WT/COMTD/RTA20/M/1  
 
27 July 2021  
(21-5846) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Trade and Development  
Fourteenth Dedicated Session on Regional Trade  
Agreements    
 
 
PARTIAL SCOPE AGREEMENT BETWEEN EL SALVADOR AND CUBA  (GOODS)  
NOTE ON THE MEETING OF 2 8 JUNE 2021 
Chairman: H.E. Dr . Muhammad Mujtaba Piracha (Pakistan)  
1.  The 1 4th Dedicated Session on Regional Trade Agreements (RTAs) of the Committee on Trade  and 
Development (CTD) was convened in document WTO/AIR/COMTD/RTA/9/Rev.1 of 18 June 2021.  
Under item  D (IV) of the agenda, the Committee considered the Partial Scope Agreement  between 
El Salvador and Cuba  (Goods) (WT/COMTD/RTA20/N/1, WT/COMTD/RTA20/1, 
WT/COMTD/RTA20/2 ). The present document contains the minutes relating to the consideration of 
this agreement.1  
2.  The Chairman  said that t he Partial Scope Agreement between El Salvador and Cuba was notified 
under paragraph 4(a) of the Enabling Clause on 27 November 2013. It was originally circulated on 
29 November  2013 in document WT/COMTD/N/43, and then re -circulated on 16 April 2021 in 
docum ent WT/COMTD/RTA20/N/1 , in accordance with the new symbols for notifications and 
subsequent documentation relating to RTAs agreed to by the CTD at its 108th Regular Session on 
5 April 2019.  The factual presentation – document WT/COMTD/RTA20/1 dated 16 Apri l 2021 – had 
been prepared by the Secretariat on its own responsibility, and in full consultation with the parties. 
Written questions from Thailand, as well as the replies received from El Salvador, were circulated in 
document WT/COMTD/RTA20/2.  
3.  The repres entative of El Salvador  said that  Cuba and El Salvador  resumed diplomatic relations in 
2009,  and had  rapidly re -establish ed special ties of friendship, solidarity, cooperation and 
complementarity. In terms of commerce, both countries ha d complementary markets , and trade had 
been increasing . In 2011, negotiations began on the signing of a Partial Scope Economic 
Complementarity Agreement with a view to strengthening existing trade relations through the 
establishment of tariff preferences for products originating in the parties, and the elimination of 
non-tariff restrictions in bilateral trade, on a predictable, transparent and pe rmanent basis. Th e 
agreement constitute d a step towards boosting Latin  American integration, while remaining 
consistent with the rights and obligations acquired by both parties within the WTO framework, and 
with the rights and obligations of El Salvador as  a Member State of the Central American Integration 
System (SICA) and its Economic Integration Subsystem. Negotiations were conducted in three 
rounds between March and September 2011. The agreement was signed in San Salvador on 
19 September  2011 and entere d into force on 1 August 2012.  With this agreement, opportunities 
for exporting to Cuba initially opened up for 433 Salvadoran products in sectors such as those 
producing plastics ; bakery products and biscuits ; candies ; chocolate ; snacks  and beverages , among 
others . Duty -free access to the Cuban market was granted for 299 Salvadoran products, including 
among others prepared or preserved tuna ; food preparations ; fertilizers  and paper bags. With the 
deepening of the agreement in October 2018, preferential tariff treatment was extended to 
111 Salvadoran products. The products benefitting from this arrangement include d food 
preparations ; juices and nectars ; rice; roasted coffee and cocoa beans and preparations thereof ; 
maize for sowing and maize flour; boxes and various products of plastic ; cement ; agricultural tools ; 
polypropylene sacks and foods obtained by the swelling of cereals. The agreement ha d also made it 
easier for Salvadoran importers to import Cuban products such as flowers ; fruits and  vegetables ; 
cocoa products ; rum; tobacco ; ceramics ; furniture and white goods. With the entry into force of the 
 
1 The general minutes of the CTD's 1 4th Dedicated Session on RTAs are contained in document 
WT/COMTD/RTA/M/1 4. WT/COMTD/RTA20/M/1  
 
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  agreement, total trade between the countries rose from USD 3.1 million  in 2012 to 
USD 9.9 million  dollars in 2019, which amount ed to a 224% inc rease. Finally, he thanked the 
Secretariat for  having  prepar ed the factual presentation , and welcomed any questions from 
Members.  
4.  The representative of Cuba thanked the Secretariat and the delegation of El Salvador for the 
work and collaboration in th e process. He indicated that his delegation had no additional comments 
to make on the agreement . 
5.  The representative of the United States  thanked El Salvador and Cuba for participating in the 
transparency exercise.  
6.  The representative of t he European Union  expressed her delegation 's appreciation to the parties 
for the transparency provided.  
7.  The Chairman  said that oral discussion of the Partial Scope Agreement between E l Salvador and 
Cuba could be concluded in accordance with paragraph 11 of the Transparency Mechanism for RTAs 
(RTA TM). Follow -up questions by Members would need to be submitted in writing to the Secretariat 
within one week, by 5 July 2021. The parties would then be given tw o weeks to submit written 
replies, by no later than 19 July 2021. In accordance with paragraph 13 of the RTA TM, all written 
submissions as well as the minutes of the present meeting would be circulated 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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