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Other Accessions
Algeria applied for accession to the GATT (1947) in April 1987. Algeria did not initiate negotiations, and in 1995, the accession process was resumed under the WTO. The first meeting of the Working Party on Accession was held in April 1998. The last Working Party meeting was held January 15, 2008, to review draft WP report and status of market access negotiations and legislative implementation.
The United States has provided technical assistance through the Commercial Development Law Program (CLDP) of the Department of Commerce for legislative review and training, as well as drafting and translating documentation for the negotiations.
The Working Party on Andorra's accession to the WTO was established in December 1997. The Memorandum on the Foreign Trade Regime (MFTR) was circulated in January 1998. The first Working Party Meeting convened on October 13, 1999. Andorra described its trade regime, and the WP members reviewed the proposed legislative implementation schedule and Andorra's initial offers for goods and services market access. Further informal discussions on Andorra's application were held in November 2000. There has been no activity on this accession since that time.
The Working Party on The Bahamas' accession to the WTO was established in July 2001. The Memorandum on the Foreign Trade Regime (MFTR) was circulated in April 2009. WTO Members have been asked to review the MFTR and submit questions and comments on Bahamas trade regime. No offers have been circulated to date on goods or services market access.
Belarus applied for accession to the GATT (1947) in October 1993, after holding observer status for about a year. In 1995, the accession process was continued under the WTO. The Memorandum on the Foreign Trade Regime (MFTR) was circulated in January 1996. The first meeting of the Working Party on Accession was held in June 1997.
The last Working Party meeting was held on May 24, 2005, to review a draft Factual Summary of information developed in the negotiations, and to review the status of market access negotiations and legislative implementation. No additional WP meetings have been held since that time.
Periodic informal consultations convened by the WP Chairman since the last Working Party meeting have determined that WP review of outstanding issues and resumption of negotiations would depend on fresh documentation from Belarus and substantially improved offers on goods and services market access. This was reconfirmed in recent informal consultations held on June 5, 2009.
IranThe Working Party on Iran's accession to the WTO was established in May 2005. The Memorandum on the Foreign Trade Regime (MFTR) has not been circulated.
LibyaThe Working Party on Libya's accession to the WTO was established in July 2004. The Memorandum on the Foreign Trade Regime (MFTR) has not been circulated.
SeychellesThe Working Party on the Seychelles' accession to the WTO was established in June 1995. The Memorandum on the Foreign Trade Regime (MFTR) was circulated in August 1996. The first Working Party Meeting convened on February 20, 1997, to review the MFTR and Seychelles' responses to questions submitted by WP members on that document. Subsequently, the Seychelles submitted initial offers on goods and services market access. Informal consultations in February 1998 determined that the Seychelles had much work to do prior to convening another formal WP meeting. No further meetings have been held since that time.
The Working Party on Tajikistan's accession to the WTO was established in May 2001. The Memorandum on the Foreign Trade Regime (MFTR) was circulated in February 2003, and the first Working Party meeting was held in March 2004.
The last WP meeting was held October 6, 2006, to review the draft WP report, the status of market access negotiations goods and services, and progress to date in legislative implementation of WTO provisions.
Based on responses to questions and comments provided by WP Members at the last meeting in 2006, revised market access offers on goods and services, and additional information on legislative implementation, Tajikistan's fourth WP meeting is likely to convene in summer 2009.
The United States provides technical assistance through USAID in the form of an advisor resident in Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic, for drafting documentation, training, legal drafting, and institution building.
The Working Party on Uzbekistan's accession to the WTO was established in December 1994. The Memorandum on the Foreign Trade Regime (MFTR) was circulated in October 1998, and the first Working Party meeting was held on July 17, 2002.
The third and most recent WP meeting was held in October 2005 to review additional documentation and initial market access offers.