REPORT (2021) OF THE

COMMITTEE ON TRADE IN CIVIL AIRCRAFT

(adopted 9 NOVEMBER 2021)

1.  This report is submitted under Article 8.2 of the Agreement on Trade in Civil Aircraft (hereinafter the "Agreement") and Article IV.8 of the Marrakesh Agreement Establishing the World Trade Organization. It sets out the activities of the Committee since the last meeting (held on 11 November 2020).

2.  There are 33 Signatories to the Agreement: Albania; Canada; Egypt; the European Union^[1] (the following 19 EU Member States are also Signatories to the Agreement on Trade in Civil Aircraft in their own right: Austria; Belgium; Bulgaria; Denmark; Estonia; France; Germany; Greece; Ireland; Italy; Latvia; Lithuania; Luxembourg; Malta; the Netherlands; Portugal; Romania; Spain and Sweden); Georgia; Japan; Macao, China; Montenegro; North Macedonia; Norway; Switzerland; Chinese Taipei; the United Kingdom and the United States. WTO Members with observer status in the Committee are: Argentina; Australia; Bangladesh; Brazil; Cameroon; China; Colombia; Gabon; Ghana; India; Indonesia; Israel; Korea, Republic of; Mauritius; Nigeria; Oman; Russian Federation; Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of; Singapore; Sri Lanka; Tajikistan; Trinidad and Tobago; Tunisia; Turkey and Ukraine. The IMF and UNCTAD are also observers.

3.  Since its last Annual Report to the General Council (WT/L/1100 – TCA/16), the Committee on Trade in Civil Aircraft held two informal meetings on 26 July 2021 and on 27 September 2021, and one regular meeting on 5 November 2021.

4.  At the 5 November 2021 regular meeting, the Committee discussed the following matters:^[2]

A.     Transposition Exercise of the Product Coverage Annex

5.  The Committee decided to initiate a transposition exercise of the Product Annex to reflect the changes introduced in HS2012, HS2017 and HS2022, with the aim of producing a Protocol, as the Committee did in 2001 and 2015.

B.     Implementation of the Agreement - Transparency and Possible Complementary Means

6.  The Committee discussed the issues pertaining to (i) how to strengthen transparency and (ii) a possible complementary means to be devised through the Committee in light of the fact that few Participants have submitted letters of acceptance. Based on the positive reactions from the Participants, the Chair stated that consultations would continue on possible concrete ideas and on the way forward.

C.     Election of the Chairperson

7.  The Chair explained that she would leave her current position towards the end of the year and that she would conduct consultations with Participants to select a new Chair. Unless she sees the need to hold a special meeting, she intended to proceed with the election via a paper process -- that is, if no Participant objected by a certain date, the candidate would be deemed to be elected by the Committee.

D.     Date of the Next Regular Meeting

8.  The Committee agreed to the timing of the next regular meeting.

9.  The Technical Sub-Committee of the Committee on Trade in Civil Aircraft did not meet during the period under review and neither did the Sub-Committee of the Committee on Trade in Civil Aircraft.

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