WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  WT/REG/14 
29 November 2004 
 
 (04-5180) 
  
  
 
REPORT (2004) OF THE  
COMMITTEE ON REGIONAL TRADE AGREEMENTS  
TO THE GENERAL COUNCIL 
 
Chairman:  Mr. R. Saborío Soto (Costa Rica)
 
 
 
I. INTRODUCTION 
1. At the first meeting on 29-30 March 2004, th e Committee on Regional Trade Agreements 
(hereinafter, the Committee or CRTA) elected Mr. Ronaldo Saborío Soto (Costa Rica) as Chairman of 
the Committee.  Dr. Vassili Notis (Greece), Mr. B. Weston (Trinidad and Tobago) and Mr. S. Dalela 
(India) retained their positions as Vice-Chairmen. 
2. During 2004, the Committee held three sessions (in March, October and November).  The 
minutes of those meetings are listed in Attachment 1.  The Committee plans to hold three meetings in 
2005. 
II. OBSERVER STATUS 
3. The Committee agreed to continue the granting of observer status in the CRTA to the Latin 
American Integration Association (LAIA), on an ad hoc  basis.  No decision was taken with respect to 
the requests for observer status listed in documen t WT/REG/W/11/Add.3, pending the definition of 
guidelines by the General Council. 
III. EXAMINATION OF REGIONAL TRADE AGREEMENTS 
4. As of 31 October 2004, 300 RTAs have been notified to the GATT/WTO.1  Of these, 247 
agreements were notified under GATT Artic le XXIV; 19 under the Enabling Clause;2 and 34 under 
GATS Article V.  Of the notified agreements, 150 are currently in force.  Of these RTAs, 105 are 
GATT Article XXIV agreements; 19 are Enabling Clause agreements; and 26 are GATS Article V agreements.
3 
5. The Committee has currently under exam ination a total of 110 agreements,4 of which 84 in 
the area of trade in goods and 26 in trade in services.5  Thirty-eight RTAs are currently undergoing 
                                                      
1 This figure corresponds to notifications of new RTAs, as well as accessions to existing RTAs. 
2 Differential and More Favourable Treatment, Reci procity and Fuller Partic ipation of Developing 
Countries , Decision of the GATT CONTRACTING PARTIES of 28 November 1979. 
3 The trade-related aspects of a considerable number of RTAs previously in force were abrogated in 
2004 as a consequence of the enlarg ement of the European Union to incl ude ten new Member States on 1 May 
2004 (see paragraph 8). 
4 Two additional agreements notified under GATT Ar ticle XXIV have been sent to the Council for 
Trade in Goods' meeting in November  for the adoption of  the Terms of Reference for their examination. 
5 RTAs terminated at the occasion of the enlargement of the European  Union are excluded from figures 
contained in this paragraph (see paragraph 8, and Attachment 3). WT/REG/14 
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 factual examination, while for 32 RTAs, the Commit tee has not yet started the factual examination.  
For the remaining 40 RTAs the factual examinati on has concluded (see Attachment 2); no progress 
was made, however, on the completion of the corresponding examination reports.  
6. During 2004, informal consultations were orga nized to deal with the CRTA backlog, in 
particular regarding (a) RTAs on which the factual examination process had not advanced in the last 
few years, either because necessary information wa s lacking or because the parties had requested a 
delay; (b) services agreements without defined sp ecific commitments transmitted to the CRTA for 
examination; (c) RTAs superseded or modified at the occasion of the recent enlargement of the 
European Union; and (d) RTAs involving non-Members. 
7. At its Thirty-Sixth Session, the Committee agr eed on a way forward regarding points (a) and 
(b) above.  Long-standing factual examinations would in principle be concluded by March 2005, 
subject to the distribution of pending informati on.  As for services agreements without defined 
specific commitments, the factual examination woul d start once the CRTA would have been informed 
by the parties that such specific commitments had been agreed upon. 
8. Regarding point (c), the Committee was inform ed that 65 RTAs previously in force and 
notified to the GATT/WTO had been terminated as a consequence of the enlargement of the European 
Union to include ten new Member States on 1 May 2004 (see Attachment 3).
6  In addition, these ten 
acceding countries have become, or are in the process of becoming, parties to existing EC's free trade agreements and customs unions with third parti es.  At its Thirty-Eighth Session, the Committee 
agreed  to terminate the examination process for these agreements. 
9. Regarding point (d), the Secretariat was request ed to draft an informal background note on the 
drafting history of paragraph 10 of Article XXIV.  On the basis of this note, informal consultations 
were held but divergent views remain on whethe r the examination of RTAs involving non-Members 
should be deferred until these countries become a WTO Member.  At its Thirty-Seventh Session, the 
Committee agreed that informal consu ltations on this matter would continue. 
IV. REPORTING ON THE OPERATION OF AGREEMENTS 
10. At its Thirty-Seventh Session,  the Committee considered seven reports on the operation of 
agreements, in accordance with the 2004 Schedule  for Submission of Reports, circulated as 
WT/REG/W/48.  Twelve biennial reports due in  2004 are still outstanding (see Attachment 4). 
V. PROCEDURES TO IMPROVE AND FACI LITATE THE EXAMINATION PROCESS 
11. At its Thirty-Eighth Session, the Committee discussed a suggested modification in the 
Chairman's Guidelines on Procedures to Impr ove and Facilitate the Examination Process,
7 whereby a 
new option (a factual presentation by the Secretariat)  would be added, on an experimental basis, for 
the provision of initial information on RTAs to be examined.  The objective of the proposed change 
was to assist the Negotiating Group on Rules in its discussions on "Transparency of RTAs", and would 
take into account the parameters defined by delegations (see document WT/REG/M/37).  The 
Committee took note of the corresponding revision to Section II of the Chairman's Guidelines.8 
                                                      
6 See documents WT/REG/GEN /N/2 and WT/REG/GEN/N/3. 
7 Document WT/REG/W/15, dated 6 May 1997. 
8 Document WT/REG/W/15/Add.1, dated 16 November 2004.  WT/REG/14 
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 VI. SYSTEMIC IMPLICATIONS OF RE GIONAL TRADE AGREEMENTS AND 
INITIATIVES FOR THE MULTILATERAL TRADING SYSTEM AND THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THEM 
12. No discussion took place on this item. 
VII. OTHER 
13. As agreed at the Committee's Thirty-Second S ession, the Secretariat provided the Committee 
with information regarding RTA-related technical assistance implemented from January to October 
2004 and those scheduled for the rest of the year and for 2005. 
VIII.  FINAL REMARKS 
14. The Committee has pursued its factual examina tion work, but has been unable to finalize 
reports on any of the examinations before it. WT/REG/14 
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 ATTACHMENT 1 
 
Minutes of the Meetings held in 2004
 
  
Thirty-Sixth Session – 29-30 March 2004
 
  WT/REG/M/36   WT/REG142/M/1 European Community – Croatia Interim Agreement 
 WT/REG141/M/1 European Communities – Jordan Euro-Mediterranean Agreement 
 WT/REG134/M/1 United States and Jordan, Goods and Services  WT/REG126/M/2 EFTA States and Mexico  WT/REG125/M/2 Chile and Mexico, Goods and Services  WT/REG124/M/2 Israel and Mexico 
 WT/REG1/M/4  European Communities – Bulgaria Europe Agreement, Services 
 WT/REG139/M/2 European Communities – Czech Republic Europe Agreement, 
Services 
 WT/REG2/M/4  European Communities – Romania Europe Agreement, Services  
Thirty-Seventh Session – 7-8 October 2004
 
 
 WT/REG/M/37 
  WT/REG147/M/1 Canada – Costa Rica  WT/REG148/M/1 EFTA States – Singapore, Goods and Services 
 WT/REG155/M/1 CARICOM, Services 
 WT/REG156/M/1 Turkey – Croatia  WT/REG158/M/1 Singapore – Australia, Goods and Services  WT/REG132/M/2 EFTA States – Croatia  WT/REG133/M/2 EFTA States – Jordan  WT/REG136/M/2 Chile – Costa Rica, Goods and Services 
 WT/REG140/M/2 Japan – Singapore, Goods and Services 
 WT/REG154/M/2 EFTA States, Services  WT/REG127/M/3 New Zealand – Singapore, Services  WT/REG138/M/3 European Economic Area, Services 
 
 
Thirty-Eighth Session – 11 November 2004
 
 
 WT/REG/M/38  WT/REG/14 
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 ATTACHMENT 2 
 
List of RTAs Under Examination9,10 
 
A. RTAs for which factual examination has been completed (40): 
 
ANZCERTA (S) EC-Tunisia Mexico-Israel 
Bulgaria-FYROM EFTA (S) NAFTA (G&S) 
Canada-Chile (G&S) EFTA-Bulgar ia New Zealand-Singapore (G&S) 
Canada-Israel EFTA-FYROM Norway-Faroe Isl. CEFTA
11 EFTA-Israel Romania-Moldova 
Chile-Mexico (G&S) EFTA-Mexico  Switzerland-Faroe Isl. 
Chile-Costa Rica (G&S) EFTA-Morocco Turkey-Bulgaria 
EC-P. of Andorra EFTA-Romania Turkey-FYROM EC-Bulgaria European Economic Area (S) Turkey-Israel EC Enlargement (15) (G&S) Ic eland-Faroe Isl. Turkey-Romania 
EC-Israel Japan-Singapore (S)  
EC-Romania Kyrgyz Rep.-Moldova  
 
B. RTAs under factual examination (38): 
 
CARICOM (S) EFTA-Croatia Kyrgyz Rep.-Kazakhstan13 
Canada-Costa Rica EFTA-Jordan Kyrgyz Rep.-Russian Fed. 13 
EC-Bulgaria (S) EFTA-Mexico (S)12 Kyrgyz Rep.-Ukraine13 
EC-Croatia EFTA-Singapore (G&S) Kyrgyz Rep.-Armenia EC-Faroe Islands
13 Georgia-Armenia Kyrgyz Rep.-Uzbekistan13 
EC-FYROM Georgia-Azerbaijan14 Kyrgyz Rep.-Russian Fed., Belarus, 
Kazakhstan  and Tajikistan13 
EC-Jordan Georgia-Kazakhstan13 MERCOSUR12 
EC-Mexico (G&S)15 Georgia-Russian Fed. 13 Singapore-Australia (G&S) 
EC-Morocco Georgia-Turkmenistan13 Turkey-Croatia 
EC-Romania (S) Georgia-Ukraine13 United States-Jordan (G&S) 
EC-Turkey12 Japan-Singapore  
European Union (S) 12 Commonwealth of Independent States13  
 
C. RTAs for which factual examin ation has not yet commenced (32): 
 
Albania-Bulgaria Chile-El Salvador (G&S) EFTA-Palestinian Authority13 
Albania-UNMIK13 China-Hong Kong,China (G&S)  EU Enlargement (G&S) 
Armenia-Kazakhstan13 China-Macao, China (G&S) Rep. of Korea-Chile (G&S) 
Armenia-Moldova Croatia-Albania SADC Armenia-Russian Federation
13 Croatia-Bosnia and Herzegovina13 Turkey- Bosnia and Herzegovina13 
Armenia-Turkmenistan13 EC-Chile United States-Chile (G&S) 
Armenia-Ukraine13 EC-Lebanon13 United States-Singapore (G&S) 
Bulgaria-Israel EC-Palestinian Authority13  
CEFTA-Accession Croatia EC-South Africa  
                                                      
9 Examinations of RTAs refer to trade in goods only, unless indicated otherwise:  trade in services only 
(S), or trade in both goods and services (G&S) 
10 Excluding RTAs terminated at the occasion of  the enlargement of the European Union.   
11 Accessions of Bulgaria and Romania. 
12 "To do" list;  see paragraph 7, point (b). 
13 Long-standing examination;  see paragraph 7, point (a). 
14 Agreement with non-WTO Member(s);  see paragraph 9. 
15 For the examination of the services  aspects of the agreement, in "t o do" list;  see paragraph 7, point 
(b). WT/REG/14 
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 ATTACHMENT 3 
 
 
RTAs Terminated Following the May 20 04 Enlargement of the European Union
 
 
 
A. RTAs Previously under the Purview of the CRTA (60) 
 
(a) Factual examinations completed  (50)16 
 
Czech Rep.-Estonia EFTA-Lithuania Poland-Israel 
Czech Rep.-Latvia EFTA-Poland Poland-Turkey 
Czech Rep.-Lithuania EFTA-Slovenia Slovak Rep.-Estonia Czech Rep.-Israel Estonia-Turkey Slovak Rep.-Latvia Czech Rep.-Turkey Estonia-Faroe Isl. Slovak Rep.-Lithuania 
EC-Czech Rep Estonia-Latvia- Lithuania Slovak Rep.-Israel 
EC-Estonia Estonia-Ukraine Slovak Rep.-Turkey EC-Hungary (G&S) Hungary- Latvia Slovenia-Croatia 
EC-Latvia Hungary-Lithuania Slovenia-Estonia 
EC- Lithuania Hungary-Israel Slovenia-Israel 
EC-Poland (G&S) Hungary-Tu rkey Slovenia-Turkey 
EC-Slovak Rep. (G&S) Latvia-Turkey Slovenia-FYROM EC-Slovenia Lithuania-Turkey Slovenia-Latvia 
EFTA-Estonia Poland-Faroe Isl. Slovenia-Lithuania 
EFTA-Hungary Poland-Latvia CEFTA accession of Slovenia EFTA-Latvia Poland-Lithuania  
 
 
(b) Under factual examination  (6) 
 
EC-Czech Rep. (S) EC-Latvia (S) EC-Slovenia (S) 
EC-Estonia (S) EC-Lithuania (S) Hungary-Estonia 
 
 
(c) Factual examination not commenced  (4) 
 
Bulgaria-Estonia Bulgaria-Lithuania  
Bulgaria-Latvia Slovenia-Bosnia and Herzegovina  
 
 
B. RTAs With GATT 1947 Examination Reports Adopted (5) 
 
EC-Cyprus EFTA- Czech Rep Czech Rep.-Slovak Rep. 
EC-Malta EFTA- Slovak Rep  
 
                                                      
16 In addition, Czech Republic, Hu ngary, Poland, and Slovak Republic have withdrawn from CEFTA.  
The agreement establishing  the accession of  Slovenia to CEFTA is also abrogated ( see table ).  WT/REG/14 
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 ATTACHMENT 4 
 
 
Schedule for the Submission of Biennial Reports on RTAs  
 
 
A. Reports submitted and considered by the CRTA under the 2004 schedule  (7) 
 
 European Free Trade Association (EFTA)  EFTA/Turkey 
 European Communities  (EC) - Switzerland 
 EC - Iceland  EC – Norway  Association of Certain Overseas C ountries and Territories with the EC 
 Central American Common Market (CACM) 
 
B. Reports not submitted un der the  2004 schedule (12) 
 
 Australia-New Zealand Cl oser Economic Relations Tr ade Agreement (ANZCERTA) 
 Australia-Papua New Guinea Agreement (PATCRA)  Caribbean Community and Common Market (CARICOM) 
 Czech/Slovak Customs Union 
 European Communities (EC) - Algeria  EC - Cyprus  EC - Egypt  EC - Malta 
 EC - Syria 
 EFTA - Czech Republic  EFTA - Slovak Republic  United States - Israel  
C. Reports not submitted under the 2001 schedule (5) 
 
Australia-Papua New Guinea Agreement (PATCRA) Caribbean Community and Common Market (CARICOM) 
EC - Cyprus EC - Malta Association Agreement  
United States - Israel 
 
 
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