RESTRICTED
WORLD TRADE WT/TPR /12
28November 1995
ORGANIZATION(95-3802)
Trade Policy Review Body
TRADE POLICY REVIEW MECHANISM
MOROCCO AND THAILAND
Arrangements forReview Meetings
Communication from theChairman oftheTrade Policy Review Body
1. Inpursuance ofArticle IV,paragraph 4andAnnex 3oftheWTO Agreement, meetings of
theTrade Policy Review Body arescheduled for14-15 and19-20 December toconduct thesecond
reviews ofthetrade policies andpractices ofMorocco andThailand (WTO/AIR/231).
2. Thiscommunication setsoutarrangements concerning thereview meetings. Inthisconnection,
attention isalsodrawn totheprocedures fortheconduct ofreviews contained intherulesofprocedure
formeetings oftheTrade Policy Review Body (WT/TPR/W/4).
(i) Questions inwriting inadvance ofthemeeting
3. Where possible, Members shallsubmit written questions totheMembers under review atleast
oneweek before thereview meeting, toallow timetoprepare replies. Forthese forthcoming reviews,
suchquestionsshouldthereforebeinthehandsoftheSecretariatbyThursday,7DecemberforMorocco
andTuesday, 12December forThailand. Allquestions submitted willbemade available toMembers
atthebeginning ofthemeetings.
(ii) Discussants
4. Inconsultation withtheMembers under review, theChairman oftheTrade Policy Review
Body maychoose discussants who, intheirpersonal capacity, willintroduce thediscussions inthe
Body. Messrs. Stuart Harbinson andOleLundby willactasdiscussants forthereview ofMorocco;
andH.E. Mr.Wade Armstrong andMr.Jorge Riaboi forthereview ofThailand. Documents
summarizing themain points toberaised bythediscussants willbecirculated oneweek inadvance
ofthemeetings.
(iii) Structure ofthemeetings
5. Trade policy reviews cover fourbroad headings:
(a) appreciation ofthefullrange oftheMembers 'trade policies andpractices;
(b) relevant background: wider economic anddevelopmental needs, including theexternal
environment;
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(c) impactoftheMembers'tradepoliciesandpracticesonthefunctioningofthemultilateral
trading system; and
(d) general comments bywayofassessment andevaluation.
Meetings takeplaceontwosuccessive mornings. Thefirstmorning isdevoted totheopening statements
bytheMember under review, discussants andremarks fromthefloor. Thediscussion onthesecond
morning, when replies aremade bytheMember under review, isbased onmain themes identified
aftertheopening meeting bytheChairman, discussants andSecretariat inconsultation withtheMember.
(iv) Documentation andpress arrangements
6. Reports bytheMembers under review andtheSecretariat arecontained inthefollowing
documents:
WT/TPR/G/8 Report bytheGovernment ofMorocco
WT/TPR/S/8 Morocco: Report bytheSecretariat
WT/TPR/G/9 Report bytheGovernment ofThailand
WT/TPR/S/9 Thailand: Report bytheSecretariat.
7. Thepress embargoes forthereviews ofMorocco andThailand willendat13.00 GMT (14.00
localtime) onFriday 15December andWednesday, 20December 1995, respectively.
(v) Minutes
8. Minutes ofthemeetings willbecirculated promptly andwillbepublished together withthe
reports bytheGovernments andtheSecretariat.
(vi) Answers inwriting bythecontracting parties under review afterthespecial Council meetings
9. Inthecourse ofthediscussions atthereview meetings, theMembers under review mayindicate
thattheyintend toprovide supplementary information, inwriting, onspecific points raised. Upon
receipt, theSecretariat willcirculate documents containing thisinformation toallMembers. Such
information willnotbereflected intheminutes ofthemeetings.