Accessions Strategic Objectives Accession of …...Azerbaijan: The Secretariat is invited to participate in the "Conference on the Integration of Azerbaijan into the World Trade System:

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Accessions Strategic Objectives

Domestic reform instrument

Systemic update

Market access expansion

International cooperation for trade

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Inside this issue: FIFTH INFORMAL GROUP ON ACCESSIONS IN 2018

Friday, 1 June 2018 Agenda:

Accession of Belarus — 10th Working Party Meeting

Accession of Serbia — Mission to Belgrade, 29— 31

May 2018

Accession of Uzbekistan — Mission to Tashkent, 14

– 18 May 2018

Accession Working Parties State of Play:

Azerbaijan, Bahamas, and Bhutan

Technical Assistance and Outreach Activities

Special Guest at the IGA — Mr. Jürgen Richtering

Standards and Trade Development Facility: support

for developing countries to meet standards and access markets

NEW!! WTO Accession Progress Tracker and

Evolving Work Programme Chaired by the WTO Secretariat (Maika Oshikawa, Director, Accessions Division).

N° 85 — June 2018

Accession of Belarus—10th Working Party Meeting, 15 May 2018

Belarus: The 10th Working Party meeting, chaired by Ambassador Kemal Madenoğlu (Turkey), took place on 15 May. The delegation from Minsk was led by the First Deputy Foreign Minister, Mr. Andrei Yeudachenka, and consisted of nearly 40 officials, including five Deputy Ministers from different Ministries involved in the accession process. The Working Party was well attended by WTO members, including from key capitals.

Accession of Belarus—10th Working Party Meeting

In highlighting the start of an economic recovery and recent improvements in the overall business environment, Belarus pointed to specific examples of progress in the WTO accession negotiations, notably its readiness to implement the Trade Facilitation Agreement upon accession and its application for an observer status in the Committee on Government Procurement. A total of 33 WTO delegations made interventions, expressing support for Belarus' accession.

The Working Party reviewed the draft Report of the Working Party, prepared by the Secretariat on the basis of inputs provided by Belarus. Discussions were detailed and substantive. In most areas, Belarus was invited to provide additional information to clarify the factual basis. SPS was identified as an area of particular concern. Belarus requested Members to turn their attention to developing draft commitment language for the Report. The deadline for Members to submit questions and comments is 13 June.

On the bilateral front, Belarus reported that, in total, 17 bilateral market access agreements had been signed, including four agreements concluded since the 9th Working Party meeting held in September 2017 (with Norway, El Salvador, Guatemala and Iceland). On the margins of the Working Party, Belarus met with several Members, with a view to advancing the remaining bilateral market access negotiations.

Ambassador Kemal Madenoğlu (Turkey),

Working Party Chairperson

Mr. Andrei Yeudachenka, First Deputy Foreign

Minister at the 10th Working Party Meeting on

the Accession of Belarus

Accession of Belarus— Delegation of Belarus at the 10th Working Party Meeting

Accession of Belarus—10th Working Party Meeting

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Accession of Serbia—Mission to Belgrade, 29-31 May 2018

N° 85 — June 2018

At the request of the Government, the Secretariat visited Belgrade from 29 to 31 May. The objectives of the mission were: (i) to re-establish technical contacts with the Government, following the letter received from Prime Minister Anna Brnabić expressing Serbia's political commitment to WTO accession; (ii) to work with the negotiating team to update negotiating inputs for the resumption of the Working Party process after 5 years of inactivity; and (iii) to agree on next steps with a view to concluding the accession process in the near term.

The Secretariat was received by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Trade, Tourism and Telecommunications, Mr Rasim Ljajić, and the State Secretary at the Ministry of Trade, Tourism and Telecommunications, Mr Stevan Nikčević. Minister Ljajić confirmed his Government's strong political will to advance and conclude the accession process and reported on the Government's plans to enact a WTO-consistent GMO law in the coming months — a condition for the resumption of the Working Party process. He also noted that Belgrade was in touch with a few Members with outstanding bilateral market access negotiations.

The Secretariat held three-day technical working sessions with the negotiating team, led by the Chief Negotiator, Ms Olivera Jocić, and representatives of the line Ministries to update the documentary basis for the resumption of the Working Party, which last met in June 2013. This included updates to the draft Report of the Working Party, the Legislative Action Plan, and the Agriculture Supporting Tables. Belgrade plans to submit these updated documents inputs for circulation to the Working Party after passage of the GMO law.

Meeting with the Chief Negotiator, Deputy Prime Minister and State Secretary

Ambassador Marie-Claire Swärd Capra (Sweden), Working Party Chairperson, will consult on the timing of the next Working Party meeting in 2018, following the circulation of updated negotiating inputs.

Accession of Uzbekistan —Mission to Tashkent, 14–18 May 2018

At the request of the Government, the Secretariat undertook a mission to Tashkent from 14 to 18 May. The objectives of the mission were to: (i) participate in the Workshop on the "Resumption of the Accession Process of Uzbekistan to the WTO", co-organized by the World Bank and the US Agency for International Development (USAID); (ii) review the state of preparations for the resumption of the accession process; and (iii) agree on next steps.

At the outset of the mission, the Secretariat met with the Deputy Minister of Foreign Trade, Mr. Sakhib I. Saifnazarov. The Deputy Minister stated that WTO accession was a national priority set by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev.

A Chief Negotiator for WTO Accession, at the level of Deputy Minister, would be appointed shortly, and work on updating the Memorandum on Foreign Trade Regime (MFTR) had started.

The Deputy Minister also highlighted certain economic reforms that the Government had undertaken since 2017, including the liberalization of the foreign exchange market and the reduction of tariffs. During the mission, the Secretariat also had the opportunity to exchange views with the Inter-Ministerial Commission on WTO accession, comprised of focal points from the line Ministries and agencies involved in the accession process.

Meeting with the Ministry of Agriculture

Meeting with the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of

Trade, Tourism and Telecommunications (TTT), Mr Rasim

Ljajić

Meeting with the Inter-Ministerial Commission

on WTO Accession, 15 May

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Accession of Uzbekistan —Mission to Tashkent, 14–18 May 2018 Cont’d

N° 85 — June 2018

At the Workshop, the WTO made presentations and comments on the accession procedures and substance, with focus on the results of the accessions of former Soviet republics, the preparation of a Memorandum on Foreign Trade Regime (MFTR) and the conduct of bilateral market access negotiations. Participants at the Workshop had the opportunity to hear the accession experiences from former negotiators from Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and the United States.

On the margins of the Workshop, the Secretariat also held bilateral meetings with the representatives from the IMF, Korea, the World Bank and the USAID, all of which are supporting Uzbekistan's accession efforts.

Bahamas: Following his appointment by the General Council on 8 May, the new Chairperson of the Working Party, Ambassador Andrew Staines (United Kingdom) and the Secretariat held a conference call with Mr. Theodore Symonette, the Minister of Financial Services, Trade and Industry and Immigration. The Minister reported on the state of preparation of negotiating inputs and on the domestic consultations with the private sector involved. He confirmed that all negotiating inputs would be submitted in June. The Chairperson will consult on the timing of the next Working Party meeting before the summer break following the circulation of these inputs. Finally, the Chairperson is invited to visit Nassau in early July.

Accession Working Parties State of Play Azerbaijan: The Secretariat is invited to participate in the "Conference on the Integration of Azerbaijan into the World Trade System: Opportunities for Development of Production in the Non-oil Export Diversification", in Baku on 8 June. On the margins of the Conference, bilateral meetings with government officials are planned to discuss the state of play in the accession process and the upcoming visit by the Working Party Chairperson, Ambassador Walter Werner (Germany), scheduled for the end of the month.

Bhutan: A vacancy notice for the Working Party Chairmanship has been issued, following resignation of Ambassador Thomas Hajnoczi (Austria). The deadline to receive nominations is 19 June.

Technical Assistance and Outreach Activities

Astana Economic Forum, 16—18 May At the invitation of the Government of Kazakhstan, Deputy Director-General Amb. Alan Wm. Wolff participated in the Astana Economic Forum from 16 to 18 May. In addition to his participation at several sessions at the Forum, DDG Wolff held bilateral meetings with Prime Minister Bakhytzhan Sagyntayev and Minister of National Economy Timur Suleimenov.

The Prime Minister highlighted that WTO accession had contributed to the development and modernisation of Kazakhstan's economy, and expressed his country's readiness to assist acceding governments, especially from Central Asia.

World Bank/USAID Workshop on the "Resumption of the Accession Process of Uzbekistan to the WTO", 14-

16 May

At these meetings, DDG Wolff commended Kazakhstan's active role in the WTO since its accession in 2015, and in particular, the contributions made by Ambassador Zhanar Aitzhanova of Kazakhstan who is currently chairing the services negotiating body.

DDG Wolff with Prime Minister Bakhytzhan Sagyntayev

DDG Wolff at the Astana Economic Forum

DDG Wolff with Ms. Tatyana Valovaya, Minister

in Charge of Integration and Macroeconomics

Eurasian Economic Commission

Deputy Minister of Foreign Trade, Mr. Sakhib I.

Saifnazarov with WTO Deputy Director General, Alan

Wm. Wolff and Director Accessions Division, Maika

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N° 85 — June 2018

Special Guest at the IGA

Mr. Jürgen Richtering

Chief of the Market Access Intelligence Section of the Economic Research and Statistics Division of the

WTO

Mr. Jürgen Richtering, Chief of the Market Access Intelligence Section (MAIS) of the Economic Research and Statistics Division of the Secretariat, was the special guest at the IGA meeting on 1 June. He provided an overview of the work of his Section and offered some personal reflections on market access negotiations drawing on his 21 years of experience.

The MAIS deals with inter alia (i) checking consistency with the HS nomenclature, and in some cases, updating to more recent HS version; (ii) matching with current applied rates and other regional commitments; (iii) matching goods offers to detailed import statistics, and (iv) running simple simulations of fiscal effects. After the conclusion of all bilateral market access negotiations, the MAIS also consolidates all bilateral agreements, by applying WTO MFN

principles, for approval by the WTO membership.

While these services are primarily provided to acceding governments, it is also common practice to explain the procedures and the technical work to Member delegations and national experts. This work has shown in practical terms how the Secretariat can provide technical advisory services to both acceding governments and Members to make the negotiating function of the WTO run smoothly.

On market access negotiations, Mr. Richtering saw the role of the Secretariat as that of (i) levelling the playing ground for all concerned parties on the technical part of the negotiations; (ii) being a trusted partner; and, (iii) providing maximum transparency without violating confidentiality.

Mr. Richtering will retire from the Secretariat on 15 June. The Accessions Family would like to extend special thanks to Mr. Richtering for his numerous contributions to the work of the Secretariat.

“Market access negotiations are a

core function of the WTO and I see

our role as that of levelling the

playing ground for all concerned

parties on the technical part of these

negotiations, being a trusted partner

and providing maximum

transparency without violating

confidentially. “

- Mr. Jürgen Richtering

Upcoming TA and Outreach Activities

Second Informal Dialogue of Acceding LDCs, 14 June

The Second Informal Dialogue of Acceding LDCs on 14 June 2018 from 16:30 to 18:00 in Room S3 on the margins of the EIF Global Forum on Inclusive trade for the LDCs. This Second Informal Dialogue is convened as a follow-up to the "Informal Dialogue of Acceding LDCs' Ministers" which took place last December in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on the margins of the WTO Eleventh Ministerial Conference (MC11).

Seventh China Round Table, Kazakhstan, 26-28 September

The Seventh China Round Table will be hosted by Kazakhstan from 26 to 27 September. This China Round Table will be held back-to-back with a High-Level Forum on Investment Facilitation for Development, on 28 September. More details of the events will be provided shortly.

Mr. Jürgen Richtering at the Training on Goods Schedules for Acceding Governments in March 2017

Mr. Jürgen Richtering at the IGA meeting on 1 June 2018

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Standards and Trade Development Facility (STDF): support for developing countries to meet standards and access markets

N° 85 — June 2018

The Standards and Trade Development Facility helps developing countries to access international markets by tackling sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) gaps, and promoting food safety, animal and plant health. It was set up by FAO, OIE, World Bank Group, WHO and WTO close to 15 years ago.

With over 85 projects across Africa, Asia-Pacific and Latin America and the

Caribbean, STDF has championed the latest technical know-how and built people’s skills across agricultural value chains. Over 65% of resources benefit least developed countries and other low-income countries, and STDF has mobilized over US$25 million from governments, donors and private sector to scale-up impact.

STDF has supported countries in accession, including Azerbaijan, Comoros, Ethiopia and Sudan, with project proposals and current projects that are promoting safe trade opportunities on the ground.

In Comoros, thanks to STDF support, up-to-date plant health legislation is providing a stronger legislative framework to promoting agricultural exports. Combined with a new phytosanitary capacity development strategy, this is helping to improve market access and food security, and to protect agricultural production. An STDF event in Geneva planned for late 2018 will share the project results.

An STDF project will soon start in Ethiopia led by FAO. It will build capacity and collaboration in the livestock sector for meat exports to meet sanitary requirements in markets in the Middle East and North Africa. It will also add value to exports and increase export earnings for small-scale producers.

A new STDF project was approved in 2018 to help Sudan improve the quality and safety of sesame seeds across the value chain and to access high-end markets. UNIDO will lead on this project with FAO.

How countries benefit?

“With the support of its partners,

including the STDF, the United Nations

Development Programme and the

International Plant Protection

Convention, our country has updated

its sanitary and phytosanitary

legislation. It was important for us to

support this law, which we

unanimously adopted to ensure the

well-being of our people.”

Hadjira Oumouri, Assembly of the

Union of the Comoros

www.standardsfacility.org/[email protected]

Find out more and apply

STDF’s funding opportunities support developing countries in key SPS areas, based on demand. Application forms and guidance are available on STDF's website.

Project Preparation Grants funds offer up to US$50,000 to prepare technically sound and sustainable project proposals, carry out feasibility studies, or apply SPS evaluation tools.

Projects support farmers, processors, traders and governments to develop innovative and collaborative approaches to food safety, animal and plant health issues and promote safe trade.

Through STDF’s knowledge hub, countries can access the latest SPS solutions with tools, good practice resources and films on areas including: facilitating safe trade, e-certification, partnering with the private sector, prioritizing SPS investments for market access, and good regulatory practice.

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WTO Accessions 2018 — Evolving Work Programme

N° 85 — June 2018

WTO Accession Progress Tracker NEW!

Notes: * LDC — AGST (Agricultural Supporting Tables); CVQ (Customs Valuation Questionnaire); DWPR (Draft Working Party Report); FS (Factual Summary of Points Raised); ILQ (Import Licensing Questionnaire); LAP (Legislative Action Plan); LEG (legislation); MA (market access); MFTR (Memorandum on the Foreign Trade Regime); Q1 (1st quarter); STQ (State Trading Questionnaire); TA (technical assistance); WP (Working Party); WPM (Working Party meeting).

Accession WP WP Establishment Last WP Meeting State of Play Upcoming Activity

1. Algeria (DZA)

Chair: H.E. Mr. José

Luís CANCELA GÓMEZ

(Uruguay)

17 June 1987 14 WPM,

31 March 2014 - Preparation of updated inputs

(replies, LAP, AGSTs, LEG)

2. Andorra (AND) 22 October 1997 Inactive

3. Azerbaijan (AZE)

Chair: H.E. Dr Walter

WERNER (Germany)

16 July 1997 14WPM,

28 July 2017 - Preparation of updated inputs

(replies, LAP, AGSTs, LEG) - Secretariat visit to Baku, 7-8

June 2018

- Visit of Chair and Secretariat

to Baku 2018 (TBC)

4. The Bahamas (BHS)

Chair: H.E. Mr. An-

drew STAINES

(United Kingdom)

18 July 2001 2WPM,

21 June 2012 - Preparation of complete set of

updated inputs (LAP, LEG, AGST,

questionnaires and checklists, MA

offers, FS)

- Chair's visit to Nassau, July

2018 (TBC)

- 3WPM, July 2018 (TBC)

5. Belarus (BLR)

Chair: H.E. Mr. Kemal

MADENOĞLU (Turkey)

27 October 1993 10WPM,

15 May 2018 - Deadline for submission of ques-

tions and comments in writing: 13

June 2018

- 11WPM (TBC)

6. Bhutan* (BTN)

Chair: Pending


30 January 2008 Inactive

7. Bosnia and Herze-

govina (BIH)

Chair: H.E. Mr. Atanas

Atanassov PAPARIZOV

(Bulgaria)

15 July 1999 13WPM,

7 February 2018 - Preparation of negotiating inputs,

including replies

- 14WPM,

Q2 2018 (TBC)

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WTO Accessions 2018—Evolving Work Programme (Cont’d)

N° 85 — June 2018



8. Comoros* (COM)

Chair: H.E. Mr. Luis

Enrique CHÁVEZ BA-

SAGOITIA (Peru)


28 March 2018 - Preparation of replies and other

negotiating inputs - Chair's visit to Moroni (TBC)

- 5WPM (TBC)

9. Equatorial Guinea

(GNQ)

Chair: Pending

5 February 2008 No WPM held

to date - Preparation of MFTR - Secretariat's TA mission to

Malabo (TBC)

10. Ethiopia* (ETH)

Chair: H.E. Mr. Car-

sten STAUR

(Denmark)

10 February 2003 3WPM,

27 March 2012 - Preparation of full range of up-

dated inputs (LAP, LEG, AGST, all

questionnaires and checklists, MA

offers)

11. Iran (IRN)

Chair: Pending

26 May 2005 No WPM held to

date - Preparation of updated inputs

(MFTR and offers)

12. Iraq (IRQ)

Chair: H.E. Mr. Omar

HILALE (Morocco)

13 December 2004 2WPM,

2 April 2008 - Updated MFTR circulated in Feb.

2018.

- Preparation of full range of up-

dated inputs (LAP, LEG, AGST,

checklists and questionnaires,

MA offers)

- TA activity in Rabat in 20-22

June 2018 (TBC)

13. Lebanese Republic

(LBN)

Chair: Mr. Jean-Paul

THUILLIER (France)

14 April 1999 7WPM,

28 October 2009 - Updated inputs (AGST, LAP, LEG,

checklists and questionnaires, as

well as DWPR) circulated to WP in

April-June 2017

- Preparation of updated MA offers

14. Libya (LBY)

Chair: Mr. Victor

ECHEVARRÍA UGARTE

(Spain)

27 July 2004 No WPM held

to date Inactive Inactive

15. Sao Tome and Prin-

cipe* (STP)

Chair: Pending

26 May 2005 No WPM held

to date Inactive Inactive

16. Serbia (SRB)

Chair: H.E. Mrs Marie-

Claire SWÄRD CAPRA

(Sweden)

15 February 2005 13WPM,

13 June 2013 - Preparation of updated inputs

(AGST, LAP, LEG as well as DWPR).

- Secretariat's TA mission to Bel-

grade, 29-31 May 2018

- 14WPM, Q3/4 2018 (TBC)

17. Somalia* (SOM)

Chair: Pending

7 December 2016 No WPM held

to date - Preparation of MFTR - Circulation of MFTR, Q2 2018

(TBC)

18. South Sudan* (SSD)

Chair: Pending


to date - Preparation of MFTR - Secretariat's TA mission to

establish the Reference Center,

Q3 (TBC)

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WTO Accessions 2018—Evolving Work Programme (Cont’d)

N° 85 — June 2018



19. Sudan* (SDN)

Chair: Mr. Ryosuke

KUWANA (Japan)


14 July 2017 - Updated inputs circulated

(replies, AGST, LEG, MA offers, FS),

as well as communication on re-

cent economic developments, in

Dec. 2017 – May 2018

- Secretariat's TA mission to Khar-

toum, 29 April - 4 May 2018

- 5WPM (TBC)

20. Syrian Arab Repub-

lic (SYR)

Chair: Pending

4 May 2010 No WPM held

to date Inactive

21. Timor-Leste* (TLS)

Chair: H.E. Mr. Pedro

Nuno BÁRTOLO

(Portugal)


to date - Preparation of replies on MFTR

circulated in July 2017, as well as

other inputs (LAP, LEG, initial

MA offers)

- Chair's visit to Dili (TBC)

22. Uzbekistan (UZB)

Chair: Pending

21 December 1994 3WPM,

14 October 2005 - Preparation of complete set of

updated inputs (MFTR, LAP, LEG,

AGST, all other questionnaires and

checklists, MA offers)

- Secretariat's TA mission to Tash-

kent, 14-18 May 2018

- 4WPM in 2018 (TBC)

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N° 85 — June 2018

Accession Working Parties Accessions Evolving Work Programme

WTO Director-General's Annual Reports on Accessions

Accession Commitments Database (ACDB)

Handbook on Accessions to the WTO WTO Accessions Internship - "China Programme"

Accession-Related Technical Assistance Activities Accession processes of Article XII Members, click here

Accession Intelligence Portal (AIP) on the WTO Website

(En, Fr, Es)

WTO Accessions Newsletters

Accessions Toolbox

Accessions Anniversary dates — Article XII Members

Article XII Member Membership date

June

Georgia 14 June 2000

Yemen 26 June 2014

Previous WTO Accessions newsletters:

May 2018 March 2018 April 2018

https://www.wto.org/english/thewto_e/acc_e/acc_e.htm

https://www.wto.org/english/thewto_e/acc_e/dg_anrep_e.htm

http://acdb.wto.org/

http://wto.org/english/thewto_e/acc_e/cbt_course_e/signin_e.htm

https://www.wto.org/english/thewto_e/acc_e/pillar1_e.htm

https://www.wto.org/english/thewto_e/acc_e/acc_events_e.htm

http://wto.org/english/thewto_e/acc_e/completeacc_e.htm

https://www.wto.org/english/thewto_e/acc_e/acc_e.htm

http://www.wto.org/french/thewto_f/acc_f/acc_f.htm

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Documents

Accessions Strategic Objectives Accession of …...Azerbaijan: The Secretariat is invited to participate in the "Conference on the Integration of Azerbaijan into the World Trade System: