RESTRICTED  
  
WT/BFA/159  
 
1 December  2016 
(16-6592) Page: 1/2 
   
 
 ANNUAL REPORT FOR 20 16 OF THE COMMITTEE ON BUDGET,  
FINANCE AND ADMINIST RATION  
1.1.  In accordance with the procedures for an annual overview of World Trade Organization 
(WTO) activities, adopted by the General Council on 15  November 1995 (WT/GC/M/8, item 11), a 
report on the activities of the Committee on Budget, Finance and Administration in 201 6 is hereby 
submitted.  
1.2.  The Committee held several meetings and submitted  six reports1 to the General Council in 
2016. At its first meeting, t he Committee agreed a work  plan for the whole year. This 
encompassed review and consideration of: the quarterly  reports on the financial and extra-
budgetary situation of the Organization ; regular updates on the arrears of contributions from 
Members and Observers ; a write-off request for uncollectible contributions; a progress report on 
the WTO Pension Plan ; a WTO Risk Management  Report; t he Annual Report on Diversity in the 
WTO Secretariat; the Human Resources Annual Report on grading structure and promotions ; as 
well as the re port of  the Office of Internal Oversight .  
1.3.  The Committee was informed about th e new p olicies put in place by the Information 
Technology Solutions Division within the Organization. IT governance, information security , and 
security controls  became very important gl obal issues and the Secretariat is giving these issues 
significant attention . An IT Security Steering Committee , composed of Senior Management  was 
established and meets regularly.  
1.4.  The Committee approved a donation from the "Canton of Geneva" and the "Lote rie Romande" 
to finance the restoration and installation of an historic ceiling in Meeting Rooms  V and Y . 
1.5.  The Committee made a recommendation to  the General Council to approve pro -rata 
contributions for the accession  of the  Republic of Liberia  as well as t he Islamic Republic of 
Afghanistan to the WTO  in July 2016 . The General Council approved the recommendation . 
1.6.  The Secretariat presented the 2015 WTO Financial Performance Report. The Committee 
proposed that the General Council approve the transfers between budgetary sections therein 
outlined. The General Council approved it.  
1.7.  The External Auditors presented the ir report for 2015  to the Committee. Subsequent to its 
examination, the Committee recommended it for approval to the General Council. The General 
Counc il approved it.  
1.8.  The Committee took note of the Revision of the Adaptation of the Infrastructure contract . 
These revisions ha ve no effect on the legal value and meaning nor do they generate any 
substantive consequence for the WTO and its premises.  
1.9.  The Comm ittee was informed about revisions to the Treasury Management Policy .  
1.10.   The Committee reviewed the proposed revisions to the WTO Financial Rules. A 
recommendation has been made for the General Council to approve the concerned document 
during its meeting sch eduled for 7th and 8th December 2016.  
                                                
1 Reports: WT/BFA/ 153 covering the meeting held on 3 March  2016; WT/BFA/ 154 covering the meeting 
held on 14 April 2016 ; WT/BFA/1 55 covering the meeting  held on 21 June 201 6; WT/BFA/15 6 covering the 
meeting held on 16 September 201 6; WT/BFA/15 8 covering the meeting of 1 November ; and WT/BFA/159  
covering the meeting held on 30 November 2016 . WT/BFA/159  
 
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  1.11.   In December 2013, t he Director -General launched an Organizational Review process  for the 
WTO Secretariat. The Secretariat regularly updated  Members on the related subject s. These 
included the Bonus Working Group , the various groups assessing topics related to performance, 
the promotion policy and mobility initiative.  
1.12.   The Management Board of the WTO Pension Plan shared  the Revised R ules of the WTO 
Pension  Plan with the Committee . The Committee took note of the proposed  revisions. The 
revisions will be sent to the General Council for approv al during its meeting on 7th and 
8th December . 
1.13.   The Committee examined the Mid -Term Review for the Biennium 2016 -2017 of the WTO as 
well as that of the International Trade Center ( ITC). Neither the WTO nor the ITC proposed a 
revision to the ir 2017 Budget . The Committee has made a proposal to the General Council to 
approve the WTO Member s' Scale of Contributions for 2017 , during its  meeting scheduled for 7th 
and 8th December 2016 .  
1.14.   During  the year, two dedicated Working Group s (Working Group  Concerning an Audit 
Committee and the Monitoring Group on ASHI Strategy Development) held  several meetings.  
1.15.   The Working Group concerning an Audit Committee assessed whether there is a need for 
the Org anization to have an Audit Committee. In its report to t he Committee , the Working Group 
indicated that it had not been able to reach a consensus  on this topic. Several Members of the 
Committee expressed  the hope that the topic could be revis ited at an appr opriate time in future.  
1.16.   In November, t he WTO Secretariat delivered a draft ASHI Strategy to the Monitoring Group 
on ASHI  Strategy Development. The Monitoring Group asked for clarifications and provided 
feedback before suggesting a revised document be share d with the full Committee  at its meeting 
on 30 November 2016 . Members took note of the draft and expressed their general support for the 
strategy proposed. The WTO Secretariat will present the Committee with a slightly revised strategy 
that responds to Mem bers' comments in the first quarter of 2017.  
 
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