. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  WT/TPR/247  
14 October 2009 
 (09-4870) 
Trade Policy Review Body  
  
 
TRADE POLICY REVIEW MECHANISM 
 
SOUTHERN AFRICAN CUSTOMS UNION 
 
Arrangements for Review Meeting
 
 
Communication from the Chairperson of the Trade Policy Review Body  
  1. In pursuance of Article IV, paragraph 4 and Annex 3 of the WTO Agreement, a meeting of 
the Trade Policy Review Body is scheduled for 4 an d 6 November 2009 to conduct the third review of 
the trade policies and practices of the Southern African Customs Union (WTO/AIR/3425).  
2. This communication sets out arrangements c oncerning the review meeting.  In this 
connection, attention is also drawn to the procedur es for the conduct of reviews contained in the rules 
of procedure of the Trade Policy Review Body (WT/TPR/6/Rev.2). 
I. QUESTIONS IN WRITING IN ADVANCE OF THE MEETING AND MAIN POINTS 
3. Members wishing to submit written questions to the Members under review should do so at 
least two weeks before the review meeting to allow replies to be prepared in  time for the first session 
of the meeting.  For the forthcoming review, su ch questions should therefore be with the Trade 
Policies Review Division of the Secretariat (tprd@ wto.org) by 5.30 pm, Wednesday 21 October 2009, 
at the latest.  All questions submitted will be made  available to Members at the beginning of the 
meeting. 
4. The Secretariat shall identify the main points contained in the questions submitted at least 
two weeks before a review meeting, post them on the Members' Website one week before the 
meeting, and distribute a revised list of main points during the first session of a review when 
questions received after the two-week deadline give rise to significantly new issues.  The main points 
may be found on the Members' Website under "WTO Resources". 
II. ANSWERS IN WRITING BY THE MEMBERS UNDER REVIEW 
5. Answers by the Members under review should be distributed in writing;  advance questions 
submitted by the two-week deadline before the star t of the TPRB review should be answered in 
writing by the Members under review by the start of  the meeting.  Questions posed subsequently 
should be answered, to the extent possible, before  the start of the second session of the meeting.  
Questions left unanswered at the end of the second session should be answered in writing no later than 
one month after the meeting with some latitude in  the Chair's discretion for Members reviewing a 
very large number of questions. 
6. In the course of the discussions at the re view meeting, the Members under review may 
indicate that they intend to provide supplementary in formation, in writing, on specific points raised.  
Upon receipt, the Secretariat will circulate a documen t containing this information to all Members. WT/TPR/247 
Page 2  
 
  III. DISCUSSANT 
7. In consultation with the Members under review, the Chairperson of the Trade Policy Review 
Body may choose discussants who, in their pers onal capacity, will introduce the discussions in the 
Body.  H.E. Mr. Yonov Frederick Agah  (Nigeria) will act as discussant for the review of the 
Southern African Customs Union. 
IV. STRUCTURE OF THE MEETING 
8. Trade policy reviews cover four broad headings: 
(a) appreciation of the full range of the Member's trade policies and practices; 
(b) relevant background:  wider economic a nd developmental needs, including the 
external environment; 
(c) impact of the Member's trade policies and practices on the functioning of the 
multilateral trading system;  and 
(d) general comments by way of assessment and evaluation. 
9. Meetings take place in two sessions.  The first session is devoted to the opening statements by 
the Members under review and the discussant, an d remarks and questions from the floor.  The 
discussion in the second session, when the Members unde r review will reply to questions, is based on 
main themes identified after the opening meeti ng by the Chairperson, the discussant and the 
Secretariat in consultation with the Members. 
V. DOCUMENTATION AND PRESS ARRANGEMENTS 
10. Reports by the Members under review and the Secretariat are contained in the following 
documents: 
WT/TPR/G/222  Reports by the members of the Southern African Customs Union 
WT/TPR/S/222  Southern African Customs Union:  Report by the Secretariat 
11. The press embargo for the review of the Southern African Customs Union will end at 
6.00 p.m. Geneva time on 4 November 2009. 
VI. RECORD OF THE MEETING 
12. The record of the meeting will be circulated as a draft to Members for comments on their own 
statements and placed on the WTO website. 
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