. /.RESTRICTEDWORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/RO/W/69
25 September 2001
(01-4532)
Committee on Rules of Origin
DRAFT
REPORT (2001) OF THE COMMITTEE ON RULES OF ORIGIN
TO THE COUNCIL FOR TRADE IN GOODS1
1. This report is being submitted to the CTG in accordance with Article 6.1 of the Agreement on
Rules of Origin (the Agreement), which provides as follows:
"The Committee shall review annually the implementation and operation of Parts II and III
of this Agreement having regard to its objectives (emphasis added). The Committee shall
annually inform the Council for Trade in Good s of developments during the period covered
by such reviews."
2. Since its regular report to the CTG made on 3 November 2001 (G/L/413), the Committee on
Rules of Origin (CRO) held four meetings on 1 December 2000, 16 March/4 April, 18 May, 23 July
and 8 October 2001 (G/RO/M/34-37).  The CRO elect ed Mr. Ho-Young Ahn (Korea) as Chairman for
2001 and Mr. Stefan Moser (Switzerland) as Vice-Ch airman at its meetings in March and May 2001,
respectively.  Observer governments in the General Council of the WTO have observer status in the
CRO.  In addition, representatives of the ACP,  EFTA, IADB, IMF, ITCB, OECD, UNCTAD, WCO
and the World Bank attend meetings of the CRO in the  capacity of observers.
3. With regard to the work under Part II  of the Agreement on Rules of Origin (the Agreement),
the CRO, at its meeting in May 2001, discussed an issue "United States information on aspects of
Germany's policy pertaining to certificates of origin".  One delegation stated that their authorities hadbeen getting increasing reports of difficulties being presented by requirements by another WTO
Member for certificates of origin as a condition of entry for certain goods.  The delegation had some
questions as to the intent of this requirement and with regard to its consistency with the obligations
under the provisions of the Agreement .  The Member had already held some informal consultations
on this question with the Member concerned.  The Chairman stated that for purposes of transparencythe CRO would benefit from the report by the related parties to the CRO on the outcome of the
consultations (G/RO/M/36, paragraphs 5.1-5.3).
4. With regard to the work under Part III  of the Agreement, the CRO:
- at each meeting, took note of the notifications under Article 5 and paragraph 4 of Annex II of
the Agreements.  To date [77] Members have made notifications of non-preferential rules of
origin and [79] Members have made notifications of preferential rules of origin.  The
Chairman expressed concern that a number of Members had not yet complied with the
notification requirements.  He urged Members who had not yet notified to do so as early aspossible (G/RO/M/34-37);
- at its meeting in December 2000, discussed an issue "responsibilities of the Technical
Committee on Rules of Origin (TCRO )".  The Chairman recalled that although the CRO had
                                                     
1 This report covers the period December 2000-October 2001.G/RO/W/69
Page 2
discussed this issue at the meetings in April and November 2000, there was no common view
on a response to be given to the questions raised by the TCRO (G/RO/M/34, paragraphs 7.1-
7.2).  The Chairman transmitted an interim response stating this factual situation to the
Chairman of the TCRO (G/RO/46).
[To be completed in light of the discussion at the meeting on 8 October 2001.]
5. Apart from the above-summarized implementation and operation under Parts II and III  of
the Agreement, most of CRO’s formal and informal sessions was devoted to its work under Part IV,
namely the Harmonization Work Programme (HWP).  The Chairman of the Committee made a report
to the General Council on the progress of the HWP at every regular sessions of the General Council,
as well as the General Council’s Session on Implementation held on 3 October 2001.  The CTG maywish to refer to the record of those reports contained in the minutes of the General Council
(WT/GC/M/63, paragraphs 152-155;  WT/GC/M/65, paragraphs 152-157 and Annex 1;
WT/GC/M/66, paragraphs 155-182 and Annex 1; and G/RO/48).
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