MODULE I: OPENING / INTRODUCTION (09.00 — 12.15)

09.00 — 09.30: OPENING REMARKS

• WTO
• Mr. Hongjoo Hahm, Deputy Executive Secretary for Programmes, UN ESCAP (TBC)
• Ms. Christiane Kraus, EIF
• Mr. Tu Xinquan, Dean and Professor, China Institute for WTO Studies, University of International Business and Economics
• Mr. Habibullah Asad Zmaray, advisor to Deputy Minister for Commerce and Industries of Afghanistan
  Presentation

09.45 — 10.45 "OVERVIEW OF THE ACCESSION PACKAGE AND POST ACCESSION ROADMAP/STRATEGY"

• Presentation by the Government of Afghanistan
  Presentation

10.45 — 12.15: "POST-ACCESSION: MAXIMISING THE BENEFITS OF THE WTO MEMBERSHIP FROM DAY 1"

• Notifications and implementation of commitments
• Participation in the work of the WTO as Member
• Institutional matters and coordination

Presentation by WTO Accessions Division
Presentation

Followed by Open discussion

MODULE II: POST ACCESSION STRATEGY/BEST PRACTICES
(13.30 — 17.00)

13.30 — 14.30: POST-ACCESSION STRATEGY AND EXPERIENCE

• Presentation by Mr. Bountheung Douangsavanh, DDG, MOIC, Lao PDR
  Presentation
• Presentation by Mr. Tu Xinquan, Dean and Professor, China Institute for WTO Studies, University of International Business and Economics
  Presentation

Followed by open discussion

15.30 — 17.00: "Post Accession Best Practices"

Presentation by WTO Accessions Division

Followed by open discussion

MODULE III: NOTIFICATIONS. IMPLEMENTATION OF ACCESSION COMMITMENTS (9.00 — 12.15)

09.00 — 10.30: The WTO: Role and Functions. WTO notification requirements and procedures

WTO and UN ESCAP

Followed by open discussion

All sessions of Module III include:

• Review of the draft initial notifications prepared by the Government of Afghanistan, if requested;
• Overview of specific notification requirements and timelines;
• Advice on intra-governmental coordination of work on the preparation of notifications.

10.45 — 12.15: One-off and Regular Notification Requirements: A Summary. How to use the WTO website to retrieve notification-related information.

WTO and UN ESCAP

Followed by open discussion

13.30 — 15.00 Overview of the Agriculture Agreement and the accession commitments of Afghanistan. The Handbook on Agriculture Notification Requirements. Domestic Support — Tables DS:1 and DS:2. Export Subsidies — Table ES:1. Export Restrictions — Table ER:2.

WTO and UN ESCAP

Followed by open discussion

15.30 — 17.00 Overview of WTO SPS and TBT Agreements and the accession commitments of Afghanistan. Notification requirements on TBT and SPS.

WTO and UN ESCAP

Followed by open discussion

 

MODULE III: NOTIFICATIONS. IMPLEMENTATION OF ACCESSION COMMITMENTS (CONT'D) (9.00 — 17.00)

9.00 — 10.30 Goods: Customs and trade administration-related agreements, Trade Facilitation Agreement. Overview of the CVA, IL, RO, PSI Agreements and the accession commitments of Afghanistan Notification requirements.

WTO and UN ESCAP

Followed by open discussion

10.45 — 12.15 Goods: Quantitative Restrictions, State Trading Enterprises, ant other issues. Overview of WTO provisions and the accession commitments of Afghanistan. Notification requirements.

WTO and UN ESCAP

Followed by open discussion

13.30 — 15.00 Goods: Subsidies. Overview of the provisions on subsidies and the accession commitments of Afghanistan. Notification requirements.

WTO and UN ESCAP

Followed by open discussion

15.30 — 17.00 Goods: Anti-Dumping measures, Safeguards and Countervailing Measures. Overview of the ADA, SCM Agreement and the Agreement on Safeguards and the accession commitments of Afghanistan. Notification requirements.

WTO and UN ESCAP

Followed by open discussion

MODULE III: NOTIFICATIONS. IMPLEMENTATION OF ACCESSION COMMITMENTS (CONT'D) (09.00 — 12.15)

09.00 — 10.30: Services and IP: Overview of the GATS and the TRIPS and the accession commitments of Afghanistan. Notification requirements.

WTO and UN ESCAP

Followed by open discussion

10.45 — 12.15: WTO and RTAs: Experiences of Afghanistan in RTAs. Legal issues and transparency requirements.

Presentation by the Government of Afghanistan
Presentation
Presentation 2
Presentation 3

WTO and UN ESCAP

Followed by open discussion

MODULE IV: SELECTED ISSUES (13.30 — 17.00)

13.30 — 15.00: Dispute settlement system: overview and opportunities.

WTO

Followed by open discussion

15.30 — 17.00: DDA and Post-Nairobi agenda.

WTO

Followed by open discussion

MODULE IV: SELECTED ISSUES (09.00 — 12.15)

09.00 — 10.30

• Trade Facilitation Agreement
  Presentation
  Presentation 2
  
• Paperless trade initiative in Asia and the Pacific
• Afghanistan: Importance of Transit

UN ESCAP

Followed by open discussion

10.45 — 12.15

• Trade in services and value chains: case of Afghanistan
  Presentation
  

UN ESCAP

Followed by open discussion

MODULE V: WRAP UP: POST-ACCESSION SUPPORT
(13.30 — 16.30)

13.30 — 16.30 Round table discussion and wrap-up session:

Presentation by the Government: "Identification of Post-Accession Needs"
Presentation

Presentation by WTO: "Post-Accession Support"

• WTO Secretariat post-accession support
• Outreach
• Training

Presentation by UN ESCAP

Presentation by EIF
Presentation

Followed by open discussion

Closing — UN ESCAP, WTO and Afghanistan