. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  TN/TF/W/109 
6 June 2006 
 (06-2677) 
Negotiating Group on Trade Facilitation Original:   English 
  
 
COMMUNICATION FROM THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, THE SEPARATE 
CUSTOMS TERRITORY OF TAIWAN, PENGHU, KINMEN AND MATSU, AND 
SWITZERLAND 
  
 The following communication, dated 1 June 2006, is being circulated at the request of the 
Delegations of the European Communities, the Se parate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, 
Kinmen and Matsu, and Switzerland.  
_______________ 
 
 
AUTHORISED TRADERS  
 
 
1. The following textual proposal is submitted by  the European Communities, the Separate 
Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu, and Switzerland fo r consideration by the 
Negotiating Group. It is closely based on the pro posals on authorised traders made in the joint 
communication TN/TF/W/87 of 4 April 2006 and takes account of the discussion and other submissions on this issue in the Negotiating Group.  
Textual proposal 
 
 
"Authorised traders 
 
• Members shall apply simplified import and e xport formalities for econom ic operators which 
meet specific criteria ("authorized traders"), pr oviding in particular for more rapid release and 
clearance of goods, a lower incidence of physical  inspections, and facilitations with regard to 
declarations, duty payments, documentation,  documentation inspections and data.  
 
• The specific criteria may include the following: (1 ) an appropriate record of compliance with 
import and export requirements;  (2) a system of managing records to allow for necessary controls;  (3) financial solvency (including , where appropriate, provision of a sufficient 
security/guarantee); and  (4) an appropriate system of security and safety standards.  
 
• The specific criteria shall not be designed or a pplied so as to afford or create arbitrary or 
unjustifiable discrimination or a disguised rest riction on international trade. All economic 
operators, including small- and medium-sized en terprises, in the territories of all Members, 
including developing and least-developed countri es, have the right to apply for authorized 
trader status.  
 
• Members shall use objective risk management te chniques in the assessment of any application 
for authorized trader status. 
 TN/TF/W/109 
Page 2  
 
  • The specific criteria to qualify as an authorized  trader, along with all necessary information 
on how to apply for authorized trader status, sh all be published and made readily available to 
all interested parties.  
 
• Members shall draw upon relevant internationa l standards and instruments as a basis for 
authorized trader schemes
1, where such standards and instru ments exist, except when they 
would be an inappropriate or ineffective mean s for the fulfilment of the legitimate objectives 
pursued." 
 Special and differential treatment, technical assistance and capacity building
 
 
2. With regard to special and differential treatme nt, technical assistance and capacity building in 
relation to authorised traders, TN/TF/W/87 set out so me proposals, including with regard to transition 
periods, other necessary flexibilities,  the sequencing of reforms and the provision of  support. These 
issues could be taken forward through the developm ent of a horizontal mechanism that would, among 
others, take full account of the needs, priorities,  cost concerns and implementation capacities of 
developing and least-developed Members in rela tion to commitments. A number of relevant 
submissions on this issue have been made to the Negotiating Group, one of which contained a textual 
proposal. Such textual proposals should continue to be  developed in parallel to  the textual proposal set 
out above.  
 
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1 A relevant international standard for this purpose is Standard 3.32, Chapter 3 of the Revised Kyoto 
Convention.