RESTRICTEDWORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/RO/M/27
28 February 2000
(00-0732)
Committee on Rules of Origin
MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF 28 JANUARY 2000
Chairman:  Mr. A.R. Moroz (Canada)
The agenda proposed for the meeting, contained in WTO/AIR/1223, was adopted by the
Committee on Rules of Origin (CRO) as follows:
1. Management plan for completing the Harmonization Work Programme ..........................1
2. Election of  officers ......................................................................................................... ...........3
3. Date of the next meeting..................................................................................................... ......3
1. Management plan for completing the Harmonization Work Programme
1.1 Based on informal consultations which the Chairman had held with Members, the CRO
agreed as follows:
"The CRO discussed the development of a management work programme for theHarmonization Work Programme (HWP).  In particular, it had discussed the problems
Members had encountered and possible solutions to those problems in advancing its work, the
format and structure of the work, the sequencing of issues to be addressed and a work
schedule for future meetings.
It was a good discussion.  It seemed clear that Members wanted to get on with the work.
Members also agreed that the paper circulated by Australia and New Zealand was a very
useful contribution to the discussion.
There was a clear recognition of the need for constructive flexibility for further advancing and
completing the work.  Members agreed also on the importance of adequate preparation for
each set of meetings.
A number of ideas and issues were discussed.
First, Members reaffirmed the current decision-making process.
Second, Members agreed on the importance of circulating contributions and proposals well in
advance of meetings to provide adequate time for preparation.  In this regard, those Members
who undertook to provide written contributions on architectural issues for the Februarymeeting were reminded that the February meeting was approaching fast.
Third, many Members thought it would be usef ul to have a voluntary electronic e-mail
discussion on issues between meetings.  To facilitate this, the WTO Secretariat would
establish an e-mail address registry, so Member s could identify who would be the appropriateG/RO/M/27
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contact persons.  It was stressed, however, that  this was a voluntary process and not a new
fourth tier or other element of the normal process or even a substitute for any of the elements
of the current structure and format.  Rather, it was simply designed to provide an opportunity
for Members to continue the dialogue between meetings.
Fourth, Members indicated that the facilitators of the plurilateral groups should become more
active in the process, that they should be empowered, and that they should endeavour to
maintain contact and even hold  meetings between normal sessions of meetings.  Related to
this, Members indicated that it would be important to identify the facilitators for each product
category as quickly as possible.  It was noted that there already was a  facilitator for the
overall architectural issues, and facilitators for the following product groups:  Chapters 28-40
(chemicals), Chapters 41-43 (leather), Chapters 44-49 (wood and paper products), Chapters68-70 (ceramics), Chapters 25-27 and 71 (mineral products and precious stones), Chapters 72-
73 (steel) and Chapters 74-81 (metal products).  One Member had also now volunteered to be
the facilitator for Chapters 64-67 (footwear and headgear).  But volunteers were still needed
for Chapters 1-24 (agriculture), Chapters 50-63 (textiles and apparel) and Chapters 82-97
(metal articles, machinery, electronic goods, autos, clocks and watches, and musicalinstruments).  It was indicated that consideration might be given to breaking up these larger
sectors into subgroups.  Members agreed that all the facilitators should be identified at the
time of the February meeting, and the Chairman indicated that he would be seeking volunteers
in the meantime.
Fifth, Members indicated that they were satisfied with the current structure and format of
meetings, i.e. plurilaterals, informals and form al meetings, were working well.  However, it
was agreed that it would be worthwhile to hold a stocktaking meeting before the summer and
a date of 17-18 July was identified.  This stocktaking meeting would allow Members to assess
progress of the work and to make any appropriate mid-course corrections as required,including looking at the series of meetings in the second half of the year and examining
whether or not the Committee should schedule a third full meeting in the second half of 2000,
or hold a stocktaking meeting or consider some other kind of configuration of a meeting.
Sixth, Members agreed that it would be important to review all product-specific proposals at
least once during the year.
In regard to the above, Members agreed to a Notional Work Programme (see Annex I) setting
out a schedule of meetings and the sequence for addressing issues, in particular the product-
specific rules.  However, it was underlined by Members that there needed to be a degree of
flexibility in undertaking this work.  Such flexibility included:
- work on architectural issues would focus in the first instance on issues in Appendix 2,
but that at the end of each meeting the Committee would review the progress and
establish more precisely the architectural issues to be discussed at the next meeting;
- facilitators holding meetings in between sessions of meetings and e-mail
communications;  and
- at the end of each meeting, the Committee would hold a mini stocktaking discussion
in order to fine-tune the agenda for the subsequent meeting or to make any
appropriate decisions, such as holding meetings in-between sessions, for advancingthe work.G/RO/M/27
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A number of Members indicated that the above discussion and related decisions were made
with no prejudice to their positions in regard to the discussion on the issue of deadlines in the
General Council."
2. Election of officers
2.1 The Chairman noted that the election of the new Chairperson of the CRO should take place at
the end of the first meeting of the CRO of the new year, pursuant to Rule 12 of the Rules of Procedure
of the CRO.  The Chairman of the Council for Trade in Goods (CTG) was mandated to carry out
informal consultations on a slate of names for appointment as Chairpersons of subsidiary bodies in
accordance with the established Guidelines for Appo intment of Officers.  However, to date, the
consultations had not been completed.  Given this situation, the Chairman suggested that the
Committee agree to postpone the election of a Chairperson and a Vice-Chairperson of this Committee
and take up this matter as soon as the Chairman of the CTG had finalized his consultations.
2.2 It was so agreed.
3. Date of the next meeting
3.1 The Chairman proposed that the next meeting of the CRO take place on Friday,
18 February 2000, preceded by plurilateral and informal meetings starting on 7 February 2000.G/RO/M/27
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ANNEX I
Notional Work Programme for 2000
7-11 February 2000 Plurilateral meetings
Agenda: Chapters 25-27 (mineral products), 41-43 (leather), 71 (precious
stones and metals), 72-73 (iron and steel) and 74-81 (non-ferrous
metals)
14-15 February 2000 Plurilateral meetings
Agenda: Overall architecture (Appendix 2)
16-17 February 2000 Informal meeting
Agenda: Overall architecture (Appendix 2)
18 February 2000 (a.m.) Informal meeting
Agenda: -  Implications of the implementation of the harmonized rules of
origin on other WTO Agreements;
-  Reporting of the plurilateral meetings;
- Endorsement of the proposals on the harmonized rules of origin;
and
- review of progress at meeting and fine-tuning/finalization of
agenda etc for next meeting
18 February 2000 (p.m.) Formal meeting
3-7 April 2000 Plurilateral meetings
Agenda: Chapters 82-83 (articles of metal), 84-90 (machinery) and 92-97
(musical instruments and other articles)
10-12 April 2000 Plurilateral and informal meetings
Agenda: Overall architecture
13 April 2000 Informal meeting
Agenda: -  Reporting of the plurilateral meetings;
- Endorsement of the proposals on the harmonized rules of origin;
- Implications of the implementation of the harmonized rules oforigin on other WTO Agreements;
- Review of progress at meeting and fine-tuning/finalization of
agenda etc for next meeting; and
- Other issues as to be determined
14 April 2000 Formal meeting
13-16 & 19 June 2000 Plurilateral meetings
Agenda: Chapters 1-24 (agricultural products and fish), 28-40 (chemicals),
44-49 (wood and paper), 68-70 (ceramics) and 91 (watches)G/RO/M/27
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20-21 June 2000 Plurilateral and informal meetings
Agenda: Overall architecture
22 June 2000 Informal meeting
Agenda: -  Reporting of the plurilateral meetings;
-  Endorsement of the proposals on the harmonized rules of origin
- Implications of the implementation of the harmonized rules of
origin on other WTO Agreements;
- Review of progress in meeting and fine-tuning/finalization of
agenda etc for next meeting; and
- Other issues as to be determined
23 June 2000 Formal meeting
17 July 2000 Informal meeting
Agenda: Stock-taking and assessment of progress of the Harmonization
Work Programme, and fine-tuning and adjustments, as appropriate,
to number, type, agenda etc of meetings in second half of 2000
18 July 2000 Formal meeting
18-22 September 2000 Plurilateral meetings
Agenda: Chapters 50-63 (textiles) and 64-67 (footwear and headgear); other
product groups as appropriate
25-27 September 2000 Plurilateral and informal meetings
Agenda: Overall architecture
28 September 2000 Informal meeting
Agenda: -  Reporting of the plurilateral meetings;  and
- Endorsement of the proposals on the harmonized rules of origin
- Implications of the implementation of the harmonized rules oforigin on other WTO Agreements;
- Review of progress in meeting and fine-tuning/finalization of
agenda etc for next meeting; and
- Other issues as to be determined
29 September 2000 Formal meeting
20-24 November 2000 Plurilateral meetings
Agenda: product-specific rules
27-29 November 2000 Plurilateral and informal meetings
Agenda: Overall architectureG/RO/M/27
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30 November 2000 Informal meeting
Agenda: -  Annual Report and Annual Review;
-  Reporting of the plurilateral meetings;
-  Endorsement of the proposals on the harmonized rules of origin;- Implications of the implementation of the harmonized rules of
origin on other WTO Agreements;
- Review of progress in meeting and, discussion of next steps, as
appropriate, on HWP
- Other issues as to be determined
1 December 2000 Formal meeting
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