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Scope of Information

The Notifications Portal provides select information on WTO notifications concerning the agreements on goods, services, intellectual property and government procurement.

  • In the goods area, the notifications listed are those agreed by the Council for Trade in Goods based on a report by the Working Group on Notification Obligations and Procedures, the status of which is periodically reported by the Secretariat in the G/L/223/Rev document series.
  • In the services area, the portal features the notification obligations under the GATS Agreement as highlighted in CRN's semi-annual calls and reminders (GATS Articles III:3, III:4, IV:2 and VII:4, and Paragraph 5(c) of the Telecom Annex).
  • In the area of intellectual property, the portal provides information on notification obligations under the TRIPS Agreement that are featured in CRN's semi-annual calls and reminders (IP laws and regulations and the enforcement checklist pursuant to TRIPS Article 63.2; and IP enforcement contact points pursuant to TRIPS Article 69).
  • In the government procurement area, the portal features the notification obligations under the GPA 2012 as highlighted in CRN's semi-annual calls and reminders, and periodically compiled by the Secretariat in the GPA/S/3 document series.
The information is offered for transparency purposes, based on available WTO data, and is not indicative of Members' compliance with their WTO notification obligations.

The Notifications Portal does not provide information on all notification requirements and other transparency provisions. The table below provides an overview, by agreement, of the scope of the information that is not yet covered. To obtain information on the remaining notifications and transparency requirements, please refer to the relevant documents, websites or databases of the relevant area.

AGREEMENT INFORMATION NOT INCLUDED IN THE PORTAL
Goods
Agreement on Agriculture (AG) The following requirements are not covered:
  • Ad-hoc notification requirements:
    • Table MA:3: Special safeguard: volume-based;
    • Table DS:2: New or modified domestic support measures exempt from reduction;
    • Table ER:1: Export prohibitions and restrictions
  • Agricultural safeguard:
    • Table MA:4: Special safeguard: price-based.
  • Annual Export Competition Questionnaire pursuant to the Bali Ministerial Decision on Export Competition (WT/MIN(13)/40— WT/L/915) and the Nairobi Ministerial Decision on Export Competition (WT/MIN(15)/45 — WT/L/980).
Agreement on Implementation of Article VI of the GATT 1994 (Anti‑Dumping Agreement - ADP) The following requirements are not covered:
  • Notification of competent authorities: Article 16.5
  • Notification of preliminary and final actions (ad hoc notifications): Article 16.4 (please note that this provision is also about AD semi-annual reports which is currently covered by the portal).
Agreement on Customs Valuation (VAL) Fully covered.
Preshipment Inspection (PSI) Fully covered.
Agreement on Import Licensing Procedures (LIC) Fully covered.
Agreement on Rules of Origin (RO) Fully covered.
Agreement on Safeguards (SG) The following requirements are not covered:
  • Article 12, paragraphs 4, 5, 7, 8 and 9.
Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures (SCM) The following requirements are not covered:
  • Article 25.12: Notification of competent authorities
  • Article 25.11: Notification of preliminary and final actions (ad hoc notifications). Please note that this provision is also about CVD semi-annual reports which is currently covered by the portal.
  • Notifications under procedures adopted for extensions under Article 27, including Article 27.2(b) and Article 24.
  • Article 27.5: Notifications in connection with the export competitiveness of a Member in a given product.
  • Article 27.13: Notification of Privatization Subsidies.
Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) The following requirements are not covered:
  • Articles 2.9.2, 2.10.1 and 3.2: technical regulations
  • Articles 5.6.2, 5.7.1 and 7.2: Conformity assessment procedures
  • Article 10.7: Agreements with other Members
Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS) The following requirements are not covered:
  • Annex B, paragraph 5: Notification of draft SPS regulations.
  • Annex B, paragraph 6: Notification of SPS emergency measures (emergency notifications).
  • Recommended notifications under the Recommended Procedures for Implementing the Transparency Obligations of the SPS Agreement (Article 7) (G/SPS/7/Rev.*): availability of unofficial translations of draft regulations as supplements of regular notifications; determination of the recognition of equivalence; Special and Differential Treatment.
Agreement on Trade Facilitation (TFA) Fully covered.
Agreement on Trade-Related Investment Measures (TRIMs) Fully covered.
Balance of Payments (BOP)
Integrated Database (IDB) Notifications All mandatory requirements under G/MA/363 are covered, but the voluntary information is not reflected.
Quantitative Restrictions (QR) Decision Fully covered.
Regional Trade Agreements (RTAs) The following requirements concerning the notification of Regional Trade Agreements are not covered:
  • GATT Article XXIV:7(a)
  • GATS Article V:7(a)
  • Paragraph 4(a) of the Decision on Differential and More Favourable Treatment, Reciprocity and Fuller Participation of Developing Countries, so-called Enabling Clause (L/4903).
  • Notifications of changes to existing RTAs under paragraph 14 of the Transparency Mechanism for Regional Trade Agreements (WT/L/671).
State Trading Enterprises (STR) Fully covered.
Transparency Mechanism for Preferential Trade Agreements (PTA TM) The following requirement is not covered:
  • Notifications of Preferential Trade Arrangements under the Transparency Mechanism for Preferential Trade Arrangements (WT/L/806), including notifications of GSP schemes under the Enabling Clause.
GATT 1994 The following requirements are not covered:
  • Notifications under GATT Article XVIII.
  • Notifications under GATT Article XXVIII.
  • Rectifications and modifications under the 1980 Procedures
Services
General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) The following requirements are not covered:
  • Article III:5 - Transparency: Any Member may notify to the Council for Trade in Services any measures, taken by any other Member, which it considers affects the operation of this Agreement.
  • Article V:5 – Economic Integration: If, in the conclusion, enlargement or any significant modification of any agreement under paragraph 1, a Member intends to withdraw or modify a specific commitment inconsistently with the terms and conditions set out in its Schedule, it shall provide at least 90 days advance notice of such modification or withdrawal and the procedure set forth in paragraphs 2, 3 and 4 of Article XXI shall apply.
  • Article V:7(a) - Economic Integration: Members which are parties to any agreement referred to in paragraph 1 [agreement liberalizing trade in services] shall promptly notify any such agreement and any enlargement or any significant modification of that agreement to the Council for Trade in Services. They shall also make available to the Council such relevant information as may be requested by it. The Council may establish a working party to examine such an agreement or enlargement or modification of that agreement and to report to the Council on its consistency with this Article.
  • Article V bis – Labour Markets Integration Agreements: (b) is notified to the Council for Trade in Services.
  • Article VIII:4 – Monopolies and Exclusive Service Suppliers: If, after the date of entry into force of the WTO Agreement, a Member grants monopoly rights regarding the supply of a service covered by its specific commitments, that Member shall notify the Council for Trade in Services no later than three months before the intended implementation of the grant of monopoly rights and the provisions of paragraphs 2, 3 and 4 of Article XXI shall apply.
  • Article VIII:5 – Monopolies and Exclusive Service Suppliers: The provisions of this Article shall also apply to cases of exclusive service suppliers, where a Member, formally or in effect, (a) authorizes or establishes a small number of service suppliers and (b) substantially prevents competition among those suppliers in its territory.
  • Article X:2 – Emergency Safeguard Measures: In the period before the entry into effect of the results of the negotiations referred to in paragraph 1, any Member may, notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph 1 of Article XXI, notify the Council on Trade in Services of its intention to modify or withdraw a specific commitment after a period of one year from the date on which the commitment enters into force; provided that the Member shows cause to the Council that the modification or withdrawal cannot await the lapse of the three-year period provided for in paragraph 1 of Article XXI.
  • Article XII:4 – Restrictions to Safeguard the Balance of Payments: Any restrictions adopted or maintained under paragraph 1, or any changes therein, shall be promptly notified to the General Council.
  • Article XIV bis – Security Exceptions: 2. The Council for Trade in Services shall be informed to the fullest extent possible of measures taken under paragraphs 1(b) and (c) and of their termination.
  • Article XXI:1(b) – Modification of Schedules: A modifying Member shall notify its intent to modify or withdraw a commitment pursuant to this Article to the Council for Trade in Services no later than three months before the intended date of implementation of the modification or withdrawal.
  • Article XXVIII(k)(ii) – Definitions: "Natural person of another Member" comprises a natural person who has the right of permanent residence in that other Member, in the case of a Member which "accords substantially the same treatment to its permanent residents as it accords to its nationals in respect of measures affecting trade in services, as notified in its acceptance of or accession to the WTO Agreement, provided that no Member is obligated to accord to such permanent residents treatment more favourable than would be accorded by that other Member to such permanent residents. Such notification shall include the assurance to assume, with respect to those permanent residents, in accordance with its laws and regulations, the same responsibilities that other Member bears with respect to its nationals.
  • Annex on Article II - Exemptions: 7. A Member shall notify the Council for Trade in Services at the termination of the exemption period that the inconsistent measure has been brought into conformity with paragraph 1 of Article II of the Agreement.
Intellectual property
Agreement on Trade‑Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) The following requirements are not covered:
  • Article 1.3: Notification of exclusions from eligibility for producers of phonograms (Article 5(3) of the Rome Convention) and broadcasting organizations (Article 6(1) of the Rome Convention)
  • Article 3.1: Notification of exceptions to national treatment for literary or artistic works (Article 6(3) of the Berne Convention) and broadcasting rights (Article 16(1)(b) of the Rome Convention)
  • Article 4(d): Notification of limitations to most-favoured-nation treatment on the basis of an international agreement which entered into force prior to the entry into force of the WTO Agreement
  • Article 31bis and paragraphs 1(b), 2(a) and 2(c) of the Annex to the amended TRIPS Agreement: Members importing and exporting pharmaceutical products pursuant to the compulsory licensing system must submit notifications (Members yet to accept the Protocol Amending the TRIPS Agreement continue to operate on the basis of the 2003 General Council Decision (WT/L/540 and Corr.1)).
A number of ad hoc notification provisions of the Paris, Berne and Rome Conventions are incorporated by reference into the TRIPS Agreement, and are also not covered:
  • Berne Convention, Articles 14bis(2)(c) and 14bis(3): Certain circumstances where copyright-owning contributing authors and directors of films are not presumed under domestic law to have consented to particular exploitations of their work are to be notified.
  • Berne Convention, Article 15(4): Members must notify a designation of a competent authority to protect the interests of anonymous authors of unpublished works (i.e. folklore) presumed to have been created by a national of the notifying Member.
  • Berne Convention, Appendix Articles I, II(3)(b), IV(2), IV(4)(c)(iv), and V: Developing Members availing themselves of the option to issue a compulsory licence for a copyrighted work in certain circumstances must comply with notification requirements.
  • Rome Convention, Article 17: A permissible exception to protection for producers of phonograms must be notified.
  • Rome Convention, Article 18: Withdrawal or modification of certain exceptions under the Rome Convention must be notified.
  • Paris Convention, Article 6ter: State emblems and official signs and hallmarks indicating control and warranty, or armorial bearings, flags, other emblems, abbreviations, and names of intergovernmental organizations to be protected against registration or use as a trademark are to be notified to the International Bureau of WIPO.
In addition, the Portal does not cover:
  • Developed country Members' notification of contact points for technical cooperation on TRIPS and updates (IP/C/M/8, paragraphs 37 and 38).
  • Annual reports by Developed country Members on actions taken or planned in pursuance of their commitments under Article 66.2 (IP/C/28).
  • Descriptions and annual updates by Developed country Members of their relevant technical and financial cooperation programmes, and to update them annually, in support of Article 67.
  • Ad Hoc submission of review materials:
    • Responses to a checklist of questions contained in documents IP/C/13 and IP/C/13/Add.1 on Members' domestic systems for the protection of geographical indications (GIs)
    • Responses to illustrative lists of questions in documents IP/C/W/122 and IP/C/W/126 on Members' domestic biotechnology and plant variety protection frameworks.
Others
Agreement on Government Procurement (GPA) Fully covered.