What is in Distribute a Document ?

This section describes how the official documentation produced by the World Trade Organization is distributed both within and outside the Secretariat.

	Headings	Description	Details	Highlights
	Electronic documents	Distribution of documents in electronic format		-
	Paper documents	Distribution of documents in paper format		-
	Documents Centre	Document dispatching, request handling, documentary research		-
	Document status	Restricted / unrestricted status, derestriction procedures		-
	Contacts	Who does what?		-

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WTO Document Distribution Procedures

Documents are currently distributed by the Secretariat in both electronic format and on paper. Dissemination procedures vary according to the format required.

1. Electronic document distribution

Documents for which an electronic distribution is required are posted in Documents online. Inclusion of documents in this application is determined by the status assigned to them at the time of posting - either restricted (for Members only) or unrestricted (for everybody). 

Responsibility for deciding the status of a document or series of documents rests entirely with the division concerned. Unless instruction is given to the contrary, all official documents issued are posted in Documents online - see : Submit a document.

Members can retrieve, consult and download official documents1 on the Members' site (password-protected)

Observers (acceding countries) can access restricted documents; a password-protected access enabling them to retrieve only those document series to which they have an entitlement has been introduced recently. Observer organizations currently can not access restricted documents

The general public can retrieve and download all unrestricted and derestricted official documents from Documents online on the WTO Internet site;  a range of other unrestricted materials is also available to the public on the WTO Internet site

Staff in the Secretariat can consult the full range of official documents (restricted, including those documents which are not posted on the Members' site and unrestricted/derestricted) by accessing Documents online on the Intranet

1 Official documents are those which bear a symbol

• New documents

New documents are posted at the end of each working day and are available for consultation in Documents online by 00h00 GMT. Each day's quota of documents appears with the indicator New beneath the document date in the results list display; this indicator is replaced at the time of the next update (24 hours later).

• Latest documents posted

To retrieve only the latest documents posted, go to the Browse section of Documents online and perform a search on Documents posted in the last 1 day

• Incomplete documents (offset)

Not all documents are complete in electronic form when they are posted in the Internet - the paper copy must be consulted if the complete text is required. Documents in the following series are often incomplete:

• WTO Collections

G/MA/TAR/RS/	Rectifications to and modifications of Schedules
IP/N/1/MEMBER/	Intellectual Property - Article 63.2 notifications
WT/ACC/ WT/ACCSPEC/	Accession working party documents
WT/LET/	Protocols

• UR Collection

Most of the documents in this collection were produced using a word-processor which did not support graphics; the electronic versions of the documents, therefore, are incomplete.

2. Paper document distribution

Unless instruction is given to the contrary, all official documents issued are circulated on paper to authorized recipients.  Divisions must complete the mandatory "Distribution Instructions" section of the online form ("green sheet") in the DMS when submitting a document to Documents Control - see : Submit a document.

The Documents Reproduction and Distribution Section (DRDS) is responsible for the paper dissemination of WTO documents and maintains official mailing lists of all subscribers (Member, Observer organizations and other), together with information on the series that they are entitled to receive.

2.1 Mailing list procedures

To be included in a mailing list, the following procedures apply (for every category of user - Members, Observers, Organizations, Secretariat, Others):

• New subscribers : DRDS provides on request a "Distribution form" (for completion and return), together with a checklist of the different document series available.

• Existing subscribers : DRDS provides on request a "Distribution form" (for completion and return) to modify address details or an existing selection of document series.
  
  Currently this procedure is paper-based; it is expected, however, that an interactive routine based on electronic forms will shortly be introduced.

• Observers : requests for Observer status in WTO Bodies should be directed through the Secretary of the respective body to DRDS.

2.2 Distribution schedule

New documents are distributed on a daily basis according to a structured and timely procedure;  other types of distribution are determined by different priorities, including immediate temporary requirements.

Daily distribution

The preparation of documents for the daily distribution commences upon reception by DRDS - Office 108 (ext. 5907) - of all work sheets for the day (i.e. the yellow sheets indicating that a job is completed and ready for distribution). Documents Control should request the distribution of a document via the DMS before 12.00pm to ensure that it is included in the distribution of the day. Documents which arrive for distribution after 12.00pm will be reproduced and distributed the following day (existing priorities and available processing capacity permitting).

The daily distribution of documents comprises a number of dispatches to different subscriber groups:

• Pigeon holes

each afternoon, new documents are placed in the pigeon holes located in the Documents Centre - Offices 56/57/58 of the CWR building (ext. 5032); this distribution is available to Members and Observers or Geneva-based organizations. Requests for the allocation of a pigeon hole should be directed to Office 33 (ext. 5488/5076) - by letter, facsimile or e-mail.

• Secretariat

two types of distribution are available to staff members:

• all documents issued each day: this distribution takes place every afternoon and is accompanied by a Distribution sheet indicating the symbols, languages, job numbers and serial numbers of all documents included in the distribution (Files);
• selected documents issued each day: this distribution takes place every afternoon and is based on the staff member's personal selection of documents.

• International Organizations (Geneva)

each morning staff of Geneva-based International Organizations receive the daily distribution of new documents to which they have an entitlement as an observer.

• Priority distribution (Members/Observers)

the daily distribution each morning of new documents to Members and/or Observers who are subject to delays in postal delivery.

• Postal distribution

two types of postal distribution are available:

• the daily postal distribution each morning of new documents to all Members, Observers and Organizations located in Switzerland who have not requested the allocation of a pigeon hole;
• the daily postal distribution each morning of new documents to all Members, Observers,  Organizations and other subscribers located elsewhere in the world.

• Public distribution

the daily distribution of new documents to authorized organizations, universities and companies/businesses. 

• Private distribution

the daily distribution to authorized individuals of selected new restricted documents.

Other types of distribution

Airgrams, Jobs, documents in the SECRET series, letters or other documents assigned a priority status are printed and distributed on the day of their issue if processing capacity permits. For these types of document, however, it is preferable that the work sheet requesting distribution arrives in DRDS before 14.00pm. Requests arriving after this time will probably be processed the following day.

3. Documents Centre

The Documents Centre is the focal point for Members, Observers, Organizations, Secretariat and Others (public) for obtaining official WTO documentation in paper form. The Centre is located on the ground floor of the CWR Building in offices 56/57/58 (ext. 5032). It does not respond to individual requests for WTO publications; these should be directed to the Information and Media Relations Division (IMRD, Office 15 - ext. 5019). 

The Centre is responsible for the following:

• the dispatch of documents to Delegations via the pigeon holes
• the processing of ad hoc requests for additional copies of documents from Members, Observers, Organizations, Secretariat and Others (public), including WTO Publications
• the distribution of sets of documents requested by divisions for specific WTO meetings
• the supply of paper copies of documents which are incomplete in electronic form when they are posted in the Internet (offset)
• assisting Members, Observers, Organizations, Secretariat and Others (public) in researching, identifying and acquiring specific WTO documents.

3.1 Document dispatching and request handling

• Documents are dispatched daily as soon as they are received in the Documents Centre.
  
  

• Requests for individual documents can be made personally, in writing, by e-mail or by fax.
  
  Requestors are asked to complete a paper request form available in the Documents Centre reception. Documents are supplied in paper format from stock, usually within 24 hours.  Paper stocks of larger documents are maintained by DRDS to avoid the costly printing of one-off requests.  Documents may also be supplied to requestors as e-mail attachments or in facsimile format. Care is taken to ensure that restricted documentation is supplied to authorized requestors only.

3.2 Documents for Meetings

Sets of documents are prepared upon request by divisions for distribution in the course of WTO meetings. The following procedure applies:

• the division submits a request to DRDS using the Documents for Meetings module.
  
  A minimum period of notice of five working days is required in order to process the request, including revisions to the original request.
  

• DRDS prints and assembles a set of documents in the languages and quantities requested.
  
  
• the set of documents is made available on the day of the meeting in one of two locations in the Secretariat, depending on the venue:
  
  Documents Centre (CWR building, Offices 56/57/58)
  Documents Centre (new Conference room)
   
• The Documents for Meetings section of Documents online provides Members with a regularly updated calendar of official meetings, organized in both chronological and subject order, and also allows users to consult and download all documents associated with a specific meeting. The coverage begins in January 2003; all meetings data are cumulated in the database and remain permanently available on the Internet.
  
  To ensure that document associations are made in a timely manner, the updating of Documents for Meetings has been integrated with the document request facility that is used by Divisions to order sets of documents for meeting rooms. Document associations are made automatically by divisions, therefore, on the basis of the selection prepared for paper distribution during the corresponding meeting. Staff accessing Documents for Meetings from inside the Secretariat are informed about all formal, informal and private meetings that are taking place;  Members' have access only to information relating to Formal and Informal meetings in the Internet version of Documents for Meetings.

3.3 Incomplete documents (offset)

Not all documents are complete in electronic form when they are posted in the Internet. Documents in the following series are often incomplete:

	IP/N/1/MEMBER/…	Intellectual Property - Article 63.2 notifications
	WT/ACC/…	Working Party accessions documents
	WT/ACC/MEMBER/…	Working Party documents from acceding countries
	WT/ACC/SPEC/MEMBER/…	Working Party documents from acceding countries
	WT/LET/…	Protocols and Lists of Concessions

At present, the paper copy must be consulted if the complete text is required. To obtain complete paper copies of such documents, contact: Offices 56/57/58, ext. 5032).

A companion PDF image version or an alternative file format version (such as Excel, PowerPoint or Access) of such documents is posted in Documents online, together with the original incomplete text version. Documents for which a second format exists are marked with an asterisk (*) in the original format column of the results list display. Second formats have been posted in Documents online for all incomplete text documents distributed since August 31 2003. In the near future, second formats for all incomplete WTO documents issued since 1994 will be made available in Documents online.

The PDF image versions of offset documents are also accessible on the network in drives Q (English), R (French) and S (Spanish). The files are stored in a directory structure that emulates the one used in the electronic document archive (DFS) on drives T, U and V.

3.4 Special Services

• Colour documents

Requests for documents containing elements in colour, including requests for copies of such documents, should be addressed to Eugenio Beltron (Office 106, ext. 5485) verbally or in writing (by e-mail, facsimile or memorandum).

• Business Cards

Requests for official business cards should be addressed to Eugenio Beltron (Office 106, ext. 5485) in writing (by e-mail with cc to Helen Mandrillon, facsimile or memorandum).

4. Document status 

The status of a document (restricted or unrestricted) can be established by performing a search of Documents online - see: Find a document. 

The status is indicated in the list of documents displayed as the result of a search of this application, and also in the catalogue record associated with each document posted. Three types of status are currently applied to documents: 

4.1 Document derestriction

Documents circulated after 15 May 2002

Revised procedures for the circulation and derestriction of WTO documents (WT/L/452) were adopted by the General Council on 14 May 2002 and apply to all WTO documents circulated after 15 May 2002.

1. All official WTO documents shall be unrestricted.¹

2. Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph 1,

1. any Member may submit a document as restricted, which shall be automatically derestricted after its first consideration by the relevant body or 60 days after the date of circulation, whichever is earlier, unless requested otherwise by that Member.² In the latter case, the document may remain restricted for further periods of 30 days, subject to renewed requests by that Member within each 30-day period. The Secretariat shall remind Members of such deadlines, and derestrict the document upon receipt of a written instruction. Any document may be derestricted at any time during the restriction period at the request of the Member concerned.
2. any WTO body when requesting a document to be prepared by the Secretariat shall decide whether it shall be issued as restricted or unrestricted. Such documents which are issued as restricted shall automatically be derestricted 60 days after the date of circulation, unless requested otherwise by a Member. In the latter case, the document shall remain restricted for one additional period of 30 days after which it shall be derestricted.
3. minutes of meetings (including records, reports and notes) shall be restricted and shall be automatically derestricted 45 days after the date of circulation.³
4. documents relating to modification or renegotiation of concessions or to specific commitments pursuant to Article XXVIII of the GATT 1994 or Article XXI of the GATS respectively shall be restricted and automatically derestricted upon certification of such changes in the schedules;
5. documents relating to working parties on accession shall be restricted and shall be automatically derestricted upon the adoption of the report of the working party.

3. Translation of official WTO documents in all three official WTO languages (English, French and Spanish) shall be completed expeditiously. Once translated in all three official WTO languages, all official WTO documents that are not restricted shall be made available via the WTO web-site to facilitate their dissemination to the public at large.⁴

4. The Decision of the General Council of 18 July 1996 on Procedures for the Circulation and Derestriction of WTO documents, as contained in WT/L/160/Rev.1, shall be abrogated as of the date of adoption of the present decision, but will remain in effect for documents circulated prior to that date.

5. In the light of the experience gained from the operation of these procedures and changes in any other relevant procedures under the WTO, the General Council will, at an appropriate time, review and if necessary modify the procedures.

¹ For the purposes of this Decision, an official WTO document shall be any document submitted by a Member or prepared by the Secretariat to be issued in any one of the following WTO document series: WT-series (including reports of panels and the Appellate Body); G-series (except G/IT-series); S-series; IP-series; GATS/EL-series; GATS/SC-series; the Schedules of Concessions and TN-series. Where a new WTO document series is created, the relevant WTO body shall decide on the derestriction procedures applicable to that series, taking into account the present decision.

² However, any document that contains only information that is publicly available or information that is required to be published under any agreement in Annex 1, 2 or 3 of the WTO Agreement shall be unrestricted.

³ It is understood that, normally, minutes (including records, reports and notes) of meetings shall be circulated within three weeks after a meeting of a WTO body and not later than the notice convening the following meeting of that body. Pursuant to Section C, paragraph (vi) of the Trade Policy Review Mechanism contained in Annex 3 of the WTO Agreement, minutes of the Trade Policy Review Body shall continue to be circulated as unrestricted.

⁴ Notwithstanding paragraph 3, any document that contains information that is publicly available or information required to be published under any agreement in Annex 1, 2 or 3 of the WTO Agreement shall continue to be made available via the WTO web-site immediately in the original WTO language in which it is written.

Documents circulated before 15 May 2002

Procedures for the circulation and derestriction of WTO documents (WT/L/160/Rev.1) adopted by the General Council on 18 July 1996 were applied retroactively to all WTO documents circulated after the date of entry into force of the WTO Agreement and also apply to all documents circulated up to and including 14 May 2002.

As provided for in paragraph 1 of the procedures, all WTO documents are circulated unrestricted, with the exception of documents specified in the Appendix to the above-mentioned decision which are circulated as restricted and subject to derestriction. Restricted documents are distributed by the Secretariat to Members, and to observer governments and observer international intergovernmental organizations entitled to receive such documents. Any document that contains only information that is publicly available or information that is required to be published under any agreement in the Annex 1, 2 or 3 of the WTO Agreement is circulated on an unrestricted basis.

Periodically, all restricted documents are reviewed for derestriction by the Organization in accordance with the above procedure. The changed status of newly-derestricted documents is announced in a WTO document which is circulated in the WT/DER/ series. Documents online is updated and at this point all derestricted documents become available to the general public (normally within 24 hours of the circulation of each WT/DER/ document issued). A list of all documents remaining restricted is issued periodically in the WT/DER/RM/ series.

Exceptions to the procedure

Documents pertaining to the Councils and Committees established under the Plurilateral Trade Agreements (GPA/, IDA/, IMA/ and TCA/ series) or separate agreements under the auspices of the WTO (G/IT/-) are circulated and derestricted in accordance with separate procedures established by those bodies.

5. Contacts