WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONWT/L/483
4 October 2002
(02-5413)
General Council
15-16 October 2002Original:  English/
French
CANADA - TARIFF TREATMENT FOR COMMONWEALTH
CARIBBEAN COUNTRIES
Report of the Government of Canada on the Trade-Related Provisions
of CARIBCAN Under the Decision of 14 October 19961
The following communication, dated 4 October 2002, has been received from the Permanent
Mission of Canada.
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1. Introduction
1. CARIBCAN is an economic and trade development assistance programme for the
Commonwealth Caribbean countries and territories established as a result of a commitment by Canadaat the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Nassau in October 1985.
2. The objectives of CARIBCAN are to enhance Commonwealth Caribbean trade and export
earnings, improve the trade and economic development prospects of the region, promote new
investment opportunities, and encourage enhanced economic integration and cooperation.  The main
feature of CARIBCAN is the unilateral extension by Canada, beginning on 15 June 1986, of duty free
access to the Canadian market for most commodities originating in Commonwealth Caribbean
countries.
3. On 28 November 1986, a decision by the Contracting Parties to the General Agreement on
Tariffs and Trade (GATT) waived until 15 June 1998, the provisions of paragraph 1 of Article 1 of the
General Agreement, "only to the extent necessary to permit the Government of Canada to provide
duty-free treatment to eligible imports of Commonwealth Caribbean countries benefiting from the
provisions of CARIBCAN, without being required to extend the same duty-free treatment to like
products of any other contracting party" (L/6102).  On 14 October 1996, the WTO extended the
CARIBCAN waiver until 31 December 2006 (WT/L/185).  The conditions associated with the
CARIBCAN waiver remain unchanged.
4. This report is being made in accordance with paragraph 3 of the WTO waiver of
14 October 1996 and Article IX of the WTO Agreement.
2. Country Coverage
5. The Customs Tariff lists 18 countries or dependent territories which are eligible to receive the
duty-free benefits accorded under CARIBCAN:  Anguilla, Antigua-Barbuda, The Bahamas,
                                                     
1 WT/L/185.WT/L/483
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Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Dominica, Grenada,
Guyana, Jamaica, Montserrat, Saint Christopher (Saint Kitts) and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent
and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, and the Turks and Caicos Islands.  No additions or
deletions from this list have occurred since CARIBCAN was enacted on 15 June 1986.
3. Product Coverage
6. There have been no amendments to CARIBCAN product coverage since the changes made in
February 1998.
7. Today, product exclusions from the du ty-free provisions of CARIBCAN are:
− Goods of HS Chapters 50 to 65 inclusive;
− Goods covered by tariff items with "over access commitment" rates of duty
established in the "tariffication" process .
4. Rules of Origin
8. The rules of origin for the purposes of the Commonwealth Caribbean Countries Tariff
(CCCT) treatment are set out in regulations enacted pursuant to Section 24 of the Customs Tariff.
9. To qualify for the duty free treatment accorded to Commonwealth Caribbean countries, at
least 60 per cent of the ex-factory price of the goods as packed for shipment to Canada must originate
in one or more beneficiary countries or Canada.  The 60 per cent qualifying content may be cumulatedfrom various CARIBCAN beneficiary countries or Ca nada.  The goods must be finished in the
beneficiary country in the form in which they are imported into Canada.  Pursuant to the Proof of
Origin Regulations, either a duly completed Certificate of Origin, Form A, or a written statement of
origin signed by the exporter, must be presented to Customs at the time of release, accounting or
refund.
5. Trade under CARIBCAN
10. Canada-CARIBCAN trade statistics are annexed in a series of tables to this report and include
2001 trade data.  In general, these trade statistics indicate that:
− In 2001, more than Can$766 million or 96 per cent of total Canadian imports from
CARIBCAN beneficiaries entered Canada free of duty.  Can$111.6 million of this
trade entered under preferential CARIBCAN tariffs.  Annex V shows the top25 commodity imports benefiting from the CARIBCAN preference.  As shown in
Annex III, Can$644 m illion of this trade entered under MFN free rates while
Can$11.3 million entered under General Preferential Tariff (GPT).
− Total Canada-CARIBCAN trade (exports plus imports) has grown from
Can$576 million in 1991 to almost Can$1.3 billion in 2001.  The value of Canadian
imports from the region has risen from Can$290 million in 1991 to Can$797 million
in 2001.  Despite some fluctuations, the value of Canadian exports to CARIBCAN
countries has risen from Can$285 million in 1991 to Can$496 million in 2001.WT/L/483
Page 3
6. Statistical Annexes:
Annex I: Total Imports form CARIBCAN Beneficiaries 1991 - 2001
Annex II: Total Canadian exports to CARIBCAN Beneficiaries 1991- 2001
Annex III: 2001 Imports from CARIBCAN Beneficiaries by Tariff Treatment
Annex IV: Top 25 Merchandise Imports from CARIBCAN Beneficiaries which entered Canada
under the CARIBCAN Duty Free Tariff Treatment (CCCT) in 2001WT/L/483
Page 4 Total Canadian Imports from CARIBCAN Beneficiaries 1991 – 2001 Annex I
(thousands of Canadian dollars)
Country 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001
Anguilla - - - 5 - 11 41 7 8 9 10
Antigua - Barbuda 200 394 393 368 389 1,857 1,256 2,698 402 10,380 340
Bahamas 38,769 50,097 34,806 44,867 16,715 23,432 8,056 22,002 25,959 14,003 13,785
Barbados 13,510 6,025 9,594 14,098 16,990 15,703 13,736 11,722 10,652 7,375 9,118
Belize 7,447 6,634 11,419 17,686 11,688 7,953 12,737 8,263 14,027 9,868 3,739
Bermuda 6,366 20,378 4,315 13,988 4,173 2,317 3,751 7,602 19,689 17,614 2,369
British Virgin Islands 16 10 44 37 91 1,299 199 615 614 1,376 1,324
Cayman Islands 321 489 1,628 586 638 1,968 624 1,070 654 522 27,571
Dominica 196 67 206 423 2,381 1,180 1,390 1,910 1,642 1,698 775
Grenada 420 321 337 440 639 559 1,112 1,067 1,602 1,523 1,037
Guyana 30,824 39,018 152,172 203,865 171,208 204,033 203,375 203,107 192,020 197,800 209,474
Jamaica 150,509 166,546 181,495 211,328 199,952 239,135 257,507 256,384 201,074 197,727 324,783
Montserrat 59 120 15 78 18 203 341 28 248 94 113
Saint Lucia 280 350 245 463 1,222 1,602 1,287 1,595 580 1,413 237
Saint Christopher (Kitts) and Nevis 84 - 225 1,888 2,937 2,958 4,426 4,494 5,120 4,399 6,121
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 483 387 210 247 183 138 137 200 152 404 310
Trinidad & Tobago 40,800 38,101 23,108 16,122 18,469 46,599 26,215 34,157 73,688 72,327 195,141
Turks & Caicos Islands - - - 66 17 93 338 686 1,823 1,647 1,007
Total: 290,284 328,937 420,212 526,555 447,890 551,046 536,630 557,608 549,954 540,178 797,254
Source:  Statistics Canada.
Note:  A dash (-) indicates that an amount is nil or negligible.WT/L/483
Page 5Total Canadian Exports to CARIBCAN Beneficiaries 1991-2001 Annex II
(thousands of Canadian dollars)
Country 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001
Anguilla 308 331 272 127 548 588 881 1,007 673 651 2,802
Antigua - Barbuda 8,975 9,326 9,014 6,022 6,160 28,133 9,384 8,492 11,402 10,727 10,434
Bahamas 48,336 20,870 16,949 15,170 15,231 19,292 21,610 24,513 26,301 26,018 27,706
Barbados 35,385 20,469 20,490 33,459 31,554 35,872 37,193 36,396 41,087 33,783 29,104
Belize 3,067 3,532 12,543 4,776 4,232 2,586 9,847 3,760 3,332 2,598 3,505
Bermuda 27,208 38,472 41,891 22,004 34,302 33,453 39,177 40,165 42,973 34,540 34,715
British Virgin Islands 625 1,435 1,010 4,551 1,381 898 3,417 2,628 28,743 60,187 2,240
Cayman Islands 1,725 4,601 1,885 4,483 11,490 7,281 1,369 12,266 8,127 8,286 63,858
Dominica 1,027 1,368 1,672 1,613 1,891 2,238 1,840 3,236 5,560 4,436 2,671
Grenada 4,264 2,656 3,863 1,936 3,789 4,649 3,321 4,901 4,839 4,023 3,142
Guyana 13,592 6,034 9,118 5,517 8,144 11,171 10,671 9,968 14,655 8,073 8,068
Jamaica 73,259 64,940 85,549 89,578 96,645 90,784 86,937 98,032 96,699 99,815 121,933
Montserrat 312 301 248 208 128 185 149 81 83 289 214
Saint Lucia 7,229 6,811 7,400 10,425 12,521 5,426 8,729 11,493 12,524 9,683 7,375
Saint Christopher (Kitts) and Nevis 1,348 1,531 1,680 4,098 2,498 2,560 2,011 5,675 10,646 9,633 16,147
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 2,357 3,277 2,630 3,015 2,815 3,116 4,063 3,676 4,633 4,906 3,941
Trinidad & Tobago 56,168 55,646 53,023 65,192 94,658 83,913 102,544 129,703 161,936 110,822 156,222
Turks & Caicos Islands 201 1,287 557 387 654 514 537 1,379 2,357 2,341 2,366
Total: 285,386 242,887 269,794 272,561 328,641 332,667 343,680 397,371 476,570 430,811 496,443
Source:  Statistics Canada.
Note:  A dash (-) indicates that an amount is nil or negligible.  Includes Canadian domestic exports only.WT/L/483
Page 6
Annex III(i)
Duty Free 2001 Imports from CARIBCAN Beneficiaries by Tariff Treatment
(in Canadian dollars)
Country Total
ImportsMFN Free GPT Free Caribcan
(CCCT)
FreeTotal Free Total Free as
% of Total
Imports
Anguilla 10,992 2,706 - - 2,706 25%
Antigua and
Barbuda340,453 90,396 232,196 5,200 327,792 96%
Bahamas 13,784,770 6,434,368 - 6,007,124 12,441,492 90%
Barbados 9,118,396 2,584,242 26,040 4,391,566 7,001,848 77%
Belize 3,739,133 2,164,656 166,993 234,346 2,565,995 69%
Bermuda 2,368,730 2,050,711 11,478 475 2,062,664 87%
Br. Virgin Is. 1,324,482 964,043 - - 964,043 73%
Cayman Islands 27,571,029 27,552,391 130 5,644 27,558,165 100%
Dominica 774,158 526,263 49,803 - 576,066 74%
Grenada 1,037,276 1,009,520 4,752 2,546 1,016,818 98%
Guyana 209,474,195 205,552,152 2,488,692 432,533 208,473,377 100%
Jamaica 324,658,503 292,924,669 8,240,358 14,843,984 316,009,011 97%
Montserrat 113,171 102,916 - - 102,916 91%
Saint Christopher
(Kitts) and Nevis6,121,311 5,440,917 - 6,634 5,447,551 89%
Saint Lucia 236,981 149,190 12,620 - 161,810 68%
Saint
Vincent/Gren.310,699 256,153 - - 256,133 82%
Trinidad and
Tobago195,141,578 95,235,228 84,157 85,714,006 181,033,391 93%
Turks/Caicos Is. 1,007,086 984,374 - - 98,374 10%
Total 797,132,943 644,024,895 11,317,219 111,644,058 766,100,152 96%
Source:  Statistic Canada.
Note:  A dash (-) indicates that an amount is nil or negligible.WT/L/483
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Annex III(ii)
Dutiable 2001 imports from CARIBCAN Beneficiaries by Tariff Treatment
(in Canadian dollars)
Country Total Imports MFN
DutiableGPT
DutiableCaribcan
DutiableTotal
DutiableTotal
Dutiable as
% of Total
Imports
Anguilla 10,992 8,286 - - 8,268 75%
Antigua andBarbuda340,453 12,661 - - 12,661 4%
Bahamas 13,784,770 842,989 500,289 - 1,343,278 10%
Barbados 9,118,396 627,080 1,195,978 293,490 2,116,548 23%
Belize 3,739,133 810,823 - 362,315 1,173,138 31%
Bermuda 2,368,730 203,833 102,233 - 306,066 13%
Br. Virgin Is. 1,324,482 101,327 127,145 131,967 360,439 27%
Cayman Islands 27,571,029 12,864 - - 12,864 0%
Dominica 774,158 198,092 - - 198,092 26%
Grenada 1,037,276 20,458 - - 20,458 2%
Guyana 209,474,195 198,120 150,737 651,961 1,000,818 0%
Jamaica 32,658,503 7,665,219 907,680 76,593 8,649,492 26%
Montserrat 113,171 10,255 - - 10,255 9%
Saint Christopher
(Kitts) and Nevis6,121,311 673,760 - - 673,760 11%
Saint Lucia 236,981 75,171 - - 75,171 32%
Saint
Vincent/Gren.310,699 54,546 - - 54,546 18%
Trinidad and
Tobago195,141,578 13,954,340 101,459 52,388 14,108,187 7%
Turks/Caicos Is. 1,007,086 22,712 - - 22,712 2%
Total 505,132,943 25,492,536 3,085,521 1,568,714 30,146,753 6%
Source:  Statistic Canada.
Note:  A dash (-) indicates that an amount is nil or negligible.WT/L/483
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Annex IV
Top 25 Merchandise Imports from CARIBCAN Beneficiaries which entered Canada
Under CARIBCAN Duty Free Tariff Treatment in 2001 (in Canadian Dollars)
HS Tariff Description Imports under
CARIBCAN
Treatment
72031000 Ferrous products obtained by di rect reduction of iron ore 60,752,480
29051100 Methanol (methyl alcohol) 11,778,443
72139110 Of a diameter not exceeding 9.525 mm, for use in the manufacture
of wire7,185,007
03061100 Rock lobster and other sea crawfish (Palinurus spp., Panulirus spp.,
Jasus spp.)6,262,982
22084010 Rum 5,172,287
07149090 Other [Arrowroot, salep, Jerusalem artichokes and similar roots and
tubers with high starch or inulin content, fresh, chilled or dried,
whether or not sliced or in the form of pellets; sago pith]1,911,467
07099090 Other [Vegetables, fresh or chilled, not including: globe artichokes,
asparagus, Aubergines (egg-plants), celery, mushrooms and truffles,
fruits of the genus Capiscum  or the genus Pimenta , spinach, New
Zealand spinach and orche spinach (garden spinach)]1,891,349
20089930 Akalas, akees, anchovy pears, apple-pears, avocados, bananas,
banana chips (thin banana slices fried or otherwise prepared whether
or not salted, sweetened or otherwise flavoured), bread fruit,
carambolas, chayotes, cherimoyas (Jamaica apples), dasheens1,667,533
72139190 Other [Bars and rods, hot-rolled, in irregularly wound coils, of iron
or non-alloy steel, of a circular cross-section emasuring less than
14 mm in diameter]1,643,653
20059020 Artichokes (globe or Chinese), bamboo shoots, cactus leaves
(nopales), cardoons, chickpeas (garbanzos), cilantro (Chinese or
Mexican parsley or Yen Sai), jicama, leaf chervils, malanga, okra,
peas (Angola, catjang, no-eye, pigeon), spinach, tamarillos1,433,845
85369091 Other: Junction boxes;
Receptacle boxes of metal1,408,206
22021000 Waters, including mineral waters and aerated waters, containing
added sugar or other sweetening matter or flavoured981,576
19019020 Food preparations of flour, meal, starch or malt extract 945,064
07142000 Sweet potatoes 907,920
20059090 Other [Vegetables and mixtures of vegetables] 659,066
19059049 Other biscuits [Containing less than 25% by weight of wheat] 620,196
21039090 Other [Sauces and preparations] 541,169
22029049 Beverages containing milk: Other 440,973
21039020 Mixed condiments and mixed seasonings 329,634
04063010 Within access commitment [Processed cheese, not grated or
powdered]318,316
82054000 Screwdrivers 316,000
09109990 Other spices 276,892WT/L/483
Page 9
HS Tariff Description Imports under
CARIBCAN
Treatment
19053092 Other: Wafers and frozen waff les containing 25% or more by
weight of wheat, in packages of a weight not exceeding 454 g each,
and sweet biscuits containing 25% or more by weight of wheat, in
packages of a weight not exceeding 1.36 kg each, over access com271,493
19059020 Bread, leavened with yeast;
Unleavened bread for sacramental purposes and communion wafers250,318
22071010 For use as a spirituous or alcoholic beverage or for use in the
manufacture of spirituous or alcoholic beverages242,220
Source:  Statistics Canada import data.
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