RESTRICTED  
  
G/TFA/W/10  
 
28 September  2018 
(18-6040) Page: 1/3 
Committee on Trade Facilitation    
 
DRAFT 
 
ANNUAL REPORT (201 8) OF THE COMMITTEE O N TRADE FACILITATION  
TO THE COUNCIL FOR T RADE IN GOODS  
1. The Com mittee on Trade Facilitation (TFC) met several times in different formats. R egular 
Committee meetings were complemented by a dedicated session on assistance and support for 
capacity building . In addition, Membe rs engaged in consultations led by the TFC Chair.   
2. On 5 March 2018, Members took part in open-ended consultations on next steps for 
Committee work on Trade Facilitation.  
3. The meeting was followed by a  regular Committee session on 2 May 2018. It had two main 
agenda items:  
i. Matters relating to the implementation and administration of the Trade Facilitation 
Agreement  (TFA) . Work under this item focused on notifications by Members, starting 
with notifications under articles 15 and 16 of the TFA, followed by notifications under 
articles 1:4, 10:4:3, 10:6:2 and 12:2:2 of the TFA. Members also looked at the status 
of the ratification process and were updated on the latest developments in that area 
by the WTO Secretariat.  
ii. Experience sharing/thematic d iscussions. Under this item, Members shared their 
experiences on items such as (i) National Trade Faci litation Committees, (ii)  transit , 
and (iii) implementation experiences.  
4. On 3 May 2018, the Committee held a dedicated session on assistance and capacity building 
in line with article 21:4 of the TFA. Discussion topics included:  
i. Exchanges on any implementation problems;  
ii. A review of progress  in the provision of assistance and support for capacity building to 
support the implementation of the Trad e Facilitation Agreement;  
iii. The sharing of experiences and information on ongoing assistance and support for 
capacity building and implementation progr ams, including challenges and successes ; 
iv. The review of donor notifications as set forth in article 22 of the TFA ; and 
v. The review of the operation of article 21:2 (assistance and support for LDCs) . 
5. Immediately after that session, the Committee chairmanship was handed over from 
ambassador Daniel Blockert of Sweden to ambassador Dalia Kadišiene  of Lithuania, who was e lected 
by acclamation on 3 May.  
6. The next meeting of the TFC took place on 26 June 2018 . It had three main agenda items:  
i. Matters  relating to the implementation and administration of the Trade Facilitation 
Agreement . Under this item, the Committee addressed a series of matters relating to 
notifications by Members. Following a discussion of a proposal on the organization of 
the agend a, the Committee turned to notifications under (i) Articles 15 and 16 of the 
TFA, (ii) A rticles 1:4, 10:4:3, 10:6:2 a nd 12:2:2 of the TFA and (iii) A rticle 22 of G/TFA/W/10  
 
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  the TFA. The Committee was then updated on the status of the ratification and the 
notification  processes.  
ii. Experience sharing/thematic discussions . Under this item, Members shared their 
experiences on issues such as (i) regional approaches to trade facilitation and (ii) 
Article 2 of the TFA (opportunity to comment, information before entry into forc e, and 
consultations). They also discussed approaches to the planning of future experience 
sharing among M embers.  
iii. Reports on r ecent and upcoming activities.  
7. The TFC met again from 9 to 11 October.  The agenda of the meeting included the following 
items:  
i. Matters relating to the implementation and administration of the Trade Facilitation  
Agreement. Under this item, the Committee addressed a series of matters relating to 
notifications by Members. Following a discussion of the organization of the agenda, the 
Committee turned to notifications under (i) Articles 15 and 16 of the TFA, (ii ) Articles 
1:4, 10:4:3, 10:6:2 and 12:2:2 of the TFA and (iii ) Article 22 of the TFA. The 
Committee was then updated on the status of the ratification and the notification 
processes . 
ii. Administrative Separation Between t he Trade F acilita tion Agreement Facility and 
the Committee o n Trade Facilitation - Request by t he United States  
iii. Experience  sharing/thematic discussions . Under this item, Members shared their 
experiences on issues such as (i) authorized economic operators, (ii) transit, (iii) single 
window and (iv) advance rulings.  
iv. Recent and upcoming activities  
v. Draft Annual Report of the TFC to the Council for Trade in G oods (G/TFA/W /10) G/TFA/W/10  
 
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  ANNEX I : NOTIFICATIONS FROM  MEMBERS SINCE THE  LAST ANNUAL REPORT UNTIL  
[27 SEPTEMBER]  2018 
1. Notifications under Articles 15 and 16 of the Trade Facilitation Agreement  
MEMBER  DOCUMENT NUMBER  AREAS COVERED  DATE OF 
ISSUANCE  
Rwanda  G/TFA/N/RWA/1/Corr.1  Category B & C  05-07-2018 
Indonesia  G/TFA/N/IDN/1/Corr.1  Category B & C  05-07-2018 
Kazakhstan  G/TFA/N/KAZ/2  Categories B & C  17-07-2018 
Central African Republic  G/TFA/N/CAF/1  Category A  26-07-2018 
Nicaragua  G/TFA/N/NIC/1/Add.1  Categories B & C  30-07-2018 
Jamaica  G/TFA/N/JAM/1/Add.1  Category B  16-08-2018 
Samoa  G/TFA/N/WSM/1  Category B & C  28-08-2018 
Saint Lucia  G/TFA/N/LCA/1  Categories B & C  04-09-2018 
Kyrgyz Republic  G/TFA/N/KGZ/2  Category A, B & C  14-09-2018 
Trinidad & Tobago  G/TFA/N/TTO/2  Category C   
2. Notifications under Articles 1:4, 10:4:3, 10:6:2 and 12:2:2 of the Trade Facilitation 
Agreement  
MEMBER  DOCUMENT 
NUMBER  AREAS COVERED  DATE OF 
ISSUANCE  
Republic of Moldova  G/TFA/N/MDA/2  Art. 1.4, 10.6.2, 12.2.2 
of the TFA  29-06-2018 
Georgia  G/TFA/N/GEO/2  Art. 1.4, 10.4.3, 
10.6.2., 12.2.2 of the 
TFA 31-07-2018 
Chinese Taipei  G/TFA/N/TPKM/1  Art. 1.4, 10.4.3, 
10.6.2., 12.2.2 of the 
TFA 01-08-2018 
Saint Lucia  G/TFA/N/LCA/2  Art. 1.4, 10.6.2. of the 
TFA 04-09-2018 
Brazil  G/TFA/N/BRA/2/Add.1  Art. 1.4, 10.4.3, 
10.6.2., 12.2.2 of the 
TFA 12-09-2018 
Mexico  G/TFA/N/MEX/1  Art. 1.4, 10.4.3, 10.6.2, 
12.2.2 of the TFA   
3. Notifications under Article 22  of the Trade Facilitation Agreement by Donor 
Members  
MEMBER  DOCUMENT 
NUMBER  AREAS  COVERED  DATE OF 
ISSUANCE  
FROM DONOR MEMBERS  
Canada  G/TFA/N/CAN/3  Art. 22:1 & 2 of the 
TFA 15-08-2018 
Japan  G/TFA/N/JPN/3  Art. 22:1 & 2 of the 
TFA 10-09-2018 
Norway  G/TFA/N/NOR/1/Add.1  Art. 22:1 & 2 of the 
TFA 21-09-2018 
European Union  G/TFA/N/EU/2/Add.1  Article 22.1 & 2 of the 
TFA  
FROM DEVELOPING AND LDC MEMBERS SEEKING TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FOR 
CAPACITY BUILDING  
Republic of Moldova  G/TFA/N/MDA/3  Art. 22:3 of the TFA  24-08-2018 
 
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