WT/COMTD/RTA 10/M/1  
7 February  2020 
(20-1008) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Trade and Development  
Tenth Dedicated Session on Regional Trade Agreements    
 
 FREE TRADE AGREEMENT  BETWEEN SOUTHERN CO MMON MARKET (MERCOSU R) AND 
EGYPT (GOODS)  
NOTE ON THE MEETING OF 22 NOVEMBER 2019  
Chairman: H.E. Mr. Chad Blackman (Barbados)  
1.  The Tenth Dedicated Session on Regional Trade Agreements (RTAs) of the Committee on Trade 
and Development (CTD)  was convened in document WT O/AIR/COMTD/RTA/5/Rev.1 of 12  November 
2019. Under item B  (IV) of the agenda , the Committee considered the Free Trade Agreement 
between Southern Common Market ( MERCOSUR ) and Egypt (Goods)  (WT/COMTD/RTA10/N/1, 
WT/COMTD/RTA10/1, WT/COMTD/RTA10/2) . The present document contains the minutes relating 
to the consideration of this agreement.1 
2.  The Chairman  said that the Free Trade Agreement between Southern Common Market 
(MERCOSUR) and Egypt was notified under paragraph 4(a) of the Enabling Clause on 
19 February  2018. The notification was originally  circulated on 1 9 February 2018 in document 
WT/COMTD/N/56 . It was then re -circulated on 12 September 2019 in document 
WT/COMTD/RTA10/N/1, in accordance with the new symbols for notifications and subsequent 
documentation relating to RTAs, which was agreed to by the CTD at its 108th Session on 5  April 2019. 
The factual presentation – contained in document WT/COMTD/RTA10/1 dated 
13 September  2019 - had been prepared by the Secretariat on its own responsibility, and in full 
consultation with the parties. Written questions from Thailand and the Dominican Republic, as we ll 
as the replies from the parties, had been circulated in document WT/COMTD/RTA10/2 . 
3.  The representative of Brazil , on behalf of the MERCOSUR States Parties – Argentina, Brazil, 
Paraguay and Uruguay – said that the Free Trade Agreement between MERCOSUR and Egypt  was 
signed in San Juan, Argentina, on 2 August 2010 . It had entered into force on 1 September 2017, 
upon the fulfilment of the requirements for ratification. The agreement p rovided for the liber alization 
of trade in goods, and contained provisions on rules of origin, preferential safeguards and dispute 
settlement, as well as general and final provisions. The parties had also agreed to cooperate in the 
areas of technical barriers to trade, sanitar y and phytosanitary measures, customs matters and 
investment promotion. He went on to say that the agreement complied with WTO principles and 
requirements, and had been notified to the WTO on 19 February 2018 under paragraph 4(a) of the 
Enabling Clause. Ea ch party would allow duty -free access to goods originating in the other party, 
and such preferential treatment would be granted in accordance with the negotiated tariff elimination 
schedule. In that respect , following the entry into force of the agreement,  MERCOSUR had provided  
Egypt with immediate tariff -free access to 24% of its entire range of goods . Tariffs on the remaining 
products eligible for preferential treatment would  be eliminated in four, eight and ten equal annual 
instalments. The entire proces s of preferential trade liberalization would last nine years , and would 
end in December 2026. In addition, the Joint Administration Committee of the agreement could 
decide to grant new concessions for products that had not been originally considered , or to speed  
up tariff reductions on goods already covered . 
4.  The representative of Egypt  noted that the Free Trade Agreement  between MERCOSUR and Egypt 
was signed by the parties on 2 August 2010, and  had entered into force on 1 September 2017. The 
trade liberalization offered by Egypt to the MERCOSUR States would take place over ten years from 
 
1 The general minutes of the CTD's Tenth Dedicated Session on RTAs are contained in document 
WT/COMTD/RTA/M/10.  WT/COMTD/RTA10/M/1   
 
- 2 - 
 
  the date of entry into force  of the agreement . Egypt had already liberalized 1,090 tariff lines for 
Argentina , Brazil, and Uruguay , and 1,094 lines for Paraguay . An additional 739 lines would be 
liberalized in 2020 for all MERCOSUR States. Egypt would also liberalize around 1,700 tariff lines in 
2024 and 1,100 tariff lines in 2026. He noted in conclusion that Egypt was looking forward to 
expanding its trade relations with the MERCOSUR States through the full implementation of trade 
liberalization under th e agreement. His delegation believed that the agreement would serve as a 
important too l for the private sector on both sides to help develop trade and investment 
partnerships . 
5.  The representative of the United States  expressed appreciation to the parties for their 
participation in the transparency exercise , and for providing the necessary data to the Secretariat 
for the preparation of the factual presentation.  
6.  The representative of the European Union  indicated  that she also wished to thank the parties for  
providing the necessary information and data to participat e in the transparency exercise .  
7.  The Chairman  said that oral discussion of the Free Trade Agreement between MERCOSUR and 
Egypt could be concluded in accordance with paragraph 11 of the RTA TM. Follow -up questions by 
Members would need to be submitted in writing to the Secretariat within one week , by 29  November 
2019. The parties would then be given two weeks to submit written replies, by no later than 13 
December 2019. In accordance with paragraph 13 of the RTA TM, all written submissions as well as 
the minutes of the present meeting would be cir culated promptly in all WTO official languages, and 
would be made available on the WTO website.  
8.  The Committee took note  of all interventions.  
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