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AITIC's Early Warning System



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AITIC Early Warning System for WTO Non-Residents

 Volume 2, Number 2
24 March 2003


I. Highlights of this issue (April – June 2003)

A. Trade Negotiations Committee (TNC): upcoming meetings to be held on 8-9 April, 8-9 May, 12 June and 24-25 June 2003 will review reports on outstanding implementation issues submitted by various negotiating bodies under paragraph 12 of the Doha Ministerial Declaration.

B. The Special Session of the Committee on Trade and Development (CTD) will resume discussion of special and differential treatment (S&D) under paragraph 44 of the Doha Ministerial Declaration. The next meeting, scheduled for 9 April 2003, will examine: various proposals on specific agreements; the establishment of a monitoring mechanism; and clarifications to the CTD mandate, as well as the future programme. The CTD has already missed three deadlines for the implementation of the negotiating mandate.

C. The Council for TRIPS should continue to hold consultations on the basis of the text provided by the Chair on 16 December 2002. This text was presented to assist a solution to the issues identified in paragraph 6 of the Doha Declaration on TRIPS and Public Health, due to a persistent lack of agreement on the scope of application for covered diseases. Outstanding implementation issues will also be considered (WT/MIN(01)/17 and JOB(01)/152/Rev.1).

D. Committee on Agriculture in Special Session: the Chair submitted a draft text establishing modalities for negotiations on further commitments, including S&D (TN/AG/W/1, 17 February 2003). Following discussion among the members, the Chair presented a new version of this text on 18 March 2003, issued as TN/AG/W/1/Rev.1.

E. As the deadline nears for submitting initial offers with regard to services negotiations passed (31 March 2003), negotiations are proceeding in a Special Session of the Council for Trade in Services. Significant progress is seen in two outstanding issues:

a. negotiations on modalities for treatment of autonomous liberalisation: these are the subject of a decision included in JOB(02)/35/Rev.3 dated 25 February 2003;
b. modalities regarding special priority for LDCs in the services negotiations: the LDC Group recently submitted a revised proposal (Job(02)/205/Rev.1, 25 February 2003) to the Council for Trade in Services, which should adopt a decision in its May 2003 meetings.

F. The Negotiating Group on Market Access is pursuing its discussion of modalities, with a view to developing guidelines by the end of March 2003, so as to lay the groundwork for an agreement by the end of May 2003.

G. The Dispute Settlement Body in Special Session is working on improvements and clarifications to the Dispute Settlement Understanding under the mandate given in paragraph 30 of the Doha Ministerial Declaration. Target date: 30 May 2003. See the consolidated document in Job(03)/10/Rev.1 dated 14 February 2003.

H. The Negotiating Group on Rules will continue to discuss clarifications and improvements to the disciplines and procedures applying to regional trade agreements.


II. Details of Selected WTO Meetings of Particular Importance to LACs

A. Negotiating Bodies & Special Sessions

(shading indicates an informal meeting)


WTO Body

Meeting Dates

Subjects to be Discussed

Committee on Trade and Development
(Special Session)

9 April

23 May

12, 23 June

The Committee is continuing its work on S&D, on the basis of the Chair's texts (TN/CTD/8).

Agenda not yet available, but should include:

● different proposals on specific agreements;

● various cross-cutting issues and institutional arrangements;

● establishing a monitoring mechanism;

● technical and financial assistance, and training;

● incorporating S&D into the framework of WTO rules;

● the future work programme;

● clarification of the mandate of the Special Session of this Committee.

See TN/CTD/7.

Committee on Trade and Environment
(Special Session)

22-23 April

12-13 June

Agenda not yet available, but should address the continuation of work on technical assistance, in particular possible financial support for developing country delegates participating in the discussions.

See WT/CTE/W/160/Rev.1 ("Matrix on Trade Measures Pursuant to Selected MEAs").

Dispute Settlement Body
(Special Session)

10-11 April

5, 20-23, 28 May

Agenda not yet available.

Discussion of modifications to the Dispute Settlement Understanding (paragraph 30 of the Doha Ministerial Declaration). Target date: 30 May 2003.

See Job(03)/10/Rev.1 dated 14 February 2003, for the latest compilation.

Council for Trade in Services
(Special Session)

19, 22 May

Agenda not yet available, but should cover:

● assessment of trade in services: individual country experiences in service sector liberalisation;

● modalities for special treatment of LDCs: discussion of the text submitted by LDCs, dated 25 February 2003 (Job(02)/205/Rev. 1);

● negotiating proposals;

● review of progress in bilateral negotiations.

Committee on Agriculture
(Special Session)

26-27 June

Agenda not yet available, but should include a review of the first draft of modalities for further commitments, namely:

● market access (tariff preferences, special safeguard clause);

● export subsidies (export credit, international food aid, etc.);

● domestic support;

● LDCs;

● further issues.

See TN/AG/W/1/Rev.1, 18 March 2003.

Council for Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights
(Special Session)

24-25 April

Agenda not yet available.

Issues to be addressed include:

● definition of "geographical indications" and possible geographical indications for inclusion in the system;

● purpose and definition of the system of notification and registration;

● outstanding issues (practical aspects of notification, challenge mechanisms, legal effect of registration, modalities for participation in the system, etc.).

The Council in Special Session will consider a draft proposal by the Chair (JOB(02)/49) designed to speed up the negotiating process (paragraph 18 of the Doha Ministerial Declaration).

See the factual compilation by the Secretariat in TN/IP/W/7.

Negotiating Group on Market Access

14-16 April

26-28 May

18-20 June

Agenda not yet available.

Continuing discussions on modalities for the tariff negotiations (20 issues have been identified to date) and consideration of:

● proposals already submitted (see TN/MA/6);

● adoption of possible schemes regarding modalities for the negotiations on customs duties and non-tariff barriers, with a view to reaching an agreement by 31 May 2003;

● Anti-dumping, subsidies and countervailing measures.

See JOB (03)/27, TN/MA/W/25, TN/MA/S/3/Rev.1/Add.1.

Negotiating Group on Rules

5-7 May

18-20 June

Agenda not yet available.

The "initial phase" in which to identify issues concerned with anti-dumping, subsidies and countervailing measures, including fishing industry subsidies and regional trade agreements, is now over. Research and consideration of specific negotiating parameters is proceeding (with uneven progress to date depending on the subject).

Trade Negotiations Committee

8-9 April

8-9 May

12-13, 24-25 June

Agenda not yet available.

Chair's report on outstanding implementation issues under paragraph 12 of the Doha Ministerial Declaration, based on reports by the Chairs of the subsidiary negotiating bodies.

See JOB(01)152/Rev.1.

B. Other WTO Bodies

(shading indicates an informal meeting)


WTO Body

Meeting Dates

Subjects to be Discussed

Committee on Regional Trade Agreements

3-4 April

Agenda not yet available, but should address the continuation of work on:

● the operation of agreements (see WT/REG/W/42);

● systemic implications of regional trade agreements for the multilateral trading system (see WT/REG/W/38).

Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures

2-3 April

23-25 June

Agenda not yet available, but will likely cover:

● examination of trade problems;

● review of the SPS Agreement and of developing country concerns, in particular S&D;

● implementation issues (see G/SPS/19);

● technical assistance;

● monitoring of the use of international standards (see G/SPS/11 and G/SPS/21);

● the future work programme (see G/SPS/20).

General Council

 

6-7, 15 May

 

Agenda not yet available, but should include the presentation of reports regarding the negotiations on S&D, and on the outcome of discussions on paragraph 6 of the Declaration on the TRIPS Agreement and Public Health.

Committee on Trade and Development

10 April

2 June

Agenda not yet available.

Issues to be addressed include:

● technical cooperation;

● report by the Joint Advisory Group of the International Trade Centre UNCTAD/WTO;

● electronic commerce;

● market access for developing countries and least-developed countries;

● regional trade agreements;

● financing for development;

● developing country participation in international trade;

● implementation issues and concerns;

● trade and environment;

● the Work Programme on Small Economies (see WT/L/447);

● further issues.

Council for Trade in Goods

 

16 May

 

Agenda not yet available, but will probably cover the continuation of work on:

● market access;

● trade facilitation;

● implementation issues;

● the work programme for harmonisation.

See G/L/595.

Council for Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights

3-5 June

Agenda not yet available, but should consider in particular:

● issues regarding the extension of the protection of geographical indications under Article 23 of the TRIPS Agreement (see JOB(02)/117);

● implementation of Article 66.2 of the TRIPS Agreement: a decision has been reached on this issue (see IP/C/28, 20 February 2003);

See the list of issues in IP/C/W/349.

Dispute Settlement Body

15 April

19 May

24 June

Agenda not yet available.

Note that the Panel on Cotton was established on 18 March 2003, apropos of the dispute between Brazil and the US.

See WT/DSB/29.

Council for Trade in Goods
(trade facilitation)

2-3 June

Agenda not yet available.

The Council should continue its activities under the work programme adopted in 2002, namely to review:

● GATT Articles V, VIII and X;

● the needs and priorities of developing countries and LDCs;

● technical assistance and capacity building.

See "Review, Clarification and Improvement of GATT Articles V, VIII and X – Proposals Made by Delegations" (G/C/W/434).

Working Group on the Interaction Between Trade and Competition Policy

26-27 May

Agenda not yet available.

Paragraph 25 of the Doha Ministerial Declaration calls for the Working Group to consider:

● clarification of core principles (transparency, non-discrimination, procedural fairness, provisions on hardcore cartels (see WT/WGTCP/W/191);

● modalities for voluntary cooperation (see WT/WGTCP/W/192);

● capacity building (see WT/WGTCP/W/182);

● presentation of individual country experiences and positions.

Sub-Committee on Least-Developed Countries

28 April

Agenda not yet available, but should address:

● accession of LDCs. See the recent Decision of the General Council on Accession of LDCs (WT/L/508 and WT/ACCC/11/Rev.2);

● Integrated Framework activities;

● mainstreaming elements of the LDC-III Programme of Action into WTO activities.

Working Group on the Relationship Between Trade and Investment

10-12 June

Agenda not yet available.

Paragraph 22 of the Doha Ministerial Declaration calls for the Working Group to pursue its activities on:

● scope and definition;

● transparency and non-discrimination;

● modalities for pre-establishment commitments;

● development provisions;

● exceptions and balance of payments safeguards;

● technical assistance (WT/WGTI/W/135);

● consultation and dispute settlement.

See WT/WGTI/W/136 on transfer of technology.

Working Group on Trade and Transfer of Technology

13 May

Agenda not yet available.

Under paragraph 37 of the Doha Ministerial Declaration, the Working Group should examine:

● individual country experiences;

● studies submitted by universities and international organisations;

● relevant work carried out by other WTO bodies;

● the future work programme.

See WT/WGTI/W/136 on transfer of technology.

Working Group on Trade, Debt and Finance

5-6 June

Agenda not yet available.

Paragraph 36 of the Doha Ministerial Declaration calls for the Working Group to address:

● the relationship between trade, debt and finance, and the international financial architecture;

● trade policy and financial stability;

● external debt and trade;

● market access for highly indebted low-income countries;

● coherence: a General Council meeting on this subject is scheduled for 13 May 2003;

● relevant WTO rules;

● the future work programme.

See WT/WGTDF/W17.

C. WTO Workshops and Seminars

Title

Meeting Dates

Subjects to be Discussed

Workshop on Information Technology Products

31 March -1 April

Agenda not yet available.

Meeting of the General Council on Coherence, in conjunction with the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund

13 May

Agenda not yet available.

Workshop on Investment

13-14 June

Agenda not yet available.

Symposium on Government Procurement

16-18 June

Agenda not yet available.

Workshop on Technical Barriers to Trade

30 June

Agenda not yet available.

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