Methodology

All information on categories A, B, C notifications is based on Members' submissions issued in the WTO document series with the symbols WT/PCTF/N/* and G/TFA/N/*

The notification documents can be found through documents online database of the WTO.  They are also available in the Member Profiles of this database.  

IMPLEMENTATION NOTIFICATIONS (categories A, B and C)

ANALYSIS OF NOTIFICATION DATA

Section I of the Agreement is set out in 12 Articles which contain 36 measures and 238 notifiable article items.  While there are different ways to subdivide the Agreement, the figures and percentages presented in this database are based on three analytical approaches, as follows:

1. BASED ON NUMBER OF MEMBERS

This first approach is very straightforward - it counts the number of WTO Members having presented notifications or ratifications.

2. BASED ON 36 MEASURES

Under a second approach, the database divides the 12 Articles of Section I into 36 measures.   These measures are qualified as fully or partially notified.  This breakdown is quite useful to get a broad sense of the notification status of a particular measure.

3. BASED ON ALL NOTIFIABLE ARTICLE ITEMS 

This third approach takes into account all 238 notifiable article items contained within the 36 measures of Section I. 

This methodology allows for greater flexibility and precision in the analysis as the exact share of Cat. A, B, C and "not yet notified" can be calculated accordingly.  In addition, it's particularly valuable in those cases where it is necessary to have more information on a particular article item beyond the number of Members or the number of fully or partially notified measures. 

When submitting notifications, Members can break down the notified measure into all article items contained in the measure, allowing them to designate certain items as Cat. A while others as Cat. B or C. The entire Section I of the Agreement contains 238 notifiable items.

The breakdown of the measures and article items and their definition can be found here

METHODOLOGY USED FOR CALCULATIONS

Calculation based on the number of measures fully or partially notified

For the purpose of this calculation, each Member's notification is broken down into the relevant 36 measures which are classified as follows:

A, B, C  = indicates "fully notified" = the Member has designated all article items of the measure in the relevant category

Ap, Bp, Cp = indicates "partially notified" = the Member has designated some article items in the relevant category. It should be noted that this is a binary identification that does not take account how much of the measure was partially notified. 

N = the Member has not yet notified the relevant measure

The percentage is calculated as the count of each of those categories with respect to the maximum of 36 measures.  The percentage for a region or grouping is based on the total number of Members in that grouping multiplied by 36.

Calculation based on the percentage of the TFA text (all notifiable article items)

For the purpose of this calculation, each Member's notification is divided into the all 238 article items contained in Section I of the Agreement.  These article items are classified as follows: 

A, B, C = item covered in the relevant category

N (not yet notified)= the Member has not yet notified this item

The percentage is calculated as the count of each of those categories with respect to the maximum of 238 article items. 

The percentage for a specific region or grouping is based on the total number of Members in that grouping multiplied by 238.

The percentage for a specific measure is based on the total number of article items contained in that particular measure.

TRANSPARENCY NOTIFICATIONS

NOTIFICATIONS ON CAPACITY BUILDING SUPPORT

Section I of the TFA is set out in 12 articles which contain 36 measures and a total number of 238 notifiable article items. 

The breakdown of articles, measures and article items can be found here

Rate of implementation commitments today

These figures represent the current rate of implementation commitments by all WTO Members.  They are based on implementation commitments by:

• developed Members who have committed to implement the Agreement upon entry into force, that is by 22/02/2017; and
• developing and LDC Members's who have committed to set their own timetable for implementation in their cat. A, B and C notifications.  

• The figure showing the rate of implementation commitments today is composed of:
  
• All developed Members commitments
• Cat. A commitments by developing Members and LDCs that were due for implementation on 22/02/2017 and 22/02/2018 respectively
• Any Cat. B or C commitment of both developing and LDCs with current implementation dates

• The figure showing the rate of implementation commitments from a given date to a given date without capacity building support, is composed of Cat. B commitments that are due for implementation within the indicated time-frame. Those Cat. B commitments with no implementation date yet notified, will be counted here as well.  

• The figure showing the rate of implementation from a given date to a given date upon receipt of capacity building support, is composed of Cat. C commitments that are due for implementation within the indicated time-frame.  Cat. C commitments with no implementation date, will be counted here as well.  

• The figure showing the rate of implementation commitments "not yet designated" refers to those commitments that have not yet been designated under any category.  

Implementation obligations only commence once the Member has completed the ratification process.  

Timeline of implementation commitments

This graph shows the rate of implementation commitments by all WTO Members over time.  Collectively, these commitments provide a roadmap of when the TFA can be expected to be fully implemented by the entire membership.

The figure is composed of implementation commitments by:

• developed Members who have committed to implement the Agreement upon entry into force, that is by 22/02/2017; and
• developing and LDC Members who have committed to set their own timetable for implementation in their cat. A, B and C notifications. The timetable for implementation of developing and LDCs is calculated as follows:
• Cat. A commitments by developing Members to be implemented upon entry into force, that is by 22/02/2017
• Cat. A commitments by LDCs to be implemented one year after entry into force, that is by 22/02/2018
• For Cat. B and C commitments of both developing and LDCs, the database takes into account definitive dates for implementation when these have been notified, otherwise, it considers indicative dates. If no dates are available , either because the article item has not been notified or it has been notified but with implementation date "to be determined", then this particular article item will be counted as implementation commitment date "yet unknown".  
• All yearly calculations are based on the 22 February of any given year.   

Implementation obligations only commence once the Member has completed the ratification process.  

The definition of geographical and other groupings in this database does not imply an expression of opinion by the WTO Secretariat concerning the status of any country or territory, the delimitation of its frontiers, nor the rights and obligations of any WTO Member in respect of WTO Agreements. 

The list of regions and sub-regions used can be downloaded here

A precise determination of the number of developing Members or territories is difficult to make as there are no WTO definitions of "developed" or "developing" Members in the WTO.  For purposes of this database, the calculations are based on the following indicative list.  The list is without prejudice to the rights and obligations of WTO Members.

WTO Members are frequently referred to as "countries", although some Members are not countries in the usual sense of the word but are officially "customs territories". 

The  term "least developed countries" (LDCs) is used to denote those WTO Members which have been designated as such by the United Nations. There are currently 45 least-developed countries on the UN list, 35 of which are WTO Members.

The classification of landlocked developing countries (LLDCs) is based on the list recognized by the UN-OHRLLS (United Nations Office of the High Representative for the least developed countries, landlocked developing countries and small island developing states).