2026 News items

Members congratulated Ambassador Balakrishnan, who succeeds Ambassador Salomon Eheth of Cameroon, on her election, and thanked the outgoing Chair for his leadership over the past year.

In his farewell remarks, Ambassador Eheth recalled that his tenure had focused on fostering deeper reflection on the Group's work, including through an informal meeting in February 2026 to examine India's proposal for a Ministerial Declaration on technology transfer and a subsequent report to the General Council.

In her opening remarks, Chairperson Balakrishnan underscored the continuing relevance of the Group's mandate. "Technology transfer is as relevant today as when this Working Group was established. The pace of technological change, the urgency of the green transition, the opportunities and risks of digital technologies and artificial intelligence, and the persistent development gaps between members all make it imperative that we engage with purpose," she said.

Members discussed India's revised draft Ministerial Declaration on Enabling the Transfer of Relevant and Advanced Technology for Trade, which India said could serve as a basis for more focused and action-oriented discussions under the Group's mandate. Some members expressed support for, or openness to, the proposal and indicated their intention to continue engaging with India. Other members questioned the added value of a ministerial declaration, pointing to ongoing discussions in other WTO bodies and emphasizing the importance of avoiding duplication.

The WTO Secretariat presented two new background notes commissioned by the Group. One note provides a comprehensive stocktake of the Group's institutional record since 2015, covering 76 formal sessions. The second note maps technology transfer discussions across nine WTO bodies since MC12 in 2022. Members welcomed both notes as a useful analytical basis for future deliberations.

On possible recommendations - a core element of the Group's mandate - the Chair reaffirmed her commitment to advancing the Group's work. Announcing plans to hold informal intersession consultations to gather members' views, she said: "While MC14 in Yaoundé did not produce a specific outcome on technology transfer, it is my intention to pick up the threads of prior discussions and work with all members to define a constructive path forward."

The next formal meetings of the Working Group are tentatively scheduled for July and October or November 2026.

The Working Group on Trade and Transfer of Technology was established at the Doha Ministerial Conference in 2001. Its mandate is to examine the relationship between trade and technology transfer and to consider steps within the WTO's mandate to increase technology flows to developing economies.