./.RESTRICTEDWORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONWT/GC/W/96
3 August 1998
(98-3048)
Original:  English
ISSUES PERTAINING TO THE SEPTEMBER 1998
SPECIAL SESSION OF THE GENERAL COUNCIL
Communication from Egypt
The following communication received from the delegation of Egypt is circulated for
information of Members.
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1. Implementation Issues
(a) Difficulties facing developing countries in implementing various agreements (e.g. both
notification and substantive obligations).
(b) Imbalances in some agreements.  Implementation should be in letter and spirit.  The negative
impact on developing countries (e.g. abuse of rules on antidumping – use of standards in theAgreement on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) and the Agreement on Sanitary and
Phytosanitary Measures (SPS) – the manner in which the Agreement on Textiles and Clothing
is implemented).
(c) Lack of implementation by developed countries of a number of obligations (the
implementation of the decision on Net Food-Importing Developing Countries – technical and
financial assistance in the TRIPs Agreement, etc.).
(d) Identifying ways and means to ensure the implementation of special and differential
provisions in favour of developing countries in various WTO Agreements.
(e)  Market access problems facing products of export interest to developing countries.
(f) Analysis of the distribution of the benefits of the Multilateral Trading System (MTS).  Ways
and means to ensure the equitable distribution of these benefits.
(g) Evaluation of the adequacy of technical assistance to developing countries not only in the
implementation of the Uruguay Round Agreem ents but also to maximize trading
opportunities from the URAs with a view to ensuri ng that they be integrated in the MTS and
contribute effectively in its evolution.
(h) Evaluation of the extent to which implementation issues can be addressed within the built-in-
agenda, and how to deal with the difficulties that cannot be addressed in this context.
(i) Effective follow-up of the outcome of the High Level Meeting for LDCs and the integration
of LDCs in the MTS.WT/GC/W/96
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2. Issues that emerged from the two Ministerial Conferences
To ensure that the development perspective is  dealt with in an adequate manner in the
working groups on investment, competition, gove rnment procurement and in dealing with the
issue of trade facilitation and electronic commerce.
3. Accession issues
To address the difficulties facing developing countries in the process of accession to the WTO
in order for us to ensure the universality of the MTS, and to address the financial and other
requirements, including the needs of the WTO Secretariat, that could contribute in achieving
an expeditious termination of accession negotiations.
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