WTO Trade Facilitation

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Points covered

Background

Current status of TFA entry into force

Notifications

Importance and role of committees2

WTO Trade Facilitation NegotiationsCurrent Status

Negotiations CONCLUDED

Protocol of Amendment

PrepcomLegal Scrub Concluded

2004‐2013

BaliDecember

2013

July 2014

Negotiations

Notify Acceptance

November2014

National ratification

Entry into Force!

2/3 Members

CURRENT STATUS OF TFA ENTRY INTO FORCE

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Entry into Force

Each Member must ratify Protocol of AmendmentDeposit Instrument of Acceptance

Agreement enters into force – 2/3 Members (108)

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TFA ‐WT/L/931TFA with Protocol WT/L/ 940

How many acceptances have been received? 

6www.TFAfacility.org

1. Australia2. Austria3. Belgium4. Belize5. Botswana6. Brunei Darussalam7. Bulgaria8. Cambodia9. China10. Cote d’Ivoire11. Croatia12. Cyprus13. Czech Rep14. Denmark15. Estonia16. Finland17. France18. Georgia19. Germany20. Greece21. Grenada22. Guyana23. Hong Kong, China24. Hungary25. Ireland26. Italy

27. Jamaica28. Japan29. Kenya30. Korea, Rep of31. Lao DPR32. Latvia33. Lesotho34. Liechtenstein35. Lithuania36. Luxembourg37. Malaysia38. Mali39. Malta40. Mauritius41. Myanmar42. Netherlands43. New Zealand44. Nicaragua45. Niger46. Norway47. Pakistan48. Panama49. Paraguay50. Poland51. Portugal52. Romania

53. Saint Lucia54. Seychelles55. Singapore56. Slovak Rep57. Slovenia58. Spain59. Sweden60. Switzerland61. Chinese Taipei62. Thailand63. FYRO Macedonia64. Togo65. Trinidad and Tobago66. Ukraine67. United Kingdom68. United States69. Viet Nam70. Zambia

70 out of 162

70 Instruments of Acceptance deposited

PROTOCOL AMENDING THE MARRAKESH AGREEMENT ESTABLISHINGTHE WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION

Members of the World Trade Organization; Referring to the Agreement on Trade Facilitation;

Having regard to the Decision of the General Council in document WT/L/940, adoptedpursuant to paragraph 1 of Article X of the Marrakesh Agreement Establishing the World TradeOrganization ("the WTO Agreement");

Hereby agree as follows:1.Annex 1A to the WTO Agreement shall, upon entry into force of this Protocol, be amended

by inserting the TFA after the Agreement on Safeguards.

2. Reservations may not be entered in respect of any of the provisions of this Protocol withoutthe consent of the other Members.

3.This Protocol is hereby open for acceptance by Members.

4.This Protocol shall enter into force in accordance with paragraph 3 of Article X of the WTOAgreement.

5.This Protocol shall be deposited with the WTO DG who shall promptly furnish to eachMember a certified copy and a notification of each acceptance.

6.This Protocol shall be registered in accordance with Article 102 of the Charter of the UN.Done at Geneva this 27th day of November 2014, in English, French and Spanish, each text

being authentic.8

Model Instrument of Acceptance(on WTO website)

[WTO Member]

INSTRUMENT OF ACCEPTANCEOF THE PROTOCOL AMENDING THE MARRAKESH AGREEMENT ESTABLISHING THE WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION• Whereas the Protocol Amending the Marrakesh Agreement Establishing the World 

Trade Organization (“the Protocol”) was done at Geneva on 27 November 2014 (WT/L/940); 

• And whereas, in accordance with its paragraph 4, the Protocol shall enter into force in accordance with Article X:3 of the Marrakesh Agreement Establishing the World Trade Organization; 

• Now therefore, I, [name of signatory], [where applicable: head of state, head of government or minister of foreign affairs] of [Member], do hereby formally declare that [Member] accepts the aforementioned Protocol and undertakes faithfully to perform and carry out the stipulations therein contained. 

• In witness whereof, I [name and title of signatory] have signed this Instrument of Acceptance, at [place] on this [day] of [month] in the year [year].

• [Signature, title and seal]9

Instrument of Acceptance Requirements 

No single, uniform approach;  Must give clear & unambiguous expression to the intention and consent to 

be bound by the Protocol; clearly identify the Protocol by its full title and by the place and date of its 

adoption, i.e. "the Protocol Amending the Marrakesh Agreement Establishing the World Trade Organization done at Geneva on 27 November 2014" or, alternatively, reproduce the Protocol as an attachment to the instrument of acceptance; 

state that the Member concerned formally accepts the Protocol and expresses its consent to be bound by it; 

state the date and the place of issuance of the instrument of acceptance;  be signed; ( by head of state, the head of government, or the minister for 

foreign affairs) and  state the name and title of the person signing the instrument. 

https://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/tradfa_e/tradfa_agreement_e.htm10

After Entry Into ForceNext Steps:

• Select Chair of TF Committee

• Consultations

• Establish work program

• ABC notifications processed and circulated

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NOTIFICATIONS

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SPECIAL AND DIFFERENTIAL TREATMENT

Category A: implemented by time Agreement enters into force

Category B: Entry into force  +  (X) time(indicative dates of implementation)

Category C: need extra time & TACB

(category notifications due at EIFone year later for LDCs)

Category A to date:1. Hong Kong China2. Mexico3. Costa Rica4. Korea5. Colombia6. Singapore7. Chinese Taipei8. Paraguay9. China10. Nicaragua11. Mauritius12. Turkey13. Honduras14. Saudi Arabia15. Malaysia16. Kuwait17. Chile18. Qatar19. Thailand20. Peru

21. Uruguay22. El Salvador23. Brazil24. Mongolia25. Morocco26. Vietnam27. Tajikistan28. Dominican Republic29. Sri Lanka30. Israel31. Philippines32. Guatemala33. Ecuador34. Kyrgyz Republic35. Panama36. Indonesia37. Republic of Congo38. Cote d'Ivoire39. Ukraine40. Brunei Darussalam

41. Oman42. Albania43. Moldova44. Tunisia45. Jordan46. Montenegro47. Botswana48. Pakistan49. Senegal 50. Nigeria51. Macao, China52. Gabon53. Egypt54. Jamaica55. Rwanda56. Dominica57. St Vincent/Grenadines58. Burundi59. Kenya60. Tanzania

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61.  United Arab Emirates62.  St. Kitts and Nevis63. Antigua & Barbuda64. Trinidad and Tobago65. St. Lucia66. Seychelles67. Barbados68. Belize69. Lao PDR70. Macedonia FYROM71. Grenada72. Uganda73. Nepal74. Samoa75. Bahrain76. Suriname77. Guyana78. Zambia79. Georgia80. Kazakhstan81. Solomon Islands

Notifications received as of March 2016timeline

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Level of # measures by category & by region       

Top 5 most & least notified articles

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Categories B & C to date:

• Zambia (LDC)• Georgia• Solomon Islands (LDC)

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Article 16 B & C Notifications

Entry into Force:Category B measures + indicative datesCategory C measures + indicative dates +

TACB required

1 Year After Entry into Force:Cat B: definitive dates (or need for

extension)Cat C: TACB arrangements 21

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Trade Facilitation commitments, 2002‐2013

Trade Facilitation disbursements, 2002‐2013

Source: OECD‐DAC aid activity database (CRS)

DonorSupportFor TF

IMPORTANCE AND ROLE OF COMMITTEES

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NATIONAL COMMITTEE ON TRADE FACILITATION

ARTICLE 23.2

Each Member shall establish and/ormaintain a national committee on tradefacilitation or designate an existingmechanism to facilitate both domesticcoordination and implementation of theprovisions of this Agreement.

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Role of National TF Committees ‐WTO

Oversee implementation  Coordination for Measures

• Border agency co‐operation• Single window

TACB needs• Must coordinate all border agencies

Notifications: • Must reflect all border agencies• Timely

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Entry into Force of TFA*

Notify A,B,C categories & indicative implementation dates for categories B &C

CAT B Notify definitive dates for implementation of Cat. B provisions

CAT C Member and Donor inform of TACB arrangements

CAT C 1. Progress in provision of TACB 2. Definitive dates for implementation

1 year 2.5 years2 years

Figure 1: Developing Countries Notification for all categories of provisions

* Entry into force of TFA when 2/3 of Members ratify. Obligations for an individual country will only commence once this country completed its ratification process as well.

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Notification Timeline for Developing Country Members

Several notifications required

1. Categories / indicative dates for implementation

2. Assistance and support required to implement

3. Arrangements to provide assistance and support for capacity building

4. Arrangements / indicative dates to implement

5. Progress reports

6. Definitive dates to implement

7. Possibility of extension and shifting

Other Important Roles of National TF Committees

• Awareness in your organization

• Regional coordinationo Implementation of measures at regional level

• Border agency co‐operation• Transit

o Regional TACB

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MERCI!

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