WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/L/750 
21 October 2005 
 (05-4850) 
 
  
REPORT (2005) OF THE COMM ITTEE ON CUSTOMS VALUATION 
TO THE COUNCIL FOR TRADE IN GOODS 
 
 
A. B
ACKGROUND  
1. The Agreement on Implementation of Article VII of the General Agreement on Tariffs and 
Trade 1994 (the Agreement) entered into force on 1 Ja nuary 1995.  This report covers the year 2005.  It 
addresses the work undertaken by the Committee on Customs Valuation (the Committee) in respect of 
the objectives of the Agreement, which are: to provide greater uniformity and certainty in the 
implementation of the provisions of Article VII of the GATT 1994;  to esta blish a fair, uniform and 
neutral system for the valuation of goods for custom s purposes that precludes the use of arbitrary of 
fictitious customs values;  to ensure  that the basis for valuation of goods for customs purposes should, to 
the greatest extent possible, be the transaction valu e of the goods being valued;  and to secure additional 
benefits for the international trade of developing countries. 
 2. During the period under consideration, the Co mmittee has held [two] formal meetings, on 
8 April (G/VAL/M/39) under the Chairmanship of Mr Robyn Twyman (United Kingdom),  [and 
18 October (G/VAL/M/40 to be issued) under the Chai rmanship of Mr. Jooha Woo (Korea).]  At the 
meeting of 8 April 2005, the Commit tee elected Mr. Jooha Woo (Korea) as Chairperson for 2005-2006.    
 3. Participation in the Committee is open to all WTO Members.  In additi on, Governments granted 
observer status by the WTO Genera l Council attended Committee mee tings as observers.  At the 
April 1997 meeting, the Committee granted observer  status to those orga nizations which had had 
observer status on an ad hoc  basis, namely UNCTAD and the WCO, as well as to the ACP and the 
IADB.   The Committee took note of the fact that the World Bank and the IMF had observer status by 
virtue of the Agreements between these organizations and the WTO. 
 4. The Committee's rules of procedure, which we re approved by the Council for Trade in Goods, 
are contained in G/L/146. 
 B. I
MPLEMENTATION OF THE AGREEMENT  
5. During the period under review, no devel oping country Members maintained delayed 
application of the provisions of the Agreement in ac cordance with the provisions of Article 20.1 of the 
Agreement.  At circulation of th is report, no Member maintains an extension of the delay period in 
accordance with the provisions of paragraph 1, Annex III. Understanding has been reached in the 
Committee that the texts of the national legislation of these developing country Members will be supplied to the Committee before the developing co untry Members begin applying the provisions of the 
Agreement (G/VAL/5, para. B.2(ii)).  In addition, at  circulation of the report, one Member maintains a 
reservation granted under paragraph 2, Annex III fo r minimum values (Sri Lanka), and one Member has 
requested an extension of a waiver for the applicat ion of minimum values granted under Article IX of 
the WTO (Senegal).   6. To date, 72 Members have notified their nati onal legislation on customs valuation (this figure 
includes the 14 Members which have submitted comm unications indicating that their legislation notified G/L/750 
Page 2  
 
 under the Tokyo Round Customs Valuation Agreem ent remained valid under the WTO Customs 
Valuation Agreement and does not include the 25 indi vidual EC Members).  51 Members have not yet 
made any notification  (See Annex).    C. 
ACTIVITIES OF THE COMMITTEE  
7. At the meeting on 8 April 2005, the Committee: 
• concluded its examination of the legislation of Bu rkina Faso and Peru.  It agreed to revert to 
the examination of the legislations of Armenia, China, India, Mexico and Thailand at the next 
meeting;   
• took note of the information in document G/VAL/ 2/Rev.20 which contained a list of Members 
having invoked the special and differential provisi ons of the Customs Valuation Agreement.  It 
also took note of document G/VAL/W/76/Add. 9 which contained an updated inventory of 
notification requirements pursuant to extension decisions and minimum va lue reservations, and 
the notifications that had been made under th e Decisions concerning delay extensions and 
minimum value reservations; 
• took note of the information presented by the Secretariat on the Members which had delays or 
extensions of delay in application of the Ag reement.  Given that there were no Members 
currently benefiting from a delay in application, nor  an extension of a delay, it was agreed to 
remove the item of "extension of delay pe riod" from future agendas of the Committee 
meetings;  
• took note of information submitted by Guatemala and Sri Lanka on their progress in phasing 
out minimum values, and adopted a decision granting Sri Lanka a further extension of its reservation under paragraph 2, Annex III to main tain a system of minimum values for used 
automobiles; 
• noted the information presented on the TA activities of the WCO Secretariat and WCO 
Members.  It also noted the information presen ted on the number and type of TA activities 
foreseen on customs valuation in the WTO 2005 TA Plan; 
• with respect to the agenda item, Inform ation on Certain Aspects of the European 
Communities Valuation Policy, heard a reaction from Brazil on the responses the EC had provided to questions Brazil had posed in 2003.  It was agreed to revert to  this item at the next 
Committee meeting; 
• took note of the seven documents containing the Annual Reviews, namely G/VAL/W/29, 
G/VAL/W/43, G/VAL/W/77, G/VAL/W/89, G/VAL/W/108, G/VAL/W/124, and G/VAL/W/136 and agreed to revert to this item at the next meeting; 
• agreed to revert to the question of holding the second review of the Agreement on 
Preshipment Inspection at its next meeting; 
• hearing the report from the Chairman info rming Members that he had carried out 
consultations on paragraph 8.3 of the Deci sion on Implementation-Related Issues and 
Concerns and that no new developments had be en made in the matter, agreed that the 
incoming Chair would continue consultations and that the Committee would revert to the 
matter at the next meeting of the Committee; 
• elected Mr. Jooha Woo (Korea) as Chairman for 2005. 
 
8. At the meeting on 18 October 2005, the Committee  
• concluded its examination of the legislation of Armenia, China, Guatemala, Mozambique, 
Peru, Qatar, and Uganda and agreed to revert to  the examination of the legislations of India, 
Mexico and Thailand at the next meeting;   
• took note of the information in document G/VAL/ 2/Rev.21 which contained a list of Members 
having invoked the special and differential provisi ons of the Customs Valuation Agreement.  It 
also took note of document G/VAL/W/76/Add.10 which contai ned an updated inventory of  G/L/750 
 Page 3 
 
 
 notification requirements pursuant to extension decisions and minimum va lue reservations, and 
the notifications that had been made under th e Decisions concerning delay extensions and 
minimum value reservations; 
• took note of information submitted by Senega l on its progress in phasing out minimum 
values; 
• noted the information presented on the TA activities of the WCO Secretariat and WCO 
Members and that the WTO 2006 TA Plan was adopted by WTO Members; 
• agreed to remove the item, Information on Certain Aspects of the European Communities 
Valuation Policy, from the agenda of the next Committee meeting; 
• took note of the eight documents containing the Annual Reviews since 1998, namely 
G/VAL/W/29, G/VAL/W/43, G/VAL/W/77, G/VAL/W/89, G/VAL/W/108, G/VAL/W/124, G/VAL/W/136 and G/VAL/W/150 which have not  been adopted by the Committee and 
agreed to revert to this item at the next meeting; 
• adopted its annual report to the Council for Trade in Goods; 
• carried out the fourth Transitio nal Review of China's implementation of the Agreement in 
accordance with paragraph 18 of China's Protocol of Accession; 
• was informed that the Independent Entity est ablished under Article 4 of the Agreement on 
Preshipment Inspection had received its first Revi ew and agreed to revert to the question of 
holding the second review of the Agreement at its next meeting; 
• hearing the report from the Chairman informing Members that he had contacted some 
interested Members on paragraph 8.3 of the D ecision on Implementation-Related Issues and 
Concerns and that no new developments had been made in the matter, agreed to revert to the 
matter at the next meeting of the Committee. 
 G/L/750 
Page 4  
 
 ANNEX
1 
 
Notifications  
 
Members Members who have 
indicated their 
legislation remains valid 
under the WTO 
Committee 
(G/VAL/M/1) Members who have 
submitted their legislation or 
amendments under Articles 
22.1 and 22.2 of the 
Agreement Members who have 
submitted their replies to the 
Checklist of Issues 
(G/VAL/5) Members who are 
delaying application 
of the Agreement 
under Article 20.1 or 
para. 1, Annex III of 
the Agreement or 
Article IX of the 
WTO Agreement 
Albania N/A G/VAL/N/1/ALB/1   
Angola N/A    
Antigua & Barbuda N/A    
Argentina G/VAL/N/1/ARG/1 VAL/1/Add.22 + Suppl. 1-4 
+Suppl. 2/Rev.1 VAL/2/Rev.2/Add.4  
Armenia  G/VAL/N/1/ARM/1 G/VAL/N/2/ARM/1  
Australia G/VAL/N/1/AUS/1 VAL/1/Add.14 + Suppl. 1-4 
G/VAL/N/1/AUS/2 VAL/2/Rev.1/Add.12 + 
Suppl.1  
Bahrain N/A    
Bangladesh N/A    
Barbados N/A    
Belize N/A    
Benin N/A    
Bolivia N/A G/VAL/N/1/BOL/1   
Botswana  VAL/1/Add.16   
Brazil G/VAL/N/1/BRA/1 VAL/1/Add.20 + Suppl.1 
G/VAL/N/1/BRA/2 and 3 VAL/2/Rev.2/Add.3  
Brunei Darussalam N/A G/VAL/N/1/BRN/1 G/VAL/N/2/BRN/1  
Bulgaria N/A G/VAL/N/1/BGR/1 G/VAL/N/2/BGR/1  
Burkina Faso N/A G/VAL/N/1/BFA/1   
Burundi N/A    
Cambodia N/A    
Cameroon N/A    
Canada G/VAL/N/1/CAN/1 VAL/1/Add.17 + Suppl.1-3  
G/VAL/N/1/CAN/2 VAL/2/Rev.1/Add.14 
G/VAL/N/2/CAN/1  
Central African Rep. N/A    
Chad N/A    
Chile N/A    
China N/A G/VAL/N/1/CHN/1, 2,  3 
and 4  G/VAL/N/2/CHN/1  
Colombia N/A G/VAL/N/1/COL/1 G/VAL/N/2/COL/1  
Congo N/A    
Costa Rica N/A G/VAL/N/1/CRI/1 G/VAL/N/2/CRI/1  
Côte d'Ivoire N/A G/VAL/N/1/CVI/1   
Croatia N/A G/VAL/N/1/HRV/1 G/VAL/N/2/HRV/1  
Cuba N/A G/VAL/N/1/CUB/1 G/VAL/N/2/CUB/1  
Dem Rep. of Congo N/A    
Djibouti N/A    
Dominica N/A G/VAL/N/1/DMA/1   
Dominican Rep. N/A G/VAL/N/1/DOM/1   
Ecuador N/A    
Egypt N/A    
El Salvador N/A    
European 
Communities G/VAL/N/1/EEC/1  VAL/1/Add.2 + Suppl.1-13 + 
Suppl.1 
G/VAL/N/1/EEC/1/Rev.1 VAL/2/Rev.1/Add.6  
                                                      
1 Documents that begin with the code "VAL" are Tokyo Round documents.  The table reflects the 
situation as of the date of circulation of this report.  G/L/750 
 Page 5 
 
 
 Members Members who have 
indicated their 
legislation remains valid 
under the WTO 
Committee 
(G/VAL/M/1) Members who have 
submitted their legislation or 
amendments under Articles 
22.1 and 22.2 of the 
Agreement Members who have 
submitted their replies to the 
Checklist of Issues 
(G/VAL/5) Members who are 
delaying application 
of the Agreement 
under Article 20.1 or 
para. 1, Annex III of 
the Agreement or 
Article IX of the 
WTO Agreement 
Fiji N/A G/VAL/N/1/FJI/1 G/VAL/N/2/FJI/1  
Former Yugoslav  Rep. of Macedonia  
N/A  
G/VAL/N/1/MKD/1  
G/VAL/N/2/MKD/1  
Gabon N/A G/VAL/N/1/GAB/1   
Gambia N/A    
Georgia N/A G/VAL/N/1/GEO/1   
Ghana N/A    
Grenada N/A    
Guatemala N/A G/VAL/N/1/GTM/1   
Guinea Bissau N/A    
Guinea, Rep. of N/A    
Guyana N/A    
Haiti N/A    
Honduras N/A    
Hong Kong, China G/VAL/N/1/HKG/1 VAL/1/Add.9 N/A  
Iceland N/A G/VAL/N/1/ISL/1 G/VAL/N/2/ISL/1  
India G/VAL/N/1/IND/1 VAL/1/Add.24 + Suppl.1 
G/VAL/N/1/IND/2 and 3 VAL/2/Rev.2/Add.6 
G/VAL/N/2/IND/1 + Corr.1  
Indonesia N/A G/VAL/N/1/IDN/1 G/VAL/N/2/IDN/1 + Corr.1  
Israel N/A G/VAL/N/1/ISR/1 + Corr.1 G/VAL/N/2/ISR/1  
Jamaica N/A G/VAL/N/1/JAM/1 G/VAL/N/2/JAM/1  
Japan G/VAL/N/1/JPN/1 VAL/1 /Add.7 VAL/2/Rev.1/Add.8 
G/VAL/N/2/JPN/1  
Jordan N/A G/VAL/N/1/JOR/1 G/VAL/N/2/JOR/1  
Kenya N/A G/VAL/N/1KEN/1 G/VAL/N/2/KEN/1  
Korea G/VAL/N/1/KOR/1 VAL/1/Add.19 
+ Suppl. 1-4 
+ Suppl.3/Corr.1 
G/VAL/N/1/KOR/2 VAL/2/Rev.2/Add.1  
+ Suppl.1  
Kuwait N/A    
Kyrgyz Republic N/A G/VAL/N/1/KGZ/1 G/VAL/N/2/KGZ/1  
Lesotho  VAL/1/Add.21 + Suppl.1 VAL/2/Rev.2/Add.2  
Liechtenstein N/A G/VAL/N/1/LIE/1 N/A  
Macao, China N/A G/VAL/N/1/MAC/1 N/A  
Madagascar N/A G/VAL/N/1/MDG/1   
Malawi G/VAL/N/1/MWI/1 VAL/1/Add.27   
Malaysia N/A G/VAL/N/1/ MYS/1 G/VAL/N/2/MYS/1  
Maldives N/A    
Mali N/A    
Mauritania N/A    
Mauritius N/A G/VAL/N/1/MUS/1 G/VAL/N/2/MUS/1  
Mexico N/A VAL/1/Add.25 + Suppl. 1-3 
+ Suppl.1/Rev.1 
G/VAL/N1/MEX/1 VAL/2/Rev.1/Add.10 
VAL/2/Rev.2/Add.8 
G/VAL/N/2/MEX/1 and Corr 1  
Moldova N/A G/VAL/N/1/MDA/1 G/VAL/N/2/MDA/1  
Mongolia N/A    
Morocco N/A G/VAL/N/1/MAR/1 and 2 
G/VAL/N/1/MAR/1/Rev.1 + 
Corr.1 G/VAL/N/2/MAR/1 
G/VAL/N/2/MAR/2  
Mozambique N/A G/VAL/N/1/MOZ/1   
Myanmar N/A    
Namibia N/A G/VAL/N/1/NAM/1   
Nepal N/A    G/L/750 
Page 6  
 
 Members Members who have 
indicated their 
legislation remains valid 
under the WTO 
Committee 
(G/VAL/M/1) Members who have 
submitted their legislation or 
amendments under Articles 
22.1 and 22.2 of the 
Agreement Members who have 
submitted their replies to the 
Checklist of Issues 
(G/VAL/5) Members who are 
delaying application 
of the Agreement 
under Article 20.1 or 
para. 1, Annex III of 
the Agreement or 
Article IX of the 
WTO Agreement 
New Zealand G/VAL/N/1/NZL/1 VAL/1/A dd.12 + Suppl.1 VAL/2/Rev.1/Add.10  
Nicaragua N/A    
Niger N/A    
Nigeria N/A    
Norway G/VAL/N/1/NOR/1 VAL/1/Add.11 + Corr.1 
+ Suppl. 1-2 VAL/2/Rev.1/Add.7  
Oman N/A G/VAL/N/1/OMN/1 G/VAL/N/2/OMN/1  
Pakistan N/A G/VAL/N/1/PAK/1   
Panama N/A G/VAL/N/1/PA N/1 G/VAL/N/2/PAN/1  
Papua New Guinea N/A    
Paraguay N/A G/VAL/N/1/PRY/1   
Peru N/A G/VAL/N/1/PER/1 - 3   
Philippines N/A G/VAL/N/1/ PHL/1 G/VAL/N/2/PHL/1  
Qatar N/A G/VAL/N/1/QAT/1 G/VAL/N/2/QAT/1  
Romania N/A VAL/1/Add.8 + Suppl. 1-2 
G/VAL/N/1/ROM/1 and 2 VAL/2/Rev.1/Add.9  
Rwanda N/A    
St. Kitts & Nevis N/A    
St. Lucia N/A    
St. Vincent & 
Grenadines N/A    
Senegal N/A G/VAL/N/1/SEN/1   
Separate Customs 
Territory of Taiwan, 
Penghu, Kinmen and 
Matsu (Chinese 
Taipei) N/A G/VAL/N/1/TPKM/1 G/VAL/N/2/TPKM/1-2  
Sierra Leone N/A    
Singapore N/A G/VAL/N/1/SGP/1 G/VAL/N/2/SGP/1  
Solomon Islands N/A    
South Africa N/A VAL/1/Add.15 + Corr.1 
+ Suppl. 1-3 
G/VAL/N/1/ZAF VAL/2/Rev.1/Add.13  
Sri Lanka N/A    
Suriname N/A G/VAL/N/1/SUR/1   
Swaziland N/A  G/VAL/N/2/SWZ/1  
Switzerland G/VAL/N/1/CH E/1 VAL/1/Add.5 N/A  
Tanzania N/A  G/VAL/N/2/TZA/1  
Thailand N/A G/VAL/N/1/THA/1 G/VAL/N/2/THA/1  
Togo N/A    
Trinidad & Tobago N/A G/VAL/N/1/TTO/1 G/VAL/N/2/TTO/1  
Tunisia N/A G/VAL/N/1/TUN/1   
Turkey G/VAL/N/1/TUR/1 VAL/1/Add.29 
G/VAL/N/1/TUR/ 2 G/VAL/N/2/TUR/1  
Uganda N/A G/VAL/N/1/UGA/1   
United Arab 
Emirates N/A    
United States G/VAL/N/1/USA/1 VAL/1/Add.1 + Suppl.1-5 VAL/2/Rev.1/Add.1  
Uruguay N/A G/VAL/N/1/URY/1 G/VAL/N/2/URY/1  
Venezuela, The 
Bolivaran Rep. of N/A G/VAL/N/1/VEN/1 G/VAL/N/2/VEN/1  
Zambia N/A G/VAL/N/1/ZMB/1    G/L/750 
 Page 7 
 
 
 Members Members who have 
indicated their 
legislation remains valid 
under the WTO 
Committee 
(G/VAL/M/1) Members who have 
submitted their legislation or 
amendments under Articles 
22.1 and 22.2 of the 
Agreement Members who have 
submitted their replies to the 
Checklist of Issues 
(G/VAL/5) Members who are 
delaying application 
of the Agreement 
under Article 20.1 or 
para. 1, Annex III of 
the Agreement or 
Article IX of the 
WTO Agreement 
Zimbabwe G/VAL/N/1/ZWE/1 VAL/1/Add.23 VAL/2/Rev.2/Add.5  
TOTAL NOTIFIED  722 50  
 
__________ 
  
  
                                                     
 
2 This total number includes notifications by Members who have indicated their legislation remains valid under 
the WTO Committee (i.e. those in the first column of the table) and those made pursuant to Article 22 of the WTO 
Agreement and the D ecision on Notifications (G/VAL/5).