4, 
WT/COMTD/SE/6 and WT/COMTD/SE/7 in July 2003, November 2005, October 2009 and 
October 2011, respectively. 
1.2.  In the framework and procedures for the conduct of the Work Programme on Small 
Economies, the General Council had agreed that the Work Programme would be "a standing item 
on its agenda and that the Committee on Trade an d Development (CTD) would report regularly to 
the General Council on the progress of work in  the Dedicated Sessions". Since the Eighth 
Ministerial Conference (MC8), 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 MC8. At the 
23
rd Dedicated Session on 6 July 2012, Members discussed follow-up activities and work related to 
the December 2011 Ministerial Decision on the Small Economies Work Programme (WT/L/844) and emphasized the need for more factual analysis on the trade issues facing SVEs.
1 Specific reference 
was made to the 2002 Work Programme for Small Economies in WT/L/447. With regard to work on 
Non-Tariff Measures (NTMs), an area highlighted in the Decision taken at MC8, Members welcomed the Secretariat paper on how NTMs can affect the exports of SVEs (WT/COMTD/SE/W/26). They 
also appreciated the detailed presentations from the International Trade Centre (ITC) and United 
Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTA D) on NTMs in general, and especially their 
effects on agriculture and fisheries exports. Se veral Members noted that the topic of how NTMs 
affect small economy exports merited further analysis.  
2.2.  At the 24
th Dedicated Session on 19 November 2012, Barbados - as coordinator and on the 
behalf of the SVEs - proposed that the Secretaria t conduct more research on the effects of NTMs 
on SVE exports.2 Such research was to build upon the preliminary findings presented in July 2012 
in a Secretariat paper (WT/COMTD/SE/W/26/Rev.1) , and would focus on identifying and analyzing 
the effects of NTMs on small economies. Barbados as Coordinator explained that such work was in 
line with the December 2011 Ministerial Decision taken at MC8 on the Work Programme on Small 
Economies. 
2.3.  At the 25th Dedicated Session on 3 April 2013, Barbados presented a proposal on behalf of 
the group of SVEs in document WT/COMTD/SE/W/27.3 The proposal, "Continuation of the 
Examination of NTMs/NTBs in Fulfilment of th e MC8 Mandate," requested the Secretariat to 
undertake more analysis on the effects of NTMs on Small Economies' export trade. Such work was 
                                               
1 Document WT/COMTD/SE/M/23. 
2 Document WT/COMTD/SE/M/24. 
3 Document WT/COMTD/SE/M/25. WT/COMTD/SE/8 
 
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  to complement the initial background work on NTMs by the Secretariat with a "factual assessment 
of the NTMs faced by Small Economies". Barbados , on the behalf of SVEs, suggested holding a 
workshop later in the year where the results of the research, relevant case studies and examples of successful collaboration between importers an d SVE exporters could be shared. After several 
consultations, Members agreed in July 2013 to as k for more factual research and a workshop, as 
proposed in a second revision by the SVEs in WT/COMTD/SE/W/27/Rev.2. 
2.4.  At the 26
th Dedicated Session held on 23 October, Members discussed a Secretariat 
background paper on the "Further Examination of the Effects of Non-Tariff Measures on the 
Exports of Small Economies" (WT/COMTD/SE/W/28). The paper had been prepared for a Workshop on NTMs and Small Economies and was held as part of the 26
th Session.4 Members heard from 
NTM experts from inter-governmental organizations about the effects of NTMs on the exports of 
small economies and from some government representatives about what their respective countries 
were doing to meet the challenges posed by certain NTMs. Discussion also focused on what trading partners were doing in the area of providing specific capacity-building efforts to assist small 
economies. Members also adopted the Dedicated Session's draft report to the General Council 
(WT/COMTD/SE/W/29/Rev.1) and agreed to subsequently forward it as document WT/COMTD/SE/8 to the General Council for proposed action by Ministers at the Ninth Ministerial 
Conference. 
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 and the Seventh and 
Eighth Ministerial Conferences in Geneva, 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 Ninth 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.6 and its previous revisions reflect the work of the CTD up to the Eighth Ministerial. The Dedicated Session also proposes that Ministers take note of the work 
carried out since 2011 including that on the effects of non-tariff measures on Small Economies and 
instruct the CTD to continue its work in Dedicated Sessions under the overall responsibility of the General Council. Furthermore, it is proposed that the Dedicated Session consider in further detail 
the proposals contained in 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 with 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, the challenges and opportunities experienced by small economies when linking into global value chains in trade in goods and services. 
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/26 (to be issued).