WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION   
WT/REG/W/63 
21 October 2011 
 (11-5265) 
Committee on Regional Trade Agreements  Original:   English 
  
 
COMMITTEE ON REGIONAL TRADE AGREEMENTS 
 
A proposal from Australia;  Canada;  Chile;  China;   Colombia;  Costa Rica;  European Union;  
Hong Kong, China;  Japan;  Mexico;  New Zeal and;  Norway;  the Republic of Korea;   
and the Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu 
 
 
 The following communication, dated 20 October 2011 has been received from the Delegations listed above.
1 
_______________ 
 
1. Ministers noted the growth and increasing prom inence of RTAs in world trade.  They 
noted with satisfaction the extensive info rmation on RTAs made available under the 
Transparency Mechanism and emphasized that its further success will depend on Members' 
continued efforts, including submitting relevant information in a timely manner.  Ministers also 
saw value in WTO Members assessing the systemic  implications of RTAs for the multilateral 
trading system and the relationship between them, within the mandate of the Committee on 
Regional Trade Agreements (CRTA).2  Accordingly, Ministers directed the CRTA to undertake 
a work programme where Members would be assisted by factual reports to be prepared by the Secretariat, to consider the elements, practices a nd development aspects of RTAs.  This work 
programme could help Members reflect on the systemic implications of RTAs for the 
multilateral trading system and discuss practices that can help further the objectives of the 
multilateral trading system.  The results of th is work programme will be reported to the 
Ninth Ministerial Conference of the WTO. 
 The relevant aspects of the CRTA mandate are as follows: 
 
 "Having regard to agreements
[1] which are required to be notified, as the case may be, under 
Article XXIV of the General Agre ement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT)  1994, Article V of the General 
Agreement on Trade in Services or the 1979 D ecision on Differential a nd More Favourable 
Treatment, Reciprocity and Fuller Participation of Developing Countries; …   The General Council hereby decides : … 
 
1.  To establish a Committee on Regional Trade Ag reements, open to all Members of the WTO, 
with the following terms of reference:   
(d) to consider the systemic implications of such agreements and regional initiatives 
for the multilateral trading system and the relationship between 
them, and make appropriate recomme ndations to the General Council; ..." 
                                                      
1 Please also refer to WTO Documents WT/REG/W/61 and Add.1, dated 20 and 27 September 2011. 
2 The CRTA mandate is attached. 
[1] The term "agreements" in this Decision refers to all bilateral, regional, and plurilateral trade 
agreements of a pr eferential nature. WT/REG/W/63 
Page 2  
 
  ANNEX 
  
WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION   
WT/L/127 
7 February 1996  
 
(96-0473) 
  
  
 
COMMITTEE ON REGIONAL TRADE AGREEMENTS 
 
 Decision of 6 February 1996 
 
 
 Having regard  to agreements1 which are required to be notified, as the case may be, under 
Article XXIV of the General Agr eement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT)  1994, Article V of the General 
Agreement on Trade in Services or the 1979 D ecision on Differential a nd More Favourable 
Treatment, Reciprocity and Fuller Participation of Developing Countries;  
 Having regard  to the biennial reporting envisaged in Paragraph 11 of the Uruguay Round 
Understanding on the Interpretation of Ar ticle XXIV of the GATT 1994;  and 
  Acting  pursuant to paragraphs 1 and 7 of Artic le IV of the Agreement Establishing the 
World Trade Organization (WTO), 
 
 The General Council hereby decides : 
 1) To establish a Committee on Regional Trade Ag reements, open to all Members of the WTO, 
with the following terms of reference:  
 (a) to carry out the examination of agre ements in accordance with the procedures and 
  terms of reference adopted by the Coun cil for Trade in Goods, the Council for Trade 
  in Services or the Committee on Trad e and Development, as the case may be, and 
  thereafter present its report to the relevant body for appropriate action;
2 
 
 (b) to consider how the required reporting on the operation of such agreements should be 
  carried out and make appropriate recommendations to the relevant body; 
  (c) to develop, as appropriate, procedures to facilitate and improve the examination 
 process; 
 
                                                      
1 The term "agreements" in this Decision refers to  all bilateral, regional, and plurilateral trade 
agreements of a pr eferential nature. 
2 The Committee will also carry out the outstanding wo rk of the working parties already established by 
the Council for Trade in Goods, the Council for Trade in  Services or the Committee on Trade and Development, 
within the terms of reference defined for those work ing parties, and report to the appropriate bodies.  WT/REG/W/63 
 Page 3 
 
 
   (d) to consider the systemic implications of such agreements and regional initiatives for 
 the multilateral trading system and th e relationship between them, and make 
 appropriate recommendations to the General Council;  and 
  (e) to carry out any additional functions  assigned to it by the General Council. 
 
2) That the Committee shall report annually to the General Council on its activities. 
 
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