TWN Info Service on WTO and Trade Issues (Jun20/12)
12 June 2020
Third World Network

WTO to commence regular meetings from 15 June
Published in SUNS #9137 dated 12 June 2020

Geneva, 11 Jun (D. Ravi Kanth) – Despite the ravaging Covid-19 pandemic around the world, the World Trade Organization has informed members that regular meetings with delegates will commence on 15 June, with only one person per delegation being able to attend a given meeting due to the social distancing measures.

In an urgent email sent to members, the WTO deputy director-general Karl Brauner said that due to the health protection and social distancing measures, the rest of the members of a delegation will be invited to attend the meetings virtually.

Only one meeting will take place at a time, and the CR meeting room will be fully disinfected immediately after each meeting, he said in his urgent email.

For contact tracing purposes, delegates will be asked to register at the WTO premises before attending each meeting, Brauner said, adding that “in this respect, the WTO Secretariat servicing the relevant meeting will request delegates to provide name, email, and telephone number. Delegates should provide this information 48 hrs in advance of the meeting.”

Brauner said that “for their own health protection, all delegates entering the WTO premises will be asked to observe physical distancing.”

He said “delegates’ names will be checked on the registration list and they will have their body temperature measured by WTO security when entering the WTO premises.”

According to the deputy director-general, “those with a body temperature above 37.8 degrees Celsius will be invited to seek medical advice and attend WTO meetings virtually. Delegates entering the WTO premises will be also invited to wear a face mask while circulating within the premises. Upon request, the WTO will provide one face mask per delegate for each meeting at the WTO.”

Further, “the seating arrangement in the CR is being reconfigured to allow for a maximum capacity of 126 delegates. This number allows delegates to keep physical distance and not wear a mask throughout the meeting. Should there be a need to accommodate additional delegations, all delegates will be required to wear a mask throughout the meeting (as physical distance will no longer be possible).”

According to Brauner, “members’ name plates will be distributed by the ushers at the CR lobby. Delegates will be asked to sit in the allocated seats which will be clearly indicated. All other seats should remain unoccupied. Therefore, the seating arrangement in the CR will not be the usual one. Delegates are encouraged to bring their own earpieces.”

“The Secretariat will distribute disinfectant wipes for the microphones and earpieces. Please allow for enough time to enter the WTO premises when arriving for a meeting at the WTO premises,” he said.