. /.  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  RESTRICTED 
WT/BFA/127 
17 November 2011 
 (11-5944) 
  
 
 
 
ANNUAL REPORT FOR 2011 OF THE COMMITTEE ON BUDGET, 
FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION 
  
1. In accordance with the proce dures for an annual overview of World Trade Organization 
(WTO) activities and for reporting under the WT O, adopted by the General Council on 
15 November 1995 (WT/GC/M/8, item 11), a repor t on the activities of the Committee on Budget, 
Finance and Administration in 2011 is hereby submitted. 
2. The Committee held seven meetings and presented four reports
1 to the General Council up to 
the issuance date of this report. 
I. ON-GOING RESPONSIBILITIES 
3. The Committee monitored on a regular basis th e financial and budgetary situation of the 
Organization and the receipt of contributions, incl uding the implementation of the related schemes 
and measures pertaining to the receipt of contributi ons.  It considered elements related to human 
resources management, took note of the progress reports on the WTO Pension Plan, on the WTO 
building project and the Report on WTO Security and Safety.  It also examined:  (i) the WTO 2010 Financial Performance Report;  (ii) the Report of the External Auditor thereon as well as the second report of the Internal Auditor;  (iii) the ITC report on the changes in the ITC Budget Process;  and (iv) 
the Budget Proposals for the Biennium 2012-2013 for the WTO and the ITC.  While finalizing this 
report, the Committee was still engaged in the review  of the Budget Proposals and had yet to report on 
its meetings held on 31 Octobe r, 8 and 15 November 2011.  
II. MAJOR AREAS OF ACTIVITIES 
A. M
EMBERS UNDER ADMINISTRATIVE MEASURES  
4. In 2011, the Committee reviewed and made propo sals to approve the payment plans proposed 
by three Members subject to Administrative Measures that had arrears of contributions for periods of 
up to 33 years. The payment plans are intended to liquidate arrears on contributions over several 
years.  The three Members were Burundi, the De mocratic Republic of the Congo and the Islamic 
Republic of Mauritania.  The Secretariat had been  pursuing its efforts to reduce the number of 
Members under Administrative Measures.  The number of Members subject to Administrative Measures had been reduced to 12 on 1 November 2011.  Three were in Category I, two in Category II, 
one in Category III and six in Category IV. 
                                                      
1 Reports:  WT/BFA/123 covering the meeting held on 17 March 2011; WT/BFA/124 covering the 
meeting held on 14 June 2011; WT/BFA/125 covering the meeting held on 5 July 2011 and WT/BFA/126 
covering the report of the meeting held on 11 October 2011. WT/BFA/127 
Page 2  
 
  B. W
ORKING GROUP ON ADMINISTRATIVE MEASURES  
5. In 2011, the Working Group on Administrative Measures continued to review the 
implementation of Administrative Measures and to work on a proposal to revise the current set of 
Administrative Measures.  This proposal also incl uded the application of Administrative Measures to 
Observers.  The Chair of the Working Group held sev eral consultations with Regional Coordinators.  
Members also urged the Secretariat fully to enfo rce Administrative Measures, and these were fully 
implemented as of 1st September 2011.   
C. BUILDING PROJECT OF THE WTO 
6. With respect to the intra-muros project, the construction of the South Courtyard Conference 
Centre and the Atrium was proceeding on schedule.  A soft-opening of the meeting room located in 
the South Courtyard had taken place during the WTO Public Forum in September 2011.   
7. Regarding the renovation project, a total of 403 offices had been renovated in the South and 
North Wings during 2011.  Around 270 staff are scheduled to move from the temporary annex building located at the Chemin des Mines to the Centre William Rappard in 2012. 
8. With respect to the extra-muros project, the construction of the new administrative building 
for 300 offices, including an underground car park of  200 spaces, had started and should be completed 
by December 2012.  The laying of the foundatio n stone had taken place in September 2011.   
9. Regarding the security perimeter project for th e WTO single site, discussions at the technical 
level with the Swiss authorities and the FIPOI had taken place and the project was almost ready.   
D. M
EMBERS ' TRANSITION OPERATING FUND  
10. The Members' Transition Operating Fund had b een established in 2008 in order to finance 
additional operating costs during the Building Pr oject as well as final installation costs once the 
construction had been completed.  The Committee recommended the transfer of the credit balance from the Surplus account, am ounting to some CHF 10.5 million at the end of 2010, to the Fund.  In 2011 the 
Committee also authorized the funding of five proj ects:  common area and ITTC furniture, archive 
rooms, the signage system and catering facilities in the Centre William Rappard.  
E. H
UMAN RESOURCES MATTERS  
11. In accordance with the WTO salary adjustme nt methodology, the Director-General had 
decided to apply a 1 per cent negative adjustment  to the WTO salary scale and to freeze salaries for 
WTO staff.  The main factor behind this negative movement had been the drop in the value of the 
Euro against the Swiss franc in the benchmark comparator.  A new performance award had been 
implemented in 2011.  The promotion of staff dive rsity remained a key issue for the Secretariat and 
the Committee. 
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