WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION   
WT/L/868 
16 November 2012 
 (12-6312) 
General Council 
11 December 2012 Original:   English/ 
 French 
 
 
 
CANADIAN TARIFF TREATMENT FOR COMMONWEALTH 
CARIBBEAN COUNTRIES 
 
2012 Report of the Government of Canada on the 
Trade-Related Provisions of CARIBCAN 
  
 The following communication, dated 15 November 2012, is being circulated at the request of 
the Delegation of Canada. 
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Introduction 
 
 CARIBCAN is an economic and trade de velopment assistance programme for the 
Commonwealth Caribbean countries and territories esta blished as a result of a commitment by Canada 
at the Commonwealth Heads of Governme nt meeting in Nassau in October 1985. 
  The objectives of CARIBCAN are to enhance Commonwealth Caribbean trade and export 
earnings, improve the trade and economic development prospects of the region, promote new 
investment opportunities, and encourage enhanced economic integration and co-operation.  The main 
feature of CARIBCAN is the unilateral extension by  Canada, beginning on 15 June 1986, of duty-free 
access to the Canadian market for most comm odities originating in Commonwealth Caribbean 
countries.   On 28 November 1986, a decision by the Contracting Parties to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) waived un til 15 June 1998, the provisions of paragraph 1 of Article 1 of the 
General Agreement, "only to the extent necessary to permit the Government of Canada to provide 
duty-free treatment to eligible imports of Comm onwealth Caribbean countries benefiting from the 
provisions of CARIBCAN, without being required to extend the same duty- free treatment to like 
products of any other contracting party." (L/ 6102).  On 30 November 2011 the WTO extended the 
CARIBCAN waiver until 31 December 2013 (WT/L/ 835).  The conditions associated with the 
CARIBCAN waiver remain unchanged. 
  This report is being made in accordance with paragraph 3 of the WTO waiver of 
30 November 2011 and Article IX of the WTO Agreement.  Country Coverage 
 
 The Customs Tariff lists 18 countries or dependent  territories which are eligible to receive the 
duty-free benefits accorded under CARIBCAN:  Anguilla, Antigua-Barbuda,  Bahamas, Barbados, 
Belize, Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, 
Jamaica, Montserrat, St. Christopher (St. Kitts) and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, 
Trinidad and Tobago, and the Turks and Caicos Islands.   No additions or deletions from this list have 
occurred since CARIBCAN was enacted on 15 June 1986.  WT/L/868 
Page 2  
 
  Product Coverage 
 
 There have been no amendments to CARIBCAN product coverage since the changes made in 
February 1998.   
Today, product exclusions from the duty-free provisions of CARIBCAN are:  
 
- Goods of HS Chapters 50 to 65 inclusive; - Goods covered by tariff items with "over access commitment" rates of duty 
established in the "tariffication" process. 
 
Rules of Origin 
 
 The rules of origin for the purposes of the Commonwealth Caribbean Countries Tariff 
(CCCT) treatment are set out in regulations enacted  pursuant to Section 24 of the Customs Tariff. 
 
 To qualify for the duty-free treatment accorded  to Commonwealth Caribbean countries, at 
least 60 % of the ex-factory price of the goods as packed  for shipment to Canada must originate in one 
or more beneficiary countries or Canada.  Th e 60 % qualifying content may be cumulated from 
various CARIBCAN beneficiary countries or Canada.  The goods must be finished in the beneficiary 
country in the form in which they are imported in to Canada.  Pursuant to the Proof of Origin 
Regulations, either a duly completed Certificate of Origin, Form A, or a written statement of origin 
signed by the exporter, must be presented to Custom s at the time of release, accounting or refund. 
 
Trade under CARIBCAN 
  Canada-CARIBCAN trade statistics are annexed in a series of tabl es to this report and include 
2011 trade data.  In general, these trade statistics indicate that:  
- In 2011, 93 % of total Canadian imports from CARIBCAN beneficiaries entered 
Canada free of duty.  As shown in Annex III, $911 million of this trade entered under 
MFN free rates while $3 million entered dut y-free under General Preferential Tariff 
(GPT).  $124 million of this trade ente red under the preferential CARIBCAN tariff 
(CCCT).  Annex IV shows the top twenty-five commodity imports benefiting from the CARIBCAN preference.   
 
- Total Canada-CARIBCAN trade (exports plus imports) was CDN $1.9 billion in 
2011.  The value of Canadian imports fro m the region has risen from $797 million in 
2001 to $1.1 billion in 2011.  The value of Canadian exports to CARIBCAN 
countries has risen from $496 million in  2001 to $823 million in 2011. 
 
Statistical Annexes 
 Annex I:  Total Imports form CARIBCAN Beneficiaries 2001 – 2011 
 Annex II:  Total Canadian exports to  CARIBCAN Beneficiaries 2001 – 2011 
 Annex III:  2011 Imports from CARIBCAN Beneficiaries by Tariff Treatment 
 
Annex IV: Top 25 Merchandise Imports from CARIBCAN Beneficiaries which entered 
Canada under the CARIBCAN Duty-Free Tariff Treatment (CCCT) in 2011  
   WT/L/868
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Total Canadian Imports from CARIBCAN Beneficiaries 2001 – 2011                                                                                                                                       Annex I 
(thousands of Canadian dollars) 
Country 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 
Anguilla 10 13 8 27 145 153 149 211 308 320 271 
Antigua - Barbuda 340 954 748 579 558 407 564 5,468 446 422 414 
Bahamas 13,785 16,941 48,149 55,652 56,816 23,274 63, 303 73,519 30,995 55,121 21,881 
Barbados 9,118 7,543 6,282 8,508 7,368 13,615 8,117 8,498 8,663 9,680 6,921 
Belize 3,739 6,381 4,501 8,325 9,651 9,558 10,959 10,842 7,247 6,177 7,516 
Bermuda 2,369 3,803 1,655 12,511 17,738 16,783 3,192 1,910 10,968 1,389 979 
British Virgin Islands 1,324 501 1,146 1,785 2,699 4,120 1,994 13,246 720 622 821 
Cayman Islands 27,571 3,818 2,242 1,108 441 280 314 193 645 304 778 
Dominica 775 944 358 313 775 253 398 337 390 145 289 
Grenada 1,037 1,476 1,082 1,259 944 957 701 877 509 601 1,718 
Guyana 209,474 225,368 201,099 197,704 147,206 142,093 161,534 225,084 300,318 290,736 394,657 
Jamaica 324,783 270,927 264,871 346,608 393,028 418,261 370,906 327,580 164,764 161,934 275,412 
Montserrat 113 267 453 238 104 542 222 139 69 327 291 
St. Christopher (Kitts) & Nevis 6,121 7,458 8,722 8,185 7,868 8,798 4,270 5,236 7,033 8,092 9,166 
St. Lucia 237 411 266 366 512 164 313 155 2,289 203 273 
St. Vincent & the Grenadines 310 619 124 123 125 297 568 136 219 162 259 
Trinidad & Tobago 195,141 166,704 232,921 156,281 237,073 307,597 413,473 341,400 314,955 459,179 388,961 
Turks & Caicos Islands 1,007 2,347 7,980 6,871 7,525 6,917 5,146 1,933 299 112 119 
Total: 797,254 716,475 782,607 806,443 890,576 954,069 1,046,123 1,016,764 850,837 995,526 1,110,726 
Source :  Statistics Canada. 
Notes:  A dash (-) indicates that an amount is nil or negligible.   
 
  
  WT/L/868 
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Total Canadian Exports to CARIBCAN Beneficiaries 2000-2011 Annex II 
(thousands of Canadian dollars) Country 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 
Anguilla 2,802 1,301 802 1,215 1,559 1,564 1,386 2,590 1,833 865 2,318 
Antigua - Barbuda 10,434 7,970 17,273 15,534 14,968 68,527 17,174 21,194 20,095 19,211 9,590 
Bahamas 27,706 33,245 28,883 30,392 59,949 51,275 91, 210 226,436 146,232 150,620 127,275 
Barbados 29,104 33,629 41,979 44,769 55,729 59,411 55,216 45,392 55,448 36,675 44,248 
Belize 3,505 5,079 5,271 5,425 6,347 8,693 6,395 6,594 5,544 5,536 4,976 
Bermuda 34,715 107,599 42,945 59,301 66,405 68,131 59,035 61,823 56,630 37,647 73,760 
British Virgin Islands 2,240 2,167 2,129 2,637 2,786 3,672 2,057 8,694 3,271 22,175 48,168 
Cayman Islands 63,858 6,807 7,671 10,738 22,374 33,523 55,092 14,019 6,403 6,224 6,993 
Dominica 2,671 2,614 7,668 4,967 4,585 5,456 4,531 5,619 4,386 4,447 3,748 
Grenada 3,142 4,450 5,868 6,056 6,956 6,550 5,928 5,653 5,535 5,092 4,423 
Guyana 8,068 10,373 9,536 10,603 15,330 22,968 25,710 20,318 27,705 28,076 35,385 
Jamaica 121,933 158,212 124,650 163,755 144,312 142,636 190,138 187,298 117,954 125,076 106,081 
Montserrat 214 291 300 434 510 364 252 383 272 226 325 
St. Christopher (Kitts) & Nevis 16,147 27,036 12,059 3,982 5,380 7,101 8,753 7,930 6,242 6,706 5,678 
St. Lucia 7,375 7,804 7,423 8,059 7,020 11,494 15,083 12,309 10,040 35,745 8,476 
St. Vincent & the Grenadines 3,941 3,743 5,874 5,130 6,978 9,830 9,767 7,688 11,583 10,788 6,742 
Trinidad & Tobago 156,222 136,808 125,507 121,475 141,525 178,797 210,182 262,673 251,109 289,026 332,950 
Turks & Caicos Islands 2,366 2,933 10,372 7,182 8,258 12,387 11,556 7,044 6,181 4,290 1,814 
Total: 496,443 552,061 456,210 501,654 570,971 692,379 769,465 903,657 736,463 788,425 822,950 
Source :  Statistics Canada. 
Notes:  A dash (-) indicates that an amount is nil or negligible.  Includes Canadian domestic exports only. 
  WT/L/868 
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  Annex III (i) 
       
Duty Free 2011 Imports from CARIBCAN  Beneficiaries by Tariff Treatment 
(in Canadian dollars)      
Country Total 
Imports MFN Free GPT 
Free Caribcan 
(CCCT) 
Free Total Free Total Free 
as % of 
Total 
Imports 
Anguilla 271,087 20,077 - - 20,077 7% 
Antigua and Barbuda 414,390 196,735 21,066 12,053 229,854 55% 
Bahamas 21,881,027 17,679,255 - 1,272,139 18,951,394 87% 
Barbados 6,921,187 572,350 7,925 5,364,483 5,944,758 86% 
Belize 7,515,790 6,498,248 186,035 541,338 7,225,621 96% 
Bermuda 979,126 128,490 - 2,976 131,466 13% 
Br. Virgin Is. 820,635 618,207 77,927 - 696,134 85% 
Cayman Islands 778,022 728,476 - - 728,746 94% 
Dominica 288,853 91,740 - 102,959 194,699 67% 
Grenada 1,718,032 1,047,426 668,603 115 1,716,144 100% 
Guyana 394,656,856 387,717,174 1,666,819 3,974,600 393,358,593 100% 
Jamaica 275,412,173 246,230,150 38 1,932 19,801,913 266,413,995 97% 
Montserrat 290,786 105,896 - - 105,896 36% 
St. Christopher 
(Kitts) and Nevis 9,165,976 9,124,530 - 3,855 9,128,385 100% 
Saint Lucia 272,517 153,578 - 7,362 160,940 59% 
Saint Vincent/Gren. 259,172 123,037 - 91,270 214,307 83% 
Trinidad and 
Tobago 388,960,604 239,460,977 55 ,724 92,354,112 331,870,813 85% 
Turks/Caicos Is. 118,643 114,639 - - 114,639 97% 
Total 1,110,724,876 910,610,985 3,066,031 123,529,175 1,037,206,461 93% 
Source : Statistics Canada. 
Notes:  A dash (-) indicates that an amount is nil or negligible.   
 
  WT/L/868 
Page 6  
 
   
Annex III (ii)
Dutiable 2011 imports from CARIBCAN Beneficiaries by Tariff Treatment  
(in Canadian dollars)  
Country Total 
Imports MFN 
Dutiable GPT 
Dutiable Caribcan 
Dutiable Total 
Dutiable Total 
Dutiable as 
% of Total 
Imports 
Anguilla 271,087 251,010 - - 251,010 93% 
Antigua and Barbuda 414,390 184,536 - - 184,536 45% 
Bahamas 21,881,027 2,929,633 - - 2,929,633 13% 
Barbados 6,921,187 929,268 47,161 - 976,429 14% 
Belize 7,515,790 271,682 18,487 - 290,169 4% 
Bermuda 979,126 847,660 - - 847,660 87% 
Br. Virgin Is. 820,635 124,501 - - 124,501 15% 
Cayman Islands 778,022 49,276 - - 49,276 6% 
Dominica 288,853 94,154 - - 94,154 33% 
Grenada 1,718,032 1,888 - - 1,888 0% 
Guyana 394,656,856 1,256,678 41,585 - 1,298,263 0% 
Jamaica 275,412,173 8,951,879 46,299 - 8,998,178 3% 
Montserrat 290,786 184,890 - - 184,890 64% 
St. Christopher 
(Kitts) and Nevis 9,165,976 37,591 - - 37,591 0% 
Saint Lucia 272,517 111,577 - - 111,577 41% 
Saint Vincent/Gren. 259,172 44,865 - - 44,865 17% 
Trinidad and Tobago 388,960,604 57,089,184 607 - 57,089,791 15% 
Turks/Caicos Is. 118,643 4,004 - - 4,004 3% 
Total 1,110,724,876 73,364,276 154,139 0 73,518,415 7% 
Source : Statistics Canada. 
Notes:  A dash (-) indicates that an amount is nil or negligible.   
 
 
  WT/L/868 
 Page 7 
 
 
   
Annex IV
  
Top 25 Merchandise Imports from CARIBCAN Bene ficiaries which entered Canada Under CARIBCAN 
Duty-Free Tariff Treatment (CCCT) in 2011 
(in Canadian Dollars) 
HS Tariff Description Imports under 
CARIBCAN 
Treatment 
(CCCT) 
29051100 Methanol (methyl alcohol) 87,809,469
22071010 Undenatured ethyl alcohol >= 80% vol for use in the manufacture of spirituous 
or alcoholic beverages 10,703,840
22084010 Rum 10,376,812
20089930 Akalas, akees, anchovy pears, apple-pears, avocados, bananas, banana chips 
(thin banana slices fried or otherwise prepared whether or not salted, 
sweetened or otherwise flavoured), bread fruit, carambolas, chayotes, 
cherimoyas (Jamaica apples)…. 1,871,027
03061100 Rock lobster and other sea crawfish ( Palinurus spp ., Panulirus spp. , Jasus 
spp.) 1,663,387
21039020 Mixed condiments and mixed seasonings 1,428,291
07149090 Other [Arrowroot, salep, Jerusalem artichokes and similar roots and tubers 
with high starch or inulin content, fresh, chilled or dried, whether or not sliced or in the form of pellets; sago pith] 1,241,047
19059049 Other biscuits [Containing less than 25% by weight of wheat] 888,938
22029090 Other [nectars] 775,180
22021000 Waters, including mineral waters and aerated waters, containing added sugar 
or other sweetening matter or flavoured 723,955
21039090 Other [sauces] 630,502
73269090 Other [articles of iron or steel] 447,795
85369091 Other: Junction boxes; 
Receptacle boxes of metal 437,593
19053122 Sweet biscuits containing 25% or more by weight of wheat, in packages of a 
weight not exceeding 1.36 kg each, over access commitment 294,374
19053199 Other [sweet biscuits] 269,786
20059990 Other [Other vegetables and mixtures of vegetables] 218,537
19059039 Other [bread] 223,344
20089990 Other [berries, berry pulp, plums] 203,249
83061090 Other [Bells, gones and the like, other than church bells] 201,086
17049090 Other [sugar confectionary, not containing cocoa] 195,009
04063010 Processed cheese, not grated or powdered, within acces s commitment 180,357
42031000 Articles of apparel of leather or of composition leather 154,374
22042110 Wine, of an alcoholic strength by volume not exceeding 13.7% 149,164
07142000 Sweet potatoes 147,414
22087000 Liqueurs and cordials 115,601
 
Source : Statistics Canada import data. 
 
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