RESTRICTED
WORLD TRADE WT/COMTD/W/7
27June1995
ORGANIZATION(95-1741)
Committee onTrade andDevelopment
Second Session
28June 1995
TECHNICAL COOPERATION OFTHE WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION;
RELATIONS WITH OTHER INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
Note bytheSecretariat
1. Introduction
With thesuccessful conclusion oftheUruguay Round negotiations, requests fortechnical
assistance from theWTO bydeveloping countries haveincreasingly focused ontheimplementation
oftheUruguay Round Agreements. TheAgreements, however, notonlyrefertotechnical assistance
tobeprovided bytheSecretariat, butalsobyMembers andinternational organisations withwhich
theGATT/WTO hasalready oftencooperated. Relations between organisations arelikely tostrengthen
further withthebroadening anddeepening ofthescope oftheWTO Agreements.
While some specialised agencies orinternational organisations haveveryspecific mandates
intheir fieldofcompetence, others cover awide range ofissues including trade, macro-economic
policy, aswellasmonetary, fiscal andfinancial matters. Itwould seem appropriate toassess how
synergies canbeobtained inimplementing technical assistance fordeveloping countries, allowing them
tobestbenefit from available expertise.
Thisnotewillbriefly highlight themain features oftechnical assistance asprovided bythe
Secretariat oftheWorld Trade Organization andidentify technical assistance activities byother
international organisations inrelation totheWTO activities. Itdraws oninformation provided tothe
Secretariat byinternational organizations, where suchinformation wasnotreadily available.WT/COMTD/W/7
Page2
2. Main Features ofTechnical Cooperation Provided bytheWTO
Adescription oftechnical cooperation activities oftheWorld Trade Organization (WTO) was
circulated totheCommittee onTrade andDevelopment inNovember 1994 [COM.TD/W/511] and
inaninformal noteprepared fortheCommittee inApril 1995. Thefollowing paragraphs reiterate
themain elements.
Technical cooperation programmes havebeendesigned toprovide assistance togovernments,
inparticular those ofdeveloping andleast-developed countries, tofacilitate theirinsertion intothe
multilateral trading system andtoensure theireffective participation initsoperations. Onageneral
level, assistance towards participation inWTO activities takestheformofbriefings ofandconsultations
withGeneva-based delegations andvisiting officials fromdeveloping countries onthemainprovisions
oftheUruguay Round Agreements; telecommunications withcapitals andmissions tocapitals; dispute
settlement courses; provision ofbackground papers toassist developing countries meet domestic
requirements -e.g.tofacilitate theirinternal ratification processes; helping inthepreparations of
developing countries 'trade policy review bytheGeneral Council.
Technical assistance activities oftheWTO canbesubsumed under fourbroad headings:
(i)provision ofspecialized dataandtrade information todeveloping countries; (ii)organization of
technicalmissionsandtradepolicyseminars(national/regional);(iii)organizationoftradepolicycourses;
and(iv)cooperationwithotherinternationalorganizationsintechnicalassistanceactivitiesfordeveloping
countries.
Theprovision ofdataandtradeinformation todeveloping countries encompasses (i)thesupply
ofappropriate tariff andtrade datarelated toexport interests; (ii)assistance todeveloping countries
inthepreparation oftheirschedules ofconcessions andcommitments ingoods andservices inthecourse
ofthenegotiations, including tariff negotiations under theGeneral Agreement andnegotiations inthe
context ofaccessions; (iii)theprovision ofdata, information andbackground materials tailored to
theneeds ofleast-developed countries; (iv)trade, tariffandother information relevant toparticipation
intheworkofWTO bodies, orinbilateral negotiations, and(v)theassessment oftheimpact ofspecific
commitments onservices made bydeveloped countries ondeveloping countries 'services trade.
Trade policy seminars concentrate ontrade policy problems falling within thecompetence of
theWTO and,wherever practicable, providing clarification ontheprovisions oftheGeneral Agreement
andtheUruguay Round Agreements aswould assist agovernment todetermine itsposition inthelight
ofitsrights andobligations under theWTO. Specific issues suchasmarket access results, anti-dumping
andcountervailing measures, dispute settlement andinstitutional issues, services, intellectual property
protection, notification requirements, andadaptation oradoption ofnational legislatures inconformity
withtheFinal Actaredealtwithintheseminars.
Theprogrammes followed intheseminars canbeoftwotypes, depending ontheinterests
andneeds oftherecipient countries: onetypeofprogramme covers alltheareas included intherules
oftheGATT andtheUruguay Round Agreements; asecond approach focuses ondetailed analysis
ofsome specific areas only. Thetendency atpresent istomove towards atypeofprogramme that
consists ofacombination ofthetwoapproaches.
Since theGATT established itstrade policy courses in1955, regular training courses for
developing countries, which arefinanced from theregular budget, areheldinEnglish, French and
Spanish. Special courses arealsoheldforofficials ofCentral andEastern European andCentral Asian
countries, theRussian Federation, Ukraine andBelarus. Thelatter courses arelargely financed by
special donor member countries. Thecourses areaimed atgiving participants greater understanding
oftrade policy matters, thework being donebytheWTO, major problems ofinternational trade, andWT/COMTD/W/7
Page3
issuesinvolvedintheUruguayRound.TheWTOcoursesareopentoofficialsfromdevelopingcountries,
including non-WTO members, andeconomies intransition, whohaveresponsibilities inthefieldof
formulation andconduct offoreign trade policy.
Asregards theTrade Policy courses organized bytheSecretariat, several international
organizations including theIMF, World Bank, UNCTAD andtheITChave, overseveral decades,
made important contributions inproviding lecturers. More recently, WIPO hasalsobeeninvited to
lecture. Officials fromvarious international commodity organizations havealsooccasionally provided
aninput tothecourses.
TheWTO Secretariat, inpursuance ofitscollaboration withother international organizations,
makes available theservices ofitsofficials forparticipation inseminars, workshops orcourses sponsored
bysuchorganizations, notably theInternational Trade Centre, UNCTAD, theIMF, theWorld Bank,
andUnited Nations Regional Economic Commissions. Moreover, theWTO hasorganized regional
seminars ontheSPSAgreement inwhich theSecretariats oftheFAO/WHO Codex Alimentarius
Commission, theFAO International Plant Protection Convention, andoftheOffice International des
Epizooties (OIE), alsoreferred toastheWorld Animal Health Organization, haveagreed toparticipate.
Inthiscontext andupon specific request, theWTO coordinates participation ofitsofficials insuch
seminars, workshops orcourses fordeveloping countries andeconomies intransition onissues related
totheUruguay Round Agreements, theirimplementation andother trade policy matters.
3. Technical Cooperation Activities ofOther International Organizations
Food andAgriculture Organization (FAO)
Detailed information ontechnical assistance provided bytheFAO todeveloping countries in
thecontext oftheUruguay Round waspresented totheCommittee onTrade andDevelopment in
November 1994 andiscontained inDoc. COM.TD/W/516. Furthermore, detailed information is
containedinG/SPS/W11(9May1995)onFAOtechnicalassistancerelatedtotheAgreementonSanitary
andPhytosanitary Measures.
Technical assistance activities currently undertaken bytheFAOrelate to:(i)providing technical
advice; (ii)organizing seminars andworkshops, aswellasregional training programmes onspecific
technical aspects offoodcontrol; (iii)providing statistical information; and(iv)undertaking studies
ontopical agricultural issues fordeveloping countries. Technical advice andassistance areprovided
onfoodquality andsafety, plantprotection andquarantine activities andgeneral advice onagricultural
production andtrade.
Some oftheactivities oftheFAObearadirect relation withtheimplementation oftheUruguay
RoundAgreements,suchastheAgreementonAgriculture,theAgreementontheApplicationofSanitary
andPhytosanitary Measures andtheAgreement onTechnical Barriers toTrade.
Separately fromtheactivities ofFAO, butinrelation totheSPSAgreement, itshould benoted
thattheSPSAgreement alsomakes explicit reference totheOffice International desEpizooties (OIE).
Close cooperation wasestablished withtheOIEduring theUruguay Round negotiations, andisalso
tobecontinued withrespect totheimplementation oftheSPSAgreement. More information regarding
technical assistance provided bytheOIEiscontained inG/SPS/W/8 (19April 1995).WT/COMTD/W/7
Page4
International Monetary Fund (IMF)
Institutional relations between theIMFandtheGATT/WTO have existed eversince the
establishment ofGATT. Theformal relationship islikely tobestrengthened through theWTO
Agreement Article III:5, which states: "With aviewtoachieving greater coherence inglobal economic
policy-making, theWTO shallcooperate, asappropriate, withtheInternational Monetary Fund and
withtheInternational Bank forReconstruction andDevelopment anditsaffiliated agencies."
TheFund hasprovided itsmember countries withtechnical assistance andtraining ineconomic
andfinancial matters almost since itsinception. Although interlinked, theFund'stechnical assistance
canbegrouped intofivebroad categories: i)toadvise onthedesign andimplementation ofpolicy
measures; ii)tosupport institution building; iii)toimprove thequality andtimeliness ofstatistical
information; iv)totrainofficials; andv)toreview andhelpdraftlegislation. Thiscantakemany
forms, ranging from yearly Article IVconsultations andthedesign ofstabilization, andstructural
adjustment programmes tosetting upofatax-payer identification system. Astechnical assistance is
anintegral partofFundpolicy dialogue withitsmember countries, itsscope intheFundgoesfarbeyond
tasks specifically indicated under thisheading.
Technical assistance canbeprovided byFund staffinmissions orbyFund staffandoutside
experts onspecific technical assistance missions inresponse tospecific requests bymembers, orby
courses attheIMFinstitute. Assistance mayrelate toawhole range ofsubjects, including economic
policy, balance ofpayments adjustments programmes, tax,government expenditure andbudgetary
policies, legalmatters, debtmanagement, exchange andtradeissues, financial sector topics, accounting
statistics anddataprocessing.
International Organization forStandardization (ISO)
TheISOaimstopromote thedevelopment ofstandardization andrelated activities withaview
tofacilitating international exchange ofgoods andservices andtodeveloping cooperation inthesphere
ofintellectual, scientific, technological andeconomic activity. TheISOInformation Network (ISONET)
coordinates andsystematizes theexchange ofinformation onstandards andstandard-type documents
bothinternationally andnationally, bylinking theinformation centres ofmostISOmembers andthe
ISO/IEC Information Centre attheCentral Secretariat intoacoherent information system. AUruguay
Round Decision recommends thattheSecretariat oftheWTO reach understanding withtheISOto
establish aninformation system, which willenhance theflowofinformation regarding notifications
from ISONET members totheISO/IEC Information Centre inGeneva.
Within ISO,aspecial Committee onDeveloping Country Matters (DEVCO) wasestablished
in1961, andalsoISOhadbeenoperating since 1980 aProgramme forDeveloping Country Matters
(DEVCO), which hasproved tobeofsubstantial benefit todeveloping country Members andeconomies
intransition. Theprogramme consisted of1)publication ofDevelopment Manuals intheareaof
standardization andrelated matters; 2)training instandardization andrelated matters through regional
training seminars, training fellowships withestablished national standards bodies, andtraining forISO
technical committee secretariat functions; 3)sponsorship ofparticipation inISOstandards committee
meetings;4)assistanceandguidanceintheestablishmentofInternationalStandardsneededbydeveloping
countries; and5)assistance indocumentation, information andpromotion ofstandardization.
InitsResolution 12/1994, DEVCO hadcalled forcloser cooperation between theWTO/TBT
andISO/DEVCO aswellasbetween theirSecretariats toexplore waysforachieving thecommon goals
ofthetwoorganizations regarding technical assistance todeveloping countries.WT/COMTD/W/7
Page5
Itwould thusseem thatISOcanfulfil auseful roleinproviding technical assistance in
implementing aspects oftheAgreement onTechnical Barriers toTrade.
International Trade Centre (ITC)
TheInternational Trade Centre UNCTAD/GATT (ITC) isthefocalpointintheUnited Nations
system fortechnical cooperation withdeveloping countries intrade promotion. ITCwascreated by
theGeneral Agreement onTariffs andTrade (GATT) in1964andsince1968hasbeenoperated jointly
byGATT andtheUN, thelatter acting through theUnited Nations Conference onTrade and
Development (UNCTAD). Asanexecuting agency oftheUnited Nations Development Programme
(UNDP), ITCisdirectly responsible forimplementing UNDP -financed projects related totrade
promotion indeveloping countries andeconomies intransition. Over theyears, ITChascoordinated
withGATT issues ofmutual concern. Inaddition, concrete cooperation hastaken place withregard
totheannualGATTTradePolicyCoursesinwhichITCstaffhaspresentedboththetechnicalcooperation
programmefortheregions/countriesconcernedbythevariouscoursesandspecifictechnicalprogrammes.
AmainlineofactionoftheITCinvolvesadvisinggovernmentsontheirnationaltradepromotion
strategies, identifying newexport opportunities, andhelping authorities, producers 'organizations or
individual producers toadapt theirgoods andservices andtheirpractices andstrategies forpromotion
andsaleonworld markets. ITC'sspecial services insupport ofthese export marketing efforts include
advice oninstitutional requirements fortrade promotion including activities ofnational chambers of
commerce andofbusiness organizations, export packaging, quality control, export financing, costing
andpricing, tradeinformation, publicity andtradefairs,commercial representation abroad, legalaspects
offoreign tradeandjointmarketing forsmall andmedium-sized firms. Special tradepromotion needs
oftheleast-developed countries aregiven highpriority.
Recently, cooperation withWTO onoperational issues hasincreased. Astudy onthefollow-up
action tobetaken byITCtoenable developing countries totakefulladvantage oftheUruguay Round
agreement wascarried outin1994. Also, ITChasprepared withtheCommonwealth Secretariat a
Business Guide totheUruguay Round, which willbesubmitted totheWTO endorsement. Thisguide
willbethesubject ofdissemination seminars inselected countries, andwillbeusedasresource material
inalltraining events. Furthermore, ITCisformulating various specific programmes aimed athelping
developing countries andeconomies intransition tobenefit more fullyfromtheMarrakesh agreements.
Asexplained inits"Agenda fortheFuture" andDraft Priority Review", ITC'sfuture technical
cooperationactivitieswouldcoverseveralcoreservices,specifically:(i)needsassessmentandprogramme
design; (ii)tradeinformation; (iii)export product andmarket development; (iv)development oftrade
support services; (v)international purchasing andsupply management.
Inviewofitsmandate, ITCiswellplaced tosharpen theawareness ofthebusiness community
ofthebenefits ofUruguay Round Agreements. More specifically thisrelates tothenewmarket access
results, theAgreement onTechnical Barriers toTrade, theAgreement ontheApplication ofSanitary
andPhytosanitary Measures, theAgreement onCustoms Valuation, theAgreement onTextiles and
Clothing, theGeneral Agreement onTrade inServices, theAgreement onTrade-Related Aspects of
Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPs), theAgreement onTrade andEnvironment andtheDecision on
Measures inFavour ofLeast-Developed Countries.WT/COMTD/W/7
Page6
United Nations Conference onTrade andDevelopment (UNCTAD)
UNCTAD 'stechnical cooperation activities wereinitiated asaresults ofresolution 30(IV)
oftheTrade andDevelopment Board, endorsed bytheGeneral Assembly, initsresolution 2207(XX)
of17December 1966. Following UNCTAD IIin1968, theGeneral Assembly, initsresolution 2401
(XXIII) of13December 1968, endorsed arecommendation oftheTDBthatUNCTAD should become
aParticipating andExecuting Agency ofUNDP.
TheSecretary-General ofUNCTAD wasrequested, intheFinal ActofUNCTAD VII(1987):
"toprovide technical assistance todeveloping countries, onrequest, inconnection withtheUruguay
Round ofmultilateral trade negotiations soastofacilitate their effective participation inthese
negotiations". Inresponse tothisrequest, UNCTAD withtheactive support ofUNDP launched a
technical cooperation programme consisting ofthreeregional projects forAfrica, AsiaandthePacific
andLatin America andtheCaribbean, andaninterregional project. From 1990, theProgramme was
complemented byasub-regional project forCentral America. Theprogramme aimed atestablishing,
developing andstrengthening thenational negotiating capabilities ofdeveloping countries withregard
totheUruguay Round, assisting developing countries inidentifying trade interests withrespect tothe
variousissuesbeingnegotiated,andinpursuingtheseissueintheformofconcreteproposalsandcounter-
proposals. TheGATT Committee onTrade andDevelopment wasregularly informed ofactivities
undertaken bytheProgramme.
ThebroadobjectivesofthetechnicalcooperationofferedbyUNCTADintheareaofinternational
tradehavefocused ontheintegration ofdeveloping countries intheinternational trading system through
enhancing national policy development, strengthening negotiating capacities, assisting ininstitution
building andimproving human resources. Thedesign ofspecific projects aremulti-disciplinary in
thattheyrepresent acoherent response toacomplex setofinterrelated issues intheareas oftrade,
services, technology andinvestment thatinteraliahighlight thedevelopment dimension. Inthiscontext,
technical cooperation fromUNCTAD aimsatproviding direct support tonegotiation, enhances capacity
building toincrease trading opportunities ingoods andservices, accelerates theprocess ofaccession,
analyzes theimpact oftheUruguay Round onWTO Members andnon-WTO Members, andundertakes
policy analysis ofnewemerging issues. Bysupporting theeffective participation ofcountries inthe
international trading system UNCTAD seeks tohelpthemgaineconomic benefits fromtheWTO system
ofmultilateral obligations.
UNCTAD VIIIin1992 adopted TheCartagena Commitment, which includes anumber of
decisions andrecommendations regarding thefuture orientation ofUNCTAD 'stechnical cooperation.
Inparticular, itcallsupon UNCTAD to:"strengthen itstechnical cooperation activities inthearea
oftrade withtheobjective ofstrengthening national capacities fortrade anddevelopment, enhancing
theparticipation ofdeveloping countries intheinternational trading system, andpromoting thetrade
ofdeveloping countries, taking intoaccount theactivities ofother international organizations. Such
activities should encompass: trade policy reforms, including, onrequest, assistance todeveloping
countries preparing fortheir participation intheGATT Trade Policy Review Mechanism; trade
negotiations; market access, including theeffective useofGSP; trade andsustainable development;
tradefacilitation andtradeefficiency; dissemination oftradeinformation andsoftware packages; training
andhuman resources development inregard totheforegoing; andassessment andimplementation of
theresults oftheUruguay Round".
Also, UNCTAD setsupprojects indifferent regions toprovide assistance, interalia,with
respect totheadaptation ofnational lawsandregulations, andthedevelopment andstrengthening of
human resources. Such projects contain components dealing withtrade inservices, trade andthe
environment, competition policies, aswellastheidentification andanalysis ofpossible issues ofinterestWT/COMTD/W/7
Page7
forfuture trade negotiations. Particular emphasis islaidoncooperation withacademic andresearch
institutions intheregion concerned.
Pursuant totheprovisions oftheCartagena Commitment, theTDBundertook apolicy review
ofUNCTAD 'stechnical cooperation activities inSeptember 1994 andagreed, interalia,on"....the
necessity ofmaking cleartherelationship between UNCTAD andGATT/WTO intheareaoftechnical
cooperation, thereisaneedtointensify thecooperation, asregards operational programmes, between
UNCTAD andtheInternational Trade Centre UNCTAD/GATT (ITC)...".
Through itstechnical cooperation programmes, UNCTAD cooperates withrelevant UNsystem
organizations, aswellaswithawiderange ofnational, regional andglobal organizations inthepublic
andprivate sectors. Activities, which areundertaken atthecountry, regional andinterregional level
attherequest ofdeveloping countries andcountries witheconomies intransition, include advisory
services, training andtheprovision ofinformation, data, software andequipment.
Technical assistance provided byUNCTAD under itsmandate bears aclose relation tothe
activities undertaken bytheWTO. Close cooperation already occurs onaregular basis, notably through
theparticipation ofWTO officials inseminars andworkshops, butalsothrough information sharing
ontrade data. Inviewoftherecognised technical assistance needs ofdeveloping country Members
inimplementing theUruguay Round Agreements andexisting complementarities intechnical assistance
activitiesprovidedbytheWTOandUNCTAD,furthersynergiescouldbeobtainedthroughcoordination
indesigning andimplementing technical assistance strategies.
United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO)
Thepurposes ofUNIDO aretoencourage andextend assistance todeveloping countries for
thedevelopment, expansion andmodernization oftheir industries; toassist suchcountries inthe
establishment andoperation ofindustries toachieve fullutilization oflocally available resources and
contribute toselfreliance; toprovide aforum toserve thedeveloping andindustrialized countries in
theircontacts, consultations andnegotiations; andtocoordinate allactivities oftheUNsystem related
toindustrial development.
UNIDO envisages toconduct, within thenextfewmonths, aseries ofstudies toassess the
impact oftheUruguay Round trade agreements onspecific industrial sub-sectors, focusing alsoon
practical implications attheenterprise level, inalimited number ofdeveloping countries, particularly
those whose manufacturing sectors areabout toreach apoint where theywillfaceinternational
competition. Intheformulation andpreparation ofthese studies, UNIDO willseekthecooperation
ofrelevant multilateral organizations andinstitutions, chiefly WTO, UNCTAD andITC. Theneed
forandimportance ofsuchassessments stems fromtherealization thatifdeveloping countries areto
takeadequate advantage ofthepositive effects oftheUruguay Round, fundamental changes arenecessary
intheirpatterns oftrade. Thenewtrading system willonlyprovide advantages tothose developing
countries,thatareabletoimprovethequalityandproductivityoftheirproductstobecomeinternationally
competitive. Thismayentail amajor reappraisal andreorientation ofindustrial strategies, policies
andprogrammes atthelevel ofspecific sub-sectors ofindustry. Inthisregard, attention must also
bepaidtothetechnologicaldimensionofmanufacturingprocessandtheirimplicationsformanufacturing
techniques andquality standards.
UNIDO, incooperation withthegovernment ofIndia, willorganize aGlobal Forum onIndustry
tobeheldinNewDelhi, laterthisyear. Theimpact onindustry ofglobal tradeliberalization following
theUruguay Round Agreements isoneoftheissues ontheagenda.WT/COMTD/W/7
Page8
United Nations Institute forTraining andResearch (UNITAR)
Asanautonomous body oftheUNsystem, UNITAR 'smain mandate istoenhance the
effectiveness oftheUnited Nations inachieving themajor objectives oftheOrganization, inparticular
themaintenance ofpeace andsecurity andthepromotion ofeconomic andsocial development (General
Assembly resolution 1934(XVIII) of11December 1963). Itsmainfunctions aretraining andresearch.
Training is,according toUNITAR 'sstatute, provided atvarious levels topersons, particularly from
developing countries, forassignments withtheUNorspecialised agencies andforassignments intheir
national services which areconnected withthework oftheUnited Nations, theOrganizations related
toit,orother institutions operating inrelated fields.
Collaboration hasbeenestablished inparticular withthelegaldivision oftheWTO withregard
totraining ofdiplomats participating inUNITAR 'straining programme inmultilateral diplomacy in
Geneva aswellaswithin theframework oftheUN/UNITAR Fellowship Programme inInternational
Law,takingplaceannuallyinTheHague(Netherlands)withtheparticipationoflawyersfromdeveloping
countries.
Ajointly developed Workshop ontheProcedures fortheSettlement ofTrade Disputes explains
theinstitutional structure oftheWTO anditsbasicrulesanddescribes theprocess usedbythecontracting
parties toresolve trade disputes within theWTO system, including conciliation andarbitration. Itis
geared towards diplomats incharge ofWTO affairs within theirPermanent Missions.
UNITAR andtheILOTraining Centre inTurin jointly developed aproposal foratraining
programme ontheWTO. Theproposed project aimsatstrengthening thecapacity ofdecision makers
tomake amore efficient useofthenewframework andregulatory mechanisms ofinternational trade
asemerged fromthesuccessful conclusions oftheUruguay Round andthereby increasing thepotential
effective andbeneficial participation ofthecountries concerned inmultilateral trade cooperation1
World Bank
TheWorld Bank doesnothaveaspecific mandate ontechnical assistance fortrade policy.
Itischarged, however, withpromoting "thelong-range balanced growth ofinternational trade and
themaintenance ofequilibrium inbalance ofpayments..." Under thisrubric theWorld Bank can
undertake technical assistance programs where theyarerequested bycountries andwhere theymeet
theBank'sstandard oflending requirements. TheBank hasageneral policy ofcooperating withother
international organizations and,under theterms oftheWTO Agreement, stands ready toofferfinancial
support tocountries undertaking adjustment asaresult oftheRound, providing, thattheydosoin
thecontext ofasuitable policy stance andadjustment program.
Atalessformal levelthere iswidespread recognition within theBank thatcountries require
assistance inmeeting theirUruguay Round obligations andinother cases, preparing foraccession to
theWTO. While theBank doesnotundertake technical assistance specifically andexplicitly aimed
atthese objectives, itoffers advice ontrade policy, including aspects ofitsapplication. TheBank
isnowcompleting itsTrade Expansion Programme, which offered wide-ranging butfairly practical
advice ontrade policy andtrade regimes.
1TheWTO hasaccepted totakepartinthisprogramme.WT/COMTD/W/7
Page9
World Customs Organization (WCO)
TheWorld Customs Organization, established in1950astheCustoms Cooperation Council,
develops anumber ofactivities thathaveaclose bearing onthefunctioning oftheWTO Agreements.
Some principle aimsoftheOrganisation include encouraging theharmonization andsimplification
ofcustoms procedures; enhancing cooperation among customs administrations interms ofcustoms
lawenforcement; promoting thewidest application oftheHarmonized System fortariffs byproviding
technical advice andassistance tomembers intheapplication ofsuchsystems; promoting thewidest
implementation oftheUruguay Round Agreement onCustoms Valuation byproviding technical advice
andassistance tomembers intheapplication ofsuchAgreement.
TheWCO Training Strategy comprises thefollowing keyelements:
-Technical assistance andTraining: through itsDirectorates, theWCO designs anddelivers
technical assistance andtraining programmes tomeet theidentified needs ofMembers andsupport
adoption andimplementation ofWCO andWTO instruments andconventions. Inmany cases these
programmes arepreceded bydevelopment ofinternational guidelines, manuals, model legislation and
supportmechanismsputinplacetoensurethesuccessofimplementationprogrammes.Thisdevelopment
isoften achieved incooperation withother international organizations, e.g.between WCO andIFPI
forintellectual property rights. Theareascovered bytheseprogrammes include: Valuation, Harmonized
System, Origin andIntellectual Property.
-Training Systems Development Programme: Akeyissueindeveloping appropriate training
andassistance responses isassessing theactual training needs ofacountry andmatching thisneedwith
training provided bydonors. TheWCO exploits itsposition toprovide those administrations and
organizations thatoffertraining resources, ameans todirect themtothecountries, andinthesubjects,
ofgreatest need. Adatabase designed forthatpurpose, known asWIDEBAND, isintheprocess of
development andwillbeinservice in1996.
CooperationintechnicalassistancebetweentheWorldTradeOrganizationandtheWorldCustoms
Organisation isbeing implemented inrelation totheAgreement onCustoms Valuation andrelated
Decisions, theAgreement onRules ofOrigin, andtheapplication oftheHarmonised System. TheWTO
hasparticipated inHarmonized System seminars andprovided lecturers toexplain totheparticipants
ofthese seminars theimplications oftheHarmonized System anditschanges ontheGATT Schedules
ofConcessions.
World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)
WIPO isresponsible forthepromotion oftheprotection ofintellectual property andadministers
various international treaties, ofwhich themostimportant aretheParis Convention fortheProtection
ofIndustrial Property of1883 andtheBerne Convention fortheProtection ofLiterary andArtistic
Works of1886. Article 3oftheConvention Establishing theWorld Intellectual Property Organization
(signed atStockholm onJuly14,1967 andamended onOctober 2,1979) setsoutthekeyobjectives
oftheOrganization, which, interalia,consist of..." topromote theprotection ofintellectual property
throughout theworld through cooperation among states andwhere appropriate, incollaboration with
anyother international organization." Inorder toattain these objectives, theOrganization, through
itsappropriate organs, performs some keyfunctions, which aresetoutinArticle 4,including ..."to
promotethedevelopmentofmeasuresdesignedtofacilitatetheefficientprotectionofintellectualproperty
throughout theworld andtoharmonize national legislation inthisfield" (Art.4.) and..."offer its
cooperation toStates requesting legal-technical assistance inthefieldofintellectual property" (Art.4.v).WT/COMTD/W/7
Page10
Moreover,theGeneralAssemblyofWIPOatitsmeetingintheFallof1994adoptedaResolution
reiterating thedesire ofestablishing amutually supportive relationship between WIPO andtheWTO.
Itdecided toestablish anadhocworking group opentoallMember States ofWIPO toaddress related
aspects. Also, theResolution states (par3)that:"TheWIPO General Assembly decides thatthe
International Bureau should beatthedisposal ofanyStatethatexpressly asksforadvice onquestions
ofcompatibility ofitsexisting orplanned national intellectual property legislation notonlywithtreaties
administered byWIPO, butalsowithother international norms andtrends, including theAgreement
onTrade-RelatedAspectsofIntellectualPropertyRights,andthattheInternationalBureaushouldprepare
studies ontheimplications ofthesaidAgreement onthetreaties administered byWIPO." WIPO thus
isparticularly wellplaced toassist developing country Members intheirpursuit ofestablishing a
regulatory andaninstitutional framework forimplementing aspects oftheTRIPs Agreement.