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N° 95 — August/September 2019

Inside this issue: • Accession Strategic Focus: Comoros,

The Bahamas, Belarus, and Bosnia and Herzegovina

• Accession State of Play:

LDCs Accessions: Sudan

Non-LDC Accessions: Iraq and Uzbekistan

• Expression of interest: Turkmenistan

• Technical Assistance and Outreach activities: Upcoming activities:

2019 Public Forum—Session on “The Road

to Nur-Sultan: Eurasian Perspectives on the Future of the Multilateral Trading System”, 8 October 2019, 16:00—17:30

2019 Public Forum—Session on “Trade for Peace through WTO Accession: Presentation of Global Peace Index 2019, 9 October 2019, 10:00—12:00

WTO-IMF-World Bank Coherence Event, Washington DC, 16 October 2019

Geneva Peace Week and Paris Peace

Forum, November 2019

Training Course on Goods Schedules for WTO Accession, 18-22 November 2019

8th China Round Table, Moscow,

4-6 December 2019

3rd Regional Dialogue on WTO Accessions for the Greater Horn of Africa, 4-7 February 2020

• 2019 DG Annual Report on Accessions

• Condolences: Ambassador Chiedu Osakwe, former Director of the Accessions Division

• WTO Accession Progress Tracker and Evolving

Work Programme

• Accessions Anniversary Dates — Article XII Members — September and October

• Accessions Toolbox

Accessions Newsletter Team:

Maika Oshikawa, Editor-in-chief

Andrei Suse, Editor

Mariam Soumaré, Deputy Editor

Souda Tandara-Stenier, Editorial Coordinator, page layout design, photographer

with contributions from Accessions Division staff

Accessions Strategic Objectives

Domestic reform instrument

Systemic update

Market access expansion

International cooperation for trade

Accession Strategic Focus

Comoros: Newly appointed Minister of Economy, Investments and Energy, Mr. Houmed M'Saidié, visited Geneva to meet with WTO Director-General Roberto Azevêdo on 10 September. Minister M'Saidié, who is also the Chief Negotiator for WTO accession, reiterated his Government's commitment to conclude the accession process by the 12th Ministerial Conference (MC12). Referring to a letter received from the Chairman of the Working Party, Ambassador Luis Enrique Chávez Basagoitia (Peru), the Minister noted that the legislative actions identified by the Chairman will be addressed in the near future. More specifically, he mentioned the expected elimination of "other duties and charges", the adoption of a copyright law, the finalization of a new draft law on external trade, and the drafting of an amendment to the Customs Code. DG Azevêdo stressed the importance of Comoros adopting the relevant WTO-related legislation on a priority basis, while making

progress on technical work, including the signing of all remaining bilateral market access agreements.

The Comoros hopes to hold the next meeting of the Working Party in December, following the circulation of all necessary inputs in the coming weeks. These inputs include the replies to questions raised by Members, a Legislative Action Plan, issue-specific Action Plans, and a questionnaire on state-trading.

DG Roberto Azevêdo and Minister Houmedi M'Saidié (Comoros), Geneva, 11 September 2019

The Bahamas: Our thoughts go to our friends and colleagues from The Bahamas during this difficult time following the devastation caused by hurricane Dorian in the early days of September.

Ambassador Andrew Staines (UK), Chairman of the Working Party, was in contact, over the summer, with the newly appointed Minister of Financial Services, Trade & Industry and Immigration, Mr. Elsworth Nathaniel Johnson. In the course of their correspondence, Minister Johnson reiterated the Government's commitment to reforms through advancing the accession process. Belarus: Following the 12th Meeting of the Working Party, which took place on 12 July, Belarus has received written questions from 7

Members. Belarus has begun submitting responses to those questions. The Secretariat will prepare a revised Draft Working Party Report on the basis of the new inputs. Belarus has expressed its intention to hold the next meeting of the Working Party in December. Bosnia and Herzegovina: Bosnia and Herzegovina concluded its technical exchange with the Secretariat regarding the verification of the ITA Schedule, which was circulated to the participants in the ITA Committee on 25 September. Technical work continues on a limited number of issues in the draft Report of the Working Party. The Secretariat has started the preparatory work for the consolidation of the draft Schedules pending the finalisation of the last outstanding bilateral market access agreement.

Sudan: Dr. Abdalla Hamdok, a former Deputy Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, was appointed Prime Minister on 21 August. Following the Prime Minister's appointment, a new Cabinet was sworn-in on 8 September. Mr. Madani Abbas Madani has been appointed as the new Minister of Industry and Trade. The appointment of the new Chief Negotiator for WTO Accession is still pending.

Accession State of Play — LDCs

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Accession State of Play — Non-LDCs

Iraq: Following the joint World Bank – WTO Workshop on the Accession of Iraq, which took place in Beirut on 25-26 July, the Secretariat, the World Bank and the Government of Iraq are working towards organizing a High-Level Conference on the WTO Accession of Iraq, in Baghdad, at the end of November. The conference is intended to facilitate the formal reactivation of the accession process. A visit to Baghdad by the Chairman of the Working Party, Ambassador Omar Hilale (Morocco), is envisaged to take place at the same time as the conference. Uzbekistan: Following the circulation of the Memorandum on the Foreign Trade Regime (an updated version of the 1998 MFTR) on 25 July, Uzbekistan has received questions from

5 Members. On 5 September, Uzbekistan submitted 5 additional annexes to the MFTR. Uzbekistan is currently working on the replies to the questions and other negotiating inputs, such as the Legislative Action Plan, the Agriculture Supporting Tables, the various checklists and questionnaires, as well as the market access offers. The Government aims to formally resume the Working Party process by the end of the year. The Working Party last met in 2005.

The Secretariat delivered a training activity on trade in services in Tashkent, on 11-12 September. Uzbekistan has requested additional technical assistance on the TRIPS Agreement, on trade in services, and on trade in agriculture.

Accession of Iraq— DG Roberto Azevêdo and Ambassador Alkhateeb (Iraq) - 20 August 2019

N° 95 — August/September 2019

At the invitation of the Government of Turkmenistan, the Secretariat participated in the First Caspian Economic Forum, on 10-13 August, in Avaza, Turkmenistan. On the margins of the event, the Secretariat delivered a National Seminar on WTO Accession to members of the Government Commission on WTO Accession. The objective of the seminar was to facilitate the internal discussions on Turkmenistan's potential application for WTO observer status and accession. In addition, the Secretariat held bilateral meetings with the Minister of Finance and Economy, Mr. Batyr Bazarov; the Deputy Minister of Economy and Foreign Economic Relations, Mr. Karar Mammedov; and the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Chairman of the Government Commission on WTO Accession, Mr. Vepa Hajiyev. During his meeting with the Secretariat, Mr. Hajiyev highlighted recent developments in the

work of the Commission, which held its first meeting on 30 July, ahead of the National Seminar in Avaza. Mr. Hajiyev informed the Secretariat that the Commission planned to submit, in the following weeks, recommendations to the Cabinet of Ministers with respect to Turkmenistan's potential application for observer status and accession. Moreover, he requested the WTO's assistance in equipping the Commission's Secretariat with information that would facilitate the internal consultative process. On 6 September, Mr. Maksat Chariyev, Head of the Foreign Economic Cooperation Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Executive Secretary of the Government Commission on WTO Accession, visited Geneva and met with the Accessions Division to further discuss Turkmenistan's potential application for observer status and accession.

Expression of Interest: Turkmenistan

Meeting with Minister of Finance and Economy, Mr. Batyr Bazarov — Avaza, Turkmenistan

First Caspian Economic Forum, 10-13 August 2019, Avaza, Turkmenistan

Accession of Iraq— Meeting with Ambassador Alkhateeb— Geneva, 8 August 2019

Meeting with Executive Secretary of the Government Commission on WTO Accession—

Geneva, 6 September 2019

Meeting with Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Chairman of the Government Commission on WTO

Accession, Mr. Vepa Hajiyev — Avaza, Turkmenistan

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Technical Assistance and Outreach Activities — Upcoming events

2019 Public Forum – Session “On the Road to Nur-Sultan: Eurasian Perspectives on the Future of the Multilateral Trading System”, 8 October, 16:00-17:30 (Room D) The Permanent Mission of Kazakhstan and the Accessions Division will organize, in the context of the 2019 Public Forum, a session entitled “On the Road to Nur-Sultan: Eurasian Perspectives on the Future of the Multilateral Trading System”. The session will provide a platform for Eurasian governments and their key trading partners to exchange views on: (i) the contributions of the Eurasian economies to the Multilateral Trading System; (ii) the lessons learned from the Eurasian countries' accession to the WTO and their membership experience; and (iii) topical issues related to MC12, including WTO Reform.

2019 Public Forum side event "Trade for Peace Through WTO Accession: Presentation of Global Peace Index 2019", 9 October, 10:00–12:00 (Room C) The Accessions Division and the Institute for Economics and Peace will organize a session on "Trade for Peace Through WTO Accession: Presentation of Global Peace Index 2019", as a side event of the 2019 Public Forum. Mr. Serge Stroobants, IEP Director of Europe and the MENA Region, will present the key outcomes of the 2019 Global Peace Index report. This will be followed by a discussion on the impact of WTO accession on peace and security, in particular with respect to peacebuilding, domestic reforms and economic transformation, with the participation of representatives from fragile and conflict affected countries with WTO accession experience. The session will be moderated by Ambassador Alan Wm. Wolff, WTO Deputy Director-General. WTO-IMF-World Bank Coherence Event, Washington D.C., 16 October 2019 The WTO Secretariat is organizing, in partnership with the IMF and the World Bank, a conference entitled "Greater Coherence in Global Economic Policy-Making: The Case of WTO Accession", which will take place in Washington D.C. on 16 October, on the margins of the Annual Meetings of the IMF and the World Bank.

The basis for institutional cooperation between the WTO Secretariat, the IMF and the World

Bank is laid down in two separate cooperation agreements approved by the General Council in November 1996. In the context of accessions, cooperation has been largely carried out on an informal ad hoc basis.

The objectives of the conference are: (i) to provide an overview of WTO accessions and issues of common policy interest for the three institutions; (ii) to review current practices concerning the inter-institutional cooperation in three acceding countries – namely, Belarus, Ethiopia and Uzbekistan – which will be represented at the conference by both their finance and trade teams; and (iii) to discuss overall cooperation efforts.

Geneva Peace Week and Paris Peace Forum, November 2019 The Accessions Division was invited to organize an event during the Geneva Peace Week, scheduled for 4-8 November, as well as a series of activities during the Paris Peace Forum, scheduled for 11-13 November. The focus of the Division's contributions to these events will be "Trade for Peace through WTO Accession". More details will be provided shortly.

Training Course on Goods Schedules for WTO Accession, 18-22 November 2019 The Secretariat is organizing a 5-day training course on Goods Schedules for acceding governments, which will take place from 18 to 22 November 2019. The first edition of this course took place in March 2017.

The main objective of the training is to enhance the participants' understanding of the practical aspects of bilateral market access negotiations on goods, as well as the technical aspects of goods schedules. The course will have both a theoretical component and a practical component, including a 2-day simulation exercise on market access negotiations. Although the course is principally targeted at acceding governments, participation is also open to Members. Interested acceding governments are invited to nominate candidates by 4 October.

N° 95 — August/September 2019

The 8th China Round Table, Moscow, 4-6 December 2019 The thematic focus of the 8th China Round Table on WTO Accessions, which will take place in Moscow, will be "Accessions and WTO Reform: on the Road to MC12". The Round Table will provide an opportunity for dialogue among all acceding governments and selected Article XII and original Members on topical issues related to WTO accessions, such as: (i) contributions of accessions to WTO Reform; (ii) implications of regional integration for the multilateral trading system; and (iii) sharing of accession-related experiences.

The Round Table will be followed by a Special Meeting of Acceding Governments, on 6 December, which will serve as a preparatory meeting for the first ministerial gathering of acceding governments on the margins of MC12. Invitation will be sent shortly.

The 3rd Regional Dialogue on WTO Accessions for the Greater Horn of Africa, 4-7 February 2020 The 3rd Regional Dialogue on WTO Accessions for the Greater Horn of Africa has been postponed and will now take place on 4-7 February 2020. The event is being co-organized by the WTO Secretariat, the International Trade Centre (ITC), the World Bank, the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and the Government of Ethiopia, under the theme "Export Diversification through WTO Membership and AfCFTA Implementation".

2019 DG Annual Report on Accessions

The thematic focus of the 2019 edition of the Director-General's Annual Report on Accessions will be "Greater Coherence in Global Economic Policymaking: The Case of WTO Accession". The thematic section of the report will aim to draw attention to the relevance of inter-agency coordination for WTO accession and to raise awareness about the international community's efforts to provide coherent policy advice to acceding governments. Special focus will be given to accession-related cooperation between the WTO and the IMF and the World Bank.

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We are deeply saddened by the passing of the former Director of the Accessions Division, Ambassador Chiedu Osakwe. Chiedu served as Director of the Accessions Division from 2009 to 2016. In this capacity, he oversaw the conclusion of numerous accession negotiations, in particular Montenegro, Samoa, the Russian Federation and Vanuatu in 2012; Lao PDR and Tajikistan in 2013; Yemen in 2014; Seychelles and Kazakhstan in 2015; and Liberia and Afghanistan in 2016. As a firm believer in the value of economic integration, Chiedu was a tireless advocate for WTO membership, which he saw as a unique vehicle for modernizing domestic institutions, promoting economic growth, and gaining international recognition. His drive to foster greater transparency in the work of the WTO Secretariat led to the establishment of various new processes, procedures and communications tools, including this Accessions Newsletter. He published extensively on a range of subjects, including two seminal books on WTO accessions from Cambridge University Press: "WTO Accessions and Trade Multilateralism: Case Studies and Lessons from the WTO at Twenty" (co-edited by Uri Dadush) in 2015, and "Trade Multilateralism in the Twenty-First Century: Building the Upper Floors of the Trading System Through WTO Accessions" (co-edited by Alexei Kireyev) in 2017.

Prior to his work on accessions, Chiedu held several senior management positions in other areas of the WTO Secretariat over an 18-year career spanning back to 1998. In particular, he led the DDA Special Duties, Textiles, and Technical Cooperation Divisions and also served as the Head of the Inter-Agency Working Group for the Integrated Framework for LDCs.

Chiedu was celebrated for his commitment to safeguarding and strengthening the multilateral trading system - both in his work in the WTO Secretariat and as a trade diplomat for Nigeria, where he spent the early and latter parts of his career. After leaving the WTO, Chiedu was instrumental in establishing the Nigerian Office of Trade Negotiations, where he served as Director-General and Chief Trade Negotiator. His historical contribution in chairing the Negotiating Forum of the African Union from June 2017 to March 2018 led to the conclusion of the Agreement Establishing the African Continental Free Trade Area, and leaves a lasting legacy for the future of trade policy on the African continent.

Chiedu's passing leaves a big void in the international trade community and in the lives of those who knew him. Those of us who had

the fortune to work with him benefitted greatly from his wealth of knowledge and experience and could draw inspiration from his

passion for pursuing the ideals of multilateralism. His boundless energy, professional dedication, and wit will be sorely missed. We send

our deepest condolences to his family and loved ones.

CONDOLENCES - Ambassador Chiedu Osakwe

Briefing session on WTO Accessions to Regional Groups — October 2014

N° 95 — August/September 2019

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Accession of Tajikistan — Signing Ceremony — Geneva, Switzerland — December 2012

Accession of Lao PDR — Signing Ceremony — Geneva, Switzerland — October 2012

Tribute to Ambassador Chiedu Osakwe

Accession of Yemen — Signing Ceremony — MC9 Bali, Indonesia — December 2013

N° 95 — August/September 2019

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Accession of Seychelles — Signing Ceremony— Geneva, Switzerland — December 2014 Accession of Kazakhstan— Signing Ceremony — Geneva, Switzerland — July 2015

Accession of Afghanistan— Signing Ceremony — MC10 Nairobi, Kenya — December 2015

Accession of Liberia — Signing Ceremony — MC10 Nairobi, Kenya — December 2015

N° 95 — August/September 2019

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N° 95 — August/September 2019

Special meeting of the Informal Group on Accessions — June 2016

Accessions Division Retreat —June 2016

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WTO Accession Progress Tracker

Working Party Established

(No documents submitted)

• Equatorial Guinea

• Libya

• Sao Tome and

Principe

• Somalia

• Syrian Arab Republic

Memorandum on the Foreign Trade Regime

(MFTR)

• Andorra

• Iran

• Iraq

• South Sudan

• Timor-Leste

• Uzbekistan

Factual Summary of Points Raised

Draft Working Party Report

• Bahamas

• Ethiopia

• Sudan

• Algeria

• Azerbaijan

• Belarus

• Bhutan

• Bosnia and

Herzegovina

• Comoros

• Lebanese Republic

• Serbia

Initial Goods and Services Offer

• Andorra

• Ethiopia

• Uzbekistan

Revised goods and services offer (Market Access Negotiations)

• Algeria

• Azerbaijan

• Belarus

• Bhutan

• Bosnia and Herzegovina

• Comoros

• Lebanese Republic

• Serbia

Draft Goods and Services Schedules

Multilateral Process

Bilateral Process

Informal Group on Accessions Meeting — 28 May 2019

N° 95 — August/September 2019

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WTO Accessions 2019 — Evolving Work Programme

Notes: * LDC — AGST (Agricultural Supporting Tables); CVQ (Customs Valuation Questionnaire); DWPR (Draft Working Party Report); FS (Factual Summary of Points Raised); ILQ (Import Licensing Questionnaire); LAP (Legislative Action Plan); LEG (legislation); MA (market access); MFTR (Memorandum on the Foreign Trade Regime); Q1 (1st quarter); STQ (State Trading Questionnaire); TA (technical assistance); WP (Working Party); WPM (Working Party meeting).

N° 95 — August/September 2019

Accession WP WP Establishment Last WP Meeting State of Play Upcoming Activity

1. Algeria (DZA) Chair: H.E. Mr. José Luís CANCELA GÓMEZ (Uruguay)

17 June 1987 14WPM, 31 March 2014

- Preparation of updated inputs (replies, LAP, AGSTs, LEG)

2. Andorra (AND) 22 October 1997 Inactive

3. Azerbaijan (AZE) Chair: H.E. Dr Walter WERNER (Germany)

16 July 1997 14WPM, 28 July 2017

- Preparation of updated inputs (replies, LAP, AGSTs, LEG)

4. The Bahamas (BHS) Chair: H.E. Mr. Andrew STAINES (United Kingdom)

18 July 2001 4WPM, 5 April 2019

- Preparation of updated inputs (replies, EDWPR)

- 5WPM (Q3)

5. Belarus (BLR) Chair: H.E. Mr. Kemal MADENOĞLU (Turkey)

27 October 1993 12WPM, 10 July 2019

- Preparation of updated inputs (replies, LAP, LEG, AGST)

- 13 WPM (Q4)

6. Bhutan* (BTN) Chair: H.E. Dr. Elisabeth TICHY-FISSLBERGER (Austria)

6 October 1999 4WPM, 30 January 2008

No activity since 2008

7. Bosnia and Herzegovina (BIH) Chair: H.E. Mr. Atanas PAPARIZOV (Bulgaria)

15 July 1999 13WPM, 7 February 2018

- Preparation of updated inputs (replies, LAP as well as DWPR)

- Next/final WPM to be held in 2019 (TBC)

8. Comoros* (COM) Chair: H.E. Mr. Luis Enrique CHÁVEZ BASAGOITIA (Peru)

9 October 2007 4WPM, 28 March 2018

- Preparation updated inputs (replies, LAP as well as DWPR)

- Circulation of updated inputs - 5WPM (Q3)

9. Equatorial Guinea (GNQ) Chair: Pending

5 February 2008 No WPM held to date - Preparation of MFTR - Secretariat's TA mission to Malabo (TBC)

10. Ethiopia* (ETH) Chair: H.E. Mr Morten JESPERSEN (Denmark)

10 February 2003 3WPM, 27 March 2012

- Preparation of full range of updated inputs (LAP, LEG, AGST, all questionnaires and checklists, MA offers, as well as FS)

- 4WPM, Q4 2019 (TBC)

11. Iran (IRN) Chair: Pending

26 May 2005 No WPM held to date - Preparation of updated inputs (MFTR and MA offers)

12. Iraq (IRQ) Chair: H.E. Mr. Omar HILALE (Morocco)

13 December 2004 2WPM, 2 April 2008

- Updated MFTR circulated in Feb. 2018. - Preparation of full range of updated inputs (replies, LAP, LEG, AGST, checklists and questionnaires, MA offers)

- TA Mission in Baghdad (TBC)

13. Lebanese Republic (LBN) Chair: Mr. Jean-Paul THUILLIER (France)

14 April 1999 7WPM, 28 October 2009

- Updated inputs (AGST, LAP, LEG, checklists and questionnaires, as well as DWPR) circulated to WP in April-June 2017 - Preparation of updated MA offers

14. Libya (LBY) Chair: Mr. Victor ECHEVARRÍA UGARTE (Spain)

27 July 2004 No WPM held to date Inactive

15. Sao Tome and Principe* (STP) Chair: Pending

26 May 2005 No WPM held to date - Preparation of MFTR

16. Serbia (SRB) Chair: H.E. Mrs Marie-Claire SWÄRD CAPRA (Sweden)

15 February 2005 13WPM, 13 June 2013

- Preparation of updated inputs (AGST, LAP, LEG as well as DWPR)

- 14WPM (TBC)

17. Somalia* (SOM) Chair: Pending

7 December 2016 No WPM held to date - Preparation of MFTR - Circulation of MFTR

18. South Sudan* (SSD) Chair: H.E. Mr. Mohammad Qurban HAQJO (Afghanistan)

13 December 2017 1WPM, 21 March 2019

- Preparation of updated MFTR, as well as other inputs (replies, checklists, LAP, LEG, initial MA offers)

- TA WTO/ITC mission - 2WPM (TBC)

19. Sudan* (SDN) Chair: Mr. Katsuro NAGAI (Japan)

25 October 1994 4WPM, 14 July 2017

- Updated inputs circulated (AGSTs, LAP, LEG, as well as FS) circulated in January 2019

- 5WPM in 2019 (TBC)

20. Syrian Arab Republic (SYR) Chair: Pending

4 May 2010 No WPM held to date Inactive

21. Timor-Leste* (TLS) Chair: H.E. Mr. Rui MACIEIRA (Portugal)

7 December 2016 No WPM held to date - Preparation of replies on MFTR circulated in July 2017, as well as other inputs (LAP, LEG, initial MA offers)

- Secretariat's TA mission to Dili, 2019 (TBC) - 1WPM, 2019 (TBC)

22. Uzbekistan (UZB) Chair: H.E. Ms PAIK Ji-ah (Republic of Korea)

21 December 1994 3WPM, 14 October 2005

- Preparation of replies on MFTR circulated on 25 July as well as other inputs (LAP, LEG, AGST, all other questionnaires and checklists, MA offers)

- 4WPM in Q4 2019 (TBC)

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Accessions Anniversary dates — Article XII Members

Article XII Member Membership date

SEPTEMBER

Panama 6 September 1997

Albania 8 September 2000

OCTOBER

Cambodia 13 October 2004

WTO Building — Centre William Rappard

➔ Accession Working Parties ➔ Accessions Evolving Work Programme

➔ WTO Director-General's Annual Reports on Accessions

➔ Accession Commitments Database (ACDB)

➔ Handbook on Accessions to the WTO ➔ WTO Accessions Internship - "China Programme"

➔ Accession-Related Technical Assistance Activities ➔ Accession processes of Article XII Members, click here

➔ Accession Intelligence Portal (AIP) on the WTO Website (En, Fr, Es)

➔ WTO Accessions Newsletters

Accessions Toolbox

Previous WTO Accessions newsletters:

N° 92— February/March 2019 N° 93— April/May 2019

N° 95 — August/September 2019

N° 94 — June/July 2019