RESTRICTED  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  WT/BFA/SPEC/136 
25 October 2005 
 
 (05-4936) 
Committee on Budget, Finance and Administration  
  
 
 
 
   
 
  
2006-2007 
 
 
 
DIVISIONAL OBJECTIVES 
  
 WT/BFA/SPEC/136 
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 Table of Contents  
Page  
 
Accessions Division ............................................................................................................ ....................4  
Administration and General Services Sivision ................................................................................... .6 
Agriculture and Co mmodities Division........................................................................................... .....8 
Council and TNC Division ....................................................................................................... ...........12  
Development .................................................................................................................... .....................14  
Economic Research and Statistics ............................................................................................... .......17  
External Relations Division.................................................................................................... .............22  
Human Resou rces Division ....................................................................................................... ..........25  
Informatics Division........................................................................................................... ..................28  
Information and Media Relations Division ....................................................................................... 30 
Institute for Training and Technical Cooperation Division.............................................................33  
Intellectual Property Division................................................................................................. ............35  
Language Services and Documentation Division ..............................................................................39  
Legal Affairs Division ......................................................................................................... .................42  
Market Access Division ......................................................................................................... ..............44  
Rules Division................................................................................................................. ......................50  
Technical Cooperation Audit Division........................................................................................... ....53  
Trade and Environment Division ................................................................................................. ......55  
Trade and Finance Division ..................................................................................................... ...........58  
Trade in Serv ices Division..................................................................................................... ..............60  
Trade Policies Review Division................................................................................................. ..........63  
Appellate Body ................................................................................................................. ....................65  
 WT/BFA/SPEC/136 
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 Accessions Division
 
 
 
Staffing 
 
Director 1 
Other Staff 7.4 
 
 
_______________ 
 
 
Objectives and Work Programme for 2006-2007  
 
Objectives  
• Pursue, facilitate and manage bilateral and multilateral negotia tions between WTO Members and 
acceding governments in the process of accession to the WTO. 
• Encourage the integration of acceding governments into the multilateral trading system through 
the effective liberalisation of all aspects of their trade regimes in goods and services;  and 
•  Act as a focal point in the overall efforts of WTO Members to achieve an open, liberal and WTO 
conforming multilateral trading system with an expanded membership.  
 
Background  
There are presently 30 Accession Working Parties in operation, at different stages in the process.  
Many of these are of substantially sized economies, such as Algeria, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russian 
Federation, Ukraine and Viet Nam.  Many are LD C or small economies (Afghanistan, Bhutan, Cape 
Verde, Ethiopia, Lao PDR, Samoa, Sao Tome an d Principe, Tonga and Sudan.  One request for 
accession is pending action by the General Council (Syria).   
Main Activities  
• Facilitation of the work of accession Working Parti es, including the preparation of Working Party 
Reports and Schedules on Goods and Services, and assistance in bilateral and multilateral 
negotiations between WTO Members and acceding governments. 
• Technical assistance to all acceding governments at various stages - during the fact finding phase, 
in preparing implementing legislation, through to th e finalization of market access negotiations in 
goods, agriculture and services. 
 
Expected Results  
• 2006-2007 will continue to be a busy period for Accessions.  A number of accessions negotiations 
are likely to be concluded or brought to the final stages, requiring special efforts by the Division, (such as Algeria, Kazakhstan, Lebanon, Monteneg ro, Russian Federation, Ukraine, Vietnam).  
Several LDC and small-economy accessions likely to join the WTO by the end of this biennium 
include Bhutan, Cape Verde, Samoa, Tonga and Yemen.  
• Several important accessions will be further acceler ated and work intensified in that period 
(including Azerbaijan, Iran, Ira q, Serbia, Uzbekistan).   WT/BFA/SPEC/136 
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 • The Division also expects accessions such as Ba hamas, Bhutan, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Sudan 
to be intensified. 
• We expect to schedule 3 to 4 working Party meetings per month during 2006-2007 
 
Estimate of work hours per year allocated to technical assistance activities : 
 
- by staff funded from the regular budget: 
 
 All work related to accessions incorporates cons iderable elements of technical assistance, 
both in terms of detailed issues of a technical  nature and policy guidance to the acceding 
governments. 
 
- by staff funded from trust funds: 
 
  The fast-track Grade 7 position significantly enhances the Division's capacity for technical 
assistance and training activities 
 
 WT/BFA/SPEC/136 
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 Administration And General Services Division
 
 
 
Staffing 
 
Director 1 
Other Staff 77 
 
 
_______________ 
 
 
Objectives and Work Programme for 2006-2007  
 
Objectives  
• In accordance with the WTO Financial Rules and Re gulations and in compliance with the WTO Staff 
Rules and Regulations ensure: 
• That adequate systems and controls are in place to record, monitor and report on all financial 
engagements of the organization, and that these systems do not hi nder the application of all the 
requirements under these Financia l Rules and Regulations.  
• That existing administrative requirements allo w for the smooth and appr opriate application of 
the rules and regulations of the Organization. 
• All necessary controls are implemented to  safeguard all the Organization's assets. 
• Provide information to Senior Management to ensure the smooth and efficient functioning of the 
Organization. 
• Ensure the smooth administrative functioning of the Committee on Budget, Finance and 
Administration. 
• Ensure that the WTO premises reflect an appropriate work environment and that the security and 
safety standards are observed to ensure the well-being of the staff , delegates and visitors alike. 
• Monitor/control and report on all Extra-budgetary Funds and provide timely information to donors. 
• Assure administrative and logistical support for the coordination of the national and technical 
assistance activities. 
• Ensure the smooth planning and construction of the new Annexe of the WTO (WTOII). 
 
Background  
The Administration and General Servi ces Division is divided into: i) Budget and Control Section, ii) 
Finance and Accounts Section, iii) Infrastructure Secti on , (v) Security and Safety Section.  The Division 
is responsible for (i) providing the financial services of the Organization, including budget preparation 
and control, accounting, and payroll, (ii)  handling logi stical issues related to the physical facilities, (iii) 
organizing missions and other travel arrangements and iv) ensuring that appropriate safety and security WT/BFA/SPEC/136 
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 measures are implemented.  It also serves the Committee on Budget, Finance and Administration.  These 
functions apply equally to the WTO Secretariat as well as the Appellate Body and its Secretariat.    
Main Activities  
• In particular, the Division has the following tasks : 
• Record promptly all receipts of cash and contributions from Members, Observers and 
donors. 
• Effectively control and authorize all expenditu re, payroll and disbursements, ensuring that 
they are appropriately authorised and that , where applicable, tendering is applied. 
• Ensure that extra-budgetary funds are administer ed, to the appropriate extent, in the same 
manner as regular funds. 
• Organize the meetings of the Committee on Budget, Finance and Administration each year, 
and prepare the agenda and relate d documents to be distributed. 
• Coordinate and provide necessary administrativ e and logistical support for the national and 
regional technical assistance activities to be in cluded in the technical assistance plan for 
2006. 
• Provide and maintain appropriate infrastructur e with respect to premises, communications, 
supplies, furniture and utilities to ensure th e well-being of all persons in the buildings. 
• Supervise the implementation of the Security  Enhancement Programme in accordance with 
the plan approved in December 2004. 
• Within the context of Ministerial Conference s, coordinate all the necessary services and 
provide the appropriate support to the host country and to the WTO Secretariat. 
• Ensure the smooth planning of the new WTO An nexe (WTO II) and supervise the planning 
and construction phase. 
• Support and co-operate with the external aud itors in the exercise of their functions.  
Expected Results  
• Positive cash funding through the years. 
• Prompt payment of all invoices, payrolls etc. 
• Proper functioning of all infrastructure services. 
• Security and safety at work. 
 
Estimate of work hours per year allocated to technical assistance activities : 
 
- by staff funded by re gular budget:  9,396 hours 
- by staff funded by trust fund:  4,176 hours 
 WT/BFA/SPEC/136 
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 Agriculture and Commodities Division
 
 
 
Director 1 
Other Staff 15 
 
 
_______________ 
 
 Objectives and Work Programme for 2006-2007
 
 
Objectives  
The overall objective of the Agriculture and Co mmodities Division is to assist Members in 
implementing WTO rules and commitments relating to trade in agriculture and food products and in the 
ongoing negotiations on agriculture.  The work programme of  the Division is as follows: 
• Provide effective assistance, as required, in all ma tters related to the negotiations on agriculture 
under the Doha Development Agenda, including the Sub-Committee on Cotton. 
• Support the smooth implementation of existing WT O rules and commitments on agriculture under 
the Agreement on Agriculture and ensure that th e work of the Committee on Agriculture in all 
areas, and in particular the process of multilaterally  reviewing these commitments, is organized and 
conducted in an efficient manner. 
• Actively contribute to the effective implementation of the Agreement on the Application of 
Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS), includi ng in particular by addressing the difficulties 
faced by developing countries.   
• Support, as required, the implementation of the Decision on Measures Concerning the Possible 
Negative Effects of the Reform Programme on Least-Developed and Net Food-Importing Developing Countries (NFIDC Decision). 
• Provide effective and efficient services for dispute settlement in the areas of agriculture and SPS. 
• Provide technical assistance and co-operation with  regard to all matters under the Division's 
purview. 
• Administer the multi-agency Standards and Tr ade Development Facility (STDF) to maximize 
capacity-building in the SPS area in developing countries.  
• Support senior management and other Divisions in ma tters related to trade in agriculture, forestry 
and fishery products as well as on SPS matters. 
• Co-operate or liaise, as appropriate, with releva nt international organi sations, non-governmental 
organisations and other private sector representatives. 
 
Background  
The Agriculture and Commodities Division is responsi ble for discharging the Secretariat tasks related 
to the current negotiations on agriculture and the implementation of existing rules and commitments 
in the areas of agriculture, sanitary and phytosanita ry measures, and trade in fishery and forestry 
products.  WT/BFA/SPEC/136 
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 The negotiations on agriculture have been conducte d in the framework of formal and informal 
meetings of the Special Session of the Committee on Ag riculture and related cons ultations in a variety 
of formats.  If the December 2005 Hong Kong Mi nisterial Conference results, as aimed at, in the 
establishment of the further commitm ents in the areas of market access, domestic support and export 
competition and of rule-related elements, intensive c onsultations and much technical work will still be 
needed in 2006 to complete the details of the ev entual final agreement, including the negotiation of 
outstanding issues, the development of formats for the tabling of the complex new commitments, 
verification of draft schedules, legal drafting etc.  The Division will administratively, organizationally 
and substantively assist, as necessary, participants and the Chair in all that work, including with 
respect to the Sub-Committee on Cotton.  The Divisi on will also support, at the appropriate time and 
as required, participants in the preparation of  their draft schedules of concessions. Assuming a 
political conclusion of the DDA by the end of 2006, part of this work will continue in the first half of 
2007. At the same time, the demands on the Divi sion to provide technical assistance in helping 
Members to better understand the results of the negot iations and the related new rights and obligations 
and to implement their new commitments can  be expected to increase sharply.   
Implementation of the Agreement on Agriculture and the NFIDC Decision are overseen by the regular 
meetings of the Committee on Agriculture.  In 2006,  the Committee will meet at least three times to 
review issues raised by Members and the notifications supplied by them on their commitments relating to tariff quotas, domestic support, export s ubsidies and export restrictions.  In addition, 
notifications are made relating to the levels of food aid that Members provide.  The Division is 
frequently asked to assist Members in the preparation of these notifications and all drafts received are 
carefully reviewed and finalized before circulation.  Over 134 notifications were issued in the year  
ending 30 June 2005.  In addition, the Divisi on prepares notes, background papers and other 
documents related to the work of the Committee as required. 
The SPS Committee normally meets three times a year to oversee the implementation of the SPS 
Agreement and to give Members an opportunity to  discuss SPS-related measures and activities.  In 
addition to formal meetings, the Division also organizes workshops and special meetings focused on 
the specific provisions of the Agreement which ar e of greatest concern to developing country 
Members.  The Committee has been a very effec tive forum for discussion, has considerably improved 
the understanding of the Agreement among Members a nd observer countries, and has helped avert a 
number of disputes.  About 760 notifications of new or  revised regulations were circulated in the year 
end 30 June 2005.  The Division is often consu lted by Members in the preparation of these 
notifications, and carefully reviews each notifi cation before finalizing it for circulation.   
The Division is also involved in disputes alleging violation of the Agreement on Agriculture or the 
SPS Agreement, either providing the secretary for th e dispute settlement panel or providing expertise 
to the substantive discussions of the panel.  There are currently five disputes involving the Division: 
• European Communities:  Arbitration on re-bindi ng of banana tariffs requested by various 
Members; 
• Japan:  Arbitration (Article 22.6) on measures affecting the importation of apples complaint 
by the United States (DS245);  
• European Communities:  Measures affecting th e approval and marketing of biotech products 
complaint by the United States (DS291), Canada (DS292) and Argentina (DS293); 
• Australia:  Measures affecting the import of fresh fruits and vegetables complaint by the 
Philippines (DS270);  and 
• Australia:  Quarantine regime for imports complaint by the EC (DS287). 
Disputes involving agricultural products tend to be  complex and politically sensitive.  In addition, 
disputes under the SPS Agreement require the identif ication and involvement of scientific experts to WT/BFA/SPEC/136 
Page 10  
 
 advise the Panel.  Panel reports are invariably app ealed and recourse to Articles 21.5 and 22.6 of the 
DSU have also been common.  An increase in dispute settlement  activity in 2006 and 2007 is 
expected, particularly if there is insufficient pr ogress in the agriculture negotiations.  Panels and 
arbitration are particularly time-consuming and the Division will need to allocate additional resources 
to this area.   
Technical co-operation is another important elemen t of the Division's overall activities.  Technical 
and policy advice is given to Members and acceding c ountries on the wide range of issues covered by 
the SPS Agreement and the Agreement on Agriculture and related commitments.  In agriculture, a 
major part of the technical assistance activities rela te to the ongoing negotiations, and as noted above, 
once modalities for the further commit ments are established, many par ticipants can be expected to 
seek assistance in the preparation of their sche dules.  In both areas, the demand for assistance from 
Members has grown rapidly in recent years, and furt her growth in demand is expected in 2006-2007.  
In the SPS area, developing countries are, in pa rticular, facing difficulties with the technical 
requirements underlying the SPS Agreement.  The new multi-agency Standards and Trade Development Facility (STDF) has grown rapidly in terms of the number of SPS-related capacity 
building projects being funded.  The Division provides the Secretary for the STDF and has primary 
responsibility for the administration of this fund.  The Division may need to allocate additional 
resources to ensure the continue d expansion of this facility. 
Main Activities
 
• The Division will support, in close co-operation w ith the Chairperson, the agriculture negotiations 
by servicing the Special Session and other format s for negotiations, including the Sub-Committee 
on Cotton.  This activity will include taking care of  all administrative and organizational aspects of 
formal and informal meetings and consultations, technical and other advice to the Chair, advice 
and assistance to participants, in cluding through backgr ound papers, assistance in the preparation 
of draft proposals, the preparation of summary reports and briefing notes, the organization of special workshops or meetings, and other tasks as required.   
• The Division will service, in close co-operation with the Chairperson, at least three regular 
meetings each year of the Committee on Agricultu re as well as informal meetings of the 
Committee and informal consultations among Members.  It will ensure that the broad range of 
notifications required by the Committee and s ubmitted by Members can be reviewed in an 
operationally effective manner.  The Division will assist the Committee and individual Members in systematically and substantially addressing the ge neral and specific implementation issues that are 
likely to continue to emerge from the Committee's review process.  The Division will provide any 
documentation, background papers or other support requested by Members. 
• The Division will provide appropriate s upport for monitoring the implementation of the SPS 
Agreement and assist th e SPS Committee and its Chai rperson in addressing ge neric, technical and 
other implementation matters as they arise.  It will provide all services requir ed for the organisation of 
three to four regular meetings of the Committee each year plus informal meetings and consultations.  
In this context, the Division will produce notes, draft guidelines, draft decisions, summary reports, etc., as required.  The Division will assist, as necessary, in addressing the various implementation 
concerns raised by developing country Members, including through the organization of special 
workshops or meetings. 
• As in the past, the Division will provide the Secretary and/or expert advice to Panels established to 
examine disputes involving the Agriculture and SPS Agreements.  As noted above, several panels are already under way and there is likely to be a furthe r increase in the number of panels in 2006/2007 in 
both the SPS and agriculture areas. The level of reso urces devoted to this activity may have to be 
increased accordingly. WT/BFA/SPEC/136 
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 • Technical assistance will be provided (i) on an almost daily basis at headquarters to Geneva-based 
delegations and visitors,  (ii) by way of telecommunication with capital-based officials, and (iii) through missions to capitals and elsewhere (na tional and regional semi nars, workshops, etc., 
including in co-operation with other internati onal organizations).  While there is a growing 
demand for the Division to be involved in technical assistance, the Division's ability to participate 
in missions will be subject to the workload rela ted to servicing the negotiations, the regular 
meetings of the Committees and disputes.  
• The Division will service the STDF, including by:  reviewing project proposals;  preparing 
background documents for consideration by the high-level Policy Committee and the Working 
Group;  organizing at least one annual meeting of the Policy Committee a nd at least two annual 
meetings of the Working Group;  lia ising with donors and representa tives of participants;  ensuring 
close coordination between the activities of the STD F and those of the Integrated Framework and 
other multi-agency facilities with which the WTO is involved.  
• Information and advice in the areas of fisheries, forestry, tropical products and other natural-
resource based products will be provided, as required, to Members, acceding countries, other 
relevant international organizations and the private sector. 
• With respect to all matters for which the Divisi on is responsible, the work programme will include 
technical and policy advice to senior management of  the Secretariat and substantive inputs into the 
work of other Divisions, as well as liaison a nd co-operation, as appropriate, with other 
international organizations and the private sector , including through participation in meetings and 
conferences, lecturing, commenting on external  papers, discussions with visitors, and  
telecommunications. 
Expected Results
 
• To the extent that the negotiating environment pe rmits and within the limits of the responsibilities 
of the Division, the successful conclusion of th e agriculture negotiations .  This will not only 
advance reform in trade-related agriculture po licies but contribute to the Doha Development 
Agenda more generally as well as to enhancing confidence in the WTO system. 
• Continuing the smooth implementation of the Agri culture and SPS Agreements, including by way 
of assisting Members in exercising their rights and discharging their obligations and by helping to 
ensure that the Committee on Agriculture and th e SPS Committee conduct their regular work in a 
business-like, effective manner. 
• Orderly resolution of agriculture-related trade disputes. 
• A greater practical understanding of the WTO system  as it relates to agriculture.  This will, among 
other things, help Members to better use the opportunities for economic development created 
through the Agreement on Agriculture and the SPS Agreement.   
• Continued growth in the STDF and in the numbe r of projects being funded to ensure expanded 
capacity for developing countries to meet SPS re quirements and hence to expand their market 
access opportunities. 
• A better appreciation of the benefits of agriculture  trade reform. This will also be achieved through 
technical assistance to Members and acceding countries as well as  our contacts and co-operation 
with other international intergovernmental organizations, NGOs and the private sector. 
Estimate of work hours per year allocated to technical assistance activities in the Division, as a percentage 
of the Division's time :   
Note :  Considering that the STDF is directly related to technical assistance, 30-35 per cent of time. WT/BFA/SPEC/136 
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Council and TNC Division  
 
 
Director 1 
Other Staff 11.5 
 
 
_______________ 
 
 
Objectives and Work Programme for 2006-2007  
 
Objectives  
• To ensure efficient management of all meetings (regular, informal or special sessions, plus all 
associated consultations) of the General Council, the Trade Negotiations Committee (TNC), and the 
Dispute Settlement Body (DSB), including all tasks related to the preparation and conduct of such 
meetings and coordination of follow-up activities. 
• To ensure smooth running and timely completion of s ubstantive preparations fo r the next Session of 
the Ministerial Conference;  organize and run both the formal and working sessions at the Conference; 
and co-ordinate Secretariat follow-up work stemming from decisions taken at the Conference. 
• To provide a high level of advice and support to th e Director-General and th e Chairpersons of the 
four WTO bodies above (and othe r members of senior management) in connection with their 
responsibilities in these areas, in cluding organizing and servicing consultation processes undertaken by 
them. 
 
Background  
The Division has the responsibility of servicing the General Council, the Trade Negotiations Committee 
and the DSB, including servicing (i n conjunction with the Legal Affairs Division) the negotiations taking 
place in Special Sessions of the DS B.  It is also responsible for overall preparation of the substantive 
agenda of the Ministerial Conference and for servicing the business of the Conference. 
Throughout 2004-5, the Division has had a continuous  and increasing workload involving a large number 
of meetings at both formal and informal levels  and consultations, and providing support to the 
Chairpersons of the bodies it services as well as to the Director-General and senior management.  This 
increasing workload is due not only to the intensification of the TNC's work, but also to the growing 
volume of dispute settlement cases requiring more frequent meetings of the DSB.  Another major factor 
is the clear long-term trend of increased informal cons ultative processes, responding to Members' calls for 
greater transparency and inclusiveness in the WTO's work, particularly at the level of the General Council and TNC.   
In 2004 and 2005 the Division has been closely involved with the work of the General Council and TNC 
Chairs to renew the impetus of the Doha work programme and prepare for the 6
th Ministerial Conference 
in Hong Kong.  This meant, for example, co-ordinating the intensive consultation processes that continued after Cancún and eventually produced th e July 2004 framework agreem ents.  This commitment 
has continued in the run-up to Hong Kong, in addition to all the Division's other regular work for the General Council, TNC and DSB. 
It is more difficult to forecast at this stage what  the 2006 and 2007 level of ac tivity will be in and around 
the TNC, and in the activities of the General Council  in connection with the Doha work programme.  WT/BFA/SPEC/136 
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 However, it is safe to assume that there will be continuing heavy demands on the Division in relation to 
consultative processes and meetings in connection with the Doha agenda during this period, especially as there is a widely-shared ambition to finish the Round in this biennium. 
Main Activities
 
• Servicing an increasing number of meetings of the WTO bodies for which the Division is 
responsible, including all tasks related to the pr eparation, conduct and follow up of these meetings. 
• Providing close support for the cons ultative activities of the Chairm an of the General Council in his 
activities on issues under consideration in that body. 
• Providing close support to the Director-General, including in his work as Chairman of the TNC. 
• Servicing the preparatory process for the Ministerial Conference. 
• Organizing and servicing the formal sessions and central informal process at the Conference, as well 
as any consultative processes which may be necessary. 
• In the context of both preparations for and running  of Ministerial Conferen ces, coordinating and 
preparing draft text(s) fo r adoption by Ministers. 
• Co-ordinating Secretariat follow-up of decisions and work programmes from the Conference, 
including assisting the Chairman of the General Council and the Director-General in carrying out 
work mandated by Ministers.  
• Maintaining frequent contact with delegations on all issues within the purview of the bodies for 
which the Division is responsible. 
• Responding to requests for briefings, information,  advice and assistance on technical, substantive 
and procedural matters from delegations, other go vernment officials, Secretariat staff and the 
public at large. 
• Contributing to the Secretariat's technical assistance and capacity-building activities. 
• Maintaining the Indicative List of Governmental and Non-Governmental Panelists for the DSB. 
• Assembling the annual volumes of the Basic Instruments and Selected Documents (BISD). 
Expected Results  
• Efficient functioning of the General Council, the TNC, and the DSB. 
• Efficient and ti mely management of the prep arations for and conduct of the substantive business of 
the next Session of the Ministerial Conference. 
• Preparation of all issues to be placed before Ministers, such as to facilitate effective decision-making. 
• Expeditious co-ordination of Secretariat follow -up of decisions and work programmes from the 
Conference. 
• Provision of appropriate advice and support to th e Director-General and th e Chairpersons of the 
four WTO bodies serviced by the Division (and ot her members of senior management) in connection 
with their responsibilities in these areas. 
 
Estimate of work hours per year allocated to technical assistance activities : 
 
- by staff funded from the regular budget: 350 
- by staff funded from trust funds: - 
 WT/BFA/SPEC/136 
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Development  
 
 
Director 1 
Other Staff 10 
 
 
_______________ 
 
 
Objectives and Work Programme for 2006-2007  
 
Objectives  
• To effectively carry out work on the Doha Develo pment Agenda to continue the facilitation of 
development-related activities falling under the resp onsibility of the Development Division; and in 
addition to ensure that all the work on development- related activities within the framework of the WTO 
is carried out in accordance with the mandate given by the Members. 
• The Division houses the LDC Unit which is the fo cal point for all LDC issues within the WTO 
Secretariat.  From this function derives the Division's objective to address any policy matter of 
interest to LDCs falling within the scope of the WTO.  This includes all functions related to the 
Integrated Framework for Least-developed countri es (IF), as the LDC Unit also functions as the IF 
Secretariat. 
 
Background  
The Doha Ministerial Declaration recognised the n eeds and interests of developing countries and placed 
these at the heart of the WTO Work Programme.  The primacy of development issues was reiterated in the July 2004 General Council Decision.  An important as pect of this work is to facilitate appropriate 
dialogue on all development issues, thereby ensuring that  the needs and priorities of developing and least-
developed countries receive adequate at tention.  In addition, the LDC Unit serves as the Secretariat of the 
Integrated Framework for Least-Developed Countries (IF).  The IF community consists of six multilateral organizations, the LDCs and the donor community.  This function alone generates a considerable 
workload which is increasing as the number of func tions and countries under the scope of the IF are 
increasing.  Developmental issues being hori zontal in nature, means a good deal of the 
development-related work also takes place through th e work carried out by other WTO bodies.  At the 
same time, the Development Division constitutes the focal point for development policy matters within the WTO, and is entrusted with a number of specific responsibilities, detailed in the next section.  This work will increase substantially as we move closer to the completion of the Doha Round of negotiations. 
 
Main Activities
 
• The Division is responsible fo r servicing the following bodies: 
• Committee on Trade and Development (CTD). 
• Dedicated Session of the Committee on Trade and Development. 
• Special Session of the Committee on Trade and Development. 
• Working Group on Trade and Transfer of Technology. 
• Sub-Committee on Least-Developed Countries (SCLDC). 
• Integrated Framework Working Group (IFWG). WT/BFA/SPEC/136 
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 • Integrated Framework Steering Committee (IFSC). 
• Informal Group of Developing Countries (IGDC). 
• LDCs' Consultative Group. 
• The African Group. 
• Organisation of the Geneva Week for non-resident Members and Observers. 
 
• The CTD is the body that oversees all developm ent-related policy matter s, including technical 
assistance and training activities.  It also r eceives reports from the Sub-Committee on Least-
Developed Countries.  The Special Session deals with the issue of special and differential treatment as 
mandated in the Doha Ministerial Declaration.  The Dedicated Session addresses trade-related issues 
of small economies as mandated by the Doha Work Programme on Small Economies.  The Working 
Group on Trade and Transfer of Te chnology carries out the Work Pr ogramme on Trade and Transfer 
of Technology as agreed to in Doha.  
• The Sub-Committee on LDCs is the WTO body that gives particular attention to the special and 
specific problems of LDCs .  In the context of the Doha Deve lopment Agenda, the Sub-Committee is 
overseeing the implementation of the WTO Work Pr ogramme for LDCs.  Special Seminars are also 
organised for the LDCs from time to time. 
• The Integrated Framework for LDCs is an inte rnational initiative through which the IMF, ITC, 
UNCTAD, UNDP, the World Bank and the WTO combine their efforts with those of 
least-developed countries and donors to respond to the trade development needs of LDCs.  The 
Integrated Framework Working Group (IFWG) is responsible for the overall management of the 
IF, including monitoring and evaluation of field reso urces and oversight of the IF Trust Fund.  The 
Working Group consists of representatives of the six multilateral organizations, and two 
representatives each from LDCs and donor countries,  selected on a rotating basis.  The IFWG is 
chaired by the WTO.  The Integrated Framewor k Steering Committee (IFSC) oversees the work of 
the IFWG and provides policy direction, assesses pr ogress and ensures total transparency in the IF 
process.  The IFSC is a tripartite arrangeme nt with representation from the six multilateral 
organizations, donors and LDCs.  All  WTO Member s and Observers can participate in the IFSC. 
• In the context of the IF, servicing the IFSC and the IFWG includes all the normal Secretariat 
functions related to the activities a nd deliberations of the IFSC and the IFWG.  Additionally, the IF 
Secretariat maintains day-to-day management tasks of the IF as a whole:  it is  responsible for record keeping and report presentation.  An added and critical function is a communication 
function aimed at keeping the IF community apprised of developments and activities. 
• The Division also services the meetings of th e LDC's Consultative Group and the African Group.  
These informal meetings provide platforms for these groups to discuss any topic of interest to them 
related to the negotiations and for arriving at comm on positions with a view to enhancing effective 
participation in the negotiations.  Servicing these informal groups includes the normal Secretariat 
functions related to their activities and deliberations .  The Division is also responsible for policy 
aspects of the LDCs and the African countries such as the New Partnership for Africa's 
Development (NEPAD). 
• The Division is responsible for organising the "Geneva Week" twice a year for non-resident 
Members in order to keep these Members abreast w ith the current status of work in the WTO. 
• Servicing the above bodies includes the provisi on of background documents, minutes and regular 
reports of activities.  Seminars ar e also organized under the auspic es of the CTD and other bodies, on 
trade- and development-related matters.   
• The Division regularly reports to a nd briefs senior management on issu es within its responsibilities.  
Staff of the Division are often called on to advise WTO delegates as well as official visitors from capitals on issues within the responsibility of the Division.  WT/BFA/SPEC/136 
Page 16  
 
 • Divisional staff are required to represent the WTO on trade and development issues at meetings of 
other inter-governmental organizations, incl uding United Nations Conference on Trade and 
Development (UNCTAD), regional commissions of the United Nations, Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the World Bank, regional banks, etc.  Staff are also required to carry out technical c ooperation missions on trade and de velopment issues and to lecture 
to WTO training courses.  The LDC Unit also participates in IF-related meetings upon invitation 
from LDCs, donors or other agencies.   
• Staff of the Division frequently attend Ministerial meetings. 
Expected results
 
• The work of the Division is expected to contribute to and advance the Doha Development Agenda in 
areas relating to development, both in terms of negotiations and other aspects of the work programme. 
• The work of the Division should also provide a deeper understanding of the linkages between trade 
and development; help to strengthen the develo pment dimension of the WTO agreements; and 
assist developing countries to integrat e more fully into the WTO system.  
• A deeper understanding of trade issues, is expected  to contribute to the quality of debate in the 
negotiations and in turn fulfil the objectives of the Organization. 
• In its function as focal point for all issues of inte rest to the LDCs, the LDC Unit will contribute to 
achieving the above results focusing specifically on the least-developed countries.  In this regard, 
the significantly increased participation of the LDCs and the African countries in the DDA will 
continue to be reflected in the frequency of m eetings of the LDC Consultative Group and of the 
African Group, continuing with an average of two meetings per week.   
• As the IF Secretariat, it is expect ed that the work of the Division will contribute to assist LDCs in 
making trade work for development. 
 
Estimate of work hours per year allocated to technical assistance activities :   
 
• by staff funded from the regular budget:  750 hours 
• by staff funded from trust funds:  4,500 hours. WT/BFA/SPEC/136 
Page 17 
 
  
 Economic Research And Statistics  
 
 
Director 2 
Other Staff 49 
 
 
_______________ 
 
 Objectives and Work Programme for 2006-2007
 
 
Objectives  
Research functions 
• To ensure the quality and relevance of background research and analysis on development-related and 
other relevant issues aimed at advancing the work of  the Organization, including in support of the work 
of other Divisions. 
• To continue to develop the Division's published ou tput, with particular emphasis on maintaining and 
improving the quality of the WTO Secretariat's new flagship publication, the World Trade Report, together with the Working Paper, Discussion Paper and Special Study series. 
• To deepen research contacts and partnerships with the academic community, particularly in developing 
countries, as part of the Secret ariat's capacity-building efforts. 
Statistics functions 
• To improve the coherence, analyt ical value, coverage and accessibility of statistics compiled and 
disseminated by WTO. 
• To improve the availability, coverage, comparability and complementarities of statistics compiled and 
collected at national and international levels, through, inter alia , promotion of co-operation and work 
sharing among international organizations. 
• To effectively support market access negotiations and trade policy research through the compilation 
and provision of relevant and high quality trade policy data, tools and technical advice. 
Library services 
• With the Library database now publicly available th rough Internet, special attention will continue to 
be given to the needs of academics and less-deve loped Member countries in providing access to the 
general catalogue, bibliographies, pertinent links and free electronic publications, with additional 
related web pages being created where required. 
• To improve access to the collections through e nhanced bibliographic records; develop new 
collections. 
• To develop bibliographies and Internet links rele vant to the current needs of the Organization. 
• To continue to provide in-depth information a nd documentation in an efficient and timely way to 
the Secretariat, the Member countries, academics a nd the public at large; follow closely the ongoing 
substantive work of WTO staff in order to respond more specifically to their immediate 
requirements. 
 WT/BFA/SPEC/136 
Page 18  
 
 Background
 
Research Functions 
The research functions of the Division are focused in the first instance on development-related questions.  
The purpose of this support work, whether in terms of the Division's own work programme, requests 
from delegations, or the needs of WTO bodies, is to provide  necessary background information and 
analysis.  The emphasis is on eluc idation, not advocacy.  This work  seeks to deepen understanding of 
issues, to enrich debate and contribute to a better informed perspective from which Members may discuss and negotiate on matters of importance in the development domain.  In addition to development-related 
research and analysis, the Division covers broader aspects of analytical work focusing on economic 
questions relevant to all aspects of the WTO's mandate.  The division has also become increasingly engaged in capacity-building activities through forging links 
with the academic community in developing countrie s, aimed at supporting research, undertaking joint 
research and facilitating access to  information and data resources  for research activities.   
 
Statistics Functions 
 
Under the supervision of the Chief Statistician, the statistical functions of the Division are performed 
by three sections – the International Trade Statistic s (ITS) Section, the Integrated Data Base (IDB) 
Section; and the Systems Development and Producti on (SDP) Section.  The ITS Section collects, 
collates and completes merchandise and services trade statistical series.  The IDB Section manages data bases containing trade and trade policy data .  The SDP Section undertakes systems development 
and statistical information production services.   Library Services 
The WTO Library is the institutional memory of the GATT/WTO and provides the WTO Secretariat, 
Government representatives, academics, students, and the public at large with timely information in the area of international economics and international tr ade law, and on WTO-related emerging issues.  The 
Library has three sections:  the Main Library, the Statistical Library and the Archives dating back to 1946.  The Library receives 6 000 visitors a year and nu merous external requests from other libraries and 
academic researchers. 
Main Activities
 
The three core areas of activity of the Division – research, statistics and library – are related areas 
providing services to the rest of the Secretariat, delegations and the broader public.  Only some 
aspects of the Division's work can be planned forwar d with precision.  Other aspects of the Division's 
work are inevitably unforeseen, give n the shifting and unexpected needs of various parties served by 
the Division.  The staff of the Division comprises over 50 regular and temporary staff, supported by a 
significant intern community.  The numerical strength of the Division is baely sufficient to meet the 
Division's regular responsibilities and established activities.  Moreover, from time to time, ad hoc  
requests for services or support will put some strain  on the Division's work, leading to extra working 
hours.   
Research Functions 
 
• Staff of the Division provide an alytical support to WTO bodies upon request.  The demand for such 
support varies with the activities of other Division s and cannot always be foreseen.  The Division has 
been active recently in supporting negotiations on non-agricultural market access and in providing 
economic analysis in dispute settlement cases. WT/BFA/SPEC/136 
Page 19 
 
  
 • The Division regularly briefs senior manageme nt upon request on economic and trade policy 
developments.  Inputs are usually geared to specif ic activities (mostly trav el-related) of senior 
management.  Members of the Divi sion are also called upon to prov ide advice and information to 
staff of diplomatic missions to the WTO as well as official visitors from capitals. 
• Staff of the Division are often requi red to represent the WTO at meetings of other inter-governmental 
organizations, including United Nations Conf erence on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), 
regional commissions of the United Nations, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and 
Development (OECD), the World Bank, regional banks, etc. on trade policy issues.    
• Staff also represent the WTO at international conf erences, seminars and work shops on issues related 
to trade and the WTO.  These may be seen as outr each activities to help explain the nature of WTO 
work and processes, intended to develop s upport for the WTO's objectives among academics, 
business and other sections of civil society.  Pa rticipation in such meetings may also provide 
information which helps the substantive work of the Division. 
• Staff are required to carry out technical coopera tion missions as part of the technical assistance 
activities of the Secretariat.  With increased em phasis on capacity-building, the Division takes a 
leadership role, in close cooperation with the In stitute for Training and Technical Cooperation, in 
establishing partnerships with academics ( especially from developing countries).  These 
partnerships seek to support research by disse minating information and research resources, and 
also undertake joint research projects with institu tions and academics from developing countries.  
• The Division maintains contacts on research-relat ed activities with other organizations and the 
academic community more generally. In this respect, particular efforts are being made to forge partnerships with the academic community in deve loping countries in order to enhance the capacity 
of Members to identify and defend their national interests more effectively in the WTO. 
• The Division is responsible for producing the World Trade Report, which is the Secretariat's 
flagship publication.  The Division also mainta ins a Discussion Paper ser ies, a Special Studies 
series and an electronic Working Paper series.  Discussion Papers are short studies on topical 
trade policy issues.  Special Studies are longer in-depth studies and the Working Paper series 
represents work-in-progress.  Members of the division are responsible for a large proportion of the output in these series, but also manages th em for other authors inside and outside the 
Secretariat who may wish to contribute. 
Statistics Functions 
• Statistics staff compile data on trade in goods and services for WTO publications, Members, the 
WTO Secretariat, and the general public at large. 
 
• Staff also operate the Integrated Database (IDB ), and the Consolidated Tariff Schedules (CTS) 
database to support tariff negotiations and re gular trade policy work.  This includes the 
processing of submissions, updating the CTS data base, developing the link between CTS and 
IDB, ensuring the effective functioning of the so ftware infrastructure, and developing analytical 
tools for Members such as the IDB/CTS Internet Fi le Transfer Facility, the IDB Internet Analysis 
Facility, and the IDB CD-ROM. 
 
• Staff provides support and technical advice to Memb ers in the area of trade and tariffs, including 
tariff simulations. In close cooperation with the rese arch staff, statistical staff support the work of 
the Negotiating Group on Non-Agricultural Mark et Access (NAMA) and the Special Session of 
the Committee on Agriculture.  They also s upport the Committee on Market Access and other 
Committees as required. 
 WT/BFA/SPEC/136 
Page 20  
 
 • Staff assist WTO Members in complying with ID B notification requirements and improving their 
capacity to exploit IDB/CTS information, as requi red in the context of ongoing negotiations and 
for the formulation of their trade policy, thro ugh technical assistance in Geneva and in the 
capitals. 
 
• To follow up on the HS transpositions (1996 and 2002) of Members Schedules and assist in the 
upcoming HS 2007 transposition exercise. 
 
• Staff co-operate with other institutions to im prove the quality, coverage, and comparability of 
statistics on international trade in goods, servi ces and tariffs.  These functions are partly met 
through the Inter-Agency Task Force on Int ernational Trade Statistics  (convened by WTO) and 
the Inter-Agency Task Force of Statistics on International Trade in Services . 
 
• Staff participate actively in major internationa l statistical meetings and related collaborative 
work, such as the United Nations Statistical  Commission and the Inter-Agency Co-ordinating 
Committee on Statistical Activities. 
 
• Staff also collaborate with other international agencies and represent the WTO as the lead agency 
for the compilation of trade indicators for the UN project on the Millennium Development Goals. 
 
Library Services 
• Staff service the needs of clients (the Economic Research and Statistics Division and other divisions, 
delegations, researchers and the public at large) through the preparation of bibliographies, research and analysis of information on diff erent web sites of relevance to the WTO, and training for users on 
the online public acce ss catalogue etc. 
 
• Staff purchase books and subs cribe to periodicals, statistics, grey literature, documents, and electronic 
sources as well as other specialized information needed by the Secretariat for its work.  This requires close knowledge of current and emerging issues in the WTO. 
 
• Staff provide clients specialized in-depth info rmation and documentation on request, including 
assistance in the search for information inside or outside the WTO (other libraries, Internet, on-line data bases, etc.). 
 
Expected results
 
Research Function 
 
• The work of the Division may be expected to advance the Doha Development Agenda in areas where 
background analysis and research are called for, both in terms of negotiations and other aspects of the 
work programme. 
• The work of the Division should also contribute to a deeper understanding of trade, growth and 
development linkages, helping to strengthen the effectiveness of the WTO as an institution.  
Analytical support work should also promote a fuller understanding of trade issues, especially in relation to development, thereby contributing to the quality of debate and negotiations. 
• Similarly, the Division's outreach activities on the research side should assist in improving 
understanding of the WTO, and of its objectives, priorities and activities, both among the membership and the public at large. WT/BFA/SPEC/136 
Page 21 
 
  
 Statistics Function 
• The provision of timely, relevant, and high-qua lity statistics for the World Trade Report, the 
International Trade Statistics Report, the WTO Statistics Website, and for the assessment of WTO Members' contributions to the WTO budget. 
• The development of a public web portal on me rchandise trade statistics on behalf of the Inter-
Agency Task Force on International Trade Statistics .  
• A “common data set” on merchandise  trade agreed by internationa l organizations, maintained and 
coordinated by WTO, for public dissemination.  
• The provision of trade indicators for the MDGs  in co-operation with ITC and UNCTAD and co-
ordinated by WTO, and a web portal on MDGs trade indicators.     
• The development and maintenance of training mate rial for statistics on international trade in 
services and, in co-operation with other internati onal organizations, the par ticipation in relevant 
statistical capacity-building activities.   
• The provision to Members and authorized organi zations of up to date and detailed trade policy 
information, covering all WTO Members' conc essions on goods (CTS), imports and applied 
tariffs as supplied by Members (IDB).   
• The finalisation of, and provision of wide access to the Common Analytical Market Access 
Database (CAMAD) on tariff and trade statistics from ITC and UNCTAD, so as to fully exploit 
complementariness between the work of these or ganizations and WTO, and to enhance WTO's 
analytical capacity on market access issues.  
• The establishment of a negotiations datab ase to support tariff negotiations on goods. 
• The provision of technical advice and background information (papers, tariff simulations, etc.) 
for the Committee on Market Access, the NAMA Negotiating Group and the Special Session of 
the Committee on Agriculture.  
• The provision of improved IDB/CTS analytical software, and the development of additional 
analytical facilities, such as multi-market reports, depending on resources allocated. 
• Fully certified Members goods schedules in HS 2002 nomenclature and subsequently the 
transposition to the HS 2007 nomenclature. The HS  2007 transposition can only be undertaken if 
additional resources are provided. 
 Library Services 
• Access to the Library's database and related web pages through the Internet will benefit the 
Member countries especially the developing and le ast-developed countries, universities, specialized 
researchers, and the public at large. It will also  add some tools to capacity building and increase the 
transparency of the WTO. 
 
Estimate of work hours per year allocated to technical assistance activities
:   
 
- by staff funded from the regular budget: 1,600 
- by staff funded from trust funds:   3,000 WT/BFA/SPEC/136 
Page 22  
 
 External Relations Division
 
 
 
Director 1 
Other Staff 9 
 
 
_______________ 
  
Objectives and Work Programme for 2006-2007
 
 
Objectives  
• Continue to enhance and strengthen relations with Inter-Governmental Organizations (IGOs), 
whose mandates are related to WTO activities, to  ensure, within WTO's own mandate, cooperation 
and  policy coherence. 
• Continue to expand and intensif y relations with Non- Governmental Organizations (NGOs) as well 
as with Parliamentary Organizations, Parliaments and Parliamentarians. 
• Continue  to improve  the efficiency of the WTO's Registry function.  
 
Background  
Increasing cooperation and communication between the WTO and IGOs, and especially those 
concerned with trade and development activities, h as helped to clarify the role and work of the 
respective institutions. 
WTO activities are of major interest to both legislators and civil society.    The interest of legislators has increased since the Seattle Minister ial Conference when for the first 
time 100 parliamentarians present with their national delegations decided to establish a parliamentary 
dimension to WTO.  Since then, regular meetings have been organized in parallel to Ministerial 
Conferences but also annually in Geneva by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and the European 
Parliament (EP) with support of WTO. In Canc ún more than 300 parliamentarians attended the 
meetings organized by IPU and EP.  Large attendan ce is also expected for the Hong Kong Ministerial 
Conference in December 2005 when similar parallel ev ents are been organized by the IPU and the EP. 
With regard to NGOs the number of participan ts has been multiplied by 7 since Singapore. 
 
 
 No. of Eligible NGOs NGOs who attended No. of Participants 
Singapore 1996 159 108 235 
Geneva 1998 153 128 362 
Seattle 1999 776 686 1500 approx 
Doha 2001 651 370 370  
Cancún 2003 961 795 1578 
 
• For the Hong Kong Ministerial, more than 1600 NGOs  have requested registration to attend.  The 
accreditation process is still underway. WT/BFA/SPEC/136 
Page 23 
 
  
 • The WTO organizes a number of outreach activities fo r the benefit of NGOs and parliamentarians 
of developing countries. These activities are prepared and attended by staff from External Relations Division. 
• The Registry Unit under the External Relations Division is responsible for the processing of 
incoming and outgoing mail.  It has undertaken, since 1996, the automation of the handling of files.  The Registry Automation System (RAS) now  records electronically all the WTO's official 
correspondence. 
Main Activities
 
IGOs 
• Follow-up on major UN Conferences and pro cesses linked to the work of the WTO. 
• Observe various bodies of the UN system and other IGOs, in particular the OECD Trade 
Committee. 
• Prepare for participation of the DG and DDGs to meetings of the UN system and other IGOs. 
• In close cooperation with other Divisions provide  inputs, as appropriate, to UN and other IGOs 
reports. 
• Serve as the focal point for receiving IGOs requests for observer status.   
• Coordination of attendance at meetings:  act as the focal point in the Secretariat to ensure 
coordination of attendance at meetings of other international organizations. 
 
NGOs 
• Continue to meet NGO representatives to brief them on WTO's work and activities and develop 
outreach for civil society representatives in developing countries. 
• Attend conferences, seminars or any other even ts, whenever possible, organized by NGOs to 
explain the WTO and its activities and to enga ge in dialogue with critics of the WTO. 
• Continue to organize various workshops and seminars and the annual WTO public symposium 
(attracting now over 1000 participants) where key issues related to WTO and the DDA  are 
discussed.  
• Continue to identify key issues of concern to NG Os and develop appropriate  strategies. In that 
regard the most immediate task is to ensure the proper registration and attendance of NGOs for 
the Hong Kong Ministerial Conference.  The time may have also come to revisit the registration 
procedures and in particular set up more precise criteria. Permanent Registration of NGOs could 
also be an issue to be addressed by Members. 
 
Parliamentarians 
• Continue to develop working relations with parliamentary institutions to enhance their 
understanding of WTO's activities and to build support for the multilateral system. 
• Develop targeted outreach activities for the benef it of parliamentarians of developing countries. 
• Work closely with the IPU and the European Parliament to follow-up the various meetings 
organized to discuss a  Parliamentary dimension to the WTO. 
• Develop contacts with key parliamentary delegations , staff and researchers and provide them with 
regular updates on the WTO activities. WT/BFA/SPEC/136 
Page 24  
 
 Registry  
• More than 6000 incoming letters were recorded by  Registry in 2004, and a new phase of the RAS 
is being developed in order to  scan all the incoming letters. 
• Since 1999 the WTO Secretariat has been collaborati ng with Stanford University Libraries (SUL), 
under an agreement by which SUL would preser ve certain GATT records and documents in 
digital form.  SUL has now completed this project  and is currently providing on-line access to the 
English GATT official derestricted documents.  An Internal Working Group on the Stanford 
Archives Project was created to facilitate this joint collaboration with the aim of establishing a 
framework for the proper and efficient management  of the GATT documents archive contained in 
this collection, including development of specific protocols or procedures for granting and facilitating future access to the website.  The Chief of Registry has actively participated in this 
Working Group, particularly for issues rega rding the GATT correspondence archives now in 
SUL's possession, but which need to remain confid ential until a decision is taken with respect to 
the disclosure policy of this correspondence.  The establishment of such a disclosure policy is still 
under consideration. 
Miscellaneous 
• Protocol
:  The External Relations Division is also in charge of official relations with Members's 
permanent representations, including with the host country, as well as of all protocol matters in close liaison with the Office of the Director-Gen eral.  ERD maintains the WTO's Directory and 
issues regular updates.  An Internet compatible version of the Directory is being developed to 
inform Members more quickly on changes ma de in the list of Representatives to WTO. 
Expected Results 
 
• As the UN system has established a linkage between the objectives set up by the various UN 
global conferences (Millennium Declaration, Fina ncing for Development, World Summit for 
Sustainable Development) and the Doha Developm ent Agenda, formal and informal contacts will 
continue to be developed to follow-up on these Conferences with a view to ensure, within WTO's 
mandate, cooperation and policy c oherence.  It would also be expected that high-level 
declarations or reports by the UN and other IGOs are supportive of the WTO's efforts at 
concluding the DDA. 
• Closer relations with NGOs and parliamentarians and regular information exchanges have helped 
to increase the understanding of the work of th e WTO and the benefits of the rules-based 
multilateral trading system and trade liberalization.  
• Closer involvement of parliamentarians as elected  officials with strong links to civil society 
groups, from both developing and developed countries, can furt her enhance such understanding 
and build more support for the WTO and the current DDA negotiations. 
• The new phase of the RAS will ensure quicker dissemin ation of the registry files to the Divisions 
concerned and facilitate archiving. 
 
Estimate of work hours per year allocated to technical assistance activities :   
 
Technical assistance under the External Relations Division is increasing and is devoted to outreach 
activities for the benefit of Parliamentarians and ci vil society of developing countries and countries in 
transition.  The estimated time spent on these activities is around 3 000 hours. WT/BFA/SPEC/136 
Page 25 
 
  
 Human Resources Division  
 
 
Director 1 
Other Staff 14.1 
 
 
_______________ 
  
Objectives and Work Programme for 2006-2007
 
 
 
Background:  
 
Structural changes took place in the Human Reso urces Division in April 2005 as a result of the 
realignment of HRD's organizational arrangements.  This fresh structure has been established to bring 
HRD closer to the staff and to improve the quality a nd timeliness of HR services.  However, many of 
the current HR practices, processes and systems are old-fashioned, heavy on resources and inefficient. 
It is therefore essential that the HR function in WT O be reformed in order to bring HR services into 
the 21st century.  In this respect, it should be noted that  a majority of international organizations have, 
during the last five-year period, made considerable efforts to reform and modernize the HR function. 
The WTO has yet to embark on any substantive reform of Human Resources practices.   
Main Activities:
 
 
• The Division will manage the human resources of the Organization in compliance with the Staff 
Rules and Regulations.  It will (i) fill vacant pos ts and complete the de velopment of an on-line 
e-recruitment application system to facilitate the processing of candidatures, (ii) develop and 
implement personnel policies, (iii) classify posts in accordance with the classification benchmark 
standards, (iv) manage staff compensation issues, including the implementation of the WTO 
salary methodology, (v) administer approximately 600 regular staff and approximately 200 short-
term staff on an ongoing basis – contracts, remuneration, career development, entitlements, Objectives  
• Ensure the efficient functioning of services in human resource matters.  
• Become the network enabler of an HR practi ce that is aligned with line management.  
• Initiate a reform programme to modernize curre nt HR practices and procedures enabling an 
 increased focus on upstream services through strategic advice and partnering.  
• Re-align, simplify, and reduce transaction workload and resour ces required through 
 automated tools.  
• Implement a comprehensive learning/career development strategy in the WTO.  
• Enhance the WTO Performance Management System.  
• Develop of a competency framework.  
• Support talent management of all WTO Secretariat staff.  
• Streamline recruitment, selection and placement process and implement the  
 E-recruitment project.  
• Establish a severance programme.  WT/BFA/SPEC/136 
Page 26  
 
 social security, cessation of service, (vi) provide counselling to the staff and (vii) facilitate health 
insurance issues with the medical brokers.  
 
• Design of a competency framework. The compet encies identified will serve as a base for the 
development of a number of HR tools and will be used in connection to recruitment, assessment, 
promotions, performance management  and training/development purposes. 
 
• Development of the ORACLE system which is of great importance to HRD in terms of 
streamlining operational procedures. The intro duction of a self-service module whereby several 
basic data entry tasks will be transferre d to the divisional/staff member level. 
 
• The introduction of a 360° feedback system to improve management capacity and accountability 
within WTO. The feedback will not only serve to assist managers in enhancing their managerial 
skills, but also to aid senior management in making decisions in terms of staff movements and 
career succession planning. 
 
• Implementation of a learning/training programme. 
 
• A Junior Professional Officers Programme (JPO), administered by HRD, was established in 
July 2005 which will allow, from 2006, two or three JPOs per year to take part in the scheme. 
The JPO Programme, sponsored by donor countries,  will serve to augment professional staffing 
capacity and give immediate access to human resources with recognized talent, up-to-date 
general or specialized knowledge and academic cr edentials. It will also allow the divisions to 
discharge more effectively their increased and more complex responsibilities.  
 
• Manage the Netherlands Trainee Programme whic h was established in 2005. The aim of this 
programme is to assist in the economic and soci al development of least developed countries, low 
income countries and comparable poor small and vulnerable economies in areas related to trade 
policy.  It provides junior public officials with the opportunity to learn about trade and development related matters dealt with in the WTO.   Up to 20 trainees  per year are expected to 
take part. 
 
• Coordinate and manage the ongoing Internship programmes.  
 
Expected Results:
 
• A client-focused HR Division with increased capaci ty to be both responsive and efficient in 
providing high-quality advice and service delivery.  
• A true partner of line management providing strategic advisory services on a range of issues 
related to the effective management of the Organization.  
• Improved services in several areas, including recruitment and selection, competency 
assessment and development and career planning/succession management.  
• An array of self-service modules, whereby mana gers and staff will have web-enabled access 
to entitlements' calculations and other administrative data.  
• Improvements in ORACLE HR leading to decentralized data input will allow for web-
enabled HR tools, such as staff on-line performance evaluations.  
• Attain a shift in organizational culture to one which is more efficient and performance driven 
through an enhanced Performance Management System and by raising managerial capacity 
among senior level staff.  WT/BFA/SPEC/136 
Page 27 
 
  
 • E-recruitment which will simplify contact with di visions, reply automatically to candidates.  
This new system HRD will enable HR Divisi on to eliminate an obsolete rosters database.  
• Separation programme providing long service staff to be considered for an early retirement 
package and ensuring a revitalization of  the work force through timely succession 
arrangements  
 
Estimate of the percentage of time devoted to technical assistance activities in HRD  
 Recruitment, Selection and Vacancy Management Services:  20 per cent 
Staff Administrative Services:  15 per cent. 
 WT/BFA/SPEC/136 
Page 28  
 
 Informatics Division
 
 
 
Director 1 
Other Staff 32 
 
 
_______________ 
  
Objectives and Work Programme for 2006-2007
 
 
 Background
 
A significant part of the resources of the Division is dedicated to the operational maintenance of the 
infrastructure, the information systems and tools in  production, and to provide support and training to 
users. In this regard, the objectives are the same every biennium, except that the number of divisional information systems to maintain and staff to support grows constantly.  The other resources are dedicated 
to the development of new applications with the participation of external consultants where necessary. The various aspects of the IT Security Policy are gradually implemented and closely monitored by the IT Security Officer. 
Every four years, part of the resources are dedicated to the study, testing and migration to new desktop 
and network environments. This is performed as new technologies appear and older ones are no longer 
supported by manufacturers. Such a study will have to be started again in the second half of 2006 if a 
major announcement is made by MS. 
This biennium, there are si gnificant requirements in various areas such as Security, HR, Finance, Budget, 
other Divisions' requests for automation and a necessa ry re-development of Do csOnLine.  These projects 
cannot be dealt completely unless the IT budget for this biennium is significantly increased. Objectives  
• To fulfil the on-going core functions of the Divi sion: Research, management and enhancements of 
the Information and Communication T echnology infrastructure and IT systems, and provide the best 
user support and training as we ll as services for Members. 
• To maintain and enhance the Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system and associated 
applications in the area of Finance, Payroll, Human Resource and Self-services. 
• To continue the support of the HR re-structuri ng process, resulting in a number of IT projects. 
• To continuously enhance the IT Secu rity Policy to protec t against permanent and more sophisticated 
threats as well as safeguard the organisation's information assets, including disaster recovery and 
business continuity. To provide a more secure remote access facility to replace the existing one and 
to provide a Secure Email facility for confidential communication. 
• To introduce new IT facilities and services when and where required. 
• To achieve all the IT requirements for the WTO Ministerial Conferences. 
• To provide an email archive facility. 
• To study and implement the IT requirement s of the new physical security project. WT/BFA/SPEC/136 
Page 29 
 
  
 Main Activities  
• Information Technology strategy and research to al ign the constant evolution of technology and the 
needs of the Organization. 
• The maintenance, operation and ev olution of the existing infrastructure covering desktops, Local 
Area Network, Intranet/Internet, E-Mail and Divisional Systems. 
• IT Security. 
• The analysis, development and implementation of IT Projects requested by Divisions. 
• The IT budget and expenditures, the IT asset mana gement, the IT training and the users' support. 
• The Support of special events (Geneva Week, High-Level meetings, WTO Ministerial Conference). 
• The participation in inter-organization committees and Task Forces related to IT. 
• Enhance remote access capabilities.  
• Participation in the establishment of new WTO Reference Centres and in technical assistance 
activities requiring the use of IT.  
• The Physical Security Project.  
• The re-development of DocsOnline.  
• The projects required as a result of the restructuring of HR.  
Expected Results  
• It is most likely that the tasks and projects identified in the objectives will be met to a large degree. 
However, some of the projects would be scaled down in line with the allocated funds for IT.  
 
Estimate of work hours in the current year allocated to technical assistance activities in your Division : 
 It is estimated that 50 days of technical assistance will be provided as part of the Division's contribution 
to the creation of the WTO Trade Reference Centres. The Division does not have the resources to provide 
more days in this area. WT/BFA/SPEC/136 
Page 30  
 
  
Information and Media Relations Division  
 
 
Director 1 
Other Staff 21 
 
 
_______________ 
 
 
Objectives and Work Programme for 2006-2007  
 
Objectives  
• The principal multi-year objective of  the Information and Media Relations Division  is to pro-actively 
provide information to foster public understanding a nd support for  the role and work of the WTO.  
The importance of this objective was  re-affirmed by Members in the Doha Declaration: "to promote a better public understanding of the WTO and to comm unicate the benefits of  a liberal, rules-based 
multilateral tradi ng system." Achievements under this ob jective are measurable through opinion 
surveys by Members, increased media coverage of the WTO and through better and more accurate 
reporting on the WTO.  
• A second multi-year objective focuses on providing information which fosters greater transparency in 
the operations and decision-making of the WTO. This objective is linked to various WTO decisions for 
greater transparency, including paragraph 10 of the Doha Declaration: "we are committed to making 
the WTO's operations more transpar ent, including through more effect ive and prompt dissemination of 
information, and to improve dialogue with the public". 
Achievements under this objectiv e can be measured through a con tinued rise in the number of 
individuals using the WTO website. Our specific objective in this respect will be to achieve a monthly average of 900,000 user sessions in 2006 and 1 m illion in 2007, and to increase the database of 
registered users to 95,000 for 2006 and 100,000 in 2007.  
• The third multi-year objective is to continue the ex pansion and effective use of  multiple means to 
disseminate information worldwide, through informati on technologies and the use of  conventional  
media relations,  publications, video and  presenta tions. One component will be new volumes in the 
WTO Handbooks series, covering Accessions, Sche dules of commitments, and Customs Valuation.  
Achievements will be measurable by the number of  free publications distri buted (print version and 
downloads from the website), books, videos and CDs sold, and presentations made to visitors.  
• A specific objective over the 2006-07 period will be to provide information to support the successful 
conclusion of the Doha Agenda negotiations. This wi ll include information activities  during 2006 to 
follow up on the Hong Kong Ministerial, and to prep are for the Seventh Minist erial Conference which 
should take place in 2007.  
 
Background  
The Information and Media Relations Division is the point of contact between the WTO and its 
various audiences, including the media and the ge neral public.  As such it is a conduit for WTO 
information emanating from many WTO Divisions. It  has the responsibility to interpret and present 
this information in keeping with WTO key mess ages and communications objectives, using language 
which is accessible and clear, and employing a rang e of print and electronic media for the broadest WT/BFA/SPEC/136 
Page 31 
 
  
 possible dissemination. It carries out this work in the three WTO working languages: English, French 
and Spanish. The division is organized along oper ational lines but with staff constantly supporting 
each other's activities, according to their specializ ed knowledge and skills. The broad areas of activity 
are media relations, public information, print and electronic publications, and Internet  services. 
 
The Division works with all line Divisions for di ssemination of information. It cooperates more 
specifically on a regular basis with the office of  the Director-General on news announcements, with 
the Research Division on publications, with the Ex ternal Relations Division on information for NGOs 
and with the Institute for Training and Technical  Cooperation for the suppor t of Reference Centres 
and production of training materials online and on CD. 
Main Activities  
• The Information and Media Relations Division is  committed to improving its outreach efforts to 
the public through enhanced media contacts and th rough better distribution of our information, 
research and  reference publications. IMRD will in crease its efforts at distributing information 
through video as a means of reaching television out lets. Special attention will be devoted during 
2006-2007 to full explanations of the negotiati ons under the Doha Development Agenda.  
• A major activity for IMRD during 2006-2007 will be  providing information as a follow-up to the 
Sixth Ministerial and in preparation for the Sevent h Ministerial. This will include planning for a 
possible successful conclusion of the Doha Round, or for a continuation of the negotiations.  The 
number of journalists who follow WTO activities a nd who attend its Ministerial Conferences will 
continue to increase over 2006-07, especially with  interest over the  conclusion of the Doha 
Round. IMRD will begin preparations for the Se venth ministerial at the appropriate time, 
including working intensively with the host gove rnment for the best possible press facilities to 
meet the needs of a greater number of journalists , explaining the WTO to local media, facilitating 
the accreditation of journalists through a more user-friendly internet process and enhancing 
contacts between delegations and the media during the conference.  
• IMRD will attend, and disseminate information concerning meetings of some 70 WTO bodies. 
The number and frequency of meetings will incr ease, and the demand for information will grow, 
as the work under the Doha Development Agenda gathers momentum after the Sixth Ministerial 
and in advance of the Seventh Ministerial.  
• Press officers will continue to build not only on existing relationships w ith journalists but to 
extend their efforts to encompass those reporters  who may be unfamiliar with the work of the 
organization. 
• In addition to the normal briefings on the work of the WTO bodies, the division plans to continue 
programmes targeted for journalists who may not have experience with WTO issues. IMRD will 
organize six 3-day information seminars during 2006-2007 for journalists from developing and 
developed countries. On average, 15 journalists will attend each semina r. The IMRD has also 
worked with the host government and with a fou ndation to ensure that 15 journalists from Least 
Developed Countries will be able to attend the 6th and 7th Ministerial Conferences. 
• The internet is becoming our most effective  vehicle for distributing WTO information to the 
general public worldwide. The we bsite now attracts an average of 800,000 visitors per month. 
The web team will work to improve interaction w ith existing users of the website, to facilitate 
access to its content and to implement automation so ftware which will make it easier for users to 
find exactly the information they require.  To m easure the efficacy of the website, web-based user 
surveys will be conducted during 2006 and 2007, th e results of which will be compared with a 
similar survey carried out in 2005.  In add ition, IMRD will increase the number of contact 
database registered users to 95.000 by end 2006 and 100,000 by the end 2007.  The targets for WT/BFA/SPEC/136 
Page 32  
 
 average number of user sessions on the website  per month are 900,000 by end 2006 and 1 million 
by end 2007.  
• In concert with the Institute for Technical C ooperation and Training,  IMRD will continue to 
support WTO Reference Centres, particularly th rough the development of new information and 
training tools available on CD-ROM and through  the Internet.  
• IMRD will be working with other divisions thro ugh the publications committee, to determine the 
full range of  print and electronic publications  wh ich are to  be produced by the WTO. IMRD will 
continue its focus on publications which provid e explanation and guidance on the role and work 
of the WTO.  All information, both print and electronic, will be updated as necessary to reflect developments in the regular work of the WTO, and to report progress in the Doha Development 
Agenda. 
• The IMRD Publications group will further expand  on its private sector partnerships in the 
publication and distribution of WTO materials aiming at an increase in the reach and 
dissemination of books (print and electronic vers ions) and CDs worldwide.  Such partnerships 
have extended our reach in the distribution of publications and reduced printing/production costs. 
• Members of the Division will continue, and expa nd where appropriate, their contacts with the 
public through IMRD-organized lectures and se minars for students, business groups,  NGOs and 
government officials. 
• IMRD will make far greater use of video materi als in 2006-07 to promote a better understanding 
of the WTO. Greater outreach to television netw orks will continue and IMRD will be issuing  
timely Video News Releases for major events. Pr oduction of broadcast materials for electronic 
media will help increase the quality and quantity of coverage of WTO affairs by radio and 
television. Developments in internet technol ogies will enable the Division to make a more 
effective use of webcasting to distribute its videos  and electronic news release. Distribution will 
also continue using video material on CD-Roms,  particularly in support of technical assistance 
activities. 
Expected Results
 
• Greater public understanding of the WTO and an increase in support for liberalization of  trade. 
• Media and public awareness of the aims of th e Doha Round and of developments in the 
negotiations, including the possible conclusion of negotiations. 
• Extensive, accurate media coverage of  the Seventh Ministerial Conference. 
• Increase in the effectiveness of the website as a means for dissemination of WTO information and 
data, with a continuing increase in the number of users worldwide.  
• A growing list of information, research and re ference publications meeting high standards for 
editorial content, style and presentation. 
 
Estimate of work hours per year allocated to technical assistance activities: 3,680 hours  
for: 
• establishment of WTO Reference Centres; 
• development of online training tools; 
• development and maintenance of "technic al assistance" website and web pages; 
• providing daily news summaries  and other information conten t to WTO Reference Centres. 
 WT/BFA/SPEC/136 
Page 33 
 
  
 Institute for Training and Technical Cooperation Division  
 
 
Director 1 
Other Staff 26 
 
 
_______________ 
  
Objectives and Work Programme for 2006-2007
 
 
 
Background  
The ITTC is the point of complex interaction of the Secretariat's duties and responsibilities.  As a result, 
its scope of work embraces substant ive policy as well as finance. 
Technical assistance is a core function of the WTO Secretariat, mandated by Ministers.  WTO 
technical assistance helps Members and Observers to understand the Agreem ents and participate 
effectively in the Doha Devel opment Agenda work programme. 
Developing and least-developed countr ies have made clear that their continued participation in, and 
support for, the negotiations is conditional upon the provision of ad equate technical assistance and 
capacity building.  Developed countries have acknowledged this conditionality by providing 
additional resources.   
The ITTC's overall responsibilities include developi ng policy as it relates to technical assistance and 
capacity building; serving as Secretariat contact point for donors, recipients and regional and international agencies; designing annual technical assistance plan s to be implemented by the 
Secretariat; co-ordinating and overseeing implementati on of annual plans; assisting with delivery of 
activities; providing Secretariat support for develo pment-related Committees; and, in co-ordination 
with the Technical Cooperation Audit (TCA), en suring appropriate monitoring and evaluation of 
WTO technical assistance efforts. Objectives  
• Provide technical assistance to WTO Members and Observers as mandated by the Doha 
Ministerial Declaration. 
• Implementation and overall responsibility for the WT O strategy for technical cooperation, and the 
development of technical cooperation policy as appropriate. 
• Developing policy for sustainable technical c ooperation and capacity building beyond the Doha 
negotiations. 
• Improving understanding of the multilateral trading sy stem and international trade law, and of the 
activities, scope and structure of the WTO. 
• Assisting countries recipients of technical assistan ce in the implementation of agreed international 
trade rules and to contribute towards human resource development. WT/BFA/SPEC/136 
Page 34  
 
 Main Activities
 
• Implementation of the WTO 2006 and 2007 Technical Assistance Plans. 
 
• Design of the WTO 2007 and 2008 Technical Assistance Plans. 
• Coordination of WTO technical cooperation/cap acity building within the WTO Secretariat 
Technical Assistance Management Committee (T AMC), with the WTO Membership, and with 
other multilateral agencies. 
• Joint delivery of TA activities with the In tegrated Framework and JITAP agencies. 
• Management of the joint WTO/OECD Doha De velopment Agenda Trade-Related Technical 
Assistance and Capacity-Building Database. 
• Planning, organization and impl ementation of the following activities:  Technical cooperation 
workshops and seminars (regional and national) covering all WTO-related activities;  Three-
month Trade Policy Courses (TPCs), regional and Geneva based;  Three-week Introductory 
Courses;  Specialized Courses (eg. Dispute Se ttlement, Trade Negotiations, GATS);  One-day 
Introduction Courses;  Training for trainers;  Di stance-learning;  Cooperation with universities 
and other academic institutions;  Coordinating and implementing WTO policy regarding external 
outsourcing of technical cooperation training ac tivities and reporting on the operation of the WTO 
outsourcing roster;  Improving didactic material and training techniques;  Servicing the Joint Advisory Board on Training;  Assisting the Asso ciation of Former Participants to GATT/WTO 
TPCs; Developing, organizi ng and conducting other forms of courses if required. 
Expected Results
 
Expected results for the recipient countries of TA include:  
 
• better understanding of WTO rights and obligations; 
• identifying the opportunities arising from the WTO Agreements; 
• enhancing capacity for implemen tation of Agreements;  and 
• assisting efforts to enhance capacity to draw on the benefits of the trading system (in 
partnership with key agencies and bilateral donors). 
 Estimate of work hours per year allocated to technical assistance activities
: 
 
Note : All members of the ITTC devote 100 per cent of their time to technical assistance activities. 
  WT/BFA/SPEC/136 
Page 35 
 
  
 Intellectual Property Division  
 
 
Director 1 
Other Staff 13 
 
 
_______________ 
 
 Objectives and Work Programme for 2006-2007
 
 
A. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY 
 
Objectives  
• Provide efficient service to the Regular and Special Sessions of the TRIPS Council, in particular to 
facilitate progress/completion of ongoing negotiations and work programmes, in the light of existing 
mandates and any new decisions that may be taken by Members, and to dispute se ttlement panels in the 
intellectual property area. 
• Maintain and, if possible, incr ease assistance to WT O Members through technical cooperation, in 
particular in conjunction with WIPO and othe r relevant IGOs, and through the provision of 
information/advice more generally. 
• Maintain and develop lines of communication with other IGOs, the NGO community, intellectual 
property practitioners and the academic community so that they have an adequate understanding of the 
TRIPS Agreement and of WTO processes. 
• Contribute to other Secretariat activities relating to in tellectual property rights, including in regard to 
geographical indications and other outstandi ng implementation issues in the TRIPS area. 
 
Background  
The Intellectual Property Division is responsible for servicing the Regular and Special Sessions of the 
Council for TRIPS and also, jointly with the Legal A ffairs Division, dispute se ttlement panels in the 
intellectual property area.  The TRIPS Council can be e xpected to continue to have a heavy agenda of 
work  The Division is also responsible for servi cing work being conducted on intellectual property 
issues in other contexts, for exam ple as has been the case in rega rd to outstanding implementation 
issues in the TRIPS area. 
Given that the TRIPS Agreement is one of the most demanding WTO Agreements from the 
implementation point of view, technical cooperation is  particularly important.  Within its resources, 
the Division seeks to provide such assistance as it can, focusing on those aspects on which it has 
special knowledge and working wherever possi ble with WIPO and other relevant IGOs. 
In the ongoing public debate about globalization and the role of the WTO, the TRIPS Agreement is a 
frequent subject of discussion and views, for example in regard to such matters as its public health 
implications and the relationship of IP protec tion to the conservation and sustainable use of 
biodiversity.  In accordance with the mandate give n to the Secretariat by the General Council, the 
Division seeks to ensure that such discussion is  as well informed as possible about WTO matters . WT/BFA/SPEC/136 
Page 36  
 
 Main Activities
 
• Subject to further guidance to be provided by  the TNC/General Council and by the Hong Kong 
Ministerial Conference, it can be expected that two of the main areas of activity will be geographical 
indications (the completion of the negotiations on th e register and such further work on extension as 
Members agree upon) and the relationship betwee n the TRIPS Agreement and the Convention on 
Biological Diversity as well as the review on Ar ticle 27.3(b) and the protection of traditional 
knowledge and folklore.  If work on an amendment to the TRIPS Agreement to replace the Decision 
on the Implementation of Paragraph 6 of the Doha  Declaration on the TRIPS Agreement and Public 
Health has not already been completed, the TRIPS Co uncil will need to continue its efforts to make a 
recommendation to the General Council.  Further,  the TRIPS Council will continue its work on a 
range of other matters such as reviewing national legislation, technical coop eration and transfer of 
technology under Article 66.2. 
• In regard to technical cooperation, one of the tasks in 2006/2007 will be continuing the 
implementation of the Joint WIPO-WTO Initia tive on Technical Cooperation in Favour of 
Least-Developed Countries.  Further, the Division will continue to hold regional workshops on topical issues.  The Division also plans to contin ue to put emphasis on technical cooperation to 
facilitate "operationalizing" the Decision on Pa ragraph 6 of the Doha Declaration on the TRIPS 
Agreement and Public Health, both through the se regional workshops and through Geneva-based 
training courses.  In addition, the Division plans to continue its efforts to assist developing countries to build up their own training a nd advisory capacity on TRIPS ma tters, notably through the joint 
WIPO-WTO training course for university professors.  Division officials will continue to participate 
as required in other seminars and workshops in deve loping countries and to provide advice to local 
delegations and visiting of ficials, and, in writing or through oral communication, to capital-based 
experts. 
• In regard to other IGO's, the Division has close cooperative relations with the WIPO, with which the 
WTO has a cooperation agreement.  It also cooperat es wherever possible with other IGO's such as 
UPOV, the WHO and the CBD.  In regard to "civil society", the Division attempts to respond to the 
strong interest of the NGO community, industry asso ciations, intellectual property practitioners and 
the academic community, by receiving visitors, resp onding to enquiries and participating in their 
meetings where possible. 
Expected Results
 
• The negotiations on a multilateral system of notification and regist ration of geographical indications 
for wines and spirits should be  completed during the biennium. 
• Further work as may be determined by Members on the issues of the relationship between the TRIPS 
Agreement and the CBD and related matters and on the issue of GI extension should be successfully carried out.  If agreement has not  already been reached by the end of 2005 on an amendment to 
replace the Decision of 30 August 2003 on the Im plementation of Paragraph 6 of the Doha 
Declaration on the TRIPS Agreement and Public Health, such an agreement should be reached. 
• Further, the TRIPS Council should complete/progres s work in other areas in accordance with any 
time-frames to be set by the TNC/General Counci l and by the Hong Kong Ministerial Conference. 
• Assistance to developing countries so as to help them implement the TRIPS Agreement and the 
Declaration/Decisi ons on TRIPS and Public Health and partic ipate effectively in ongoing work in the 
WTO. WT/BFA/SPEC/136 
Page 37 
 
  
 B. GOVERNMENT PROCUREMENT 
 
Objectives  
• Provide efficient service to the Committee es tablished under the plurilateral Agreement on 
Government Procurement, in particular to facilitate completion of the renegotiation of the Agreement 
in accordance with the schedule decided by the Committee (end 2006) and the accession of new 
Parties, and to dispute settlement panels that may be established. 
• Provide efficient service to an y work on transparency in gover nment procurement that may be 
decided by Members, for example af ter completion of the Doha Round. 
• Provide technical cooperation and in formation/advice to WTO Members. 
• Maintain and develop lines of communication with  other IGOs, business, the NGO community, the 
academic world, etc. 
• Cooperate with other parts of the Secretariat on government procurement matters..  
 
Background  
• The Division is responsible for servicing the pl urilateral Agreement on Government Procurement, 
including its Committee, its schedules, the ongoi ng work on the renegotiation of the agreement and 
(with the Legal Affairs Division) any dispute settlement proceedings that may eventuate. 
• The General Council agreed in its Decision of 1 August 2004 that the issue of transparency in 
government procurement will not form part of the Doha work programme and that no work towards 
negotiations on this issue will take place  within the WTO during the Doha Round. 
• There continues to be interest in technical assistance and support for capacity-building in the area of 
government procurement, both in relation to the plurilateral Agreement and more generally. 
• A number of other IGOs are active in the area of  government procurement, including the World Bank 
and regional development banks, UNCITRAL,  OECD and ITC and there is need to 
cooperate/coordinate with them. 
Main Activities  
• Activity under the plurilateral Agr eement can be expected to continue  at a high level, particularly 
with the target of completing th e renegotiation of the Agreement by the end of 2006.  Moreover, a 
substantial number of WTO Members are in the process of accession or have made commitments in this regard. 
• In accordance with the annual plans to be approved by the Committee on Trade and Development the 
Secretariat will carry out technical co operation activities in this area. 
Expected Results
 
• The Committee on Government Procurement has set a target of end 2006 for the completion of the 
renegotiation of the Agreement on Government  Procurement, both text and coverage. 
• Where requested, the technical cooperation activities of the Secretariat should result in a better 
understanding on the part of policy makers in developi ng countries of the pros and cons of accession 
to the GPA and of the procedures and requirements for such accession, as well as of trade-related 
government procurement issues mo re generally.  In the case of countries acceding to the GPA, 
Secretariat technical cooperation should assist them in their negotiations and in their actual or 
planned implementation of the pr ovisions of the Agreement. WT/BFA/SPEC/136 
Page 38  
 
  
C. TRADE AND COMPETITION POLICY 
 
Objectives
 
• Provide efficient service to any work on the interaction between trade and competition policy that 
may be decided by Members, for example after comp letion of the Doha Round;  provide information 
and technical cooperation in res ponse to requests, in conjuncti on with UNCTAD and other IGOs 
where appropriate;  maintain lines of communication with other IGOs, business, the NGO community, the academic world, etc.;  and contribute to other Secretariat activities on competition policy matters. 
 
 
Background  
The General Council agreed in its Decision of 1 Augu st 2004 that the issue of the interaction between 
trade and competition policy will not form part of  the Doha work programme and no work towards 
negotiations on this issue will take place  within the WTO during the Doha Round. 
Main Activities  
• In accordance with the annual plans to be approved by the Committee on Trade and Development, 
the Secretariat will carry out any technical co operation activities requested in this area . 
Expected Results  
• Any technical cooperation activities of the Secret ariat should result in a be tter understanding on the 
part of policy makers in developing countries of the links between competition policy, trade and development. 
 
Estimate of work hours per year allocated to technical assistance activities
: 
 
- Intellectual property :  30 per cent 
- Government procurement : 30 per cent. WT/BFA/SPEC/136 
Page 39 
 
  
 Language Services and Documentation Division  
 
 
Director 1 
Other Staff 146 
 
 
_______________ 
 
 Objectives and Work Programme for 2006-2007
 
 
Objectives  
• General:  Continue to provide language, confer ence and documentation services in an efficient 
and timely way. 
• Conference services:  Enhance services provide d for the accreditation of participants attending 
regular meetings and symposia building on th e application developed for accreditation at 
Ministerial Conferences. Enhance Conference Serv ices' facilities on the ground floor of CWR. 
• Documentation services:  Provide improved services to Members, observers and the public at 
large. Replacement of Documents Online. 
• Translation services :  Continue to seek to re duce excessive dependence on external resources 
by reinforcing the in-house co re of translation/revision capacity, mainly in the dispute-
settlement area.  Upgrade and enhance utilisati on of computer-assisted translation tools. 
• Demand management:   Examine and where feasib le implement new ways of rationalising the 
provision of services, in particular of meeting rooms and interpretation as well as translation, 
in order to optimise allocation of scarce resources. 
 
Background  
Over the last ten years since the inception of the WTO the workload of LSDD has expanded very 
considerably.  The annual translation workload has risen from some 10 million original words/year in 
1996 to about 27 million in 2005, or 170 per cent;  th e total number of meetings per year has more 
than doubled;  and the number of original pages for printing has increased by about 150 per cent.  
While the rate of increase in the demand for transla tion has slowed in the past biennium, the increase 
in 2004 over 2003 was still about one million origin al words – some 600 standard translators 
work/days.  The structural reasons underlying th e surge in demand described above (increased WTO 
membership, expanded sphere of WTO activities, wider notification requi rements and above all 
dispute settlement activity) imply that this much highe r level of activity is now a permanent feature.  
The projected level of activity in 2005 should be similar to that in 2004. 
 On the translation side, LSDD has sought to meet  this increased demand in a cost-efficient way, 
through more sophisticated equipment and new co mputer applications, and also by expanding its 
various types of temporary translation resources:  temporary in-house translators, SSC translators and 
external contractual translators.  It is important to establish a judicious mix of these various types of 
temporary translation resources together with regular staff in order to meet the essential objectives of quality, timeliness and cost-effectiveness.  However,  it is now apparent that reliance on external WT/BFA/SPEC/136 
Page 40  
 
 resources has reached the point of creating ineffi ciencies due to the in-house revision bottleneck (in-
house revision being the essential tool for quality assurance).  The need to strengthen the in-house translation/revision capacity has been making itself felt, particularly in the highly sensitive area of dispute settlement, and the necessity of converting te mporary assistance into some additional posts at 
the required level is therefore clear.  A start was ma de in this direction by the creation of two posts 
(one French, one Spanish) in 2004. 
 On the printing side, LSDD has also been proactiv e in seeking to handle this increased demand in a 
cost-efficient manner.  Various measures implemented, (in particular investment in new equipment, allowing more printing on demand and thus reduc ing stocks, electronic dissemination and lighter 
paper) have enabled us even to re verse the trend.  Thus, although the number of original pages sent 
for printing has increased by 150% the number of printed pages has increased by only 25% (2004 
over 1995), as opposed to 91% for the comparison 2001 over 1995;  and the average number of copies of paper documents distributed in the three langua ges has been reduced from 1,640 in 1995 to 914 in 
2004.  All in all, the total cost of a printe d page has fallen from Sw F 0.08 to approximately 
SwF 0.025.  A continuing source of full-system sa vings is now the realisation of graphic and DTP 
projects for the Training and Technical Cooperati on Institute, Information and Media Relations, 
Development and Agriculture and Commodities Divi sions, work previously carried out by more 
expensive outside printers.  Finally, in 2005 the renewal of the section's reproduction plant was 
completed with the introduction of CD/DVD Rom duplication and printing equipment. 
Main activities
 
I. On-going Projects: 
• Workflow Management.  Fine-tuning work process es to enable better coordination and integration 
of translation and text-processing operations  within LSDD and between LSDD and other 
divisions. 
• Document Management System (DMS). Enha ncement of modules on account of additional 
requirements and users' needs. 
• Translation Assistance Systems.  Fine-tuning of  existing applications including expansion of 
translation memories. 
• Provision of better infrastructure and communicati on facilities to staff and external collaborators 
working outside of headquarters. WT/BFA/SPEC/136 
Page 41 
 
  
  
II. New Projects: 
• Replacement of Documents Online. 
• Integration of Members Servi ces on the ground floor of CWR. 
• Development of an in-house application to enab le the accreditation/registration of participants 
attending regular meetings. 
• Development of an in-house application to enab le the accreditation/registration of participants 
attending symposia/workshops. 
• Development of new modules of the DMS, particul arly those dealing with the availability of 
external interpreters. 
• Exploration/introduction of new facilities in the ar ea of text synchronisation, machine assisted 
translation, voice recognition for in ternal and external translators. 
• Further development of graphic arts production in response to increasing demand, in particular for 
Training and Technical Cooperation Institute as well as IMRD. 
 
Expected results  
• Improved service to Members and the Secretariat. 
 Estimate of work hours per year allocated to technical assistance activities
:  5 per cent 
  
.WT/BFA/SPEC/136 
Page 42  
 
 Legal Affairs Division
 
  
Staffing 
 
Director 1 
Other Staff 15 
 
 
_______________  
  Objectives and Work Programme for 2006-2007
 
 
Objectives  
• Assist WTO Members and the Director Genera l in timely composition of dispute settlement 
panels and arbitral bodies. 
• Give legal advice to panels and arbitral bodies, provide technical and  admi nistrative support for the 
operation of such panels and arbitral bodies, and a ssist in the drafting of panel and arbitral body 
reports, as directed,  in an appropriate and speedy way. 
• Give legal advice to the Office of the Director-General and to other divisions within the Secretariat, 
including in particular the Administration and General Services Division and the Human Resources 
Division, and the Joint Appeals Board.. 
• Give general legal advice to the Members and to WTO organs, particularly the Dispute Settlement 
Body. 
• Participate in Secretariat technical assistance activi ties, mainly in respect of training in the area of 
dispute settlement, and more generally  help to fu lfil the training mandate of  DSU Article 27.3   and 
the Doha Ministerial Declaration. 
• Prepare, publish and keep up to date the WTO Analytical Index and other publications such as the 
Status of Legal Instruments, the DS Reports;  pr epare other WTO dispute sett lement publications of a 
periodic nature (e.g. Handbook on WTO Disput e Settlement, Key Issues in WTO Dispute 
Settlement: The First Ten Years). 
• Maintain an up-to-date database of WTO dispute settlement activity. 
• Perform the depository functions of the Dir ector-General in respect of WTO Agreements. 
• Maintain an up-to-date Dispute Settlement Registry.  
 
Background  
The first four objectives mentioned above are related to functions of the Secretariat and of  LAD which 
have continued to be very active in recent years and which are expected to continue at an active pace  in 
the immediate and medium-term future. 
Main Activities  
• The main activities all relate to the nine objective s mentioned above.  In a ddition, members of  the 
LAD staff continue to give informal legal advice to other Secretariat pers onnel "on a individual WT/BFA/SPEC/136 
Page 43 
 
  
 basis" about their rights under the Staff Regulations and Rules.  In general, it can be said that 
demands for such internal legal a dvice continue at a steady space. 
Expected Results  
• In recent years, the Division has assisted in the composi tion and  support of  between ten and fifteen  
panel and arbitral body proceedings per year (inc luding  those under DSU Articles 21.5 and 22.6 
procedures).  While this workload is entirely dependent on the litigation demands of the WTO membership, all indications point to a similar level of activity for the  foreseeable future.  If the workload remains at or below this historic level, the division should be able to handle such workload with its existing resources.  
• The Division should be able to respond to all reas onable requests for training and teaching activities 
on dispute settlement within the framework of the organization's overall program of technical assistance.  In recent years, this has entailed twenty-five to thirty majo r activities per year, each 
lasting between one and two weeks (not including pr eparation time).  The demand for such services  
continues at a high level and cannot continue to be regarded as a mere "time-filler",  to be carried out 
only when there are temporarily fewer panels or arbitral bodies to be se rviced.  In addition, there is a 
constantly growing demand for advanced traini ng in WTO dispute settlem ent and jurisprudence, 
which entails considerably more preparation time. 
• The Division should be able to continue to provi de timely and sound legal  advice to WTO Members, 
WTO Committee chairpersons, WTO organs  and other Secretariat divisions and staff (including 
management).  It is expected that more and more  legal advice will be sought with respect to Doha 
Round matters as the negotiations intensify in the  coming months.  
• Updates to the Analytical Index will continue to be prepared once a year.  A new edition will be 
published every three to five years, with the next one due in 2006. 
 
Estimate of work hours per year allocated to technical assistance activities
: 
 
• The technical assistance function of the divi sion is mandated by the Marrakech Agreement 
(mainly training, see Article 27 of the DSU) and th e Doha Ministerial Declaration.  As in recent 
years, we estimate that around 10-15 percent of th e work of the lawyers in  the division will be 
devoted to technical assistance.  This work c ontinues to be shared among the lawyers of the 
division.  Since October 2002, LAD has benefited from the presen ce of one PSF staff member 
who divides her time more or less equally betw een technical assistance and dispute settlement 
activities. 
 
Staffing 
 
• It should be noted that the Division has lost one lawyer post with the transfer of a senior 
lawyer in the division to the Cabinet of the new Director-General as of 1 September 2005.  We anticipate that the work of this lawyer can be allocated among the remaining lawyers in 
the division without too much sacrifice in output  and efficiency, provided that the workload 
of the division remains at a level similar to that  of recent years.  However, if the workload of 
the division were to surge, one or more a dditional lawyers  would be needed, depending on 
the increased workload.  As noted above, the overall dispute settlement workload of the 
division depends in large part on the amount  of litigation brought to the WTO by its 
membership, which can vary consider ably from one year to the next. WT/BFA/SPEC/136 
Page 44  
 
 Market Access Division
 
  
Director 1 
Other Staff 12 
_______________ 
  
Objectives and Work Programme for 2006-2007
 
 
Objectives  
Council for Trade in Goods (CTG):  
• The objectives of the CTG in 2006/2007 will, to a considerable extent, be linked to the activities 
of its subsidiary bodies.  It oversees the multila teral trade agreements and ministerial decisions 
covering the goods sector and takes actions, where required, on the issues raised by the various 
committees which report to it. 
• Such actions would include examining and approvi ng requests for waivers and waiver extensions, 
adopting the terms of reference under which free tr ade agreements are to be examined, and taking 
note of the situation regarding compliance with relevant notification obligations.  The CTG may 
also address substantive matte rs on goods-related issues including the review under Article 9 of 
the TRIMs Agreement, Textile-related i ssues and China's Transitional Review. 
Committee on Market Access: 
• Complete the exercise of introducing HS96 changes to schedules of concessions. 
• Complete the exercise of introducing chang es to schedules of concessions  in HS2002. 
• Start the process of introducing HS2007 changes in the schedules of concessions. 
• Complete the transposition of the remaining schedules of concessions into the Harmonized 
System. 
• Work closely with the Statistics Division in  respect of the IDB and the CTS databases. 
• Participate in the WCO meetings of the Harmonized System Committee. 
• Provide information and advice to acceding co untries, delegations, other international 
intergovernmental organizations, private parti es and Divisions in the Secretariat on matters 
relating to market access matters, in cluding Article XXVIII negotiations.  
• Process and circulate expeditiously notifications received. 
Negotiating Group on Market Access: 
• Following agreement on the modalities for NAM A negotiations, finalize the schedules of 
concessions of Members and provide for their verification. 
• Finalize and/or follow up on NTBs negotiations and, as necessary, provide for its outcome to 
be reflected in WTO legal instruments. 
• Ensure the provision of technical assistance. 
• Assist in the compilation and analysis of NTB notifications. 
• Provide information and advice to Members on the negotiations. 
 WT/BFA/SPEC/136 
Page 45 
 
  
 Committee on Customs Valuation: 
• Monitor Members' legislation and implementation of the Agreement. 
• Continue to address the implementation issues rela ting to customs valuation, in accordance with 
paragraph 8.3 of the Doha Decision on Implemen tation-Related Issues and Concerns, and, if 
necessary the tirets in paragraph 7 of document Job(01)/152/Rev.1. 
• Provide information and advice to delegations, ot her international organizations, private parties 
and other Divisions in the Secretariat on matters relating to customs valuation. 
• Receive and process notifications of legislation. 
• Participate in the meetings of the Technical  Committee on Customs Valuation (at the World 
Customs Organization) and other relevant bodies, as necessary. 
• Advising Members on technical assistance needs and availability of assistance and working with 
other donors and providers to ensure provision of assistance. 
• Organize and participate in technical coopera tion missions to exped ite implementation. 
• Monitor and administer aspects related to  the Agreement on Preshipment Inspection. 
Committee on Rules of Origin (CRO) 
• Completion of the Harmonization Work Programme on rules of origin.  
Committee on Import Licensing 
• Monitor Members' import licensing systems and the implementation of the Agreement on Import 
Licensing Procedures. 
• Review annually the implementation of China's commitments in the import licensing area. 
• Review biennially the implementation and opera tion of the Agreement under Article 7.1 of the 
Agreement. 
• Receive and process notifications of legislation, replies to the Questionnaire, new import licensing 
procedures and changes to existing licensing pro cedures submitted under Articles 1, 5, 7 and 8 of 
the Agreement. 
• Provide information and advice to delegations, ot her international organisations, private parties 
and other Divisions in the Secretariat on matters relating to import licensing. 
• Organise and participate in technical assistance missions. 
Committee of Participants on the Expansion of  Trade in Information Technology Products 
• Monitor and review implementation of the Agreement. 
• Advance on the Non-Tariff Measures Work Programme. 
• Review classification issues. 
• Increase participation by adding new Members. 
• Review other matters relating to trad e in information technology products. 
• Provide technical assistance activities and organize workshops as needed. 
• Review product coverage. WT/BFA/SPEC/136 
Page 46  
 
 Other: 
Quantitative Restrictions  
• Monitor Biannual notifications of QRs in accordance with Decisions G/L/59 and G/L/60. 
• Maintain and update QR database. 
• Ensure accuracy of information in notifications  and, if necessary, verify with delegations. 
Tariff information available in  the Market Access Division  
• Obtain from delegations the most recent tariff inform ation available which is stored in the Library 
of the Market Access Division.  Update the nati onal tariffs with the amendments sent by Members 
in paper form. 
• Make a compilation of all the nationa l tariffs on paper and in electroni c or other form that are kept 
in the Secretariat in order to have a correct idea of what is available. 
• Update documentation on latest tariffs received. 
• Continue the indexing of national tariffs kept in  the archives and eventually in other divisions. 
 
Background  
Council  for Trade in Goods :   
• The CTG was established pursuant to Article IV , paragraph 5 of the Marrakech Agreement 
establishing the WTO.  It oversees the multilatera l trade agreements and ministerial decisions 
covering the goods sector and takes actions, where re quired, on the issues raised by the various 
committees which report to it. 
Committee on Market Access 
• The Committee on Market Access was established under Article IV, paragraph 7 of the WTO by 
the General Council at its meeting of 30 January 19 95, and its terms of reference are contained in 
document WT/L/47. 
 
Negotiating Group on Market Access 
• The Negotiating Group on Market Access was est ablished by the TNC at its meeting of 1 
February 2002 in order to carry out work under pa ragraph 16 of the Doha Ministerial Declaration. 
 
Committee on Customs Valuation 
• The Committee on Customs Valuation was establishe d pursuant to Article 18 of the Agreement 
on Customs Valuation.  The mandate for implemen tation-related issues and concerns related to 
customs valuation are contained in the Doha Decision on Implementation-Related Issues and 
Concerns and in paragraph 12 of th e Doha Ministerial Declaration. 
 
Committee on Rules of Origin  
• As mandated in Part IV of the Agreement on Rul es of Origin (Agreement), the main objective of 
the CRO is to harmonize non-preferential rules of origin.  The CRO has been working on the project to harmonize non-preferential rules of origin since 1995.  To date, the number of outstanding issues is 135, out of which 94 core po licy issues, in July 2002, were forwarded to the 
General Council for discussion and decision.  The Ge neral Council resolved two issues and, at its WT/BFA/SPEC/136 
Page 47 
 
  
 meeting in July 2005, extended the deadline fo r completing these 92 issues  to July 2006 and 
agreed that the CRO complete the remaining work by the end of 2006. 
 
Committee on Import Licensing 
• The Committee on Import Licensing was established under Article 4 of the Agreement on Import 
Licensing Procedures to provide a forum for cons ulting on any matters relating to the Agreement 
or the furtherance of its objectives.  The mandate  for the annual reviews on the implementation of 
China's commitments on import licensing is containe d in Paragraph 18 of China's Protocol of 
Accession. 
 
Committee of Participants on the Expansion of  Trade in Information Technology Products 
• The Committee of Participants on the Expansion of Trade in Information Technology Products 
was established under the auspices of the Counc il for Trade in Goods, as provided for in the 
Ministerial Declaration on Trade in Informati on Technology Products (WT/MIN(96)/16) and the 
Implementation of the Ministerial Declarati on on Trade in Information Technology Products 
(G/L/160). 
 Main Activities
 
Council for Trade in Goods 
• Organize around five meetings a year of the Coun cil for Trade in Goods (i .e. preparation of draft 
agendas, speaking notes, reports of meetings, inform al papers, reports to the General Council etc., 
and to the extent necessary coordinate acti vities of the subsidiary bodies of the CTG). 
• Organize formal and inform al consultations prior to meetings in order to resolve sensitive issues. 
• Likely issues to be dealt with include:  various waiver requests, China Transitional Review 
Mechanism, possible cont inuation of work on the review envi saged under Articl e 9 of the TRIMs 
Agreement, update of the status of notifications under the WTO Agre ements serviced by subsidiary 
bodies of the CTG;  textiles, other matters passed on by subsidiary bodies of the CTG. 
• Continuing the smooth running of the CTG's regula r work in a business-like and effective manner. 
 
Committee on Market Access 
• Organize three to four formal meetings of the Committee (preparation of speaking notes, reports 
of meetings, background papers etc).  Informal  meetings will also need to be organized. 
• Attend two meetings of the WCO Harmonized System Committee in Brussels. 
• Update schedules of concessions to the HS2002 ve rsion according to the new procedure, together 
with the IDB-CTS unit in the Economic Research and Statistics Division. 
• Organize the multilateral verification of HS2002 submissions. 
• Keep the waiver situation under review. 
 
Negotiating Group on Market Access 
• Organize formal meetings of the Negotiating Group (preparation of speaking notes, summary 
reports of meetings and minutes, background no tes etc.) and convene informal meetings as 
appropriate. 
• Prepare papers and provide information on specifi c issues in the context of capacity-building and 
technical assistance. WT/BFA/SPEC/136 
Page 48  
 
 • Undertake technical assistance missions on n on-agricultural market access negotiations. 
• Update the NAMA - NTBs database, as required for the negotiations. 
 
Committee on Customs Valuation 
• Monitor and review annually the implementa tion of the Customs Valuation Agreement. 
• Advise Members on the provisions of the Custom s Valuation Agreement and the Preshipment 
Inspection Agreement. 
• Organize and prepare 2 meetings of the Committe e on Customs Valuation a year (preparation of 
draft agendas, speaking notes, reports of meeti ngs, informal papers, reports to the Council for 
Trade in Goods, etc. and assist the Ch air with consultations among Members). 
• Carry out work (background notes, Chair's co nsultations, reports of meetings, etc.) on 
implementation issues in accordance with paragraph 8.3 of the Doha Decision on 
Implementation-Related Issues and Concerns and, if necessary, with paragraph 12 of the Doha 
Ministerial Declaration. 
• Attend meetings, normally twice annually, of the Technical Committee on Customs Valuation 
held at the World Customs Organization in Brussels. 
• Ensure completion of technical assistance missions  on customs valuation in accordance with the 
2006 and 2007 Technical Assistance Plan. 
• Monitor the implementation of the Ag reement on Preshipment Inspection. 
• Ensure the efficient operation of the Independent Review Entity under Article 4 of the Agreement 
on PSI in cooperation with the International Chamber of Commerce and the International 
Federation of Inspection Agencies. 
Committee on Rules of Origin 
• Organize meetings of the Committee on Rules of Or igin (preparation of draft agendas, speaking 
notes, reports of meetings, reports to the CT G etc. and assisting the Chairperson with 
consultations among Members). 
• Carry out work on the Harmonization Work Programm e on non-preferential rules of origin.  To this 
end: 
- organize formal and informal meetings and consultations in different formats; 
- work in close consultation with the Chair on specific issues with a high degree of technical 
intricacy and with complex policy implications; 
- provide information and advice to delegations. 
• Monitor and review, annually, the implementation of the Agreement on Rules of Origin in light of 
the disciplines required by the Agreement. 
• Attend meetings of the WCO Technical Co mmittee on Rules of Origin in Brussels. 
• Organize and participate in technical cooperation missions on rules of origin. 
Committee on Import Licensing 
• Organise meetings of the Committee on Import Licen sing (preparation of draft agendas, speaking 
notes, reports of meetings, informal papers, reports  to the CTG, etc. and assisting the Chair with 
consultations among Members). WT/BFA/SPEC/136 
Page 49 
 
  
 • Advise Members on the provisions of the Agreement on Import Licensing Procedures and other 
WTO Agreements relevant to import licensing. 
• Organise and participate in technical assistance missions. 
• Monitor and review the implementation of the Agreement and the compliance of Members with 
the notification obligations. 
• Review biennially the implementation and opera tion of the Agreement pursuant to Article 7.1 
(preparation of factual reports for such reviews). 
• Review annually the implementation of China's commitments in the import licensing area and 
report the results of the reviews to the CTG. 
Committee of Participants on the Expansion of  Trade in Information Technology Products 
• Conduct review of the implementation of the Agreement. 
• Continue the Work Programme, technical and ot herwise, with respect to non-tariff measures. 
• Continue the review work on classification issues. 
• Provide technical assistance and organize workshops as needed. 
• Provide technical assistance and information to acceding participants. 
• Conduct verification of the schedule of commitments for the acceding participants. 
• For review of product coverage (ITA II), provide continuing support for the negotiations and the 
follow-up if necessary.  In the event of an agreem ent, design a template to be used for schedules 
and electronic verification of schedules. 
Quantitative Restrictions 
• Process information contained in the notifications in order to input it into the QR database. 
• Contact delegations as necessary to verify and co rrect information contained in notifications. 
• Advise delegations on how to fulfil thei r obligations under G/L/5l9 and G/L/60. 
Expected Results  
• The smooth running and implementation of the tasks assigned to the different bodies under the 
responsibility of the Market Access Division. 
 
Estimated Time Devoted to TA Activities 2006/07  
 
calculated on the basis of one year =   2080 hours (i.e. 40 hours x 52 weeks)  
 
- by staff funded from the regular budget:  
Total Hours over two years 2006/2007 estimated  at  (4552 hrs x 2)   9,104 hours 
 - by staff funded from trust f unds: One PSF post i.e. 2080 hours 
 Total Hours over two years 2004/2005 estimated  at (2080 hrs x 2)  4,160 hours 
   _____________ Total hours for mark et access division     8,060 hours WT/BFA/SPEC/136 
Page 50  
 
 Rules Division
 
 
 
Director 1 
Other Staff 17 
 
 
_______________ 
 
 Objectives and Work Programme for 2006-2007
 
 
Objectives  
• Ensure the efficient functioning of the Negotiati ng Group on Rules, assisting Members to achieve 
consensus, so that the Negotiating Group on Ru les can make its contribution to achieving a 
balanced and meaningful overall result in the DDA. 
• Provide the best possible Secretariat support to th e increasing number of panels in the Rules area, 
so as to facilitate the timely and professional resolution of disputes. 
• Assist Members in using regular Rules bodies effec tively to achieve transparency and clarity in 
implementation of Rules agreements, includi ng through development of recommendations 
regarding anti-dumping practice and reaching deci sions regarding extensions of developing 
country transition periods for the phase-out of export subsidies.     
• Enhance the ability of Members to understand and implement in practice their rights and 
obligations under Rules agreements, including  through "hands on" expertise and technical 
assistance to trade remedy investigating author ities and practical advice regarding compliance 
with subsidies disciplines.  
 
Background  
The Rules Division is responsible for all aspects, including dispute settlement, of the following areas 
of the WTO's work:  Contingent trade remedies (a nti-dumping, countervailing measures, safeguards), 
subsidies disciplines, state trading enterprises (Artic le XVII), and trade in civil aircraft.  The bodies 
serviced are:  Negotiating Group on Rules; Committee on Anti-Dumping Practices, Committee on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures; Committee on Safeguards; Committee on Trade in Civil Aircraft; Technical Sub-Committee of the Committee on Trade in Civil Aircraft; Working Party on 
State Trading; Working Party on Subsidy Notificatio ns; Permanent Group of Experts; Informal Group 
on Anti-Circumvention; Working Group on Implementation. 
Main Activities
 
• The Division staffs the Negotiating Group on Rules with respect to the negotiations concerning 
anti-dumping, countervailing measures, and subsid ies.  This includes organizing and servicing 
meetings of the Negotiating Group, consulting w ith the Chairman, delegations and management 
on matters concerning the negotiations, prepari ng background papers a nd notes and such other 
assistance as may be requested by participants.  Th e Division also follows related issues in other 
fora, such as the steel and shipbuilding negotia tions at the OECD, through participation in 
meetings as an observer, and providing expert advice as requested.  The Division also has a WT/BFA/SPEC/136 
Page 51 
 
  
 programme to provide technical assistance to developing Members regarding the negotiations, 
through both Geneva- and capital-based activities.   
• The Division services dispute settlement panels re lating to its areas of competence, through the 
provision of both legal officers and secretaries.  Ru les area panels constitute a major portion of all 
WTO dispute settlement.  The current level of activ ity – an average of 6-8 simultaneous panels - 
already consumes more staff time than any other activity, with almost all Division staff servicing, 
in addition to other responsibilities, one or mo re panels.  The pressure this places on Division 
resources cannot be overstated.  The increasing num ber of panels in this area – projected to 
average 6-10 simultaneous Rules panels for the fo reseeable future – will consume an increasing 
amount of staff time, and may not be possibl e to manage given resource limitations.  
• The Division staffs numerous regular bodies.  The normal activities of these bodies include the 
areas of notifications and transparency, reviews of  national laws, practices, and actions, etc.  The 
Division also participates in related activities in  other bodies, for instance as an observer in 
meetings of the Participants to the Arrangeme nt on Guidelines for Officially Supported Export 
Credits at the OECD, providing background info rmation and expert advice as appropriate.  The 
Working Group on Implementation continues to  develop recommendations on anti-dumping 
practice for adoption by the Committee on Anti-Dumping Practices.  
• The Division undertakes numerous programmes to assist Members to understand and properly 
implement their WTO obligations in the rules area.  These primarily focus on helping Members 
and acceding countries which use contingent trad e remedies to do so in a WTO-consistent 
manner, and helping developing Members understand how and to what extent they can achieve 
their goals without providing prohibited subsidies.  To these ends, the Division:  (1) assists, as requested, in the preparation of relevant legi slation, including detailed review and written 
comments on draft laws and regulations and (in some cases) direct assistance in the drafting 
process;  (2) assists, as requested,  in establishing or improving domestic trade remedy systems to ensure actions consistent with WTO rules; (3 ) develops model laws and how-to manuals for 
Members; (4) provides detailed, practical traini ng in the conduct of contingent trade remedy 
investigations; (5) consults with individual de legations on specific aspects of interpretation and 
application of the relevant agreements;  (6) provides information regarding the practice of 
different Members in implementing rules area ag reements; (7) continuously updates the database 
of all contingent trade remedy actions taken since 1980;  (8) assists Members in identifying 
subsidy programmes that may be s ubject to prohibition and devising WTO-consistent alternatives;  
(9) assists in preparing required notifications; (10)  cooperates with other international institutions 
(in particular regional institutions such as th e Inter-American Development Bank (IADB) and 
APEC) in organizing regional technical  assistance on issues in the Rules area. 
• The Division participates in technical coopera tion missions and other forms of technical 
assistance (preparation of technical assistance aids  such as flow charts, slides, summaries of the 
Agreements, Internet sites etc., and lecturi ng in various courses for developing countries 
organized by the WTO, or in conjunction with other international organizations). 
• The Division will assist Members in any new task s they may decide to undertake, including any 
tasks related to completion of the Rules Negotiati ons and implementation of results.  In addition, 
the Division will address as appropriate, problems that may emerge in the areas of 
subsidies/countervailing measures, anti-dumping, saf eguards, state trading, and civil aircraft. 
Expected Results
 
• In the area of dispute settlement, the Division will make every effort to continue to provide timely, 
competent advice and drafting assistance to enable pa nels to resolve Members' disputes.  However, 
the continued high level of dispute settlement activitie s may make it difficult, if not impossible, to WT/BFA/SPEC/136 
Page 52  
 
 provide all assistance requested by panels in a full y satisfactory and/or timely way, given insufficient 
staffing resources. 
• In the area of Rules Negotiations, the Division will assist Members in achieving consensus on 
negotiating proposals, principally by providing te chnical expertise and background information.  
Recently reduced staffing resources may make it difficult if not impossible for the Division to 
continue to provide technical assistance to devel oping Members regarding the negotiations at the 
requested levels.  Nonetheless, the Division will, to the extent possible, continue its work in this regard. 
• In the conduct of the on-going work of the bodies serv iced by the Division, the Division will continue 
to ensure the timely, smooth, and efficient functioni ng of these bodies.  In a ddition, the Division will 
(1) provide expertise and assistance to enable Members to agree on practical recommendations for anti-dumping practice, and (2) will provide technical expertise to enable developing Members to 
implement WTO- consistent subsidy programmes. 
• In the area of technical assistance and cooperation, insufficient staffing resources w ill probably make 
it difficult for the Divisi on to fully respond to all requests, fo llowing already reduced activity in 
recent years.  Nonetheless, the Division will, to the extent possible, continue its work to enable Members to operate trade remedy systems and subsidy programmes in a WTO-consistent manner. 
 
Estimate of work hours per year allocated to technical assistance activities
: 
 
Technical assistance activities remain at a level be low peak years (6,000 hours ).  Regular staff - +/- 
3,500 – 4,000 hours.  Travel time (approximately 1, 000 hours, frequently on weekends) is in addition 
to these figures. The loss of one L-staff post as  of 1 September 2005, whose incumbent had been 
providing approximately 800 hours, principally in assistance to developing Members concerning the 
Rules Negotiations, will limit the Division's activities even further.    
 WT/BFA/SPEC/136 
Page 53 
 
  
  
Technical Cooperation Audit Division  
 
 
Director 1 
Other Staff 0 
 
 
_______________ 
  Objectives and Work Programme for 2006-2007
 
 
Objectives  
• WTO operational Divisions, ITTC managers and st aff regularly ask for and integrate information 
as well as lessons learned – generated by eval uations of TA assistance and training activities – 
into policy and programme decisions.  
• The M&E system is subject to Office-wide application.  
• All TA activities, within the scope of WTO's M& E system, will have been evaluated either by 
TCA or by TA providers on a regular basis and reported about through the BTORs.  
• Recommendations emerged from the evaluation of TA activities are regularly followed up.  
• COMTD will have discussed and endorsed the annual evaluation report prepared by TCA.  
 
Background  
The Unit, which was established four years ago, assumes responsibility for developing and refining 
the M&E system, building up in-house capacity to evaluate TA and training activities and 
disseminating the lessons learned within the Secretariat.  The functioning of the M&E system, on a trial basis though, started generating information on the effects and impact of TA and training 
activities for the Donors and beneficiaries, and Memb ers in general.  The M&E system and related 
procedures require regular maintenance and adaptatio n to reflect the needs and specificities of WTO 
TA without making it too heavy and bureaucratic. 
 
Main activities
 
• Priority will be given to the revision of M&E concepts, tools and procedures for 2006. 
• TCA will offer regular feedback and briefing ser vices to the operational divisions and ITTC in 
order to ensure that the M&E concepts are fu lly understood and properly applied.  More 
specifically TCA will assist the TA providers throughout the project cycle, i.e. from needs 
assessment and design, objective setting and formula tion of indicators of achievement of TAs, to 
monitoring and evaluation considerations.  This ap plies to all the products included in the Annual 
Technical Assistance Plan. 
• Development of a CD-Rom containing key info rmation on evaluation policies and procedures, 
examples of best practices and other supportive materials. 
• Evaluation of TA and training activities by TCA.  The number of such evaluations will depend on 
the resources available for the Unit.  The aim is  to conduct at least twenty on-site evaluations 
annually. WT/BFA/SPEC/136 
Page 54  
 
 • Pending on additional resources available, new kinds  of evaluation will be experimented with, 
e.g. ex-post evaluations regarding the impact of  long-term trade policy courses on the participants' 
work and work environment. 
• Evaluation materials, including the M&E system and procedures will be made accessible through 
the Intranet of the Secretariat. 
• Contacts with beneficiaries, don ors and partner institutions.  
Expected Results
 
By the end of the biennium: 
• TA providers will not only deliver high quality TA  and training but also pay more attention to 
achieve the desired effects and impact. 
• The M&E concepts and tools are regularly and pr operly used resulting in improved design of the 
TA activities and evaluation reports (BTORs). 
• The application of the monitoring and eval uation system for programme planning and 
implementation will contribute to link TA and tr aining activities to higher level divisional 
objectives and results-based management. 
• Evaluative information is regularly available and consulted through the Intranet of WTO. 
• TCA backup services, e-g- briefing, feedback, etc. are regularly used by TA providers. 
 
Estimate of work hours per year allocated to technical assistance activities : 
 
- by staff funded from the regular budget: 100 per cent 
- by staff funded from trust funds:  100 per cent 
 WT/BFA/SPEC/136 
Page 55 
 
  
 Trade and Environment Division  
 
 
Director 1 
Other Staff 7 
 
 
_______________ 
  
Objectives and Work Programme for 2006-2007
 
 
Objectives  
• To provide efficient service to the regular wo rk of the Committee on Trade and Environment 
(CTE Regular) as well as the negotiations on trade and environment, taking place in Special Sessions (CTESS). 
• To promote a better understanding of WTO rules amo ng environment officials, as well as in "civil 
society".  This applies also to WTO rules as they relate to matters covered by MEAs. 
• To provide technical assistance. 
 
Background  
The 1994 Ministerial Decisi on on Trade and Environment called for the establishment of a Committee on 
Trade and Environment (CTE).  A broad based mandate was agreed upon for the CTE, consisting, in 
short, of identifying the relationship between trade measures and environmental measures in order to 
promote sustainable development, and of making appropriate recommendations on whether any modifications of the provisions of the multilateral tr ade system are required.  With the aim of making 
trade and environment policies mutually supportiv e, the CTE regular work  programme addresses a 
number of specific issues, incl uding the effect of environmental measures on market access and 
environmental benefits of removing trade restrictions and distortions (win-win-win situations).  Since November 2001, the CTE Regular has given particular attention to selected items of the work programme 
as instructed by Ministers in paragraph 32 of the Doha Ministerial Declaration.  Moreover, the CTE was also mandated by Ministers at Doha to act as a forum to identify and debate developmental and 
environmental aspects of the negotiations, in order to  help achieve the objective of having sustainable 
development appropriately reflected. 
The negotiations on the trade and environment, mandated by paragr aph 31 of the 2001 Doha Ministerial 
Declaration, take place in CTE Special Session (CTESS) .  These negotiations are on:  (i) the relationship 
between existing WTO rules and specific trade obligations set out in MEAs;  (ii) the procedures for regular information exchange be tween MEA Secretariats and the relevant WTO Committees and the 
criteria for the granting of observer st atus;  and, (iii) the reduction or, as  appropriate, elimination of tariff 
and non-tariff barriers to envi ronmental goods and services. 
Main activities
 
• Service the Chairs and Members of the CTE Regular and CTESS. 
• Provide Secretariat support to any relevant dispute panels. 
• Provide technical assistance and information/advi ce to developing countries and LDCs, including 
through technical cooperation missions a nd side-events organize d at MEA meetings. WT/BFA/SPEC/136 
Page 56  
 
 • Maintain dialogue with NGOs, academia and priv ate sector on issues of mutual interest. 
• Cooperate with the Secretariats of multilateral e nvironment agreements (MEAs) as well as with 
relevant IGOs, including particip ation in meetings they hold. 
• Service WTO senior management and co ordinate with other WTO divisions. 
Expected results
 
• To contribute to the implementation of the CTE Work Programme, including work mandated under 
paragraphs 32 and 51 of  the Doha Declaration. 
• To contribute to the successful outcome of negoti ations on paragraph 31 of the Doha Declaration. 
• To achieve significant progress towards enhanci ng the understanding of the issues relating to the 
trade and environment interface, as well as to raise awareness on the environmental aspects of the 
debate on sustainable development.  This should enhance dialogue between trade and environment 
policy makers. 
 
Technical Barriers to Trade  
Objectives  
• The efficient and effective service to th e Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade. 
• The provision of technical assistance. 
 
Background  
The TBT Agreement deals with standards, technical re gulations and conformity assessment procedures as 
they affect international trade in goods.  These measur es are considered to be im portant non-tar iff barriers 
to trade and have been gaining increased attention from WTO Members and the private sector.  The 
Agreement aims at reducing unnecessary barriers to trade while allowing Members the right to pursue legitimate regulatory policy objectives.  It does this, inter alia , by encouraging the use of international 
standards.  Discussions on matters relevant to standardization and technical barriers to trade are held in several other international and re gional organizations;  cooperation with these bodies is essential. 
 
Main activities
 
• Service the Chair and Members of the TBT Committee. 
• Complete the follow-up from the TBT Committee's Third Triennial review, including the completion 
of the Committee's Work Programme on confor mity assessment proced ures, and increasing 
transparency in demand and supply of technical assistance. 
• Adoption of the 4th Triennial Review at the end of 2006 and follow-up on the resulting 
recommendations and/or work programme. 
• Assist in the implementation of Members' obligations on transparency and information exchange, in 
particular with respect to the establishment of enquiry points, the provision of timely TBT notifications and the submission  of Article 15.2 statements. 
• Provide secretariat support to any relevant dispute panels. 
• Maintain contacts with and attend meetings or ganized by relevant in ternational and regional 
organizations. 
• Provide technical assistance to developing  countries, LDCs and transition economies. WT/BFA/SPEC/136 
Page 57 
 
  
 • Preparation of training tools related to the activities of the TBT Committee. 
• Organize workshops, information sessions and symposia on TBT-related matters (procedures for 
information exchange, conformity assessment procedures). 
• Service WTO senior management and provide expert technical advice to other WTO divisions. 
Expected results  
• Efficient implementation and oper ation of the TBT Agreement. 
• Smooth adoption of the Committee's 4th Triennial Review in 2006. 
• Reduced implementation probl ems in developing countries, and to facilitate market access of their 
exports as a result of be nefiting from the Agreement. 
 
WTO and ILO  
 
Objectives/Background  
• As noted by Ministers at Singapore Ministerial m eeting in 1999, "The WTO a nd ILO secretariats will 
continue their existing cooperation". 
 
Main Activities  
• The Trade and Environment Division keeps trac k of relevant developments and attends ILO 
meetings, notably the ILO Governing Body, the annu al conference and the Working Party on Social 
Dimensions of Globalization, as the agendas may relate to trade matters. 
 
Estimate of work hours per year allocated to technical assistance activities : 
 The proportion of the time of the professional officers in the Division devoted to technical assistance activities is around 25 per cent.  
The proportion of the two support staff is about 10 per cent. 
 WT/BFA/SPEC/136 
Page 58  
 
 Trade and Finance Division
 
 
 
Director 1 
Other Staff 8 
 
 
_______________ 
 
 
Objectives and Work Programme for 2006-2007  
 
Objectives  
• Under the Doha mandate:  (Para 12) – address implementation problems faced by Members in the 
areas of TRIMs and BOPs;  (Para 27) – conclude negotiations on Trade Facilitation;  (Para 36) – 
conclude the examination of the relationship between trade, debt and finance and make 
recommendations;  (Para 44) – strengthen and make  more precise, effective and operational the 
S&D provisions in the TRIMs and BOPs Agreements.   
• Implement the results of the negotiations. 
• Ensure the effective implementation of exis ting WTO rules and commitments on TRIMs and 
BOPs, and conclude the Article 9 review of the TRIMs Agreement. 
• Under the Marrakesh Coherence mandate, strengt hen the contribution of the WTO to achieve 
greater coherence in global economic policym aking.  Strengthen institutional cooperation 
between the WTO, the IMF and the World Bank.  
• Service dispute settlement panels and proceedi ngs in the Division's areas of responsibility. 
• Provide technical assistance and cooperation in the Division's areas of responsibility. 
 
Background  
Once Members provide further guidance on how they  wish to proceed conclude the DDA in areas 
covered by the Division, the work pr ogramme will be adapted correspondingly.  
 
Main Activities  
• Servicing the Doha Negotiating Group on Trad e Facilitation, the Working Groups on the 
Relationship between Trade and I nvestment and on Trade, Debt and Finance, and work on TRIMs 
and BOP issues under the Doha Work Programme.  Decisions by Members on how they wish to 
proceed with these activities in 2006-7 will dete rmine how much of the Division's time and 
resources need to be devoted to them. 
• Servicing the Committees on TRIMs and BOPs, and the CTG on TRIMs issues deriving from 
Article 9 of the TRIMs Agreement. 
• Service dispute settlement panels and proceedings  in the Division's areas of responsibility.   
• Provide technical assistance and cooperation in the Division's areas of responsibility. 
• Support for senior management and cooperation with other divisions. 
• Cooperation with relevant in ternational organizations, NGOs, and the private sector. WT/BFA/SPEC/136 
Page 59 
 
  
  
Expected Results  
• Conclude all of the objectives related to the DDA and the Article 9 review of the TRIMs 
Agreement within the budget pe riod, as well as strengthen cooper ation in several areas with the 
IMF and the World Bank in support of the DDA. 
 
Estimate of work hours per year allocated to technical assistance activities : 
 
- 40 per cent – mainly on Trade Facilitation. WT/BFA/SPEC/136 
Page 60  
 
 Trade in Services Division
 
 
 
Director 1 
Other Staff 16 
 
_______________ 
 
 
Objectives and Work Programme for 2006-2007  
  
Objectives
 
• The Trade in Services division consists of 1 Director, 13 Professionals and 4 Secretaries.  During 
periods of heavy work load, including the negot iations (e.g. submission of offers, technical 
assistance, preparation of background informati on and servicing panels) it is often necessary to 
recruit temporary assistance to ensure the fulfilm ent of all the tasks required in a satisfactory 
manner.  Frequent use of interns is also im portant for conducting work on basic research and 
statistics.  Although professionals in the division have individual sectoral responsibilities, there is 
an continuous exchange of information across sect ors and issues between professionals in order to 
ensure the efficient and coherent functioning of  the division.  So often this places additional 
demand on the time of professionals in the division.   
• The services negotiations will be in its seventh and eighth year.  The objectives of the division, 
although will essentially be the same as in 2004 and 2005, will probably place additional demand 
on the division due to its entry into what hopefu lly will be the final phase.  Negotiations on new 
commitments in all services sectors as well as negotiations on services disciplines under the 
GATS (safeguards, subsidies and government procur ement) as well as the clarification of some 
aspects of the agreement itself, will require the fu ll mobilization of the resources of the division.  
The negotiations of commitments will take place under the aegis of the Special Session of the 
Services Council, while other aspects of work under the GATS will take place in the regular 
meetings of the Council and its subsidiary bodies.  It is also possible, given that the negotiations 
will eventually enter into an advanced phase, that Members decide to establish additional 
subsidiary bodies devoted to certain sectors (e .g. telecommunications) or specific issues (e.g. 
mode 4).   
• The Division will therefore continue to provide support for the Council for Trade in Services (in 
Regular as well as Special Session) and other bodies established under the GATS:  
• The Committee on Trade in Financial Services. 
• The Working Party on Domestic Regulation (in developing disciplines under Article VI:4). 
• The Working Party on GATS Rules (in developi ng disciplines relating to Subsidies and 
Government procurement of services, and on safe guards where the negotiations were prolonged 
until March 2004). 
• The Committee on Specific Commitments. 
• Any additional bodies set up under the Council. 
• Any dispute settlement panels involving services.  
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In addition, the Division will: 
• Provide support for the Committe e on Regional Trade Agreements  in its work relating to 
Article V of the GATS, and for Working Parti es on Accession of new Members in relation to 
services.  
• Provide targeted technical assistance to indivi dual Members of the WTO to enable them to 
participate actively in the negotiations. 
• Continue to participate actively in events orga nized by other institu tions (including NGOs) as 
well as engage in activities aimed at raising public awareness of the GATS, and to provide advice and assistance to Geneva delegations in this regard.  
• Monitor the implementation of the GATS in te rms of notifications and implementation of 
existing and new commitments.  
• Extend the Division's knowledge of specific servi ce sectors and make available the services 
database presently being developed. 
• Providing continuous technical and legal a dvice to delegations in the process of the 
request/offer negotiations. 
• Provide support and briefing to senior manage ment on all matters relating to services.  
• Maintain and extend contacts with  private sector organizations.  
 
Background  
With the start of the submission of revised offe rs on 31 May 2005, the new round of negotiations has 
moved into a higher gear with the intensifica tion of negotiations on market-access commitments.  
This is expected to entail a substantially higher level of activity for the Division in the form of 
assistance to delegations on the technicalities of scheduling and negotiating procedures generally.  
The fact that the negotiations are taking place will also give rise to a higher level of interest in GATS 
matters among service industries and the public; this  will generate even greater demand for the 
Division's participation in technical assistance and other forms of public presentation of the issues at 
stake.  Activity of this kind is already a very im portant part of the Division's work, since the GATS is 
still a relatively new agreement and not well understood in many quarters .  Furthermore, controversies 
generated and fuelled by NGOs ofte n require considerable effort and time to clarify to the public. 
Work with NGOs and IGOs will continue to cons titute an essential part of the division's work.   
Main Activities  
• The most important activity of the Division will continue to be the servicing of the Council and all 
other standing bodies.  Since negoti ations will continue to be in progress, and probably move to 
higher gear, it may be expected that there will be a heavy focus on matters such as the technicalities 
of scheduling and the classification of services.  It must also be expected that the heavy programme 
of meetings, of all bodies, which has been follow ed in 2004 and 2005 will be maintained in 2006 and 
2007.  It should be noted that in addition to the negotiations proper and its administration of the 
normal function of the Agreement, the division is carrying out a very heavy programme of technical 
assistance.   
• Dispute panels will also need to be serviced  by sectoral experts and legal professionals. 
• The Division's second priority, in terms of the time and resources devoted to it, is and will continue to 
be technical cooperation.  The negotiations have already stimulated a higher level of request for 
assistance missions and we must assume that demand  will increase further.  It is also important to WT/BFA/SPEC/136 
Page 62  
 
 note that, given the current stage of the negotiations , there is now much higher demand for national 
missions as opposed to regional ones. 
• Contacts with service industries to  explain the GATS and the purpo ses of the current negotiations, 
will also be an important activity, especially in view of the misunderstanding, not to say hostility, manifested by some NGOs and commentators.   
• The fact that services are supplied electronically on a very large and increasing scale means that 
electronic commerce will continue to call upon the Division's resources.  
Expected Results
 
• It is expected that the services negotiations will be completed according to a deadline to be 
determined by Ministers in Hong Kong (probably e nd 2006).  In such a case, the first half of 2007 
will be the time to verify the results and atte nd to the legal forma lities of concluding the 
negotiations.  In 2006, expectations would have to  be reviewed in the light of outcome of Hong 
Kong and the overall situation.  Otherwise, results will rather take the form of significant progress 
in the negotiations, and in particular the reques t/offer process.  So far, 69 initial offers and 28 
revised offers have been submitted and many  more are expected once the negotiations are 
resumed.  
• The results of work in the area of  technical assistance will take the form of fuller participation in 
the negotiations and in all aspects of trade in se rvices by developing countries, especially the 
smaller and less developed among them. 
 
Estimate of work hours per year allocated to technical assistance activities : 
 Based on experience in 2004 and 2005,  we should budget for roughly 500 working days  (i.e. 4000 
hours) of technical assistance, including travel and preparation time and lectures given in Geneva.  
This figure represents about 20 per cent  of the working time of 13 professionals and the director.  The 
increase since the 2004/2005 period is due to the likel y intensification of the negotiations which will 
generate additional demand.  
 WT/BFA/SPEC/136 
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 Trade Policies Review Division  
 
 
Director 1 
Other Staff 35 
 
 
_______________ 
 
 Objectives and Work Programme for 2006-2007
 
 
Objectives  
• 16-17 TPR dates each year. 
• 5 – 6 meetings of the DDA Rules Group (on RTAs) in 2006. 
• 3 meetings of the CRTA each year. 
• The Director-General's Annual Overview, each year. 
•  Objective :  Meeting the work programme on schedule with output of high quality. 
 
 
Background  
Trade Policy Review .  With 148 Members, under the frequenc y requirements of Annex 3 of the WTO 
Agreement, the TPRB should be doing reviews of some  23 Members a year (counting the EU as one).  
The Division is not close to being able to meet this target.  With existing resources  available for 
review work and because (i) the process of review pr eparation has become more efficient – with the 
average review now taking some 8 months to prepar e as compared to over 12 months a few year back 
– and (ii) a symbiotic link between review work and the tasks of the RTA Section of TPRD, the 
Division is able to schedule 16-17 review dates each year, covering  18-19 Members, given a more frequent use of group reviews.  It should be noted that, unlike in the past, reviews have now become 
demand-driven, especially on the part of less-de veloped countries, with Members increasingly  
viewing then as an important element in their domestic policy-making process and the Membership 
seeing then as a necessary element in understanding their trading partners and in appropriately 
structuring capacity-building and technical assistan ce programmes – there is therefore a backlog in 
Members wishing to be reviewed.  Further, the Director-General's Annual Overview – which the 
Division drafts – has taken on added importance.  In this overall context, the Division's review 
capacity is understaffed. 
Regional Trade Agreements (RTAs)
.  In consequence of both the growing number of RTAs and the 
ongoing work and results in the Rules Group of the DDA, the RTA section of TPRD is increasingly 
asked to do more preparatory and analytical work, especially with respect to  the transparency aspects 
of the CRTA's agenda.  The Section is now requested to prepare, on an experimental basis, factual 
reports – as per trade policy review work – on region al groupings;  at least 2-3 of these are likely to 
requested in 2006 and probably at least 3 in 2007.  Th is work will be in addition to the Section's usual 
work on the CRTA and as the focal point in th e WTO on RTA matters, which includes a constant 
demand for technical assistance.  The Section's re sources – even given the link to TRPD's review  
works – are stretched thin. 
 WT/BFA/SPEC/136 
Page 64  
 
 Main Activities
 
Trade Policy Review :  i) some 16-17 review dates in each of 2006 and 2007;  and ii) preparation of 
the Director-General's Annual Overview.  Regional Trade Agreements
:  
• at least 5-6 meetings of the DDA Rules Group in 2006;  and 
• at least three meeting of the CRTA, with an equal number of Secretariat-prepared factual 
presentations on RTAs , in each of 2006 and 2007. 
Expected Results  
• Completion of the work programme on schedule. 
 
Estimate of work hours per year allocated to technical assistance activities : 
 About 25 per cent. (this "figure" is difficult to es timate:  some 40 per cent of reviews are of less-
developed Members, where the emphasis in part is on helping to build capacity and to provide the 
appropriate background for a technical assistance programme;   and about 40 per cent of the RTA 
Section's work is direct technical assistance. 
 WT/BFA/SPEC/136 
Page 65 
 
  
 Appellate Body  
 
Staffing 
  
Director 1 
Other Staff 14 
 
 
_______________ 
 
 
Objectives and Work Programme for 2006-2007  
 
Objectives  
• Assist the Appellate Body  in considering appeals from panel repor ts and arbitrations pursuant to the 
provisions of the Understanding on Rules and Procedures Go verning the Settle ment of Disputes  
(the "DSU") by providing high-quality, effi cient, independent advice and support.  
• Participate, as appropriate, in technical assistance and other training activities of the WTO.  
 
Background  
The Appellate Body was established in 1995 pursuant to  Article 17.1 of the DSU.  The mandate of the 
Appellate Body is to hear appeals from panel cases.  The Appellate Body is composed of seven persons 
of recognized authority, with demons trated expertise in law, internati onal trade and the subject matter of 
the covered agreements generally.  The membership of  the Appellate Body is broadly representative of 
membership in the WTO.  Appellate Body Members serve on a part-time basis. 
Individual Members of the Appellate Body are also requested from time to time to act as arbitrators 
under Article 21.3(c) of the DSU or in sui generis  procedures. 
As of 30 June 2005, the Appellate Body had issued 69 Appellate Body Reports, 18 Arbitration Awards 
and 2 Arbitration Repor ts (where the parties settled th e matter between themselves). 
The DSU stipulates in Article 17. 7 that the Appellate Body "shall  be provided with appropriate 
administrative and legal support as it requires."  The st aff of the Appellate Body Secretariat provides this 
support.  The Appellate Body  Secretariat is composed of one Dire ctor, ten lawyers, one administrative 
assistant and three secretaries.  The staff is usually assisted by two interns hired for three-month terms, 
and, from time-to-time, by lawyers engaged on short-term contracts  as workloads require. 
 
Main Activities  
• The Appellate Body Secretariat provides legal a nd administrative support to the Appellate Body 
Members in considering appeals from panel cases and arbitrations referred to individual Appellate Body Members.  In addition, the Appellate Body Secretariat participates actively in technical 
assistance and other training activities of the WTO. 
 WT/BFA/SPEC/136 
Page 66  
 
 Expected Results
 
• The workloads for 2006 and 2007 are im possible to predict with any ac curacy given that the number 
of appeals and arbitrations de pends entirely upon decisions of the WTO Members over which the 
Appellate Body Secr etariat has no control.  However, our best estimates for 2006 and 2007, based 
on current panel activity and past rates of appeal , is 10 appeals and 4 arbitrations per year.  The 
Appellate Body Secretariat will provide legal and administrative s upport to the Appellate Body in 
considering appeals and arbitrations. 
• The Appellate Body Secretariat is regularly called upon to contribute to the technical assistance and 
training activities of the WTO.  Base d on past activities, it is expected that the staff of the Appellate 
Body Secretariat will participate in  about 30 technical assistance mi ssions and training activities per 
year in 2006 and 2007. 
 
Estimate of work hours per year allocated to technical assistance activities :   
• by staff funded from the regular budget:  appr oximately 500 work hours per year for 2006 and 2007 
• by staff funded from trust funds:  approximatel y 2,500 work hours per year for 2006 and 2007. 
  
__________