Voluntary contributions, gifts or donations from non-governmental donors

1. Donations proposed by private individuals and non-governmental, non-profit organizations or foundations (non-governmental donors) may be considered. These may include donations of goods or services “in kind”; however, secondment of staff from non-governmental donors to the WTO is prohibited.

2. Donations from non-governmental donors which are for-profit organizations or companies shall not be accepted.

3. The activities, aims and motivations of the non-governmental donors mentioned under 1 above shall not be incompatible with the policies, aims and activities of the WTO and, as mentioned above, shall not give rise to a conflict of interest.

4. All proposed donations from non-governmental donors shall be notified to the Committee on Budget, Finance and Administration which shall promptly consider the proposals. The Director-General shall accept a proposed donation only after the Committee has approved(1) the proposed donation and its intended use(s). It is recognized that the Committee may wish to consider establishing a subsidiary working group to make recommendations to it relative to proposed donations.

5. All accepted donations from non-governmental donors shall be placed in a single trust fund and be disbursed in an manner that takes into account the broad objectives of the Committee on Trade and Development, the Memorandum of Understanding Establishing the Global Trust Fund and any additional modalities to be established for the purpose of disbursing the resources of the trust fund. Non-governmental donors shall be encouraged to make donations to the trust fund at large. The non-governmental donor may specify one or more activity associated with the WTO Programme for Technical Cooperation or other WTO-sponsored capacity building and training activities not covered by the regular budget supported training programme as the purpose of the donation. More specific earmarking shall be strongly discouraged by the WTO. Donations from non-governmental donors covered by these guidelines may also be utilized for other activities which Members may decide by consensus should be supported through the trust fund.

6. Full details relative to all accepted donations from non-governmental donors and their uses shall be entered into a public registry which shall be readily accessible including through the WTO internet web site.

7. Donations shall not entitle non-governmental donors to use of the WTO name or logo in any way.

8. The WTO Secretariat shall report regularly to the Committee on Budget, Finance and Administration on the administration of the trust fund and the actual use of the resources therein.

9. A review of these guidelines and any additional modalities established for the purpose of their implementation shall be initiated by the Committee on Budget, Finance and Administration not later than January 2003. The review shall be completed within twelve months of its initiation.