./.  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  TN/RL/12 
21 April 2005 
 (05-1649) 
Negotiating Group on Rules  
 
  
NEGOTIATING GROUP ON RULES 
 
Report by the Chairman to the 
 
Trade Negotiations Committee  
  
I. STATUS OF WORK 
1. Since my last Report to the Trade Negotiati ons Committee in early February 2005, the 
Negotiating Group has held three further meetings , on 22-24 February & 11,13,15 April 2005 (Anti-
Dumping and Subsidies & Countervailing Measures, including Fisheries Subsidies) and on 7 March (Regional Trade Agreements - RTAs).  The Group w ill meet again in the week of 30 May to continue 
its work on AD/SCM issues, and on 17-18 May regarding RTAs.  
2. To date, 178 formal submissions have been received from Participants.  These submissions 
have been circulated in the TN/RL/W/... series .  In addition, the Group has received 38 informal 
elaborated proposals relating to AD and/or to SCM including Fisheries Subsidies.  While these 
proposals have been circulated as JOB documents, they  have also been circulated at the request of the 
Participants submitting them as unrestricted documents in the TN/RL/GEN/... series.  In the area of  
RTAs, four background notes elaborated by the Secretariat at the Group's request, and three informal 
notes by the Chairman, have been circulated as JOB documents.  
II. FUTURE WORK 
A. 
ANTI -DUMPING , AND SUBSIDIES AND COUNTERVAILING MEASURES INCLUDING FISHERIES 
SUBSIDIES  
3. In previous reports to the Committee, I have indicated that the Group's meetings on these 
issues have involved three components: a formal meeting, informal plenary sessions to discuss in 
detail informal elaborated proposals, and consultations among delegations.  At our last meeting, I also 
held plurilateral  consultations in order to allow a detailed exchange of views on an informal proposal 
on an anti-dumping issue that had already been the subject of intensive formal and informal 
discussions.  I expect to hold consultations on other issues, whether relating to anti-dumping or other 
aspects of our mandate, as Participants advance and refine their ideas and, by preference, reflect them 
in concrete drafting suggestions to facilitate di scussion.  The frequency and intensity of my 
consultations will depend upon the pace at which Pa rticipants move forward their refined proposals, 
and the number and identity of the delegations invited will depend upon the issue and my assessment 
of the participation necessary to ensure the best possib le discussion of that issue.  Given the size of the 
task before us, I am prepared to ma ke available for consultations as much time as may be required.  In 
the interest of transparency, I intend that these re fined proposals be submitted to and considered in 
informal plenary sessions before they are discussed in  consultations.  I will of course report back to 
the Group regarding these discussions, but I also expect participating delegations to keep other 
delegations with shared views fully apprised of our discussions. TN/RL/12 
Page 2  
 
 4. I am pleased to report that the Group is also gaining some momentum in areas of the mandate 
other than anti-dumping.  In the area of subsidies disciplines, Participants have submitted an number 
of additional elaborated proposals for discussion at the informal session.  In the area of fisheries 
subsidies, the Group has received and considered in informal plenary session its first informal paper.  
In this regard, I am encouraged th at the Participants seem prepared to put aside for the moment certain 
fundamental questions about the structure of any ne w disciplines on fisheries subsidies and focus on 
examining specific types of measures and how they might be treated under such disciplines. 
5. The Group is making good progress, but much remains to be done.  I encourage all 
Participants with objectives in these ne gotiations to intensify their efforts. 
B. 
REGIONAL TRADE AGREEMENTS  
6. The Group's work on systemic issues has gained a certain momentum following a 
Participant's proposal on the interpretation of "s ubstantially all the trade".  This proposal, made 
shortly before the Group's last meeting, has already generated a  preliminary but detailed discussion; it 
will be further discussed at the Group's next meeting (17-18 May).  
7. Work on RTA transparency is progressing on the basis of both informal papers by the Chair – 
regarding a possible process – and by  the Secretariat – regarding issues related to the submission of 
trade information and the Secretaria t's factual presentation of RTAs.   
8.  Overall on RTAs, a substantive and detailed debate has now been launched on systemic 
issues and progress is being made on transparency qu estions.  However, Particip ants have yet to arrive 
at a consensus view on some issues related to transparency and to reach common ground on systemic issues.
 
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