WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONWT/REG/W/33
17 December 1998
(98-5090)
Committee on Regional Trade Agreements
SCHEDULE FOR THE SUBMISSION OF BIENNIAL REPORTS
ON THE OPERATION OF REGIONAL TRADE AGREEMENTS1
Note by the Secretariat
1. To fulfil item 1(b) of its Terms of Reference, the Committee on Regional Trade Agreements
(CRTA) adopted, on 20 February 1998, recommendations to the Council for Trade in Goods (CTG),
contained in document WT/REG/4, with respect to  how the required reporting on the operation of
regional trade agreements (RTAs) should be carried out.  These recommendations have been
approved by the CTG at its meeting of 30 November 1998 (G/L/286).
2. In accordance with paragraph 4 of document G/L/286, "an updated time-table for the
submission of biennial reports" is to be regularly submitted to both the CTG and the CRTA.
3. The general method for drawing the timetable for the submission of the reports required in
paragraph 11 of the Understanding on the Interpretation of Article XXIV of GATT 1994 would be as
follows:2
(a) As a general rule, the first reports on the operation of an RTA would fall due two years
after adoption of the Report on the examination of the agreement (or of an
enlargement).  Subsequently, regular reports would be submitted at two-year intervals.
(b) Parties to the RTAs which underwent exam ination (by GATT working parties) prior to
the entry into force of the WTO Agreement and are currently in force would submit a
report on the operation of the corresponding agreement in the course of 1999.Subsequently, regular reports would be submitted at two-year intervals.
4. The schedule for the submission of the required reports on 24 RTAs, to which 3(b) above
would apply, is contained in Annex 1.
5. Annex 2 contains document references and relevant dates on information submitted on these
24 RTAs to the GATT.
                                                     
1 The Committee on Regional Trade Agreements, at its meeting on 2 December 1998, took note of the
"Schedule for the Submission of Biennial Reports on the Operation of Regional Trade Agreements".
2 I.e. "customs unions and constituents of free-trade areas shall report periodically ... on the operation of
the relevant agreement."WT/REG/W/33
Page 2
ANNEX 1
Schedule for the Submission of Biennial Reports on RTAs3 in the Course of 1999
Reports due on 15 May 1999  (10)
Australia-New Zealand Closer Economic Relations Trade Agreement (ANZCERTA)
Australia-Papua New Guinea Agreement (PATCRA)
Caribbean Community and Common Market (CARICOM)
Central American Common Market (CACM)
Czech/Slovak Customs UnionEuropean Free Trade Association (EFTA)
EFTA/Czech Rep.
EFTA/Slovak Rep.
EFTA/Turkey
United States/Israel
Reports due on 15 October 1999  (14)
European Communities (EC)/Algeria
EC/CyprusEC/Egypt
EC/Iceland
EC/Israel
EC/Jordan
EC/LebanonEC/Malta
EC/Morocco
EC/Norway
EC/Certain Non-Europ ean Countries and Territories II (PTOM II)
EC/Syria
EC/Switzerland and Liechtenstein
EC/Tunisia
                                                     
3 RTAs referred to in paragraph 3(b) above.WT/REG/W/33
Page 3
ANNEX 2
Relevant Documentation on RTAs
Agreements Examination Report Last Periodic Report
Reference Date Reference Period
covered
Australia-New Zealand – ANZCERTA 31S/170 02.10.84 L/6460 1986-88
Australia-Papua New Guinea – PATCRA 24S/63 11.11.77 L/4848 up to 1978
Caribbean Community and Common Market 24S/68 02.03.77 L/5671 1979-82
Central American Common Market 10S/98 23.11.61 L/5938 1983-85
Czech Republic/Slovak Republic L/7501 15.07.94 --- ---
European Free Trade Association (EFTA) 9S/70 04.06.60 L/5946 1983-85
EFTA/Czech Republic L/7570 08.12.94 --- ---
EFTA/Slovak Republic L/7570 08.12.94 --- ---
EFTA/Turkey 40S/48 17.12.93 --- ---
United States/Israel 34S/58 14.05.87 --- ---
European Communities (EC)/Algeria 24S/80 11.11.77 L/5674 1979-81
EC/Cyprus 21S/94 21.06.74 L/6313 1984-87
EC/Egypt 25S/114 17.05.78 L/5674 1979-81
EC/Iceland 20S/158 19.10.73 L/6116 1983-85
EC/Israel 23S/55 15.07.76 L/5910 1982
EC/Jordan 25S/133 17.05.78 L/5674 1979-81
EC/Lebanon 25S/142 17.05.78 L/5674 1979-81
EC/Malta 19S/90 29.05.72 L/6314 1984-87
EC/Morocco 24S/88 11.11.77 L/5674 1979-81
EC/Norway 21S/83 28.03.74 L/6117 1983-85
EC/Certain Non-Eur opean Countries and
Territories - PTOM II18S/143 09.11.71 L/4047 1969-72
EC/Syria 25S/123 17.05.78 L/5674 1979-81
EC/Switzerland and Liechtenstein 20S/196 19.10.73 L/6120 1983-85
EC/Tunisia 24S/97 11.11.77 L/5674 1979-81
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