. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/VAL/N/4/BOL/1
6 April 2001
(01-1753)
Committee on Customs Valuation Original:  Spanish
NOTIFICATION UNDER PARAGRAP H 1 OF ANNEX III OF THE
AGREEMENT ON IMPLEMENTATION OF ARTICLE VII
OF THE GENERAL AGREEMENT ON
TARIFFS AND TRADE 1994
BOLIVIA
The following communication, dated 2 April 2001, has been received from the Permanent
Mission of Bolivia.
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In accordance with the work programme submitted to the WTO Committee on Customs
Valuation, circulated in annex to document G/VAL/37 on 18 January 2001, since January of this year
the National Customs Administration of Bolivia has thus far carried out the following activities:
1. Bolivian regulations on customs valuation
The preparation of the draft regulations on customs valuation, incorporating the WTO
Agreement on Customs Valuation into Bolivian law, has been completed.  This document was
examined by Ms. Lee Deegan, a WTO official, to ensure that it was consistent with the Agreement on
Customs Valuation.  Once the suggestions had been incorporated into the draft regulations, the
Customs Administration began an internal review process to refine the draft, and are now about
halfway through that process.  When this review has been completed, public and private institutionswith an interest in customs valuation will be invited to submit their comments.
2. Customs valuation procedures
The preparation of Procedure for Ascertaining Customs Value, a detailed guide for the
customs valuation of goods on the basis of the methodology laid down in the WTO Agreement on
Customs Valuation has been completed.
3. Human resources and training
The National Customs Administration of Bolivia has entrusted the company Price Waterhouse
& Coopers with the recruitment of non-managerial staff, to assist those who, as from 1 January 2002,will be in charge of customs valuation of goods in conformity with the WTO Agreement on Customs
Valuation.  With respect to training, as part of the technical cooperation provided by the World
Customs Organization to Bolivia, a Workshop on Customs Valuation was conducted by
Ms. Lee Deegan between 31 January and 2 February this year with the participation of the National
Customs Administration officials that will be in charge of implementing the Agreement as from1 January 2002.G/VAL/N/4/BOL/1
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A number of seminars were also organized on subjects related to customs valuation.
Finally, a series of practical courses given by an Argentine expert and lasting 30 academic
hours each have been scheduled between the 26th and the 4th of April of this year.
These courses will be held in La Paz, Cochabamba and Santa Cruz, and will target officials
responsible for implementing the Agreement.
4. Analysis of prices and software
A project and preliminary design for a valuation database, previously discussed with the
officials in charge of the data processing co mponent of the Customs Modernization and Reform
Programme, is currently being developed.
Meanwhile, a cost analysis for the implementation of the Valuation System has been made,
taking account of the incremental expenditures for hiring staff, feeding the database and maintaining
and purchasing the necessary equipment.
The project was also submitted to the internatio nal consultant hired to advise the National
Customs Administration on the feasibility of the Customs Modernization and Reform Programme, to
the Control Board and to the National Customs Directorate.
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