. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  TN/TF/W/123/Rev.2 
10 March 2008 
 (08-1045) 
Negotiating Group on Trade Facilitation Original:   English 
  
 
COMMUNICATION FROM INDIA, SOUTH AFRICA AND SRI LANKA   
 
Revision
 
 
 
 The following communication, dated 10 March 2008, is being circulated at the request of the 
Delegation of India .  
 
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COOPERATION MECHANISM FOR CUSTOMS COMPLIANCE 
  
1. The following revised  textual proposal is submitted by India  for consideration by the 
Negotiating Group.  It revises the textual proposal  submitted under TN/TF/W/123 taking into account 
the discussions in the Negotiating Group. 
"Cooperation Mechanism for Customs Compliance 
 1. Members shall, upon request, exchange inform ation and documents on matters such as HS 
classification, description, quantity, country of or igin and valuation of goods in identified cases of 
import or export, where there is reason to doubt the truth or accuracy of a declaration filed by the 
importer or exporter.  
 
2. A Member making the request shall ensure th at, [to the extent possible], all appropriate 
internal verification has been undertaken including, inter alia , verification of the status of the 
importer/exporter and inspection of the relevant documents made available to or obtained by the 
customs administration.  
 3. A Member making the request shall provide a brief summary of the case in respect of which information is sought including the reasons for doubting the truth or accuracy of the declaration made before it; the results of verification made; and, specify the information and documents required.  
 
4. The requested Member shall: 
 
(a) provide information only to the extent  it is available in the import or export 
declaration(s); 
 
(b) if requested, provide documents filed in  support of a goods declaration, such as 
commercial invoice, packing list, certificate of origin and bill of lading, in the form in which these are filed, whether paper or electronic;  TN/TF/W/123/Rev.2 
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  (c)  confirm that the documents provided ar e true copies of the documents submitted by 
the importer/exporter [and accepted by the requested Member];  and  
(d) provide the information, to the extent possible, within a period of 90 days from the 
date of receipt of the request. 
 
5. Such exchange of information or documents shall not require Members to: 
  (a) modify the format of their import or export declarations or their procedures; 
 (b) call for documents other than tho se filed with the goods declarations; 
 (c) modify the period of retention of such information or documents;  or  
 (d) introduce paper documentation where electr onic format has already been introduced. 
6. Any information or documents exchanged sha ll be treated as confidential and shall not be 
disclosed to any third party except to  the extent required in judicial proceedings.  Such information or 
documents shall not be used in a criminal proceed ing unless specifically authorized by the requested 
Member.  
7. Each Member shall designate and notify to th e WTO an agency within its administration for 
exchange of information and documents. 
8. The request for information or document shall be made in one of the three official languages 
of the WTO or in a language mutually acceptabl e to the requesting and the requested Member. 
9. The request for information or document sha ll not be made later than two years after the 
importation or exportation of the goods. 
10. A Member shall not make more than [X] requests for information and documents from 
another Member in a calendar year." 
11. Information or documents exchanged shall not be used for purposes other than that for which 
it was sought, unless the requested Member agrees otherwise. 
 
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