RESTRICTED  
  
G/TFA/W/3  
 
20 October 2017  
(17-5685) Page: 1/3 
Committee on Trade Facilit ation   
 
DRAFT 
 
REPORT (201 7) OF THE COMMITTEE O N TRADE FACILITATION  
TO THE COUNCIL FOR T RADE IN GOODS  
1. Following  the Trade Facilitation Agreement's entry into force on 22 February  2017, a 
Committee on Trade Facilitation (TFC) was established in line with Article 23:1 of the Agreement . 
2. At a meeting on 7  April 2017, the General Council (GC) too k note of a statement by the 
GC Chair, informing delegations of the consensus o n the appointment of 
Ambassador  Daniel  Blockert from Sweden a s Chairperson of the TFC. 
3. On 16 May 2017, the TFC held its inaugural session. The sole agenda item was the 
confirmation of the Chairperson -designate. Memb ers formally elected Ambassador  Blockert as the 
first TFC Chair.  Ambassador  Blockert announced his intention to consult delegation s on the 
Committee's rules of procedure and the organization of work.  
 
4. The TFC met for a second time on 19  July 2017. Members considered a proposal by 
Argentina, Norway and Japan (G/TFA/W/2 and G/TFA/W/2/ Add.1) on the Committee's rules of 
procedure. The  meeting had been preceded by an informal consultation process  on the matter , 
including a Chair-led informal open -ended session ahead of the TFC meeting. In addition, Members 
were updated by the Secretariat on the state of the ratification and of the notif ication processes as 
well as on activities of the Trade F acilitation Agreement Facility.  
 
5. The third and fi nal meeting of the TFC in 2017 [took place on 3  November  2017. The agenda 
of the meeting included the following items:  
 
i. notifications from Members to the Committee under Articles 1:4, 10:4:3, 10:6:2, 
12:2:2, 15, 16 and 22  of the Trade Facilitation Agreement  (see Annex I on 
page 2); 
 
ii. an update by the Secretariat on activities of the Trade Facilitation Agreement 
Facility ; 
 
iii. a report by the TFC Chair on work related to the rules of procedure of the 
Trade  Facilitation Committee with a focus on an informal, open -ended meeting that 
had taken place on the matter on 13 October  2017; 
 
iv. a reminder by the Secretariat of upcoming deadlines for the notification of 
definitive imple mentation dates as mandated by A rticle 16:4 of the 
Trade  Facilitation Agreement ; 
 
v. the draft report of the TFC for 2017 to the Council for Trade in Goods 
(G/TFA/W /3).] G/TFA/W/3  
 
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  ANNEX I : NOTIFICATIONS FROM  MEMBERS TO THE TRADE FACILIT ATION COMMITTEE 
SINCE THE TRADE FACIL ITATION AGREEMENT EN TERED INTO FORCE ON 
22 FEBRUARY  2017  UP UNTIL  [20 OCTOBER]  2017  
1. Notifications under Articles 15 and 16 of the Trade Facilitation Agreement  
MEMBER  DOCUMENT NUMBER  AREAS COVERED  DATE OF 
ISSUANCE  
Burkina Faso  G/TFA /N/BFA/1  Categor y A 09/03/2017  
Argentina  G/TFA/N/ARG/ 1 Categor y B 15/03/2017  
Brazil  G/TFA/N/B RA/1 Categor ies A & B  17/03/2017  
Mozambique  G/TFA/N/MOZ /1 Categor ies A, B & C 10/04/2017  
Tonga  G/TFA/N/TON /1 Categor ies A, B & C 12/04/2017  
Thailand  G/TFA/N/T HA/1 Categor y B 24/05/2017  
Botswana  G/TFA/N/BWA/1  Categor y B 31/05/2017  
Montenegro  G/TFA/N/MNE/1  Categories  A, B & C 31/05/2017  
China  G/TFA/N/CHN/1  Categor y B 06/06/2017  
Nigeria  G/TFA/N/NGA/1  Categor y B 14/06/2017  
Pakistan  G/TFA/N/PAK/1  Categories  B &C 15/06/2017  
Seychelles  G/TFA/N/SYC/1  Categories B & C  25/07/2017  
Guyana  G/TFA/N/GUY/1  Categories A, B & C  28/07/2017  
Swaziland  G/TFA/N/SWZ/1  Categories A, B & C  03/08/2017  
Armenia  G/TFA/N/ARM/1  Categories A, B & C  17/08/2017  
Saint Kitts and Nevis  G/TFA/N/KNA/1  Categories A, B & C  17/08/2017  
Cambodia  G/TFA/N/KHM/1  Categories A, B & C  31/08/2017  
Brunei Darussalam  G/TFA/N/BRN/1 + Add.1  Categories A & B  12/09/2017  
Jamaica  G/TFA/N/JAM/1  Categories B & C  12/10/2017  
 
2. Notifications under A rticles 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  
Brazil  G/TFA/N/BRA/2  Art. 1.4 of the TFA  17/03/2017  
Hong Kong, China  G/TFA/N/HKG/1  Art. 1.4, 10.4.3, 10.6.2., 
12.2.2 of the TFA  12/05/201 7 
United States of 
America  G/TFA/N/USA/1  Art. 1.4, 10.4.3, 10.6.2., 
12.2.2 of the TFA  13/06/2017  
New Zealand  G/TFA/N/NZL/1  Art. 1.4, 10.4.3, 10.6.2., 
12.2.2 of the TFA  27/06/2017  
Canada  G/TFA/N/CAN/1  Art. 1.4, 10.4.3, 10.6.2., 
12.2.2 of the TFA  03/07/20 17 
Switzerland  G/TFA/N/CHE/2  Art. 1.4, 10.4.3, 10.6.2., 
12.2.2 of the TFA  14/07/2017  
European Union  G/TFA/N/EU/1  Art. 1.4, 10.4.3, 10.6.2., 
12.2.2 of the TFA  20/07/2017  
Korea,  Republic of  G/TFA/N/KOR/1  Art. 1.4, 10.4.3, 10.6.2., 
12.2.2 of the TFA  24/07/ 2017 
Japan  G/TFA/N/JPN/2  Art. 1.4, 10.4.3, 10.6.2., 
12.2.2 of the TFA  10/08/2017  
The former Yugoslav 
Republic of Macedonia  G/TFA/N/MKD/1  Art. 1.4 of the TFA  22/09/2017  G/TFA/W/3  
 
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  3. Notifications under Article 22  of the Trade Facilitation Agreement  
MEMBER  DOCUMENT  
NUMBER  AREAS COVERED  DATE OF 
ISSUANCE  
Norway  G/TFA/N/ NOR/1 Art. 22:1 & 2 of the TFA  11/05/2017  
United States of America  G/TFA/N/ USA/2  Art. 22:1 & 2 of the TFA  13/06/2017  
Japan  G/TFA/N/JPN /1 + 
Rev.1  Art. 22:1 & 2 of the TFA  16/06/2017  + 
27/06/2017  
Switzerland  G/TFA/N/ CHE/1 Art. 22:1 & 2 of the TFA  30/06/2017  
Canada  G/TFA/N/CAN/2  Art. 22:1 & 2 of the TFA  03/07/2017  
European Union  G/TFA/N/ EU/2 Art. 22:1 & 2 of the TFA  20/07/2017  
New Zealand  G/TFA/N/ NZL/1 Art. 22:1 & 2 of the TFA  11/08/2017  
 
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