Resumen de la reunión del Consejo General, 4 de junio de 2013

1. Report by the Chairman of the Trade Negotiations Committee

The Director-General highlighted the tasks ahead before the summer break, which were needed to build a solid foundation for success at the Ministerial Conference in Bali — namely “cleaning up” the trade facilitation draft agreement, building a landing strip on agriculture, canvassing the elements of the monitoring mechanism and the Cancún agreement-specific proposals as well as building the elements for a package for least-developed countries (LDCs). He also referred to other elements which could be part of the Bali deliverables — specifically, Aid for Trade, some accessions and the expansion of the Information Technology Agreement — and called for a rapid conclusion of the discussions on the extension of the TRIPS (Trade-related Intellectual Property Rights) Agreement transition period for LDCs. The full statement can be found in JOB/GC/53. 

Seven delegations intervened in the discussion. The importance of fully respecting the development mandate was stressed, together with the need for balance in the three Doha Development Agenda areas identified as potential deliverables for Bali.

 

2. Work Programme on Small Economies — Report by the Chairman of the Dedicated Session of the Committee on Trade and Development

The report by the Chair of the Committee on Trade and Development highlighted that a new proposal had been presented by Barbados (WT/COMTD/SE/W/27) containing two suggestions: the first was to continue work on the identification and effects of non-tariff measures (NTMs) on the exports of small economies, and the second was to organize a workshop on NTMs and small economies. Barbados provided more information about its proposal and said it was fully in line with the mandate from the Eighth Ministerial Conference. Nine other delegations supported the statement by Barbados.

 

3. Improving the Guidelines for Granting Observer Status to Intergovernmental Organizations in the WTO – Statement by the Chairman

The General Council Chairman provided an update on his consultations on this matter.

 

4. Ninth Session of the Ministerial Conference

The General Council agreed that the Minister of Trade of Indonesia would chair the Conference. The full slate of names, including the three Vice-Chairs, will be agreed at the July General Council meeting. The General Council also agreed to repeat past practice with respect to the attendance of observer governments and of non-governmental organizations (NGOs). The Chairman will continue his consultations on the attendance of intergovernmental organizations.

 

5. Committee on Budget, Finance and Administration

The General Council adopted the report of the Budget Committee in WT/BFA/136 and approved the specific recommendations contained therein.

 

6. WTO Pension Plan Management Board — Election of two members — Proposal by the Chairman of the General Council

The Council elected two members to the Management Board of the WTO Pension Plan until the end of its term, as per the Chairman’s proposal in WT/GC/W668 and Corr.1.

Under “Other Business”, the General Council heard statements by the Dominican Republic (for the Informal Group of Developing Countries) on WTO accessions, by Croatia on its forthcoming entry in the European Union and by Indonesia on the upcoming Indonesia exhibition and presentation of the Indonesian Ministerial Task Force. It also heard a statement by the Chairman on the chairmanship of the Council for Trade in Goods and on administrative measures for WTO members in arrears.