WT/L/1065  
 
8 July 2019  
(19-4522) Page: 1/7 
General Council  
23-24 July 2019  Original: English/French  
 
CANADIAN TARIFF TREA TMENT FOR  
COMMONWEALTH CARIBBE AN COUNTRIES  
2019 REPORT OF THE G OVERNMENT OF CANADA ON THE  
TRADE -RELATED PROVIS IONS OF CARIBCAN  
The following communication, dated 4 July 2019, is being circulated at the request of the delegation 
of Canada.  
 
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1  INTRODUCTION  
1.1.  CARIBCAN is an economic and trade development assistance program for the Commonwealth 
Caribbean countries and territories established as a result of a commitment by Canada at the 
Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Nassau in October 1985.  
1.2.  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 co -operation.  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 commodi ties originating in Commonwealth 
Caribbean countries.  
1.3.  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 Agree ment, "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 tr eatment to like 
products of any other contracting party." (L/6102).  On 28 July 2015 the WTO extended the 
CARIBCAN waiver (WT/L/958) until 31 December 2023.  The conditions associated with the 
CARIBCAN waiver remain unchanged.  
1.4.  This report is being made in ac cordance with paragraph 3 of the WTO waiver of 28 July 2015 
and Article IX of the WTO Agreement.  
2  COUNTRY COVERAGE  
2.1.  The Customs Tariff  lists 18 countries or dependent territories which are eligible to receive the 
duty-free benefits accorded under CARIBCAN, n amely:  Anguilla, Antigua -Barbuda, Bahamas, 
Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Dominica, Grenada, 
Guyana, Jamaica, Montserrat, St. Christopher (St. Kitts) and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the 
Grenadines, Trinidad  and Tobago, and the Turks and Caicos Islands.  No country or territory additions 
or deletions from this list have occurred since CARIBCAN was enacted on 15 June 1986.  
3  PRODUCT COVERAGE  
3.1.  There have been no amendments to CARIBCAN product coverage since the ch anges made in 
February 1998.  WT/L/1065  
 
- 2 - 
 
  3.2.  Today, product exclusions from the duty -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  
4.1.  The rules of origin for the purposes of the Commonwealth Caribbean Countries Tariff (CCCT) 
treatment are set out in regulations enacted pursuant to Section 16 of the Customs Tariff . 
4.2.  To qualify for the duty -free treatment accorded to Commonwealth Caribbean countries, at least 
sixty 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 sixty per cent qualifying content may be 
cumulated from va rious CARIBCAN beneficiary countries or Canada.  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  
5.1.  Canada -CARIBCAN trade statistics are annexed in a series of tables to this report and include 
2018 trade data. In general, these trade statistics indicate that:  
− In 2018, 98 per cent of total Canadian imports from CARIBCAN beneficiaries entered Canada 
free of duty.  As shown in Annex III, just over $1.0 billion of this trade entered under MFN free 
rates while $4.2 million entered duty -free under General Preferential Tariff (GPT).  $34.8 
million of this trade entered under the preferential CARIBCAN tariff (CCCT).  Annex IV shows 
the top twenty -five commodity imports benefiting from the CARIBCAN preference.   
− Total Canada -CARIBCAN trade (exports plus imports) was CAN $2.1 billion in 2018.  The value 
of Canadian imports from the region has risen from $1.0 billion in 2008 to $1.1  billion in 2018.  
The value of Canadian exports to CARIBCAN countries has increased from $90 4 million in 2008 
to $1.1 billion in 2018.  
6  STATISTICAL ANNEXES  
Annex I:   Total Imports from CARIBCAN Beneficiaries 2008 – 2018 
 
Annex II:   Total Canadian exports to CARIBCAN Beneficiaries 2008 – 2018 
 
Annex III:   2018 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 2018 
 
 
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  WT/L/1065  
 
- 3 - ANNEX I  
Total Canadian Imports from CARIBCAN Beneficiaries 2008 – 2018  
(thousands of Canadian dollars)  
Country  2008  2009  2010  2011  2012  2013  2014  2015  2016  2017  2018  
Anguilla  211 308 320 271 272 606 360 226 29 105 59 
Antigua and Barbuda  5,468  446 422 414 1,741  625 448 466 216 282 184 
Bahamas  73,519  30,995  55,121  21,881  146,573  44,069  92,051  35,720  13,641  12,901  4,834  
Barbados  8,498  8,663  9,680  6,921  9,578  18,851  12,942  11,557  11,888  12,173  14,212  
Belize  10,842  7,247  6,177  7,516  3,221  2,579  1,777  3,786  2,080  1,904  1,941  
Bermuda  1,910  10,968  1,389  979 29,015  17,709  31,013  35,319  38,650  30,160  1,133  
British Virgin Islands  13,246  720 622 821 1,102  28,258  2,529  1,520  938 2,868  1,392  
Cayman Islands  193 645 304 778 415 210 215 662 2,102  2,299  6,373  
Dominica  337 390 145 289 264 1,153  356 728 231 397 187 
Grenada  877 509 601 1,718  2,268  1,904  2,018  2,211  1,577  819 1,539  
Guyana  225,084  300,318  290,736  394,657  453,997  486,488  335,752  271,554  666,959  661,486  573,917  
Jamaica  327,580  164,764  161,934  275,412  101,951  205,772  264,949  241,310  204,888  191,258  141,791  
Montserrat  139 69 327 291 197 36 333 233 59 164 211 
St. Christopher (Kitts) 
and Nevis  5,236  7,033  8,092  9,166  9,638  8,784  6,249  4,072  2,971  3,503  2,710  
St. Lucia  155 2,289  203 273 268 349 423 509 692 688 265 
St. Vincent and the 
Grenadines  136 219 162 259 170 173 126 110 143 71 1,888  
Trinidad and Tobago  341,400  314,955  459,179  388,961  246,424  188,761  557,843  342,388  189,494  176,076  334,882  
Turks and Caicos Islands  1,933  299 112 119 186 254 416 843 148 107 36 
Total:  1,016,764  850,837  995,526  1,110,726  1,007,280  1,006,581  1,309,800  953,214  1,136,706  1,097,261  1,087,554  
Source:  Statistics Canada.  
 
   
  WT/L/1065  
 
- 4 - ANNEX II  
Total Canadian Exports to CARIBCAN Beneficiaries 2008 -2018  
(thousands of Canadian dollars)  
Country  2008  2009  2010  2011  2012  2013  2014  2015  2016  2017  2018  
Anguilla  2,590  1,833  865 2,318  607 850 1,007  1,271  1,612  1,873  2,868  
Antigua and Barbuda  21,194  20,095  19,211  9,590  18,273  15,172  10,112  9,990  8,495  8,328  12,318  
Bahamas  226,436  146,232  150,620  127,275  486,780  189,761  242,015  68,832  114,895  214,579  395,061  
Barbados  45,392  55,448  36,675  44,248  58,853  147,317  187,559  66,607  37,412  33,649  33,119  
Belize  6,594  5,544  5,536  4,976  7,464  7,295  19,133  9,258  10,597  14,799  10,135  
Bermuda  61,823  56,630  37,647  73,760  22,122  33,658  29,914  36,408  67,260  44,494  41,076  
British Virgin Islands  8,694  3,271  22,175  48,168  1,619  2,536  28,628  12,399  3,531  3,774  3,976  
Cayman Islands  14,019  6,403  6,224  6,993  8,189  58,645  8,136  8,345  9,674  23,332  22,732  
Dominica  5,619  4,386  4,447  3,748  3,864  4,595  6,157  4,551  3,452  5,717  8,288  
Grenada  5,653  5,535  5,092  4,423  5,288  4,537  5,648  5,786  7,608  8,664  6,168  
Guyana  20,318  27,705  28,076  35,385  25,201  17,902  25,081  23,849  34,114  26,056  28,800  
Jamaica  187,298  117,954  125,076  106,081  129,416  114,177  111,919  104,329  101,674  112,932  122,808  
Montserrat  383 272 226 325 380 264 164 232 256 503 155 
St. Christopher (Kitts) 
and Nevis  7,930  6,242  6,706  5,678  6,524  7,355  9,116  6,756  6,056  8,474  6,017  
St. Lucia  12,309  10,040  35,745  8,476  9,183  10,247  11,202  9,925  9,561  8,303  7,784  
St. Vincent and the 
Grenadines  7,688  11,583  10,788  6,742  6,538  8,760  13,045  9,530  6,201  4,964  3,953  
Trinidad and Tobago  262,673  251,109  289,026  332,950  319,383  333,293  307,597  293,762  205,405  292,312  388,882  
Turks and Caicos 
Islands  7,044  6,181  4,290  1,814  2,076  1,738  2,574  3,674  2,697  4,481  3,723  
Total:  903,657  736,463  788,425  822,950  1,111,760  958,102  1,019,007  675,504  630,500  817,234  1,097,863  
Source:  Statistics Canada.  
Notes:  Includes Canadian domestic exports only. 
   
  WT/L/1065  
 
- 5 - ANNEX III ( i) 
Duty Free  2018 Imports from CARIBCAN Beneficiaries by Tariff Treatment  
(in Canadian dollars)  
Country  Total Imports  MFN Free  GPT Free  Caribcan (CCCT) 
Free Total Free  Total Free as % 
of Total Imports  
Anguilla  59,272  50,438  0 0 50,438  85% 
Antigua and Barbuda  184,117  89,272  0 61,910  151,182  82% 
Bahamas  4,833,539  2,228,544  0 572,191  2,800,735  58% 
Barbados  14,211,600  2,268,315  0 6,839,588  9,107,903  64% 
Belize  1,941,125  1,207,413  319,563  249,865  1,776,841  92% 
Bermuda  1,133,025  220,601  0 183,009  403,610  36% 
British Virgin Is lands 1,392,381  1,050,916  0 26 1,050,942  75% 
Cayman Islands  6,372,730  6,350,662  0 256 6,350,918  100%  
Dominica  187,418  151,982  0 0 151,982  81% 
Grenada  1,538,565  1,113,664  0 405,344  1,519,008  99% 
Guyana  573,917,298  562,713,193  3,866,888  4,613,581  571,193,662  100%  
Jamaica  141,790,631  114,931,965  0 18,996,558  133,928,523  94% 
Montserrat  210,602  164,097  0 0 164,097  78% 
St. Christopher (Kitts) and Nevis  2,709,881  2,326,831  0 0 2,326,831  86% 
Saint Lucia  264,598  137,231  0 8,366  145,597  55% 
Saint Vincent  and the Grenadines  1,888,303  1,876,718  0 0 1,876,718  99% 
Trinidad and Tobago  334,881,643  325,540,710  0 2,908,629  328,449,339  98% 
Turks  and Caicos Is lands 36,006  34,469  0 0 34,469  96% 
Total  1,087,552,734  1,022,457,021  4,186,451  34,839,323  1,061,482,795  98%  
Source:  Statistics Canada.  
   
  WT/L/1065  
 
- 6 - ANNEX III ( ii) 
Dutiable  2018 imports from CARIBCAN Beneficiaries by Tariff Treatment  
(in Canadian dollars)  
Country  Total Imports  MFN Dutiable  GPT Dutiable  Caribcan 
Dutiable  Total Dutiable  Total Dutiable as 
% of Total 
Imports  
Anguilla  59,272  8,834  0 0 8,834  15% 
Antigua and Barbuda  184,117  32,935  0 0 32,935  18% 
Bahamas  4,833,539  2,032,804  0 0 2,032,804  42% 
Barbados  14,211,600  5,103,697  0 0 5,103,697  36% 
Belize  1,941,125  164,284  0 0 164,284  8% 
Bermuda  1,133,025  729,415  0 0 729,415  64% 
British Virgin Is lands 1,392,381  341,439  0 0 341,439  25% 
Cayman Islands  6,372,730  21,812  0 0 21,812  0% 
Dominica  187,418  35,436  0 0 35,436  19% 
Grenada  1,538,565  19,557  0 0 19,557  1% 
Guyana  573,917,298  2,689,294  34,342  0 2,723,636  0% 
Jamaica  141,790,631  7,862,108  0 0 7,862,108  6% 
Montserrat  210,602  46,505  0 0 46,505  22% 
St. Christopher (Kitts) and Nevis  2,709,881  383,050  0 0 383,050  14% 
Saint Lucia  264,598  119,001  0 0 119,001  45% 
Saint Vincent  and the Grenadines  1,888,303  11,585  0 0 11,585  1% 
Trinidad and Tobago  334,881,643  6,432,304  0 0 6,432,304  2% 
Turks  and Caicos Is lands 36,006  1,537  0 0 1,537  4% 
Total  1,087,552,734  26,035,597  34,342  0 26,069,939  2% 
Source:  Statistics Canada.  WT/L/1065  
 
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  ANNEX IV  
Top 25 Merchandise Imports from CARIBCAN Beneficiaries which entered Canada Under 
CARIBCAN Duty -Free Tariff Treatment (CCCT) in 2018  
(in Canadian Dollars)  
HS Tariff  Description  Imports under 
CARIBCAN 
Treatment 
(CCCT)  
22084010  Rum 7,839,067  
22071010  Undenatured ethyl alcohol >= 80% vol for use in the manufacture of 
spirituous or alcoholic beverages  6,651,555  
21039020  Mixed condiments and mixed seasonings  2,765,201  
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)….  2,748,520  
07143000  Yams ( Dioscorea spp. ) 2,343,408  
22029090  Other [nectars]  1,434,631  
19059039  Other [bread]  1,149,772  
21039090  Other [sauces]  877,716  
22021000  Waters, including mineral waters and aerated waters, containing added 
sugar or other sweetening matter or flavoured  813,851  
19053192  Sweet biscuits containing 25% or more by weight of wheat, in packages 
of a weight not exceeding 1.36 kg each, over access commitment  785,453  
73269090  Other [articles of iron or steel]  749,812  
19059043  Other biscuits:  Containing 25% or more by weight of wheat, in packages 
of a weight not exceeding 1.36 kg each, over access commitment  618,224  
03061100  Rock lobster and other sea crawfish ( Palinurus spp ., Panulirus spp. , Jasus 
spp.) 571,882  
42031000  Articles of apparel [of leather or composition leather]  377,336  
12119010  Herbal "tea" in bags for individual servings  319,915  
19021929  Other [pasta, containing flour and water only]  287,325  
19059049  Other biscuits [Containing less than 25% by weight of wheat]  247,064  
20059990  Other [Other vegetables and mixtures of vegetables]  230,639  
20089710  Consisting of two or more of akalas, akees, anchovy pears, apple -pears, 
avocados, bananas, bread fruit, carambolas, chayotes, cherimoyas 
(Jamaica apples), citrus  fruit, dasheens (taros), dates, durians, feijoas, 
figs, fu quas (balsam pears), genipes, ginger, guavas, imbus, jujubes, 
kiwi fruit, lady apples, litchis (lychees), loquats, magueys, mammees 
(mammeas), mangoes, mangosteens, manioc (cassava or yucca root),  
papaws (papayas), passion fruit, pawpaws, persimmons, pineapples, 
plantains, plumcots, prickly pears, pomegranates, quinces, rangpurs, 
sapatas, star -apples, sweet potatoes, tamarinds, tangelos, uglifruit, 
watermelons or yams  225,559  
09081200  Nutmeg: Crushed or ground  221,183  
17049090  Other [sugar confectionary, not containing cocoa]  216,699  
83061090  Other [bells, gongs and the like, not including church bells]  194,854  
09081100  Nutmeg: Neither crushed nor ground  184,191  
07142000  Sweet potatoes  168,608  
04063010  Processed cheese, not grated or powdered, within access commitment  147,299  
Source:  Statistics Canada import data . 
 
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