RESTRICTED
WORLD TRADE WT/L/150
20May1996
ORGANIZATION(96-1920)
DRAFT RULES OFPROCEDURE FOR MEETINGS OFTHE
COMMITTEE ONREGIONAL TRADE AGREEMENTS
ThefollowingDraftrulesofprocedureformeetingsoftheCommitteeonRegionalTradeAgreements
areproposed forconsideration andadoption bytheCommittee onRegional Trade Agreements atitsmeeting
on21May1996. Toensure consistency, theyarebased, asfaraspossible, ontherules ofprocedure
formeetings oftheGeneral Council anditssubsidiary bodies.*
Inaccordance withArticle IV:2oftheWTO Agreement, therulesofprocedure fortheCommittee
onRegional Trade Agreements willhavetobeapproved bytheGeneral Council.
_____________________
TheRulesofProcedureforMeetingsoftheGeneralCouncil,containedshallapplymutatismutandis
formeetings oftheCommittee onRegional Trade Agreements, except asprovided below:
(i) Rule5ofChapter II(Agenda) isnotapplicable.
(ii) Rules 12to14ofChapter V(Officers) shallbemodified toreadasfollows:
Rule12
TheCommittee shallelectaChairperson andVice-Chairpersons asnecessary from among the
representatives ofMembers. Theelection shallnormally takeplace atthefirstmeeting oftheyearand
shalltakeeffect immediately .Theduration ofthetermoftheofficers shallbedetermined inthelightof
work requirements oftheCommittee.
Rule13
IftheChairperson isabsent fromanymeeting orpartthereof, oneoftheVice-Chairpersons shall
perform thefunctions oftheChairperson.
./.
*Thewording initalics indicates where thisdocument differs fromtherulesofprocedure formeetings
oftheGeneral Council.WT/L/150
Page2
Rule14
IftheChairperson cannolonger perform thefunctions oftheoffice, theCommittee shalldesignate
oneoftheVice-Chairpersons referred toinRule12toperform those functions pending theelection of
anewChairperson. IfaVice-Chairperson cannolonger perform thefunctions oftheoffice, theCommittee
shall decide upon theneedtoelectanewVice-Chairperson before theendofthetermofoffice.
Rule14bis
Theassignment ofmeetings orspecific tasks totheofficers shall bedecided bytheChairperson
inconsultation withtheVice-Chairpersons andMembers.
(iii) Rules 23and24ofChapter VI(Conduct ofbusiness) shallbemodified toreadasfollows:
Rule23
Representatives shallendeavour, totheextent thatasituation permits, tokeeptheiroralstatements
brief. Representatives wishing todevelop theirposition onaparticular matter infuller detail maycirculate
awritten statement fordistribution toMembers, which, attherepresentative 'srequest, maybereflected
inthecorresponding report orinthesummary proceedings, asappropriate.
Rule24
Inorder toexpedite theconduct ofbusiness, theChairperson mayinvite representatives thatwish
toexpress theirsupport foragiven proposal toshow theirhands, inorder tobedulyrecorded inthe
corresponding report orinthesummary proceedings, asappropriate, assupporting statements; thus,
onlyrepresentatives withdissenting views orwishing tomake explicit points orproposals would actually
beinvited tomake astatement. Thisprocedure shallonlybeapplied inorder toavoid undue repetition
ofpoints already made, andwillnotpreclude anyrepresentative whosowishes from taking thefloor.
(iv) Rule33ofChapter VII(Decision-Making) shallbemodified toreadasfollows:
Rule33
Where adecision cannot bearrived atbyconsensus, thematter atissue shallbereferred tothe
relevant WTO bodyfordecision.
(v) Rule34ofChapter VII(Decision-Making) isnotapplicable.
(vi) Rule36ofChapter IX(Records) shallbemodified toreadasfollows:
Rule36
Discussions heldinmeetings oftheCommittee onRegional Trade Agreements under item1(a)
ofitsTerms ofReference shall bereflected inthecorresponding reports. Summary proceedings willbe
prepared forallother matters dealt withinthemeetings.
Rule36bis
Attheendoftheyear,areport totheGeneral Council ontheactivities oftheCommittee onRegional
Trade Agreements during theyearshall beadopted.