   
  
INF/IFD/W/ 31 
 
2 March  2021 
(21-1779) Page: 1/2 
 Original: English  
 
 
 
WTO STRUCTURED DISCUSSIONS ON  
INVESTMENT FACILITATION FOR  DEVELOPMENT  
 
NEGOTIATING MEETING OF 8-9 MARCH  2021 
ANNOTATED AGENDA BY THE COORDINATOR  
As indicated in the Convening Notice  circulated to all WTO Members on 19 February  2021, the main 
purpose of this open-ended negotiating  meeting is  to: 
a. Continue negotiations based on the latest version of the informal consolidated text 
(INF/IFD/RD/50/Rev.9 );1 
b. Discuss the three newly added provisions of the Revised Draft Text prepared by the 
Coordinator ;2  
c. Discuss the 'firewall' provisions based  on the outcome report of the 'Discussion group on 
scope -firewall' ; and  
d. Hold focused discussions on the concept of 'authorization'.  
In keeping with the Joint I nitiative 's open, transpar ent, and inclusive nature , all WTO Members are 
invited to attend and participate  in this open-ended  negotiating meeting . 
1  CONTINUATION OF THE NEGOTIATIONS BASED ON THE INFORMAL CONSOLIDATED 
TEXT  
1.1.   On the first day of the meeting  (8 March) , Members will continue negotiations based on the 
latest version of the informal consolidated text (INF/IFD/RD/50/Rev.9) – alongside any other 
available text proposals by Members not yet incorporated into it, as appropriate. Members are 
encouraged to focus o n concrete drafting formulations  with a view to making progress and enabling 
the Coordinator to evaluate whether revised draft text can be presented on the respective provisions, 
as appropriate.  
1.2.  The negotiations will resume on the sections/provisions of th e informal consolidated text listed 
below, and in the order indicated below.  References between brackets are to the sections and 
paragraphs of the informal consolidated text.   
1. Business obstacle alert mechanism (paragraphs 18.2 and 18.3 under element 18 in  
section IV)  
2. Domestic supplier databases (element 20 in section IV)  
 
1 Informal consolidated text, latest version circulated to all WTO Members alongside this Annotated 
Agenda .   
2 Revised Draft Text by the Coordinator, restricted document without symbol, dated 2 March  2021, 
circulated to all WTO Members  alongside this Annotated Agenda . The revised version does not modif y any of 
the newly added provisions ; it merely corrects some uni ntended editorial omissions in the shaded part  of the 
text, which will not be discussed at this meeting.  INF/IFD/W/ 31 
 
- 2 - 
 
  3. Cross -cutting Issues (section VI):  
• Responsible business conduct (element  26) – including proposal on 'social and 
environmental responsibility'  
• Measures against corruption (element  27) 
4. Exceptions (section VII):  
• General exceptions  (element  29) 
• Security exception (element  30) 
• [Financial Exceptions]  (element  30 Bis) 
2  DISCUSSION O F REVISED DRAFT TEXT PREPARED BY THE COORDINATOR  
2.1.  On the second day ( 9 March) f ollowing a brief introduction by the Coordinator of the three new 
provisions  added to the Revised Draft Text  – namely Article 3 (paragraphs 3.7 to 3. 10) on single 
information portal (Section II ), Article 10 bis on authorization fees applying to financial services 
(Section III) , and  Article 1 5 on focal point[s] (Section IV)  –, the floor will be opened  to hear 
Members' views  on the three above -mentioned provisions .  
3  DISCUSSION ON 'FIREWALL' PROVISIONS  
3.1.  The discuss ion on  the 'firewall' provisions relating to the insulation of the future agreement on 
investment facilitation for development from international investment agreements (IIAs) will be 
based on the outcome report of the 'Discussion group on scope -firewall' .3 At the plenary meeting, 
the fac ilitator of the group will present the outcome report based on  the group's discuss ions. 
4  CONCEPTUAL DISCUSSION ON THE CONCEPT OF 'AUTHORIZATION'  
4.1.  Under this agenda item,  Members will hold a conceptual discussion on the notion  of 
'authorization', which is relevant to different sections of the future agreement on investment 
facilitation for development, and which appears in Sections I, II and III of the informal consolidated 
text.4 The discussion will be conducted on the basis o f the guiding questions circulated  by the 
Coordinator  to all Members in advance of the meeting.5 
5  OTHER B USINESS   
 
__________  
 
3 The Discussion group is open to all interested WTO Members. See Work Plan January -July 2021,  
Statement by the Coordinator, circulated to all WTO Members on 27 January 2021. The first two discussions 
were held on 17 and 24 February 2021, and the invitation for the third meeting on 3 March 2021 was sent to 
all Members  on 26 February 2021 .  
4 Informa l Consolidated Text, latest version contained in document INF/IFD/RD/50/Rev. 9.   
5 Guiding  questions on the concept of 'authorization' circulated to all Member s on 26 February 2021.  