134th Session of the Trade Committee - Agenda

1.    Adoption of the Agenda

TUAC has been invited to participate under Item 2 of the Agenda. The World Bank has been invited as an ad hoc observer to this session of the Trade Committee.

2.    Informal Consultation with TUAC

The exchange of views at this informal consultation with members of TUAC will focus on topics directly related to the Doha Declaration. Background material by TUAC will be circulated in advance of the meeting. Other topics of current interest may also be raised.

3.    Trade Policy Message to Ministers from the Chairman of the Trade Committee

The Chairman has prepared a short draft text, in which he has taken into account views expressed by Delegations in recent Trade Committee meetings. Delegates are invited to offer further guidance for the preparation of this message, which would follow the practice of taking the form of a Message from the Chairman, and to agree on a number of key questions, arising from the Message, which could be a focus for ministerial discussion.

4.    Progress Report to Ministers on Promoting Greater Policy Coherence between Trade and Development Cooperation Policies

In paragraph 37 of the Communiqué from the OECD Ministerial Council Meeting of 2001, OECD Ministers recognised the major role of the OECD in continuing its efforts to strengthen the multilateral trading system, welcomed on-going efforts in OECD to promote greater policy coherence between trade and development co-operation policies, and requested a progress report for the Ministerial Council Meeting in 2002. The draft progress report has been elaborated jointly with DCD in response to that request. As discussed by the Trade Committee at its 132nd session in October 2001, it is submitted to the Trade Committee for information and will be submitted to Ministers under the responsibility of the Secretary-General.

5.    World Bank Presentation on Trade and Development

A representative from the World Bank will present the Trade Committee with a strategy paper which describes the World Bank's work on trade and development in response to the Doha Development Agenda. This document will be circulated in advance of the meeting.

6.    Programme of Work and Budget 2003-2004

Delegates are invited to offer their comments on the draft Programme of Work and Budget for 2003-2004, with a view to provide guidance for the submission to be made by the Secretary-General to the Council.

7.    Recent Important Developments in Trade and Trade Policy

As at each Trade Committee meeting, Delegates are invited to share information and discuss recent developments in policies or practices that may significantly affect trade relations or the functioning of the multilateral trading system.

8.    Work in Progress

The Secretariat will update Delegates on developments in ongoing work. The Chairman of the Working Party of the Trade Committee, and the Secretariat are at the Trade Committee's disposal to answer any questions that Delegates may wish to raise. The Secretariat will inform Delegates of the results of the Services Experts Meeting held on 4-5 March 2002 and plans for future work in this area.

9.    Other Business

Under this item, the Secretariat will inform Delegates on the state of preparations for several outreach events to be held in 2002.