WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  WT/INF/130 
27 September 2007 
 (07-4085) 
  
  
 
GUIDE TO DOCUMENTATION 
 
 
This information note is directed at Member Delegations and provides an introduction to the 
newly-created Guide to Documentation  for WTO and GATT resources. 
 
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  This guide replaces the edition issued in July  1999 and furnishes basic information on GATT 
and WTO documents and other published resources, including sales publications. It is divided into 
separate sections for the WTO and GATT.   The decision was taken to produce the Guide as an  electronic website due to the nature of the 
information that it contains and the fact that it mu st be constantly updated.  While the Guide will not 
be reproduced as a single paper document, it is possi ble nevertheless to extract and print any of the 
data that appear on its pages. 
  At present, the Guide only exists in English;  French and Spanish versions of the website are 
in preparation and the WTO expects to make thes e available to Members before the end of 2007. 
 
 The Guide is accessible via the WTO Members' site only ( http://members.wto.org/members/
) 
and is protected by the same password that is currently used for accessing Documents online .  
  
1. World Trade Organization 
Find out about WTO provides: 
 
– an explanation of the nomenclature
 used to classify documents and a full listing of the 
symbols  coined to date; 
 – a list of the ISO country codes
 used in WTO document symbols; 
 
– details of the language policy  of the WTO; 
 – a comprehensive listing of official WTO bodies and other entities
, together with 
information on current Chairpersons and Secretaries and the document symbols 
associated with the work of each body cited;  
 – details of the holdings of the WTO Library Archives
 and basic Internet-based 
resources for researching the WTO ; 
 WT/INF/130 
Page 2  
 
  – an explanation of official document derestriction policy
; 
 
 – information on the major documentary resources  and publications  produced by the 
WTO in its different areas of work and, where possible, a link to the electronic version of documents – with the notable exception of official WTO documents which 
are available in Documents online on the Internet; 
  – a description of current procedures for the distribution of documentation
, both 
electronically and on paper; 
 
WTO Collections  explains the organization of documents by collection and by topic, 
identifies and defines all document series and lists significant documents issued on a regular basis by the respective WTO bodies and entities.  
Miscellaneous includes other types of key documenta tion and selected resources produced by 
the Secretariat both on paper and in electronic form: 
 
• WTO Analytical Index 
• WTO Basic Instruments and Selected Documents (BISD) 
• WTO discussion papers, Staff working papers and Special Studies 
• Schedules of Concessions in Goods and Services 
• Dispute Settlement and Appellate Body Reports 
• The Results of the Uruguay Round of Multilateral Trade Negotiations 
• WTO Status of Legal Instruments 
  
2. General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) 
 Find out about GATT  provides: 
 
– an explanation of the nomenclature
 used to classify documents and a listing of 
symbols ;1 
 
– details of the language policy  applied under the GATT; 
 – a listing of official GATT bodies
, together with information on the principal 
document symbols associated with the work of each body cited (ongoing); 
 – details of the holdings of the GATT Archive
 of the WTO Library and basic 
Internet-based resources for researching the GATT ; 
 – an explanation of the official document derestriction policy
 applied under the GATT. 
 
 GATT Collections  explains the organization of docum ents by collection and by topic, 
identifies and defines principal document series a nd lists key documents issued by the respective 
GATT bodies.1 
  
                                                      
1 Provisional listing - the data will be updated progressively.  WT/INF/130 
 Page 3 
 
 
  Miscellaneous includes other types of key documenta tion and selected resources produced by 
the Secretariat both on paper and in electronic form: 
 
• GATT Analytical Index 
• GATT Basic Instruments and Selected Documents (BISD) 
• GATT Dispute Settlement Panel Reports 
• GATT Status of Legal Instruments 
 
 
The Guide to Documentation  will be updated regularly and its coverage will be 
progressively expanded and enhanced.  
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