REPORT (2021) OF THE COUNCIL FOR TRADE IN
GOODS
In accordance with the
"Procedures for an Annual Overview of WTO Activities and for
Reporting under the WTO" (WT/L/105), the Council for Trade in Goods (CTG,
or the Council) is to prepare an annual report each year to the General Council
on the activities in the Council as well as those in its subsidiary bodies. The
reports are to be "factual in nature, containing an indication of actions
and decisions taken, with cross‑references to reports of subordinate bodies and
could follow the model of the GATT 1947 Council reports to the CONTRACTING
PARTIES".
Since its 2020 Annual
Report (G/L/1381) was issued, the CTG met three times in formal session on
the following dates: 31 March and 1 April 2021 (G/C/M/139 and
G/C/M/139/Add.1); 8‑9 July 2021 (G/C/M/140); and 1‑2 November 2021
(G/C/M/141[1]).
Furthermore, the CTG met four times in informal mode: on
11 February 2021 to discuss the issue of the functioning of the CTG
and its subsidiary bodies, and on 31 March, 14 July, and
26 July 2021 to consider the slate of names for the appointment of
Chairpersons of the CTG's subsidiary bodies.
The subject matters raised
and/or acted upon in the Council were as follows:
1
Election of Chairperson of the Council for Trade in Goods. 2
2 Appointment
of Officers for the Subsidiary Bodies of the Council. 2
3 Market Access
issues. 3
3.1 Draft decision on the Procedure for
the Introduction of Harmonized System 2022 Changes
to Schedules of Concessions using the Consolidated Tariff Schedules (CTS)
database. 3
3.2 Collective waiver requests on the
introduction of the Harmonized System 2002, 2007,
2012, and 2017. 3
4 Waivers under
Article IX of the WTO Agreement. 3
4.1 European Union – Request for a Waiver
Extension – Application of Autonomous
Preferential Treatment to the Western Balkans (G/C/W/794) 3
4.2 Cuba - Request for an Extension of the
Waiver concerning Article XV:6 of the GATT 1994 contained in the
Decision of 7 December 2016 (WT/L/1003) (G/C/W/803) 3
5 Notification
of Regional Trade Agreements. 4
6 Status of
Notifications under the Provisions of the Agreements in Annex 1A of the
WTO Agreement (G/L/223/Rev.28). 5
7 Accession of
the Republic of Armenia and of the Kyrgyz Republic to the Eurasian Economic
Union (EAEU): Procedures under Article XXVIII:3
of the GATT 1994. 5
7.1 Accession of the Republic of Armenia
and of the Kyrgyz Republic to the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU): Procedures
under Article XXVIII:3 of GATT 1994 – Request from the
European Union. 5
7.2 Accession of the Republic of Armenia
to the Eurasian Economic Union: Procedures Under Article XXVIII:3 of the
GATT 1994 – Communication from Armenia (G/L/1110/Add.7) 5
7.3 Accession of the Kyrgyz Republic to
the Eurasian Economic Union: Procedures under Article XXVIII:3 of the
GATT 1994 – Communication from
the Kyrgyz Republic (G/L/1137/Add.6) 5
8 Measures to
Allow Graduated LDCs, with GNP below US$1,000, Benefits pursuant to
Annex VII(B) of the Agreement on Subsidies and
Countervailing Measures (WT/GC/W/742-G/C/W/752). 5
9 Procedures
under Article XXVIII of the GATT 1994: Withdrawal of the United
Kingdom from the European Union (G/L/1385, G/l/1385/Add.1, G/L/1386, and G/L/1386/Add.1). 6
10 European
Union - Rectification and modification of schedules – Schedule CLXXV. 6
11 Update on
Procedures to Enhance Transparency and Strengthen Notification Requirements
under WTO Agreements – Argentina; Australia; Canada; CHILE; Costa Rica;
European Union; Israel; Japan; republic of Korea; New Zealand; nORWAY; the
philippines; sINGAPORE; switzerland; the Separate Customs Territory of
Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu; United Kingdom; and United States. 6
12 Trade
Concerns. 7
13 Work Programme
on Electronic Commerce. 7
14 Functioning
of the council for trade in goods and its Subsidiary bodies. 8
15
Consideration of annual reports of subsidiary bodies of the
Council for Trade in Goods. 8
16 Secretariat
staff changes in connection with the Council for
Trade in Goods. 8
Annex 1: Trade Concerns considered at the
CTG meeting of 31 March 2021. 9
Annex 2: Trade Concerns considered at the
CTG meeting of 8 July 2021. 11
Annex 3: Trade Concerns considered at the
CTG meeting of
1 November 2021. 13