Regional Trade Agreements and Preferential Trade Arrangements

At a meeting of the Committee on Trade and Development's Dedicated Session on Regional Trade Agreements held on 17 November, WTO members took note of the notification of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement between India and the United Arab Emirates.

The Committee also considered the Free Trade Agreement between the Gulf Cooperation Council member states and Singapore and the accession by the Seychelles to the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA).

A notification of modifications to the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) scheme of Japan was presented at the Committee's Dedicated Session on Preferential Trade Arrangements also held on 17 November.

WTO rules allow developed countries to grant preferential conditions to imports from developing countries through non-reciprocal preferential schemes. Information on the Generalized System of Preferences schemes and other non-reciprocal preferential schemes of WTO members is available.