  
  
WT/GC/W/901  
 
13 October 2023  
(23-6917) Page: 1/1 
General Council  Original: English  
 
  
DRAFT  
GENERAL COUNCIL DECISION ON EXTENSION OF UNILATERAL DUTY FREE AND QUOTA 
FREE PREFERENCES IN FAVOUR OF COUNTRIES GRADUATED FROM THE LDC CATEGORY  
The following communication, dated 13 October 2023, is being circulated at the request of the  
delegation of Djibouti on behalf of the  LDC Group.  
 
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The General Council,  
 
Having regard  to the provision for consensus decision -making in paragr aph 1 of Article IX of the 
Marrakesh Agreement Establishing the World Trade Organization (WTO);  
 
Noting  proposals submitted by the LDC Group at the General Council ( WT/GC/W/807 , 
WT/GC/W/829 , and WT/GC/W/807/Rev.2)  as well as the extensive engag ement by Members on this 
matter;  
 
Further recalling  the paragraph 5 of the WTO MC12 Outcome Document adopted by Ministers on 
17 June 2022 ( WT/MIN(22)/24 , WT/L/1135)  that acknowledges the challenges including the loss of 
trade-related international support measures after graduation from the LDC category and recognizes 
the importance of WTO measures to address those challenges;  
 
Decides:  
 
To encourage those Members that graduate or remove countries from unilateral tariff or duty -free 
and quota free (DFQF) preference programmes reserved for least developed countries (LDCs) based 
on their being graduated from the UN list of LDCs, to  provide a smooth and sustainable transition 
period for withdrawal of such preferences after the entry into force of a decision of the UN General 
Assembly to graduate a country from the LDC category.  
 
 
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