G/RO/W/163  
 
13 September  2016 
(16-4825) Page: 1/4 
Committee on Rules of Origin    
 
STATUS OF NOTIFICATI ONS OF PREFERENTIAL RULE S OF ORIGIN FOR LDCS  AND 
PREFERENTIAL IMPORT DATA  
Note by the Secretariat1 
In paragraph 4.3 of the 2015 (Nairobi) Ministerial Decision on preferential rules of origin for least 
developed countries (LDCs), Members  reaffirmed their commitment to provide to the Secretariat 
data concerning their preferential imports from LDCs in accordance with the requirements of 
Annex 1 of the Transparency Mechanism for Preferential Trade Agreements (WT/L/806). 
Furthermore, Members reaffirmed their commitment to notify information about their trade 
preferences as per the established procedures.  This note summarizes existing notification 
requirements and reports on the notifications received to date by the Secretariat.  
1  REQUIREMENT TO  NOTIFY PREFERENTIAL RULES OF ORIGIN AND PREFERENTIAL 
IMPORTS  
1.1 Different WTO instruments require Member s to notify the Secretariat of their preferential 
rules of origin for LDCs:  
- Paragraph 4 of Annex II of the Agreement on Rules of Origin  requires Membe rs to notify 
"promptly" "to the Secretariat" any preferential rules of origin (including those under 
autonomous preferences).  Notifications are circulated under the G/RO/N / document series 
and are not necessarily examined by Members during meetings of the  CRO.  In some 
occasions, however, some preference -granting Members have made formal presentations of 
their rules of origin for LDCs;  
- The Transparency Mechanism for Preferential Trade Arrangements  (WT/L/806 of 
14 December  2010) requires Members to provide detailed and product -specific rules of 
origin "to the Secretariat".  Annex 1 of the Decision  enumerates the specific information 
which should be provided, including preferential rules of origin.  The Decision also requires 
Members to notify, at the tariff l ine level, import data under their PTAs. Notifications  of PTAs 
under the Transparency Mechanism  are circulated as documents of the Committee on Trade 
and Development (CTD). The notified PTAs are considered by Members in the C TD in 
Dedicated Session (CTD -DS), on the basis of a "factual presentation" prepared by the 
Secretariat.  It should be noted that  only PTAs notified after the adoption of the Decision in 
2010 have been examined under these procedures . In addition, a  "guide" for each PTA is 
prepared in co nsultation with the Member implementing the PTA, and is placed in the 
Database on PTAs ( http://ptadb.wto.org ) after it is approved by the implementing Member.  
- The 2013 (Bali) Ministerial Decision on preferential rules of origin for LDCs (WT/L/917)  and 
the 2015 (Nairobi) Decision (WT/L/917/Add.1)  reiterate these obligations and asks 
preference -granting Members to notify their rules of origin "as per the established 
procedures".   The 2015 (Nairobi) Decision reaffirms, in addition, the commitment of 
Members to provide every year data concerning their preferential imports.  
                                                
1 This document has been prepared under the Secretariat's own responsibility and  is without prejudice 
to the positions of Members or to their rights and obligati ons under the WTO . G/RO/W/163  
 
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  2  STATUS OF NOTIFICATI ONS AND IMPORT DATA RECEIVED TO DATE  
2.1 The following table enumerates, for each preference -granting Member, the latest 
notifications  received concerning trade preferences in favour of LDCs.  It lists: 
- The references of the latest  notifications which were sent either or both to the Committee on 
Trade and Development (CTD) , the WTO Integrated Base,  and to the CRO ; 
- The date in which a  notification and PTA was considered by the CTD.  Only notifications after 
2010 may have been considered under the existing procedures of the Transparency 
Mechanism;  and 
- The dates for which the Secretariat has received information about the tariff covera ge of 
preferential schemes as well as data concerning preferential imp orts. 
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Preference -granting 
Member2 
 Notifications to the  
CTD  Guide  Consideration  by 
the CTD  Notifications to the 
CRO  2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 
1. Australia  WT/COMTD/N/18  
21 January 2004  No guide  No No Tariffs  Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 
Imports  Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes - - 
2. Canada  WT/COMTD/N/15/Add.3  
17 November 2014  06/04/2016  No G/RO/N/71/Add.13 Tariffs  Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 
Imports  Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes - 
3. Chile  WT/COMTD/N/44 and Add.1  
23 October 2014  16/09/2014 11/03/15 G/RO/N/124  Tariffs          Yes Yes Yes 
Imports          Yes Yes - 
4. China  WT/COMTD/N/39  
18 October 2011  24/10/11  Pending  G/RO/N/132  Tariffs  Yes Yes - - - - - 
Imports  - - - - - - - 
5. European Union  WT/COMTD/N/4/Add.7  
1 July 2015  03/08/2016  No G/RO/N/69 and  
G/RO/N/69/ Add.1  Tariffs  Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 
Imports  Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes - - 
6. Iceland  WT/COMTD/N/17  
10 October 2003  No guide  No No Tariffs  Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes - - 
Imports  - - - - - - - 
7. India  WT/COMTD/N/38 and Add.1  
18 November 2015  18/11/15  Pending  No Tariffs  Yes - Yes Yes Yes Yes - 
Imports  - - - - - - - 
8. Japan  WT/COMTD/N/2/Add.16  
4 November 2015  01/11/11  No G/RO/N/1314 Tariffs  Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes - 
Imports  - - - - - - - 
9. Kazakhstan  PTA has not been notified  No guide  No G/RO/N/148  Tariffs        Yes 
Imports        - 
10. Korea, Rep. of  WT/COMTD/N/12/Rev.1/Add.1  
20 March 2012  24.05.2016  No No Tariffs  Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 
Imports  Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes - - 
11. Kyrgyz Rep.  PTA has not been notified  No guide  No No Tariffs  Yes - Yes Yes - - - 
Imports  - - - - - - - 
12. Morocco  WT/LDC/SWG/IF/18  
9 May 2001  No guide  No No Tariffs  - - Yes - - Yes Yes 
Imports  - - - - - - - 
13. New Ze aland  WT/COMTD/27  
20 November 2000  17/11/11  No No Tariffs  Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 
Imports  - - - - -   - 
14. Norway  WT/COMTD/N/6/Add.5  
17 June 2013  25.05.2016  No No Tariffs  Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 
Imports  Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes - 
15. Russian Fed. WT/COMTD/N/42  
5 April 2013  No guide  Pending  G/RO/N/84/Corr.1  Tariffs  - - Yes - Yes - Yes 
Imports  - - - - - - - 
16. Switzerland  WT/COMTD/N/7/Add.4  
8 November 2011  09/11/11  No No Tariffs  Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 
Imports  - - - - - - - 
17. Chines e Taipei  WT/COMTD/N/40/Corr.1  
28 February 2012  13/03/12  Pending  No Tariffs  Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 
Imports  - - - - - - - 
18. Tajikistan  PTA has not been notified  No guide  No No Tariffs  - - - Yes Yes - - 
Imports  - - - - - - - 
19. Thailand  WT/COMTD /N/46  
23 July 2015  No guide  Pending  G/RO/N/130/Corr.1  Tariffs            - - 
Imports            - - 
                                                
2 Some PTA schemes entered into force after the adoption of the PTA transparency mechanism, i.e. Chile, Thailand  
3 Legislation repealed in 2013 after the adoption of the reformed GSP -LDC. 
4 Partial notification; the information only desc ribes the latest modifications to rules of origin for LDCs.   
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Preference -granting 
Member2 
 Notifications to the  
CTD  Guide  Consideration  by 
the CTD  Notifications to the 
CRO  2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 
20. Turkey  PTA has not been notified  01/03/12  No No Tariffs  Yes Yes - Yes - - - 
Imports  - - - - - - - 
21. USA WT/COMTD/N/1/Add.9  
8 February 2016  04/11/1 1 No No Tariffs  Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 
Imports  Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes - - 
 
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