132nd Session of the Trade Committee - Agenda

1.    Consultation with Civil Society Representatives

Delegates are invited to express views on the Committee’s informal consultation with civil society representatives on 23 October, and in particular whether the exchange yielded further insights on how best to organise relations with stakeholders.

2.    State of Play in the Lead-Up to the WTO Ministerial

Delegates are invited to share views on prospects for the forthcoming WTO Ministerial Meeting in Doha, and steps needed to help ensure its success. 

3.    OECD Work on Trade and Development

The Communiqué from the meeting of OECD Council at Ministerial Level on 16-17 May 2001 contains (in the section “The Multilateral Trading System”, paragraph 37) the following reference:

“We welcome ongoing efforts in OECD to promote greater coherence between trade and development co-operation policies. We look forward to a progress report in 2002.”

Delegates are invited to discuss key elements which they believe should be reflected in this report to the 2002 MCM.  In this context, the opportunity can be taken to review past and proposed work in the area of trade and development.  This would include the study “Trade and Development Issues in Non-OECD Countries”, prepared in close consultation with the Development Co-operation Directorate, as well as proposals for further work made at the informal brainstorming of Delegates to the Trade Committee and the DAC on 24 April 2001.

4.    Generic Issues arising from the OECD High Level Meeting on Steel

Several Delegations have expressed interest in the Trade Committee taking note of issues arising from the High Level Meeting on Steel convened by the OECD on 17-18 September.  Participants in that meeting agreed on the need to refrain from government measures and industry practices which undermine open/free markets and distort international competition in steel and the need to strengthen disciplines to this effect.  Delegates may wish to take the opportunity presented by this sectoral discussion to take stock of recent discussions on steel and to consider some of the generic issues arising, for example, in connection with trade remedies. 

5.    Work in Progress

The Working Party Chairman, Mr. Robert Newton and the Secretariat are at the disposal of the Committee to answer any questions Delegates may raise.

6.    Other Business

Included in Other Business will be an oral report on the outcome of the OECD Roundtable on the “Interface between Central and Sub-national Levels of Government in Russia’s Trade Policy”, to be held in Vladivostok on 11-12 October.