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ACCESSIONS

Samoa

This page gathers key information on Samoa's negotiations to join the WTO.  Samoa became the 155th WTO member on 10 May 2012.

> Page for Samoa as a Member

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WTO accession process in brief

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Samoa's Timeline

I. Overview
Application received 15/04/1998  WT/ACC/WSM/1
Accession Working Party established 15/07/1998  WT/GC/M/29
Terms of reference & accession Working Party membership  15/01/1999  WT/ACC/SAM/1  + ( revisions)
Chairperson of the Accession Working Party     
4th 02/2011 - 10/2011 Mr Atsuyuki OIKE (Japan)
3rd 07/2010 - 02/2011 Ambassador Shinichi KITAJIMA (Japan)
2nd 05/ 2009 - 07/2010 Ms Kuni SATO (Japan)
1st 01/1999 - 05/2009 AmbassadorMr Yoichi SUZUKI (Japan)
Formal Meetings of the Working Party Date of the meeting Convening notice Statement(s) by the Head of the Delegation Statement(s) by Working Party members Delegation list Other documents for the meeting News item
1st 12/03/2002
2nd 28/10/2011 News item
Informal Meetings of the Working Party Date of the meeting Convening fax Statement(s) by the Head of the Delegation
  24/11/2006
  16/06/2008
  28/10/2009
Plurilateral Meetings Date of the meeting Convening fax Statement(s) by the Head of the Delegation
II. Multilateral Negotiations
Memorandum on the Foreign Trade Regime (MFTR)  17/02/2000  WT/ACC/SAM/2
Initial cycle(s) of Questions and Replies, following the circulation of the MFTR 30/08/2001  WT/ACC/SAM/4 (+  addenda)
12/06/2003  WT/ACC/SAM/5 (+  addendum)
Factual Summary of Points Raised 
Additional Questions & Replies 07/12/2005  WT/ACC/SAM/6
16/06/2008  WT/ACC/SAM/8
11/05/2009  WT/ACC/SAM/10
29/04/2010  WT/ACC/SAM/14
29/04/2010  WT/ACC/SAM/15
18/11/2010  WT/ACC/SAM/17
10/02/2011  WT/ACC/SAM/17/Add.5
31/05/2011  WT/ACC/SAM/21
25/07/2011  WT/ACC/SAM/24
Elements of a Draft Report of the Working Party 
Draft Report of the Working Party  12/06/2003  WT/ACC/SPEC/SAM/4  (+  revisions)
Agriculture (WT/ACC/22/Add.1), including Questions and Replies  30/08/2001  WT/ACC/SPEC/SAM/3  (+  revisions)
SPS Checklist (WT/ACC/22/Add.2
TBT Checklist (WT/ACC/22/Add.2
TRIPS Questionnaire (WT/ACC/22/Add.2 26/05/2009  WT/ACC/SAM/11
Import Licensing Procedures Questionnaire (WT/ACC/22 + revisions
Customs Valuation Checklist (WT/ACC/22 + revisions
State-Trading Questionnaire (WT/ACC/22 + revisions 15/12/2010  WT/ACC/SAM/18 
Draft Subsidies Notification (WT/ACC/22/Add.2
Comprehensive Legislative Action Plan (LAP)  29/04/2010  WT/ACC/SAM/16  (+  revisions)
Rule-specific Action Plans  23/06/2008  WT/ACC/SAM/9 (SPS-specific) 
06/10/2009  WT/ACC/SAM/13 (IP-specific) 
Legislation and implementing regulations    Click for details Legislation notice Notified legislation
21/11/2000  WT/ACC/SAM/3
  •  Business Licences 1998
  •  Copyright 1998
  •  Customs Act 1977
  •  Customs and Excise Amendment 1993
  •  Customs Tariff Act 1975
  •  Excise Tax (Domestic Administration) Act 1984
  •  Excise Tax (Domestic Administration) Amendment Act 1998
  •  Excise Tax (Import Administration) Act 1984
  •  Excise Tax Rate 1984
  •  Fair Trading Act 1998
  •  Industrial Designs Act 1972
  •  Patents Act 1972
  •  Petroleum act 1984
  •  Public Monies Act 1964
  •  Trademarks Act 1972
  •  Value Added Goods and Services Tax Act 1992/1993
30/08/2001  WT/ACC/SAM/4/Add.1
  •  Department of Trade, Commerce and Industry, Samoa Price Board, Percentage Price Control Order of 1 March 1999, No. 1 Analysis
  •  Exchange Control Regulations 1999
  •  Foreign Investment Act 2000
  •  Customs Amendment Regulations 1998 (Customs Fees)
  •  Fines Act (Review and Amendment) No. 24 of 1998
  •  Customs Department Circular No. 9/98 "Penalty Provisions – Customs Act"
  •  Trademarks Act 1972 Second Schedule "List of Fees Payable"
  •  Patents Act 1972 Sixth Schedule "Schedule of Fees"
  •  Industrial Designs Act 1972 "Schedule of Fees"
12/02/2007  WT/ACC/SAM/4/Add.2
  •  Customs Amendment Act 1998
  •  Customs Tariff Amendment Act 1998
  •  Excise Tax Rate Amendment Act 1998
06/02/2007  WT/ACC/SAM/7
17/06/2008  WT/ACC/SAM/8/Add.1
15/09/2008  WT/ACC/SAM/8/Add.2
24/10/2008  WT/ACC/SAM/8/Add.3
  •  Draft Industrial Property Act for Samoa and Commentary on its Main Provisions (file 1; 2; 3; 4; 5 and 6)
05/08/2009  WT/ACC/SAM/12
  •  Supreme Court (Civil Procedure Rules) 1980
29/04/2010  WT/ACC/SAM/14/Add.2
29/04/2010  WT/ACC/SAM/15/Add.1
28/06/2010  WT/ACC/SAM/15/Add.2
22/11/2010  WT/ACC/SAM/17/Add.1
14/12/2010  WT/ACC/SAM/17/Add.2
04/02/2011  WT/ACC/SAM/17/Add.4
04/05/2011  WT/ACC/SAM/19
06/05/2011  WT/ACC/SAM/20
31/05/2011  WT/ACC/SAM/21/Add.1
07/07/2011  WT/ACC/SAM/22
22/07/2011  WT/ACC/SAM/23
04/08/2011  WT/ACC/SAM/25
15/08/2011  WT/ACC/SAM/26
07/09/2011  WT/ACC/SAM/27
20/10/2011  WT/ACC/SAM/28
24/10/2011  WT/ACC/SAM/29
04/11/2011  WT/ACC/SAM/31
Consultation documents    Click for details Consultation notice Notified consultation document
30/08/2001  WT/ACC/SAM/4/Add.1
  •  Maximum Percentage Control Mark-Up List (certain goods)
29/04/2010  WT/ACC/SAM/14/Add.1
14/12/2010  WT/ACC/SAM/17/Add.2
14/12/2010  WT/ACC/SAM/17/Add.3
III. Bilateral Market Access Negotiations 
Goods Offer(s)  30/08/2001  WT/ACC/SPEC/SAM/1
Services Offer(s)  30/08/2001  WT/ACC/SPEC/SAM/2  (+  revisions)
Register of Bilateral Market Access Agreements 
Draft Goods Schedule  23/09/2011  WT/ACC/SPEC/SAM/5 
Draft Services Schedule  23/09/2011  WT/ACC/SPEC/SAM/6 
Goods and Services Technical Verification Meetings 
IV. Summary of Final Meeting of the Working Party
V. Accession Package (“Terms of Accession”, de-restricted) 
Ministerial Conference/General Council Decision on the Accession 17/12/2011  WT/L/840; WT/MIN(11)/27 News item
Protocol of Accession  17/12/2011  WT/L/840; WT/MIN(11)/27
Report of the Working Party 01/11/2011  WT/ACC/SAM/30 ;  WT/MIN(11)/1
Goods Schedule (Schedule of Concessions and Commitments Annexed to the GATT 1994)  01/11/2011  WT/ACC/SAM/30/Add.1;  WT/MIN(11)/1/Add.1
Services Schedule (Schedule of Specific Commitments Annexed to the GATS)  01/11/2011   WT/ACC/SAM/30/Add.2;  WT/MIN(11)/1/Add.2
VI. Accessions Commitments Database (ACDB) 
Specific Accession Commitments   http://acdb.wto.org/ click on “Report by Member”, select “Samoa” in drop down list then click on “View Report”
VII. Instrument of Acceptance 
Notification of Acceptance and Entry Into Force of the Protocol of Accession 10/04/2012  WT/LET/850
VIII. Date of Membership
  10/05/2012 155th Member News item
IX. Since 1995, this is the…
27th economy that joined the WTO pursuant to Article XII of the Marrakesh Agreement.

Note:
The de-restriction of documents is a key component of the transparency obligations of the Multilateral Trading System.  Paragraphs 1 and 2(e) of the Ministerial Council Decision WT/L/452 of 14 May 2002 provide that “documents relating to working parties on accession shall be restricted and shall be automatically de-restricted upon the adoption of the report of the working party” by the Ministerial Conference/General Council.  The time of completion of the de-restriction process depends on the amount and complexities of the documents involved.  Prior to 2002, the de-restriction of accession-related documents was governed by a different set of rules (i.e. General Council Decision WT/L/160/Rev.1 of 26 July 1996), which only affect documents circulated prior to 2002.