WT/L/1112  
 
13 July 2021  
(21-5490) Page: 1/7 
General Council  
27-28 July 2021  Original: English/French  
 
CANADIAN TARIFF TREATMENT FOR  COMMONWEALTH CARIBBEAN COUNTRIES  
2021 REPORT OF THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADA ON THE  
TRADE -RELATED PROVISIONS OF CARIBCAN  
The following communication, dated 12 July 2021, is being circulated at the request of the delegation 
of Canada.  
 
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1  INTRODUCTION  
1.1.   CARIBCAN is an economic and trade development assistance program for the Commonwealth 
Caribbean countries and territories established as a result of a commitment by Canada at the 
Commonwealth Heads  of Government meeting in Nassau in October  1985.  
1.2.  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 enco urage 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 commodities originating in Commonwealth 
Caribbean count ries. 
1.3.  On 28  November  1986, a decision by the Contracting Parties to the General Agreement on 
Tariffs and Trade (GATT) waived until 15  June 1998, the provisions of paragraph 1 of Article 1 of the 
General Agreement, "only to the extent necessary to permit th e Government of Canada to provide 
duty-free treatment to eligible imports of Commonwealth Caribbean countries benefiting from the 
provisions of CARIBCAN, without being required to extend the same duty -free treatment to like 
products of any other contractin g party." (L/6102). On 28  July 2015 the WTO extended the 
CARIBCAN waiver (WT/L/958) until 31  December  2023. The conditions associated with the 
CARIBCAN waiver remain unchanged.  
1.4.  This report is being made in accordance with paragraph 3 of the WTO waiver of 2 8 July 2015 
and Article IX of the WTO Agreement.  
2  COUNTRY COVERAGE  
2.1.  The Customs Tariff  lists 18 countries or dependent territories which are eligible to receive the 
duty-free benefits accorded under CARIBCAN, namely: Anguilla, Antigua  and Barbuda, Bahamas, 
Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Dominica, Grenada, 
Guyana, Jamaica, Montserrat, S aint Christopher ( Saint Kitts) and Nevis, Saint Lucia, S aint Vincent 
and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, and the Turks  and Caicos Islands. No country or territory 
additions or deletions from this list have occurred since CARIBCAN was enacted on 15  June 1986.  
3  PRODUCT COVERAGE  
3.1.  There have been no amendments to CARIBCAN product coverage since the changes made in 
February  1998. WT/L/1112  
 
- 2 - 
 
  3.2.  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 . 
 
4  RULES OF ORIGIN  
4.1.  The rules of origin for the purposes of the Commonwealth Caribbean Countries Tariff (CCCT) 
treatment are set out in regulations enacted pursuant to Section 16 of the Customs Tariff . 
4.2.  To qualify for the duty -free treatment accorded to Commonwealth Caribbean c ountries, 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. The 60% qualifying content may be cumulated from various 
CARIBCAN beneficiary countries or Canada. T he goods must be finished in the beneficiary country 
in the form in which they are imported into 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 Customs at the time of release, accounting or refund.  
5  TRADE UNDER CARIBCAN  
5.1.  Canada -CARIBCAN trade statistics are annexed in a series of tables to this report and include 
2020 trade data. In general, these trade statistics indicate  that: 
- In 2020, 96% of total Canadian imports from CARIBCAN beneficiaries entered Canada free of 
duty. As shown in Annex III(i), just over $771  million of this trade entered under MFN free 
rates while $2.9  million entered duty -free under General Preferen tial Tariff (GPT). 
$42.8  million of this trade entered 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 CA N $1.5  billion in 2020. The value 
of Canadian imports from the region had steadily risen from $851  million in 2009 to 
$939 million in 2019; however this figure dropped to $847  million in 2020 most likely due to 
the COVID -19 pandemic. Similarly, the value o f Canadian exports to CARIBCAN countries had 
increased from $736  million in 2009 to $939  million in 2019 before falling to $694  million in 
2020.  
 
6  STATISTICAL ANNEXES:  
Annex I:    Total Imports from CARIBCAN Beneficiaries 2009 - 2020 
 
Annex II:    Total Canad ian exports to CARIBCAN Beneficiaries 2009 - 2020 
 
Annex III(i) and (ii):  2020 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 2020  
 
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  WT/L/1112  
 
- 3 - ANNEX I  
Total Canadian Imports from CARIBCAN Beneficiaries 2009 – 2020  
(thousands of Canadian dollars)  
Country  2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 
Anguilla  308 320 271 272 606 360 226 29 105 59 333 2,542  
Antigua and 
Barbuda  446 422 414 1,741  625 448 466 216 282 184 425 145 
Bahamas  30,995  55,121  21,881  146,573  44,069  92,051  35,720  13,641  12,901  4,834  19,301  8,057  
Barbados  8,663  9,680  6,921  9,578  18,851  12,942  11,557  11,888  12,173  14,212  14,844  15,484  
Belize  7,247  6,177  7,516  3,221  2,579  1,777  3,786  2,080  1,904  1,941  1,361  1,631  
Bermuda  10,968  1,389  979 29,015  17,709  31,013  35,319  38,650  30,160  1,133  449 514 
British Virgin Islands  720 622 821 1,102  28,258  2,529  1,520  938 2,868  1,392  1,633  861 
Cayman Islands  645 304 778 415 210 215 662 2,102  2,299  6,373  1,830  3,945  
Dominica  390 145 289 264 1,153  356 728 231 397 187 2,191  305 
Grenada  509 601 1,718  2,268  1,904  2,018  2,211  1,577  819 1,539  849 1,619  
Guyana  300,318  290,736  394,657  453,997  486,488  335,752  271,554  666,959  661,486  573,917  505,664  417,646  
Jamaica  164,764  161,934  275,412  101,951  205,772  264,949  241,310  204,888  191,258  141,791  113,527  84,834  
Montserrat  69 327 291 197 36 333 233 59 164 211 258 168 
Saint Christopher 
(Kitts) and Nevis  7,033  8,092  9,166  9,638  8,784  6,249  4,072  2,971  3,503  2,710  3,179  2,452  
Saint Lucia 2,289  203 273 268 349 423 509 692 688 265 667 1,002  
Saint Vincent and 
the Grenadines  219 162 259 170 173 126 110 143 71 1,888  73 114 
Trinidad and Tobago  314,955  459,179  388,961  246,424  188,761  557,843  342,388  189,494  176,076  334,882  271,981  305,886  
Turks and Caicos 
Islands  299 112 119 186 254 416 843 148 107 36 118 86 
Total:  850,837  995,526  1,110,726  1,007,280  1,006,581  1,309,800  953,214  1,136,706  1,097,261  1,087,554  938,683  847,291  
Source:  Statistics Canada.  
 
   
  WT/L/1112  
 
- 4 - ANNEX II  
Total Canadian Exports to CARIBCAN Beneficiaries 2009 -2020  
(thousands of Canadian dollars)  
Country  2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 
Anguilla  1,833  865 2,318  607 850 1,007  1,271  1,612  1,873  2,868  1,461  854 
Antigua and Barbuda  20,095  19,211  9,590  18,273  15,172  10,112  9,990  8,495  8,328  12,318  16,928  8,839  
Bahamas  146,232  150,620  127,275  486,780  189,761  242,015  68,832  114,895  214,579  395,061  258,733  145,903  
Barbados  55,448  36,675  44,248  58,853  147,317  187,559  66,607  37,412  33,649  33,119  34,974  42,163  
Belize  5,544  5,536  4,976  7,464  7,295  19,133  9,258  10,597  14,799  10,135  9,382  5,405  
Bermuda  56,630  37,647  73,760  22,122  33,658  29,914  36,408  67,260  44,494  41,076  37,343  63,551  
British Virgin Islands  3,271  22,175  48,168  1,619  2,536  28,628  12,399  3,531  3,774  3,976  2,478  4,430  
Cayman Islands  6,403  6,224  6,993  8,189  58,645  8,136  8,345  9,674  23,332  22,732  27,484  37,693  
Dominica  4,386  4,447  3,748  3,864  4,595  6,157  4,551  3,452  5,717  8,288  5,945  3,291  
Grenada  5,535  5,092  4,423  5,288  4,537  5,648  5,786  7,608  8,664  6,168  90,522  6,890  
Guyana  27,705  28,076  35,385  25,201  17,902  25,081  23,849  34,114  26,056  28,800  35,729  25,138  
Jamaica  117,954  125,076  106,081  129,416  114,177  111,919  104,329  101,674  112,932  122,808  126,686  110,241  
Montserrat  272 226 325 380 264 164 232 256 503 155 82 399 
Saint Christopher (Kitts) and 
Nevis  6,242  6,706  5,678  6,524  7,355  9,116  6,756  6,056  8,474  6,017  7,742  5,676  
Saint Lucia 10,040  35,745  8,476  9,183  10,247  11,202  9,925  9,561  8,303  7,784  7,927  13,646  
Saint Vincent and the 
Grenadines  11,583  10,788  6,742  6,538  8,760  13,045  9,530  6,201  4,964  3,953  3,900  11,669  
Trinidad and Tobago  251,109  289,026  332,950  319,383  333,293  307,597  293,762  205,405  292,312  388,882  267,607  204,804  
Turks and Caicos Islands  6,181  4,290  1,814  2,076  1,738  2,574  3,674  2,697  4,481  3,723  3,763  3,350  
Total:  736,463  788,425  822,950  1,111,760  958,102  1,019,007  675,504  630,500  817,234  1,097,863  938,686  693,942  
Source:  Statistics Canada.  
Notes:  Includes Canadian domestic exports only.  
 
   
  WT/L/1112  
 
- 5 - ANNEX III( i) 
Duty Free  2020 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  2,541,531  2,529,581  0 0 2,529,581  100%  
Antigua and Barbuda  144,582  65,153  0 28 65,181  45% 
Bahamas  8,056,727  7,719,696  0 430 7,720,126  96% 
Barbados  15,483,912  2,004,324  0 5,369,391  7,373,715  48% 
Belize  1,630,901  827,731  20,588  602,903  1,451,222  89% 
Bermuda  513,485  217,524  0 106,239  323,763  63% 
British Virgin Islands  860,533  805,844  0 0 805,844  94% 
Cayman Islands  3,944,597  1,581,194  0 12000  1,593,194  40% 
Dominica  305,130  249,608  0 0 249,608  82% 
Grenada  1,618,769  1,604,978  0 0 1,604,978  99% 
Guyana  417,645,754  406,129,829  2,971,828  5,825,105  414,926,762  99% 
Jamaica  84,834,162  50,329,201  0 26,664,537  76,993,738  91% 
Montserrat  167,493  151,395  0 0 151,395  90% 
Saint Christopher (Kitts) and Nevis  2,452,138  1,958,816  0 0 1,958,816  80% 
Saint Lucia  1,001,506  721,220  0 120,142  841,362  84% 
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines  113,825  95,756  0 15,901  111,657  98% 
Trinidad and Tobago  305,886,255  294,234,550  0 4,097,455  298,332,005  98% 
Turks and Caicos Islands  86,215  71,446  0 0 71,446  83% 
Total  847,287,515  771,297,846  2,992,416  42,814,131  817,104,393  96%  
Source: Statistics Canada.  
   
  WT/L/1112  
 
- 6 - ANNEX III( ii) 
Dutiable  2020 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  2,541,531  11,950  0 0 11,950  0% 
Antigua and Barbuda  144,582  79,401  0 0 79,401  55% 
Bahamas  8,056,727  336,601  0 0 336,601  4% 
Barbados  15,483,912  8,110,197  0 0 8,110,197  52% 
Belize  1,630,901  179,679  0 0 179,679  11% 
Bermuda  513,485  189,084  0 638 189,722  37% 
British Virgin Islands  860,533  54,689  0 0 54,689  6% 
Cayman Islands  3,944,597  2,351,403  0 0 2,351,403  60% 
Dominica  305,130  55,522  0 0 55,522  18% 
Grenada  1,618,769  13,791  0 0 13,791  1% 
Guyana  417,645,754  2,695,742  23,237  13 2,718,992  1% 
Jamaica  84,834,162  7,840,424  0   7,840,424  9% 
Montserrat  167,493  16,098  0 0 16,098  10% 
Saint Christopher (Kitts) and Nevis  2,452,138  493,322  0 0 493,322  20% 
Saint Lucia  1,001,506  160,144  0 0 160,144  16% 
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines  113,825  2,168  0 0 2,168  2% 
Trinidad and Tobago  305,886,255  7,531,207  0 23,043  7,554,250  2% 
Turks and Caicos Islands  86,215  14,769  0 0 14,769  17% 
Total  847,287,515  30,136,191  23,237  23,694  30,183,122  4% 
Source:  Statistics Canada.  
 WT/L/1112  
 
- 7 - 
 
  ANNEX IV  
Top 25 Merchandise Imports from CARIBCAN Beneficiaries which entered Canada Under 
CARIBCAN Duty -Free Tariff Treatment (CCCT) in 2020  
(in Canadian Dollars)  
HS Tariff  Description  Imports 
under 
CARIBCAN 
Treatment 
(CCCT)  
22084010  Rum 8,673,338  
22071000  Undenatured ethyl alcohol >= 80% vol for use in the manufacture of spirituous or 
alcoholic beverages  6,474,881  
07143000  Yams ( Dioscorea spp. ) 4,318,647  
21039020  Mixed condiments and mixed seasonings  3,916,134  
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)….  3,296,603  
19059039  Other [bread]  1,954,669  
22029990  Other [wa ters containing added sugar or other sweetening matter or flavoured]  1,825,244  
21039090  Other [sauces]  1,027,546  
19053122  Other sweet biscuits [Containing 25% or more by weight of wheat, in packages of 
a weight not exceeding 1.36 kg each]  798,869  
07142000  Sweet potatoes  772,435  
19059043  Other biscuits:  Containing 25% or more by weight of wheat, in packages of a 
weight not exceeding 1.36 kg each, over access commitment  739,832  
22021000  Waters, including mineral waters and aerated waters, containing added sugar or 
other sweetening matter or flavoured  670,686  
03038900  Other [other fish, excluding edible fish offal]  471,473  
22029939  Other [beverages containing milk]  412,766  
12119010  Herbal "tea" in bags for individual servings  401,779  
21069029  Other [Syrups derived from cane or beet sugar, containing added colouring matter; 
Food concentrates and fruit syrups for use in beverages or other food preparations]  360,782  
19053192  Sweet biscuits containing 25% or more by weight of wheat, in pa ckages of a weight 
not exceeding 1.36 kg each, over access commitment  357,339  
19021929  Other [pasta, containing flour and water only]  329,740  
07133300  Kidney beans, including white pea beans  316,324  
20059990  Other [Other vegetables and mixtures of vegetables]  303,956  
17049090  Other [sugar confectionary, not containing cocoa]  289,212  
12119090  Other [plants and parts of plants (including seeds and fruits)]  286,286  
09109900  Other spices  260,974  
08039000  Other bananas, fresh or dried  258,457  
22042110  Wine, of an alcoholic strength by volume not exceeding 13.7% vol  234,698  
Source: Statistics Canada import data.  
 
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