./.  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  WT/GC/94 
27 July 2005 
 (05-3394) 
General Council 
27 and 29 July 2005 Item 6  
 
  
DEDICATED SESSION OF THE COMMITTEE ON TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT 
WORK PROGRAMME ON SMALL ECONOMIES 
 
Report by the Chairman
 
  1. This report on the Work Programme on Sma ll Economies is submitted on the Chairman’s 
own responsibility. 
2. Since the last formal meeting of the Dedicated Session, on 25 May, work had continued 
through informal consultations with groups of inte rested Members.   The Work Programme in the 
Dedicated Session is now approaching a key juncture  in its work.  Earlier this year, Members had 
agreed to move ahead using a three-step approach .  This approach provides, as per the mandate in 
paragraph 35 of the Doha Declaration, a way of ex amining the issues relating to the trade of small, 
vulnerable economies with the objective of framing r esponses to trade-related issues identified for the 
fuller integration of these economies into the multilateral trading system, without creating a sub-
category of WTO Members. 
3. The first two steps of this approach were to  identify the characteristics of the small, 
vulnerable economies and the trade-related problems which could reasonably be attributed to those 
characteristics.  The Dedicated Session has made good progress in considering the characteristics and 
examining the trade-related problems.  It is important to point out that Members have been 
deliberating on aspects of these two steps in a manner that would not specifically identify a 
sub-category of countries. 
4. The third step, the one which the Dedicated Session is just about to start examining, involves 
trying to frame responses to those trade-related problem s.  In the most recent proposal discussed in the 
Committee, Members examined some "elements of r esponses" which could help to pave the way for 
making certain recommendations.  Members are now  poised to begin work on what some of the 
proponents have called the "solution phase". 
5. Another aspect of the work on small economies is  related to the fact that many issues of 
concern to small and vulnerable economies are actua lly the subject of negotiation in other bodies.  
The Dedicated Session is not a negotiating group per se,  but it is part of the Doha Work Programme.  
Some Members believe that some of the specific is sues raised in the Dedicated Session may be dealt 
with by the relevant negotiating groups while others  wish to avoid a possible duplication of work.  I 
am of the view that the Dedicated Session can act in a parallel process alongside the negotiating 
bodies. 
6. The examination of the proposals of the smal l economies by the negotiating bodies should be 
done in light of the respective mandates and framewo rk agreed by Members in the Doha Ministerial 
Declaration and the General Council Decisi on of 1 August 2004.  While noting that  some of the 
negotiating bodies may not be ready to consider these proposals until the main elements in their WT/GC/94 
Page 2  
 
 respective areas have been clarified, it is necessar y to recognize that the negotiating groups should 
consider the proposals which address the trade-relate d problems of small, vulnerable economies in an 
expeditious and timely manner, in order to comply with paragraph 35 of the Doha Declaration.  The 
Dedicated Session will monitor this process to ensure  an arrangement is found to address the concerns 
of small, vulnerable economies in an appropria te and balanced manner in the negotiations. 
7. I remain optimistic about addressing the mandate  of the Dedicated Session and about finding 
solutions to the trade-related problems of small a nd vulnerable economies.  With this objective, it is 
my intention to intensify our work in the coming mont hs.  I urge all Members to stay engaged in this 
process, so that we can arrive at appropriate r ecommendations to the General Council in time for the 
6
th Ministerial Conference. 
__________