Trade Policy Review Mechanism
Communication
from the Chairperson of the Trade Policy Review Body
Southern
African Customs Union
Arrangements for Review Meeting
1._
In pursuance of Article IV,
paragraph 4 and Annex 3 of the WTO Agreement, a meeting of the Trade
Policy Review Body is scheduled for 25 and 27 October 2023 to conduct the fifth
review of the trade policies and practices of the Southern African Customs
Union (WTO/AIR/TPR/151).
2._ This communication sets out
arrangements concerning the review meeting. In this connection, attention is
also drawn to the procedures for the conduct of reviews contained in the rules
of procedure of the Trade Policy Review Body (WT/TPR/6/Rev.4).
1 Questions in writing in advance of the meeting AND MAIN POINTS
3._ Members wishing to submit written questions
to the Members under review should do so normally at least two weeks before the
review meeting to allow replies to be prepared in time
for the first session of the meeting. For the forthcoming review, such
questions should therefore be with the Trade Policies Review Division of the
Secretariat (tprd@wto.org) by 5.30 p.m.,
on Wednesday, 11 October 2023, at the latest. Advance written
questions should reach the Secretariat no later than the day before the start
of the meeting, by 2 p.m. at the latest to allow time for the Secretariat to
process them. Questions sent on the day of the meeting will be processed after
the end of the first session of the meeting. Delegations
are informed that the Southern African Customs Union has opted for the
traditional way of handling questions and answers.
4._ In accordance with the rules of
procedure of the TPRB (WT/TPR/6/Rev.4, paragraph 17), Members are reminded
that they should group their written questions into the following three categories
so as to facilitate responses: those related to the Secretariat report (with a
reference to relevant paragraph numbers); those concerning the Government
report (with a reference to relevant paragraph numbers); and other questions.
5._ The Secretariat shall identify the
main points contained in the questions submitted at least two weeks before
a review meeting, post them on the Members' Website one week before the
meeting, and distribute a revised list of main points during the first session
of a review when questions received after the two-week deadline give rise to
significantly new issues. The main points may be found on the Members' Website
under "Forthcoming Meetings: Documents for Meetings".
2 Answers in writing by the MEMBEr under review
6._ Answers by the Members under review should be distributed in
writing; advance questions submitted by the two-week deadline before the start
of the TPRB review should be answered in writing by the Members under review by
the start of the meeting. Questions posed subsequently should be answered, to
the extent possible, before the start of the second session of the meeting.
Questions left unanswered at the end of the second session should be answered
in writing no later than one month after the meeting with some latitude in the
Chair's discretion for Members reviewing a very large number of questions.
3 Discussant
7._
In consultation with the Member under review, the Chairperson of the
Trade Policy Review Body may choose a discussant who, in his personal capacity,
will introduce the discussions in the Body. Ambassador H.E.
Mr. Simon MANLEY (United Kingdom) will act as discussant for the review of the Southern African Customs
Union.
4 Structure of the meeting
8._ Trade policy reviews cover four
broad headings:
a._
appreciation of
the full range of the Member's trade policies and practices;
b._
relevant
background: wider economic and developmental needs, including the external
environment;
c._
impact of the
Member's trade policies and practices on the functioning of the multilateral
trading system; and
d._
general comments
by way of assessment and evaluation.
9._
Meetings take
place in two sessions. The first session is devoted to the opening
statements by the Member under review and the discussant, and remarks and
questions from the floor. The discussion in the second session, when the
Member under review will reply to questions, is based on main themes identified
after the opening meeting by the Chairperson, the discussant and the
Secretariat in consultation with the Member.
10._ As indicated in the rules of procedure for TPRB meetings
(WT/TPR/6/Rev.4, paragraph 21), the speakers' list will follow the order in
which questions are received by the Secretariat and in the event of more than
one batch, the final batch will determine the order of speakers. Delegations
not submitting written questions will continue to speak second, in the order in
which their flags are raised. On the day before each review meeting, the
Secretariat will post on the WTO Members' website a provisional list of speakers
for the first session of that meeting, for Members' advance information.
5 Documentation and press arrangements
11._ Reports by the Member under review
and the Secretariat are contained in the following documents:
WT/TPR/G/447 Reports by the members of the Southern
African Customs Union
WT/TPR/S/447 Southern
African Customs Union: Report by the Secretariat
12._ The press embargo for the review of
the Southern African Customs Union will end at 2.00 p.m. Geneva time on 25
October 2023.
6 RECORD OF THE MEETING
13._ The record of the meeting will be
circulated as a draft to Members for comments on their own statements and
placed on the WTO website.
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