Page9
AGREEMENT ESTABLISHING THE
WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION
TheParties tothisAgreement,
Recognizing thattheirrelationsinthefieldoftradeandeconomicendeavourshouldbeconducted
withaviewtoraising standards ofliving, ensuring fullemployment andalarge andsteadily growing
volume ofrealincome andeffective demand, andexpanding theproduction ofandtrade ingoods and
services, while allowing fortheoptimal useoftheworld 'sresources inaccordance withtheobjective
ofsustainable development, seeking bothtoprotect andpreserve theenvironment andtoenhance the
means fordoing soinamanner consistent withtheirrespective needs andconcerns atdifferent levels
ofeconomic development,
Recognizing further thatthere isneedforpositive efforts designed toensure thatdeveloping
countries, andespecially theleastdeveloped among them, secure ashare inthegrowth ininternational
trade commensurate withtheneeds oftheireconomic development,
Being desirous ofcontributing tothese objectives byentering intoreciprocal andmutually
advantageous arrangements directed tothesubstantial reduction oftariffs andother barriers totrade
andtotheelimination ofdiscriminatory treatment ininternational trade relations,
Resolved,therefore,todevelopanintegrated,moreviableanddurablemultilateraltradingsystem
encompassingtheGeneralAgreementonTariffsandTrade,theresultsofpasttradeliberalizationefforts,
andalloftheresults oftheUruguay Round ofMultilateral Trade Negotiations,
Determined topreserve thebasic principles andtofurther theobjectives underlying this
multilateral trading system,
Agree asfollows:
Article I
Establishment oftheOrganization
TheWorld Trade Organization (hereinafter referred toas"theWTO") ishereby established.
Article II
Scope oftheWTO
1. TheWTO shallprovide thecommon institutional framework fortheconduct oftraderelations
among itsMembers inmatters related totheagreements andassociated legalinstruments included in
theAnnexes tothisAgreement.
2. Theagreements andassociated legalinstruments included inAnnexes 1,2and3(hereinafter
referred toas"Multilateral Trade Agreements") areintegral parts ofthisAgreement, binding onall
Members.
3. Theagreements andassociated legal instruments included inAnnex 4(hereinafter referred
toas"Plurilateral Trade Agreements") arealsopartofthisAgreement forthose Members thathavePage10
accepted them, andarebinding onthose Members. ThePlurilateral Trade Agreements donotcreate
either obligations orrights forMembers thathavenotaccepted them.
4. TheGeneralAgreementonTariffsandTrade1994asspecifiedinAnnex1A(hereinafterreferred
toas"GATT 1994") islegally distinct from theGeneral Agreement onTariffs andTrade, dated
30October 1947, annexed totheFinal ActAdopted attheConclusion oftheSecond Session ofthe
Preparatory Committee oftheUnited Nations Conference onTrade andEmployment, assubsequently
rectified, amended ormodified (hereinafter referred toas"GATT 1947").
Article III
Functions oftheWTO
1. TheWTO shallfacilitate theimplementation, administration andoperation, andfurther the
objectives, ofthisAgreement andoftheMultilateral Trade Agreements, andshallalsoprovide the
framework fortheimplementation, administration andoperation ofthePlurilateral Trade Agreements.
2. TheWTO shall provide theforum fornegotiations among itsMembers concerning their
multilateral traderelations inmatters dealtwithunder theagreements intheAnnexes tothisAgreement.
TheWTO mayalsoprovide aforum forfurther negotiations among itsMembers concerning their
multilateral traderelations, andaframework fortheimplementation oftheresults ofsuchnegotiations,
asmaybedecided bytheMinisterial Conference.
3. TheWTOshalladministertheUnderstandingonRulesandProceduresGoverningtheSettlement
ofDisputes (hereinafter referred toasthe"Dispute Settlement Understanding" or"DSU") inAnnex 2
tothisAgreement.
4. TheWTO shalladminister theTrade Policy Review Mechanism (hereinafter referred toas
the"TPRM") provided forinAnnex 3tothisAgreement.
5. Withaviewtoachieving greater coherence inglobal economic policy-making, theWTO shall
cooperate, asappropriate, withtheInternational Monetary Fund andwiththeInternational Bank for
Reconstruction andDevelopment anditsaffiliated agencies.
Article IV
Structure oftheWTO
1. There shallbeaMinisterial Conference composed ofrepresentatives ofalltheMembers, which
shallmeet atleastonceevery twoyears. TheMinisterial Conference shallcarry outthefunctions
oftheWTO andtakeactions necessary tothiseffect. TheMinisterial Conference shallhavetheauthority
totakedecisions onallmatters under anyoftheMultilateral Trade Agreements, ifsorequested by
aMember, inaccordance withthespecific requirements fordecision-making inthisAgreement and
intherelevant Multilateral Trade Agreement.
2. There shallbeaGeneral Council composed ofrepresentatives ofalltheMembers, which shall
meetasappropriate. Intheintervals between meetings oftheMinisterial Conference, itsfunctions
shallbeconducted bytheGeneral Council. TheGeneral Council shallalsocarry outthefunctions
assigned toitbythisAgreement. TheGeneral Council shallestablish itsrulesofprocedure andapprove
therules ofprocedure fortheCommittees provided forinparagraph 7.Page11
3. TheGeneral Council shallconvene asappropriate todischarge theresponsibilities oftheDispute
Settlement Body provided forintheDispute Settlement Understanding. TheDispute Settlement Body
mayhaveitsownchairman andshallestablish suchrulesofprocedure asitdeems necessary forthe
fulfilment ofthose responsibilities.
4. TheGeneral Council shallconvene asappropriate todischarge theresponsibilities oftheTrade
Policy Review Body provided forintheTPRM. TheTrade Policy Review Body mayhaveitsown
chairman andshallestablish suchrulesofprocedure asitdeems necessary forthefulfilment ofthose
responsibilities.
5. There shallbeaCouncil forTrade inGoods, aCouncil forTrade inServices andaCouncil
forTrade-Related Aspects ofIntellectual Property Rights (hereinafter referred toasthe"Council for
TRIPS"), which shalloperate under thegeneral guidance oftheGeneral Council. TheCouncil for
Trade inGoods shalloversee thefunctioning oftheMultilateral Trade Agreements inAnnex 1A.The
Council forTrade inServices shalloversee thefunctioning oftheGeneral Agreement onTrade in
Services (hereinafter referred toas"GATS"). TheCouncil forTRIPS shalloversee thefunctioning
oftheAgreement onTrade-Related Aspects ofIntellectual Property Rights (hereinafter referred to
asthe"Agreement onTRIPS"). These Councils shallcarry outthefunctions assigned tothembytheir
respective agreements andbytheGeneral Council. They shall establish theirrespective rules of
procedure subject totheapproval oftheGeneral Council. Membership intheseCouncils shallbeopen
torepresentatives ofallMembers. These Councils shallmeetasnecessary tocarry outtheirfunctions.
6. TheCouncil forTrade inGoods, theCouncil forTrade inServices andtheCouncil forTRIPS
shallestablish subsidiary bodies asrequired. These subsidiary bodies shallestablish theirrespective
rules ofprocedure subject totheapproval oftheirrespective Councils.
7. TheMinisterialConferenceshallestablishaCommitteeonTradeandDevelopment,aCommittee
onBalance-of-Payments Restrictions andaCommittee onBudget, Finance andAdministration, which
shall carry outthefunctions assigned tothem bythisAgreement andbytheMultilateral Trade
Agreements, andanyadditional functions assigned tothembytheGeneral Council, andmayestablish
suchadditional Committees withsuchfunctions asitmaydeem appropriate. Aspartofitsfunctions,
theCommittee onTrade andDevelopment shall periodically review thespecial provisions inthe
Multilateral Trade Agreements infavour oftheleast-developed country Members andreport tothe
GeneralCouncilforappropriateaction.MembershipintheseCommitteesshallbeopentorepresentatives
ofallMembers.
8. Thebodies provided forunder thePlurilateral Trade Agreements shallcarry outthefunctions
assigned tothem under those Agreements andshalloperate within theinstitutional framework ofthe
WTO. These bodies shallkeeptheGeneral Council informed oftheiractivities onaregular basis.
Article V
Relations withOther Organizations
1. TheGeneral Council shallmake appropriate arrangements foreffective cooperation withother
intergovernmental organizations thathaveresponsibilities related tothose oftheWTO.
2. TheGeneral Council maymake appropriate arrangements forconsultation andcooperation
withnon-governmental organizations concerned withmatters related tothose oftheWTO.Page12
Article VI
TheSecretariat
1. There shallbeaSecretariat oftheWTO (hereinafter referred toas“theSecretariat ”)headed
byaDirector-General.
2. TheMinisterial Conference shallappoint theDirector-General andadopt regulations setting
outthepowers, duties, conditions ofservice andtermofoffice oftheDirector-General.
3. TheDirector-General shallappoint themembers ofthestaffoftheSecretariat anddetermine
their duties andconditions ofservice inaccordance withregulations adopted bytheMinisterial
Conference.
4. Theresponsibilities oftheDirector-General andofthestaffoftheSecretariat shallbeexclusively
international incharacter. Inthedischarge oftheirduties, theDirector-General andthestaffofthe
Secretariat shallnotseekoraccept instructions from anygovernment oranyother authority external
totheWTO. They shallrefrain from anyaction which might adversely reflect ontheirposition as
international officials. TheMembers oftheWTO shall respect theinternational character ofthe
responsibilities oftheDirector-General andofthestaffoftheSecretariat andshallnotseektoinfluence
them inthedischarge oftheirduties.
Article VII
Budget andContributions
1. TheDirector-General shallpresent totheCommittee onBudget, Finance andAdministration
theannual budget estimate andfinancial statement oftheWTO. TheCommittee onBudget, Finance
andAdministration shallreview theannual budget estimate andthefinancial statement presented by
theDirector-General andmake recommendations thereon totheGeneral Council. Theannual budget
estimate shallbesubject toapproval bytheGeneral Council.
2. TheCommittee onBudget, Finance andAdministration shallpropose totheGeneral Council
financial regulations which shallinclude provisions setting out:
(a) thescaleofcontributions apportioning theexpenses oftheWTO among itsMembers;
and
(b) themeasures tobetaken inrespect ofMembers inarrears.
Thefinancial regulations shall bebased, asfaraspracticable, ontheregulations andpractices of
GATT 1947.
3. TheGeneral Council shalladopt thefinancial regulations andtheannual budget estimate by
atwo-thirds majority comprising more thanhalfoftheMembers oftheWTO.
4. Each Member shallpromptly contribute totheWTO itsshare intheexpenses oftheWTO
inaccordance withthefinancial regulations adopted bytheGeneral Council.Page13
Article VIII
Status oftheWTO
1. TheWTO shallhavelegal personality, andshallbeaccorded byeachofitsMembers such
legalcapacity asmaybenecessary fortheexercise ofitsfunctions.
2. TheWTO shallbeaccorded byeachofitsMembers suchprivileges andimmunities asare
necessary fortheexercise ofitsfunctions.
3. Theofficials oftheWTO andtherepresentatives oftheMembers shallsimilarly beaccorded
byeachofitsMembers suchprivileges andimmunities asarenecessary fortheindependent exercise
oftheirfunctions inconnection withtheWTO.
4. Theprivileges andimmunities tobeaccorded byaMember totheWTO, itsofficials, andthe
representatives ofitsMembers shall besimilar totheprivileges andimmunities stipulated inthe
Convention onthePrivileges andImmunities oftheSpecialized Agencies, approved bytheGeneral
Assembly oftheUnited Nations on21November 1947.
5. TheWTO mayconclude aheadquarters agreement.
Article IX
Decision-Making
1. TheWTO shall continue thepractice ofdecision-making byconsensus followed under
GATT 1947.1Except asotherwise provided, where adecision cannot bearrived atbyconsensus, the
matter atissueshallbedecided byvoting. Atmeetings oftheMinisterial Conference andtheGeneral
Council, eachMember oftheWTO shallhaveonevote. Where theEuropean Communities exercise
theirrighttovote,theyshallhaveanumber ofvotes equal tothenumber oftheirmember States2which
areMembers oftheWTO. Decisions oftheMinisterial Conference andtheGeneral Council shall
betaken byamajority ofthevotes cast,unless otherwise provided inthisAgreement orintherelevant
Multilateral Trade Agreement.3
2. TheMinisterial Conference andtheGeneral Council shallhavetheexclusive authority toadopt
interpretations ofthisAgreement andoftheMultilateral Trade Agreements. Inthecaseofan
interpretation ofaMultilateral Trade Agreement inAnnex 1,theyshallexercise theirauthority on
thebasis ofarecommendation bytheCouncil overseeing thefunctioning ofthatAgreement. The
decision toadopt aninterpretation shallbetaken byathree-fourths majority oftheMembers. This
paragraph shallnotbeusedinamanner thatwould undermine theamendment provisions inArticle X.
3. Inexceptional circumstances, theMinisterial Conference maydecide towaive anobligation
imposed onaMember bythisAgreement oranyoftheMultilateral Trade Agreements, provided that
1Thebody concerned shallbedeemed tohave decided byconsensus onamatter submitted foritsconsideration, ifno
Member, present atthemeeting when thedecision istaken, formally objects totheproposed decision.
2Thenumber ofvotes oftheEuropean Communities andtheirmember States shallinnocaseexceed thenumber ofthe
member States oftheEuropean Communities.
3Decisions bytheGeneral Council when convened astheDispute Settlement Body shall betaken onlyinaccordance
withtheprovisions ofparagraph 4ofArticle 2oftheDispute Settlement Understanding.Page14
anysuchdecision shallbetaken bythree fourths4oftheMembers unless otherwise provided forin
thisparagraph.
(a) Arequest forawaiver concerning thisAgreement shallbesubmitted totheMinisterial
Conference forconsideration pursuant tothepractice ofdecision-making byconsensus.
TheMinisterialConferenceshallestablishatime-period,whichshallnotexceed90days,
toconsider therequest. Ifconsensus isnotreached during thetime-period, anydecision
togrant awaiver shallbetaken bythree fourths4oftheMembers.
(b) Arequest forawaiver concerning theMultilateral Trade Agreements inAnnexes 1A
or1Bor1Candtheirannexes shallbesubmitted initially totheCouncil forTrade
inGoods, theCouncil forTrade inServices ortheCouncil forTRIPS, respectively,
forconsideration during atime-period which shallnotexceed 90days. Attheend
ofthetime-period, therelevant Council shall submit areport totheMinisterial
Conference.
4. Adecision bytheMinisterial Conference granting awaiver shall state theexceptional
circumstances justifying thedecision, theterms andconditions governing theapplication ofthewaiver,
andthedateonwhich thewaiver shallterminate. Anywaiver granted foraperiod ofmore thanone
yearshallbereviewed bytheMinisterial Conference notlaterthanoneyearafteritisgranted, and
thereafter annually untilthewaiver terminates. Ineachreview, theMinisterial Conference shallexamine
whether theexceptional circumstances justifying thewaiver stillexist andwhether theterms and
conditions attached tothewaiver havebeenmet.TheMinisterial Conference, onthebasisoftheannual
review, mayextend, modify orterminate thewaiver.
5. Decisions under aPlurilateral Trade Agreement, including anydecisions oninterpretations
andwaivers, shallbegoverned bytheprovisions ofthatAgreement.
Article X
Amendment s
1. AnyMember oftheWTO mayinitiate aproposal toamend theprovisions ofthisAgreement
ortheMultilateral Trade Agreements inAnnex 1bysubmitting suchproposal totheMinisterial
Conference. TheCouncils listed inparagraph 5ofArticle IVmayalsosubmit totheMinisterial
Conference proposals toamend theprovisions ofthecorresponding Multilateral Trade Agreements
inAnnex 1thefunctioning ofwhich theyoversee. Unless theMinisterial Conference decides ona
longer period, foraperiod of90daysaftertheproposal hasbeentabled formally attheMinisterial
Conference anydecision bytheMinisterial Conference tosubmit theproposed amendment tothe
Members foracceptance shallbetaken byconsensus. Unless theprovisions ofparagraphs 2,5or
6apply, thatdecision shallspecify whether theprovisions ofparagraphs 3or4shallapply. Ifconsensus
isreached, theMinisterial Conference shallforthwith submit theproposed amendment totheMembers
foracceptance. Ifconsensus isnotreached atameeting oftheMinisterial Conference within the
established period, theMinisterial Conference shalldecide byatwo-thirds majority oftheMembers
whether tosubmit theproposed amendment totheMembers foracceptance. Except asprovided in
paragraphs 2,5and6,theprovisions ofparagraph 3shallapply totheproposed amendment, unless
theMinisterial Conference decides byathree-fourths majority oftheMembers thattheprovisions of
paragraph 4shallapply.
4Adecision togrant awaiver inrespect ofanyobligation subject toatransition period oraperiod forstaged implementation
thattherequesting Member hasnotperformed bytheendoftherelevant period shall betaken onlybyconsensus.Page15
2. Amendments totheprovisions ofthisArticle andtotheprovisions ofthefollowing Articles
shalltakeeffect onlyupon acceptance byallMembers:
Article IXofthisAgreement;
Articles IandIIofGATT 1994;
Article II:1ofGATS;
Article 4oftheAgreement onTRIPS.
3. Amendments toprovisions ofthisAgreement, oroftheMultilateral Trade Agreements in
Annexes 1Aand1C,other thanthose listed inparagraphs 2and6,ofanature thatwould alterthe
rights andobligations oftheMembers, shalltakeeffect fortheMembers thathaveaccepted themupon
acceptance bytwothirds oftheMembers andthereafter foreachother Member upon acceptance by
it.TheMinisterial Conference maydecide byathree-fourths majority oftheMembers thatany
amendment made effective under thisparagraph isofsuchanature thatanyMember which hasnot
accepted itwithin aperiod specified bytheMinisterial Conference ineachcaseshallbefreetowithdraw
from theWTO ortoremain aMember withtheconsent oftheMinisterial Conference.
4. Amendments toprovisions ofthisAgreement oroftheMultilateral Trade Agreements in
Annexes 1Aand1C,other thanthose listed inparagraphs 2and6,ofanature thatwould notalter
therights andobligations oftheMembers, shalltakeeffect forallMembers upon acceptance bytwo
thirds oftheMembers.
5. Except asprovided inparagraph 2above, amendments toParts I,IIandIIIofGATS andthe
respective annexes shalltakeeffect fortheMembers thathaveaccepted themuponacceptance bytwo
thirds oftheMembers andthereafter foreachMember upon acceptance byit.TheMinisterial
Conference maydecide byathree-fourths majority oftheMembers thatanyamendment made effective
under thepreceding provision isofsuchanature thatanyMember which hasnotaccepted itwithin
aperiod specified bytheMinisterial Conference ineachcaseshallbefreetowithdraw fromtheWTO
ortoremain aMember withtheconsent oftheMinisterial Conference. Amendments toParts IV,
VandVIofGATS andtherespective annexes shalltakeeffect forallMembers upon acceptance by
twothirds oftheMembers.
6. Notwithstanding theother provisions ofthisArticle, amendments totheAgreement onTRIPS
meeting therequirements ofparagraph 2ofArticle 71thereof maybeadopted bytheMinisterial
Conference without further formal acceptance process.
7. AnyMember accepting anamendment tothisAgreement ortoaMultilateral Trade Agreement
inAnnex 1shalldeposit aninstrument ofacceptance withtheDirector-General oftheWTO within
theperiod ofacceptance specified bytheMinisterial Conference.
8. AnyMember oftheWTO mayinitiate aproposal toamend theprovisions oftheMultilateral
Trade Agreements inAnnexes 2and3bysubmitting suchproposal totheMinisterial Conference.
Thedecision toapprove amendments totheMultilateral Trade Agreement inAnnex 2shallbemade
byconsensus andtheseamendments shalltakeeffect forallMembers uponapproval bytheMinisterial
Conference. Decisions toapprove amendments totheMultilateral Trade Agreement inAnnex 3shall
takeeffect forallMembers upon approval bytheMinisterial Conference.
9. TheMinisterial Conference, upon therequest oftheMembers parties toatrade agreement,
maydecide exclusively byconsensus toaddthatagreement toAnnex 4.TheMinisterial Conference,
upon therequest oftheMembers parties toaPlurilateral Trade Agreement, maydecide todelete that
Agreement from Annex 4.Page16
10. Amendments toaPlurilateral Trade Agreement shallbegoverned bytheprovisions ofthat
Agreement.
Article XI
Original Membership
1. Thecontracting parties toGATT 1947 asofthedateofentry intoforce ofthisAgreement,
andtheEuropean Communities, which accept thisAgreement andtheMultilateral Trade Agreements
andforwhich Schedules ofConcessions andCommitments areannexed toGATT 1994andforwhich
Schedules ofSpecific Commitments areannexed toGATS shallbecome original Members oftheWTO.
2. Theleast-developed countries recognized assuchbytheUnited Nations willonlyberequired
toundertake commitments andconcessions totheextent consistent withtheirindividual development,
financial andtrade needs ortheiradministrative andinstitutional capabilities.
Article XII
Accession
1. AnyStateorseparate customs territory possessing fullautonomy intheconduct ofitsexternal
commercial relations andoftheother matters provided forinthisAgreement andtheMultilateral Trade
Agreements mayaccede tothisAgreement, onterms tobeagreed between itandtheWTO. Such
accession shallapply tothisAgreement andtheMultilateral Trade Agreements annexed thereto.
2. DecisionsonaccessionshallbetakenbytheMinisterialConference.TheMinisterialConference
shallapprove theagreement ontheterms ofaccession byatwo-thirds majority oftheMembers of
theWTO.
3. Accession toaPlurilateral Trade Agreement shall begoverned bytheprovisions ofthat
Agreement.
Article XIII
Non-Application ofMultilateral Trade Agreements
between Particular Members
1. ThisAgreement andtheMultilateral Trade Agreements inAnnexes 1and2shallnotapply
asbetween anyMember andanyother Member ifeither oftheMembers, atthetimeeither becomes
aMember, doesnotconsent tosuchapplication.
2. Paragraph 1maybeinvoked between original Members oftheWTO which werecontracting
parties toGATT 1947onlywhere Article XXXV ofthatAgreement hadbeeninvoked earlier andwas
effective asbetween those contracting parties atthetimeofentry intoforceforthemofthisAgreement.
3. Paragraph 1shallapply between aMember andanother Member which hasacceded under
Article XIIonlyiftheMember notconsenting totheapplication hassonotified theMinisterial
ConferencebeforetheapprovaloftheagreementonthetermsofaccessionbytheMinisterialConference.Page17
4. TheMinisterial Conference mayreview theoperation ofthisArticle inparticular cases atthe
request ofanyMember andmake appropriate recommendations.
5. Non-application ofaPlurilateral Trade Agreement between parties tothatAgreement shall
begoverned bytheprovisions ofthatAgreement.
Article XIV
Acceptance, Entry intoForce andDeposit
1. ThisAgreement shallbeopenforacceptance, bysignature orotherwise, bycontracting parties
toGATT 1947, andtheEuropean Communities, which areeligible tobecome original Members of
theWTO inaccordance withArticle XIofthisAgreement. Such acceptance shall apply tothis
Agreement andtheMultilateral Trade Agreements annexed hereto. ThisAgreement andtheMultilateral
Trade Agreements annexed hereto shall enter intoforce onthedatedetermined byMinisters in
accordance withparagraph 3oftheFinal ActEmbodying theResults oftheUruguay Round of
Multilateral Trade Negotiations andshallremain openforacceptance foraperiod oftwoyears following
thatdateunless theMinisters decide otherwise. Anacceptance following theentry intoforce ofthis
Agreement shallenter intoforce onthe30thdayfollowing thedateofsuchacceptance.
2. AMember which accepts thisAgreement afteritsentry intoforce shallimplement those con-
cessions andobligations intheMultilateral Trade Agreements thataretobeimplemented overaperiod
oftimestarting withtheentry intoforce ofthisAgreement asifithadaccepted thisAgreement on
thedateofitsentry intoforce.
3. Until theentry intoforce ofthisAgreement, thetextofthisAgreement andtheMultilateral
Trade Agreements shallbedeposited withtheDirector-General totheCONTRACTING PARTIES
toGATT 1947. TheDirector-General shallpromptly furnish acertified truecopyofthisAgreement
andtheMultilateralTradeAgreements,andanotificationofeachacceptancethereof,toeachgovernment
andtheEuropean Communities having accepted thisAgreement. ThisAgreement andtheMultilateral
Trade Agreements, andanyamendments thereto, shall, upon theentry intoforce ofthisAgreement,
bedeposited withtheDirector-General oftheWTO.
4. Theacceptance andentry intoforce ofaPlurilateral Trade Agreement shallbegoverned by
theprovisions ofthatAgreement. SuchAgreements shallbedeposited withtheDirector-General to
theCONTRACTING PARTIES toGATT 1947. Upon theentry intoforce ofthisAgreement, such
Agreements shallbedeposited withtheDirector-General oftheWTO.
Article XV
Withdrawal
1. AnyMember maywithdraw from thisAgreement. Such withdrawal shallapply bothtothis
Agreement andtheMultilateral Trade Agreements andshalltakeeffect upontheexpiration ofsixmonths
fromthedateonwhich written notice ofwithdrawal isreceived bytheDirector-General oftheWTO.
2. Withdrawal from aPlurilateral Trade Agreement shallbegoverned bytheprovisions ofthat
Agreement.Page18
Article XVI
Miscellaneous Provisions
1. Except asotherwise provided under thisAgreement ortheMultilateral Trade Agreements,
theWTO shall beguided bythedecisions, procedures andcustomary practices followed bythe
CONTRACTINGPARTIEStoGATT1947andthebodiesestablishedintheframeworkofGATT1947.
2. Totheextent practicable, theSecretariat ofGATT 1947 shallbecome theSecretariat ofthe
WTO, andtheDirector-General totheCONTRACTING PARTIES toGATT 1947, untilsuchtime
astheMinisterial Conference hasappointed aDirector-General inaccordance withparagraph 2of
Article VIofthisAgreement, shallserve asDirector-General oftheWTO.
3. Intheevent ofaconflict between aprovision ofthisAgreement andaprovision ofanyofthe
Multilateral Trade Agreements, theprovision ofthisAgreement shallprevail totheextent oftheconflict.
4. Each Member shallensure theconformity ofitslaws, regulations andadministrative procedures
withitsobligations asprovided intheannexed Agreements.
5. Noreservations maybemade inrespect ofanyprovision ofthisAgreement. Reservations
inrespect ofanyoftheprovisions oftheMultilateral Trade Agreements mayonlybemade totheextent
provided forinthose Agreements. Reservations inrespect ofaprovision ofaPlurilateral Trade
Agreement shallbegoverned bytheprovisions ofthatAgreement.
6. ThisAgreement shallberegistered inaccordance withtheprovisions ofArticle 102ofthe
Charter oftheUnited Nations.
DONE atMarrakesh thisfifteenth dayofApril onethousand ninehundred andninety-four,
inasingle copy, intheEnglish, French andSpanish languages, eachtextbeing authentic.
Explanatory Notes:
Theterms "country"or "countries" asusedinthisAgreement andtheMultilateralTrade Agreementsare tobeunderstood
toinclude anyseparate customs territory Member oftheWTO.
Inthecaseofaseparate customs territory Member oftheWTO, where anexpression inthisAgreement andthe
Multilateral Trade Agreements isqualified bytheterm"national", suchexpression shallbereadaspertaining tothatcustoms
territory, unless otherwise specified.Page19
LIST OFANNEXES
ANNEX 1
ANNEX 1A:Multilateral Agreements onTrade inGoods
General Agreement onTariffs andTrade 1994
Agreement onAgriculture
Agreement ontheApplication ofSanitary andPhytosanitary Measures
Agreement onTextiles andClothing
Agreement onTechnical Barriers toTrade
Agreement onTrade-Related Investment Measures
AgreementonImplementationofArticleVIoftheGeneralAgreementonTariffsandTrade1994
AgreementonImplementationofArticleVIIoftheGeneralAgreementonTariffsandTrade1994
Agreement onPreshipment Inspection
Agreement onRules ofOrigin
Agreement onImport Licensing Procedures
Agreement onSubsidies andCountervailing Measures
Agreement onSafeguards
ANNEX 1B:General Agreement onTrade inServices andAnnexes
ANNEX 1C:Agreement onTrade-Related Aspects ofIntellectual Property Rights
ANNEX 2
Understanding onRules andProcedures Governing theSettlement ofDisputes
ANNEX 3
Trade Policy Review Mechanism
ANNEX 4
Plurilateral Trade Agreements
Agreement onTrade inCivil Aircraft
Agreement onGovernment Procurement
International Dairy Agreement
International Bovine Meat Agreement