GATS/EL/156  
 
5 September  2016 
(16-4697) Page: 1/3 
Trade in Services    
 
AFGHANISTAN  
FINAL LIST OF ARTICL E II (MFN) EXEMPTION S 
(This is authentic in English  only) 
 
  
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  GATS/EL/156  
 
- 2 - AFGHANISTAN  - FINAL LIST OF ARTICL E II (MFN) EXEMPTION S 
Sector or sub -sector  Description of the measure indicating  
its inconsistency with Articl e II Country or countries to 
which the measures applies  Intended 
duration  Conditions creating 
the need for the 
exemption  
All Sectors  The South Asian Trade in Services Agreement (SATIS) was signed 
by Afghanistan on 29 April 2010.  This agreement requires t hat 
signatories negotiate among each other Schedules of Specific 
Commitments on Services.  Negotiations are currently undergoing.  
Any MFN exemptions will be notified at a later stage.  Afghanistan, Peoples Republic 
of Bangladesh, the Kingdom of 
Bhutan, the  Republic of India, 
the Republic of Maldives, 
Nepal, the Islamic Republic of 
Pakistan and the Democratic 
Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka  Indefinite  Regional integration  
All Sectors  Bilateral Agreement between Turkey and Afghanistan on 
Reciprocal Promotion  and Protection of Investments signed 
10 June 2004 stipulates national treatment whereby each party 
shall accord to investments, once established, treatment no less 
favourable than that accorded in similar situations to 
investments of its investors or to i nvestments of investors of any 
third county, whichever is the most favourable.  Turkey  Indefinite  Bilateral investment 
relations  
Audio -visual services  Measures with respect to broadcasting and other similar forms of 
transmission of the audio -visual works, including television and 
radio programs, meeting origin criteria and other criteria, 
established by the respective agreements.  Parties to the Council of Europe 
Convention on Trans -frontier 
Television and other countries 
with whom bilateral or 
plurilateral agreements may be 
concluded.  Indefinite.  Development of 
cultural links and 
protection of cultural 
heritage.  
Audio -visual services  Measures based on intergovernmental and plurilateral co -
production agreements, which confer national treatment with 
respect t o audio -visual works covered by these agreements, 
including in relation to subsidies for production and distribution.  Parties to the European 
Convention on 
Cinematographic Coproduction 
and countries with whom 
bilateral or plurilateral co -
production agreeme nts 
are/may be concluded.  Indefinite.  Development of 
cultural links and 
protection of cultural 
heritage.  
Audio -visual services  Measures granting the benefit of support programs to 
audio -visual works, including television and radio programs, and 
suppliers of such works meeting certain origin criteria.  Parties to the Council of Europe 
Convention on Trans -frontier 
Television, Parties to the 
European Convention on 
Cinematographic Coproduction 
and other countries with whom 
bilateral or plurilateral 
agreements m ay be concluded.  Indefinite.  Development of 
cultural links and 
protection of cultural 
heritage.   
  GATS/EL/156  
 
- 3 - Sector or sub -sector  Description of the measure indicating  
its inconsistency with Articl e II Country or countries to 
which the measures applies  Intended 
duration  Conditions creating 
the need for the 
exemption  
F.  Road  Transport  Services:  
 
(b) Freight transportation;  Afghanistan Pakistan Transit Trade Agreement, 2010  
 
Parties mutually provide National Treatment with respect to 
National Legislations: rules and procedures affecting transit 
traffic treatment applied to the transporters from the other 
Contracting Party shall be no less favourable than applied to 
their own like services and service providers; any charges, 
expenses or financial obligations incurred with regard to the 
means of transport and labour used for transit operations, 
administrative expenses entailed, or actual cost of services 
rendered, shall be calculated on the same basis as those for 
similar domes tic transport operators.  
 
Subject to Domestic legislation and clearance from the 
concerned authorities, the Contracting Parties agree to grant 
permission to freight forwarders and transport operators of the 
other Contracting Party to establish offices in t heir respective 
territories for the purpose of operating activities related to trade 
in transit. This permission of commercial presence shall be 
granted on the basis of reciprocity .   
 
The Contracting Parties shall recognize domestic driving licenses, 
vehicle registration documents and vehicle license plates that 
are issued by the competent authorities of the other Contracting 
Party.  
 
The Contracting Parties shall recognize periodic inspection 
certificates of road vehicles and other means of transport used  
for transit transport operations issued by the other Contracting 
Party.  
 
The Contracting Parties may agree to set up a quota system 
when issuing transit Temporary Admission Document  to respect 
a fair share of traffic between the two Contracting Parties.  
 
The vehicles carrying the Transit Cargo will be allowed to carry 
the return transit cargo from the territory of the other 
Contracting Party.  
 Pakistan  Indefinite  Cooperation on transit 
trade with Pakistan.  
 
 
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