 RESTRICTED  
  
G/TFA/M/12  
 
11 August 2020 
(20-5499) Page: 1/5 
Committee on Trade Facilitation   
 
MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE COMMITTEE ON TRADE FACILITATION  
 
28 FEBRUARY 2020  
CHAIR: HE MR MOHAMMAD QURBAN HAQJO (AFGHANISTAN)  
Contents  
MATTERS RELATING TO THE IMPLEMENTATION AND ADMINISTRATION OF THE  
TRADE FACILITATION AGREEMENT  ................................ ................................ .................  2 
1  REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL TIME TO NO TIFY DEFINITIVE DATES FOR  
CATEGORY B PROVISIONS  ................................ ................................ ..............................  2 
Mauritania  ................................ ................................ ................................ .........................  2 
Sierra Leone  ................................ ................................ ................................ ......................  4 
2   OTHER BUSINESS  ................................ ................................ ................................ ....... 5 
 
1.1.  The Chairperson  welcomed delegations to the extraordinary meeting of the Trade Facilitation 
Committee (TF Committee, Committee, or TFC). The meeting had been convened in document 
WTO/AIR/TFA/12, in accordance with Rule 2 of the Rules of Procedure for meetings of the Gene ral 
Council, which were applied mutatis mutandis to the TF Committee under its rules of procedure.  
1.2.  In accordance with Article 16.2 (a) of the TFA, the deadline for least developed country  (LDC)  
Members  to submit the definitive date for the implementation o f category B provisions was 22 
February 2020. In accordance with Article 16.2 (b) of the TFA, LDC Members could submit a request 
for an extension of their definitive dates up to the deadline of 22 February 2020. The Committee 
was required to take a decision  on the request by that same date.  
1.3.  The urgency and significant importance for convening the meeting was to enable the 
Committee to consider the requests of Mauritania and Sierra Leone for an extension of the 22 
February 2020 deadline notification of the d efinitive dates for implementation of their category B 
provisions.  
1.4.  The Chairperson informed the Committee that he would raise two issues under Other Business: 
the dates of the Committee's next meetings in 2020, and the participation of Annex D organization s 
and the Global Alliance in the next Committee meeting.  
1.5.  The Committee adopted  the agenda as proposed in WTO/AIR/TFA/12, with the addition of the 
items included under Other Business.  G/TFA/M/12  
 
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  MATTERS RELATING TO THE IMPLEMENTATION AND ADMINISTRATION OF THE TRADE 
FACILITATION AGREEMENT  
1  REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL TIME TO NOTIFY DEFINITIVE DATES FOR CATEGORY B 
PROVISIONS  
Mauritania  
1.6.  The Chairperson  drew the Committee's attention to the communication from Mauritania in 
documents G/TFA/N/MRT/1/Add.1, dated 25 February 202 0 and G/TFA/N/MRT/1/Add.1/Corr.1, in 
which it raised a request for an extension until 31 May 2021 to notify the definitive dates for 
implementation of its category B provisions.  
1.7.  The representative of Mauritania  thanked the Committee for having convened to consider 
Mauritania's request. In a communication to the Trade Facilitation Committee dated 21 February 
2020, Mauritania had requested an extension of the deadline for the notification of category B 
provisions of the TFA, until 31 May 2021.  
1.8.  Following Mauri tania's self -assessment which had been carried out in March 2019, a new 
Government had been formed in August 2019, and the Ministry of Trade had been restructured. As 
part of the process, the organizational charts of the various administrations were redefi ned, and new 
officials had only recently been appointed to office.  
1.9.  As a result, implementation of the category B commitments under the TFA would not be feasible 
within the previously established deadline. Moreover, as assistance and support for capacity bu ilding 
to enable implementation of the TFA had not been provided before the prescribed deadlines, the 
administration was lacking sufficient human resources to effectively fulfil the mandate  
1.10.   With regard to TFA Article 1.2, Information Available on the Inter net, the information was not 
yet available on the internet because the site itself, which was managed by Mauritania Customs, 
was not yet 100% operational and required a maintenance update.  
1.11.   With regard to Article 10.7, Common Border Procedures and Uniform Documentation 
Requirements, the border offices were still lacking the required number of qualified staff which would 
allow them to familiarize themselves with the common border procedures and also to deal with 
document within the required time.  
1.12.   The represe ntative of Nepal , as focal point of the LDC Core Group on Trade Facilitation 
supported the requests made by Mauritania and Sierra Leone. Nepal requested that all Members 
give positive consideration to both requests.  
1.13.   The representative of Chad speaking as C oordinator of the LDC Group requested Members to 
be flexible and to accept Mauritania's request. LDC Members were always economically vulnerable 
and they needed to continue to strengthen the progress that they had made if they were to be able 
to obtain a b etter integration into global trade. The LDC share of global trade remained marginal. 
The TFA contributed to increasing LDC market share in global trade. This was one of many reasons 
to grant the requests by Members of the LDC group. The WTO Director -Gener al marking the third 
anniversary of the TFA said that the TFA was allowing Members to ensure the global trading system 
could contribute to greater prosperity for populations, especially the most vulnerable populations. 
The Chairman of the TF Committee had also noted that by the third anniversary of the TFA, Members 
had identified a roadmap for the implementation of the TFA. This was a major milestone and was a 
major success for the organization.  
1.14.   Members would continue to make efforts to work in that spirit,  especially in respect of their 
commitments so that they could benefit from the implementation of the TFA. However, LDCs 
experienced significant restraints that could result in them not being able to make certain 
notifications. The requests for extensions by Mauritania and Sierra Leone were the result of such 
constraints. Chad hoped that Members would be able to agree to Mauritania's request.  G/TFA/M/12  
 
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  1.15.   The representative of Afghanistan  expressed Afghanistan's support for the request made by 
Mauritania. As an LDC Memb er, Afghanistan knew too well the challenges faced by Mauritania, and 
called on Members to consider their exceptional circumstances when considering the request.  
1.16.   The representative of Cambodia  said that Article 16.2 of the TFA stipulated that LDCs who 
faced challenges and could not notify definitive dates of their category B commitments were allowed 
to make a request for additional time. In that regard, Cambodia expressed its support for the 
requests made by Mauritania and Sierra Leone. With regard to its o wn notification, Cambodia had 
submitted a draft of its category B definitive dates on 21 February 2020 to the Secretariat, which 
would be circulated once it had been finalized. On 26 February 2020, Cambodia had established its 
National Trade Facilitation C ommittee in accordance with Article 23 of the TFA.  
1.17.   The representative of the United States  urged all LDCs and other Members to make full use 
of the TFA and the Committee itself to meet their TFA deadlines. For instance, the United States 
provided a point o f contact for technical assistance under Article 22. They hoped that kind of 
information was helpful to LDCs and other Members as they worked to implement the Agreement. 
The US hoped that the Committee provided valuable information and support to all Membe rs in their 
efforts to implement the Agreement. The US strongly urged those Members, particularly LDCs, to 
bring difficulties that they had in finding technical assistance to the TF Committee itself. Even if the 
US did not have a specific programme tailore d to address a specific need, other Members would 
have heard it, and might be able to locate a donor who could help.  
1.18.   Since the implementation of the TFA, the TF Committee had held multiple meetings and they 
had been attended by capital -based officials from  many Members who were directly engaged in trade 
capacity building. The US urged Members to take advantage of that opportunity and to talk to USAID, 
or to other donors and organizations such as the WCO, the World Bank Group, and others, as well 
as in the T F Committee meetings. The US saw the Committee as a wonderful collection of knowledge 
and expertise that they hoped could be brought to those Members who were having difficulties with 
implementation. Looking forward, the US urged LDCs and other to use the TF Committee for 
expressing challenges as well as sharing success stories. The Committee was an excellent 
networking forum, and the US hoped that it could be better utilised going forward.  
1.19.   Specifically, regarding the request from Mauritania, it would be th e US preference to agree to 
an extension for one year until 21 February 2021. This would not preclude an additional extension 
of time if needed. The US believed that the one -year extension would provide Mauritania the 
opportunity to provide updates on prog ress or further explanation of difficulties, so that the 
Committee could pair up assistance to help them address the challenges that they were 
encountering. The US believed that the TF Committee was a wonderful venue to bring forward those 
concerns over th e next year.  
1.20.   The representative of the European Union  said that the EU had no objections to the request 
from Mauritania. As already stated by the US, the EU also believed that it was good that Members 
explain their difficulties and bring their problems to the Committee. Like the US, the EU was very 
willing to help, both in terms of helping Members to notify and to implement the Agreement. The EU 
also wished to congratulate Cambodia on the establishment of its NCTF.  
1.21.   The representative of Japan  thanked Maurit ania for the explanation of its need for extending 
the period for notifying its definitive dates for category B provisions. Japan was very interested in 
understanding the reasons for delays so further explanation would be very much appreciated. In 
order to  achieve the benefits of full implementation of the TFA, it was very important for Members 
to notify their definitive dates for the implementation of the TFA provisions at the earliest possible 
date. Japan encouraged Mauritania to provide the notification as soon as possible.  
1.22.   The representative of Mauritania  thanked Members for their support. She expressed 
Mauritania's flexibility with regard to the duration of the extension and said that Mauritania could 
agree to a deadline extension of one year to 21 Febr uary 2021, as proposed by the US.  
1.23.   The Committee agreed  to grant Mauritania's request for an extension of the deadline until 21 
February 2021 for notification of the definitive dates for implementation of its category B provisions.  G/TFA/M/12  
 
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  Sierra Leone  
1.24.   The Chairperson  drew the Committee's attention to the communication from Sierra Leone in 
document G/TFA/N/SLE/1/Add.1, dated 25 February 2020, in which it raised a request for additional 
time to notify definitive dates for the implementation of its category B provisions.  
1.25.   The representative of Sierra Leone  said that it had requested an extension for its notification 
as a result of unavoidable challenges. These were related to insufficient personnel within the 
concerned ministry, as well as coordination issues am ong the relevant agencies and entities involved 
in the implementation of the Agreement, including from the public and private sectors. The problem 
was also compounded by other related challenges with operationalising the multi -agency National 
Trade Facilit ation Committee, which included representatives from the public and private sectors. 
Sierra Leone was fully committed to implementing the provisions of the TFA as soon as possible, 
and it thanked the donor partners for their invaluable support towards its five-year trade facilitation 
action plan.  
1.26.   The representative of Chad, as Coordinator of the LDC Group said that the LDC group fully 
supported Sierra Leone's request. There had been an improvement in regard to the rate of 
implementation of the Agreement by LDCs. The rate of implementation had increased to 31% as 
opposed to 2% one year earlier, which indicated substantial progress. It should give real 
encouragement to LDCs to step up their efforts with regard to implementing the TFA. The LDC Group 
was convinc ed that LDCs would continue with their efforts to honour their notification commitments. 
The LDC Group welcomed the demonstration of flexibility on the part of the US. The spirit in the 
Committee was very positive. Hopefully this could be replicated within  other WTO bodies. The LDC 
Group thanked Members for their support regarding Mauritania's request, and in the same spirit, 
hoped that all Members could agree to Sierra Leone's request.  
1.27.   The representative of Afghanistan  said that Afghanistan joined the LDC group and the 
delegation of Nepal in supporting the request made by Sierra Leone for additional time to notify its 
category B definitive dates.  
1.28.   The representative of the United States  said that the US preference would be to agree to an 
extension for one ye ar up to 21 February 2021. Doing so would not preclude an additional extension 
of time if needed. A one -year extension would give Sierra Leone the opportunity to provide updates 
on progress or further explanation of difficulties, so that the Committee coul d work with Sierra Leone 
in an effort to address those concerns.  
1.29.   The representative of Japan  thanked Sierra Leone for the explanation and said that further 
explanation would be helpful to understand the situation. Japan encouraged Sierra Leone to provide 
the notification as soon as possible.  
1.30.   The representative of the European Union  said that the EU had no objection to Sierra Leone's 
request.  
1.31.   The representative of Hong Kong, China  said that her delegation had no objection to the 
request.  
1.32.   The representative  of Pakistan  said that Pakistan supported the request by Sierra Leone.  
1.33.   The representative of Sierra Leone  thanked Members for their support. He expressed Sierra 
Leone's flexibility with regard to the duration of the extension and said that Sierra Leone co uld agree 
to a deadline extension of one year to 21 February 2021.  
1.34.   The Committee agreed  to grant Sierra Leone's request for an extension of the notification 
deadline until 21 February 2021 of the definitive dates for implementation of its category B 
provisions.  
1.35.   The representative of Chad thanked all Members for their flexibility. The TFA was a unique 
agreement because it allowed developing countries and LDCs to establish their own timeframes for 
implementation depending on their capacities. It was a very f lexible agreement and LDCs were going 
to use that flexibility to try to move ahead and to respect their commitments under the Agreement.  G/TFA/M/12  
 
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  1.36.   A study carried out by WTO economists showed that full implementation of the TFA could lead 
to a 14.3% reduction in the  cost of trade of which developing countries and LDCs would be the main 
beneficiaries. The Agreement should also allow the annual average of importation and exportation 
times to be cut by 47% and 91% respectively. LDCs were very aware that the TFA would be  
extremely beneficial for them. They were going to do their upmost to ensure that their notification 
commitments were fulfilled before the extended deadline.  
1.37.   The representative of the United States  reiterated the US' sincere desire to work within the 
Commi ttee to help those Members having difficulty to achieve their goals and implement the 
Agreement.  
2  OTHER BUSINESS  
2.1.  The Chairperson  confirmed that the next meeting of the Committee would take place on 19 
May and continue on 20 May as necessary. The regular session of the Autumn meeting would take 
place on 20 and 21 October and would be followed by the Dedicated Session on Capacity Bui lding 
on 22 October.  
2.2.  The Committee agreed  to invite Annex D organizations and the Global Alliance to attend the 
next Committee.  
2.3.  The meeting was adjourned . 
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