RESTRICTED  
  
WT/ACC/AFG/30  
 
15 July 2013  
(13-3790)  Page: 1/6  
 Working Party on the Accession of the Islamic Republic 
of Afghanistan  Original: English  
 
  ACCESSION OF AFGHANISTAN 
LEGISLATIVE ACTION PLAN 
 The following submission, dated 9 July 2013, is being circulated at the request of the 
Delegation of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. 
 
 
_______________ 
 
  
  WT/ACC/AFG/30  
 
- 2 - PENDING BILLS/DRAFTS/REGULATIONS 
Legislation/Regulation Competent 
Authority Expected date of adoption/enactment 
Status Expected date of 
implementation Translation 
submitted to 
Working Party Submission to 
Cabinet of 
Ministers Submission 
to Parliament  Enactment1 
Customs Valuation Agreement – Rules of Origin 
Amendments to the 2005 Customs Law Afghan Customs 
Department (ACD) Third Quarter 
2013 Fourth quarter 
of 2013 First half of 2014 Draft at MOJ Law has been in 
force since 2005.  Amendments will come into force upon their enactment WT/ACC/AFG/22 
Procedure on Customs 
Valuation (incl.  interpretative notes and software and interest charge valuation) ACD N/A N/A Upon Enactment 
of Amendments to Customs Law Draft has been 
prepared Within 30 days of 
adoption by Ministry of Finance WT/ACC/AFG/20 
Procedure on Advance Ruling 
on Binding Decisions (covering advance origin rulings) ACD N/A N/A Upon Enactment 
of Amendments to Customs Law Draft has been 
prepared  Within 30 days of 
adoption by Ministry of Finance WT/ACC/AFG/20 
Technical Barriers to Trade  
Law on Standards and 
Technical Regulations Afghan National 
Standardization Agency (ANSA) Second half of 
2013 First quarter of 
2014 Second quarter of 
2014 Draft at ANSA Upon enactment 
except for transition indicated in Draft WP Report WT/ACC/AFG/19 
Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  
Law on Plant Protection and 
Quarantine Ministry of 
Agriculture, Irrigation, and Livestock (MAIL)- Plant Quarantine Directorate Second half of 
2013 First Quarter 
of 2014 Second quarter of 
2014 Draft at the 
Ministry of Justice (MOJ) Upon enactment 
except for transition indicated in Draft WP Report WT/ACC/AFG/19 
Law on Animal Health and 
Veterinary MAIL- 
General Directorate of 
Animal Health Second half of 
2013 First Quarter 
of 2014 Second quarter of 
2014 Draft at MOJ Upon enactment 
except for transition indicated in Draft 
WP Report WT/ACC/AFG/19 
                                               
1 Although this is the target, adoption by Parliament depends on  its agenda and priorities, which are beyond the control of the Government of Afghanistan.  
  WT/ACC/AFG/30  
 
- 3 - Legislation/Regulation Competent 
Authority Expected date of adoption/enactment 
Status Expected date of 
implementation Translation 
submitted to 
Working Party Submission to 
Cabinet of 
Ministers Submission 
to Parliament  Enactment1 
Law on Food Safety Ministry of Public 
Health (MPH) Second half of 
2013 First Quarter 
of 2014 Second quarter of 
2014 Draft at MOJ Upon enactment 
except for transition indicated in Draft WP Report WT/ACC/AFG/19 
TRIPS  
Procedure Customs Control of 
IPR (IP Border Enforcement) ACD N/A N/A Upon Enactment 
of Amendments to Customs Law Draft has been 
prepared Within 30 days of 
adoption by Ministry of Finance WT/ACC/AFG/20 
Amendments to the Law on 
Supporting the Rights of Inventors and Discoverers of 31 April 2009 (Patents Law) Ministry of 
Commerce and Industries (MoCI) Second half of 
2013 First quarter of 
2014 Second quarter of 
2014 Draft at MOJ Law has been in 
force since 2009. Amendments will come into force upon their 
enactment WT/ACC/AFG/21 
WT/ACC/AFG/25 (revised)  
Amendments to the Law on Trade Marks of 1 September 2009 MoCI Second half of 
2013 First quarter of 
2014 Second quarter of 
2014 Draft at MOJ Law has been in 
force since 2009. Amendments will come into force upon their enactment WT/ACC/AFG/22 
WT/ACC/AFG/25 (revised)  
Amendments to the Law on Supporting the Right of Authors, Composers, Artists, and Researchers of 26 July 2008 (Copyrights Law) Ministry of 
Information and Culture (MoIC) Second half of 
2013 First quarter of 
2014 Second quarter of 
2014 Draft at MOJ Law has been in 
force since 2008. Amendments will come into force upon their enactment WT/ACC/AFG/21 
Law on Geographical 
Indications MoCI Second half of 
2013 First quarter of 
2014 Second quarter of 
2014 Draft at MOJ Law will come into 
force upon enactment WT/ACC/AFG/21 
Law on Industrial Designs MoCI Second half of 
2013 First quarter of 
2014 Second quarter of 
2014 Draft at MOJ Law will come into 
force upon enactment WT/ACC/AFG/21 
Draft amendments to the Civil 
Procedure Code (Chapter Three)  MoCI Second half of 
2013 First quarter of 
2014 Second quarter of 
2014 Draft at MOJ Law will come into 
force upon enactment WT/ACC/AFG/7/Add.1 
Law on Trade Secrets 
(undisclosed information)  MoCI Second half of 
2013 First quarter of 
2014 Second quarter of 
2014 Draft at MOJ Law will come into 
force upon enactment WT/ACC/AFG/25 
  
  WT/ACC/AFG/30  
 
- 4 - Legislation/Regulation Competent 
Authority Expected date of adoption/enactment 
Status Expected date of 
implementation Translation 
submitted to 
Working Party Submission to 
Cabinet of 
Ministers Submission 
to Parliament  Enactment1 
Law on Topography of Integrated Circuits  MoCI Second half of 
2013 First quarter of 
2014 Second quarter of 
2014 Draft at MOJ Law will come into 
force upon enactment WT/ACC/AFG/25 
 
Law on Unfair Competition   MoCI Second half of 
2013 First quarter of 
2014 Second quarter of 
2014 Draft at MOJ Law will come into 
force upon enactment WT/ACC/AFG/25 
 
Regulations on Optical Disks  MoIC First quarter of 
2014 N/A Second quarter of 
2014 Draft at MOJ Law will come into 
force upon enactment WT/ACC/AFG/26 
 
Law on Plant Variety Protection  MAIL First Quarter of 
2014 Second 
Quarter of 2014 Second half of 
2014 Drafting is still 
being prepare Law will come into 
force upon enactment To be submitted to the 
WTO by end of 2013 
Transparency  
Amendments to the Law on Publication and Enforcement of Legislation of 1998 MoCI/Ministry of 
Justice Second half of 
2013 First quarter of 
2014 Second quarter of 
2014 Draft at MOJ Law has been in 
force since 1998. Amendments will come into force upon their enactment WT/ACC/AFG/20 
Amendments to the Regulation 
on Drafting Procedure and Processing of Legal Acts MoCI/Ministry of 
Justice Second half of 
2013 N/A Second quarter of 
2014 Draft at MOJ Regulation has been 
in force since 2012. Amendments will come into force upon their 
enactment WT/ACC/AFG/20  
  WT/ACC/AFG/30  
 
- 5 - Legislation/Regulation Competent 
Authority Expected date of adoption/enactment 
Status Expected date of 
implementation Translation 
submitted to 
Working Party Submission to 
Cabinet of 
Ministers Submission 
to Parliament  Enactment1 
Quantitative import restrictions, including prohibitions, quotas and licensing systems 
Law on Foreign Trade in Goods  MoCI Second half of 
2013 First quarter of 
2014 Second quarter of 
2014 Draft at MOJ Law will come into 
force upon enactment WT/ACC/AFG/23 
Regulations on Import 
Licensing Procedures MoCI Second half of 
2013 N/A Second quarter of 
2014 Draft being 
finalized at MOCI Regulations will 
come into force upon enactment To be submitted to the 
WTO by end of July 2013 
Procedure on Customs Storage fees ACD N/A N/A First Quarter of 
2014 Draft to be 
prepared by ACD Procedure will come 
into force upon enactment To be submitted to the 
WTO by end of September 2013 
Draft amendments to the Regulation on Production and Import of Medicines of 19 February 2007 (concerning fees for import permit for pharmaceuticals and medical equipment) MPH Second half of 
2013 N/A First Quarter of 
2014 Draft to be 
prepared by MPH Procedure will come 
into force upon enactment To be submitted to the 
WTO by end of September 2013 
Anti-dumping, countervailing duties, safeguard regimes  
Law on Safeguards MoCI Second half of 
2013 First quarter of 
2014 Second quarter of 
2014 Draft at MOJ Law will come into 
force upon enactment WT/ACC/AFG/23 
  
  WT/ACC/AFG/30  
 
- 6 - PART II – COMPLETED LEGISLATION/REGULATIONS2 
Legislation/Regulation  Competent 
Authority  Date of adoption/enactment  Status  Date of 
implementation Translation 
submitted to 
Working 
Party 
NIL 
 
__________ 
 
                                               
2 All Afghanistan's WTO-relevant laws have been prepared, and approved at the Ministerial level. These have been submitted to th e Ministry of Justice for review. 
Presently, the Ministry of Justice is reviewing these drafts. It  is anticipated that this proc ess will be comple ted during the next two months. After the drafts have been 
reviewed by the Ministry of Justice, they shall be submitted to  the Cabinet for final approval and subsequent enactment by Parl iament. Two draft laws (on Standards and 
Plant Variety Protection) are at final stages of approval at Ministerial level. Overall, Afghanistan is committed to WTO Access ion best practice that all relevant legislation 
shall be enacted upon accession.