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ACCESSIONS

Seychelles

This page gathers key information on Seychelles' negotiations to join the WTO.  Seychelles became the 161st WTO member on 26 April 2015.

> Page for Seychelles as a Member

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Seychelles's Timeline

I. Overview
Application received 08/05/1995  WT/ACC/SYC/1
Accession Working Party established 11/07/1995  WT/GC/M/5
Terms of reference & accession Working Party membership  12/08/1996  WT/ACC/SYC/2  (+  revisions)
Chairperson of the Accession Working Party     
3rd 07/2009 — 12/2014 Ms. Hilda ALI AL-HINAI (Oman)
2nd 10/1997—07/2009 Ambassador Miguel J. BERTHET (Uruguay)
1st 07/1996—10/1997 Ambassador Jaona RAVALOSON (Madagascar)
Formal Meetings of the Working Party Date of the meeting Convening notice/fax Statement(s) by the Head of the Delegation Statement(s) by Working Party members Delegation list Other documents for the meeting News item
1st 20/02/1997
2nd 22/11/2010 News item 
3rd 10/07/2012 News item 
4th 21/06/2013 Documents News item 
5th 15/11/2013 Documents News item 
6th 03/07/2014 Documents News item 
7th 17/10/2014 Documents News item 
Informal Meetings of the Working Party Date of the meeting Convening fax Statement(s) by the Head of the Delegation
Plurilateral Meetings Date of the meeting Convening fax Statement(s) by the Head of the Delegation
 On agriculture 21/06/2013
 On agriculture 02/07/2014
II. Multilateral Negotiations
Memorandum on the Foreign Trade Regime (MFTR)  22/08/1996  WT/ACC/SYC/3
— revision 26/05/2009  WT/ACC/SYC/9
Initial cycle(s) of Questions and Replies, following the circulation of the MFTR 11/04/1997  WT/ACC/SYC/7
20/02/1998  WT/ACC/SYC/8
04/06/2010  WT/ACC/SYC/10
12/05/2011  WT/ACC/SYC/12
Factual Summary of Points Raised  05/06/2012
Additional Questions & Replies 06/03/2013  WT/ACC/SYC/23
16/09/2013  WT/ACC/SYC/44
12/05/2014  WT/ACC/SYC/55
16/09/2014  WT/ACC/SYC/60
Elements of a Draft Report of the Working Party  23/05/2013
Draft Report of the Working Party  18/09/2013   (+  revisions + corrigenda)
Agriculture (WT/ACC/22/Add.1), including Questions and Replies  10/10/2011   (+  revisions + addendum)
SPS Checklist (WT/ACC/22/Add.2 04/06/2010  WT/ACC/SYC/11 (+  revisions & addendum)
~Updated 06/03/2013  WT/ACC/SYC/24  (+  revisions)
TBT Checklist (WT/ACC/22/Add.2 04/06/2010  WT/ACC/SYC/11 (+  revisions & addendum)
~Updated 17/05/2013  WT/ACC/SYC/29  (+  revisions)
TRIPS Questionnaire (WT/ACC/22/Add.2 07/05/2012  WT/ACC/SYC/18  (+  revisions)
Import Licensing Procedures Questionnaire (WT/ACC/22 + revisions 06/10/2011  WT/ACC/SYC/14  (+  revisions)
Customs Valuation Checklist (WT/ACC/22 + revisions 06/10/2011  WT/ACC/SYC/15  (+  revisions)
State-Trading Questionnaire (WT/ACC/22 + revisions 06/10/2011  WT/ACC/SYC/13  (+  revisions)
Draft Subsidies Notification (WT/ACC/22/Add.2 27/09/2013  WT/ACC/SYC/45  (+  revisions)
Legislative Action Plan (LAP)  07/05/2012  WT/ACC/SYC/17  (+  revisions)
Rule-specific Action Plans  06/10/2011  WT/ACC/SYC/16 (IP-specific)  (+  revisions)
Legislation and implementing regulations    Click for details Legislation notice Notified legislation
04/11/1996  WT/ACC/SYC/4
  •  Animals (Diseases and Imports) Act of 29 December 1981
  •  Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act
  •  Bills of Exchange Act of 26 October 1959
  •  Broadcasting and Telecommunications Act of 1 July 1988
  •  Business Tax Act of 1987 (as amended in 1994)
  •  Carriage by Air (Overseas Territories) Order, 1967
  •  Carriage by Air Acts (Application of Provisions)
  •  Carriage of Goods by Sea Act of 1 January 1927
  •  Central Bank of Seychelles Act of 1 January 1983 (as amended in 1986)
  •  Cinematograph Film Censorship Act of 12 May 1952
  •  Civil Aviation Act 1949 (Overseas Territories) Order, 1969 of 30 April 1969
  •  Civil Code of Seychelles Act of 1 January 1976
  •  Commercial Code Act of 1 January 1977
  •  Control and Protection of Clients' Accounts Act of 1 January 1982
  •  Control of Supplies and Services Act of 9 December 1958
  •  Co-operatives Act of 1 February 1988
  •  Copyright Act of 1 April 1984
  •  Criminal Procedure Code of 1 February 1955
  •  Development Bank of Seychelles Decree of 1 February 1978
  •  Development Loans Act of 1 January 1977
  •  Employment Act of 16 November 1990
  •  Entertainments Tax Act of 1 September 1965
  •  Environment Protection Act of 3 April 1989
  •  Essential Services and Property Protection Act of 6 November 1961
  •  Exchange Control Act of 4 January 1954
  •  Financial Institutions Act of 1 January 1985
  •  Firearms and Ammunition Act of 1 November 1973
  •  Fisheries Act of 31 March 1987
  •  Food Act of 1 May 1990
  •  Insurance Act of 23 December 1994 (as amended in 1995)
  •  International Monetary Fund (Membership of Seychelles) Act of 14 February 1977
  •  Interpretation and General Provisions Act of 6 September 1976
  •  Legal Practitioners Act
  •  Licences Act of 31 March 1987
  •  Medical Practitioners and Dentists Act of 19 July 1934
  •  Parastatal Corporations Act
  •  Patents Act of 3 March 1901
  •  Post Office Act of 28 September 1901
  •  Public Health Act of 18 January 1960
  •  Public Utilities Corporation Act of 1 January 1986
  •  Quarantine Act of 1 November 1948
  •  Registration of Business Names Act of 31 July 1972
  •  Security on Movables Act of 23 July 1965
  •  Seychelles Bureau of Standards Act of 20 October 1987
  •  Seychelles Code of Civil Procedure of 15 April 1920
  •  Seychelles Fishing Authority (Establishment) Act of 31 August 1984
  •  Seychelles Marketing Board Act of 15 October 1984
  •  Seychelles Public Transport Corporation Decree of 29 December 1977
  •  Social Security Act of 1987
  •  Stamp Duty Act of 1 January 1976
  •  Taxation (Provisional Charging) Act of 3 November 1975
  •  Trademarks Decree of 4 January 1978
  •  Trades Tax Act of 1992
  •  Treasury Bill Decree of 30 April 1979
  •  Seychelles International Business Authority Act, 1994
  •  International Business Companies Act, 1994
  •  International Trusts Act, 1994
  •  International Trade Zone Act, 1995
  •  Investment Promotion Act, 1994
12/11/1996  WT/ACC/SYC/4/Add.1
  •  Public Finances (Control and Management) Act of 1991 (Chapter 188)
  •  The Plant Pests Act of 19 June 1925 (Chapter 171)
  •  The Securities Industry Act of 22 December 1995
06/12/1996  WT/ACC/SYC/4/Add.2
  •  Seychelles Company Act (Chapter 70) of 1972
05/03/1997  WT/ACC/SYC/4/Add.3
  •  Trades Tax Regulations of 1997
22/07/2009  WT/ACC/SYC/9/Add.1
04/06/2010  WT/ACC/SYC/10/Add.1
16/11/2010  WT/ACC/SYC/10/Add.2
15/05/2012  WT/ACC/SYC/19
16/05/2012  WT/ACC/SYC/20
04/03/2013  WT/ACC/SYC/22
23/04/2013  WT/ACC/SYC/25
26/04/2013  WT/ACC/SYC/26
29/04/2013  WT/ACC/SYC/27
30/04/2013  WT/ACC/SYC/28
10/06/2013  WT/ACC/SYC/31
10/06/2013  WT/ACC/SYC/32
10/06/2013  WT/ACC/SYC/33
02/08/2013  WT/ACC/SYC/34
06/08/2013  WT/ACC/SYC/35
12/08/2013  WT/ACC/SYC/36
13/08/2013  WT/ACC/SYC/37
14/08/2013  WT/ACC/SYC/38
19/08/2013  WT/ACC/SYC/40
26/08/2013  WT/ACC/SYC/41
30/08/2013  WT/ACC/SYC/42
10/09/2013  WT/ACC/SYC/43
08/11/2013  WT/ACC/SYC/46
11/11/2013  WT/ACC/SYC/47
07/03/2014  WT/ACC/SYC/48
20/03/2014  WT/ACC/SYC/49
26/03/2014  WT/ACC/SYC/50
09/04/2014  WT/ACC/SYC/51
24/04/2014  WT/ACC/SYC/52
09/05/2014  WT/ACC/SYC/53
19/05/2014  WT/ACC/SYC/56
10/06/2014  WT/ACC/SYC/57
08/09/2014  WT/ACC/SYC/59
15/10/2014  WT/ACC/SYC/61
21/10/2014  WT/ACC/SYC/62
Consultation documents    Click for details Consultation notice Notified consultation document
21/01/1997   WT/ACC/SPEC/SYC/6  
27/05/1997   WT/ACC/SPEC/SYC/1 Flexibility Paper
04/03/2013  WT/ACC/SYC/22 List of State-owned Enterprises with Exclusive Rights
23/05/2013  WT/ACC/SYC/30 Draft specific commitment paragraphs proposed by Seychelles
16/08/2013  WT/ACC/SYC/39
18/09/2013   WT/ACC/SYC/44/Add.1 Draft specific commitment paragraphs as incorporated in the Draft Working Party Report (WT/ACC/SPEC/SYC/6)
09/05/2014  WT/ACC/SYC/54
08/09/2014  WT/ACC/SYC/58 Trade Portal Work Plan for the Website Development, Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) - Customs Union - Common External Tariff (CET) - Tariff Levels and, the press release by the Ministry of Finance, Trade and Investment
23/10/2014  WT/ACC/SYC/63 Summary of the Seventh and Final Meeting of the Working Party
26/03/2015  WT/ACC/SYC/65 Remarks by President James Michel following signature of the ratification of the WTO Accession Protocol on behalf of the Republic of Seychelles
23/04/2015  WT/ACC/SYC/66 Report by ms Hilda al-hinai, Chairperson of the Working Party on the Accession of the Republic of Seychelles
27/04/2015  WT/ACC/SYC/67 S WT/GC/169 Statement by H.E. Minister Jean Paul Adam, Minister of Finance, Trade and the Blue Economy
III. Bilateral Market Access Negotiations 
Goods Offer(s)  05/06/1997  WT/ACC/SPEC/SYC/2   (+  revisions)
Services Offer(s)  27/05/1997  WT/ACC/SPEC/SYC/3   (+  revisions)
Register of Bilateral Market Access Agreements 
Draft Goods Schedule  17/09/2014  WT/ACC/SYC/7   (+  revisions)
Draft Services Schedule  17/09/2014  WT/ACC/SYC/8   (+  revisions)
Goods and Services Technical Verification Meetings     
 On goods 29/09/2014 Convening Fax
 On services 30/09/2014 Convening Fax
IV. Summary of Final Meeting of the Working Party
 WT/ACC/SYC/63
V. Accession Package (“Terms of Accession”, de-restricted) 
Ministerial Conference/General Council Decision on the Accession 10/12/2014  WT/L/944 News item
Protocol of Accession  10/12/2014  WT/L/944
Report of the Working Party 05/11/2014  WT/ACC/SYC/64
Goods Schedule (Schedule of Concessions and Commitments Annexed to the GATT 1994)  05/11/2014  WT/ACC/SYC/64/Add.1
Services Schedule (Schedule of Specific Commitments Annexed to the GATS)  05/11/2014  WT/ACC/SYC/64/Add.2
VI. Accessions Commitments Database (ACDB) 
Specific Accession Commitments   http://acdb.wto.org/ click on “Report by Member”, select “Seychelles” 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 27/03/2015 News item
VIII. Date of Membership
   26/04/2015 161st Member News item
IX. Since 1995, this is the…
33rd 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.