How to become a member of the °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍø×ÊÁÏ
Article XII of the °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍø×ÊÁÏ Agreement states that accession to the °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍø×ÊÁÏ will be on terms to be agreed between the acceding government and the °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍø×ÊÁÏ. Accession to the °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍø×ÊÁÏ is essentially a process of negotiation — quite different from the process of accession to other international entities, like the IMF, which is largely an automatic process.
All documentation examined by the accession Working Party during the process of negotiation remains restricted until completion of the process.
Who can apply
Any state or customs territory having full autonomy in the conduct of its trade policies is eligible to accede to the °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍø×ÊÁÏ on terms agreed between it and °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍø×ÊÁÏ Members. (Article XII of the °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍø×ÊÁÏ Agreement).
back to topThe request for accession
The accession process commences with the submission of a formal written request for accession by the applicant government. This request is considered by the General Council which establishes a Working Party to examine the accession request and, ultimately, to submit the findings of the Working Party to the General Council for approval. The Working Party is open to all Members of the °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍø×ÊÁÏ.
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Submission of a memorandum on the foreign trade regime
The applicant government presents a memorandum covering all aspects of its trade and legal regime to the Working Party. This memorandum forms the basis for detailed fact finding by the Working Party. (Download in MS Word document WT/ACC/1 (27 pages, 72 KB) outlines the major headings to be examined).
Subsequent Working Party meetings will see the examination of questions posed by °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍø×ÊÁÏ Members based on the information provided in the memorandum and the replies provided by the applicant government.
back to topConditions of entry
After examining all aspects of the existing trade and legal regimes of the acceding government the Working Party goes into the substantive part of the multilateral negotiations involved in accessions. This determines the terms and conditions of entry for the applicant government. Terms and conditions include commitments to observe °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍø×ÊÁÏ rules and disciplines upon accession and transitional periods required to make any legislative or structural changes where necessary to implement these commitments.
back to topBilateral negotiations
At the same time, the applicant government engages in bilateral negotiations with interested Working Party members on concessions and commitments on market access for goods and services. The results of these bilateral negotiations are consolidated into a document which is part of the final accession package.
The final accession package
The accession package consists of three documents which represent the results of both the multilateral and bilateral phases outlined above. These are:
- a Report of the Working Party containing a summary of proceedings and conditions of entry and a Protocol of Accession.
- Schedules of market access commitments in goods and services agreed between the acceding government and °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍø×ÊÁÏ Members.
Approval of the accession package
Once both the Working Party's Draft Report and Protocol of Accession and the market access commitments in goods and services are completed to the satisfaction of members of the Working Party, the accession package is adopted at a final formal meeting of the Working Party.
The documents are then presented to the General Council or the Ministerial Conference for adoption. Once approved by the General Council or the Ministerial Conference, the accessions package is redistributed as a non-restricted document.
Two final documents will be issued:
- The Decision of the General Council
- The Protocol of Accession of the new entrant a Protocol of Accession annexed to the Report which states that the country accedes to the °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍø×ÊÁÏ Agreement, defines the Schedules and outlines final provisions for timing of acceptance of the Protocol and full membership of the °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍø×ÊÁÏ.
Becoming a full member
Once approved by the General Council of Ministerial Conference, the applicant is then free to sign the Protocol of Accession stating that it accepts the approved accessions package subject to ratification in its national parliament. Normally three months is given from signature of the Protocol of Accession for this to take place.
Thirty days after the applicant government notifies the °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍø×ÊÁÏ Secretariat that it has completed its ratification procedures, the applicant government becomes a full Member of the °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍø×ÊÁÏ.
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