General Council addresses WTO reform, ministerial follow-ups, ongoing negotiations
WTO reform, dispute settlement reform
The Chair of the General Council, Ambassador Clare Kelly (New Zealand), drew attention to her recent statement on the WTO reform talks at a transparency session on 30 September. She noted many useful suggestions were made by members on improving the discussion process and that the suggestions would play a critical role in helping her and the WTO reform facilitators consider their approach going forward.
The Chair also noted that they would reflect on the specific issue of timing and said there was one overall time frame everyone has in mind - the 15th Ministerial Conference (MC15). The dates for this have not been fixed, she said, but members know it will approach quickly. She added she would revert to members after careful consideration of their feedback.
The Chair also noted the ongoing discussions on dispute settlement reform, which are taking place under the aegis of the Dispute Settlement Body (DSB). She said the DSB Chair, Ambassador Guilherme de Aguiar Patriota (Brazil), had provided several updates on the discussions that have taken place since July. She added that it was his intention to continue to update members on informal meetings and hold further information sessions on different topics.
Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said it was encouraging to see members bringing forward ideas on WTO reform and called on delegations to put forward more concrete proposals and ideas.
Nearly 60 speakers took the floor on this item. Discussions focused on issues such as the foundational principles of the multilateral trading system and development concerns. Members discussed the organization of future work, with some highlighting participation challenges for smaller delegations, including scheduling overlaps and resource constraints. Several members stressed the importance of moving the discussions from process to substance and focusing increasingly on concrete proposals. Several members also reiterated the importance of achieving progress on dispute settlement reform.
The Chair said she heard clearly the concerns voiced by members about the pace and scheduling of meetings. Regarding several comments from members on the need to seek clarity and common purpose, she said the reform discussions were the result of a long process of consideration and deliberation carried out by her predecessor and that this produced useful descriptions of the issues that were brought to the table. Ambassador Kelly said she also heard support for the facilitators exploring meeting format options, which will be the focus for the next phase of reform meetings.
Follow-up on outcomes of ministerial conferences
Ambassador Kelly briefly addressed members on issues where ministers could not reach an outcome at the WTO's 14th Ministerial Conference (MC14) last March. The Chair welcomed the adoption of two decisions related to least developed countries at the General Council's July meeting, underlining this was a welcome indication that progress can be made when members engage in a solutions-oriented manner. On the location of MC15, she said members were close to a decision and that a special General Council meeting may be convened at short notice for this purpose.
On the remaining issues from MC14 - including the WTO's electronic commerce work programme and the moratorium on non-violation and situation complaints under the Agreement on Trade-related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) - no significant changes have been detected since the last General Council meeting in July, Ambassador Kelly said. She encouraged members to step up their efforts and engage constructively to find a way forward.
Twenty-six members took the floor under this item, with many emphasizing the importance of following through on ministerial decisions and translating existing commitments into concrete results. Particular reference was made to outstanding work on agriculture and development. Several members called for renewed engagement on the e-commerce work programme and moratorium. Members also noted the upcoming 2026 Global Review of Aid for Trade later this month and highlighted its role in responding to evolving development needs and strengthening trade capacity.
Report by the Trade Negotiations Committee chair on ongoing negotiations
Reporting in her capacity as chair of the Trade Negotiations Committee (TNC), Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala noted the remarks she and the chairs of various negotiating bodies delivered at the TNC meeting of 1 October on the state of play in the ongoing negotiations.
"While it is evident that we remain stuck in several areas, and that this naturally brings shared frustration, I was encouraged that there was no sense of resignation," she said. "Instead, I heard from an overwhelming majority a clear determination to push forward."
On agriculture, DG Okonjo-Iweala called on members to bring forward new ideas and new approaches. "If old formulas have not worked, we should not be afraid to try something different."
On talks regarding additional provisions for the WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies (AFS), she urged members to do everything they can to avoid a "sunsetting" of the AFS. "There will be difficult moments ahead . the test will be whether members remain at the table and work through those difficulties, rather than step back from them."
On services, DG Okonjo-Iweala said this was a sector that has "significant potential to bring new dynamism to our negotiating agenda." The WTO also needs to keep pace with the rapid developments related to artificial intelligence and continue pressing for a multilateral outcome on the e-commerce moratorium and work programme, she added.
Thirty-four members took the floor on this item. Members broadly supported intensifying work toward MC15 but concerns were expressed about the growing workload and overlapping meetings. Many cited the need to take better account of development concerns and to advance on agricultural reform.
Delegations generally agreed that WTO reform and negotiations should be mutually reinforcing, with reform aimed at strengthening the organization's negotiating function and facilitating substantive outcomes. Reference was also made to issues such as digital trade, artificial intelligence, investment facilitation and dispute settlement reform as well as the need to deliver on longstanding mandates.
Optimizing outcomes of ministerial conferences
Cameroon, as the host of MC14, highlighted its experience in organizing the conference and shared reflections on how to improve the effectiveness and outcomes of future ministerial conferences (WT/GC/W/1007 - WT/GC/REFORM/W/15). Members exchanged preliminary views and expressed their willingness to continue engaging on the issue. The Chair of the General Council took note of members' comments, including references to the broader WTO reform process.
Agreement on Electronic Commerce - interim arrangements
Singapore, on behalf of the co-conveners of the Agreement on Electronic Commerce (ECA), responded to questions raised in India's communication on the ECA.
A large number of ECA participants expressed support for the interim arrangements for bringing the Agreement into force and for its eventual incorporation into the WTO framework. They underlined the Agreement's potential to enhance predictability, transparency and legal certainty in digital trade, reduce costs and regulatory fragmentation for businesses, including small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and support broader participation of economies in the digital economy.
However, several members expressed concerns regarding the legal and institutional basis for the interim arrangements, including the use of WTO resources, the role of the WTO Secretariat and the Director-General's acceptance of depositary functions. In her concluding remarks, the Director-General referred to the WTO Secretariat's role and set out her views on the depositary function.
Emerging agricultural trade issues
New Zealand reported on the Dialogue on Emerging Agricultural Trade Issues (EAT) established by a group of WTO members to address the challenges associated with sustainable agriculture and trade. New Zealand was joined by Australia, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Peru, Switzerland, Ukraine, and Uruguay in its statement.
The EAT series has now held three thematic sessions since its formation, including the latest one on 25 September, where speakers from agriculture groups and companies from Indonesia, the Philippines and South African spoke about how they are tackling sustainability in the face of climate change. Speakers noted that the series provided a welcome platform for discussion and demonstrated the value of hearing from farmers and stakeholders directly.
Many members were supportive of the series and announced plans to organize future sessions, with the next one taking place in November. However, some members said that while they support the EAT initiative, it should be seen as a complement to the existing work of the Committee on Agriculture in special session (the negotiating body for the agriculture talks) and not supplant its mission or result in members losing focus on implementing existing mandates.
Investment Facilitation for Development Agreement
Chile, co-coordinator of the Investment Facilitation for Development Agreement (IFDA), provided an update on the initiative's work since MC14, noting that participation has increased to 131 members. Chile highlighted the recent endorsement of a post-MC14 work plan aimed at advancing the incorporation of the IFDA into the WTO multilateral framework, raising awareness of its benefits, continuing dialogue to build consensus, and expanding needs assessments to support implementation. To date, 32 needs assessments have been launched, including among non-participating members.
Members welcomed the progress made since MC14, stressing the importance of the IFDA in attracting and sustaining investment in developing economies and supporting its swift incorporation into Annex 4 of the Marrakesh Agreement. One member reiterated that the issue of incorporating the Agreement into the WTO framework is linked to broader WTO reform discussions and could have implications for the governance of plurilateral agreements within the WTO, addintg that a decision on incorporation would be premature at this stage.
Next meeting
The next regular meeting of the General Council is tentatively scheduled for Friday, 11 December, and Monday, 14 December.
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