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1. Preparation of the Trade Policy Message to the OECD Ministerial Meeting
Delegates will recall that at the Trade Committee’s 138th Session in February 2004, there was a preliminary discussion of possible elements for inclusion in the Trade Policy Message to the OECD Ministerial Meeting on 13-14 May 2004, which would follow the past years’ practice of taking the form of a Message from the Chairman. The draft Trade Policy Message has been prepared based on those elements and comments from Delegations. Delegates and Observers are now invited to offer their views on the draft Message. Following the discussion at the Trade Committee, the Message will be revised as appropriate and submitted to the Council in its Ministerial Session on 13-14 May 2004.
2. Preparation of the Programme of Work and Budget for 2005-2006
Results of the Trade Committee prioritisation exercise
Delegates will recall that on 8 March 2004, a document was placed on Olis inviting Delegations to establish their priorities for the 2005-2006 work programme under the written procedure. As of 25 March at noon, 24 countries and the European Commission had returned the completed tables to the Secretariat. A document presents the results of the prioritisation exercise. This document is submitted for information.
Draft Programme of Work and Budget
Following discussion of a preliminary reflection document at the February meeting of the Trade Committee, subsequent comments and suggestions made by Delegations and the result of the prioritisation exercise, the Secretariat has prepared a draft Programme of Work and Budget for 2005-2006. Delegates are invited to offer their comments on this draft, with a view to provide guidance for the submission to be made by the Secretary-General to the Budget Committee and the Council.
3. 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. If possible, Delegates are encouraged to notify the Secretariat in advance of issues or topics that they wish to address.
4. Other business
Proposed project on transatlantic economic co-operation
At the 24 March meeting of the Working Party of the Trade Committee, Delegates’ attention was drawn to a proposal for a project on enhanced transatlantic economic co-operation, which has been under discussion among the principal Delegates in Working Party No. 1 of the Economic Policy Committee. Given the strong trade component of the proposal, Trade Committee Working Party Delegates suggested that this proposal be brought to the attention of the Trade Committee.
Horizontal project on trade and structural adjustment
A room document will be made available to Delegates describing progress on this horizontal project for their information.
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