. /.RESTRICTEDWORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONWT/COMTD/36
17 January 2002
(02-0220)
Committee on Trade and Development
WORK PROGRAMME ON SPECIAL AND DIFFERENTIAL TREATMENT
IN THE COMMITTEE ON TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT
Agreed Process
The following process for the work on special and differential treatment in the Committee on
Trade and Development (CTD) was agreed on a non-objection basis on 14 December 2001 followinginformal consultations.  The process is intended to allow the CTD to arrive at recommendations for a
decision by the General Council by July 2002.
1. With respect to 12.1(i):
(a) Secretariat to identify the provisions that are mandatory, and those which are not.  A
checklist to be established on the basis of WT/COMTD/W/77/Rev.1.
Time-frame:  early December 2001.
(b) Secretariat to compile factual informatio n on the legal implications for the WTO
agreements of making non-mandatory special and differential treatment provisions
mandatory.  Time-frame:  February 2002.
(c) Members to provide their inputs on legal and practical implications of making non-
mandatory special and differential treatment provisions mandatory.
Time-frame:  February 2002.
(d) Members to identify those provisions that they consider should be made mandatory.
Time-frames:  (i) identification process to be completed within one month of parts (b)
and (c) above;  (ii) remaining time allocated to drafting recommendations to enableCTD to report to the General Council with clear recommendations for a decision byJuly 2002.
2. With respect to 12.1(ii):
(a) CTD to examine those provisions which could be made more effective in their
operation.  Members could use the illustrative list of questions in paragraph 20 of
WT/COMTD/W/77/Rev.1 to structure their inputs and discussions.  In the firstinstance, the Secretariat should produce an informal factual paper giving an overview
of the operation of special and differential treatment provisions, to assist the CTD.
Time-frame for Secretariat to produce its paper: early December 2001/January 2002.
(b) Members to consider ways, including improved information flows, in which
developing countries, in particular least-developed countries, may be assisted to makebest use of special and differential treatment provisions.  Secretariat to provide
information on utilisation of special and differential treatment provisions.
Time-frame:  February 2002.WT/COMTD/36
Page 2
3. With respect to 12.1(iii):
(a) It is expected that Members will wish to give some careful thought to this aspect of
the work programme, which is not bound by the same deadline as the other two.  The
Committee may revert to this once work on the other two items has been completed.
The need to avoid duplication of work with other WTO bodies, and the need to ensure the
consistency of the CTD's work with these bodies has been stressed.  The secretariat has issued an
informal checklist of those areas of work mandated by the Decision on implementation related issues
which may have a bearing on the work of the CTD on special and differential treatment.  The
Chairman could write to the Chairpersons of other bodies requesting them to provide any updates on
work which could be of relevance to the CTD, fo r information.  The Secretariat should provide
periodic updates to the information contained in WT/COMTD/W/77/Rev.1 to assist members.
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