RESTRICTED
WORLD TRADE WT/REG/W/6
15August 1996
ORGANIZATION(96-3224)
Committee onRegional Trade Agreements
STANDARD FORMAT FOR INFORMATION ON
REGIONAL TRADE AGREEMENTS1
Note bytheChairman
Theobjective oftheStandard Format forInformation onRegional Trade Agreements isto
facilitate andstandardize theprovision ofinitial information byparties toregional trade agreements.2
Parties mayadhere totherequirements oftheStandard Format onavoluntary basis; inthisrespect,
itshould beviewed asGuidelines bytheChairman astobasic information thatcould beprovided by
parties notifying regional trade agreements totheWTO.
Inlinewiththeterms ofreference adopted fortheexamination ofregional agreements (including
theaccompanying understandings)3,theStandard Format includes some relevant information forthe
transparency andtheconsistency aspects oftheexamination process. Theinformation requested in
thisStandard Format doesnotprejudge thescope andcoverage oftheconsistency aspect ofthe
examination process, nordoesitreplace therequirement forparties toregional trade agreements to
provide Members withallrelevant textsoflawsanddetailed trade andtariff data. Further, itdoes
notprecludeMembersfromposingquestionsinwritingandseekingadditionalinformationfromparties.4
Astheinformation sought intheStandard Format relates primarily totradedisciplines applied
inaccordance withtheregional trade agreement, itisunlikely thatthere would beaduplication of
theinformation submitted toother WTO Bodies.
1TheCommittee onRegional Trade Agreements, atitsmeeting of31July1996, tooknoteoftheStandard
Format forInformation onRegional Trade Agreements.
2Information relating totrade inservices maybeintegrated intotherequest forinformation inthelight of
theexperience gained intheexamination ofagreements ontrade inservices.
3StartingwiththetermsofreferencefortheEnlargementoftheEuropeanCommunitiesadoptedinthemeeting
oftheCouncil forTrade inGoods heldon20February 1995 (WT/REG3/1), allterms ofreference areadopted
together withanunderstanding bytheChairman which states that"although theWorking Party would conduct
itsexaminationinlightoftherelevantprovisionsoftheAgreemen tscontainedinAnnex1AoftheWTOAgreemen t,
theconclusions oftheReport oftheWorking Party would beconfined toreporting onconsistency withthe
provisions ofArticle XXIV."
4"Any contracting party deciding toenter intoacustoms union orfree-trade area, oraninterim agreement
leading totheformation ofsuchaunion orarea, shallpromptly notify theCONTRACTING PARTIES andshall
make available tothem suchinformation regarding theproposed union orareaaswillenable them tomake such
reports andrecommendations tocontracting parties asthey may deem appropriate." (paragraph 7(a) of
Article XXIV).WT/REG/W/6
Page2
STANDARD FORMAT FOR INFORMATION ON
REGIONAL TRADE AGREEMENTS
Chairman 'sGuidelines
I. Background Information ontheAgreement
1. Membership anddates ofsignature, ratification andentry intoforce.
2. Type ofagreement
Customs union, free-trade area, preferential agreement among developing countries, interim
agreement. Planandschedule.
3. Scope
Products covered by,andexcluded from, theAgreement, including dataontrade coverage.
Products tobecovered bytheAgreement atalaterstage.
4. Trade data
Data onintraandextra-trade forthemost recent period forwhich statistics areavailable,
according tomajor products andpartners. Totheextent possible, available estimates ontrade-
creating andtrade-diverting effects.
II. Trade Provisions
1. Import restrictions
Intra-trade restrictions currently inplace andthetradeaffected bytherestrictions. Time-table
foreseen intheAgreement fordismantling therestrictions. Intra-trade restrictions thatwill
remain ineffect aftertheAgreement isfullyimplemented.
1.1 Duties andcharges
Customs duties, tariff quotas, charges having anequivalent effect tocustoms duties
andfiscal duties onthetrade ofproducts covered bytheAgreement: restrictions in
place andtrade affected, calendar fortheirdismantling, andresidual restrictions.
1.2 Quantitative restrictions
Quantitative restrictions (QRs) andmeasures having anequivalent effect toQRson
thetradeofproducts covered bytheAgreement: restrictions inplaceandtradeaffected,
calendar fortheirdismantling, andresidual restrictions.
1.3 Common External Tariff
Methodology forestablishing theCommon External Tariff (CET). Stage of
implementation oftheCET. Information onnegotiations under Article XXIV:6.
2. Export restrictions
Intra-trade restrictions currently inplace andthetradeaffected bytherestrictions. Time-table
foreseen intheAgreement fordismantling therestrictions. Intra-trade restrictions thatwill
remain ineffect aftertheAgreement isfullyimplemented.WT/REG/W/6
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2.1 Duties andcharges
Customs duties, tariff quotas, charges having anequivalent effect tocustoms duties
andfiscal duties onthetrade ofproducts covered bytheAgreement: restrictions in
place andtrade affected, calendar fortheirdismantling, andresidual restrictions.
2.2 Quantitative restrictions
Quantitative restrictions andmeasures having equivalent effect toQRsonthetrade
ofproducts covered bytheAgreement: restrictions inplaceandtradeaffected, calendar
fortheirdismantling, andresidual restrictions.
3. Rules oforigin
General criteria usedforthepurpose ofdetermining theorigin ofproducts towhich the
Agreement applies; inparticular, thecriterion ofsubstantial transformation (i.e.change in
tariff classification, ad-valorem percentages and/or manufacturing orprocessing operations).
Information onwhether therulesoforigin provide foranytypeofcumulation. Specific criteria
towhich certain sectors/products maybesubjected.
4. Standards
Main elements ofanyprovisions relating tostandards tobeapplied onintra-trade; inparticular,
whether theyprovide forcommon standards ormutual recognition ofcertificates. Inthecase
ofcustoms unions, orinterim agreements leading toacustoms union, information onwhether
theparties intend toapply common standards forimports from thirdparties.
4.1 Technical barriers totrade
4.2 Sanitary andphytosanitary measures
5. Safeguards
Descriptionoftheemergencymeasuresandothersafeguardmechanismsapplicabletointra-trade
(e.g.balance-of-paymentsdifficulties,developmentalmatters,specialsafeguardsforagriculture),
incases where theydiffer fromthose applied onaMFN basis. Inthecaseofcustoms unions,
orinterim agreements leading toacustoms union, information onwhether theparties intend
toapply acommon safeguard regime toimports from thirdparties. Information onwhether
theAgreement provides fortheexclusion ofparties totheAgreement fromsafeguard measures
applied onimports from thirdparties.
6. Anti-dumping andcountervailing measures
Description oftheanti-dumping andcountervailing measures applicable onintra-trade, incases
where theydiffer fromthose applied onaMFN basis. Inthecaseofcustoms unions, orinterim
agreements leading toacustoms union, information onwhether theparties intend toapply
acommon regime onanti-dumping andcountervailing measures toimports fromthirdparties.
7. Subsidies andState-aid
Description ofthetreatment provided forintheAgreement relating tosubsidies andState-aid,
andanindication oftheremedies available under theAgreement tocounter theireffects on
intra-trade.WT/REG/W/6
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8. Sector-specific provisions
Specific provisions applicable tointra-trade inindividual sectors (e.g.agriculture, fisheries,
textiles andclothing, automotive sector). Inthecaseofcustoms unions, orinterim agreements
leading toacustoms union, information onwhether theparties intend toapply anycommon
sector-specific regime onimports from thirdparties.
9. Other
Information onprovisions relating to,forexample, cooperation incustoms administration,
import licensing andcustoms valuation, incases where theydiffer from those applied ona
MFN basis. Intra-trade treatment ofproducts fromfree-trade zones established inanyofthe
parties totheAgreement.
III. General Provisions oftheAgreement
1. Exceptions andreservations
General andsecurity exceptions provided forintheAgreement. Reservations entered into
byanyoftheparties totheAgreement.
2. Accession
Information onanyprovision thatallowing other countries toaccede totheAgreement.
3. Dispute settlement procedures
Description ofthemechanisms provided forresolving disputes among parties totheAgreement,
anditsrelationship withintergovernmental dispute settlement instruments entered intobythe
parties under other bilateral, plurilateral and/or multilateral agreements.
4. Relation withother trade agreements
Information relating towhether ornottheAgreement establishes anyspecific relation with
other bilateral, plurilateral and/or multilateral trade agreements.
5. Institutional framework
Structure andfunctions ofintergovernmental and/or supranational institutions created tooperate
theAgreement. Responsibilities ofnational entities forformulating andimplementing policies
relating totheAgreement.
IV. Other
Fortransparency purposes, anyother relevant information related totheprovisions ofthe
Agreement.