G/RO/W/163/Rev.2  
 
15 March  2017 
(17-1478) Page: 1/4 
Committee on Rules o f Origin    
 
STATUS OF NOTIFICATI ONS OF PREFERENTIAL RULE S OF ORIGIN FOR LDCS  AND 
PREFERENTIAL IMPORT DATA  
Note by the Secretariat1 
Revision  
Paragraph 4.3 of the 2015 (Nairobi) Ministerial Decision on preferential rules of origin for least 
developed countries (LDCs)  reiterates Members' commitment to notify their preferential rules of 
origin for LDCs as well as data concerning their preferential imports from LDCs.  This note 
summarizes existing notification requirements and reports on the notifications received to date b y 
the Secretariat.  
1  REQUIREMENT TO NOTIF Y PREFERENTIAL RULES  OF ORIGIN AND PREFER ENTIAL 
IMPORTS  
1.1 The following  WTO instruments require Member s to notify their preferential rules of origin 
for LDCs  and their preferential trade imports from LDCs : 
- Paragra ph 4 of Annex II of the Agreement on Rules of Origin  requires Members to notify 
"promptly" "to the Secretariat" any preferential rules of origin.  Notifications are circulated 
under the G/RO/N / document series and are examined by the C ommittee on Rules of Origin ; 
- 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 informa tion 
which should be provided, including preferential rules of origin.  The Decision also requires 
Members to notify, at the tariff line 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). Notifications  are considered by the C TD in Dedicated Session 
(CTD-DS), on the basis of a "factual presentation" prepared by the Secretariat.  Only PTAs 
notified after the adoption of the Decision in 2010 hav e been examined under these 
procedures . In addition, a  "guide" for each PTA is prepared in consultation with the Member 
implementing the PTA, and is placed in the Database on PTAs ( http://ptadb.wto.org ) after 
its approv al 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.  
2  STATUS OF NOTIFICATI ONS AND IMPORT DATA RECEIVED TO DAT E 
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 Commi ttee on 
Trade and Development (CTD) , the WTO Integrated Base,  and to the CRO ; 
- The date in which a notification an d PTA was considered by the CTD ; and 
                                                
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 obligations under the  WTO. G/RO/W/163/Rev.2  
 
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  - The availability of information about the tariff coverage of preferential schemes as well as 
data conc erning preferential imp orts. "Yes" means the data has been notified and is 
available. The sign " -" indicates that the information has not been notified by the Member. 
The abbreviation "n.a." means that the preferences had not yet been implemented by the 
Member and that, as a result, no notification obligation was applicable.  
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  G/RO/W/163/Rev.2  
 
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Preference -granting 
Member (i) 
 Notifications to the  
CTD  Guide  Consideration  by 
the CTD  Notifications to the 
CRO  2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 
1. Australia  WT/CO MTD/N/18  
21 January 2004  No guide  No No Tariffs  Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 
Imports  Yes Yes 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.1 (ii) 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  n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. Yes Yes Yes 
Imports  n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. Yes Yes - 
4. China  WT/COMTD/N/39 /Add.2  
21 November 2016  11/11/2016  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 Yes - 
6. Iceland  WT/COMTD/N/17  and Corr.1  
20 January 2004  No guide  No No Tariffs  - - - 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 Yes 
Imports  - - - - - Yes - 
8. Japan  WT/COMTD/N/2/Add.16  
4 November 2015  22/11/2016  No G/RO/N/131 (iii) Tariffs  Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 
Imports  - - - - - - - 
9. Kazakhstan  PTA has not been notified  No guide  No G/RO/N/148  Tariffs  n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. Yes 
Imports  n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. - 
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 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 Zealand  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.6  
1 June 2 016 25/05/2016 No G/RO/N/149  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/COMT D/N/7/Add.5  
26 September 2012  09/11/11  No No Tariffs  Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 
Imports  - - - - - - - 
17. Chinese Taipei  WT/COMTD/N/40  and Corr.1  
28 February 2012  13/03/12  Pending  No Tariffs  Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 
Imports  Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes - 
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  n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. Yes - 
Imports  n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. Yes -  
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Preference -granting 
Member (i) 
 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 - Yes - 
Imports  - - - - - - - 
21. USA WT/COMTD/N/1/Add.9  
8 February 2016  04/11/11  No No Tariffs  Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 
Imports  Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes - 
 
Notes: 
 
i. Some PTA schemes entered into force after the adoption of the PTA transparency mechanism, i.e. Chile;  Kazakhstan;  and Thailand.  
ii. Legislation repealed in 2013 after the adoption of the reformed GSP -LDC. 
iii. Partial notification; the information  only describes the latest modifications to rules of origin for LDCs.  
 
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