  
  
INF/MSME/CN/10  
 
9 June 2021 
(21-4739) Page: 1/6 
  Original: English  
 
 
INFORMAL WORKING GROUP ON MSMES  
CONVENING NOTICE  
The following convening notice, dated 9 June 2021, is being circulated at the request of the 
Coordinator of the Informal Working Group on MSMEs.  
 
_______________  
 
 
The Informal Working Group on MSMEs will hold its next regular meeting in hybrid  mode  in room W 
(sitting capacity: 100 people maximum) and  through the Interprefy platform on 
Thursday  24 June 2021, starting at 10:00 a.m.  
 
The annex lays out relevant organis ational and technical arrangements.  
 
The following items are proposed for the agenda:  
 
 
1  PRESENTATIONS ON THE UNCITRAL MODEL LAW ON ELECTRONIC TRANSFERABLE 
RECORDS (MLETR)  
1.1.  Luca Castellani from the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law  (UNCITRAL) 
will present on what MLETR is and what it tries to achieve.  
1.2.  Chris Southworth from ICC UK will present the recent findings of the report "Creating A Modern 
Digital Trade Ecosystem, the economic case to reform UK law and align to the UNCITRAL MLE TR". 
1.3.  Dr. Jameel Al Alawi , Legal Senior Advisor at the Bahrain's Economic Development Board, will 
share Bahrain's national experience implementing the UNCITRAL MLETR.  
2  PRESENTATION ON THE MSME STRATEGY OF THE UN GLOBAL COMPACT  
2.1.  The UN Global Compact, a non -binding United Nations pact to encourage businesses worldwide 
to adopt sustainable and socially responsible policies and to report on their implementation , will 
present on its new MSME strategy.  
3  MSME -RELATED PROVISIONS IN REGIONAL TRADE AGREEMENTS  
3.1.  At the req uest of the European Union, the Secretariat will make a presentation on MSME -
related provisions in Regional Trade Agreements based in particular on the note by the Secretariat 
on MSME -related language in Regional Trade Agreements (INF/MSME/W/6/Rev.1) and t he database 
available on the "small business and trade " webpage of the WTO website 
(https://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/msmesandtra_e/rtaprovisions_e.htm ). 
4  INNOVATION POLICIES AND MSMES  
4.1.  Presentation by Barry West on the Abu Dhabi Global Market Digital Lab, a virtual environment 
that allows access to resources like data, APIs, and reference architectures for participants like 
Fintechs to develop and validate n ew solutions.  INF/MSME/CN/10  
 
- 2 - 
 
  4.2.  Update by Ecuador including information on the innovation policy questionnaire 
(INF/MSME/W/32).  
5  RURAL MSMES, PRESENTATION BY BRAZIL ON AGRITECH  
5.1.  As a follow -up to their presentation on support for rural MSMEs at the May 2021 open -ended 
meeting , Brazil will present on agritech.  
6  ICC COUNCIL OF MSMES, PRESENTATION BY VICTOR DOSORETZ (AT 3:00PM CEST)  
6.1.  Presentation of the ICC Council of MSMEs, and exploration and discussion of ways to collaborate 
with the WTO MSME Group.  
7  IMPLEMENTATION OF THE MSME PA CKAGE  
7.1.  Update by C ôte d'Ivoire on the status of their proposal to the Working Group on Trade , Debt 
and Finance (WT/WGTDF/W/ 98 and WT/WGTDF/W/98/Add.1 ); update  by Canada on formalization 
of automatic transmission of tariff and trade data related to Annex 5 o f the MSME Package; and any 
other initiative taken by Members to implement the MSME package.  
7.2.  Brief discussion on the format of the MSME Package implementation checklist (to be circulated 
informally by the Coordinator by email).  
8  MC12 PREPARATION  
8.1.  Review of t he Draft Ministerial Declaration (INF/ MSME/W/33 /Rev.1 ). 
8.2.  Demonstration  of the Trade4MSMEs web platform : Mexico will demonstrate the operational 
beta version of the Trade4MSMEs web platform.  
8.3.  Update on MSME Digital C hampions Initiative . 
8.4.  Next steps . 
9  OTHER BUSI NESS  
_______________  
 
  INF/MSME/CN/10  
 
- 3 - 
 
  ANNEX  
This annex lays out relevant organizational and technical arrangements.  
 
1  ORGANIZATIONAL ARRANGEMENTS  
1.1.  Delegates can choose to attend the meeting in person.  Please note  that meeting room 
capacities are cut in half and e very other seat must be kept vacant . Room W has a maximum 
capacity of 100 persons . Seats will be available on a first come, first served basis. Participants 
must wear their masks, except when they are addr essing the meeting. Meeting rooms will be 
disinfected to the extent possible. Disinfecting wipes will be available in all rooms and participants 
are encouraged to disinfect their seats and tables.  
1.2.  Both Geneva -based and capital -based officials of WTO Member s and Observers are welcome 
to attend the meeting virtually via the Interprefy platform. Both modes of participation will enjoy 
the same participation privileges. Simultaneous interpretation in the three WTO official languages 
will be provided.  
• In view of technical constraints, it is strongly recommended that virtual attendance be limited 
to a maximum of 3 persons per delegation . 
• All delegates wishing to attend the meeting, including capital -based officials, must, 
beforehand, register through the e-Registra tion platform of the WTO website (please see 
the technical arrangements laid out further below).  
• Any delegation experiencing technical difficulties  may call +41 22 739 6824 or email 
vcsupport@wto.org.  
• If technical difficulties result in delegations being unable to intervene virtually  under a 
given agenda item, the opportunity to take the floor will be given at an appropriate juncture 
before the meeting closes. Should the technical problem persist, delegations may contact the 
Secretariat ( anne.lescure @wto.or g) during the course  of the meeting, either to send their 
statement for it to be read out during the meeting, or to request that the Group be informed 
of their interest in the item under consideration and their intention to circulate their written 
statemen t to all Group members after the meeting.  
2  TECHNICAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR VIRTUAL ATTENDANCE  
2.1.  Delegations are kindly requested to review and take note of the technical arrangements for 
virtual attendance as set out further below.  
2.1  BEFORE THE MEETING  
2.2.  It is recommended that delegates log-in one hour before the start of the meeting to have 
an opportunity to test the connection and familiarize themselves with the functionalities of the 
system.  
2.3.  Device : Please do not use smartphones nor iPADs/tablets if you  wish to take the floor during 
the meeting.  
2.4.  Browser : To connect to the meeting, please use either:  
 
 
2.5.  Safari, Internet Explorer, Edge will not work.  
2.6.  Location : Please stay in a fixed location.  
INF/MSME/CN/10  
 
- 4 - 
 
  2.7.  Headset : a plug -in is the preferred option. Avoid Bluetooth devi ces if you wish to take the 
floor. 
2.2  JOINING THE MEETING  
2.8.  Login to the WTO website with your WTO credentials  by clicking on the "Login" button in 
the top right corner. Your credentials are the email and password with which you registered through 
the WTO E -Registration platform.1 
2.9.  Once you are logged -in, click on TRADE TOPICS in the top row and then click on JOIN T 
INITIATIVES and finally on Small Business/MSMEs  
(http://workingserver/english/tratop_e/msmes_e/msmes_e.htm ), scroll down to the table listing 
forthcoming meetings, and especially t o the 24 June  meeting . 
2.10.   Click on the link " Access the meeting in Interprefy " (see an example below) and insert 
again your WTO credentials (the same email and password as before). You will then be taken directly 
to the virtual meeting on the Interprefy platf orm. 
 
 
2.11.   Allow the system to access the microphone and camera.  
 
 
2.12.   Simultaneous interpretation in all three official languages will be provided. Choose your 
preferred language (Please note: " None " means listening to the floor, without interpretation). If 
you do not hear sound on the "None" channel, try switching to one of the language specific channels.  
 
 
 
1 If you are able to login onto the Members' restricted WTO website using your nominative email and 
password, then no action is needed. Otherwise, you will need to obtain credentials from your WTO Mission's 
Delegation Coordinator (DC), who will  need to  register you on the E -Registration system.  
To ensure a valid account, the DC should:  
1. connect to eregistration.wto.or g with his/her WTO need credentials;  
2. check if the delegate concerned already has a profile – if not, create one;  
3. make sure there is a login email in the delegate's profile;  
4. make sure the checkbox called "Virtual Meeting Access" or "VMA" is checked ; 
5. click on "Send invitation to user to Set/Reset the password " – and the delegate will receive an email 
with a secure link so that he/she can create or reset her/his own individual password.  
All main and alternate DCs can create/modify delegates' profil es in their delegation.  
INF/MSME/CN/10  
 
- 5 - 
 
   
 
 
2.3  DURING THE MEETING  
2.13.   To request the floor, press the "Raise Hand" button. The Chairman and  Secretariat will be 
able to see delegates requesting the floor.  
   
 
2.14.   When the Chairman gives you the floor, you will see the following message. Please select 
VIDEO.  
 
 
2.15.   Please allow a few seconds of streaming before starting your intervention, to ensure your 
statement is heard in full. Remember to speak at a moderate pace  to facilitate simultaneous 
interpretation.  
2.16.   Once you have completed your intervention, click on the Disconnect button. This will not 
disconnect you from the meeting  – it will only stop tr ansmitting your voice and image.  
 
 
2.4  AFTER THE MEETING  
IMPORTANT: Click the "log out" button (top right) after every Interprefy session otherwise 
you will continue to remain in that session and therefore unable to access the next one.  
 
INF/MSME/CN/10  
 
- 6 - 
 
  2.5  MEETING TIPS  
Video  
 • Turn on an overhead/front light and face a window if possible.  
• Avoid backlight and frame your image and check the background – simple/neutral is 
best. 
• If you are speaking: keep any visual distractions to a minimum and replicate eye - 
contact by look ing to the camera.  
 
Sound  
 • Choose a quiet environment and reduce background noise (indoors in an echo -free 
place).  
• Use only one device at a time.  
• Adjust the headset (do not put the microphone too close to your mouth) and the 
volume of your headphones.  
• When taking the floor, talk directly into the microphone, without turning your head 
away and moving the microphone.  
• Speak clearly with a normal voice when you take the floor, at a moderate pace . 
 
 
 
IF YOU NEED ASSISTANCE AT ANY POINT, PLEASE CALL +41 22 739 68 24 OR EMAIL 
vcsupport@wto.org  
 
 
__________  
