free trade Agreement between morocco and the united arab emirates (GOODS)

Note on the meeting of 25 march 2022

Chairman: H.E. Dr Muhammad Mujtaba Piracha (Pakistan)

1.  The 16^th Dedicated Session on Regional Trade Agreements (RTAs) of the Committee on Trade and Development (CTD) was convened in document WTO/AIR/COMTD/RTA/11/Rev.1 of 15 March 2022. Under item E (I) of the agenda, the Committee considered the Free Trade Agreement between Morocco and the United Arab Emirates (Goods) (WT/COMTD/RTA1/N/1, WT/COMTD/RTA1/1). The present document contains the minutes relating to the consideration of this agreement.^[1]

2.  The Chairman said that the Free Trade Agreement between Morocco and the United Arab Emirates was notified under paragraph 4(a) of the Enabling Clause by Morocco on 19 June 2019. The notification was circulated on 11 July 2019 in document WT/COMTD/RTA1/N/1. The factual presentation on the agreement – document WT/COMTD/RTA1/1 dated 6 August 2021 – had been prepared by the Secretariat on its own responsibility, and in full consultation with the parties. No written questions were received on this agreement before the present meeting. As per the usual practice, he wished to organize the consideration of the agreement by first inviting the parties to make their introductory remarks. The floor would then be opened for interventions by other Members, including on the factual presentation. The parties could provide responses at any time during the discussion to any questions raised. Members would also have the opportunity to ask follow-up written questions after the meeting was concluded. He would remind Members of the timeframes for follow-up questions and responses at the end of the discussion on the agreement.

3.  The representative of the United Arab Emirates noted that the parties had submitted their comments to the Secretariat on the draft factual presentation that had been shared with them. In the absence of any questions on the agreement by Members, the parties did not have anything to add to what the Chairman had said in his remarks. However, if any questions were submitted, the parties were ready to provide further information on the agreement as needed.

4.  The representative of the United States thanked Morocco and the United Arab Emirates for the notification of the agreement and for participating in the transparency exercise.

5.  The representative of the European Union thanked the parties for the notification of the agreement, and the Secretariat for the preparation of the factual presentation.

6.  The Chairman said that oral discussion of the Free Trade Agreement between Morocco and the United Arab Emirates could be concluded in accordance with paragraph 11 of the Transparency Mechanism for RTAs (RTA TM). Follow-up questions by Members would need to be submitted in writing to the Secretariat within one week, by 1 April 2022. The parties would then be given two weeks to submit written replies, by no later than 15 April 2022. In accordance with paragraph 13 of the RTA TM, all written submissions as well as the minutes of the present meeting would be circulated promptly in all WTO official languages, and would be made available on the WTO website.

7.  The Committee took note of all interventions.

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