RESTRICTED  
  
G/RO/W/ 172 
 
21 September 2017  
(17-5006) Page: 1/1 
Committee on Rules of Origin    
 
 DRAFT  
REPORT ( 2017 ) OF THE COMMITTEE O N RULES OF ORIGIN  
TO THE COUNCIL FOR T RADE IN GOODS  
1. This report is being submitted to the Council for Trade in Goods in accordance with 
Article  6.1 of the Agreement on Rules of Origin  (the Agreement) , which provides  that 
"The Committee shall review annually the implementation and operation of Parts II and III of this 
Agreement having regard to its objectives .  The Committee shall annually inform the Council for 
Trade in Goods of developments during the period covered by  such reviews."  
2. The Committee on Rules of Origin (CRO) held two formal meetings in 201 7: on 2 March and 
on 4-5 October under the chairmanship of Mr. Chih-Tung CHANG (Chinese Taipei) and of 
Mr. Gerald PAJUELO  (Peru) respectively .  One "information session" on non -preferential rules of 
origin and a  number of informal meetings and consultations were also held.  At its meeting of 
4-5 October, the CRO conducted the twenty -third review of the implementation and operation of 
the Agreement and also conducted a yearl y review of developments with relation to preferential 
rules of origin for LDCs.  
3. With relation to non-preferential rules of origin, the Committee did not hold discussions 
specifically related to the  Harmonization Work Programme  (HWP) negotiations. These negotiations, 
mandated under Part  IV of the Agreement, have been stalled since 2007 due to divergences on a 
number of "core policy issues" . As noted in the 2013 Report of the CRO to the Council for Trade in 
Goods  (G/L/1047) , Members hold different views rega rding the need to finalize or not  the HWP .   
4. Pending the continuation of the HWP, the Committee continued its "educational exercise" 
and held , in March 2017, another  "information session" on non -preferential rules of origin . 
Following that session, the Cha ir invited Members to reflect on the main messages which emerged 
from this educational exercise and to explore alternatives to take the work of the Committee on 
non-preferential origin matters . Additional sessions may be organized in the future depending o n 
Members' needs.  
5. With respect to preferential rules of origin, the Committee  advanced significantly in the 
implementation of the 2015 Ministerial Decision on preferential rules of origin for least developed 
countries (LDCs) (WT/L/917/Add.1). In particular , the Committee took note of reports by several 
preference -granting Members about the "efforts being made" to implement the Decision. It also 
adopted a template for the notification of preferential rules of origin for LDCs (G/RO/84) and 
considered the information submitted by several preference -granting Members. Members 
discussed several aspects related to preferential rules of origin in dedicated agenda items. 
Furthermore, The Committee adopted a methodology for the calculation of preferential utilization 
rates and considered a report by the Secretariat on the matter . 
6.  Finally, the CRO conducted its yearly  review of new developments in preferential rules of 
origin for LDCs according to the requirements of Ministerial Decision. As mandated by the 
Ministerial  Decision, the Committee adopted a report of such review for the General Council and 
will also inform the Sub -Committee on LDCs accordingly.  
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