RESTRICTED  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  WT/COMTD/W/171 
6 October 2009 
 
 (09-4764) 
Committee on Trade and Development  
  
DRAFT 
 
REPORT (2009) OF THE COMMITTEE ON TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT
1 
  
I. INTRODUCTION 
1. The 2008 annual report of the Committee on Trade and Development (CTD) was circulated in 
document WT/COMTD/69 of 5 December 2008.  Th e present report covers the work of the 
Committee since then, in particular  the work of the CTD in Regular Session, the Dedicated Sessions 
on Regional Trade Agreements and Small Economies, the CTD's work on Aid for Trade, and the 
work of the Sub-Committee on Least-Developed Countries.
2  
II. REGULAR SESSION 
2. The CTD in Regular Session held four formal  sessions on 13 March, 11 May, 15 July and 
12 October 2009.3  The minutes of these meetings are contained in documents WT/COMTD/M/73 
through WT/COMTD/M/764, respectively.  At the 73rd Session held on 13 March 2009, 
Ambassador Shree B.C. Servansing (Mauritius) was elected to serve a third term as CTD Chairman. 
3. The CTD continues to have outstanding requests for observer status from the League of Arab 
States, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), the Gulf Organization for 
Industrial Consulting (GOIC), the Organisation inte rnationale de la Francophonie, the Common Fund 
for Commodities (CFC), the Organization of Arab  Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC) and the 
Groupe de la Banque Afri caine de Développement. 
4. Members agreed to continue to invite a num ber of intergovernmental organizations on an 
ad hoc meeting-by-meeting basis.  These include  the Arab Maghreb Union (AMU), the Economic 
Community of West African States (ECOWAS), th e Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO), the 
Inter-Arab Investment Guarantee Corporation, the Islamic Development Bank (IDB), the African Union (AU), the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), the South Centre, the Pacific Islands Forum, the United Nations Environment Progra mme (UNEP), the West African Economic and 
Monetary Union (WAEMU), and the World Intellect ual Property Organization (WIPO).  A full list of 
intergovernmental organizations with observer st atus in the Committee is contained in document 
WT/COMTD/W/22/Rev.6. 
                                        
1 An addendum will be issued later in 2009 to cover the work of the Committee that is undertaken after 
the circulation of this document. 
2 The Special Session of the CTD, d ealing with the issue of special and differential treatment, has its 
own reporting requirements. 
3 A fifth meeting of the CTD in 2009 is  tentatively scheduled for 8 December. 
4 To be issued.   WT/COMTD/W/171 
Page 2  
 
  5. The principal themes addressed by the CTD in  Regular Session during the period covered in 
this report included the following:   
A. Technical cooperation and training; 
B. Notifications regarding market access for developing and least-developed countries; 
C. Report of the Joint Advisory Group on the International Trade Centre 
UNCTAD/WTO; 
D. Decision on Transparency for Preferential Trade Arrangements; 
Hong Kong Decision on duty-free and quota-free market access for least-developed countries (LDCs).  A. 
TECHNICAL COOPERATION AND TRAINING  
6. At its 75th Session, the Committee took note of the Annual Report on Technical Assistance 
and Training, 1 January to 31 December 2008 (WT/COMTD/W/168), and of the Technical 
Cooperation Audit Report for 200 8 (WT/COMTD/W/169 and Rev.15).  [The Biennial Technical 
Assistance and Training Plan for 2010 and 2011 (WT/COMTD/W/170) was adopted at the 76
th Session.] 
B. NOTIFICATIONS REGARDING MARKET  ACCESS FOR DEVELOPING AND LEAST -DEVELOPED 
COUNTRIES  
7. The CTD continued its consideration of the notification under the Enabling Clause by 
Norway of its Generalized System of Preferenc es (GSP) scheme, on the basis of questions submitted 
by Brazil (WT/COMTD/65 and Add.2) and the responses provided by Norway (WT/COMTD/65/Add.1 and Add.3).  The Europ ean Communities made a notification at the 
73
rd Session concerning its GSP scheme for the y ears 2009 to 2011 (WT/COMTD/N/4/Add.4).  
8. With regard to regional trade agreements (RTA s), Members considered issues relating to the 
requested change in the notification status of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Customs Union to 
the Enabling Clause (WT/REG222/N/1 and Corr.1, WT/COMTD/N/25, WT/COMTD/66 and Add.1 to Add.3).  The Free Trade Agreement between Pakistan and Sri Lanka (Goods) and the Closer 
Economic Partnership Agreement between Pakistan and Malaysia (Goods) were considered in the 
CTD's Dedicated Session on RTAs (see Section III).  A notification was made concerning the 
Chile-India Agreement (WT/COMTD/N/30), which will al so be considered in the Dedicated Session 
on RTAs. 
9. Following a decision taken by the Committee on Regional Trade Agreements (CRTA), the 
CTD agreed at its 73
rd Session that RTAs notified under the Enabling Clause involving non-WTO 
Members would be considered using the same pr ocedures as those being used to consider RTAs 
involving WTO Members only.  In this regard, th e Chairman indicated that there were three  
agreements involving non-WTO Members already notified under the Enabling Clause – the South 
Asian Free Trade Agreement (SAFTA) (WT/CO MTD/N/26), the India-Bhutan Agreement 
(WT/COMTD/N/28) and the Pacific Island Countries Trade Agreement (PICTA) 
(WT/COMTD/N/29) – that would need to be c onsidered in the Dedicated Session on RTAs.  
                                        
5 The revision is in English only.  WT/COMTD/W/171 
 Page 3 
 
 
  C. REPORT OF THE JOINT ADVISORY GROUP ON THE INTERNATIONAL TRADE CENTRE 
UNCTAD /WTO 
10. The Joint Advisory Group (JAG) on the Inte rnational Trade Centre UNCTAD/WTO (ITC) 
held its 42nd Session from 10 to 11 December 2008.  The report on that meeting is contained in 
document ITC/AG/(XLII)/225.  The Chairperson of the JAG, when presenting the report at the 
74th Session, said that the JAG had provided the ITC with useful guidance on the organization's annual 
programme of work.  The Group had expressed str ong support for the ITC, and had acknowledged the 
impact of the organization's capacity-building work .  The ITC was recognized as a "100 per cent Aid 
for Trade" organization, and its role in helping the private sector was re-affirmed.  The Group 
endorsed the ITC's Consolidated Programme Docume nt for 2009, the Strategic Plan for 2009 to 2012 
and the Strategic Framework.  On governance, it had been decided that the Consultative Committee 
would remain the oversight body for voluntary contributions to the ITC Trust Fund, while the JAG would remain the policy-making organ of the ITC.   She informed the Committee that a panel on 
Trade for the Millennium Development Goals had a dditionally been convened to examine issues of 
poverty, gender and environment as they relate to trad e.  By showing the diversity of actors and their 
specific needs and expectations for trade-related t echnical assistance along the different stages of the 
export value chain, the panel and the subsequent  break-out sessions had demonstrated the ITC's 
approach to "Export Impact for Good".  The Committ ee took note of the report and forwarded it to the 
General Council for adoption. 
D. 
DECISION ON TRANSPARENCY FOR PREFERENTIAL TRADE ARRANGEMENTS  
11. The 14 December 2006 General Council Decision on Transparency for Preferential Trade 
Arrangements (WT/L/672) invited the CTD to consider transparency for preferential trade 
arrangements (PTAs) under paragraph 2 of the Enabling Clause (other than RTAs), and to report back 
for appropriate action by the General Council.  When reporting on this matter to the Council in 
July 2009, the CTD Chairman said that the pr oponents of a Transparency Mechanism for PTAs – 
Brazil, China, India and the United States – were in the process of revising their draft proposal.  Once 
circulated, his intention was to have the revised  proposal considered in an informal, open-ended 
meeting.  A Secretariat "mock" Factual Presentation of a PTA, based on the US' GSP programme, would also be shared with Members.  The Council agreed that the deadline for the CTD to consider 
the matter and report back for appropriate  action be extended to December 2009.  
E. 
HONG KONG DECISION ON DUTY -FREE AND QUOTA -FREE MARKET ACCESS FOR 
LEAST -DEVELOPED COUNTRIES  
12. The Decision taken at the Hong Kong Minist erial Conference on duty-free and quota-free 
(DFQF) market access for LDCs remains a standing item on the CTD's agenda.  A number of LDCs spoke under this agenda item, calli ng for an expeditious and faithful implementation of the Decision.  
The need for complementary measures to ensure that  market access initiatives ar e beneficial to LDCs 
was highlighted.  At the 74
th Session, India provided an update on th e implementation of its Duty Free 
Tariff Preference (DFTP) Scheme for LDCs.  
III. DEDICATED SESSION ON REGIONAL TRADE AGREEMENTS  
13. Two formal meetings of the Dedi cated Session on RTAs, chaired by 
Ambassador Shree B.C. Servansing, were held on 15 July and 14 September 2009.  The minutes of 
the meetings are contained in documents WT/COMTD/RTA/M/2 and WT/COMTD/RTA/M/3.6  The 
Free Trade Agreement between Pakistan and Sri Lanka (Goods) (WT/COMTD/N/27, 
WT/COMTD/RTA/2/1/Rev.1, WT/COMTD/RTA/2/2, WT/COMTD/RTA/2/3) was considered at the 
                                        
6 To be issued. WT/COMTD/W/171 
Page 4  
 
  2
nd Dedicated Session, and the Closer Economic Partnership Agreement between Pakistan and 
Malaysia (Goods) (WT/COMTD/N/24, WT/C OMTD/RTA/3/1, WT/COMTD/RTA/3/2) was 
considered at the 3rd Dedicated Session, as per the provi sions of the 14 December 2006 General 
Council Decision on a Transparency Mechanism for RTAs (WT/L/671).  
IV. DEDICATED SESSION ON SMALL ECONOMIES 
14. Pursuant to paragraph 35 of th e Doha Ministerial Declaration7, the General Council, at its 
meeting on 1 March 2002, took note of the framewo rk and procedures for the conduct of the Work 
Programme on Small Economies.8  The CTD was instructed to oversee this programme of work in 
dedicated sessions.  At the Hong Kong Ministerial Conference, Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to the Work Programme on Small Economies and urged the adoption of specific 
measures that would facilitate the fuller integr ation of small, vulnerable economies into the 
multilateral trading system, without creating a sub-category of WTO Members.  The CTD was mandated to continue the work in the Dedica ted Session and to monitor progress of the small 
economies' proposals in the negotiating and other bodies.
9 
15. In 2009, the Dedicated Session held a formal meeting on 15 July on the Work Programme on 
Small Economies, chaired by Ambassador Shree B. C. Servansing.  The minutes of this 
19th Dedicated Session are contained in document WT/COMTD/SE/M/19.  At the meeting, the 
Secretariat presented an updated version of the comp ilation paper to assist the Dedicated Session with 
its monitoring role.  The updated version of th e Secretariat's paper was circulated as document 
WT/COMTD/SE/W/22/Rev.3 and Corr.1.10  The Dedicated Session took note of the paper.  [The 
20th Dedicated Session was held on 12 October 2009.  The minutes of the meeting are contained in 
document WT/COMTD/SE/M/20.11  Members adopted the Dedicated Session's report to the General 
Council, circulated as document WT/COMTD/SE/6.] 
V. AID FOR TRADE 
16. The CTD held four sessions on Aid for Trade in 2009 – on 27 February, 2 April, 11 June and 
12 October – chaired by Ambassador Shree B. C. Servansing. The minutes of these meetings are 
contained in documents WT/COMTD/AFT/M/9 thro ugh WT/COMTD/AFT/M/12, respectively.  The 
Second Global Review of Aid for Trade was held on 6 and 7 July 2009.  A General Council debate on 
Aid for Trade took place on 28 July 2009. 
17. The CTD's Ninth Session on Aid for Trade focused  on the Director-General's proposed 2009 
Aid-for-Trade Roadmap (WT/COMTD/AFT/W/11) and the draft agenda for the 2nd Global Review of 
Aid for Trade.  The OECD provided information concerning the monitoring and evaluation 
framework of Aid for Trade and on the format and content of the joint OECD/WTO Aid-for-Trade at 
a Glance 2009 Report to be prepared for the 2nd Global Review.  Delegations reaffirmed their 
commitment to the Aid-for-Trade initiative, inde pendently of the outcome of the Doha Round and 
despite the current global economic crisis.   
18. The Tenth Session focused on the format and c ontent of two-page country indicator fact 
sheets to be prepared for inclusion in the join t OECD-WTO Aid-for-Trade at a Glance 2009 report.  
The regional development banks, including the In ter-American Development Bank, the African 
Development Bank, the Asian Devel opment Bank, and the Secretariat on behalf of the International 
                                        
7 WT/MIN(01)/DEC/1. 
8 WT/L/447. 
9 WT/MIN(05)/DEC. 
10 In English only. 
11 To be issued.  WT/COMTD/W/171 
 Page 5 
 
 
  Islamic Trade Finance Corporation and Islamic Development Bank, provided information on, and 
updates on preparations for, their respective Aid-fo r-Trade events.  These included a National Review 
held in Lima, Peru on 3 March 2009, and events  planned for Latin America and the Caribbean, 
Southern Africa, South East Asia, and Easter n and Central Asia.  The UNECA, EBRD, and UNIDO 
provided information on their Aid-fo r-Trade related work and the Secr etariat also provided an update 
on the preparations for the 2nd Global Review of Aid for Trade.   
19. The CTD's Eleventh Session on Aid for Trad e focused on the preparations for the 2nd Global 
Review and on preparation of the joint OECD-W TO Aid-for-Trade at a Glance 2009 report.  The 
Director-General provided an outline of th e way forward on the Aid-for-Trade initiative 
post-July 2009 and identified five priority areas of work:  to strengthen the regional dimension of Aid 
for Trade;  to enhance the role and contribution of the private sector and civil society;  to continue 
with the evaluation of the impact of Aid for Trade;   to continue to mobilize additional resources and 
to encourage South-South Aid-for-Trade partners hips.  The Inter-American Development Bank, and 
the Secretariat on behalf of the African Deve lopment Bank and the Asian Development Bank, 
informed about recently-held regional and natio nal Aid-for-Trade events.  These included the 
COMESA-EAC-SADC North-South Corridor Review held  in Lusaka, Zambia on 6 and 7 April 2009;  
the National Review held in San Pedro Sula, Honduras on 4 May 2009;  the Latin America and 
Caribbean Regional Review held in Montego Bay,  Jamaica on 7 and 8 May 2009;  and the Regional 
Meeting for ASEAN members states held in Siem Reap, Cambodia on 28 and 29 May 2009.  UNECE, UNIDO and UNDP presented their respective activities relating to Aid for Trade and recent 
research on linkages between building tr ade capacity and reducing poverty.   
20. The 2
nd Global Review of Aid for Trade took place on 6 and 7 July 2009.  It provided an 
opportunity to give added impetus to the mandate on Aid for Trade, agreed at the WTO's Hong Kong 
Ministerial Conference in 2005.  The Review evaluated progress made since the 1st Global Review 
held in November 2007 and examined how Aid fo r Trade was being operationalized on the ground.  
Each session focussed on the key objectives of the Review, namely moving from commitment to 
implementation, mainstreaming trade in national an d regional development strategies, sustaining aid 
flows during the global economic downturn  and assessing the effectiveness of Aid for Trade.  In his 
closing remarks, the Director-General highlight ed the need to focus on strengthening regional 
dimensions of Aid for Trade, on further evaluating the implementation of Aid for Trade, on fostering 
the role and contribution of the private sector a nd on encouraging South-South cooperation in Aid for 
Trade.  A report of the 2nd Global Review is reproduced  in document WT/COMTD/AFT/W/15.12 
21. A General Council debate on Aid for Tr ade took place on 28 July 2009.  The 
Director-General reported on the Global Review (JOB(09)/87) and said that it had been successful in taking stock of overall progress since the launch of the Aid-for-Trade initiative in 2005.  The Review 
had also highlighted the need for additional and substantive commitments from donors.  He identified 
the following key issues as prioriti es for future work:  the need to reinforce the regional dimension of 
Aid for Trade;  to maintain momentum on commitment s post 2010;  to enhance the role of the private 
sector;  and to focus attention on evaluating the impa ct of Aid-for-Trade interventions in developing 
countries.  The report of the General Council debate is contained in document WT/GC/M/121.
13  
22. [The CTD's Twelfth Session on Aid for Trade focused on a draft Aid-for-Trade Work 
Programme as contained in JOB(09)/100.  The pr oposed work programme covers the period 2009 to 
2011.  The work programme is focused around f our main headings: resource mobilization, 
mainstreaming, implementation (with a particular focus on the regional dimension) and engaging the 
private sector.  The work programme is complement ed by a roadmap setting out activities planned to 
                                        
12 To be issued. 
13 To be issued. WT/COMTD/W/171 
Page 6  
 
  implement the work programme.  The aim of the work programme is to maintain the momentum 
generated in the Aid-for-Trade Initiative si nce the Hong Kong Ministerial Conference.] 
VI. SUB-COMMITTEE ON LEAST-DEVELOPED COUNTRIES 
23. During the period under review, the Sub-Committee on Least-Developed Countries (hereafter 
the Sub-Committee) held two formal meetings on 29 March and 22 June.
14  The minutes of the 
meetings are contained in documents WT /COMTD/LDC/M/52 and WT/COMTD/LDC/M/53, 
respectively.  All the meetings were chai red by Ambassador Jean Feyder (Luxembourg).  
24. The work of the Sub-Committee has mainly focused on the impl ementation of the WTO Work 
Programme for the LDCs adopted by Members on 12 February 2002.15  The subjects considered under 
the Work Programme during the reporting period were:  (i) market access for LDCs;  (ii) trade-related 
technical assistance and capacity-building initiatives  for LDCs;  and (iii) accession of LDCs to the 
WTO.  In addition, a few items were  considered under "Other Business".  
(i) Market Access for LDCs 
25. The item on market access for LDCs was considered at both the meetings of the 
Sub-Committee.  The Secretariat is sued a revision of its annual mark et access review study (2008) 
entitled "Market Access Issues for Products and Se rvices of Export Interest to Least-developed 
Countries (WT/COMTD/LDC/W/42/Rev.1)", which was considered at the 52nd Session of the 
Sub-Committee.  Members provided suggestions for fu rther improvement of the Note in future.  A 
number of LDCs requested that the Secretariat refl ect the ongoing financial crisis and its impact on 
LDC trade in its next market access review study.  
26. At the 53rd Session, the ITC made a presentation on its work in the area of trade in services, in 
particular the programmes and research carried out in favour of LDCs.  The LDCs called upon 
Members to expeditiously adopt a waiver in th e context of the General Agreement on Trade in 
Services to facilitate effectiv e market access for their services and service suppliers.   
(ii) Trade-related Technical Assistance and Capacity-building Initiatives for LDCs 
27. The item on trade-related technical assistan ce (TRTA) and capacity-building initiatives for 
LDCs was also considered at both the m eetings of the Sub-Committee.  At the 52nd Session, the 
Secretariat gave an overview of its technical assistance and training activities to the LDCs, including in the area of the Doha Work Programme.  In 2008,  LDCs were associated with 42 per cent of all 
TRTA activities undertaken by the WTO Secretariat.  The LDCs continue to receive special priority 
in the delivery of WTO's TRTA. 
28. At the 53
rd Session, the Executive Director of the Enhanced Integrated Framework (EIF) 
Secretariat presented a report on the implementation of the EIF, based on the document contained in 
JOB(09)/52.  Members expressed their appreciation for the efforts being made by the EIF Secretariat to help LDCs benefit from the programme.   
29. Continuous progress is being made in the im plementation of the IF in the beneficiary 
countries.
16  The first Global Workshop for EIF Fo cal Points took place in Geneva from 8 to 
10 July 2009.  As of September 2009, 48 LDCs we re at different stages of their IF process.  
Thirty-five LDCs had completed their Diagnostic  Trade Integration Studies (DTISs), one has 
                                        
14 A third meeting of the Sub-Committee in 2009 is tentatively scheduled for 5 November 2009. 
15 WT/COMTD/LDC/11. 
16 Information on the IF is availabl e at:  www.integratedframework.org  WT/COMTD/W/171 
 Page 7 
 
 
  completed a DTIS update, and three are now in the process of updating their DTISs.  The technical 
reviews have been approved for ten LDCs, paving the way for the preparation of their respective 
DTISs.17  The LDCs have started to benefit from the resources available under the EIF Trust Fund.  At 
its July 2009 meeting, the EIF Interim Board appr oved the first two Tier 1 projects each for Yemen 
and Sierra Leone; a further four (for Cambodia, Malawi, Rwanda and Uganda) have since been 
submitted for approval by the EIF Interim Board. 
30. At the 53rd Session, the Standards and Trade Developm ent Facility (STDF) Secretariat made a 
presentation on the Facility, based on the Note contained in WT/COMTD/LDC/W/45.  As of May 2009, 21 project preparation grants (PPG s) have been approved for LDCs, representing 
64 per cent of PPGs;  in addition, the LDCs were  beneficiaries of 14 projects which represented 
nearly 40 per cent of total projects being funded by the STDF.   
31. At the 53
rd Session, under "Other Business", the Secret ariat reported on its consultations with 
the LDCs concerning the preparation of the Bienni al Technical Assistance and Training Plan for 2010 
and 2011.  The LDCs were invited to submit to the Secretariat the activiti es they wished to see 
included in the Plan.   
(iii) Accession of LDCs to the WTO 
32. The Sub-Committee considered the item on Accession of LDCs to the WTO, at its 
52nd Session.  In response to a request by  the Sub-Committee on LDCs at the 51st Session, the 
Secretariat prepared a Note on the Accession of LDCs contained in document WT/COMTD/LDC/W/44.  Members welcomed the effort s by the Secretariat in preparing an elaborate 
Note on LDCs' accession.  The LDCs requested the Se cretariat to continue to build on the Note to 
facilitate a more comprehensive review of the accession of LDCs at the Sub-Committee.  As a 
follow-up to the discussion at the Sub-Committee, the Secretariat organized a "Dialogue with 
acceding LDCs" on 28 May 2009.   
33. At the 53
rd Session, under "Other Business", the Chairman informed Members that the 
Secretariat will present a report on the Dialogue at the next meeting of the Sub-Committee.18  A  
number of Members reiterated the need for the repo rt to remain factual.  The LDCs emphasized the 
importance of follow-up activities from th e Dialogue to advance LDC accessions. 
34. As of March 2009, 12 LDCs were at various stages of their accession process, which 
represented more than one-third of ongoing accession negotiations.19 
(iv) Other Matters raised under " Other Business" 
35. At the 52nd Session, UNIDO reported on the outcome of the LDC Ministerial Conference held 
in Siem Reap, Cambodia, in November 2008.  In this context, the next LDC Ministerial Conference 
will take place in Vienna from 3 to 4 December 200 9, which will focus on the impact of the global 
financial crisis on the LDCs.   
36. At the 53rd Session, the Coordinator of LDCs (Tanzania) requested that the impact of the 
ongoing food crisis be discussed at the Sub-Committee.20  The LDC Coordinator also suggested that 
                                        
17 In addition, the technical review for Bhutan has been submitted for approval by the EIF Interim 
Board;  the ones for Bangladesh and Equatorial Guinea are underway.   
18 The report has been issued as WT/COMTD/LDC/15. 
19 Afghanistan, Bhutan, Comoros, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Lao PDR, Liberia, Samoa, Sao Tome 
and Principe, Sudan, Vanuatu and Yemen. 
20 A similar request was made by the delegation of Lesotho at the 52nd Session. WT/COMTD/W/171 
Page 8  
 
  an invitation be extended to the UN Special Rapporteur on Right to Food to present his recent report 
at the Sub-Committee.  Different views were express ed regarding the invitation to the UN Rapporteur.  
A number of Members underlined the need to a void duplication, given that preparations were 
underway to allow the UN Rapporteur to speak at an  information session in the WTO on 2 July 2009.   
 
__________