除部长级会议另有规定外,有资格成为创始成员方的国家和地区必须在WTO成立后两年前,即1997年1月1日前提出申请。事实表明,所有有资格的国家和地区都在此期限内提出了申请,并加入了WTO。最后一个加入的是刚果共和国,于1997年3月27日成为WTO的第137个成员。
2.加入
Accession
Any State or separate customs territory possessing full autonomy in the conduct of its external commercial relations and of the other matters provided for in this Agreement and the Multilateral Trade Agreements may accede to this Agreement, on terms to be agreed between it and the WTO. Such accession shall apply to this Agreement and the Multilateral Trade Agreements annexed thereto.