trade policy review mechanism
Communication
from the Chairperson of the Trade Policy Review Body
ANGOLA
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 18
and 20 March 2024 to conduct the third review of the trade policies and
practices of Angola (_WTO/AIR/TPR/156).
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 Member 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., Monday, 4 March 2024, 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 Angola has opted for the regular timeframe for handling questions
and answers.
4._
In line 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
Member 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 Member 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.
7._
In the course of the discussions at the review meeting, the Member under
review may indicate that it intends to provide supplementary information, in
writing, on specific points raised. Upon receipt, the Secretariat will
circulate a document containing this information to all Members.
3 DISCUSSANT
8._
In consultation with the Member under review, the Chairperson of the
Trade Policy Review Body may choose a discussant who, in her personal capacity,
will introduce the discussions in the Body. H.E. Mr. Guilherme DE AGUIAR
PATRIOTA (Brazil) will act as discussant for the review of Angola.
4 STRUCTURE OF THE MEETING
9._
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.
10._ 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.
11._
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
12._
Reports by the Member under review and the Secretariat are contained in
the following documents:
_WT/TPR/G/452 Report
by Angola
_WT/TPR/S/452 Angola:
Report by the Secretariat
13._
The press embargo for the review of Angola will end at 2.00 p.m. Geneva
time on 18 March 2024.
6 RECORD OF THE MEETING
14._
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.
__________