WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  WT/GC/W/573 
4 December 2006 
 (06-5800) 
General Council 
14-15 December 2006  
 
 
 
GENERAL COUNCIL 
 
Draft Annual Report (2006 )1 
 
 
 The present report has been prepared in pursu ance of the Procedures for an Annual Overview 
of WTO Activities and for Reporting under the WT O (WT/L/105), and sets out the actions taken by 
the General Council in the period since its previous annual report.2 
 
 In carrying out its tasks, the General Council has held [...] meetings and since the period 
covered by the previous report.  The minutes of these meetings, which remain the record of the 
General Council's work, are containe d in documents WT/GC/M/101 - […]. 
  The following subjects are included in the report:  
1.
 Work under the Doha Work Programme...............................................................................3  
(a) Trade Negotiations Committee – Reports...................................................................................3  
(b) Outstanding implementation issues under para graph 12(b) of the Doha Ministerial 
Declaration.................................................................................................................... ..............5  
(c) Committee on Agriculture – Implementation -related issues – Report to the General 
Council........................................................................................................................ ................5  
(d) Work Programme on Small Economies – Reports .....................................................................6  
(e) Work Programme on Special and Differential Treatment ..........................................................7  
(i) Reports by the Chairman of the Special Session of the Committee on Trade and 
Development .................................................................................................................... ...........7  
(ii) Reports by Chairpersons of other WTO bodies to whom special and differential 
treatment proposals ha ve been ref erred .....................................................................................7  
(f) Follow-up to the 1 August 2004 Genera l Council Decision and the Hong Kong 
Ministerial Declaration on the Doha Work Programme – Statement by the Director-General on the Development Assi stance Aspects of Cotton.......................................................8
 
(g) Rules of Origin – Harmonization Work Programme – Statement by the Chairman...................9  
(h) Enhanced Integrated Framework – Statemen t by the Chairman of the Integrated 
Framework Task Force ........................................................................................................... ....9 
(i) Aid for Trade .................................................................................................................. ..........10  
                                                      
1 The final version of the report will also reflect the General Council meeting on 14-15 December 2006 
and the points will be re numbered as necessary. 
2 The annual report of the General Council for 2005 was circulated in WT/GC/101. WT/GC/W/573 
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  2.
 Non-recognition of rights under Article XXIV:6 and Article XXVIII of GATT 
1994 – Communications from Honduras and Guatemala...................................................11  
3. Committee on Budget, Finance and Administration - Reports and recommendations ................................................................................................................ ....12
 
4. Derestriction of official GATT 1947 documents ..................................................................13  
5. Accession matters.............................................................................................................. ......14  
(a) Lao People's Democratic Republic ...........................................................................................14  
(b) Libya .......................................................................................................................... ...............14  
(c) Montenegro..................................................................................................................... ..........14  
(d) Serbia ......................................................................................................................... ...............15  
(e) Tonga .......................................................................................................................... ..............15  
(f) Ukraine........................................................................................................................ ..............15  
(g) Viet Nam....................................................................................................................... ............15  
6. Waivers ........................................................................................................................ ............16  
(a) Introduction of Harmonized System 1996 Changes into WTO Schedules of Tariff 
Concessions - Argentina and Panama.......................................................................................16  
(b) Senegal – Request for extension of waiver  on minimum values in regard to the 
Agreement on the Implementation of Article VII of GATT 1994............................................16  
(c) European Communities – Request for extension of waiver on autonomous 
preferential treatment to the countries of the Western Balkans ................................................17  
(d) Review of Waivers Pursuant to Artic le IX:4 of the WTO Agreement .....................................17  
7. Statement by Cuba on transparency.....................................................................................18  
8. Statement by Paraguay on behalf of the Informal Group of Developing 
Countries...................................................................................................................... ............18  
9. Administrative Measures fo r Members in Arrears .............................................................18  
10. WTO Pension Plan............................................................................................................... ...18 
(a) Election of Alternates to the Management Board.....................................................................18  
(b) Arrangement governing the transfer of pens ion rights between the WTO Pension Plan 
and the European Commun ities Pension Scheme.....................................................................19  
11. International Trade Centre UNCTAD/WTO.......................................................................19  
12. Appointment of Officer s to WTO bodies..............................................................................19  
13. Election of Chairperson........................................................................................................ ..21 
 
  WT/GC/W/573 
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  1. Work under the Doha Work Programme 
(a) Trade Negotiations Committee – Reports (WT/GC/M/101, 102, 103, 104) 
 Ministers at Doha established a Trade Negotiations Committee under the authority of the 
General Council to supervise th e overall conduct of the negotiati ons (WT/MIN(01)/DEC/1).  In 
accordance with the Principles and Practices endor sed by the Trade Negotiations Committee at its 
first meeting on 28 January and 1 February 2002, the TNC reports to each regular meeting of the 
General Council (TN/C/M/1).   At the General Council m eeting on 8 February 2006
, the Director-General, as Chairman of 
the Trade Negotiations Committee, reported on th e TNC's activities since the Sixth Session of the 
Ministerial Conference, and also on his recent activities regarding Aid for Trade pursuant to the 
instructions of Ministers at Hong Kong, as a follo w-up to which he announced the composition of the 
Task Force on Aid for Trade.  Regarding Implementation, he announced that as mandated by Ministers at Hong Kong, he had started to in tensify his consultative process on all outstanding 
implementation issues under paragraph 12(b) of the Doha Declaration with the assistance of a number 
of the Chairpersons concerned acting as his Friends  and two of his Deputy Directors-General, and 
would report on progress to the next TNC a nd to subsequent Gene ral Council meetings. 
  The representatives of Colombia, Brazil, Zambia (on behalf of the LDCs), Costa Rica, Ecuador, Chad (on behalf of the co-sponsors of the Sectoral Initiative on Cotton), Benin, Bolivarian 
Republic of Venezuela, Bulgaria, Honduras, Pe ru, Dominican Republic, Cuba, Panama, Nicaragua, 
Pakistan, Chile, and the Director-Gen eral as Chairman of the TNC spoke.
3 
  The General Council took note of the Direct or-General's report and of the statements. 
  Prior to the close of the meeting, the Direct or-General, reverting to the composition of the 
Task Force on Aid for Trade in the light of statemen ts made at the meeting, announced the addition of 
two further Members to the Task Force.     The General Council took note of the statement.   At the General Council meeting on 15 May 2006
, the Director-General, as Chairman of the 
Trade Negotiations Committee, reporting on the TNC's activities since his last report to the General 
Council, said inter alia  that Members had collectively faced up to the fact that they had not been able 
to establish modalities in agriculture and NAMA nor  agree on the RTA Transparency Mechanism by 
30 April.  He also updated Members on recent m eetings of the Integrated Framework Steering 
Committee and the Integrated Framework Worki ng Group which had focussed on the preliminary 
recommendations of the Task Force on the enhanced Integrated Framework, and recalled his detailed 
report to the 1 May meeting of the TNC on his c onsultative process on all outstanding implementation 
issues under paragraph 12(b) of the Doha Declaration.  
                                                     
 
3 At their request, the statements made by the follo wing delegations at the formal TNC meeting on 
7 February, reflected in the records of  that meeting in TN/C/M/23, were in corporated by reference also into the 
records of this meeting (WT/GC/M/101):  Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Chad, Cuba and Zambia (on 
behalf of the LDCs).   WT/GC/W/573 
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   The representatives of Benin (on behalf of the African Group), Chad (on behalf of the co-
sponsors of the Sectoral Initiative on Cotton), Cuba , Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Zambia (on 
behalf of the LDCs), Bulgaria and Argentina spoke.
4 
  The General Council took note of  the Direct or-General's report and of the statements. 
 
 At the General Council meeting on 27-28 July 2006
, the Director-General, as Chairman of the 
Trade Negotiations Committee, reporting on the TNC's activities since his last report to the General 
Council, focussed on the events of th e previous few days and recalled inter alia  that faced with the 
persistent impasse on Agriculture and NAMA he had made a recommendation to participants at an 
informal meeting of the TNC on 24 July – which had been accepted, albeit with regret – that the only 
course of action available was to suspend the negot iations across the Round as a whole to enable the 
serious reflection by participants that was clearly necessary.     The representatives of Benin (on behalf of th e African Group), Costa Rica, Peru, Bolivarian 
Republic of Venezuela, Switzerland, Brazil, Cuba , Bangladesh (on behalf of the LDCs), Egypt, 
Paraguay, Mauritius (on behalf of the ACP Grou p), Norway, Singapore, Philippines, Malaysia, 
Thailand, Colombia, Chinese Taipei, Chad (on behalf  of the co-sponsors of the Sectoral Initiative on 
Cotton), Uganda, Zambia, Pakistan, Antigua and Ba rbuda (also on behalf of Dominica, Grenada, 
Jamaica, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vin cent and the Grenadines, and Trinidad and Tobago), 
Barbados, Ecuador, Senegal, Bolivia, Nigeria, Pe ru, Rwanda, Cambodia, Gu atemala and Costa Rica, 
and the Chairman spoke.
5 
  The General Council took note of  the Direct or-General's report and of the statements. 
  At the General Council meeting on 10 October 2006
, the Director-General, as Chairman of 
the Trade Negotiations Committee, reporting on the TNC's activities since his last report to the 
General Council, recalled that he ha d undertaken to continue his contacts with participants at every 
level in order to try to facilitate resumption of the negotiations, and reporte d on the results of those 
contacts and on what, in his judgement, was still needed before the negotiations could usefully 
resume.6 
 
 The representatives of Benin (on behalf of the African Group), Australia, Brazil (on behalf of 
the G20), Bangladesh (on behalf of the LDCs), C uba, Malaysia (on behalf of the ASEAN Members), 
Uruguay, Japan, Peru, Indonesia (on behalf of the G33), Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, 
Singapore, Mexico, Nigeria, Ecuador and the Philippines, and the Chairman spoke. 
 
 The General Council took note of  the Direct or-General's report and of the statements. 
 
                                                      
4 At its request, the statement made by Zambia at the formal TNC meeting on 1 May, reflected in the 
records of that meeting in TN/C/M/25, was incorporated  by reference also into th e records of this meeting 
(WT/GC/M/102).   
5 At their request, the statements made by the following delegations at the informal TNC meeting on 
24 July were included in the records of this meeting (WT/GC/M/103):  Argentina, Brazil, China, Costa Rica, 
Ecuador, Indonesia (on behalf of the G-33), Mexico, Nepal, Nicaragua (also on behalf of the Dominican 
Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras), the United States and Zambia.   
6 The full text of the Director-G eneral's statement was subsequen tly circulated as JOB(06)/245.  WT/GC/W/573 
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  (b) Outstanding implementation issues under para graph 12(b) of the Doha Ministerial 
Declaration7 (WT/GC/M/103) 
 Ministers at Hong Kong requested the Directo r-General, without prejudice to the positions of 
Members, to intensify his consultative pro cess on all outstanding implementation issues under 
paragraph 12(b) of the Doha Declaration, and instru cted him to report to each regular meeting of the 
TNC and the General Council (WT/MIN(05)/DEC).  They also instructed the General Council to 
review progress and take any appr opriate action regarding this ma tter no later than 31 July 2006. 
 
 At the General Council meeting on 27-28 July 2006 , the Director-General recalled that in 
keeping with his mandate he had continued his co nsultations on outstanding implementation issues 
under paragraph 12(b) of the Doha Declaration a nd had reported on progress to the February, March 
and May meetings of the TNC and to the Febr uary and May meetings of the General Council.8  
Providing a brief update on where Members stood on these issues, he said inter alia  that in light of the 
continued gridlock on these issues, Members should ser iously reflect on the future approach to these 
issues as they would be doing on the wider situati on, and that he remained willing if Members so 
wished to do what he could to assist, although it w as his conviction that the broader issues would be 
determinant.     The Chairman said that given the impasse in  the Director-General's consultations on the 
outstanding implementation issues, as in the negotia tions, he would only urge all delegations to use 
the summer break as a period of serious reflection on this situation and that, for his part, he would 
continue his contacts with delegations and with th e Director-General to consider how Members might 
take work forward in this area, although realistic ally one should be under no illusion that these issues 
could make significant progress until the ove rall negotiating environment improved.  
 
The General Council took note of the Director-General's report and of the statement.  
(c) Committee on Agriculture – Implementation-rela ted issues – Report to the General Council  
(WT/GC/M/103) 
 Ministers at Doha approved a recommendati on that the Committee on Agriculture, following 
its regular meeting in Septembe r 2002, should report to the General Council on its examination of 
possible means to improve the effectiveness of th e implementation of the Marrakesh Ministerial 
Decision regarding the least-developed and net fo od-importing developing countries; and on the 
implementation of Article 10.2 of the Agriculture Agreement.  Ministers also endorsed a decision by the Agriculture Committee to keep under review the administration of tariff rate quotas and the 
submission by Members of addenda to their no tifications (WT/MIN(01)/17, paragraph 2). The 
Agriculture Committee last repor ted to the General Council on these matters in July 2003. 
 
 At its meeting on 27-28 July 2006
, the General Council considered a factual update of the 
follow-up by the Committee on Agriculture on the thr ee issues referred to it by Ministers at Doha 
(G/AG/16/Add.1).    The Chairman of the Committee on Ag riculture introduced the report. 
 
 The representative of Cuba spoke.  
                                                     
 
7 Some discussion relating to this matter is also carried under Point 1(a) above – "Work under the Doha 
Work Programme – Trade Negotia tions Committee – Reports".  
8 See under Point 1(a) above. WT/GC/W/573 
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   The General Council took note of the statem ents and of the report of the Committee on 
Agriculture in G/AG/16/Add.1.  (d) Work Programme on Small Economies – Reports (WT/GC/M/101, 102, 103, 104) 
 Ministers at Doha agreed to a work programme , under the auspices of the General Council, to 
examine issues relating to the trade of small econom ies, with a mandate to frame responses to the 
trade-related issues identified for the fuller inte gration of small, vulnerable economies into the 
multilateral trading system and not to create a sub-category of WTO Members (WT/MIN(01)/DEC/1, 
paragraph 35).  At its meeting in February and March 2002, the General Council took note of a 
framework and procedures for the conduct of th e Work Programme on Small Economies, under which 
this Work Programme would be a standing item on the General Council's agenda.  The framework 
and procedures also provided that the Committee on  Trade and Development would report regularly 
to the General Council on the progress of work in its Dedicated Sessions on this subject.  Ministers at Hong Kong instructed the CTD, under the overall res ponsibility of the General Council, to continue 
the work in the Dedicated Session and to monito r progress of the small economies' proposals in the 
negotiating and other bodies, with the aim of providi ng responses to the trade-related issues of small 
economies as soon as possible but no later than 31 December 2006.    At the General Council meeting on 8 February 2006
, the Chairman of the Dedicated Session 
of the CTD reported on the work in the De dicated Session regarding the Work Programme. 
 
 The representatives of El Salvador, Paragua y, Guatemala, Honduras and Bolivia, and the 
Chairman spoke.   The General Council took note of the report by the Chairman of the Dedicated Session of the CTD and of the statements. 
 
 At the General Council meeting on 15 May 2006
, the Chairman of the Dedicated Session of 
the CTD provided a further report on the work in the Dedicated Session regarding the Work 
Programme.   The representatives of Barbados (on behalf of  the small-economy countries), Guatemala, El 
Salvador, Bolivia, Honduras and Ja maica, and the Chairman spoke. 
  The General Council took note of the report by the Chairman of the Dedicated Session of the CTD and of the statements.  
 At the General Council meeting on 27-28 July 2006
, the Chairman of the Dedicated Session 
of the CTD provided a further report on the work in the Dedicated Session regarding the Work Programme.   The representatives of Barbados (on behalf of the small-economy countries), Guatemala, 
Honduras, Bolivia and the Dominican Republic spoke. 
 
 The General Council took note of the report by the Chairman of the Dedicated Session of the CTD and of the statements.   At the General Council meeting on 10 October 2006
, the Chairman of the Dedicated Session 
of the CTD, in providing a further report on the wo rk in the Dedicated Session regarding the Work 
Programme, introduced a report and recommendations adopted by the Committee regarding measures 
to assist small economies in meeting their obligations under the Agreements on SPS Measures, TBT and TRIPS (WT/COMTD/SE/5).  WT/GC/W/573 
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 The representatives of Barbados (on behalf of the small-economy countries), Guatemala, 
Solomon Islands, Honduras, Jamaica, Mauritius, Do minican Republic, Bolivia and Colombia, and the 
Chairman spoke.  
 The General Council took note of the statements and of the report of the Dedicated Session of 
the CTD in WT/COMTD/SE/5, and agreed to th e recommendations and understandings contained in 
paragraph 6 of the report.  (e) Work Programme on Special and Differential Treatment 
(i) Reports by the Chairman of the Special S ession of the Committee on Trade and Development 
(WT/GC/M/102, 103) 
(ii) Reports by Chairpersons of other WTO bodies to whom special and differential treatment 
proposals have been referred (WT/GC/M/102, 103) 
 Ministers at Hong Kong reaffirmed that pr ovisions for special and differential (S&D) 
treatment were an integral part of the WTO Agreem ents, and renewed their determination to fulfil the 
mandate contained in paragraph 44 of the Doha Ministerial Declaration and in the Decision adopted 
by the General Council on 1 August 2004, that all S& D treatment provisions be reviewed with a view 
to strengthening them and making them more precise, effective and operational.  Ministers instructed 
the Committee on Trade and Development in Special S ession to expeditiously complete the review of 
all the outstanding Agreement-specific proposals and report to the General Council, with clear 
recommendations for a decision, by December 2006.  Regarding the Category II proposals that had 
been referred to other WTO bodies and negotiatin g groups, Ministers instructed these bodies to 
expeditiously complete the consideration of th ese proposals and report periodically to the General 
Council, with the objective of ensuring that clear recommendations for a decision were made no later 
than December 2006.  They also in structed the Special Session to c ontinue to coordinate its efforts 
with these bodies, so as to ensure that this work was completed on time.  Ministers further instructed 
the Special Session, within the parameters of th e Doha mandate, to resume work on all other 
outstanding issues – including on the cross-cutti ng issues, the monitoring mechanism, and the 
incorporation of S&D treatment into the architectur e of WTO rules – and to report on a regular basis 
to the General Council.  
 At the General Council meeting on 15 May 2006
, the Chairman of the Special Session of the 
CTD, reporting on the status of work in the Sp ecial Session since Hong Kong, drew on a detailed 
report that had been submitted to the General C ouncil in document TN/CTD/16.  Following the report 
by the Chair of the Special Sessi on, the Chairpersons of the nego tiating groups and other WTO bodies 
to whom certain Agreement-specific S&D treat ment proposals had been referred (Category II 
proposals) then reported on the considerati on of these issues in their respective bodies. 
  The representatives of Kenya and Cuba, and the Chairman spoke.   The General Council took note of the statements and of the reports by the Chairpersons of the 
Special Session of the Committee on Trade and De velopment and of other WTO bodies to whom 
special and differential treatment proposals had been referred. 
  At the General Council meeting on 27-28 July 2006
, the Chairman of the Special Session of 
the CTD, reporting on the progress of work in the Sp ecial Session, drew on a further detailed report 
that had been submitted to the General Council in  document TN/CTD/18.  Following the report by the 
Chair of the Special Session, the Chairpersons  of the negotiating groups and other WTO bodies to WT/GC/W/573 
Page 8  
 
  whom certain Agreement-specific S&D treatment pr oposals had been referred (Category II proposals) 
then reported on the consideration of these issues in their respective bodies.
9 
  The representatives of Bangladesh (on behalf of the LDCs), Kenya, Cuba and Zambia, and the Chairman spoke. 
 
 The General Council took note of the reports by the Chairpersons and of the statements. 
 (f) Follow-up to the 1 August 2004 General Counc il Decision and the Hong Kong Ministerial 
Declaration on the Doha Work Programme – Statement by the Director-General on the 
Development Assistance Aspects of Cotton (WT/GC/M/102, 103) 
 In paragraph 1.b of the 1 August 2004 Deci sion on the Doha Work Programme (WT/L/579), 
the General Council, inter alia , instructed the Secretariat to con tinue to work with the development 
community and to provide the Council with periodi c reports on relevant de velopments.  The Council 
also instructed the Director-General to consult w ith relevant international organizations, including the 
Bretton Woods Institutions, the Food and Agricultu re Organization and the International Trade 
Centre, to direct effectively existing programmes and any additional resources towards development 
of the economies where cotton has vital importanc e.  Ministers at Hong Kong reaffirmed the 2004 
mandate, deepening and extending it in several respect s.  In inviting the Director-General to furnish 
them with a Third Periodic Report at their next Session, Ministers asked the Director-General to provide updates, at appropriate intervals in the me antime, to the General Council,  while keeping the 
Sub-Committee on Cotton fully informed of progress. 
  At its meeting on 15 May 2006
, the Director-General, updating the General Council on the 
development assistance aspects of cotton, said inter alia  that on the whole he believed important 
progress had been made although meaningful progress in implementation of the reported programmes, 
projects and activities would require a partnership be tween donors and recipients that he wished to 
encourage, and that Members needed to intensify implementation and to report on it in a more timely 
and detailed fashion.  He would continue his in formal consultations, and the Secretariat would 
continue to engage participants in  reviewing implementation details.  
 
 The representatives of Benin (on behalf of the African Group), Angola, Côte d'Ivoire and Zambia, and the Director-General spoke.   The General Council took note of the statements. 
 
 At its meeting on 27-28 July 2006
, the Director-General, updating the General Council on the 
development assistance aspects of cotton, reported on  the most recent round of consultations on this 
matter and focussed his recommendations on the Wo rking Table on Cotton Development Assistance 
which had been the instrument used in the consultations.  He also touched on the issue of a mechanism to deal with income declines in the cotton sector, recalling that Ministers at Hong Kong 
had urged him to explore the possibility of estab lishing such a mechanism through multilateral and 
regional institutions.     The representatives of Benin (on behalf of th e African Group), Bangladesh (on behalf of the 
LDCs), Cuba and Bolivia spoke. 
 
 The General Council took note of the Direct or-General's report and of the statements. 
                                                     
 
9 The reports by all the Chairpersons were subsequen tly compiled and circulated  for the information of 
Members in WT/GC/108.   WT/GC/W/573 
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  (g) Rules of Origin – Harmonization Work Programme – Statement by the Chairman 
(WT/GC/M/103) 
 The Harmonization Work Programme for non-pr eferential rules of origin was launched in 
July 1995 in the Committee on Rules of Origin. Si nce July 2002, when the CRO forwarded 94 core 
policy issues to the General Council for discussion and decision, this matter has been taken up at the 
General Council level, with the substantive work being pursued in informal  consultations conducted 
by the Chair of the CRO, at the request, and on behalf  of, the Chair of the General Council.  In July 
2005, on the basis of a report from the Chair of the CRO, the General Council agreed to further extend 
to July 2006 the deadline for completion of negotiati ons on the core policy issues identified in a report 
by the Chair of the CRO to the General Council in July 2002 and also agreed that, following 
resolution of these core policy issues, the Commi ttee on Rules of Origin complete its remaining 
technical work concerning the overall architecture and technical issues by 31 December 2006.  
 At the General Council meeting on 27-28 July 2006 , the Chairperson of the CRO reported on 
the consultations she had been holding, on the request  and behalf of the General Council Chair, on the 
core policy issues. 
 
 The Chairman proposed – in the light of the report from the Chair of the CRO and the views of delegations in the consultations  the latter had held – that the General Council continue its work 
with a view to completing the negotiations on the core policy issues identified in document G/RO/52 
by July 2007.  He also proposed that this work be pursued, on his request and behalf, by the CRO 
Chair.  He further proposed that following resolu tion of these core policy issues, the CRO complete 
its remaining work concerning the overall archite cture, technical issues, the overall coherence 
exercise referred to in Article 9.3(b) of the Agre ement on Rules of Origin, as well as rectifications of 
harmonized rules of origin on the basis of HS 2007 by December 2007.   The representatives of Australia, New Zealand,  European Communities, Philippines, United 
States, Mexico, India, Guatemala, Japan and Hong Kong, China spoke. 
  The General Council took note of the statements and agreed to the Chairman's proposal.  (h) Enhanced Integrated Framework – Statement by  the Chairman of the Integrated Framework 
Task Force (WT/GC/M/103) 
 Ministers at Hong Kong welcomed the establis hment of a Task Force by the Integrated 
Framework Working Group, as endorsed by the Integrated Framework Steering Committee.  
Ministers also agreed that the Task Force, composed of donor and LDC Members, would provide 
recommendations to the IF Steering Committee by April 2006 on how the implementation of the IF could be improved, and that the enhanced IF would enter into force no later than 31 December 2006.   
 
At its meeting on 27-28 July 2006
, the Chairman of the Integrated Framework Task Force 
informed the General Council of the work that had been undertaken so far in this regard, and on the 
plans for further work to ensure that the recommendations of the Task Force, which had approved by 
the IF Steering Committee on 5 July, would be operationa lized with a view to th e entry into force of 
the enhanced IF no later than 31 December 2006. 
 
 The representatives of Bangladesh (on behalf of the LDCs), Benin (on behalf of the African Group), Zambia, European Communities, United Stat es, Rwanda and Cambodia, and the Chairman 
spoke.  
 The General Council took note of the report and of the statements. 
 WT/GC/W/573 
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  (i) Aid for Trade (WT/GC/M/103, 104)  
 Ministers at Hong Kong invited the Directo r-General to create a T ask Force that would 
provide recommendations to the General Council, by July 2006, on how to operationalize Aid for 
Trade, and on how Aid for Trade might contribute mo st effectively to the development dimension of 
the DDA.
10  Ministers also invited the Director-General  to consult with Members as well as with the 
IMF and World Bank, relevant inte rnational organizations and the re gional development banks with a 
view to reporting to the General Council on appropri ate mechanisms to secu re additional financial 
resources for Aid for Trade, where appropriate through grants and concessional loans.   At its meeting on 27-28 July 2006
, the General Council considered the report and 
recommendations of the Task Force which had been circulated in document WT/AFT/1. 
  The Chairperson of the Task Force on Aid for Trade introduced the report and 
recommendations.    
 The Chairman, in thanking the Chair and all members of the Task Force for their 
commendable efforts over the past months to deve lop the full range of recommendations that had 
been presented for the General Council's consideration, said inter alia that since the membership as a 
whole had just that day received the Task Force's re port and needed adequate time to review it before 
considering the appropriate follow-up to be given to  it, the General Council should revert to it at its 
next meeting to consider the follow-up to the report and its recommendations.   
 
 The Director-General then provided an overv iew of his consultations with regard to 
appropriate mechanisms to secure additional financ ial resources for Aid for Trade, pursuant to the 
mandate in paragraph 57 of the Hong Kong Declaration. 
  
 The representatives of Bangladesh (on behalf of  the LDCs), Mauritius, Benin (on behalf of 
the African Group), Japan, European Communities, Un ited States, Zambia, Switzerland, Kenya, India, 
Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala, China, Bolivia , Colombia, Ecuador, Sri Lanka, Argentina and 
Thailand, and the Chairman spoke.   The General Council took note of the statements  and of the report by the Chairperson of the 
Task Force on Aid for Trade, and agreed to revert  to the report and its recommendations at its next 
meeting.   At its meeting on 10 October 2006
, the General Council reverted to the report and 
recommendations of the Task Force.   
 
 The Chairperson of the Task Fo rce made a statement reflecting, inter alia , discussion at 
informal open-ended consultations held the previous  week to provide an opportunity to Members to 
discuss the report further in an informal setting, as well as to provide any clarifications as necessary in 
advance of the General Council meeting.  
 The representatives of Benin (on behalf of the African Group), Bangladesh (on behalf of the 
LDCs), Mauritius (on behalf of the ACP Group), Brazil, Djibouti, Ecuador, Canada, European 
Communities, United States, Moldova (also on behalf  of Armenia and the Kyrgyz Republic), India, 
Zambia, Japan, Colombia, China, Peru, Mexico, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Kenya, Nicaragua, Norway, 
Nepal, Cuba, Barbados, Bolivia and th e Philippines, and the Chairman spoke. 
                                                     
 
10 The composition of the Task Force was announ ced by the Director-General at the 8 February 
meeting of the General Council in the course of his report to the Council as Chairman of the TNC (see under 
Point 1(a) above).  WT/GC/W/573 
 Page 11 
 
 
   
 The General Council took note of the report of the Task Force on Aid for Trade in WT/AFT/1, endorsed the recommendations contained therein and agreed to the specific next steps outlined in Section H of the report.    
 The Director-General then provided an update on his consultati ons on appropriate 
mechanisms to secure additional financial resourc es for Aid for Trade, pursuant to the mandate in 
paragraph 57 of the Hong Kong Declaration, saying inter alia  that taking into account the 
recommendations of the Task Force he had also used these consultations to urge  partners to consider 
carefully how they could contribute to the implemen tation of the recommendations.  He indicated that 
he would report on the follow-up to the report and recommendations of the Task Force at the next 
meeting of the General Council.   The General Council took note of the statements.  
 2. Non-recognition of rights under Article XXIV:6 and Article XXVIII of GATT 1994 – 
Communications from Honduras and Guat emala (WT/GC/M/101, 102, 103, 104) 
 In December 2004, at the request of Honduras and Guatemala, the General Council 
considered the question of non-recognition of rights for the processes under Article XXIV:6 and 
Article XXVIII of GATT 1994 in connection with th e enlargement of the EC.  This matter was 
subsequently considered by the General Council at each regular meeting since then without 
resolution, and in December 2005 the Council agreed to revert to it at its next meeting, and that the 
Chair would hold further consultations in the meantime in the hope of moving it forward. 
 
 At its meeting on 8 February 2006
, the General Council again considered this matter, and 
heard a report from the Chairman on consultations she had held. 
 
 The representatives of Guatemala, Honduras, Argentina, Mexico, Cameroon, Colombia, 
Uruguay, Paraguay, Brazil, Costa Rica, Panama, Ni caragua, El Salvador, United States, Ecuador and 
the European Communities, and the Chairman spoke.   The Chairman proposed that the General Council re vert to this matter at its next meeting, and 
that the incoming Council Chair would hold further consultations in the me antime with the aim of 
moving this matter forward.   The General Council took note of the statements and so agreed.  
 At the General Council meeting on 15 May 2006
, the Chairman reported on consultations he 
had held to provide a further opportunity for the Me mbers concerned to seek clarifications and to see 
if he, as Chair, could facilitate a satisfact ory resolution to the concerns raised.   
  The representatives of Honduras, Guatemala, Côte d'Ivoire, Costa Rica, Panama, Paraguay, Ecuador, Brazil, Nicaragua, Burkina Faso, El Salv ador, European Communities, Colombia, Benin and 
Jamaica, and the Director-General and the Chairman spoke. 
  The Chairman proposed that the General Council re vert to this matter at its next meeting, and 
that he continue his consultations in the meanti me with the aim of moving this issue forward. 
 
 The General Council took note of the statements and so agreed. 
  At its meeting on 27-28 July 2006
, the General Council again considered this matter, and 
heard a report from the Chairman on his further consultations. WT/GC/W/573 
Page 12  
 
   
 The representatives of Guatemala, Hondur as, Costa Rica, Brazil, Ecuador, Mexico, 
Philippines, Nicaragua, Colombia, Panama, Paraguay,  Indonesia, El Salvador, European Communities 
and Jamaica spoke.  
 The General Council took note of the statements a nd agreed to revert to this matter at its next 
meeting and that the Chair would continue consulta tions in the meantime with the aim of moving this 
matter forward.   At its meeting on 10 October 2006
, the General Council again c onsidered this matter, and 
heard a report from the Chairman on his further consultations. 
  The representatives of Honduras, Guatemala, Ni caragua, Paraguay, Brazil, Ecuador, Mexico, 
Philippines, El Salvador, Argentina and the Eu ropean Communities, and the Chairman spoke. 
 
 The General Council took note of the statements a nd agreed to revert to this matter at its next 
meeting and that the Chair would continue consulta tions in the meantime with the aim of moving this 
matter forward.  
3. Committee on Budget, Finance and Admini stration - Reports and recommendations 
(WT/GC/M/101, 102, 103, 104) 
 At its meeting on 8 February 2006
, the General Council considered a report by the Committee 
on Budget, Finance and Administration on it s meetings of October and November 2005 
(WT/BFA/83).   The Chairman of the Committee introduced the report. 
 
 The representatives of Ecuador, Cuba and Egypt , and the Chairman of the Committee and the 
Chairman spoke.   The General Council took note of the statem ents and adopted the Budget Committee's report 
in WT/BFA/83. 
 
 The General Council then considered a r ecommendation of the Budget Committee resulting 
from the Committee's meeting of February 2006 (WT/BFA/84).   The Chairman of the Committee introduced the recommendation. 
 
 The General Council took note of the statem ent, approved the Budget Committee's specific 
recommendation in WT/BFA/84, and adopted the report.   At its meeting on 15 May 2006
, the General Council considered a report by the Committee on 
Budget, Finance and Administration on its m eeting of February 2006 (WT/BFA/85/Rev.1). 
 
 The Chairman of the Committee introduced the report.   The General Council took note of the statemen t and adopted the Budget Committee's report in 
document WT/BFA/85/Rev.1. 
 
 The General Council then considered a re port by the Committee on Budget, Finance and 
Administration on its meeting of March 2006 (WT/BFA/86).   WT/GC/W/573 
 Page 13 
 
 
   The Chairman of the Committee introduced the report. 
 The General Council took note of the statem ent, approved the specific recommendations in 
paragraphs 14 and 15 of the Budget Committee's re port in WT/BFA/86, and adopted the report. 
  At its meeting on 27-28 July 2006
, the General Council consider ed a report by the Committee 
on Budget, Finance and Administration on its meeting of June 2006 (WT/BFA/87). 
  The Chairman of the Committee introduced the report.   The General Council took note of the statement, approved the specific recommendation in 
paragraph 25 of the Budget Committee's report in document WT/BFA/87, and adopted the report. 
  At its meeting on 10 October 2006
, the General Council considered a report by the 
Committee on Budget, Finance and Administration on its meeting of July 2006 (WT/BFA/88).  
 The Chairman of the Committee introduced the report. 
  The General Council took note of the statemen t and adopted the Budget Committee's report in 
document WT/BFA/88. 
 
 The General Council then considered recomme ndations of the Committee on Budget, Finance 
and Administration on the future building needs of  the WTO resulting from the Committee's meetings 
of September and October 2006 (WT/BFA/89 and 90).   The Chairman of the Committee reported on the Committee's meetings of September and 
October and introduced the recommendations. 
 
 The representative of Brazil spoke.   The General Council took note of the statem ents and approved the Budget Committee's 
specific recommendations in WT/BFA/89 and 90.  4. Derestriction of official GATT 1947 documents (WT/GC/M/101, 102) 
 In October 2005, the General Council heard a st atement read out by the Chairman on behalf 
of the Director-General on the question of the digi tal archiving and derestriction of GATT official 
documents.  In that statement, the Director-General  indicated that consultations on these issues were 
being conducted by Mr Harbinson and that, as re gards derestriction, the Members that had 
participated in the consultations were broadly in favour of derestricting all the 50,000 or so GATT 
official documents that still remained restricted.  The Director-General indicated that on both of these 
matters the views of all Members would have to be taken into account before one could proceed 
further, and that Members would revert to these two issues early in 2006.  
 At the General Council meeting on 8 February 2006
, the Chairman, on the basis of an 
informal open-ended consultation held recently by Mr  Harbinson – and with a view to facilitating an 
early decision by Members in regard to the derestri ction of official GATT documents that were still 
restricted – outlined a procedure for Members' cons ideration that would lead to a draft Decision for 
the derestriction of official GATT documents bei ng taken up for consideration and action at the 
General Council meeting scheduled for 15 May.  
 The General Council took note of the statement and agreed to the procedure outlined by the 
Chairman.  WT/GC/W/573 
Page 14  
 
   At the General Council meeting on 15 May 2006
, the Chairman recalled that on the basis of 
informal open-ended consultations that  had been held recently in pursuance of the procedure agreed in 
February, he had circulated for the information of  all Members a communication that included a draft 
Decision for the derestriction of official GATT doc uments that were still restricted (WT/GC/W/562), 
in which he had indicated that the draft Decision would be taken up for cons ideration and action at 
that meeting.  On this basis, he invited the Ge neral Council to adopt the draft Decision contained in 
Annex B of WT/GC/W/562, under which all official GATT 1947 documents would be derestricted as 
of 1 June 2006.   The General Council took note of the statement and so agreed.
11  
 
5. Accession matters 
(a) Lao People's Democratic Republic (WT/GC/M/103) 
 In February 1998, the General Council establishe d a Working Party to examine the request of 
the Lao People's Democratic Republic for accession to the WTO Agreement. 
 
 At its meeting on 27-28 July 2006 , the Chairman informed the General Council that following 
informal consultations, and in keeping with usual WTO practice, it had been agreed that Mr Gosper 
(Australia) would serve as Chairman of this Worki ng Party, replacing Mr Groser (New Zealand), who 
was no longer available to serve in this capacity.  
 The General Council took note of this information. 
 (b) Libya (WT/GC/M/104) 
 In July 2004, the General Council established a Working Party to examine the request of 
Libya for accession to the WTO Agreement. 
 
 At its meeting on 10 October 2006
, the Chairman informed the General Council that, 
following informal consultations, and in accordance with  usual WTO practice, it had been agreed that 
Mr Echevarría Ugarte (Spain) would serve as Chair of the Working Party.   The General Council took note of this information. 
 
(c) Montenegro (WT/GC/M/101) 
 In February 2005, the General Council establishe d a Working Party to examine the request of 
Montenegro for accession to the WTO Agreement, a nd in May 2005 took note of the appointment of 
Mr Gosnar (Slovenia) as Chair of the Working Party. 
 
 At its meeting on 8 February 2006
, the Chairman informed the General Council that, 
following informal consultations, and in keeping with  usual WTO practice, it had been agreed that Mr 
Logar (Slovenia) would replace Mr Gosnar (Slove nia), the outgoing Chair of the Working Party. 
  The General Council took note of the statement. 
 
                                                     
 
11 The Decision was subsequen tly circulated as WT/L/647.  WT/GC/W/573 
 Page 15 
 
 
  (d) Serbia (WT/GC/M/104) 
 In February 2005, the General Council establishe d a Working Party to examine the request of 
Serbia for accession to the WTO Agreement, and in May 2005 took note of the appointment of 
Mr Roux (Belgium) as Chair of the Working Party.  
 At it meeting on 10 October 2006
, the Chairman informed the General Council that, 
following informal consultations, and in keeping with  usual WTO practice, it had been agreed that Mr 
Nielsen (Denmark) would replace Mr Roux (Belgium ), the outgoing Chair of the Working Party. 
  The General Council took note of the statement. 
 
(e) Tonga (WT/GC/M/103) 
 In December 2005, the Hong Kong Ministerial Conference adopted a Decision authorizing 
Tonga to accede to the WTO Agreement under terms set  out in its Protocol of Accession (WT/L/644).  
As set out in its paragraph 7, the Protocol was open for acceptance by Tonga until 31 July 2006. 
 
 At its meeting on 27-28 July 2006
, the General Council considered a communication from 
Tonga (WT/GC/107) requesting an extension of the time-limit for acceptan ce of its Protocol of 
Accession until 1 July 2007, and a draft Decision to this effect (WT/GC/W/567).   The Chairman proposed, in the light of this  request and unless delegations had any objections, 
that, in accordance with the Decision-Making Pr ocedures under Articles IX and XII of the WTO 
Agreement agreed in November 1995 (WT/L/93), th e General Council adopt the draft Decision in 
WT/GC/W/567.   The General Council so agreed.
12  
 
(f) Ukraine (WT/GC/M/104) 
 In December 1993, the GATT 1947 Council establis hed a working party to examine Ukraine's 
request for accession to the General Agreement on Tariffs  and Trade.  Subsequently, having regard to 
the decision regarding requests for WTO acce ssion adopted by the WTO General Council on 
31 January 1995 (WT/GC/M/1, item 4(g)), the GATT 1947 Accession Working Party was 
transformed into a WTO Accession Working Party.   In May 2000, the General took note of the 
appointment of Mr Marchi (Canada) as Chair of the Working Party. 
 
 At it meeting on 10 October 2006 , the Chairman informed the General Council that, 
following informal consultations, and in keeping with  usual WTO practice, it had been agreed that 
Mr Matus (Chile) would replace Mr Marchi (Canad a), the outgoing Chair of the Working Party. 
 The General Council took note of the statement. 
 
(g) Viet Nam (WT/GC/M/105) 
 In January 1995, the General Council established a Working Party to examine the request of 
Viet Nam for accession to the WTO Agreement. 
  At its meeting on 7 November 2006
, the General Council considered the Report of the 
Working Party (WT/ACC/VNM/48 and Add.1 and 2).  
                                                      
12 The Decision was subsequen tly circulated as WT/L/651. WT/GC/W/573 
Page 16  
 
   The Chairman, in his capacity also as Chair of the Working Party, spoke. 
  The General Council approved the text of the Protocol of Accession of Viet Nam (WT/L/662) 
and, in accordance with the Decision-Making Procedures under Articles IX and XII of the WTO Agreement agreed in November 1995 (WT/L/93), adopted the Decision on the Accession of Viet Nam 
(also in WT/L/662).  The General Council then adop ted the Report of the Working Party as a whole 
(WT/ACC/VNM/48 and Add.1 and Add.2).   The Chairman and the Director-General s poke, following which the representatives of   
Brunei Darussalam (on behalf of the ASEAN Member s), Bangladesh (on behalf of the LDCs), Saudi 
Arabia (on behalf of the Arab Group), Chile (on beha lf of GRULAC), Benin (on behalf of the African 
Group), Romania (on behalf of the CEFTA-plus Members), Brazil (on behalf of MERCOSUR), 
Korea, European Communities, Un ited States, Australia, China, India, Argentina, Zambia, Japan, 
Uruguay, Pakistan, Chinese Taipei, Norway, Djibouti, Canada, Cuba; Hong Kong, China; Switzerland, New Zealand, Nepal, Peru and Viet Nam (as an observer), and the Chairman spoke.   
 
 In keeping with a procedural suggestion made in  this regard by the Chair at the outset of the 
meeting, the representative of Mexico submitted a st atement for inclusion in the records, and the 
representative of Egypt wished to be placed on record as welcoming and supporting the accession of Viet Nam.  
 The General Council took note of the statem ents and of the expressions of welcome and 
support.  
6. Waivers  
(a) Introduction of Harmonized System 1996 Changes into WTO Schedules of Tariff 
Concessions - Argentina and Panama (WT/GC/M/103) 
 At its meeting on 27-28 July 2006
, the General Council consider ed requests for extension of 
waivers from Argentina (G/L/769) and Panama (G/L /768) for the introduction of Harmonized System 
1996 changes into schedules of tariff concession, and related draft Decisions in documents 
G/C/W/547 and G/C/W/546 respectively.  
 In the absence of the Chairman of the Council for Trade in Goods, and on the latter's request 
and behalf, the Chairman reported on the cons ideration of these requests by that Council. 
  The General Council took note of the report a nd, in accordance with the Decision-Making 
Procedures under Articles IX and XII of the WTO Agreement agreed in November 1995 (WT/L/93), 
adopted the Decisions (WT/L/653 – Argentina and WT/L/652 – Panama). 
 (b) Senegal – Request for extension of waiver on minimum values in regard to the Agreement on 
the Implementation of Article VII of GATT 1994 (WT/GC/M/103) 
 At its meeting on 27-28 July 2006
, the General Council considered a request from Senegal for 
extension of a waiver on minimum values in regard to the Customs Valuation Agreement 
(G/C/W/524), and a related draft Decision in document G/C/W/551 and Corr.1. 
  In the absence of the Chairman of the Council for Trade in Goods, and on the latter's request 
and behalf, the Chairman reported on the consid eration of this request by that Council. 
  WT/GC/W/573 
 Page 17 
 
 
   The General Council took note of the report a nd, in accordance with the Decision-Making 
Procedures under Articles IX and XII of the WTO Agreement agreed in November 1995 (WT/L/93), 
adopted the Decision (WT/L/655).  The representative of Senegal spoke.  
 The General Council took note of the statement. 
 (c) European Communities – Request for extension of waiver on autonomous preferential 
treatment to the countries of the Western Balkans (WT/GC/M/103) 
 At its meeting on 27-28 July 2006
, the General Council considered a request from the 
European Communities for an extension of a waiver  for the application of autonomous preferential 
treatment to the countries of the Western Balk ans (G/C/W/552 and Corr.1), and a related draft 
Decision in document G/C/W/556.  In the absence of the Chairman of the Council for Trade in Goods, and on the latter's request 
and behalf, the Chairman reported on the consid eration of this request by that Council. 
 
 The General Council took note of the report a nd, in accordance with the Decision-Making 
Procedures under Articles IX and XII of the WTO Agreement agreed in November 1995 (WT/L/93), 
adopted the Decision (WT/L/654).  (d) Review of Waivers Pursuant to Article IX:4 of the WTO Agreement (WT/GC/M/103) 
 Under Article IX:4 of the WTO Agreement "[a]ny  waiver granted for a period of more than 
one year shall be reviewed by the Ministerial Conf erence not later than one year after it is granted, 
and thereafter annually until the waiver terminates."   At its meeting on 27-28 July 2006
, the General Council consider ed the following waivers for 
review under Article IX:4: 
 
(i) LDCs – Article 70.9 of the TRIPS Agreemen t with respect to pharmaceutical products 
(WT/L/478); 
(ii) Preferential tariff treatment for least-developed countries (WT/L/304); 
(iii) Kimberley process certification scheme for rough diamonds (WT/L/518); 
(iv) Albania – Implementation of specific concessions (WT/L/610). 
 The Chairman recalled, with regard to the wa iver in sub-item (i) for LDCs under the TRIPS 
Agreement, that in connection with the approval of  this draft waiver at the meeting of the TRIPS 
Council in June 2002, the Chairman of the TRIPS C ouncil had noted that it was understood, in regard 
to the review foreseen in paragraph 2 of that waiv er, that the exceptional circumstances justifying the 
waiver would continue to exist for least-devel oped country Members until its expiry date of 
1 January 2016.   The representatives of the United States and Bangladesh (on behalf of the LDCs) spoke. 
  The General Council took note of the statemen ts, and that the General Council would revert 
to the review of multi-year waivers under Article IX:4 of the WTO Agreement at its meeting in 
December.  WT/GC/W/573 
Page 18  
 
  7. Statement by Cuba on transparency (WT/GC/M/101) 
 At the General Council m eeting on 8 February 2006
, the representative of Cuba made a 
statement with reference to a joint communica tion from Cuba and the Bolivarian Republic of 
Venezuela concerning irregularities identified in the negotiating and decision-making process at the 
Sixth Session of the Ministerial Conference at Hong Kong (WT/GC/105). 
 
 The representative of the Bolivarian Republic  of Venezuela and the Chairman spoke. 
  The General Council took note of the statements.  8. Statement by Paraguay on behalf of the Informal Group of Developing Countries 
(WT/GC/M/102) 
 At the General Council meeting on 15 May 2006
, the representative of Paraguay, on behalf of 
the Informal Group of Developing Countries, made a statement with reference to the following three 
issues which he said had become permanent agenda  items at meetings of the Informal Group:  
developmental aspects of the Doha Round;  transparency in the WTO;  and accession of developing 
countries.   The General Council took note of the statement.  
9. Administrative Measures for Members in Arrears (WT/GC/M/104) 
 At its meeting in May 2006, the Genera l Council approved a recommendation from the 
Committee on Budget, Finance and Administration w ith regard to revised Administrative Measures 
for Members in Arrears (WT/BFA/86) under which, inter alia , at each meeting of the General Council 
the Chairman of the Committee on Budget, Finan ce and Administration would provide information 
with regard to which Members were under Admini strative Measures in Categories II through IV, and 
the General Council Chairman would request Members in Categories III and IV to inform him before 
the next Council meeting as to when the paymen t of arrears might be expected and report on 
Members' replies at each subsequent meeting.    At the General Council meeting on 10 October 2006
, in pursuance of the revised 
Administrative Measures, the Chairman of the Committee on Budget, Finance and Administration 
provided information with rega rd to which Members were under Administrative Measures in 
Categories II through IV.  Also in pursuance of  the revised Administrative Measures, the Council 
Chairman requested Members in Categories III and IV to inform him before the next meeting of the Council as to when their payment of arrears might be expected. 
  
 The General Council took note of the statements. 
 
10. WTO Pension Plan  
(a) Election of Alternates to the Management Board (WT/GC/M/104) 
 Article 4 of the Regulations of the WT O Pension Plan (contained in WT/L/282 and 
WT/GC/W/552) provides, inter alia , for the election by the General Council of a Chairman, four 
members and four alternates to serve on the Ma nagement Board, each for a three-year term. 
  At the General Council meeting on 10 October 2006
, the Chairman drew attention to a 
proposal circulated by him in document WT/GC/W/569 on the basis of which he proposed that the General Council agree to elect Ms Grant (Canada) and Mr Francke (Chile) as alternates to serve on  WT/GC/W/573 
 Page 19 
 
 
  the Management Board of the WTO Pension Plan  to replace the individua ls who could no longer 
serve on the Board, for the remainder of the term, i.e. until May 2008.   The General Council took note of the statement so agreed.  
(b) Arrangement governing the transfer of pension rights between the WTO Pension Plan and the 
European Communities Pension Scheme (WT/GC/M/102) 
 Under Article 10 of the Regulations of the WTO Pension Plan (contained in WT/L/282 and 
WT/GC/W/552), the Management Board may, subject  to the concurrence of the General Council, 
approve agreements with member Governments a nd with intergovernmental organizations, with a 
view to securing continuity of pension rights for participants in the Plan. 
  At its meeting on 15 May 2006
, the General Council consider ed an arrangement governing 
the transfer of pension rights between the WTO Pe nsion Plan and the European Communities Pension 
Scheme (WT/GC/W/561). 
 
 The Chairperson of the Management Board of the WTO Pension Plan introduced the transfer 
arrangement.   The General Council took note of the statem ent and concurred with the Arrangement 
governing the transfer of pension rights between the WTO Pension Plan and the European 
Communities Pension Scheme.
13 
 
11. International Trade Centre UNCTAD/WTO (WT/GC/M/103) 
 At its meeting on 27-28 July 2006 , the General Council considered a report of the Joint 
Advisory Group of the International Trade Centre UNCTAD/WTO on its Thirty-ninth Session 
(ITC/AG(XXXIX)/208). 
  The Chairman recalled that, in keeping with  customary practice, this report had been 
considered initially by the Committee on Trade and Development at its meeting on 11 May.   The Chairman of the Committee on Trade and Development reported on the Committee's 
consideration of the report of the Joint Advisory Group. 
  The representatives of Jamaica, Cambodia, Zamb ia, Trinidad and Tobago, Romania, Haiti, 
Rwanda, Guatemala, Pakistan, and the Executive Director of the ITC (as an observer) and  the Chairman spoke. 
 
 The General Council took note of the statements  and adopted the report of the Joint Advisory 
Group in ITC/AG(XXXIX)/208.  
12. Appointment of Officers to WTO bodies (WT/GC/M/101, 103
14) 
 At the General Council m eeting on 8 February 2006 , the Chairman said that in accordance 
with the Guidelines for Appointment of Officers to WTO bodies approved by the General Council in 
December 2002 (WT/L/510), she and her colleague, Mr Glenne (Norway), the serving Chair of the 
Dispute Settlement Body, had conduc ted consultations with  delegations on a slate of names for the 
appointment of Chairs to the bodies listed in Groups 1,  2, 4 and 5 in the Annex to the Guidelines.  As 
                                                      
13 The text of the Transfer Agreement wa s subsequently circulated as WT/L/650. 
14 Carried in the minutes as "Chairmanship of the Council for Tr ade in Services". WT/GC/W/573 
Page 20  
 
  she had announced at the Council meeting in Dece mber 2005, Mr Glenne and she had also been 
consulting with delegations on the question of appointment of Chairs to the bodies established by the 
TNC.   On the basis of the consultations, she consid ered that there was a consensus on the following 
slate of names with respect to the appointments  to WTO bodies other than those under the TNC: 
 
General Council  Mr Eirik GLENNE (Norway) 
Dispute Settlement Body 
 Mr Muhamad Noor YACOB (Malaysia) 
Trade Policy Review Body 
 Mrs Claudia URIBE (Colombia) 
Council for Trade in Goods 
 Mr Yonov Frederick AGAH (Nigeria) 
Council for Trade in Services 
 Mr François ROUX (Belgium) 
Council for TRIPS 
 Mr C. Trevor CLARKE (Barbados) 
Committee on Trade and  
  Environment 
 Mr Shree Baboo Chekitan SERVANSING (Mauritius) 
Committee on Trade and 
  Development  Mr Faizel ISMAIL (South Africa) 
Committee on Balance-of- 
  Payments Restrictions 
 Mr Takehiro KAGAWA (Japan) 
Committee on Regional Trade  
  Agreements  Mr Ousmane CAMARA (Senegal) 
Committee on Budget, Finance  
  and Administration 
 Mr Juan Antonio MARCH PUJOL (Spain) 
Working Group on Trade and  
  Transfer of Technology  Mr Manuel A.J. TEEH ANKEE (Philippines) 
Working Group on Trade, Debt and  
  Finance Mr Peter BR ŇO (Slovak Republic) 
 As to chairmanships of bodies under the TNC, the Chairman said that on the basis of the 
consultations, including with the Di rector-General in his role as Chai rman of the TNC, she considered 
that there was a consensus on the following slate: 
 
Negotiating Group on   Market Access  Mr Don STEPHENSON (Canada) 
 
Negotiating Group on Rules 
 Mr Guillermo VALLES GALMÉS (Uruguay) 
 
Negotiating Group on Trade Facilitation 
 Mr. Tony Miller (Hong Kong, China)  WT/GC/W/573 
 Page 21 
 
 
  Special Session of the  
  Council for Trade in Services  Mr Fernando DE MATEO Y VENTURINI (Mexico) 
Special Session of the  
  Council for TRIPS 
 Mr Manzoor AHMAD (Pakistan) 
Special Session of the   
  Dispute Settlement Body  Mr Ronald SABORÍO SOTO 
(Costa Rica) 
Special Session of the  
  Committee on Agriculture 
 Mr Crawford FALCONER (New Zealand) 
Special Session of the  
  Committee on Trade and   Environment 
 Mr Toufiq ALI (Bangladesh) 
Special Session of the  
  Committee on Trade and   Development Mr Burhan GAFOOR (Singapore) 
 
 
 With regard to the duration of the appointm ents for the bodies under the TNC, the Chairman 
proposed that in keeping with th e term of office for the previous appointees, which had been 
established by the TNC at its first meeting in Ja nuary and February 2002 and again by the General 
Council in February 2004, these Chairpersons be invited to serve until the next Session of the 
Ministerial Conference.    
 The General Council took note of the statements  and of the consensus on the slate of names 
for the appointment of officers.   The representative of Romania (on behalf of the CEFTA-plus Members), the Chairman of the 
Council for Trade in Goods, the Chairman of the Council for Trade in Services and the Chairman 
spoke. 
 
 The General Council took note of the statements.   At the General Council meeting on 27-28 July 2006
, the Chairman said that as Members were 
aware, Mr Roux (Belgium), Chairman of the Council for Trade in Services, had recently had to leave 
his post as head of his delegation in Geneva.  As the appointment for the Chair of the Council for 
Trade in Services was made following consultations by the Chairman of the General Council, he had 
already been considering possible names in informal  contacts with delegations, including coordinators 
of regional and other grou pings in the WTO.  He was pleased to report that these consultations had 
resulted in a consensus on the name of Mr Major (Hungary) to serve as the Services Council Chair for 
the remainder of the one-year term.   
 
 The Council took note of this information.  
13. Election of Chairperson (WT/GC/M/101) 
 At the General Council meeting on 8 February 2006
, the Chairman, as the outgoing presiding 
officer of the General Council, made a brief statement. 
  The General Council then unanimously elected Mr Eirik Glenne (Norway) to the Chair. 
 WT/GC/W/573 
Page 22  
 
   The representatives of Kenya, European Comm unities, United States, Antigua and Barbuda 
(also on behalf of Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Jamaica, St. Kitts an Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Trinidad and Tobago), Braz il (on behalf of GRULAC), Egypt (on behalf of 
the African Group), Jordan (on behalf of the Ar ab Group), Mauritius (on behalf of the ACP Group), 
Paraguay (on behalf of the Informal Group of De veloping Countries), Romania (on behalf of the 
CEFTA-plus Members), Thailand (on behalf of th e ASEAN Members), Zambia (on behalf of the 
LDCs), Saudi Arabia, Korea and Uganda, and the Di rector-General and the newly-elected Chairman 
spoke.   The General Council took note of the statements. 
 
__________