1. GROUPS IN THE WTO
Updated 18 April 2011
A number of countries have formed coalitions in the WTO. These groups often speak with one voice
using a single coordinator or negotiating team. These are some of the most active groups in the WTO.
Groups Description / issues Countries
ACP African, Caribbean and WTO members (58): Angola, Antigua & Barbuda,
Pacific countries with Barbados, Belize, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi,
preferences in the EU Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Rep., Chad,
Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Cuba, Congo (Democratic Rep.),
Nature: geographical
Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Rep., Fiji, Gabon, Gambia,
Issues: preferences, etc
Ghana, Grenada, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Guyana, Haiti,
www.acpsec.org Jamaica, Kenya, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali,
Mauritania, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger,
Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, Rwanda, St Kitts & Nevis, St
Lucia, St Vincent & the Grenadines, Senegal, Sierra Leone,
Solomon Islands, South Africa, Suriname, Swaziland,
Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad & Tobago, Uganda,
Zambia, Zimbabwe
WTO observers (10): Bahamas, Comoros, Equatorial
Guinea, Ethiopia, Liberia, Samoa, São Tomé and Principe,
Seychelles, Sudan, Vanuatu
Not WTO members or observers (11): Cook Islands,
Eritrea, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Niue,
Palau, Somalia, Timor-Lesté, Tuvalu
African group All African WTO WTO members (42): Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina
members Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African
Rep., Chad, Congo, Congo (Democratic Rep.), Côte
Nature: regional
d’Ivoire, Djibouti, Egypt, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea,
Issues: general
Guinea Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali,
Mauritania, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia,
Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South
Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda,
Zambia, Zimbabwe
APEC Asia Pacific Economic WTO members (20): Australia, Brunei Darussalam,
Cooperation forum Canada, Chile, China, Hong Kong China, Indonesia, Japan,
Rep. Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New
Nature: regional
Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Singapore, Chinese Taipei,
Issues: general
Thailand, US, Viet Nam
www.apec.org
WTO observers (1): Russia
EU European Union, in the WTO members (28): Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus,
WTO officially called the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France,
European Communities Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia,
Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland,
Nature: customs union
Portugal, Romania, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain,
Issues: general
Sweden, United Kingdom + European Union
ec.europa.eu
Mercosur Common Market of the WTO members (4): Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay,
Southern Cone (Mercosul Uruguay
in Portuguese)
Nature: customs union
Issues: general
www.mercosur.int

2. Groups Description / issues Countries
G-90 African Group + ACP + WTO members (65): Angola, Antigua & Barbuda,
least-developed Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Benin, Botswana,
countries Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde,
Central African Rep., Chad, Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Cuba,
Issues: general
Congo (Democratic Rep.), Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican
Rep., Egypt, Fiji, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Grenada,
Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Kenya,
Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Maldives, Mali, Mauritania,
Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia,
Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, Rwanda, St
Kitts & Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent & the Grenadines,
Senegal, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, South Africa,
Suriname, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Trinidad & Tobago,
Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe
WTO observers (14): Afghanistan, Bahamas, Bhutan,
Comoros, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Laos, Liberia,
Samoa, São Tomé & Principe, Seychelles, Sudan,
Vanuatu, Yemen
Not WTO members or observers (11): Cook Islands,
Eritrea, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Niue,
Palau, Somalia, Timor-Lesté, Tuvalu
Least Least developed WTO members (31): Angola, Bangladesh, Benin,
developed countries: the world’s Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Central African Rep.,
countries poorest countries. The Chad, Congo (Democratic Rep.), Djibouti, Gambia,
(LDCs) WTO uses the UN list. Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Haiti, Lesotho, Madagascar,
www.un.org/special- Malawi, , Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal,
rep/ohrlls/ldc/list.htm Niger, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands,
Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia
Issues: general
WTO observers (12): Afghanistan, Bhutan, Comoros,
Official website:
Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Laos, Liberia, Samoa,
www.ldcgroups.org
São Tomé & Principe, Sudan, Vanuatu, Yemen
Small, This list is based on WTO members (15): Barbados, Bolivia, Cuba,
vulnerable sponsors of proposals. Dominican Rep., El Salvador, Fiji, Guatemala, Honduras,
economies See also: list in Annex I Maldives, Mauritius, Mongolia, Nicaragua, Papua New
(SVEs) — of the 10 July 2008 Guinea, Paraguay, Trinidad & Tobago
agriculture revised draft agriculture
modalities, and footnote 9
(paragraph 65) and
paragraph 151.
Issues: agriculture
Small, This list is based on WTO members (20): Antigua & Barbuda, Barbados,
vulnerable sponsors of proposals. Bolivia, Dominca, Dominican Rep., El Salvador, Fiji,
economies See also: definition in Grenada, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Maldives,
(SVEs) — non- paragraph 13 of the Mongolia, Nicaragua, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, St
agricultural 10 July 2008 revised draft Kitts & Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent & the Grenadines,
market access NAMA modalities Trinidad & Tobago
(NAMA)
Issues: NAMA
Small, Sponsors of WTO members (15): Barbados, Cuba, Dominica,
vulnerable TN/RL/W/226/Rev.5 Dominican Rep., El Salvador, Fiji, Honduras, Jamaica,
economies Maldives, Mauritius, Nicaragua, Papua New Guinea, St
Issues: Rules (fisheries
(SVEs) — rules Lucia, St Vincent & the Grenadines, Tonga
subsidies)

3. Groups Description / issues Countries
Recently Recently acceded WTO members (19): Albania, Armenia, Cape Verde,
acceded members (RAMs), ie, China, Croatia, Ecuador, FYR Macedonia, Georgia, Jordan,
members countries that negotiated Kyrgyz Rep., Moldova, Mongolia, Oman, Panama, Saudi
(RAMs) and joined the WTO after Arabia, Chinese Taipei, Tonga, Ukraine, Viet Nam
1995, seeking lesser
commitments in the
negotiations because of
the liberalization they
have undertaken as part
of their membership
agreements. Excludes
least-developed countries
because they will make
no new commitments,
and EU members
Issues: general
Low-income Seeking to secure the WTO members (3): Armenia, Kyrgyz Rep., Moldova
economies in same treatment as least-
transition developed countries.
(Georgia formally
withdrew, but in the
agriculture draft the full
list is: Albania, Armenia,
Georgia, Kyrgyz Rep,
Moldova)
Issues: Agriculture
Cairns group Coalition of agricultural WTO members (19): Argentina, Australia, Bolivia,
exporting nations Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala,
lobbying for agricultural Indonesia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Pakistan, Paraguay,
trade liberalization. Peru, Philippines, South Africa, Thailand, Uruguay
Issues: agriculture
www.cairnsgroup.org
Tropical Coalition of developing WTO members (8): Bolivia, Colombia, Costa Rica,
products group countries seeking greater Ecuador, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru
market access for tropical
products
Issues: Agriculture
G-10 Coalition of countries WTO members (9): Chinese Taipei, Rep. Korea, Iceland,
lobbying for agriculture to Israel, Japan, Liechtenstein, Mauritius, Norway,
be treated as diverse and Switzerland
special because of non-
trade concerns (not to be
confused with the Group
of Ten Central Bankers)
Issues: agriculture
G-20 Coalition of developing WTO members (23): Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile,
countries pressing for China, Cuba, Ecuador, Egypt, Guatemala, India,
ambitious reforms of Indonesia, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru,
agriculture in developed Philippines, South Africa, Tanzania, Thailand, Uruguay,
countries with some Venezuela, Zimbabwe
flexibility for developing
countries (not to be

4. Groups Description / issues Countries
confused with the G-20
group of finance ministers
and central bank
governors, and its recent
summit meetings)
Issues: agriculture
www.g-20.mre.gov.br
G-33 Also called “Friends of WTO members (46): Antigua & Barbuda, Barbados,
Special Products” in Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Botswana, China, Congo, Côte
agriculture. d’Ivoire, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Rep., El Salvador,
Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, India,
Coalition of developing
Indonesia, Jamaica, Kenya, Rep. Korea, Madagascar,
countries pressing for
Mauritius, Mongolia, Mozambique, Nicaragua, Nigeria,
flexibility for developing
Pakistan, Panama, Peru, Philippines, St Kitts & Nevis, St
countries to undertake
Lucia, St Vincent & the Grenadines, Senegal, Sri Lanka,
limited market opening in
Suriname, Tanzania, Trinidad & Tobago, Turkey, Uganda,
agriculture
Venezuela, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Issues: agriculture
Cotton-4 West African coalition WTO members (4): Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali
seeking cuts in cotton
subsidies and tariffs
Issues: agriculture
(cotton)
NAMA 11 Coalition of developing WTO members (10): Argentina, Brazil, Egypt, India,
countries seeking Indonesia, Namibia, Philippines, South Africa, Tunisia,
flexibilities to limit market Venezuela
opening in industrial
goods trade
Issues: NAMA
‘Paragraph 6’ Group of countries with WTO members (12): Cameroon, Congo, Côte d’Ivoire,
countries less than 35% of non- Cuba, Ghana, Kenya, Macao China, Mauritius, Nigeria, Sri
agricultural products Lanka, Suriname, Zimbabwe
covered by legally bound
tariff ceilings. They
have agreed to increase
their binding coverage
substantially, but want to
exempt some products.
(In paragraph 6 of the
first version of the NAMA
text, later paragraph 8.)
Issues: NAMA
Friends of Seeking to maximize WTO members (35): Australia, Austria, Belgium,
Ambition tariff reductions and Bulgaria, Canada, Cyprus, Czech Rep., Denmark, Estonia,
(NAMA) achieve real market EU, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland,
access in NAMA. (Some Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta,
nuanced differences in Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal,
positions.) Romania, Slovak Rep., Slovenia, Spain, Sweden,
Switzerland, UK, US
Issues: NAMA
Friends of Anti- Coalition seeking more WTO members (15): Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica,
Dumping disciplines on the use of Hong Kong China, Israel, Japan, Rep. of Korea, Mexico,

5. Groups Description / issues Countries
Negotiations anti-dumping measures Norway, Singapore, Switzerland, Chinese Taipei, Thailand,
(FANs) Turkey
Issues: Rules (anti-
dumping)
Friends of Fish Informal coalition seeking WTO members (11): Argentina, Australia, Chile,
(FoFs) to significantly reduce Colombia, Ecuador, Iceland, New Zealand, Norway,
fisheries subsidies. From Pakistan, Peru, US
time to time other WTO
members also identify
themselves as “Friends of
Fish”"
Issues: Rules (subsidies)
‘W52’ sponsors Sponsors of TN/C/W/52, WTO members (109): Albania, Angola, Antigua &
a proposal for Barbuda, Austria, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Benin,
“modalities” in Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi,
negotiations on Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Rep., Chad, China,
geographical indications Colombia, Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus,
(the multilateral register Czech Rep, Congo (Democratic Rep.), Denmark, Djibouti,
for wines and spirits, and Dominica, Dominican Rep.*, Ecuador, Egypt, Estonia, EU,
extending the higher level Fiji, Finland, FYR Macedonia, France, Gabon, Gambia,
of protection beyond Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guinea,
wines and spirits) and Guinea Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Hungary, Iceland, India,
“disclosure” (patent Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Kenya, Kyrgyz Rep.,
applicants to disclose the Latvia, Lesotho, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg,
origin of genetic Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius,
resources and traditional Moldova, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Netherlands,
knowledge used in the Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Poland,
inventions). The list Portugal, Romania, Rwanda, St Kitts & Nevis, St Lucia, St
includes as groups: the Vincent & the Grenadines, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Slovak
EU, ACP and African Rep., Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Spain, Sri Lanka,
Group. Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, South Africa*,
* Dominican Rep. is in Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad & Tobago,
the ACP and South Africa Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, United Kingdom, Zambia,
is in the African Group, Zimbabwe
but they are sponsors of
TN/IP/W/10/Rev.2 on
geographical indications
Issues: Intellectual
property (TRIPS)
Joint proposal Sponsors of WTO members (20): Argentina, Australia, Canada,
TN/IP/W/10/Rev.2 Chile, Costa Rica, Dominican Rep., Ecuador, El Salvador,
proposing a database that Guatemala, Honduras, Israel, Japan, Korea, Mexico, New
is entirely voluntary Zealand, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Chinese Taipei, South
Africa, US
www.wto.org/trips#issues
Issues: TRIPS GI
register