1  INTRODUCTION

1.1.   During 2025, the Committee held three sessions (on 18 March, 17 June and 26 November), in person and through the Interprefy platform.

1.2.  At its first meeting on 18 March, the Committee on Regional Trade Agreements (CRTA) elected, by acclamation, Ambassador H.E. Mr. José VALENCIA (Ecuador) as its Chairman.

1.3.  Figures provided in this report cover the period from 16 October 2024 to 15 October 2025.

2  Observer Status

2.1.  No decision was taken with respect to the requests for observer status listed in document _WT/REG/W/11/Add.4/Rev.2.

3  EARLY ANNOUNCEMENTS

3.1.  Two early announcements were received from Members.[1]

4  Notifications

4.1.  The CRTA received ten notifications of new regional trade agreements (RTAs), five on trade in goods notified under Article XXIV of GATT 1994 and five on trade in services notified under Article V of GATS.[2] The CRTA also received additional notifications concerning three RTAs that are already notified.[3]

4.2.  In an effort to encourage the notification of non-notified RTAs, the Chair with the help of the Secretariat continued to draw up and circulate in advance of CRTA meetings a list of non‑notified RTAs which have been verified by their parties as being in force and appeared in factual presentations.[4] The most recent list, circulated in June, contains 61 RTAs. [to be updated upon the circulation of _WT/REG/W/195]. On 17 June, the Chair informed the Committee that following a request made by a Member both in this Committee and in the Committee on Trade and Development (CTD), going forward that document also carried a document symbol from the CTD.

4.3.  On 18 March, the issue of non-notified RTAs attracted significant attention from the Membership, and the outgoing Chairperson invited the Committee to consider what could be done to address this situation. As a follow-up, a series of informal consultations were held during 2025. A detailed account can be found under heading 9 of this Report.

4.4.  On 17 June, following requests made by various Members, the Secretariat explained how agreements were included in the list of non-notified RTAs.

5  considerATION OF REGIONAL TRADE AGREEMENTS

5.1.  Fourteen factual presentations were distributed in the period under review, all of which were used as the basis for consideration of RTAs in the CRTA in 2025 (see Attachment).

5.2.  The Committee continues to experience difficulties in adhering to its work programme, due in particular to delays in the receipt of statistical data from parties, data discrepancies in Members' submissions and delays in the receipt of comments from parties. The Chair continued to encourage parties to collectively improve transparency in RTAs by providing outstanding information as soon as possible.

5.3.  The information concerning RTAs facing delays under the Transparency Mechanism is now included in the interactive dashboard on the CRTA work programme.

5.4.  Since end-March, and following an agreement reached at the Committee's 111^th Session held in 2024, factual presentations include executive summaries. As form and content of factual presentations have not been revisited in substance since the adoption of the Transparency Mechanism for RTAs in December 2006, the informal consultations referred to in paragraph 4.3. above also covered these elements. A detailed account can be found under heading 9 of this Report.

6  subsequent notification and REPORTING

6.1.  Notifications of changes affecting the implementation of nine RTAs were received and posted on the RTA Database.[5]

6.2.  The Secretariat circulated a list of RTAs subject to end of implementation (EOI) reports as of 1 March 2025 (_WT/REG/W/191). At the end of 2025, EOI reports would be due for 238 RTAs. The EOI for 101 RTAs is from 2026 onwards, while for one RTA the EOI year is not available. No such report was submitted during the period under review.

7  DATabase on RTAs and interactive tools

7.1.  The Secretariat continues to update the RTA Database, in accordance with the requirements of the Transparency Mechanism for RTAs.

7.2.  The Secretariat also continues to update the CRTA calendar on the consideration of RTAs and the interactive dashboard on the CRTA work programme.

8  technical assistance

8.1.  [On 26 November, the Secretariat gave an account of the RTA-related technical assistance activities it had undertaken in 2025 and those planned for 2026.]

9  consultations regarding the crta work

9.1.  As from mid-April, the Committee's Chairperson organized a series of informal consultations, under various configurations including informal CRTA meetings, on three broad themes:  non-notified RTAs; factual presentations; and possible related inputs for MC14. On that basis, and considering the Member-driven nature of the Organization, the Chairperson has presented some suggestions for action as working contribution, under his own responsibility and without prejudice to the views of Members. These were subsequently discussed and revised.[6] With the aim of preserving the whole process for the future, the Chairperson circulated a Report by end-November,[7] which could be further  considered by the CRTA at a later date.

9.2.  [On 26 November, the Committee took note of statements by the Chairperson related to some of the elements that had been discussed in these consultations. These will be reflected in the minutes of the meeting.] [to be completed, as needed].

ATTACHMENT

Minutes of the Meetings held in 2025

112^th Session – 18 March 2025

113^th Session – 17 June 2025

114^th Session – 26 November 2025 (to be issued)

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