. /.RESTRICTEDWORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONWT/BFA/W/90
14 March 2003
(03-1475)
Committee on Budget, Finance and Administration
CONSOLIDATION OF TEMPORARY ASSISTANCE POSITIONS
IN THE REGULAR BUDGET
Additional information
1. Further to the issuance of document WT/BFA /W/88 and the consequent discussions in the
Committee on Budget, Finance and Administration, additional information has been requested
concerning the number of positions funded by temporary assistance which will have been
continuously occupied for a period of four years in 2004 and 2005.  The following table provides an
overview of the breakdown both of the 24 positio ns referred to in document WT/BFA/W/88 and , for
information purposes, of the additional positions w hose incumbents will have accumulated four years
of continuous short-term service in 2004 and 2005.
Year No. of positions Grade Division
2003 7 2 Support
4 3 Support
4 4 Support
3 5 Support
1 5 Operational
2 6 Support
2 8 Support
1 8 Operational
Total 24
Year No. of positions Grade Division
2004 5 2 Support
3 3 Support
1 4 Support
1 5 Support
1 6 Support
1 8 Operational
Total 12WT/BFA/W/90
Page 2
Year No. of positions Grade Division
2005
12 2 Support
1 2 Operational
4 3 Support
1 3 Operational
2 4 Support
1 5 Support
4 7 Operational
1 8 Operational
Total 26
2. It will be noted from the above table that the vast majority fall in the support category (53 out
of 62 positions) and in the support divisions (52 out of 62 positions).
3. As explained in document WT/BFA/W/88, the consolidation of the 24  positions for 2003  in
the regular budget will have a strictly cost-neutral  effect since the staff concerned enjoy exactly the
same conditions of service as fixed-term and regular staff, except that they are currently not eligible
for consideration for a regular contract.
4. It is hoped that the above additional information will assist the Committee in reaching a
decision with regard to the 24 positions for 2003.
5. In this context, the draft recommendation to the General Council, as contained in Document
WT/BFA/W/88, is re-printed below:
The Committee recommends that the General Council approve the transfer of 24 posts subject to fixed
term contracts from the temporary assistance line to the regular staff cost line of the WTO budget.
Bearing in mind that this reallocation of resources is cost-neutral, the corresponding resources will be
transferred between the appropriate budgetary sections.
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