RESTRICTED  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/RO/W/100 
14 October 2004 
 
 (04-4316) 
Committee on Rules of Origin  
  
 
DRAFT 
 
TENTH ANNUAL REVIEW OF THE IMPLEMENTATION AND 
OPERATION OF THE AGREEM ENT ON RULES OF ORIGIN  
 
Note by the Secretariat
 
  
 Article 6.1 of the Agreement on Rules of Orig in provides that "the Committee shall review 
annually the implementation and opera tion of Part II and Part III of this Agreement having regard to 
its objectives".  This background document is circulat ed by the Secretariat in preparation for the ninth 
annual review of the implementati on and operation of the Agreement, to be conducted at the meeting 
of the Committee on Rules of Origin on 21 October 2004.  G/RO/W/100 
Page 2  
 
 Table of contents
 
 
1. Members and Observer status.................................................................................................3  
(a) WTO Members (148).............................................................................................................. ....3 
(b) Observer Govern ments (29)...................................................................................................... ..4 
(c) Observer International Organizations (9) ...................................................................................4  
2. Officers of the Committee on Rules of Origin........................................................................4  
3. Meetings of the Committe e on Rules of Origin ......................................................................4  
4. Annual Report to the Council for Trade in Goods ................................................................5   G/RO/W/100 
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 1. Members and Observer status 
(a) WTO Members (148) 
Albania Denmark Japan Papua New Guinea 
Angola Djibouti Jordan Paraguay 
Antigua and Barbuda Dominica Kenya Peru 
Argentina Dominican Republic Korea Philippines 
Armenia Ecuador Kuwait Poland 
Australia Egypt Kyrgyz Republic Portugal Austria El Salvador Latvia Qatar 
Bahrain Estonia Lesotho Romania 
Bangladesh European Community Libya Rwanda Barbados Republic of the Fiji  Liechtenstein Saint Kitts and Nevis 
Belgium    Islands Lithuania Saint Lucia 
Belize Finland Luxembourg Saint Vincent and the Benin Former Yugoslav Rep. of Macao, China    Grenadines 
Bolivia Macedonia Madagascar Senegal 
Botswana France Malawi Sierra Leone Brazil Gabon Malaysia Singapore 
Brunei Darussalam Gambia Maldives Slovak Republic 
Bulgaria Georgia Mali Slovenia Burkina Faso Germany Malta Solomon Islands 
Burundi Ghana Mauritania South Africa 
Cambodia Greece Mauritius Spain Cameroon Grenada Mexico Sri Lanka 
Canada Guatemala Moldova Suriname 
Central African Republic Guinea, Republic of Mongolia Swaziland 
Chad Guinea-Bissau Morocco Sweden 
Chile Guyana Mozambique Switzerland 
China, Peoples's Rep. of Haiti Myanmar Tanzania 
Chinese Taipei Hondur as Namibia Thailand 
Colombia Hong Kong, China Netherlands Togo Congo Hungary New Zealand Trinidad and Tobago 
Costa Rica Iceland Nicaragua Tunisia 
Côte d'Ivoire India Niger Turkey Croatia Indonesia Nigeria Uganda 
Cuba Ireland Norway United Arab Emirates 
Cyprus Israel Oman United Kingdom Czech Republic Italy Pakistan United States 
Democratic Republic of  Jamaica Panama Uruguay 
   the Congo   Venezuela    Z a m b i a  
   Z i m b a b w e  
 G/RO/W/100 
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 (b) Observer Governments (29) 
Algeria Holy See Serbia and Montenegro 
Andorra Kazakhstan Sudan 
Azerbaijan Lao, People's Democratic Republic of Tajikistan 
Bahamas Lebanon Tonga Belarus Libya Ukraine 
Bhutan Russian Federation Uzbekistan 
Bosnia and Herzegovina Samoa Vanuatu Cape Verde Sao Tome and Principe Viet Nam 
Equatorial Guinea Saudi Arabia Yemen 
Ethiopia Seychelles  
 
(c) Observer International Organizations (9) 
ACP 
EFTA IADB IMF 
ITCB 
OECD UNCTAD WCO 
 World Bank  2. Officers of the Committee on Rules of Origin 
Chairman:  Ms. Vera Thorstensen (Brazil) 
 Vice-Chairman:  Mr. Tomoyoshi Watanabe (Japan)   
3. Meetings of the Committee on Rules of Origin 
3.1 The Committee on Rules of Origin (CRO ) has held three formal meetings on 
17 November 2003, 14 May [and 21 October 2004].  Th e minutes of these meetings are contained in 
documents G/RO/M/44-[46].  3.2 With regard to the work under Part II  of the Agreement on Rules of Origin (the Agreement), 
the CRO [carried out the transitional review under paragraph 18 of the Protocol of Accession of the 
People's Republic of China.] 
      3.3 With regard to the work under Part III  of the Agreement, [the CRO took note of the 
notifications under Article 5 and pa ragraph 4 of Annex II of the Agre ement.  To date [76] Members 
have made notifications of non-preferential rules of origin and [82] Members have made notifications 
of preferential rules of origin (see Annex).  The Chairman expressed concern that a number of 
Members had not yet complied with the notificati on requirements.  He urged Members who had not 
yet notified to do so as early as possible.]  3.4 Apart from the above-summarized  implementation and operation of Parts II and III  of the 
Agreement, the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of th e CRO, at the request of the Chairman of the 
General Council, have conduc ted intense consultations with Member s in order to resolve the 94 core 
policy issues with regard to the Harmonization Work Programme under Part IV  of the Agreement.  
The CRO, in July 2002, forwarded 93 core policy issues as well as the implications issue to the 
General Council for discussion and decision at that level (G/RO/52;  WT/GC/M/75);  since then the  G/RO/W/100 
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 matter has been in the hands of the General Council.   The General Council, at its meeting on 27 July 
and 1 August 2004, extended the deadline for completi on of the 94 core policy issues to July 2005.  
The General Council also agreed that following reso lution of these core policy issues, the CRO would 
complete its remaining technical work by 31 December 2005.  4. Annual Report to the Council for Trade in Goods 
[The CRO adopted its report to the CTG (G/L/--).] 
  [To be completed in light of the discussion at the meeting of 21 October 2004.] 
 
 G/RO/W/100 
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 ANNEX
 
 1. Members that have notified N on-Preferential Ru les of Origin 
(36) 
 
Argentina (G/RO/N/2, 10 & 16) Hong Kong, China (G/RO/N/1, 10, 24, 30 Norway (G/RO/N/8) 
Armenia (G/RO/N/41) & 37) Peru (G/RO/N/4 & 5) 
Australia (G/RO/N/1) Israel (G/RO/N/13) Qatar (G/RO/N/25) 
Burkina Faso (G/RON/19) Japan (G/RO/N/1) Romania (G/RO/N/1) 
Bulgaria (G/RO/N/17 & 27) Korea (G/RO/N/1) Senegal (G/RO/N/10) Canada (G/RO/N/1) Jordan (G/RO/N/30) South Africa (G/RO/N/3) 
China (G/RO/N/37/Rev.1) Madagascar (G/RO/N/11) Suriname (G/RO/N/24 & 43) 
Colombia (G/RO/N/1) Mexico (G/RO/N/12) Switzerland (G/RO/N/4) Croatia (G/RNO/N/36) Moldova (G/RON/36) Taipei, Chinese (G/RO/N/37) 
Cuba (G/ RO/N/3)  Morocco (G /RO/N/2) Tunisi a (G/RO/N/7) 
EC (G/RO/N/1) New Zealand (G/R O/N/1) Turkey (G/RO/N/8 & 28) 
Georgia (G/RO/N/37) Niger (G /RON/19) US (G/RO/N/1 & 6) 
  Venezuela  (G/RO/N/1 & 10) 
 
2. Members that have notified that they do not have Non-Preferential Rules of Origin (40) 
 
Bolivia (G/RO/N/9) Haiti (G /RO/N/20) Oman (G/RO/N/32) 
Brazil (G/RO/N/14) Honduras (G/RO/N/3) Pakistan (G/RO/N/16) Brunei Darussalam (G/RO/N/5) Iceland (G/RO/N/5) Panama (G/RO/N/23) 
Burundi (G/RO/N/33) India (G/RO/N/1) Papua New Guinea (G/RO/N/32) 
Chad (G/RO/N22) Indonesia (G/RO/N/16) Paraguay (G/RO/N/21) Chile (G/RO/N/6) Jamaica (G/RO/N/4) Philippines (G/RO/N/6) 
Costa Rica (G/RO/N/1) Kenya (G/RO/N/9) Singapore (G/RO/N/3) 
Dominica (G/RO/N/24) Macao, China (G/RO/N/21) Thai land (G/RO/N/1) 
Dominican Rep. (G/RO/N/9) Malaysia (G/RO/N/6) Trinidad & Tobago (G/RO/N/7) 
El Salvador (G/RO/N/10) Maldives (G/RO/N/22) Uganda (G/RO/N/12) 
Fiji (G/RO/N/17) Mauritiu s (G/RO/N/1) United Arab Emirates (G/RO/N/17) 
Ghana (G/RO/N/44) Mongolia (G/RO/N/20) Uruguay (G/RO/N/12) 
Guatemala (G/RO/N/21) Namibia (G/RO/N/26)  
Guyana (G/RO/N/42) Nicaragua (G/RO/N/10)  
 
3. Members that have not notified Non-Preferential Rules of Origin (47) 
 
Albania Ecuador Mozambique 
Angola Egypt Myanmar 
Antigua & Barbuda Former Yugoslav Rep. of Nepal 
Bahrain Macedonia Nigeria Bangladesh Gabon Rwanda 
Barbados Gambia Saint Kitts & Nevis 
Belize Grenada Saint Lucia Benin Guinea Bissau Saint Vincent & Grenadines 
Botswana Guinea, Rep. of Sierra Leone 
Cambodia Kuwait Solomon Islands 
Cameroon Kyrgyz Rep. Sri Lanka 
Central African Rep Lesotho Swaziland Congo  Liechtenstein Tanzania 
Côte d'Ivoire  Malawi Togo 
D.R. of Congo Mali Zambia Djibouti Mauritania Zimbabwe 
   
      
  G/RO/W/100 
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 4. Members that have notified Preferential Rules of Origin  (78) 
 
Argentina (G/RO/N/16) Guyana (G/RO/N/42) Nicaragua (G/RO/N/10) 
Armenia (G/RO/N/41) Haiti (G /RO/N/20) Nige r (G/RO/N/19) 
Australia (G/RO/N/1) Honduras (G/RO/N/3 & 10) Norway (G/RO/N/8, 22 & 23) 
Bolivia (G/RO/N/1, 22&23) Iceland (G/RO/N/15, 22 & 23) Oman (G/RO/N/32) 
Brazil (G/RO/N/12) India (G/RO/N/1) Pakistan (G/RO/N/16) 
Brunei Darussalam (G/RO/N/4) Indonesia (G/RO/N/4) Panama (G/RO/N/23) Bulgaria (G/RO/N/15, 22, 23 & 27) Israel (G/RO/N/13) Paraguay (G/RO/N/12) 
Burkina Faso (G/RO/N/19) Jamaica (G/R O/N/4) Papua New Guinea (G/RO/N/32) 
Canada (G/RO/N/1, 6 & 8) Japan (G/RO/N/6) Peru (G/RO/N/1) Chad (G/RO/N/22) Jordan (G/RON/30) Philippines (G/RO/N/4) 
Chile (G/RO/N/6&38) Kenya (G/RO/N/9) Qatar (G/RO/N/25) 
China (G/RO/N/37/Rev.1) Korea (G/RO/N/7) Romania (G/RO/N/14, 22 & 23)  Colombia (G/RO/N/1) Kyrgyz Republic  (G/RO/N/39) Senegal (G/RO/N/10) 
Costa Rica (G/RO/N/20/Rev.1) Liechtenstein (G/RO/N/22) Singapore (G/RO/N/3 & 4) 
Côte d'Ivoire (G/RO/N/11) Madagascar (G/RO/N/11) Suriname (G/RO/N/24) Croatia (G/RO/N/36) Malaysia (G/RO/N/4) Switzerland (G/RO/N/6, 22, 23, 29 & 30) 
Cuba (G/RO/N/3) Maldives (G/RO/N/22) Thailand (G/RO/N/1 & 4) 
Dominica(G/RO/N/24) Mali (G/RON/35) Trinidad &Tob. (G/RO/N/7 & 24) Dominican Rep. (G/RO/N/5, 39 & 40) Mauritius (G/RO/N/1) Tunisia (G/RO/N/7) 
EC (G/RO/N/1) Mexico (G/RO/ N/12) Turkey (G/RO/N/8 & 28) 
Ecuador (G/RO/N/12) Moldova (G/RO/N/36) Uganda (G/RO/N/12) El Salvador (G/RO/N/10, 11&30) Mongolia (G/RO/N/20) United Arab Emirates (G/RO/N/17) 
Fiji (G/RO/N/17) Morocco (G/RO/ N/2) US (G/RO/N/1 , 6 & 18) 
Georgia (G/RO/N/38) Myanmar (G/RO/N/36) Uruguay (G/RO/N/5) Ghana (G/RO/N/44) Namibia (G/R O/N/26) Venezuel a (G/RO/N/1) 
Guatemala (G/RO/N/21) New Zealand (G/RO/N/1)  Zambia (G/RO/N/15) 
 
5. Members that have notified that they do not have Preferential Rules of Origin  (4) 
 
Burundi (G/RO/N/34) Chinese Taipei (G/RO/N/37) Hong Kong, China (G/RO/N/1) Macao, China (G/RO/N/21)  
6. Members that have not notified Preferential Rules of Origin
 (41) 
 
Albania Djibouti Mozambique 
Angola Egypt Nigeria 
Antigua & Barbuda Former Yugoslav. Rep. of Rwanda 
Bahrain   Macedonia St. Kitts & Nevis Bangladesh Gabon Saint Lucia 
Barbados Gambia Saint Vincent & Grenadines 
Belize Grenada Sierra Leone Benin Guinea Bissau Solomon Islands 
Botswana Guinea, Rep. of South Africa 
Cambodia Kuwait Sri Lanka 
Cameroon Lesotho Swaziland 
Cent. African Rep. Malawi Tanzania Congo Mauritania Togo  
D.R. of Congo Nepal Zimbabwe 
 
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