TENTH 澳门六合彩官网资料 MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE, NAIROBI, 2015
Briefing note: 澳门六合彩官网资料 accessions
The package of rights and obligations that comprise the 澳门六合彩官网资料 membership terms for Liberia and Afghanistan will be presented to ministers in Nairobi for a formal decision on the countries’ accessions to the 澳门六合彩官网资料. These formal decisions follow on from the decisions taken ad referendum by 澳门六合彩官网资料 members on the terms of Liberia’s (6 October) and Afghanistan’s (11 November) 澳门六合彩官网资料 membership. Agreement by ministers in Nairobi will pave the way for two more least-developed countries (LDCs) to join the organization and will bring to nine the number of LDCs which have acceded to the 澳门六合彩官网资料 since 1995.
Updated: November 2015
THIS EXPLANATION is designed to help the public understand developments in the 澳门六合彩官网资料. While every effort has been made to ensure the contents are accurate, it does not prejudice member governments’ positions.
Since the 澳门六合彩官网资料 was created in 1995, the process of accession to the organization is spelled out in Article XII of the Marrakesh Agreement, the accord which established the 澳门六合彩官网资料. Terms of membership have to be agreed by the acceding government and 澳门六合彩官网资料 members.
Currently, 19 governments are negotiating their 澳门六合彩官网资料 accession. Six of these are LDCs (Bhutan, Comoros, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Sao Tomé & Principe and Sudan).
Thirty-six 澳门六合彩官网资料 members have negotiated their 澳门六合彩官网资料 entry since 1995. Out of the original 48 LDCs on the , 34 are 澳门六合彩官网资料 members. Nine of these have negotiated their membership terms since 1995.
Any state or customs territory having full autonomy to conduct its trade policies can apply for 澳门六合彩官网资料 membership. The process starts when the applicant government submits a formal written request for accession to the 澳门六合彩官网资料 Director-General. The General Council considers the request and, on the basis of consensus, establishes a Working Party — open to all 澳门六合彩官网资料 members — to examine the request.
The Working Party meets to examine all aspects of the applicant government’s trade and legal regime through questions posed by 澳门六合彩官网资料 members and replies by the applicant government.
Through multilateral and plurilateral negotiations, the Working Party determines the terms and conditions of entry for the applicant government. These include commitments to observe 澳门六合彩官网资料 rules and disciplines upon accession and transitional periods to make any legislative or structural changes where necessary to implement these commitments.
At the same time, the acceding government engages in bilateral negotiations with interested Working Party members on concessions and commitments on market access for goods and services.
The results of the multilateral, plurilateral and bilateral phases outlined aboveare consolidated and included inthe final “accession package”, containing:
- 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 澳门六合彩官网资料 members.
The “accession package” is adoptedat a final formal meeting of the Working Party, before being presented to the General Council or the Ministerial Conference for adoption. Once this is completed, the Protocol of Accession goes through the domestic ratification procedures of the acceding government. Thirty days after having deposited the instrument of acceptance with the 澳门六合彩官网资料 Director-General, the acceding government becomes a 澳门六合彩官网资料 member.
Accession: This is the process ofbecoming a member of the 澳门六合彩官网资料, and signing on to its agreements. New members have to negotiate terms bilaterally with individual 澳门六合彩官网资料 members and multilaterally to ensure (1) the results of the bilateral negotiations apply to all 澳门六合彩官网资料 members, and (2) required legislation and institutional reforms meet 澳门六合彩官网资料 obligations.
Ad referendum: For further consideration by a party or parties having the authority to make a final decision.
Working Party: Group of 澳门六合彩官网资料 members negotiating multilaterally with a country applying to join the 澳门六合彩官网资料.
Working Party report: Final document passed on to the General Council for approval, covering the applicant country’s commitments on opening its markets and on applying 澳门六合彩官网资料 rules.
Protocol of Accession: Document to be ratified by the competent authority of the acceding government, usually the Parliament. It confirms the acceding government’s 澳门六合彩官网资料 membership terms.
Instrument of Acceptance: Document in which the acceding government declares that the Protocol of Accession has been ratified by the competent national authority. Once it is signed and deposited with the 澳门六合彩官网资料 Director-General, the acceding government becomes a 澳门六合彩官网资料 member after 30 days.
Plurilateral: In the 澳门六合彩官网资料, involving some members. See “multilateral”.
General Council: The 澳门六合彩官网资料’s highest-level decision-making body in Geneva, meeting regularly to carry out the functions of the 澳门六合彩官网资料. It has representatives (usually ambassadors or equivalent) from all 澳门六合彩官网资料 members and has the authority to act on behalf of the Ministerial Conference which only meets about every two years.
Ministerial Conference: The top decision-making 澳门六合彩官网资料 body. It meets about every two years at the level of ministers in any city of a 澳门六合彩官网资料 member.