WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONTN/RL/3
2 December 2002
(02-6638)
Negotiating Group on Rules
NEGOTIATING GROUP ON RULES
Report by the Chairman
to the Trade Negotiations Committee
I. STATUS OF WORK
1. Since my last report, the Negotiating Group has held two formal meetings (16-18 October and
25-27 November 2002). The summary report of the 16-18 October meeting may be found in
document TN/RL/M/4.
2. In its meetings to date, the Group's agenda has been structured around the following subject
areas: Anti-Dumping; Subsidies and Countervailing Measures, including Fisheries Subsidies; and
Regional Trade Agreements (RTAs).  All three subject areas have been discussed in the meetings, and
the Group has made significant progress during the year in identifying the range of issues to be
addressed in the Group.
3. As noted in my last report, we are proceeding  in the Group primarily on the basis of written
submissions from participants.  The Group has received a total of 39 submissions this year.  A
complete list of submissions received as of the date of this report is annexed.
4. On RTAs, the issue-identification phase is nearly complete.  In line with that, the Group is
currently pursuing a two-track approach, namely: (a ) identifying issues for negotiation in formal
meetings, and (b) holding open-ended informal consultations on more  procedural issues related to
transparency of RTAs.  Currently, the Group is informally discussing questions related to
"transparency of RTAs".
II. OUTSTANDING ISSUES
5. Other than the issue of observers – a question with horizontal implications – there are no
outstanding procedural issues in the Group at this time.
III. FUTURE WORK
6. At its November meeting, the Group agreed that its next formal meeting would be held on 3,
6, 7 February.  It also agreed, as a working hypothesis and subject to confirmation in February after a
review of the WTO's overall schedule of meetings, to hold further formal meetings on 24, 25,
27 March; 5-7 May and 18-20 June 2003.  These dates reflect the efforts to respect, to the extent
possible, the scheduling guidelines found in WT/L/106 and the TNC's practices and principles
(section B of TNC/1), as well as the availability of rooms.  The Group has already held two informalmeetings on RTAs, and will hold further informal meetings as appropriate.
7. In my view, the Group has much work to do between now and Cancún.  Our first task is to
complete the process of identifying issues for negotiation.  In the area of Anti-Dumping, the Group isTN/RL/3
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perhaps furthest along, having received a substantial number of proposals identifying specific issues
for consideration.  In the area of Subsidies and Countervailing Measures, although good progress was
made at our last meeting, the number of submissions is still relatively small, submissions are not
always precise in terms of what the sponsor is seeking, and various delegations that can be expected
to make submissions have not yet done so.  Submissions remain general in nature.
8. As for RTAs, the Group will continue, on a priority basis, its informal discussions with a view
to clarifying issues relating to "transparency of RTA's" with the objective of finding appropriate
solutions.
9. I strongly urge participants that have issues for the Group's consideration to identify them as
soon as possible, as issues which are identified late in the process may not receive the attention they
deserve.  I would also urge participants to shift from conceptual submissions to a new progressive
phase where more precise proposals are formulated and discussed.  I need not remind participants thattime is limited and that progress to be achieved in each area of the mandated negotiations depends
upon such concrete proposals.
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ANNEX
SUBMISSIONS BY PARTICIPANTS TO THE NEGOTIATING GROUP ON RULES1
Symbol Title of document Submitted by
TN/RL/W/1 IMPROVED DISCIPLINES UNDER THE
AGREEMENT ON SUBSIDIES AND
COUNTERVAILING MEASURES AND THE
ANTI-DUMPING AGREEMENTCanada
TN/RL/W/2 NEGOTIATIONS ON REGIONAL TRADE
AGREEMENTS:
KEY ISSUES FOR CONSIDERATIONAustralia
TN/RL/W/3 THE DOHA MANDATE TO ADDRESS
FISHERIES SUBSIDIES:  ISSUESAustralia, Chile,
Ecuador, Iceland,
New Zealand, Peru,
Philippines and the
United States
TN/RL/W/4 PROPOSALS ON IMPLEMENTATION RELATED
ISSUES AND CONCERNS
Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing
Measures/
Anti-Dumping AgreementIndia
TN/RL/W/5 EXPORT CREDITS IN THE WTO Brazil
TN/RL/W/6 ANTI-DUMPING:  ILLUSTRATIVE MAJOR
ISSUESBrazil; Chile; Colombia;
Costa Rica;
Hong Kong, China
Israel;  Japan;  Korea;
Mexico;  Norway;
Singapore;  Switzerland;
Thailand;  Turkey
TN/RL/W/7 IMPLEMENTATION ISSUES Brazil
                                                     
1 As of 27 November 2002.TN/RL/3
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Symbol Title of document Submitted by
TN/RL/W/9 PROPOSAL FROM THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC
OF CHINA
ON FISHERIES SUBSIDIESThe People's Republic of
China
TN/RL/W/10 SECOND CONTRIBUTION TO DISCUSSION OF
THE NEGOTIATING
GROUP ON RULES ON ANTI-DUMPING
MEASURESBrazil;  Chile;
Colombia;  Costa Rica;
Hong Kong, China;
Israel; Japan;  Korea;
Norway;  Separate
Customs Territory of
Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen
and Matsu;  Singapore;
Switzerland;  and
Thailand
TN/RL/W/11 JAPAN’S BASIC POSITION ON THE FISHERIES
SUBSIDIES ISSUEJapan
TN/RL/W/12 FISHERIES SUBSIDIES:  LIMITATIONS OF
EXISTING SUBSIDY DISCIPLINESNew-Zealand
TN/RL/W/13 SUBMISSION FROM THE EUROPEAN
COMMUNITIES CONCERNING THE
AGREEMENT ON IMPLEMENTATION OF
ARTICLE VI OF GATT 1994 (ANTI-DUMPING
AGREEMENT)European Communities
TN/RL/W/14 SUBMISSION ON REGIONAL TRADE
AGREEMENTS BY THE EUROPEAN
COMMUNITIES AND THEIR MEMBER STATESEuropean Communities
TN/RL/W/15 SUBMISSION ON REGIONAL TRADE
AGREEMENTS BY AUSTRALIAAustralia
TN/RL/W/16 SUBMISSION ON REGIONAL TRADE
AGREEMENTSChile
TN/RL/W/17 KOREA'S VIEWS ON THE DOHA
DEVELOPMENT AGENDA DISCUSSIONS ON
FISHERIES SUBSIDIESKorea
TN/RL/W/18 REPLIES TO THE QUESTIONS/COMMENTS
FROM AUSTRALIA ON TN/RL/W/10Brazil;  Chile;
Colombia;  Costa Rica;
Hong Kong, China;
Israel; Japan;  Korea;
Norway;  Separate
Customs Territory of
Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen
and Matsu;  Singapore;
Switzerland;  and
ThailandTN/RL/3
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Symbol Title of document Submitted by
TN/RL/W/19 COUNTERVAILING MEASURES:
ILLUSTRATIVE MAJOR ISSUESBrazil
TN/RL/W/20 QUESTIONS FROM THE EUROPEAN
COMMUNITIES ON DOCUMENTS
TN/RL/W/6 AND TN/RL/W/10European Communities
TN/RL/W/21 ADVERSE TRADE AND CONSERVATION
EFFECTS OF FISHERIES SUBSIDIESUnited States
TN/RL/W/22 COMMENTS ON DOCUMENT TN/RL/W/6 ON
ANTI-DUMPING MEASURESAustralia
TN/RL/W/23 COMMENTS ON DOCUMENT TN/RL/W/10
ON ANTI-DUMPING MEASURESAustralia
TN/RL/W/24 SUBMISSION BY THE UNITED STATES United States
TN/RL/W/25 QUESTIONS FROM THE UNITED STATES
ON PAPERS SUBMITTED TO THE RULES
NEGOTIATING GROUPUnited States
TN/RL/W/26 SECOND SUBMISSION OF INDIA (ANTI-
DUMPING AGREEMENT)India
TN/RL/W/27 COMMUNICATION FROM THE UNITED
STATES
Basic Concepts and Principles of the Trade
Remedy RulesUnited States
TN/RL/W/28/Rev.1 GENERAL CONTRIBUTION TO THE
DISCUSSION OF THE NEGOTIATING
GROUP ON RULES ON ANTI-DUMPING
MEASURESBrazil;  Chile;
Colombia;  Costa Rica;
Hong Kong, China;
Israel;  Japan;  Korea;
Mexico;  Norway;
Separate Customs
Territory of Taiwan,
Penghu, Kinmen and
Matsu;  Singapore;
Switzerland;  Thailand;
and Turkey
TN/RL/W/29 THIRD CONTRIBUTION TO DISCUSSION OF
THE NEGOTIATING GROUP ON RULES ON
ANTI-DUMPING MEASURESBrazil;  Chile;
Colombia;  Costa Rica;
Hong Kong, China;
Japan;  Korea;  Norway;
Separate Customs
Territory of Taiwan,
Penghu, Kinmen and
Matsu;  Singapore;
Switzerland;  Thailand;
and TurkeyTN/RL/3
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Symbol Title of document Submitted by
TN/RL/W/30 WTO NEGOTIATIONS CONCERNING THE
WTO AGREEMENT ON SUBSIDIES AND
COUNTERVAILING MEASURESEuropean Communities
TN/RL/W/31 REPLIES TO ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS TO
OUR SECOND CONTRIBUTION
(TN/RL/W/10)Brazil;  Chile;
Colombia;  Costa Rica;
Hong Kong, China;
Israel;  Japan;  Korea;
Norway;  Separate
Customs Territory of
Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen
and Matsu;  Singapore;
Switzerland;  Thailand
TN/RL/W/32 SUBMISSION ON REGIONAL TRADE
AGREEMENTSTurkey
TN/RL/W/33 SPECIAL AND DIFFERENTIAL TREATMENT
AND THE SUBSIDIES AGREEMENTUnited States
TN/RL/W/34 SECOND SET OF QUESTIONS FROM THE
UNITED STATES ON PAPERS SUBMITTED
TO THE RULES NEGOTIATING GROUPUnited States
TN/RL/W/35 INVESTIGATORY PROCEDURES UNDER
THE ANTI-DUMPING AND SUBSIDIES
AGREEMENTSUnited States
TN/RL/W/36 MOROCCO'S VIEWS REGARDING
NEGOTIATIONS ON RULES AND THE
DISCIPLINES OF THE AGREEMENT ON
IMPLEMENTATION OF ARTICLE VI OF
GATT 1994 AND THE AGREEMENT ON
SUBSIDIES AND COUNTERVAILING
MEASURESMorocco
TN/RL/W/37 COMMENTS FROM AUSTRALIA ON
BRAZIL'S PAPER ON COUNTERVAILING
MEASURES:  ILLUSTRATIVE MAJOR
ISSUES (DOCUMENT TN/RL/W/19)Australia
TN/RL/W/38 COMMENTS FROM AUSTRALIA ON THE US
PAPER ON BASIC CONCEPTS AND
PRINCIPLES OF THE TRADE REMEDY
RULES (DOCUMENT TN/RL/W/27)Australia
TN/RL/W/39 COMMENTS FROM AUSTRALIA ON THE
EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES' SUBSIDIES
PAPER (TN/RL/W/30)Australia
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