./.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/RO/44
6 March 2000
(00-0827)
Committee on Rules of Origin
RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE TECHNICAL COMMITTEE
ON RULES OF ORIGIN
Note by the Secretariat
The following request, dated 25 February 2000, from the Technical Committee on Rules of
Origin, has been forwarded by its Chairman to the Chairman of the Committee on Rules of Origin.
The matter will be on the agenda of the meeting of the Committee on Rules of Origin to be held on
14 April 2000.
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Pursuant to Article 4, paragraph 2 of the Agr eement, on behalf of the Technical Committee on
Rules of Origin, I would like to request the Committee’s advice on two matters relating to the
permanent responsibilities of the Technical Committee, which derive from Article 6 (Review) andfrom Annex I, paragraph 1, subparagraphs (a) to (d) to the Agreement.
1. The Technical Committee would like to draw the attention of the Committee to the fact that
the Technical Committee has agreed to undertake the following work based on Article 6 of
the Agreement.
After completion of the Harmonization Work Programme or at a time to be agreed upon, the
Technical Committee shall carry out two types of work based on Article 6, paragraph 3:  (i)  technical
rectifications provided for under General Rule 2 of the preliminary text of the harmonized
non-preferential rules of origin relating to changes in the Harmonized System, and (ii)  the other work
provided for under Article 6, paragraph 3 relating to amendments resulting from the Harmonization
Work Programme.  The Technical Committee has concluded that the work under item (i) shall beinitiated in accordance with the provisions of General Rule 2, and the work under item (ii) shall be
carried out upon the request of a Member and the approval of the Technical Committee, or upon the
request of the Committee.
2. The Technical Committee has not reached consensus yet as to the scope of the responsibilities
laid down in Annex I, paragraph 1, and seeks the advice of the Committee in this connection.
Two divergent views were expressed by Members as follows:
(a) The Technical Committee’s permanent responsibilities should be limited in scope as
provided under Article 1.  Any work related to preferential rules of origin was outsidethe scope of the Technical Committee’s respons ibilities.  Therefore, preferential rules
of origin were excluded from the responsibilities provided for under subparagraphs
1(a) to 1(d) of Annex I of the Agreement.
(b) The Technical Committee’s permanent responsibilities could include the technical
aspects of preferential rules of origin.  Subparagraphs 1(a) to 1(b) of Annex I do not
limit the scope to non-preferential rules of origin;  subparagraph 1(c) explicitlyG/RO/44
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provides for the coverage of the periodic reports to be extended to the whole of the
Agreement.  Therefore, when any Member of the Technical Committee or the
Committee so requests, preferential rules of origin could be included in the
responsibilities laid down in subparagraphs 1(a) and 1(b).  Similarly, the periodic
reports should cover factual and technical matters related to the operation and statusof all rules of origin.
I would appreciate receiving the views of the Committee on Rules of Origin on these
questions as soon as possible.
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