. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONWT/GC/W/389
15 November 1999
(99-4916)
General Council Original:  Spanish
PREPARATIONS FOR THE 1999 MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE
Trade and Competition Policy
Paragraph 9(b) of the Geneva Ministerial Declaration
Communication from Cuba
The following communication, dated 9 November 1999, has been received from the
Permanent Mission of Cuba.
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Introduction
1. The adoption of the work programme agreed in Singapore in 1996 was a major challenge to
developing countries, as its inclusion added to the tasks under the existing work programme with
regard to the various matters regulated by the WTO and which were still to be tackled.
2. The mandate of the Working Group on the Interaction between Trade and Competition Policy
had an educational, exploratory and analytical basis and made clear that its work would not prejudge
the start of negotiations when those matters were reviewed.
3. The following is the situation on the eve of the Third Ministerial Conference at Seattle:
(a) The Working Group has not yet completed its task, as the matters under study call for
more in-depth analysis, given their complex nature.  There are still areas that need
greater review and study, such as the repercussions of the restrictive trade practices
utilized by transnational companies;
(b) in general, developing countries need to prepare their national structures based on a
prior domestic study, in order to implement and/or develop domestic rules oncompetition policy, as well as to clarify their orientation.  Nevertheless, this exercise
cannot be subordinated to compliance with new WTO undertakings;
(c) furthermore, developing countries are currently having difficulties due to the real
problems arising from compliance with existing undertakings.
Proposal
4. Continue the educational, exploratory and analytical work of the Working Group on the
Interaction between Trade and Competition Policy.WT/GC/W/389
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5. Develop a technical assistance programme for developing countries in order to:
(a) Ascertain the real needs of each country in the sphere of competition policy,
including cooperation in preparing and adapting infrastructure and providing the
required training;
(b) study the individual and global consequences of the introduction or development of
competition policy regimes;  and
(c) take an active part in the work being done by the Working Group on the Interaction
between Trade and Competition Policy.
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