TWN Info Service on WTO and Trade Issues (Dec25/22)
18 December 2025
Third World Network

WTO: Little progress at year-end GC meeting amid agenda wrangling
Published in SUNS #10356 dated 18 December 2025

Geneva, 17 Dec (D. Ravi Kanth) — The World Trade Organization’s much-hyped year-end General Council (GC) meeting on 16 December made little progress, as it reportedly witnessed a minor bedlam over the agenda and several issues, with many members cautioning that without reforms in agriculture and the dispute settlement system, there can be no real reform, said people familiar with the development.

The GC meeting was preceded by a meeting of capital-based senior officials on 15 December, in which officials from major countries participated.

Jointly convened by the chair of the General Council, Ambassador Saqer Abdullah AlMoqbel of Saudi Arabia, and the WTO’s Director-General, Ms. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the senior officials’ meeting proved to be a “damp squib,” lasting less than two hours, said people familiar with the development.

At the beginning of the GC meeting on 16 December, India appears to have sharply objected to the agenda for the meeting.

Several countries seemingly aligned with India, while others objected to the fierce opposition to the framing of the GC agenda, according to people familiar with the development.

Subsequently, the Cameroonian trade minister, who was present at the meeting, is understood to have “calmed the waters”.

The WTO’s 14th ministerial conference (MC14) is to be held in Yaounde, Cameroon on 26-29 March 2026.

At the opening of the GC meeting on 16 December, members elected Luc Magloire Mbarga Atangana, Minister of Trade of Cameroon, as chair of MC14.

Members also elected the following to serve as vice- chairs for MC14: Kamina Johnson Smith (Jamaica); Todd McClay (New Zealand); and Francisco Tiu-Laurel (Philippines).

Following the showdown on the agenda, members discussed item two concerning “possible deliverables for MC14” for almost seven hours, said people familiar with the development.

Under this rubric, members discussed the following items:

1. Report by the Chairperson of the Trade Negotiations Committee and Report by the Director-General.

2. Follow-Up to Outcomes of Ministerial Conferences: MC13 (Abu Dhabi); MC12 (Geneva, co-hosted by Kazakhstan); MC11 (Buenos Aires); MC10 (Nairobi); and MC9 (Bali) – Statement by the General Council Chairperson.

3. WTO Reform – Report by the Facilitator.

4. Dispute Settlement Reform – Report by the DSB Chairperson.

Significantly, India rejected the extension of the moratorium on customs duties on electronic transmissions, while South Africa and Brazil said they are open to agreeing to an extension provided an overall balance is achieved, said people familiar with the development.

The US, along with Costa Rica, Paraguay, Guatemala, and Ecuador, proposed an indefinite extension of the moratorium – a proposal supported by several other countries at the meeting, said people familiar with the discussions.

Beyond item two, members could not discuss other issues on the GC agenda on 16 December, said a participant, who asked not to be quoted.

The remaining items to be discussed on 17 December, as per document WT/GC/W/983, are as follows:

“For action/decision

3. Proposal for a Decision on an Extension of the Period for the Acceptance by Members of the Protocol Amending the TRIPS Agreement (IP/C/103).

4. Waivers under Article IX of the WTO Agreement

4.1. Introduction of Harmonized System 2002 Changes into WTO Schedules of Tariff Concessions – Draft Decision (G/C/W/875).

4.2. Introduction of Harmonized System 2007 Changes into WTO Schedules of Tariff Concessions – Draft Decision (G/C/W/876).

4.3. Introduction of Harmonized System 2012 Changes into WTO Schedules of Tariff Concessions – Draft Decision (G/C/W/877).

4.4. Introduction of Harmonized System 2017 Changes into WTO Schedules of Tariff Concessions – Draft Decision (G/C/W/878/Rev.1).

4.5. Introduction of Harmonized System 2022 Changes into WTO Schedules of Tariff Concessions – Draft Decision (G/C/W/879/Rev.2).

5. Review of WTO Activities

5.1. General Council (WT/GC/W/972), Dispute Settlement Body (WT/DSB/87), and Trade Policy Review Body (WT/TPR/543).

5.2. Sectoral Councils (G/L/1617, S/C/68, and IP/C/105).

5.3. Committees on Trade and Environment (WT/CTE/32), Balance-of-Payments Restrictions (WT/BOP/R/125), Budget, Finance and Administration (WT/BFA/231), and Regional Trade Agreements (WT/REG/36).

5.4. Working Groups on Trade, Debt and Finance (WT/WGTDF/24) and Trade and Transfer of Technology (WT/WGTTT/27).

5.5. Committees on Government Procurement and Trade in Civil Aircraft (GPA/AR/8, WT/L/1222 – TCA/23).

6. Committee on Budget, Finance and Administration (CBFA) – Reports on Meetings of 29 September and 17 November 2025 (WT/BFA/229; WT/BFA/232) – Statement by the Chairperson of the CBFA.

7. International Trade Centre UNCTAD/WTO – Report of the Joint Advisory Group on its 59th Session.

8. For Consideration under the Mandate in paragraph 4 of WT/MIN(24)/34; WT/L/1189: WTO Smooth Transition Support Measures in Favour of Countries Graduated from the LDC Category Pursuant to paragraph 3 of WT/MIN(24)/34; WT/L/1189 – Communication from Djibouti on behalf of the LDC Group (WT/GC/W/967) – Request from the Gambia on behalf of the LDC Group.

9. General Council Decision on Enhancing the Precise, Effective and Operational Implementation of Special and Differential Treatment Provisions of the Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS) and the Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) – Communication from the G-90 (WT/GC/W/ 974 – TN/C/W/92 – JOB/TN/CTD/19) – Request from South Africa on behalf of the G-90.

10. Incorporation of the Investment Facilitation for Development Agreement into Annex 4 of the WTO Agreement – Draft Decision (WT/GC/W/927/Rev.4).

11. Incorporation of the Agreement on Electronic Commerce into Annex 4 of the WTO Agreement – Draft Decision (WT/GC/W/963/Rev.1).

For discussion

12. The Development Assistance Aspects of Cotton – Periodic Report by the Director-General (WT/GC/278 – WT/CFMC/DG/11 – WT/MIN(26)/2).

13. Work Programme on Small Economies – Report by the Chairperson of the Dedicated Session of the Committee on Trade and Development.

14. African Group Submission on Agriculture for MC14 – Communication from Mozambique on behalf of the African Group (WT/GC/W/977 – TN/AG/W/12).

15. Dialogue on Sustainable Agriculture in the Multilateral Trading System – Request from Brazil.

16. Rethinking the Rules-Based Multilateral Trading System – Request from Brazil.

17. Heightened Trade Turbulence and Responses from WTO – Request from China.

18. Draft Ministerial Declaration on Reducing the Cost of Cross-Border Remittances: A Lever for Sustainable Development – Communication from Morocco (WT/GC/W/978).

19. Concerns on Incorporating the “Investment Facilitation for Development (IFD)” into Annex 4 of the WTO Agreement – Request from India.

For information

20. Fifteenth Session of the Ministerial Conference (MC15) – Communication from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (WT/GC/277).

21. Fundamentals for WTO Reform – Communication on behalf of the ACP Group (WT/GC/W/975).

22. Member Conversations on Current Economic Issues – Request from Canada and Costa Rica.

23. LDC Priorities – Communication from the Gambia on behalf of the LDC Group (WT/GC/W/979).

24. Agriculture & Food Security Draft Declaration – Communication from the Gambia on behalf of the LDC Group (WT/GC/W/980).

25. Possible Illustrative List of Non-Binding, Voluntary Incentives for Reporting under Article 66.2 of the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (G90 Proposal) – Communication from the Gambia on behalf of the LDC Group (IP/C/W/727 – JOB/TN/CTD/18/Rev.2).

26. TRIPS Non-Violation Complaints – IP Moratorium – Communication from Colombia (WT/GC/W/976).

27. Implementation of Technical Assistance Programmes – Request from Niger.

28. Presentation of the Commonwealth Statement on the Multilateral Trading System by Namibia – Communication from Namibia (WT/GC/279).

29. Briefing on the Vice-Ministerial Meeting of Latin American Countries on WTO Issues held in Santiago (Chile) on 12 November 2025 – Request from Chile.

30. Briefing on the Latest Developments in the Accession of Ethiopia – Request from the United Kingdom.

31. Briefing on the Latest Developments in the Accession of Uzbekistan – Request from the Republic of Korea.

32. Review of Waivers pursuant to Article IX:4 of the WTO Agreement

32.1. Preferential Tariff Treatment for Least-Developed Countries, granted on 16 October 2019 until 30 June 2029 (WT/L/1069).

32.2. Extension of Waiver concerning Kimberley Process Certification Scheme for Rough Diamonds, granted on 16 December 2024 until 31 December 2030 (WT/L/1213).

32.3. Preferential Treatment in Favour of Services and Service Suppliers of Least Developed Countries, granted on 17 December 2011 until 31 December 2030 (WT/L/847, WT/L/982).

32.4. Cuba – Article XV:6 – Extension of Waiver, granted on 23 November 2021 until 31 December 2026 (WT/L/1128, WT/L/1227).

32.5. United States – Former Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, granted on 7 December 2016 until 31 December 2026 (WT/L/1000, WT/L/1225).

32.6. United States – Trade Preferences granted by the United States of America to Nepal, granted on 7 December 2016 until 31 December 2025 (WT/L/1001, WT/L/1226).

32.7. United States – Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act, granted on 16 October 2019 until 30 September 2025 (WT/L/1070, WT/L/1224) and on 23 July 2025 until 30 September 2030 (WT/L/1220).

33. Annual Review of the Special Compulsory Licensing System – Paragraph 7 of the Annex to the Amended TRIPS Agreement and paragraph 8 of the Decision on the Implementation of paragraph 6 of the Doha Declaration on the TRIPS Agreement and Public Health (WT/L/540 and WT/L/540/Corr.1) – Report of the Council For TRIPS (IP/C/104).

34. Review of the Exemption provided under paragraph 3 of the GATT 1994 (WT/L/1214).

35. Appointment of Officers to WTO Bodies – Announcement by the Chairperson pursuant to paragraph 7.1(a) of the Guidelines (WT/L/510).” +