WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/L/857 
6 October 2008 
 (08-4732) 
  
  
 
REPORT (2008) OF THE WORKING PARTY ON 
STATE TRADING ENTERPRISES  
 
 
I. ORGANIZATION OF THE WORK OF THE WORKING PARTY 
1. The Working Party on State Trading Enterprises was established by the Council for Trade in 
Goods at its meeting of 20 February 1995, pursu ant to paragraph 5 of the Understanding on the 
Interpretation of Article XVII of the General Agre ement on Tariffs and Trade 1994 (hereinafter "the 
Understanding").  Membership of the Working Party is open to all Members indicating their wish to 
serve on it.  Observer governments in the General Council of the WTO have observer status in the 
Working Party.  During the period under review (8 October 2007 – 3 October 2008), 
Mr. Pornvit SILA-ON (Thailand) assumed the Chairpersonship of the Working Party and was succeeded by Mrs. Virag DANI HALGAND (Hungary) who was appointed by the Council for Trade in Goods at its meeting on 8 April  2008 to assu me the Chairpersonship for the year 2008-2009.   
2. The mandate of the Working Party, as set out in paragraph 5 of the Understanding, is:  (i) to 
review notifications and counter-no tifications on state trading;  (ii) to review, in the light of the 
notifications received, the adequacy of the qu estionnaire on state trading (BISD 9S/184) and the 
coverage of state trading enterprises notified under paragraph 1 of the Unders tanding;  and (iii) to 
develop an illustrative list showing the kinds of relationships between governments and enterprises, 
and the kinds of activities engaged in by these enterp rises, which may be relevant for the purposes of 
Article XVII of the GATT 1994.  Regarding the revi ew of notifications, the Working Party having 
completed the mandated revision of the questionnaire on state trading, now reviews notifications in 
light of the questionnaire adopted on 2 April 1998 (G/STR/3) and revised on 14 November 2003 
(G/STR/3/Rev.1).  Regarding the Illustrative List of State Trading Relationships and Activities, the 
Working Party completed its mandate with the ad option of the illustrative list by the Council for 
Trade in Goods on 15 October 1999 (G/STR/4).   
3. This Report is submitted under para graph 5 of the Understanding.  It sets out the activities of 
the Working Party during the period under review.   
4. Participants in the Working Party's meetings to date are:  Argentina;  Australia;  Bangladesh;  
Brazil;  Brunei Darussalam;  Burundi;  Canada;  Ch ile;  China;  Colombia;  Costa Rica;  Cuba;  
Ecuador;  Egypt;  El Salvador;  European Communities
1;  Guatemala;  Haiti;  Honduras;  Hong Kong, 
China;  Iceland;  India;  Indonesia;  Israel;  Jamaic a;  Japan;  Jordan;  Kenya;   Korea;  Macao, China;  
Malaysia;  Malta;  Mauritius;  Mexico;  Morocco;   New Zealand;  Norway;  Oman;  Pakistan;  
Paraguay;  Peru;  Philippines;  Saudi Arabia;  Singapo re;  South Africa;  Switzerland;  Chinese Taipei;  
Thailand;  Trinidad and Tobago;  Tunisia;  Turkey;  Ukraine;  United States;  Uruguay;  Venezuela;  
Vietnam;  Zambia and Zimbabwe.  Ethiopia;  Iran;   Russian Federation and Sudan participated as 
observers.   
                                                      
1 The European Communities and its 27 Me mber States are counted as one.   G/L/857 
Page 2  
 
  5. Following the regular meeting held on 8 Octobe r 2007, the Working Party held one regular 
meeting during the period under review.  The meet ing was held on 3 October 2008.  The minutes of 
the regular meeting held on 3 October 2008 will be circulated in document G/STR/M/18.   
6. The next regular meeting of the Working Party will be held on 16 October 2009.   
II. NOTIFICATION AND REVIEW OF MEMBERS' STATE TRADING ACTIVITIES 
7. Article XVII:4 of GATT 1994, and paragraph 1 of the Understanding require Members to 
notify their state trading enterprises to the Counc il for Trade in Goods. New and full notifications 
were first required in 1995 and, subsequently, ever y third year thereafter, while updating notifications 
were to be made in the intervening years, i ndicating any changes since the last new and full 
notification.  On 11 November 2003, the Worki ng Party adopted the recommendation contained in 
document G/STR/5 regarding the frequency of notif ications.  The said recommendation, approved by 
the Council for Trade in Goods on 26 November 2003, modified the periodicity of state trading notifications so that new and full notifications on state trading are due every two years instead of 
every three years and the requirement of updating notifi cations in the intervening years is eliminated.   
8. An updating notification for 2003
2 was received from one Member.  New and full 
notifications were receiv ed from 2 Members for 20043, from 2 Members for 20064 and from 
13 Members for 20085.  (See Annex to this Report).   
9. At its regular meeting of 3 October 2008, th e Working Party reviewed 18 notifications:  
2008 new and full notifications of Argentina;  Ar menia;  Australia;  Chile;  Hong Kong, China;  
Macao China;  Singapore;  Chinese Taipei;  Thai land;  Turkey;  Ukraine;  United States;  and 
Zimbabwe, 2004 and 2006 new and full notificati ons of Switzerland and Trinidad and Tobago, 
2003 updating notification of Latvia.  At that regular meeting, the Working Party also adopted its 
Annual Report to the Council for Trade in Goods for the year 2008.   
10. At that meeting of the Working Party, Japa n posed questions regarding Australia's 2008 new 
and full notification contained in document G/ STR/N/12/AUS, the United States posed questions 
regarding Thailand's and Zimbabwe's 2008 new a nd full notifications contained in documents 
G/STR/N/12/THA and G/STR/N/12/ZWE respectively, and the European Communities made a 
comment regarding the 2008 new and full notif ication of Ukraine contained in document 
G/STR/N/12/UKR.   
III. COMPLIANCE WITH THE NOTIFICATION OBLIGATION 
11. With respect to the status of compliance with  the notification obligation, the Chairperson, 
supported by Australia, expressed grave concern about the deteriorating state of affairs pertaining to 
this issue.  She drew Members' attention to the importance of prompt compliance with the notification 
obligation which became far less burdensome after the modification of the periodicity of state trading 
notifications and sincerely hoped that the extensi on of the application of the recommendation on the 
frequency of notifications for a further period of time would bring about some tangible improvement 
and a higher degree of compliance with the notifi cation obligation.  She also conducted a discussion 
on possible options for enhancing compliance with the notification obligation.  In this respect, 
                                                      
2 The European Communities and its then 15 Member States are counted as one.   
3 As Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, H ungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, the 
Slovak Republic and Slovenia becam e European Communities' Member St ates on 1 May 2004, they were 
counted separately and not as part of the European Co mmunities, for the period 2003-2004, in order to reflect 
their previous notification obligation.   
4 The European Communities and its then 25 Member States are counted as one.   
5 The European Communities and its 27 Me mber States are counted as one.    G/L/857 
 Page 3 
 
 
  Members indicated the need to reflect further on th e reasons and possible options and agreed to hold 
further informal consultations on the matter.   
12. On the issue of the "Frequency of Notifications", the new frequency of notifications as 
contained in G/STR/5 was to be implemented fo r a trial phase of four years, commencing on 
30 June 2004.  Paragraph 4 of the recommendation di rects the Working Party to  review the situation 
with regard to compliance with the new notification ob ligation at the end of the four year trial phase.  
The objective of this review was to determin e whether to extend the application of the 
recommendation, either as presently drafted or in a modi fied form, for a further period.  To this end, 
the Working Party held informal consultations on 9 May 2008 in order to explore the Membership's 
views in this respect.  The debate focused on whether the modification of the frequency of the 
notifications has improved Members' compliance with the notification obligation, whether the 
application of that recommendation should be extended  for a further specified period or indefinitely 
and whether such extension should be made on the basis of the substance of the recommendation as 
presently drafted or in a modified form.  The Working Party observed that as the period of the 
application of the current recommendation was too short to obtain the necessary clarity as to whether 
the frequency of notifications applied as of the year 2004 has improved the compliance with the 
notifications obligation, the Working Party has c oncluded that it would be desirable to extend the 
application of this recommendation for two additio nal years until 30 June 2010.  Accordingly, the 
Working Party adopted a draft recommendation to this  effect at its regular meeting on 3 October 2008 
and referred it to the Council for Trade in Goods for action.   
_______________ 
 
 
 G/L/857 
Page 4  
 
   
ANNEX 
 
NOTIFICATIONS SUBMITTED BY WTO MEMBERS UNDER 
ARTICLE XVII:4(A) OF THE GATT 1994 AND PARAGRAPH 1 OF THE 
UNDERSTANDING ON THE INTE RPRETATION OF ARTICLE XVII OF THE GATT 1994 
 
Status as of 3 October 2008
6 
 
 
Member Updating 
Notification 
(2003) 
G/STR/N/9 New and Full 
Notification 
(2004) 
G/STR/N/10 New and Full 
Notification 
(2006) 
G/STR/N/11 New and Full 
Notification 
(2008) 
G/STR/N/12 
Albania  X   
Angola     
Antigua and 
Barbuda     
Argentina X X X X 
Armenia  X X X 
Australia X X X X 
Bahrain     
Bangladesh     
Barbados     
Belize     
Benin     
Bolivarian Republic 
of  Venezuela     
Bolivia     
Botswana     
Brazil     
Brunei Darussalam     
Bulgaria7§  X   
Burkina Faso     
Burundi     
Cambodia n.a.    
Cameroon     
                                                      
6 An "X" indicates that a notificati on has been made.  An "n.a." indicates that the notification obligation 
did not apply to the country in question as it was not a WTO Member at the time (a copy of document 
WT/INF/43/Rev.10 listing all WTO Members, together with the effective dates of their membership is attached).  An § indicates that the country in question is currently  a Member of  the European Communities.  The shaded 
boxes indicate that the corresponding notification was submitted by the European Communities.   
7 As this Member became a Europ ean Communities' Member State on 1 January 2007, it will appear on 
this table separately and not as part of the European Communities, for the period 2003-2006, in order to reflect 
its previous notification obligation.    G/L/857 
 Page 5 
 
 
  Member Updating 
Notification 
(2003) 
G/STR/N/9 New and Full 
Notification 
(2004) 
G/STR/N/10 New and Full 
Notification 
(2006) 
G/STR/N/11 New and Full 
Notification 
(2008) 
G/STR/N/12 
Canada X X X  
Cape Verde n.a. n.a. n.a.  
Central African 
Republic     
Chad     
Chile X X X X 
China  X    
Colombia X X X  
Congo     
Costa Rica     
Côte d'Ivoire     
Croatia X X   
Cuba     
Cyprus8§ X    
Czech Republic9§ X X   
Democratic 
Republic of the 
Congo     
Djibouti     
Dominica     
Dominican 
Republic     
Ecuador     
Egypt     
El Salvador     
Estonia10§ X    
European 
Communities X X X  
Fiji     
                                                      
8 As this Member became a Europ ean Communities' Member State on  1 May 2004, it will appear on 
this table separately and not as part of the European Communities, for the period 2003-2004, in order to reflect 
its previous notification obligation.   
9 As this Member became a Europ ean Communities' Member State on  1 May 2004, it will appear on 
this table separately and not as part of the European Communities, for the period 2003-2004, in order to reflect 
its previous notification obligation.   
10 As this Member became a Europ ean Communities' Member State on 1 May 2004, it will appear on 
this table separately and not as part of the European Communities, for the period 2003-2004, in order to reflect 
its previous notification obligation.   G/L/857 
Page 6  
 
  Member Updating 
Notification 
(2003) 
G/STR/N/9 New and Full 
Notification 
(2004) 
G/STR/N/10 New and Full 
Notification 
(2006) 
G/STR/N/11 New and Full 
Notification 
(2008) 
G/STR/N/12 
Gabon     
The Gambia     
Georgia     
Ghana  X   
Grenada     
Guatemala     
Guinea, Republic of  X    
Guinea Bissau     
Guyana     
Haiti     
Honduras     
Hong Kong, China X X X X 
Hungary11§ X    
Iceland     
India     
Indonesia  X   
Israel     
Jamaica     
Japan  X X  
Jordan X    
Kenya   X  
Korea, Republic of     
Kuwait     
Kyrgyz Republic     
Latvia12§ X X   
Lesotho     
Liechtenstein X X   
Lithuania13§     
Macao, China X X X X 
                                                      
11 As this Member became a Europ ean Communities' Member State on 1 May 2004, it will appear on 
this table separately and not as part of the European Communities, for the period 2003-2004, in order to reflect 
its previous notification obligation.   
12 As this Member became a Europ ean Communities' Member State on 1 May 2004, it will appear on 
this table separately and not as part of the European Communities, for the period 2003-2004, in order to reflect 
its previous notification obligation.   
13 As this Member became a Europ ean Communities' Member State on 1 May 2004, it will appear on 
this table separately and not as part of the European Communities, for the period 2003-2004, in order to reflect 
its previous notification obligation.    G/L/857 
 Page 7 
 
 
  Member Updating 
Notification 
(2003) 
G/STR/N/9 New and Full 
Notification 
(2004) 
G/STR/N/10 New and Full 
Notification 
(2006) 
G/STR/N/11 New and Full 
Notification 
(2008) 
G/STR/N/12 
Malawi     
Malaysia     
Maldives     
Mali     
Malta14§     
Mauritania     
Mauritius     
Mexico     
Moldova X X X  
Mongolia     
Morocco     
Mozambique     
Myanmar     
Namibia     
Nepal n.a.    
New Zealand  X   
Nicaragua     
Niger     
Nigeria     
Norway     
Oman X    
Pakistan X    
Panama X X   
Papua New Guinea     
Paraguay     
Peru X X   
Philippines     
Poland15§ X    
Qatar  X X  
                                                      
14 As this Member became a Europ ean Communities' Member State on 1 May 2004, it will appear on 
this table separately and not as part of the European Communities, for the period 2003-2004, in order to reflect 
its previous notification obligation.   
15 As this Member became a Europ ean Communities' Member State on 1 May 2004, it will appear on 
this table separately and not as part of the European Communities, for the period 2003-2004, in order to reflect 
its previous notification obligation.   G/L/857 
Page 8  
 
  Member Updating 
Notification 
(2003) 
G/STR/N/9 New and Full 
Notification 
(2004) 
G/STR/N/10 New and Full 
Notification 
(2006) 
G/STR/N/11 New and Full 
Notification 
(2008) 
G/STR/N/12 
Romania16§ X X X  
Saint Kitts & Nevis     
Saint Lucia     
Saint Vincent & 
Grenadines     
Saudi Arabia  n.a. n.a. X  
Senegal     
Sierra Leone     
Singapore X X X x 
Slovak Republic17§ X    
Slovenia18§ X    
Solomon Islands     
South Africa     
Sri Lanka     
Suriname  X   
Swaziland     
Switzerland X X X  
Separate Customs 
Territory of 
Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu X X X X 
Tanzania     
Thailand X X X X 
Tonga n.a. n.a. n.a.  
Togo     
Trinidad & Tobago  X X  
Tunisia X X   
Turkey   X X 
Uganda  X   
Ukraine n.a. n.a. n.a. X 
                                                      
16 As this Member became a Europ ean Communities' Member State on  1 January 2007, it will appear 
on this table separately and not as part of the European Communities, for the period 2003-2006, in order to 
reflect its previous notification obligation.   
17 As this Member became a Europ ean Communities' Member State on 1 May 2004, it will appear on 
this table separately and not as part of the European Communities, for the period 2003-2004, in order to reflect 
its previous notification obligation.   
18 As this Member became a Europ ean Communities' Member State on 1 May 2004, it will appear on 
this table separately and not as part of the European Communities, for the period 2003-2004, in order to reflect 
its previous notification obligation.    G/L/857 
 Page 9 
 
 
  Member Updating 
Notification 
(2003) 
G/STR/N/9 New and Full 
Notification 
(2004) 
G/STR/N/10 New and Full 
Notification 
(2006) 
G/STR/N/11 New and Full 
Notification 
(2008) 
G/STR/N/12 
United States X X X X 
Uruguay     
Vietnam n.a. n.a. n.a.  
Zambia X X X  
Zimbabwe   X X 
Number of  
Notifying 
Members/Total 
Number of Members
19 34/131 35/133 24/124 13/126 
 
  
 
    
                                                     
 
19 The numerator and denominator used for the years 2003-2004 reflect the fact that, for each 
notification obligation, the European Communities submits  a single notification that covers all its then 
15 Member States.  As Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, the 
Slovak Republic and Slovenia became European Commun ities' Member States on 1 May 2004, they were 
counted separately in this table and not as part of the European Communities, for the period 2003-2004, in order 
to reflect their previous notification obligation.  The numerator and the denominator used for the year 2006 
reflect that the European Communities and its then 25 Member States are counted as one, while the numerator 
and the denominator used for the year 2008 reflect that the European Communities and its 27 Member States are 
counted as one.  The total number of Members of the World Trade Organization is currently 153.   G/L/857 
Page 10  
 
   
 
 
WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  WT/INF/43/Rev.10 
18 July 2008 
 (08-3490) 
  
 
 
MEMBERSHIP OF THE WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION 
 
Revision  
 
  Upon the accession of Cap Verde, on 23 July 2008, the number of Members of the World Trade 
Organization will have reached 153.  The following is the list of Members, together with the effective 
dates of their membership:  Government
 Entry into Force / 
  Membership  
 
Albania ....................................................................................................................... ........8 September 2000 
Angola ........................................................................................................................ ..... 23 November 1996 
Antigua and Barbuda ............................................................................................................ ..1 January 1995 
Argentina...................................................................................................................... ...........1 January 1995 
Armenia........................................................................................................................ .........5 February 2003 
Australia ...................................................................................................................... ............1 January 1995 
Austria ....................................................................................................................... .............1 January 1995 
Bahrain , Kingdom of........................................................................................................... ...1 January 1995 
Bangladesh ..................................................................................................................... .........1 January 1995 
Barbados....................................................................................................................... ...........1 January 1995 
Belgium ........................................................................................................................ ...........1 January 1995 
Belize ........................................................................................................................ ............1 January 1995 
Benin ......................................................................................................................... .......22 February 1996 
Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela..........................................................................................1 Jan uary 1995 
Bolivia ....................................................................................................................... ......12 September 1995 
Botswana ....................................................................................................................... .............31 May 1995 
Brazil ........................................................................................................................ ............1 January 1995 
Brunei Darussalam.............................................................................................................. ....1 January 1995 
Bulgaria ....................................................................................................................... ........1 December 1996 
Burkina Faso ................................................................................................................... .............3 June 1995 
Burundi ....................................................................................................................... .................23 July 1995 
Cambodia ....................................................................................................................... ...... 13 October 2004 
Cameroon ....................................................................................................................... ...13 December 1995 
Canada ........................................................................................................................ ............1 January 1995 
Cap Verde...................................................................................................................... ..............23 July 2008 
Central African Republic ....................................................................................................... ....31 May 1995 
Chad .......................................................................................................................... ....... 19 October 1996 
Chile ......................................................................................................................... ...........1 January 1995 
China ......................................................................................................................... .....11 December 2001  G/L/857 
 Page 11 
 
 
  Government  Entry into Force / 
  Membership  
 Colombia ....................................................................................................................... ............30 April 1995 
Congo ......................................................................................................................... ...........27 March 1997 
Costa Rica ..................................................................................................................... ..........1 January 1995 
Côte d'Ivoire .................................................................................................................. ..........1 January 1995 
Croatia ....................................................................................................................... ...... 30 November 2000 
Cuba .......................................................................................................................... ............20 April 1995 
Cyprus ........................................................................................................................ ................30 July 1995 
Czech Republic ................................................................................................................. ......1 January 1995 
Democratic Republic of the Congo ........................................................................................1 Janua ry 1997 
Denmark ........................................................................................................................ ..........1 January 1995 
Djibouti ...................................................................................................................... .................31 May 1995 
Dominica ....................................................................................................................... ..........1 January 1995 
Dominican Republic ............................................................................................................. ....9 March 1995 
Ecuador ....................................................................................................................... ...........21 January 1996 
Egypt ......................................................................................................................... ..............30 June 1995 
El Salvador .................................................................................................................... ...............7 May 1995 
Estonia ....................................................................................................................... ...... 13 November 1999 
European Communities........................................................................................................... 1 January 1995 
Fiji .......................................................................................................................... ........14 January 1996 
Finland ....................................................................................................................... .............1 January 1995 
Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia .................................................................................4 April 2 003 
France ........................................................................................................................ ............1 January 1995 
Gabon ......................................................................................................................... ...........1 January 1995 
The Gambia..................................................................................................................... ..... 23 October 1996 
Georgia ....................................................................................................................... ................14 June 2000 
Germany ........................................................................................................................ ..........1 January 1995 
Ghana ......................................................................................................................... ...........1 January 1995 
Greece ........................................................................................................................ ............1 January 1995 
Grenada ........................................................................................................................ .......22 February 1996 
Guatemala...................................................................................................................... ..............21 July 1995 
Guinea ........................................................................................................................ ......... 25 October 1995 
Guinea Bissau.................................................................................................................. ...........31 May 1995 
Guyana ........................................................................................................................ ............1 January 1995 
Haiti ......................................................................................................................... .........30 January 1996 
Honduras ....................................................................................................................... ..........1 January 1995 
Hong Kong, China ............................................................................................................... ...1 January 1995 
Hungary........................................................................................................................ ...........1 January 1995 
Iceland ....................................................................................................................... .............1 January 1995 
India ......................................................................................................................... ...........1 January 1995 
Indonesia ...................................................................................................................... ...........1 January 1995 
Ireland ....................................................................................................................... .............1 January 1995 
Israel ........................................................................................................................ ..............21 April 1995 
Italy ......................................................................................................................... ...........1 January 1995 
Jamaica ....................................................................................................................... ...............9 March 1995 
Japan ......................................................................................................................... ...........1 January 1995 
Jordan ........................................................................................................................ ..............11 April 2000 
Kenya ......................................................................................................................... ...........1 January 1995 
Korea, Republic of ............................................................................................................. .....1 January 1995 
Kuwait ........................................................................................................................ ............1 January 1995 
Kyrgyz Republic ...............................................................................................................2
0 December 1998 G/L/857 
Page 12  
 
  Government
 Entry into Force / 
  Membership  
 Latvia ........................................................................................................................ ........10 February 1999 
Lesotho ....................................................................................................................... ................31 May 1995 
Liechtenstein .................................................................................................................. ....1 September 1995 
Lithuania...................................................................................................................... ...............31 May 2001 
Luxembourg ..................................................................................................................... .......1 January 1995 
Macao, China ................................................................................................................... .......1 January 1995 
Madagascar ..................................................................................................................... . 17 November 1995 
Malawi ........................................................................................................................ ...............31 May 1995 
Malaysia ....................................................................................................................... ...........1 January 1995 
Maldives ....................................................................................................................... ..............31 May 1995 
Mali .......................................................................................................................... .............31 May 1995 
Malta ......................................................................................................................... ...........1 January 1995 
Mauritania ..................................................................................................................... .............31 May 1995 
Mauritius ...................................................................................................................... ...........1 January 1995 
Mexico ........................................................................................................................ ............1 January 1995 
Moldova ........................................................................................................................ ..............26 July 2001 
Mongolia ....................................................................................................................... ........29 January 1997 
Morocco ........................................................................................................................ ..........1 January 1995 
Mozambique..................................................................................................................... ......26 August 1995 
Myanmar ........................................................................................................................ .........1 January 1995 
Namibia ........................................................................................................................ ...........1 January 1995 
Nepal ......................................................................................................................... .............23 April 2004 
Netherlands -  For the Kingdom ............................................................................................1 Ja nuary 1995 
  in Europe and for the  
  Netherlands Antilles New Zealand .................................................................................................................... .......1 January 1995 
Nicaragua ...................................................................................................................... .....3 September 1995 
Niger ......................................................................................................................... .....13 December 1996 
Nigeria ....................................................................................................................... .............1 January 1995 
Norway ........................................................................................................................ ............1 January 1995 
Oman .......................................................................................................................... ..... 9 November 2000 
Pakistan ....................................................................................................................... ............1 January 1995 
Panama ........................................................................................................................ .......6 September 1997 
Papua New Guinea............................................................................................................... ........9 June 1996 
Paraguay ....................................................................................................................... ...........1 January 1995 
Peru .......................................................................................................................... ..........1 January 1995 
Philippines.................................................................................................................... ...........1 January 1995 
Poland ........................................................................................................................ ..................1 July 1995 
Portugal ....................................................................................................................... ............1 January 1995 
Qatar ......................................................................................................................... .........13 January 1996 
Romania ........................................................................................................................ ..........1 January 1995 
Rwanda ........................................................................................................................ ...............22 May 1996 
Saint Kitts and Nevis .......................................................................................................... 21 February 1996 
Saint Lucia.................................................................................................................... ...........1 January 1995 
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines ..........................................................................................1 Jan uary 1995 
Saudi Arabia................................................................................................................... ...11 December 2005 
Senegal ....................................................................................................................... .............1 January 1995 
Sierra Leone ................................................................................................................... .............23 July 1995 
Singapore...................................................................................................................... ...........1 January 1995 
Slovak Republic ................................................................................................................ ......1 January 1995  G/L/857 
 Page 13 
 
 
  Government  Entry into Force / 
  Membership  
 Slovenia....................................................................................................................... ................30 July 1995 
Solomon Islands................................................................................................................ ..........26 July 1996 
South Africa ................................................................................................................... .........1 January 1995 
Spain ......................................................................................................................... ...........1 January 1995 
Sri Lanka ...................................................................................................................... ...........1 January 1995 
Suriname....................................................................................................................... ...........1 January 1995 
Swaziland ...................................................................................................................... ..........1 January 1995 
Sweden ........................................................................................................................ ............1 January 1995 
Switzerland.................................................................................................................... ................1 July 1995 
Chinese Taipei................................................................................................................. ....... 1 January 2002 
Tanzania ....................................................................................................................... ...........1 January 1995 
Thailand....................................................................................................................... ............1 January 1995 
Togo .......................................................................................................................... .............31 May 1995 
Tonga ......................................................................................................................... ...............27 July 2007 
Trinidad and Tobago............................................................................................................ .....1 March 1995 
Tunisia ....................................................................................................................... .............29 March 1995 
Turkey ........................................................................................................................ ............26 March 1995 
Uganda ........................................................................................................................ ............1 January 1995 
Ukraine ....................................................................................................................... ................16 May 2008 
United Arab  Emirates ........................................................................................................... ....10 April 1996 
United Kingdom................................................................................................................. .....1 January 1995 
United States of America....................................................................................................... .1 January 1995 
Uruguay........................................................................................................................ ...........1 January 1995 
Viet Nam ....................................................................................................................... ........11 January 2007 
Zambia ........................................................................................................................ ............1 January 1995 
Zimbabwe....................................................................................................................... ...........5 March 1995 
   
 
 
__________