Overview of trade facilitation work from mid-1998 until end of 1999
In July 1998, the CTG decided that it was necessary to conduct further exploratory and analytical work in a dedicated forum in order to focus more specifically on questions of trade facilitation, as would have been difficult in the framework of formal CTG meetings. On 8 July, the Council agreed to continue work as set out in a Chairmans proposal on future work (page 4-5 of document G/C/M/34) (download in Microsoft Word format, 6 pages, 49KB).
SEE
ALSO:
> Trade
facilitation work in 2002
> Trade
facilitation work in 2001
> Trade
facilitation in the preparatory work for the Doha Ministerial
Conference, (2001)
> Trade
facilitation work in 2000
> De-restricted
papers submitted until end of 2000
> Work
from mid-1998 until end of 1999
> Trade
Facilitation in the preparatory work for the Seattle Ministerial
Conference (1999)
> Work in the WTO until mid-1998
It was agreed to hold four dedicated meetings on trade facilitation as informal meetings of the Goods Council. The meetings should address the following issues:
import and export procedures and requirements, including customs and border-crossing problems; overview of the Kyoto Convention and its current revision process — September 1998;
physical movement of consignments (transport and transit); payments, insurance and other financial requirements which affect the cross-border movement of goods in international trade — December 1998;
electronic facilities and their importance for facilitating international trade; technical cooperation and development issues relating to simplification of trade procedures; consideration of WTO Agreements relating to, or including provisions on, trade facilitation — March 1999;
evaluation of the exploratory and analytical work to assess the scope for WTO rules in the area of trade facilitation — June 1999.
The Chairmans proposal further foresaw that the results of the exploratory and analytical work mandated by the Singapore Ministerial Declaration should be reported by the CTG to the General Council.
The first three meetings were held between September 1998 and April 1999, as set out in the Chairmans proposal. Several papers by Members were circulated at these meetings (for a complete overview, see below). At the third meeting, input from other WTO bodies on those aspects of trade facilitation related to the respective agreements under their purview was circulated.
At the fourth meeting on 21 June 1999, Members carried out an evaluation of the exploratory and analytical work to assess the scope for WTO rules in the area of trade facilitation.At this informal meeting, it was agreed to submit a status report to the General Council on work undertaken since Singapore. (G/L/333) (download in Microsoft Word format, 12 pages, 86KB)
Papers submitted until end of 1999
European Communities |
22 September 1998 |
Assessment of Scope for WTO Rules in the Field of Import, Export, and Customs Procedures |
|
|
Republic of Korea |
25 September 1998 |
Reforming the Customs Clearance System in Korea (National Experience Paper) |
Hong Kong, China |
28 September 1998 |
Import and Export Procedures and Requirements (National Experience Paper) |
|
Canada |
30 September 1998 |
Trade Facilitation (Suggestions for a WTO role in trade facilitation) |
|
WTO Secretariat |
2 December 1998 |
Update of background note G/C/W/80 (information on trade facilitation work carried out by other international organizations) |
|
WTO Secretariat |
2 December 1998 |
Background note (Inventory of delegations suggestions) |
|
European Communities |
3 December 1998 |
Issues Relating to the Physical Movement of Consignments (Transport and Transit) & Payment, Insurance and Other Financial Questions Affecting Cross-border Trade in Goods |
|
Republic of Korea |
22 December 1998 |
Matters Related to the Facilitation of Cargo Movement in Korea (National Experience Paper) |
|
WTO Secretariat |
5 January 1999 |
The TRIPS Agreement and Trade Facilitation |
|
WTO Secretariat |
25 February 1999 |
Development Aspects of Trade Facilitation |
|
Switzerland |
4 March 1999 |
Trade Facilitation (Proposal for future WTO work) |
|
European Communities |
4 March 1999 |
Trade Facilitation and Electronic Commerce |
|
European Communities |
10 March 1999 |
Trade Facilitation in relation to existing WTO Agreements |
|
European Communities |
10 March 1999 |
Trade Facilitation in relation to Development |
|
WTO Secretariat |
11 March 1999 |
Linkages between the Agreement on Customs Valuation and Trade Facilitation |
|
WTO Secretariat |
29 March 1999 |
Background note (Inventory of delegations suggestions) |
|
Republic of Korea |
6 April 1999 |
Revision of the Customs Act of Korea for Trade Facilitation (National Experience Paper) |
|
UNCTAD |
8 April 1999 |
Trade Facilitation (Overview of relevant UNCTAD activities) |
|
WTO Secretariat |
14 April 1999 |
Contributions received from other WTO bodies |
|
Republic of Korea |
15 April 1999 |
Customs Administration and Trade Facilitation (Proposal for future WTO work) |
|
Japan |
23 April 1999 |
Trade Facilitation — Proposal by Japan |
|
Australia |
4 May 1999 |
Role of Electronic Reporting in Trade Facilitation |
|
WTO Secretariat |
12 May 1999 |
Factual Summary of the informal meetings of the Council for Trade in Goods in September and December 1998 and April 1999 |
|
UN/ECE |
8 June 1999 |
The UN/ECE CEFACT's Trade Facilitation Work |
Trade Facilitation in the preparatory work for the Seattle Ministerial Conference
In the preparatory work for the Seattle Ministerial Conference, a number of Members presented proposals on trade facilitation in the General Council.
EC (WT/GC/W/190) (download in Microsoft Word format, 2 pages, 35KB)
Japan (WT/GC/W/257) (download in Microsoft Word format, 3 pages, 41KB)
Switzerland (WT/GC/W/264) (download in Microsoft Word format, 1 page, 32KB)
United States (WT/GC/W/254) (download in Microsoft Word format, 3 pages, 39KB)
Some
Members called for the launch of negotiations at Seattle
to establish a framework of rules and disciplines, or to
strengthen and elaborate on existing WTO rules (e.g.
Articles VIII and X GATT 1994) with the objective of
alleviating administrative and procedural burdens on
traders. Such negotiations were to be built upon WTO
principles and would be aimed at maximizing transparency,
expediting the release of goods and reducing,
simplifying, and as appropriate modernizing and
harmonizing border-crossing requirements, procedures and
formalities.
It was proposed to develop and implement a capacity
building programme in conjunction with the design of WTO
disciplines with the aim of ensuring that all members are
able to implement the negotiated rules and disciplines.
Other Members preferred to continue with the exploratory
and analytical work started at Singapore, and believed
that there was no need for additional WTO obligations. In
this context, it was argued that reform and improvement
of customs and trade administration were not contingent
upon new disciplines, and that technical co-operation
efforts should be stepped up to help developing countries
with the improvement of their infrastructure for trade
transactions.