WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  WT/COMTD/69 
5 December 2008 
 (08-5978) 
  
  
 
REPORT (2008) OF THE COMMITTEE ON TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT 
 
 
I. INTRODUCTION 
1. This report covers the work of the Committe e on Trade and Development (CTD) since the 
last report issued in 2007
1, in particular the work of the CTD in Regular Session, the Dedicated 
Sessions on Regional Trade Agreements and Small Ec onomies, the CTD's work on Aid for Trade, and 
the work of the Sub-Committee on Least-Developed Countries.2  
II. REGULAR SESSION 
2. The CTD in Regular Session held five formal sessions on 4 March, 5 May, 15 July, 
16 October and 3 December 2008.  The minutes of  these meetings are contained in documents 
WT/COMTD/M/68 through WT/COMTD/M/723, respectively.  At the 68th Session held on 
4 March 2008, Ambassador Shree B.C. Servansing (Mau ritius) was elected to serve a second term as 
CTD Chairman. 
3. The CTD continues to have outstanding requests for observer status from the League of Arab 
States, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), the Gulf Organization for 
Industrial Consulting (GOIC), the Organisation inte rnationale de la Francophonie, the Common Fund 
for Commodities (CFC), the Organization of Arab  Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC) and the 
Groupe de la Banque Afri caine de Développement. 
4. Members agreed to continue to invite a num ber of intergovernmental organizations on an 
ad hoc meeting-by-meeting basis.  These include  the Arab Maghreb Union (AMU), the Common 
Fund for Commodities (CFC)4, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the 
Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO), the Inte r-Arab Investment Guarantee Corporation, the 
Islamic Development Bank (IDB), the African Union (AU), the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), the South Centre, the Pacific Islands Forum, the United Nations Environment 
Programme (UNEP), the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU), and the World 
Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).  A full  list of intergovernmental organizations with 
observer status in the Committee is cont ained in document WT/COMTD/W/22/Rev.6. 
5. The principal themes addressed by the CTD in  Regular Session during the period covered in 
this report included the following:   
                                                     
 
1 The 2007 annual report of the Committee is contained in document WT/COMTD/64 of 
10 December 2007. 
2 The Special Session of the CTD, d ealing with the issue of special and differential treatment, has its 
own reporting requirements. 
3 To be issued.   
4 At the 49th Session, the CFC was granted ad hoc observer status to follow, on a meeting-by-meeting 
basis, the item relating to the declining terms of trade for primary commodities, and its implication to trade and 
development of primary commodity exporting countries. WT/COMTD/69 
Page 2  
 
  A. Technical cooperation and training; 
B. Notifications regarding market access for developing and least-developed countries; 
C. Report of the Joint Advisory Group on the International Trade Centre 
UNCTAD/WTO; 
D. Declining terms of trade for primary comm odities, and its implication to trade and 
development of primary commodity exporting countries; 
E. Decision on Transparency for Preferential Trade Arrangements; 
F. Hong Kong Decision on duty-free and quota-fr ee market access for least-developed 
countries; 
G. Latest developments of measures within th e framework of the Forum on China-Africa 
Cooperation (FOCAC). 
 A. 
TECHNICAL COOPERATION AND TRAINING  
6. At its 70th Session, the Committee took note of the Annual Report on Technical Assistance 
and Training, 1 January to 31 December 2007 (WT/COMTD/W/165), and of the Technical 
Cooperation Audit Report for 2007 (WT/COMTD/W/166).  The Secretariat provided information at 
the 72nd Session on the status of implementation of the Biennial Technical Assistance and Training 
Plan for 2008 and 2009. 
B. NOTIFICATIONS REGARDING MARKET  ACCESS FOR DEVELOPING AND LEAST -DEVELOPED 
COUNTRIES  
7. The CTD continued its consideration of the notification under the Enabling Clause by the 
European Communities (EC) of its Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) scheme, on the basis of 
questions submitted by Brazil, China, India and Pakistan (WT/COMT D/57/Add.1 to Add.4, 
respectively) and the responses provided by the EC (WT/COMTD/57/Add.5).  Norway made a  
notification concerning its GSP scheme (WT/COMTD/N/ 6/Add.4), which was considered on the basis 
of questions submitted by Brazil (WT/COMTD/65 a nd Add.2) and responses  provided by Norway 
(WT/COMTD/65/Add.1 and Add.3).  A GSP notification by the United States (US) 
(WT/COMTD/N/1/Add.6) was also considered. 
8. With regard to regional trade agreements (R TAs), the CTD took note of the notification by 
China, made on behalf of the Participating States of the Asia-Pacific Trade Agreement, concerning the Amendment to the First Agreement on Trade Negotiations Among Developing Member Countries 
of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (Bangkok Agreement).
5  Other 
notifications of RTAs on the CTD's agenda concerned the South-Asian Free Trade Agreement 
(SAFTA) (WT/COMTD/N/26), the Agreement on Trad e, Commerce and Transit between India and 
Bhutan (WT/COMTD/N/28) and the Pacific Island Countries Trade Agreement (PICTA) (WT/COMTD/N/29).
  
9. The Egypt-Turkey Free Trade Agreement, the notification of which (WT/COMTD/N/23) was 
made in 2007, was considered in a dedicated ses sion of the CTD on 16 October 2008, as per the 
provisions of the 14 December 2006 General Counc il Decision on a Transparency Mechanism for 
RTAs (WT/L/671) (see Section III).  Issues concerning the requested change in the notification status 
of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Customs Union to the Enabling Clause (WT/COMTD/N/25) were considered in the Regular Session of the CTD (WT/COMTD/66, and Add.1 to Add.3).  Other 
notifications of RTAs under the Enabling Clause made  in 2008, which will be considered in dedicated 
sessions of the CTD, concern the Pakistan-Mal aysia Agreement (WT/COMTD/N/24) and the  
Pakistan-Sri Lanka Agreement (WT/COMTD/N/27).  
                                                     
 
5 Responses to questions by the US on the no tification (WT/COMTD/62/A dd.1 and Add.3) were 
provided by China (WT/COMTD/62/Add.2 and Add.4).    WT/COMTD/69 
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  C. REPORT OF THE JOINT ADVISORY GROUP ON THE INTERNATIONAL TRADE CENTRE 
UNCTAD /WTO 
10. The Joint Advisory Group (JAG) on the Inte rnational Trade Centre UNCTAD/WTO (ITC) 
held its 41st Session from 4 to 5 December 2007.  The report on that meeting is contained in 
document ITC/AG/(XLI)/216.  The Director of th e ITC's Division of Programme Support, when 
presenting the report at the 70th Session of the CTD, said that the JAG had generally complimented the 
ITC on the quality of its Consolidated Programme Document (CPD) for 2008 and 2009, but had also 
agreed that further refinement was required in so me areas.  The JAG had stressed the demand-driven 
nature of the ITC, and had called upon the organizati on to focus on its comparative advantage while at 
the same time seeking greater coherence with pa rtners and avoiding duplication.  The ITC was 
identified as an important vehicle for Aid for Tr ade.  On governance is sues, a recent external 
evaluation of the ITC had recommended a review of the organization's governance structure.  In this 
regard, the ITC had facilitated discussions on a lternative arrangements, including through the 
preparation and circulation of background and position papers.  Fo llowing some discussion, the JAG 
had agreed that its annual meeting would take place in December of each year, with shorter sessions.  
The ITC's financial reporting year would be aligne d to the regular budget cycle, from 1 January 2008 
to 31 December 2009.  It had also been agreed that a new ITC Trust Fund would be established as of 
1 January 2008, and that discussions amongst inter ested parties would be convened in early 2008 on a 
possible new Consultative Board.  The Committee t ook note of the report and forwarded it to the 
General Council for adoption. 
D. DECLINING TERMS OF TRADE FOR PRIMARY COMMODITIES , AND ITS IMPLICATION TO TRADE 
AND DEVELOPMENT OF PRIMARY COMMODITY EXPORTING COUNTRIES  
11. The Chairman indicated in the course of the year that he was consulting with Members as to 
how commodities could henceforth be treated in the CTD, particularly in light of the outcome of the UNCTAD XII Conference.  In this regard, UNCTAD made a presentation at the 71
st Session on its 
mandate on commodities and the work being undertaken  in this area since the Conference.  At the 
72nd Session, the Chairman recalled that the Committee ha d, in its consideration of commodity issues,  
heard presentations from several relevant organizati ons.  He believed that these presentations had 
been useful in allowing the Committee to gain a be tter appreciation of the commodities-related work 
being undertaken by these organizations.  It was ag reed that the item concerning commodity issues 
would be discussed at future meetings only if a Me mber so requests, or if the Committee decides to 
invite a relevant international organiza tion to make a presentation on commodities. 
E. DECISION ON TRANSPARENCY FOR PREFERENTIAL TRADE ARRANGEMENTS  
12. The 14 December 2006 General Council Decision on Transparency for Preferential Trade 
Arrangements (WT/L/672) invites the CTD to cons ider transparency fo r preferential trade 
arrangements (PTAs) under paragraph 2 of the Enabling Clause (other than RTAs), and to report back 
for appropriate action by the General Council.  In re porting on this matter to the Council in July 2008, 
the CTD Chairman said that his informal consu ltations had allowed important progress to be made, 
but that more time would be required before the CT D could come to a decision.  The Council agreed 
that the deadline for the CTD to consider the matter and to report  back for appropriate action be 
extended to December 2008.  
13. The proponents of a Transparency Mechanism fo r PTAs – Brazil, China, India and the US – 
circulated a draft proposal (JOB(08)/103) in October 2008, which they introduced at the 71st Session.  
At that meeting, the Chairman indicated that important progress had been made, and that he would 
continue to work with Members on this matter, with  the intention of considering the draft proposal at 
the CTD's last meeting of the year.  However, in vi ew of the fact that certain issues had yet to be 
settled, it was agreed at the 72nd Session that the Chairman would request the General Council to grant WT/COMTD/69 
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  the Committee a further extension until July 2009  to consider the matter and report back for 
appropriate action.   
F. 
HONG KONG DECISION ON DUTY -FREE AND QUOTA -FREE MARKET ACCESS FOR 
LEAST -DEVELOPED COUNTRIES  
14. The Decision taken at the Hong Kong Minist erial Conference on duty-free and quota-free 
(DFQF) market access for least-developed countri es (LDCs) remains a standing item on the CTD's 
agenda.  Under this item, India introduced its Duty Free Tariff Preference (DFTP) Scheme for LDCs at the 69
th Session.  At its 72nd Session, the CTD conducted its third annual review of the 
implementation of the Hong Kong Decision, as mandat ed in Annex F of the Hong Kong Ministerial 
Declaration. A communication from the United States (WT/COMTD/W/149/Add.5) was considered. 
G. LATEST DEVELOPMENTS OF MEASURES WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE FORUM ON 
CHINA -AFRICA COOPERATION (FOCAC ) 
15. At the 68th Session, Members considered a communication from China (WT/COMTD/W/164) 
concerning recent measures taken within the framewo rk of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation 
(FOCAC).  The Committee took note of the communication and of all interventions.  
III. DEDICATED SESSION ON REGIONAL TRADE AGREEMENTS  
16. The CTD held its 1st Dedicated Session on RTAs on 16 October 2008, chaired by 
Ambassador Shree B.C. Servansing.  The minutes of the meeting are contained in document WT/COMTD/RTA/M/1.  The Committee consider ed the Egypt-Turkey Free Trade Agreement 
(Goods) (WT/COMTD/N/23, WT/COMTD/R TA/1/1/Rev.1, WT/COMTD/RTA/1/2, 
WT/COMTD/RTA/1/3), as per the provisions of the 14 December 2006 General Council Decision on 
a Transparency Mechanism for RTAs (WT/L/671).  
IV. DEDICATED SESSION ON SMALL ECONOMIES 
17. Pursuant to paragraph 35 of th e Doha Ministerial Declaration
6, the General Council, at its 
meeting on 1 March 2002, took note of the framewo rk and procedures for the conduct of the Work 
Programme on Small Economies.7  The CTD was instructed to oversee this programme of work in 
dedicated sessions.  At the Hong Kong Ministerial Conference, Ministers reaffirmed their 
commitment to the Work Programme on Small Economies and urged the adoption of specific 
measures that would facilitate the fuller integr ation of small, vulnerable economies into the 
multilateral trading system, without creating a sub-category of WTO Members.  The CTD was mandated to continue the work in the Dedica ted Session and to monitor progress of the small 
economies' proposals in the negotiating and other bodies.
8 
18. In 2008 the Dedicated Session held one formal  meeting on 3 December 2008 on the Work 
Programme on Small Economies, chaired by Ambassa dor Shree B. C. Servansing.  The minutes of 
this meeting are contained in document WT/COMTD/SE/M/18.9  At the meeting, the Secretariat 
presented an updated version of the compilation pa per to assist the Dedicated Session with its 
monitoring role.  The updated version of the Secretariat's paper was circulated as document 
WT/COMTD/SE/W/22/Rev.2.  The Dedicated Session t ook note of the paper and also the request by 
                                                      
6 WT/MIN(01)/DEC/1. 
7 WT/L/447. 
8 WT/MIN(05)/DEC. 
9 To be issued.  WT/COMTD/69 
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  the proponents to the Secretariat to examine the impa ct of the financial crisis on the key industrial and 
service sectors of small and vulnerable economies. 
V. AID FOR TRADE 
19. The CTD held three sessions on Aid for Trade in 2008 – on 25 February, 11 July and 
17 October – chaired by Ambassador Shree B. C. Servansing.  The minutes of these meetings are 
contained in documents WT/COMTD /AFT/M/6 through WT/COMTD/AFT/M/810, respectively. 
20. The CTD's 6th Session on Aid for Trade focused on the Director-General's proposed 
Aid-for-Trade Roadmap for 2008.  The 7th Session focused on the implementation of the Roadmap 
with presentations given by the regional developm ent banks, the OECD and UNIDO.  The regional 
banks, including the Inter-American Development Bank, the Asian Development Bank, the African 
Development Bank and the World Bank, each provide d updates on their respective preparations for 
holding national and sub-regiona l reviews in 2008.  The OECD presented a status report on the 
preparation of donor and partner questionnaires a nd the feasibility of crea ting a knowledge network 
on Aid for Trade.  UNIDO presented its "Trade Ca pacity Building Inter-Agency Resource Guide" and 
the WTO Secretariat provided Members with informa tion regarding the preparations for a symposium 
on evaluation and on identifying indicators for monitoring Aid for Trade.  The CTD's 8th Session on 
Aid for Trade focused on the outcomes of Standard s and Trade Development Facility (STDF) events 
held in Cambodia, Uganda and Guatemala.  The CTD then discussed follow- up actions in connection 
with the results of the Symposium on Monitoring  and Evaluation and discussed a paper prepared by 
the Secretariat on the identification of core indicators to monitor progress and impact of the Aid for Trade work programme circulated in WT/COMTD/AFT/W/9. 
VI. SUB-COMMITTEE ON LEAST-DEVELOPED COUNTRIES 
21. During the period under review, the Sub-Committee on Least-Developed Countries (hereafter 
the Sub-Committee) held three formal meetings on 27 March, 26 June and 22 October 2008.  The 
minutes of the meetings are contained in documents WT/COMTD/LDC/M/49 through WT/COMTD/LDC/M/51
11, respectively.  All the meetings were chaired by Ambassador Jean Feyder 
(Luxembourg).  
22. The work of the Sub-Committee has mainly focused on the implementation of the WTO 
Work Programme for the LDCs adopted by Members on 12 February 2002.12  The subjects considered 
under the Work Programme during the reporting pe riod were:  (i) market access for LDCs;  
(ii) trade-related technical assistance and capacity -building initiatives for LDCs;  and (iii) accession of 
LDCs to the WTO.  In addition, a few items were considered at the request  of the Coordinator of 
LDCs, as well as of the UNIDO.   
(ii) Market Access for LDCs 
23. The item on market access for LDCs was c onsidered at all the meetings of the 
Sub-Committee.  The Secretariat is sued a revision of its annual mark et access review study (2007) 
entitled "Market Access Issues for Products and Se rvices of Export Interest to Least-developed 
Countries (WT/COMTD/LDC/W/41/Rev.1)", which was considered at the 49th Session of the 
Sub-Committee.  Members expressed their appreciation for the data and analysis carried out by the 
Secretariat in the note and made suggestions for the next review by the Secretariat.   
                                                      
10 To be issued. 
11 To be issued. 
12 WT/COMTD/LDC/11. WT/COMTD/69 
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  24. At the 51
st Session, the Secretariat introduced its annual market access review study (2008) 
contained in document WT/COMTD/LDC/W/42.  The note contains information on recent trends in 
LDC trade and market access conditions for LDC exports in developed an d developing country 
markets, including on recent market access initia tives undertaken in favour of LDCs.  Based on 
comments made by Members at the 51st Session, the Secretariat will issue a revised version of the 
note prior to the next meeting of the Sub-Committee.   
25. At the 50th Session, Members considered a note by  the Secretariat entitled "Least-developed 
Countries and Trade in Food and Agricultural Produc ts", contained in document JOB(08)/49.  The 
note contains information on the trends in food and ag ricultural trade, including some of the causes of 
the recent rise in food prices and their impact on th e LDCs.  Building on this note, the Secretariat 
prepared a note entitled "Recent Developmen ts in Agriculture Commodity Prices and 
Least-developed Countries" (WT/COMTD/LDC/W/43), which was introduced by the Secretariat at 
the 51st Session.  The note, inter alia , provides information on agriculture price trends, including 
factors affecting production and trade of agri cultural products.  A number of Members made 
substantive comments on both the notes, including for reflection in any possible future work on this 
issue by the Secretariat.  The LDCs underlined th e need for short-, medium- and long-term measures 
to address the problems associated with the current high prices of food products.  
26. At the 49th Session, the Sub-Committee completed its consideration of the two Secretariat 
notes prepared under the item entitled "Market Acc ess Issues for Least-developed Countries in the 
Area of Trade in Services (JOB(07)/32/Rev.1 an d JOB(07)/148)".  The LDCs reiterated their 
positions in the area of services negotiations, includi ng implementation of the LDCs modalities in the 
services negotiations.13  At the 50th Session of the Sub-Committee, UNCTAD made a presentation on 
its work related to LDC trade in services.  The Accra Accord adopt ed at the UNCTAD XII 
Conference had mandated UNCTAD to help devel oping countries and LDCs to increase their 
participation in global services production and trade.   
(iii) Trade-related Technical Assistance and Capacity-building Initiatives for LDCs 
27. The item on TRTA and capacity-building init iatives for LDCs was considered at the 50th and 
51st Sessions of the Sub-Committee.  At the 50th Session, the Secretariat gave an overview of its 
technical assistance and training activities to the LDCs, including in the area of the Doha Work 
Programme.  In 2007, LDCs were associated with  44 per cent of all TRTA undertaken by the WTO 
Secretariat.  The LDCs continue to receive sp ecial priority in the delivery of WTO's TRTA. 
28. The Chairman of the enhanced Integrated Framework (EIF) Interim Board reported on the 
status of the implementation of the EIF, at the 50th, as well as 51st Sessions of the Sub-Committee.  
The EIF Trust Fund Manager, the United Nations Office for Project Servi ces (UNOPS), was selected 
in April 2008, which facilitated th e establishment of the EIF Trust Fund.  The Executive Director of 
the EIF Executive Secretariat assumed office on 1 Oc tober 2008, the date on which the EIF Executive 
Secretariat became operational.  The EIF Interim Board was in the process of finalizing the work on a 
monitoring and evaluation framework for the EIF.   
29. Continuous progress is being made in the im plementation of the IF in the beneficiary 
countries.  As of October 2008, 45 LDCs were at di fferent stages of the IF.  Thirty-one LDCs had 
validated their Diagnostic Trade Integration Studies (D TISs), three of which are now in the process of 
updating their DTISs;  a further 14 LDCs are in the process of preparing their DTISs.14   
                                                      
13 The modalities for the special treatment of th e LDC Members in the negotiations on Trade in 
Services are contained in document TN/S/13. 
14 Information on the Integrat ed Framework is available a t: www.integratedframework.org  WT/COMTD/69 
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  30. At the 51th Session, the Secretariat gave an overvie w of the Standards and Trade Development 
Facility (STDF).  The LDCs underlined the importa nce of building capacity to meet Sanitary and 
Phytosanitary (SPS) standards and the need to strengt hen technical assistance in this area.  As of 
October 2008, LDCs have benef itted from 20 project preparation grants (PPGs), representing more 
than 60 per cent of the total value of the PPGs be ing funded by the STDF;  in addition, LDCs are 
beneficiaries of 15 projects which represent nearly 50  per cent of the total value of the projects being 
funded by the STDF.   
(iv) Accession of LDCs to the WTO 
31. The Sub-Committee considered the item on Accession of LDCs to the WTO, at its 
51st Session.  The Coordinator of the LDCs had writte n a letter to the Chairman of the Sub-Committee 
on 25 June 2008, to facilitate a review of the implementation of the LDC Accession Guidelines.15  
The Chairman reported to the Sub-Committee that fu rther reflection was required on the best way to 
proceed on the request made by the LDCs.   
32. At the 51st Session, the LDCs underscored the need  for an in-depth discussion on issues 
relating to the accession of LDCs.  Other Members emphasized the unique nature of the accession 
process in each acceding LDC.  The Sub-Committee requested the Secretariat to prepare a note on 
LDC accession, including information on technical as sistance and other support being provided to the 
acceding LDCs.  This note will be considered at the next session of the Sub-Committee.   
33. As of October 2008, 12 LDCs were at various stages of their accession process, which 
represented more than one-third of ongoing accession negotiations.16 
(v) LDC Trade Ministers' Meeting held in Maseru from 27 to 29 February 2008 
34. At the 49th Session, the Coordinator of the LDCs made a report on the LDC Trade Ministers' 
Meeting held in Maseru, Lesotho, from 27 to 29 Fe bruary 2008.  The Maseru Declaration adopted at 
that meeting contains the position of LDCs in di fferent areas of the DDA negotiations, and forms the 
basis for LDCs participation in the ongoing DDA negotiations.17   
(vi) Matters raised under Other Business 
35. At the 49th Session, UNIDO brought to the attention of the Sub-Committee the Ministerial 
Declaration adopted at the LDC Ministerial Confer ence held in Vienna in November 2007.  At the 
50th Session, UNIDO informed Members that as a fo llow-up to the Vienna Conference, an LDC 
Ministerial Conference was scheduled in Cambodia from 19 to 20 November 2008.  In preparation for 
the Ministerial Conference, a Workshop was held  in Rwanda from 9 to 10 September 2008.   
 
__________  
                                                      
15 The letter was circulated at the meeting of th e Sub-Committee on 22 October 2008.  The Accession 
Guidelines are contained in document WT/L/508. 
16 Afghanistan, Bhutan, Comoros, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Lao PDR, Liberia, Samoa, Sao Tome 
and Principe, Sudan, Vanuatu and Yemen.  
17 The Declaration has been circulated as WT/L/719.