RESTRICTED
WORLD TRADE G/MA/IDB/W/3/Rev.1
11March 1998
ORGANIZATION(98-0989)
Committee onMarket Access
IDBTECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMME
Note bytheSecretariat
Revision
I. BACKGROUND
On24June1997, theCommittee onMarket Access approved adraftdecision ontheSupply
ofInformation totheIntegrated Database forPersonal Computers which wasforwarded totheGeneral
Council andadopted on16July1997 (WT/L/225).
TheCouncil decision states:
"1. ThatWTO Members shallsupply totheSecretariat, onanannual basis, theinformation referred
toindocument G/MA/IDB/1/Rev.1.
2. ThattheSecretariat shall, upon request, provide technical assistance toMembers inrelation
tothesubmission ofthedatarequired fortheIntegrated DataBaseforPersonal Computers.
3. Thatthesubmission ofthedatarequired fortheIntegrated DataBaseforPersonal Computers
shallnotprejudice therights andobligations ofMembers under theWTO agreements."
Asdescribed inG/MA/IDB/1/Rev.1, IDBsubmissions would consist ofimports andtariffs
foryearn-1,tariffs foryearnandreference information. Theinformation under "References" would
beusedbytheSecretariat tostandardize certain datafrom submissions received from individual
Members.NationaltariffcorrelationtableswouldbefurnishedbyMembersshowingdifferencesbetween
thetariff nomenclatures foryearnandyearn-1where thenomenclature changed. ForMFN duties,
thefollowing willbeprovided:
- current bound duties; and
- current applied duties.
Theprime focus would beonaccepting whatisreadily available innational capitals inorder
tominimize theirresponse burden. When computerized dataarenotavailable incapitals orarebeing
set-up, theSecretariat would provide technical assistance toMembers intheform oftheexisting PC
dataentry application oncerevised toinclude newfacilities requested byMembers. Thiswould take
place afterthebasic system isoperational.
Theprimary objective istoimprove theparticipation intheIDBwithuseful, quality andtimely
data. Thereafter, theSecretariat would concentrate oncreating anIDB"Data Warehouse" containing
rawdataandsummary filesforthecreation byusers ofIDBreports using standard PCsoftware such
asLotus, Excel, PCDBMS fordistribution toMembers. ThePCIDBdesign isdeliberately flexible
sothatadditional dataelements could beadded atalaterdate.G/MA/IDB/W/3/Rev.1
Page2
II. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMME FOR THE IDB
Thisdocument examines thepossibilities forestablishing atechnical assistance programme
forthePCIDB. Elements covered include:
- aPCsoftware forsubmission preparation;
- participation inWTO seminars toprovide IDBtraining;
- conducting IDBseminars tailored toregional requirements andtoWTO Members;
- establishment ofcontacts inmissions andnational capitals;
- collaboration with other international organizations andregional secretariats for
follow-up; and
- Internet assistance.
(a) PCSoftware forpreparation ofIDBSubmissions
Tofacilitate thereceipt ofdatafrom Members, thesoftware application developed
bytheInter-American Development Bank (IADB) inthecontext oftheFreeTrade Area of
theAmericas (FTAA) would beused. Theapplication provides dataentry andupdate facilities,
featurestoimportdatafromexternalfiles,validationfacilities,andthematchingofnomenclature
between tariffs andimports. Although thissoftware isonlyavailable inDOSversion andwas
designedtopreparefullIDBsubmissions,MembercountriescoulduseittopreparetheirPC-IDB
submissions. Discussions would beheldwithIADB regarding future updates ofthesoftware,
forexample, aWindows version.
(b) Participation inWTO Seminars toprovide IDBTraining
TechnicalassistancefortheIDBwouldincludetheparticipationbyIDBstaffinseminars
organized onmarket access issues, aswellasinworkshops already scheduled inthethree-year
plan(1998-2000) oftheWTO Programme forTechnical Cooperation.
National representatives atthese seminars could consult with IDBstaff onthe
methodology andtechnical aspects oftheirnational tariffs andimport submissions totheWTO,
inorder toensure thattherequirements oftheIDBareunderstood. IDBstaffwould obtain
feedbackfromcountriesonthedifficultiesencounteredinthepreparationoftheirIDBsubmission
andtoreinforce established contacts forlatersubmissions. Briefings could beconducted for
those officials whoarenotinvolved inthecollection oftariffs andimport statistics forthem
toconvey theIDBrequirements totherelevant authorities. Furthermore, theguidelines for
thepreparation ofIDBsubmissions could becirculated toparticipants along withthecontact
points intheSecretariat fortheIDB.
Moreover, presentations oftheIDBCD-ROM might beorganized atthose seminars.
Thiswould demonstrate thepossibilities ofextracting information which could beusedby
countries inbilateral negotiations, andforanalysing theirexport opportunities andothermeans
oftrade diversification.
Aswell,theSecretariat staffinvolved intechnical cooperation, inconducting seminars
orincollecting datainnational capitals could provide training onIDBrequirements. WhenG/MA/IDB/W/3/Rev.1
Page3
onmission, these staffcould establish IDBcontact points, andifpossible, collect theavailable
information fortheIDB.
(c) Conducting IDBSeminars tailored toregional requirements andtoWTO Members
TheSecretariat would analyse inthefirstinstance theproblems encountered inthe
submissionsreceivedduringthefirstfourmonthsoftheyear.Missingorincompletesubmissions
would beconsidered toidentify themostcommon problems. Thisanalysis would constitute
thebasis fororganizing individual missions orseminars.
Inthefirsthalfof1998, afterthefirstsubmissions havebeenanalysed, anumber of
missions toindividual developing Member countries withsignificant importance inworld trade
would beorganized. These activities would target theofficers responsible forthecollection
ofcustoms tariff dataandimport statistics. General information onIDBrequirements would
bepresented, andcontacts withnational representatives forfurther follow-up andcollection
ofdatawould beestablished.
Starting inmid-1998, regional seminars could beorganized ontheIDB. These seminars
could cover allaspects ofdatarequirements, useoftheIADB PCsubmission preparation
software, thesetting-up oftariff andtrade databases innational capitals, theuseoftheIDB
Internet filetransfer facility, andtheuseoftheIDBCD-ROM. These seminars could be
organized byregion andlanguage groups andincooperation withIADB where possible.
Itwould beuseful ifparticipants atsuchseminars brought withthem thelatest tariff
andimports dataonelectronic media forsubmission orreview byIDBstaff.
(d) Establishment ofcontacts inmissions andnational capitals
IDBcontact points havealready beenestablished insome national capitals. However,
thisneeds tobeextended tocover alarger number ofdeveloping andleast-developed countries.
Oneoftheobjectives ofanymission, carried outbyIDBstafforbystafffromother divisions
would betoupdate thislistregularly. TheSecretariat would alsoobtain thisinformation from
themissions inGeneva.
(e) Collaboration withother international organizations andregional secretariats
Forsome developing countries, thecollection ofimport andtariff datamayprove to
beextremely difficult since thebasic infrastructure maynotbeinplace. Inthisregard, the
needexists fortheSecretariat toestablish contacts withsuchorganizations asUNDP, WCO,
theWorld Bank, andRegional Development Banks toestablish thebasic requirements for
setting-up thisinfrastructure andforitsfinancing.
IDBsubmissions, however, would betheresponsibility ofthereporting country and
would beprovided directly bytheMember country toWTO, notwithstanding where the
information wasassembled.
Some international organizations involved inthecollection andprocessing oftariff
andimport statistics havealready beenidentified. Thefollowing isashort summary oftheir
programmes:G/MA/IDB/W/3/Rev.1
Page4
UNCTAD: (ASYCUDA -Automated System forCustoms Data)
In1984, UNCTAD distributed acomputerized system tofacilitate customs operations
toassist developing countries inthecollection andcompilation offoreign trade data.
Itwascreated tomeet therequirements ofinternational trade andtopromote trade
efficiency. Ittakes intoconsideration theinterlinked rolesoftrade, service providers
andtransport users. Themainobjectives oftheASYCUDA project aretoshorten delays
atborder crossings, increase Customs revenue, simplify formalities, andenhance trade.
However, UNCTAD 'sASYCUDA project doesnothaveasanobjective thecollection
oftrade andtariff datafrom these countries.
Atpresent, UNCTAD isresponsible forensuring some technical assistance foraperiod
oftwoyears afterimplementation oftheASYCUDA system inacountry. There are
three training centres atthecountries 'disposal -Malta, Kuala Lumpur, andLusaka.
Afourth centre isforeseen fortheCaribbean for1998.
Asastarting point, theWTO Secretariat could request tariffs andimports fromthose
countries where theASYCUDA project hasalready beenimplemented.
EUROSTAT: (EUROTRACE project)
TheEUROTRACE project isimplemented byEUROSTAT andcovers bothanational
andregional dimension.
EUROTRACE National isintended forGovernment Statisticians responsible forthe
production, dissemination andanalysis ofexternal trade statistics. Itispresently
installed in48countries, mainly inthenational statistical offices. More specifically,
thesystem isusedtocollect external tradedata,check theirreliability, correct thedata
when necessary, andproduce external trade statistics.
EUROTRACE Regional isdesigned forregional organisations. Current siteswhere
ithasbeenimplemented areECOWAS (Economic Community ofWestern African
States) andCOMESA (Common Market forEastern andSouth Africa). Thesystem
isusedfortheproduction ofintraandextra-regional statistics onexternal trade. It
compiles aggregate datafromtheregional member states, which arethentransferred
intoacommon statistical databank, from which figures onregional external trade
statistics areproduced.
Thedatagenerated byASYCUDA canbeimported intoEUROTRACE. Statistical
information suchasimports, exports, re-exports including customs value, netweight
canbeselectedbycommodity,countryandperiod.EUROTRACEpermitsthedefinition
anduseofstandard commodity nomenclatures suchastheHarmonized System (HS)
andtheStandard International Trade Classification (SITC).
FortheIDB, theWTO Secretariat could request imports fromthose countries where
theEUROTRACE project hasbeenimplemented andinitiate contacts withtheregional
organizations.
WCO
TheWCOconductsseminarsandworkshopsindevelopingcountries.Regionalseminars
areorganized toexplain developments occurring intheHS,toenhance itsacceptance,G/MA/IDB/W/3/Rev.1
Page5
andtoensure itsuniform application. Workshops areconducted forindividual countries
onrequest andusually pertain toproblems intheapplication oftheHS,aswellas
assisting countries onquestions oftransposition ofclassifications (i.e.from CCCN
toHS)andindealing withcorrespondence issues from theoldtothenewversion of
theHS.
More recently, theCouncil oftheWCO adopted aresolution recommending the
reporting oftradedataatthe6-digit HSleveltotheUnited Nations Statistics Division
bynational customs administrations ornational statistical offices.
Inter-American Development Bank (IADB):
InMarch 1995 andinthecontext oftheFreeTrade Area oftheAmericas (FTAA),
theWorking Group oftheMarket Access Committee requested theIADB toconstruct
aHemispheric Market Access DataBase. In1995and1996, theIADB requested and
received assistance fromtheWTO Secretariat regarding training onIDBrequirements,
preparation ofsubmissions, andclarification ofIDBcontents andformats.
Although theWTO IDBinformation wasthebasis fortheFTAA database, FTAA
countries agreed toprovide tariff andtrade information inaPCformat.
Countries havesupplied thisdatatotheFTAA. Submissions ofthatsamedatabythese
countries totheWTO would fulfil theIDBnotification obligation.1However, thus
far,most FTAA members havenotsupplied thisinformation totheWTO.
Regional Secretariats
ItisexpectedthatregionalsecretariatssuchasCARICOM,ASEAN,APECandESCAP
could bestrategic allies infamiliarizing theirmember countries withtherequirements
oftheIDBandinfollowing-up onthecollection oftariffandimports data. TheIADB
hascarried outseveral workshops concerning requirements fortheFTAA datawhich
havemetwithconsiderable success.
(f) Internet assistance
Forthose countries connected toInternet and/or electronic mail, partofthetechnical
assistance could beprovided viathese media, oncethecontacts incapitals areestablished.
__________
1With theexception ofthecurrent bound duties which arenotalways provided totheFTAA.