RESTRICTED  
  
WT/COMTD/PTA/M/3  
 
16 May 2018 
(18-2926) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Trade and Development  
Third Dedicated Session on Preferential Trade 
Arrangements    
 
NOTE ON THE MEETING OF 24 APRIL 2018 
Chairman: H.E. Mr. Taonga Mushayavanhu  (Zimbabwe)  
A. ADOPTION OF THE AGEN DA ................................ ................................ ....................  1 
B. CONSIDERATION OF PRE FERENTIAL TRADE ARRA NGEMENTS  ................................ . 1 
(i) Status of the work of the Dedicated Session  ................................ ................................ .. 1 
-  Status of the preparation of factual presenta tions – report by the Chairman 
(WT/COMTD/PTA/W/1)  ................................ ................................ ................................ ........  1 
(ii) United States' Trade Prefer ences for Nepal (WT/COMTD/N/52,  
WT/COMTD/PTA/3/1, WT/COMTD/PTA/3/2)  ................................ ................................ ............  2 
C. OTHER BUSINESS  ................................ ................................ ................................ .... 2 
 
 
A. ADOPTION OF THE AGEN DA 
1. The draft agenda as contained in document WTO/AIR/COMTD/PTA/ 2/Rev.1  of 
13 April 2018 was adopted . 
B. CONSIDERATION OF PRE FERENTIAL TRADE ARRA NGEMENTS  
(i) Status of the work of the Dedicated Session  
- Status of the preparation of factual present ations – report by the Chairman 
(WT/COMTD/PTA/W/1)  
2. The Chairman  said that  he had circulated a report , contained in document 
WT/COMTD/PTA/W/1 , on the status of the preparation of factual presentations on preferent ial 
trade arrangements (PTAs). In summarizing the information in the report, he informed the 
Committee that, as had been mentioned in past meetings, there were five PTAs that had been 
notified since the establishment of the Transparency Mechanism for PTAs for which the Secretariat 
had still not received the full set of data or information required for the preparation of the factual 
presentations. These were the PTAs being implemented by China, India, the Russian Federation, 
Chinese Taipei and Thailand. In addition to statistical data that was missing, it was his 
understanding that, for at least some of these PTAs, up -to-date regulations in an official WTO 
language had not been notified to the Committee on Trade and Development ( CTD), as was 
require d under th e Transparency Mechanism . Without these regulations , the Secretariat would not 
be in a position to complete the factual presentations  – even if the statistical data were submitted. 
He therefore urge d the notifying Members to provide all the required data a nd information as soon 
as possible.  In closing, he said that this wa s the first time that the CTD Chair person 's report on the 
status of PTA factual presentations ha d been circulated as a Committee document. He recalled that 
he had indicated at the informal , open -ended meeting of the CTD's Regular Session on 
21 March  2018 that he would proceed in this manner, as he believe d this would be useful to 
Members. A report containing the same information had also been circulated as a document for the 
105th Regular Session  of the CTD  – which  would be held follow ing the present meeting  – since the 
CTD Chair person  traditionally delivered the same information on PTAs at the Regular Session and 
the Dedicated Session on PTAs.   WT/COMTD/PTA/M/3  
 
- 2 - 
 
  3. The representative of the European Union  regretted that some Members had not as yet 
been able to provide the required data and information for the preparation of the factual 
presentations . She indicated that her delegation would welcome updates from these Members in 
this regard, including in the cont ext of any difficulties they were facing.     
4. The Committee took note  of the Chairman's report , and of the intervention by the 
European Union . 
(ii) United States' Trade Preferences for Nepal (WT/COMTD/N/52, WT/COMTD/PTA/3/1, 
WT/COMTD/PTA/3/2 ) 
5. The Chairman  said that the United States' Trade Preferences for Nepal (USTPN) entered 
into force on 30 December 2016. The scheme was notified under paragraph 1(c) of the 
Transparency Mechanism for PTAs on 20 January 2017. Th e notification was contained in 
document WT/ COMTD/N/52. The factual presentation – document WT/COMTD/PTA/3/1 dated 
13 November 2017 – had been prepared by the Secretariat on its own responsibility, in full 
consultation with the notifying Member and in accordance with paragraph 7(c) of the Transparen cy 
Mechanism for PTAs.  Written questions on the USTPN were received from the delegation of China. 
These questions, as well as the written responses from the United States, had been circulated in 
document WT/COMTD/PTA/3/2. He suggested that the United Stat es, and then other Members , 
could first provide any general comments  that they wished, after which Members could turn to the 
factual presentation, as well as the questions and replies document.  
6. The representative of  the United States  indicated that her delegation wished to provide a 
brief update to its replies to China which were circulated in document WT/COMTD/PTA/3/2. She 
informed the Committee that, on 23 March 2018, President Trump had signed the Consolidated 
Appropriations Act of  2018, which included the renewal of the Generalized System of Preferences 
(GSP) programme through 31 December 2020. As the renewal was retroactive, importers could 
seek refunds of duties paid during the lapse of GSP authorization.    
7. The representative of  China  expressed appreciation to the United States for the written 
responses provided in document WT/COMTD/PTA/3/2, and the update provided at the present 
meeting , which he would convey to his capital . 
8. The representative of the European Union  said that her delegation was interested in some 
indications on the performance of the USTPN. According to the report submitted by the 
United  States to the General Council under the terms of the relevant waiver, during the first nine 
months of 2017, the United States' i mports under t he USTPN were approximately US$ 1.63 million. 
Total imports by the United States from Nepa l over the same period were US$ 69.1 million. She 
inquired whether the United States could share some up -to-date statistics in this regard . 
9. The representa tive of the United States  said that her delegation would be pleased to get 
back to the European Union with updated statistics, as they became available.  
10. The Chairman  said that oral discussion of the USTPN could be concluded in accordance 
with paragraph 11 of the Transparency Mechanism  for PTAs . Any additional questions by 
delegations were to be submitted in writing to the Secretariat within one week, by 1 May 2018 . 
The United States would then be given two weeks to submit written replies, by no later than  
15 May 2018 . In accordance with paragraph 13 of the Transparency Mechanism , all written 
submissions as well as the minutes of the meeting would be circulated promptly in all WTO official 
languages, and would be made available on the WTO website.  
11. The Commit tee took note  of all interventions.  
C. OTHER BUSINESS  
12. No matter was raised under "Other Business".  
13. The meeting was adjourned . 
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