RESTRICTED
WORLD TRADE WT/COMTD/W/26/Rev.1
17July 1997
ORGANIZATION(97-3001)
Original: English Committee onTrade andDevelopment
Seventeenth Session
MANUAL ONTECHNICAL COOPERATION AND TRAINING
Revision
AttachedisarevisedManualonTechnicalCooperationandTrainingpreparedbytheSecretariat,
following comments bydelegations.WT/COMTD/W/26/Rev.1
Page 2
Manual
on
Technical Cooperation and Training
"Towards Full Integration into theMultilateral Trading System "
This Manual provides adescription ofthetechnical cooperation andtraining activities
available intheWTO, how Members canbenefit from such assistance
andhow requests should befiled toparticipate intheactivities.WT/COMTD/W/26/Rev.1
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Table ofContents
Page No.
INTRODUCTION 4
PRINCIPLES AND OBJECTIVES OFTECHNICAL 6
COOPERATION AND TRAINING INTHE WTO
THE BENEFICIARIES OFTECHNICAL COOPERATION 7
AND TRAINING
THE SCOPE OFWTO TECHNICAL COOPERATION 10
AND TRAINING ACTIVITIES: MODES OFDELIVERY
WTO TRADE POLICY COURSES HELD INGENEVA 17
COORDINATION OFTECHNICAL COOPERATION 19
WITHIN THE WTO
COOPERATION WITH OTHER INTERNATIONAL 20
ORGANIZATIONS
FUNDING OFTECHNICAL COOPERATION 21
AND TRAINING
HOW TOREQUEST TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE 23
ORTRAININGWT/COMTD/W/26/Rev.1
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INTRODUCTION
• TheWorld Trade Organization, aframework forthemultilateral trading system
One ofthemain features ofthemultilateral trading system thatemerged from thetrade
negotiations which took place between 1986 and1994 (Uruguay Round), wastheestablishment ofthe
World Trade Organization (WTO). Itformally came intoexistence on1January 1995, isbased in
Geneva, and headed byaDirector-General, Mr. Renato Ruggiero. The WTO Secretariat has
approximately 500staff members. With already more than 130Members (seeAnnex 1)and28other
countries having requested tobeadmitted asMembers, theWTO issettobecome atruly global
organization. Over 90percent ofworld trade isnow governed bymultilateral trade rules.
TheWTO isthesuccessor oftheGeneral Agreement onTariffs andTrade (GATT), which
provided themultilateral rules fortheconduct ofinternational trade since 1947 onaprovisional basis.
Itprovides thelegal andinstitutional foundation ofthemultilateral trading system, andthebasis for
theconduct oftrade relations among itsMembers. Itisalsoaforum forfuture trade negotiations.
Thetrading system hasbeen both broadened anddeepened, thusproviding more detailed rules inareas
previously covered bytheGATT, aswell asextending rules tonewareas, including trade inservices
andtrade-related aspects ofintellectual property rights.
TheAgreementsaimtoestablishconditionsoftradewithoutdiscriminationthroughtheprinciples
ofMost Favoured Nation andnational treatment, facilitate predictable andgrowing access tomarkets
andpromote faircompetition, inorder to"strengthen theworld economy andlead tomore trade,
investment, employment and income growth throughout theworld" (Marrakesh Declaration,
15April 1994).
• Developing countries intheWTO
More than three-quarters oftheWTO 'sMembers aredeveloping countries (98intotal), of
which 29areleast-developed countries. TheAgreement establishing theWTO recognizes theneed
forefforts "toensure thatdeveloping countries, andespecially theleast-developed among them, secure
ashare inthegrowth ininternational trade commensurate withtheneeds oftheir economic development"
(Marrakesh Agreement establishing theWTO, preamble). TheWTO Agreements thusinclude anumber
ofprovisions infavour ofdeveloping country Members inorder toenable them tointegrate intothe
multilateral trading system andtobenefit fully from their participation therein. PartIVoftheGATT
1994 contains principles, commitments andspecial provisions forjoint action byMembers tofoster
thedevelopment oftheeconomies ofdeveloping country Members. Inaddition, theAgreements include
longer transition periods forimplementation ofsome Agreements orobligations bydeveloping country
Members.
• Increased need fortechnical assistance fordeveloping countries
While technical assistance hastraditionally been aservice provided bytheGATT Secretariat
(aformal programme oftechnical assistance wasfirst established in1955 when training courses in
trade policy were introduced forofficials from developing countries), therequirements interms of
needs anddelivery (modes ofdelivery andinstruments oftechnical cooperation) have evolved
rapidly.
Thenewlyestablishedmultilateraltraderulesarelikelytorequireparticulareffortsbydeveloping
countriesintermsofimplementation.ContrarytotheGATT,inwhichvariousobligationswereoptional,
the'Single Undertaking 'principle thatwasadopted inthenegotiations hasmade allmultilateral WTO
Agreements binding upon allMembers.WT/COMTD/W/26/Rev.1
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Inordertoassistdevelopingcountriestobenefitfullyfromthenewtradingopportunitiesresulting
from theUruguay Round Agreements, itisimportant thatthese countries should beassisted inbuilding
their human andinstitutional capacity andinpreparing theadaptations ofnational legislation, where
required. This iswhere technical assistance isparticularly relevant, focusing onvery specific needs
ofbeneficiary countries indischarging their Uruguay Round obligations.
Thetechnical assistance activities areoverseen bytheCommittee onTrade andDevelopment.
InOctober 1996, theCommittee adopted Guidelines forTechnical Cooperation, which provide the
basis fortheWTO 'stechnical cooperation andtraining activities and,inparticular, define itsobjectives
andprinciples.
Box 1
Committee onTrade andDevelopment
TheCommittee onTrade andDevelopment istheWTO Committee thatdeals with issues ofparticular
interest todeveloping countries. Itcomprises allMembers oftheWTO andreports totheGeneral
Council. Itschairman iselected foroneyear. Inthesummer 1996, theCommittee established aSub-
Committee onLeast-Developed Countries, specifically mandated toaddress issues ofconcern tothese
countries andmake recommendations.WT/COMTD/W/26/Rev.1
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PRINCIPLES ANDOBJECTIVESOFTEC HNICALCOOPERATIONANDTRAINING
INTHE WTO
TheWTO'stechnicalcooperationandtrainingactivitiesareguidedbythefundamentalobjectives
ofassisting recipient countries intheir understanding andimplementation ofagreed international trade
rules, achieving their fuller participation inthemultilateral trading system andensuring alasting,
structural impact, toenable them toderive fulladvantage from thenew trading environment.
Theobjectives andprinciples oftheWTO technical cooperation areto:
• assist inthefullintegration ofbeneficiaries intothemultilateral trading system and
contribute totheexpansion oftheir trade;
• strengthen andenhance institutional andhuman capacities inthepublic sector foran
appropriate participation inthemultilateral trading system; whenever possible andin
consultation withthegovernment concerned, capacity-building activities could include
representatives oftheprivate sector;
• bedemand-driven andadapted torecipient needs, inparticular with respect tothemost
appropriate modes ofdelivery;
• complement andsupport recipients 'efforts toidentify their own requirements;
• keep ageographical balance, while giving priority toleast-developed countries, in
particular African countries, andtolow-income economies;
• cover subject matters within thecompetence andexpertise oftheWTO, inparticular:
- improvement ofknowledge ofmultilateral trade rules andWTO working
procedures andnegotiations; and
- assistance intheimplementation ofcommitments inthemultilateral trading
system andfulluseofitsprovisions, including theeffective useofthedispute
settlement mechanism;
• befully andclosely coordinated with assistance provided byother multilateral and
bilateral institutions;
• monitor andestablish follow-up activities with aview toensuring long-lasting relations
with beneficiary countries andguaranteeing theeffectiveness oftechnical cooperation
activities;
• beadministered bytheSecretariat andreviewed byMembers, inaccordance with
operational directives andimplementation modalities established bytheCommittee on
Trade andDevelopment.WT/COMTD/W/26/Rev.1
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THE BENEFICIARIES OFTECHNICAL COOPERATION AND TRAINING
• Government officials
TheWTO 'stechnical assistance isprincipally provided togovernment officials ofbeneficiary
countries whohave specific responsibilities withregard totheimplementation oftheWTO Agreements.
Officials canbetrained andprepared fortasks ahead, both inGeneva oronanational, regional or
sub-regional basis.
Theselection ofthebeneficiaries willtypically depend onthetypeofactivity carried out.While
theselection ofparticipants innational workshops orseminars willmostly beconducted atthenational
level andbyofficials from thehost country, forseminars, workshops, training activities andother
specialized activities tobecarried outinGeneva, theselection criteria willmostly beestablished by
theWTO Secretariat. These aredrawn upforeachevent taking intoaccount thespecificity oftheactivity.
• Theprivate sector
Associatingtheprivatesectortotechnicalcooperationactivitiescontributestoraisingthebusiness
community 'sawareness ofthemultilateral trading system andenables ittoidentify thetrading
opportunities arising from theAgreements. Representatives oftheprivate sector maybeinvited toattend
national orregional seminars held inbeneficiary countries.
TheWTO andUNCTAD have ajoint subsidiary, theInternational Trade Centre (ITC), whose
mission istosupport developing andtransition economies, andparticularly their business sectors, in
their efforts torealize their fullpotential fordeveloping exports andimproving import operations.
TheWTO takes partinactivities aimed attheprivate sector andcarried outinassociation with the
ITC, e.g. seminars forthedissemination ofapublication prepared jointly bytheCommonwealth
Secretariat andITC, with inputs from theWTO: the"Business Guide totheUruguay Round"
(ref. Box2).
Box 2
The ITC/WTO Business Guide Seminars
In1995, theITC jointly with theCommonwealth Secretariat prepared apublication entitled "Business
Guide totheUruguay Round". This publication isintended toexplain insimple terms therules-based
system which emerged from theUruguay Round, toassist business communities indeveloping countries
inidentifying theimplications oftheAgreements andtrading opportunities resulting from them forthe
private sector.
Inorder todisseminate theinformation contained inthispublication, ITC hasorganized incooperation
with local chambers ofcommerce and/or trade associations aprogramme ofactivities, including seminars
indeveloping countries. The WTO Secretariat hasbeen actively participating inthese dissemination
efforts. Since thelaunching ofthese joint activities inlate1995, over 20seminars have been held
worldwide.WT/COMTD/W/26/Rev.1
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• Special focus ondeveloping andleast-developed countries
While assistance isavailable toalldeveloping country Members oftheWTO alike andthe
Secretariat aims atmaintaining ageographical balance, priority isgiven toleast-developed countries,
inparticular African countries, andtolow-income economies. Several specific initiatives have been
orareintheprocess ofbeing taken forleast-developed countries. Themost recent initiatives are
described inBox3.
• Acceding countries
While most WTO Members were GATT Contracting Parties andthushadthe'automatic right'
tobecome aMember oftheWTO, several have joined thenew organization through accession
negotiations. Theinterest inWTO Membership continues togrow, andatthebeginning of1997 there
were 28countries seeking accession totheWTO. Thetechnical assistance tobeprovided willdiffer
according tothestages oftheaccession process, andcaninclude inputs inthepreparation ofa
memorandum ontheacceding country 'sforeign trade regime, which hastobesubmitted totheWTO
fordiscussion byWTO Members, and/or thepreparation oftheschedules ofconcessions and
commitments which arerequired forMembership. Theassistance canalsoinclude national seminars
ontheMultilateral Trading System, aimed atraising awareness inthecountry.WT/COMTD/W/26/Rev.1
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Box 3
Specific Activities forLeast-Developed Countries
Singapore Ministerial Conference:
Inorder tofacilitate thefullparticipation ofleast-developed countries inthefirstMinisterial Conference,
held inSingapore inDecember 1996, anumber oftechnical cooperation activities were organized
including:
- abriefing session ontheWTO Multilateral Trading System forEurope-based ambassadors of
least-developed countries atWTO headquarters inSeptember 1996;
- aMeeting oftheMinisters andsenior officials from 29least-developed countries inNovember,
also attheWTO headquarters inGeneva. These events were made possible through special
voluntary contributions bydeveloped country Members.
High-Level Meeting
Onrecommendation oftheCommittee onTrade andDevelopment (CTD) through theGeneral Council,
WTO Ministers atSingapore agreed to"organize ameeting with UNCTAD andtheITC assoon as
possible in1997, with theparticipation ofaidagencies, multilateral financial institutions andleast-
developed countries tofoster anintegrated approach toassisting these countries inenhancing their trading
opportunities".
This High-Level Meeting onIntegrated Initiatives forLeast-Developed Countries 'Trade Development
(autumn 1997) includes theactive participation ofother international organizations (UNCTAD, ITC, the
International Monetary Fund (IMF), theWorld Bank andUNDP). Invitations aretobeextended toall
48least-developed countries, whether WTO Members ornot.
Comprehensive andIntegrated Plan ofAction forLeast-Developed Countries
Closely related tothisinitiative istheComprehensive andIntegrated WTO Plan ofAction fortheLeast-
Developed Countries (WTO Plan ofAction forLDCs), also adopted byMinisters inSingapore after
thorough consideration attheCTD andtheGeneral Council. The WTO Plan ofAction forLDCs
includes measures intheareas ofcapacity-building andmarket access, andenvisages, inparticular, closer
cooperation between theWTO andother multilateral agencies assisting LDCs.
Integrated Programme
AnIntegrated WTO/UNCTAD/ITC Technical Assistance Programme forSelected Least-Developed and
Other African Countries wasadopted inMay 1996. Itresponds totheurgent need ofleast-developed and
other African countries tobeassisted intheexpansion anddiversification oftheir trade andintheprocess
oftheir integration intothemultilateral trading system, andtodemands bythemembership forimproved
coordination andcooperation among thethree organizations, inorder toboth maximize theeffectiveness
oftheoverall results andtoimprove theutilization ofavailable resources. This programme currently
covers eight developing countries, ofwhich four areleast-developed. Thecountries selected are:Bénin,
Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Kenya,Tanzania, Tunisia andUganda.WT/COMTD/W/26/Rev.1
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THE SCOPE OFWTO TECHNICAL COOPERATION AND TRAINING ACTIVITIES:
MODES OFDELIVERY
Technical assistance isprovided inallareas oftheWTO 'scompetence andwithin thelimits
ofitsmandate. Theactivities carried outarevery diverse inscope andnature, andaretailored to
meet theneeds oftheindividual country orcountries involved. TheWTO Secretariat proposes the
mode ofdelivery, taking intoaccount therecipient country orcountries 'level ofdevelopment andthe
nature oftherequest made. Thefollowing arethemain modes ofdelivery oftechnical assistance:
(i) General Seminars
GeneralSeminarsareorganizedwithaviewtoprovidinggeneralexplanationsonthemultilateral
trading system anddisseminating information onthework oftheWTO. They cover abroad range
ofaspects including thefunctioning oftheWTO andtheAgreements, Understandings andDecisions
which resulted from theUruguay Round negotiations, aswellaspractical information ondevelopments
inthework ofthevarious WTO bodies. They areorganized inthecapitals, onanational orregional
basis.
Box 4
General Seminars
This isoneofthemost common ways ofproviding technical assistance whereby most WTO Agreements
arecovered inathree-to-five dayprogramme. In1996, almost halfofalltechnical assistance activities
consisted ofnational andregional seminars (55). Theactivity ismostly carried outbyprofessional staff
from theTechnical Cooperation andTraining Division, often inassociation with staff from functional
divisions. While primarily focusing ongovernment officials, andbringing together officials from several
ministries, itoften includes private-sector representatives, through thelocal chamber ofcommerce ora
business association.
Box 5
Examples ofAreas Covered through Technical Assistance
• institutional issues
• basic rules andprinciples ofthemultilateral trading system
• rules oftheWTO (anti-dumping, subsidies andcountervailing duties, safeguards)
• market access issues (tariffs, import licensing, customs valuation, preshipment inspection)
• agriculture andsanitary andphytosanitary measures
• technical regulations andstandards
• international trade inservices
• trade-related aspects ofintellectual property rights
• dispute settlement procedures
• notifications requirements
• regional arrangements
• trade policy reviewWT/COMTD/W/26/Rev.1
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(ii) Seminars andworkshops onspecific issues
Technical/specialized seminars focus onanarrowly defined subject, (e.g. customs matters,
anti-dumping) andareaddressed toexperts intheareas covered. Workshops generally focus onone
particular areaoftrade policy andinaddition totheoretical explanations have apractical orientation,
i.e.through case studies andsimulations. Seminars andworkshops canbeheld either inGeneva or
inthecapitals, andgenerally have aduration of4-5days.
Box 6
Example ofSpecialized Seminar
Technical Barriers toTrade (TBT): Seminars areoften organized jointly with theInternational Standards
Organization (ISO), with theparticipation ofgovernment agencies, standardizing bodies and non-
governmental agencies involved instandards related work. The goal ofthese seminars istohelp
participating countries tounderstand thedetails oftheAgreement onTechnical Barriers toTrade (TBT)
sothattheAgreement canbefully implemented andatthesame time help build human andinstitutional
resources inTBT-related activities tohelp producers tobenefit fully from theAgreement. Theseminars
also provide opportunities forcommunication and exchange ofviews among representatives from
different government agencies andtheprivate sector.
Box 7
Examples ofWorkshops
Notifications:
TheSecretariat hasorganized specific workshops inGeneva onnotification obligations fortrade policy
officials. These workshops include practical anddetailed presentations, aswell asindividual consultations
byparticipants with Secretariat officials responsible fornotifications under thevarious Agreements. In
total, 155participants from over 60countries took part inthetwoworkshops organized in1995 and
1996.
Trade-Related Aspects ofIntellectual Property Rights (TRIPS):
In1996, aworkshop ontheTRIPS Agreement wasorganized forEnglish-speaking Sub-Saharan African
Developing country Members. During thisfive-day workshop, allaspects ofintellectual property rights
covered bytheTRIPS Agreement were discussed, with theparticipation ofWTO officials aswell as
representatives ofother relevant bodies, such asanational patent office ortheWorld Intellectual
Property Organization (WIPO), and theprivate sector. Asimilar workshop istobeheld in1997.
Participants areselected bytheWTO Secretariat; they should have responsibility indischarging
obligations under theTRIPS Agreement.
Rules:
National and/or regional workshops areorganized onaregular basis indifferent parts oftheworld inthe
area ofanti-dumping andcountervailing duty investigations, inorder toexplain theoperation ofthe
relevant agreements tothebeneficiaries andassist inpreparing oradapting national legislation, where
required.
Other areas covered through workshops:
Agriculture andSanitary andPhytosanitary Measures, International Trade inServices, Technical Barriers
toTrade andInternational Standardization (Standards). Some workshops areheld atthenational-level,
others atthe(sub-)regional level. Most oftheworkshops areorganized onanadhocbasis.WT/COMTD/W/26/Rev.1
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(iii) Technical Missions
Technicalmissionsareorganizedincapitalstoassistcountriesinspecifictasksrelatedtoeffective
implementation ofWTO commitments, such aspreparing legislation, regulations andnotifications,
aswell astofacilitate understanding ofspecific issues.
Box 8
Examples ofTechnical Missions
Assisting countries in:
• reviewing draft legislation onandestablishing aninstitutional framework forcontingent
trade remedies (such asanti-dumping);
• adapting customs tariffs totheHarmonized Commodity Description andCoding System;
• adapting theinstitutional andlegal framework inthearea ofintellectual property tothe
requirements oftheTRIPS Agreement;
• technical missions have been carried outattheendoftheUruguay Round negotiations
toassist beneficiaries inthepreparation ofschedules ofconcessions and offers of
specific commitments inthenegotiations. Specific assistance isprovided tocountries in
preparing their offers inservices negotiations, forinstance onbasic telecommunications.
Similar efforts will beundertaken toassist countries inmaking offers forfinancial
services.
(iv) Training courses, which areoftwokinds:
- Theregular Trade Policy Course fordeveloping countries, andspecial training courses
designed attherequest ofWTO members. These courses aregenerally heldinGeneva.
- Short courses designed forparticular groups ofcountries (formedium orhigh level
officials) which cover, indepth, inashort period oftime (2-6weeks), issues relating
totrade policy andthemultilateral trading system. They caneither beheldinGeneva
orinnational capitals.
Box 9
Anexample ofspecial training course: theSingapore/WTO joint training programme
fordeveloping countries
During thefirst Ministerial Conference oftheWTO, held inSingapore inDecember 1996, the
government ofSingapore and theWTO, desiring tocooperate inextending trade-related technical
assistance todeveloping countries fortheir economic andsocial development, signed aMemorandum of
Understanding concerning ajoint training programme fordeveloping countries.
Theprogramme istobejointly established andadministered bytheGovernment ofSingapore andthe
WTO. Under thisTraining Programme, training courses willbeorganized, usually inSingapore andnot
exceeding four weeks, forselected participants from developing countries.WT/COMTD/W/26/Rev.1
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Box 10
Specific Technical Assistance intheArea ofDispute Settlement
Since theentry intoforce oftheWTO, developing countries have been actively involved intheoperation
ofthedispute settlement mechanism, both ascomplaining party andasarespondent toclaims byother
Members. Appropriate access tothismechanism which isacorner stone ofthenew multilateral trading
system, andproper understanding ofitarecrucial toafullparticipation inthesystem.
The Memorandum ofUnderstanding onRules andProcedures Governing theSettlement ofDisputes
(DSU) contains provisions forspecific technical assistance relating tothedispute settlement mechanism of
theWTO:
oLegal assistance todeveloping country Members
Article 27.2 oftheDSU foresees additional legal advice andassistance inrespect ofdispute settlement to
developing country Members, andprovides thattheSecretariat shall make available aqualified legal
expert from theWTO technical cooperation services toanydeveloping country Member which so
requests.
oThespecial training courses ontherules andprocedures governing thesettlement ofdisputes
Inaccordance with Article 27.3 oftheDSU, theSecretariat organizes special training courses inGeneva
toenable Members 'experts tobebetter informed about therules andpractices ofdispute settlement in
theWTO. These four-day courses include adetailed presentation oftherules andprocedures aswell as
practical simulation exercises.
(v) Practical training programmes forselected officials with specific responsibilities,
including training oftrainers, canbedeveloped toprepare human resources inspecific andconcrete
areas ofwork.
Box 11
AnExample ofaPractical Training Programme
AkeypartoftheIntegrated Programme forSelected African andOther Least-Developed Countries will
consist ofthe'training oftrainers ',i.e.preparing officials inbeneficiary countries tohave abetter and
fuller understanding oftheUruguay Round Agreements, who will, following completion ofthetraining
programme, disseminate theinformation in-country. Trainers willbeselected oncriteria established by
thethree organizations (WTO, UNCTAD andITC). Thetraining programme istobeheld inGeneva
over three weeks.
(vi) Information-technology-based training material:
Inorder tofacilitate thedissemination ofinformation ontheWTO multilateral trading
system through modern technology, acomputer-based interactive technical assistance/training package
isbeing developed thatwillbeused tointroduce theWTO inthesame manner asthrough ageneral
seminar. Thepackage includes alltheconcepts developed inanormal 4-to-5 dayseminar organized
byTCTD.WT/COMTD/W/26/Rev.1
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Box 12
Technical Assistance onCD-ROM
The information-technology-based training material consists ofasetofmodules, each ofwhich
corresponds toatwo-three hour seminar lecture, andincludes areview section using theFrequently
Asked Questions (FAQ) approach andincorporating aself-evaluation sub-section. Itsmain support isa
CD-ROM, although itwillalsobeproduced inasetofdiskettes, taking account ofavailable hardware in
thecountries concerned. Thepackage willbemade available through thenew Trade andDevelopment
Website that isacomponent oftheWTO-World Bank Information Technologies forDevelopment
project.
Box 13
The WTO-World Bank Information Technologies forDevelopment Project
TheWTO hasinitiated aproject thatwilluseinformation technologies tobetter enable decision-makers
indeveloping countries tounderstand andtomake useoftherules andmechanisms oftheWTO forthe
benefit oftheir countries. Theproject willenable developing country decision-makers to:
- have permanent on-line access toelectronic training andeducation tools designed forthem;
- maintain anon-going, electronic contact with theWTO sothey cankeep abreast ofnew
developments andbeinformed specifically ontheir importance fortheir country orregion.
Theproject isdesigned sothateven those who donothave access tothemost sophisticated technologies,
such astheInternet, willstillhave access totheinteractive electronic learning tools developed aspartof
theproject.
Theproject isbeing developed jointly with theEconomic Development Institute oftheWorld Bank.
Funding fortheproject isbeing provided bythetwoprincipal partners aswell asbytheGovernments of
Norway andtheNetherlands.
(vii) Supply ofdata ontariffs andtrade
Upon request, data ontrade flows, tariffs andnon-tariff measures aremade available, and
information canalsobeprovided towards theassessment ofother countries 'offers inmarket access
ingoods ofrelevance todeveloping countries, ortohelpthem assess theimpact ontheir services trade
ofspecific commitments onservices made bydeveloped countries.
Also, theWTO hasprepared aCD-ROM with thecomplete textoftheAgreements andtariffs
andtrade data (Box 14).WT/COMTD/W/26/Rev.1
Page 15
Box 14
CD-ROM ontheUruguay Round Results
This CD-ROM contains allWTO rules andcommitments made byitsMembers. However, thevastbulk
oftheCD-ROM isoccupied bytheSchedules ofConcessions ongoods andonservices. Foreach
country which isaMember oftheWTO there areproduct-by-product listsofbound tariff rates affecting
market access formerchandise goods, including agricultural products. Many thousands ofproducts and
their rates arelisted. TheSchedules ofSpecific Commitments onservices aremore complex, with each
country identifying theservices sectors towhich itwillapply themarket access andnational treatment
obligations oftheGATS andanyexceptions from those obligations itwishes tomaintain.
Every effort hasbeen made tohelp manage efficiently thegreat volume ofinformation covered innearly
30,000 pages ofundertakings which together make uptheWorld Trade Organization Agreements. This
CD-ROM canbeobtained from thePublications Services, Centre William Rappard, RuedeLausanne
154, 1211 Geneva 21,Switzerland; tel: 022-739 5208/53 08(Fax: 759.57.92) attheprice of
CHF 1000. Adiscount of30% isgranted toMembers andof50% toleast-developed Members.
(viii) Supply ofdocumentation ontheWTO
Aspart ofregular seminars andother activities, documents arewidely made available to
participants. Thedocumentation cancover general information, aswell asanyspecific material to
assist incarrying outtheobligations under theagreements (e.g. Handbook onNotifications).
Box 15
Handbook onNotifications
Inorder toassist Members inunderstanding anddischarging more efficiently their notification obligations
under theAgreements, theSecretariat hasprepared aTechnical Cooperation Handbook onNotification
Requirements. This document provides Members inasingle instrument with acomplete view ofthe
notification obligations contained inalltheAgreements, aswell asmodels oftheformats which should be
used toprepare notifications.WT/COMTD/W/26/Rev.1
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(ix) Participation intechnical assistance and training activities organized byother
regional andinternational institutions.
Totheextent possible, WTO staff members participate inactivities organized byother
international institutions toprovide inputs onWTO Agreements.
More generally, theTechnical Cooperation andTraining Division isconstantly available to
Geneva-based delegates ofdeveloping country Members toprovide them withguidance andinformation
regarding theactivities oftheWTO andassist them indischarging their obligations under theWTO
Agreements.
TheSecretariat isalso available toanswer written requests forinformation from member
governments regarding their rights andobligations under theWTO Agreements.
Box 16
The WTO Website
TheWTO official website located ontheinternet atwww.wto.org contains awealth ofinformation about
therules andmechanisms oftheglobal trade system. There isageneral overview oftheOrganization in
About WTO .Formore in-depth information onthevarious areas oftheWTO, users should visit the
pages under WTO atWork .This section contains material onDispute Settlement, Economic Research
&Analysis, Trade Policy Review, Trade &theEnvironment, Technical Cooperation andTraining
andapage onAgriculture -Sanitary andPhytosanitary Measures .
TheWhat 'sNew section contains thevery latest news onnegotiations andhappenings within theWTO.
Asection onInternational Trade gives thelatest report from theResearch Division. The Uruguay
Round section gives asummary oftheresults ofthenegotiations which established theAgreements on
which thenew Organization isbased. Other features ofthewebsite areaSchedule ofMeetings, the
Media Newsroom (for journalists), and more importantly, Documents on-line .Using thisfacility,
anyone cannow download derestricted (i.e. public) WTO documents directly totheir computers.
Thewebsite isreproduced intheother official languages oftheWTO: French andSpanish.WT/COMTD/W/26/Rev.1
Page 17
WTO TRADE POLICY COURSES HELD INGENEVA
TheWTO Secretariat finances andorganizes twoRegular Trade Policy Courses peryear for
officials from developing countries. TheCourses, held inEnglish andalternately inFrench and
Spanish, take place inGeneva andlastforfourteen weeks.
Inaddition, theWTO Secretariat hasbeen organizing onanadhocbasis twoshorter Special
Trade Policy Courses peryear forofficials from economies intransition: oneeight-week course for
officials from Eastern andCentral European andCentral Asian Countries financed bytheSwiss
government (since 1991) andonefour-week course foranumber ofeconomies intransition funded
bytheUnited States government (since 1994).
• Regular Courses fordeveloping countries
TheCoursesareintendedforgovernmentofficialsfromWTOMembersaswellasnon-Members
whoareinvolved intheformulation andimplementation oftrade policy. Since 1955, when theTrade
Policy Courses started under theGATT, over 1,500 officials1from 130countries have participated
intheCourses. Theincreased complexity ofthelegal andtrade policy issues dealt with bytheWTO
ascompared totheGATT hasenhanced interest around theworld inparticipating inWTO Trade Policy
Courses.
• Objectives andcontent oftheCourse
TheCourseobjectiveistowidentheparticipatingofficials'understandingoftradepolicymatters,
themultilateral trading system, international trade lawandthefunctioning oftheWTO. Theknowledge
acquired intheCourse isexpected toallow participating officials toimprove theeffectiveness oftheir
work intheir own administrations andtopromote amore active participation oftheir countries inthe
work oftheWTO.
TheCourse programme iscomprehensive andincludes:
- Lectures, presentations and discussions ontrade theory, theformulation and
implementation oftrade policy anditsinteraction withmonetary policies, theprovisions
ofWTO legal instruments andagreements emphasising thedevelopment dimension,
trade policy issues such asregional economic integration andtheinteraction between
trade andenvironmental policies aswellasthestructure, scope andfunctioning ofthe
WTO system. Most ofthelectures aregiven byWTO officials dealing directly with
therespective subjects.
- Thelectures arecomplemented bypractical work including group discussions, round
tables, andthepreparation andpresentation ofseminar papers onWTO-related subjects.
Officialsalsotakepartinaworkshoponnegotiatingtechniques,andsimulationexercises
ontrade negotiations anddispute settlement, inwhich they putinto practice the
knowledge oftrade policy issues acquired ontheCourse. Theprogramme includes
visits tointernational organizations based inGeneva andattendance atmeetings ofWTO
bodies, soastoallow theparticipants toobserve thefunctioning oftheWTO onthe
spot.
1This number includes almost 30officials from thesecretariats ofintergovernmental regional economic
organizations indeveloping countries.WT/COMTD/W/26/Rev.1
Page 18
- There arealsotwostudy tours: oneinSwitzerland andtheother abroad, which serve
thepurpose ofintroducing theparticipants, viameetings withhostgovernment officials
andbusiness persons, tothetrade andgeneral economic policies ofthehostcountries,
andtheorganization,structureandactivitiesofsomeoftheirleadingindustrial,financial
andcommercial enterprises.
• Access toRegular Trade Policy Courses
Several months before thestart ofeach Course aninvitation circular isaddressed bytheWTO
totherelevant authorities ineach developing country, such astheMinistry ofTrade, theMinistry of
Foreign Economic Relations ortheMinistry ofForeign Affairs, aswell astothelocal office ofthe
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) andtothePermanent Mission inGeneva.
Governments wishing topropose candidates foraTrade Policy Course should follow the
procedures outlined intheinvitation circular. Allnominations which have been received aresubmitted
toaWTO selection committee forconsideration. Each selected candidate isawarded oneofthe
24fellowships granted bytheWTO foreach Course. Thefellowship grant covers travel expenses
toandfrom Geneva, accommodation inGeneva, sickness andaccident insurance andstipend tocover
living expenses inGeneva. There arenocourse feesforparticipants.
• Special Courses foreconomies intransition
TheTraining programmes oftheSpecial Trade Policy Courses aimtorespond tothetraining
needs oftheeconomies intransition, several ofwhich areintheprocess ofacceding totheWTO.
TheCourse programme issimilar inmany respects totheRegular Trade Policy Courses inthatitis
designed tofamiliarize theparticipating officials withthefunctioning ofthemultilateral trading system.
However, special emphasis islaidontopics ofparticular interest totheparticipating countries such
astheprocess oftrade policy reform ineconomies intransition, theconditions foraccession totheWTO,
theWTO status ofcertain bilateral regional arrangements, agriculture andservices. TheCourses are
conducted inEnglish with, insome cases, simultaneous interpretation intoRussian.
Participants who aremost likely tobenefit from theSpecial Courses areofficials who have
experience andresponsibilities intheformulation andconduct offoreign trade policy intheir countries
andwho areexpected tocontinue towork inthisarea. Participating countries, andthenumber of
officials from each, aredesignated bythedonor countries. Officials nominated bytheir Government,
usually numbering twenty-four perCourse, benefit from afellowship grant which covers travel,
accommodation andperdiem expenses fortheir stayinGeneva.
Box 17
Further Information onTrade Policy Courses
FortheRegular Trade Policy Courses, theinvitation circular contains detailed information on
nomination criteria, procedures andclosing dates forsubmission ofnominations andother practical
guidelines forapplicants from developing countries. Further information canbeprovided by:
TheTraining Section Tel. (+41.22) 7395190
Technical Cooperation and Fax. (+41.22) 7395781
Training Division E.mail: norma.herbst@wto.org
WTO Secretariat
Centre William Rappard
RuedeLausanne 154
CH-1211 Geneva 21WT/COMTD/W/26/Rev.1
Page 19
COORDINATION OFTECHNICAL COOPERATION WITHIN THE WTO
Technical assistance programmes areexecuted mostly bystaffmembers oftheSecretariat, who
provide their expertise inaspecific area, buttheSecretariat alsodraws onaroster ofqualified outside
experts forselected activities, andcollaborates with other international organizations foroptimal use
oftheresources available. Theactivities arecarried outbytheWTO Secretariat inthethree official
languages oftheWTO (English, French andSpanish).
While technical assistance canberequested from anddelivered bydifferent functional divisions
intheWTO, theTechnical Cooperation andTraining Division actsasfocal point andreceives offers
andrequests forWTO technical cooperation. Itscoordination rolebasically comprises thefollowing
elements:
- Forpurposes ofcoordination andadministration, theTechnical Cooperation andTraining
Division isthecentral focal point ontheWTO Secretariat forinteraction with international,
regional andsubregional institutions, aswell aswith donor andrecipient governments.
- TheTechnical Cooperation andTraining Division, inclose collaboration withother operational
Divisions oftheSecretariat, coordinates theSecretariat 'sresponse torequests fortechnical
cooperation.
- TheSecretariatdefinesandappliesobjectivecriteriafortheselectionofparticipantsinspecialized
WTO technical cooperation activities.
- TheTechnical Cooperation andTraining Division establishes ageneral andindicative three-year
plancomprising annual programmes. This three-year planincludes alltheactivities tobecarried
outbytheWTO.
- The annual programme isbased onspecific requests from WTO Members fortechnical
cooperation, presented intheyearpreceding theyearwhen those activities aretobeundertaken.
- TheSecretariat coordinates technical cooperation activities andreports totheCommittee on
Trade andDevelopment inaccordance with theGuidelines adopted bytheCommittee.
- TheCommitteeonTradeandDevelopmentmonitorstechnicalassistancewithaviewtoensuring
long-lasting relations with beneficiary countries.WT/COMTD/W/26/Rev.1
Page 20
COOPERATION WITH OTHER INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
Inorder toenhance theeffectiveness oftechnical cooperation andtraining andmake bestuse
ofscarce human andfinancial resources, close coordination isestablished with other international
organizations, inparticular with theInternational Trade Centre (ITC), UNCTAD andtheWorld Bank.
Adialogue among theheads oftheorganizations isestablished toexchange information onpolicies
andprogrammes. Regular briefing isprovided tobodies ofother organizations oncurrent developments
inthearea oftrade policy, particularly inrelation totechnical assistance.
Inaddition, other specialized agencies, such astheWorld Intellectual Property Organization,
theWorld Customs Organization andtheFood andAgriculture Organization, have alsoestablished
contacts withrelevant substantive divisions attheWTO Secretariat inconnection withtheir trade-related
technical cooperation activities. Some oftherelations between specialized agencies andtheWTO are
formalized through theexchange ofletters andinpractice translate intovery active anddeep cooperation
inareas ofcommon interest.WT/COMTD/W/26/Rev.1
Page 21
FUNDING OFTECHNICAL COOPERATION AND TRAINING
Thetechnical cooperation andtraining activities oftheWTO arefinanced from three sources:
theregular budget oftheWTO, voluntary contributions ofMembers totheWTO Trust Fund for
TechnicalCooperationandinternationalornationalcost-sharing.TheregularWTObudgetaryallocation
fortechnical cooperation represents CHF 741,000 (approximately US$ 550,000) andCHF 1,232,000
(approx. US$ 850,000) fortraining courses in1997.
Voluntary contributions from Members totheWTO Trust Fund ForTechnical Cooperation
provide important additional funding tocarry outtechnical cooperation activities. Thegrants provided
bytheMembers canbeadministered bytheWTO Secretariat orthedonor, andaremostly earmarked
forspecific activities decided upon between thedonor andtheWTO Secretariat andtobecarried out
within acertain time frame. In1996, thetotal sum ofvoluntary contributions made available tothe
WTO byMembers fortechnical assistance activities amounted toover US$ 4,500,000. Some ofthese
contributions aretobeused over several years.
Generally, theWTO covers theexpenses related totheparticipation ofitsstaff members or
ofexperts recruited bytheSecretariat tocarry outitstechnical assistance activities. Itmay also, in
some cases, payforthetravel expenses ofofficials from beneficiary countries, toenable them totake
partintechnical cooperation activities atWTO headquarters inGeneva oronaregional basis.
International ornational cost-sharing implies thatthecosts related tothetechnical assistance
activity arecovered from other sources (e.g. WTO 'sparticipation inITCmissions forthedissemination
ofthebusiness guide orlocal expenses forseminars borne bythehost government).WT/COMTD/W/26/Rev.1
Page 22
Box 18
Extra-Budgetary Resources
Several Members have made significant contributions tothe WTO Trust Fund forTechnical
Cooperation*.
- In1995, Norway contributed US$ 2,500,000 tobeused through 1998, mainly foractivities in
favour ofleast-developed countries, with focus onAfrica. Aprogramme ofwork iscarried out
covering technical missions, workshops andseminars.
- With thefinancial support oftheSwiss Government, theSecretariat hasorganized, annually, a
Special Trade Policy Course forofficials from theEastern andCentral European andCentral
Asian countries, and workshops onnegotiating techniques (1997 amount isCHF 381,500
(US$ 263,000)).
- TheEuropean Union financed in1996 seven seminars forACP countries totalling 1,1million
Ecus (approximately US$ 1,251,000) administered directly bytheECandACP. Anadditional
amount ofUS$ 58,000 wasearmarked forseminars oncontingent trade remedies in1997.
- In1997, theNetherlands made acontribution ofNLG 4,000,000 (approx. US$ 2,300,000)
which isgeared towards integrating developing countries andeconomies intransition intothe
multilateral trading system andcontributing totheexpansion oftheir foreign trade.
- Japan hasdedicated CHF 121,000 anually (approximately US$ 83,000) tofinance regional
seminars.
- New Zealand contributed NZ$ 200,000 (approximately US$ 126,000) foractivities with the
South Pacific Forum 'sisland member countries in1997.
- TheRepublic ofKorea contributed US$ 450,000 fortraining activities in1997.
- Italy contributed Lire 150 million (approximately US$ 90,000) fortechnical assistance
programmes forLDCs in1997.
- USAID hasanually financed Special Trade Policy Courses forEconomies inTransition (1997
amount wasapproximately US$ 160,000).
- Singapore hassigned amemorandum ofunderstanding with theWTO bywhich training courses
fordeveloping countries willbejointly funded bytheGovernment ofSingapore andtheWTO.
__________
*Contributions were also received tofacilitate theassistance oftheLDCs tothe1996 Singapore
Ministerial Meeting. Donors: Australia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Ireland, Korea,
Norway, theNetherlands andSingapore.WT/COMTD/W/26/Rev.1
Page 23
HOW TOREQUEST TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE ORTRAINING
Agovernment wishing toobtain technical assistance from theWTO Secretariat should formulate
arequest inwriting. This procedure applies toallrequests other thanapplications fortheTrade Policy
Courses held inGeneva described inthesection above.
Therequest should indicate asprecisely aspossible thenature andcontents ofassistance required.
Requests fortechnical cooperation should normally beaddressed inwriting to:
The Director
Technical Cooperation andTraining Division,
World Trade Organization
154ruedeLausanne
1211 Geneva 21
Switzerland
tel:7395237
fax: 7395764
Requests forassistance should normally bemade before thebeginning oftheyear inwhich the
activity would becarried out,soastoallow foritsinclusion intheannual programme oftechnical
cooperation activities.
Onreceipt oftherequest, allaspects oftheproposed activity, including itsnature, contents, funding
andtheanticipated time-frame within which itwould takeplace, arediscussed andthemost appropriate
activity determined.
Thesequence ofsteps tobefollowed when agovernment requests technical cooperation from the
WTO Secretariat issummarized inthechart below.WT/COMTD/W/26/Rev.1
Page 24
Sequence ofSteps tobeTaken when aBeneficiary Country Makes aRequest totheWTO for
Technical Assistance
Request
Beneficiary sends request fortechnical assistance, normally tothe
Technical Cooperation andTraining Division;
inprinciple requests should befiled before theendoftheyear forimplementation
inthenext calendar year;
therequest willbeintegrated inWTO 'splanning
Defining theActivity
inconsultation between theWTO Secretariat (TCTD and/or functional Divisions)
andtherecipient country;
(mode ofdelivery, implementation modalities, contents ofactivities, logistics andfunding)
Coordination with Other International Organizations
Some activities callforcoordinated action between international organizations
Implementation
ofactivities bytheTCTD, other functional WTO
Divisions and/or other executing agencies inaccordance with theguidelines ontechnical cooperation
andtraining;
inprinciple theactivity iscarried outintheyear following thatinwhich therequest ismade
Follow-up
Following theexecution oftheactivity, continued contact willbepursued toenhance effectiveness of
thetechnical cooperation;
thebeneficiary country canberequested toestablish acontact point toensure effective coordination
between theWTO andtherecipient inthefollow-up processWT/COMTD/W/26/Rev.1
Page 25
ANNEX 1
WTO Members andDate onWhich Membership Became Effective (asof1June 1997)
Angola 1.12.96
Antigua and Barbuda 1.1.95
Argentina 1.1.95
Australia 1.1.95
Austria 1.1.95
Bahrain 1.1.95
Bangladesh 1.1.95
Barbados 1.1.95
Belgium 1.1.95
Belize 1.1.95
Benin 22.2.96
Bolivia 14.9.95
Botswana 31.5.95
Brazil 1.1.95
Brunei Darussalam 1.1.95
Bulgaria 1.12.96
Burkina Faso 3.6.95
Burundi 23.7.95
Cameroon 13.12.95
Canada 1.1.95
Central African Republic 31.5.95
Chad 19.10.96
Chile 1.1.95
Colombia 30.4.95
Congo 27.3.97
Costa Rica 1.1.95
Côte d'Ivoire 1.1.95
Cuba 20.4.95
Cyprus 30.7.95
Czech Republic 1.1.95
Dem. Rep. ofCongo 1.1.97
Denmark 1.1.95
Djibouti 31.5.95
Dominica 1.1.95
Dominican Republic 9.3.95
EC 1.1.95
Ecuador 21.1.96
Egypt 30.6.95
ElSalvador 7.5.95
Fiji 14.1.96
Finland 1.1.95
France 1.1.95
Gabon 1.1.95
Gambia 23.10.96Germany 1.1.95
Ghana 1.1.95
Greece 1.1.95
Grenada 22.2.96
Guatemala 21.7.95
Guinea 25.10.95
Guinea- Bissau 31.5.95
Guyana 1.1.95
Haiti 30.1.96
Honduras 1.1.95
Hong Kong 1.1.95
Hungary 1.1.95
Iceland 1.1.95
India 1.1.95
Indonesia 1.1.95
Ireland 1.1.95
Israel 21.4.95
Italy 1.1.95
Jamaica 9.3.95
Japan 1.1.95
Kenya 1.1.95
Korea 1.1.95
Kuwait 1.1.95
Lesotho 31.5.95
Liechtenstein 1.9.95
Luxembourg 1.1.95
Macau 1.1.95
Madagascar 17.11.95
Malawi 31.5.95
Malaysia 1.1.95
Maldives 31.5.95
Mali 31.5.95
Malta 1.1.95
Mauritania 31.5.95
Mauritius 1.1.95
Mexico 1.1.95
Mongolia 29.1.97
Morocco 1.1.95
Mozambique 26.8.95
Myanmar 1.1.95
Namibia 1.1.95
Netherlands 1.1.95
New Zealand 1.1.95
Nicaragua 3.9.95Niger 13.12.96
Nigeria 1.1.95
Norway 1.1.95
Pakistan 1.1.95
Papua New Guinea 9.6.96
Paraguay 1.1.95
Peru 1.1.95
Philippines 1.1.95
Poland 1.7.95
Portugal 1.1.95
Qatar 13.1.95
Romania 1.1.95
Rwanda 22.5.96
Saint Kitts andNevis 21.2.96
Saint Lucia 1.1.95
Saint Vincent &Gren. 1.1.95
Senegal 1.1.95
Sierra Leone 23.7.95
Singapore 1.1.95
Slovak Republic 1.1.95
Slovenia 30.7.95
Solomon Islands 26.7.96
South Africa 1.1.95
Spain 1.1.95
SriLanka 1.1.95
Suriname 1.1.95
Swaziland 1.1.95
Sweden 1.1.95
Switzerland 1.7.95
Tanzania 1.1.95
Thailand 1.1.95
Togo 31.5.95
Trinidad andTobago 1.3.95
Tunisia 29.3.95
Turkey 26.3.95
Uganda 1.1.95
United Arab Emirates 10.4.96
United Kingdom 1.1.95
United States 1.1.95
Uruguay 1.1.95
Venezuela 1.1.95
Zambia 1.1.95
Zimbabwe 3.3.95
Observer Governments (29)
Albania
Algeria
Armenia
Belarus
Cambodia
China
Croatia
Estonia
Former Yugoslav Rep.
ofMacedoniaGeorgia
Jordan
Kazakhstan
Kyrgyz Rep.
Latvia
Lithuania
Moldova
Nepal
Oman
PanamaRussian Federation
Saudi Arabia
Seychelles
Sudan
Chinese Taipei
Tonga
Ukraine
Uzbekistan
Vanuatu
Viet Nam