WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  WT/L/705 
27 November 2007 
 (07-5223) 
General Council 
18-19 December 2007 Original:   English/ 
 French 
 
 
 
CANADIAN TARIFF TREATMENT FOR COMMONWEALTH 
CARIBBEAN COUNTRIES 
 
2007 Report of the Government of Ca nada on the Trade-Related Provisions  
of CARIBCAN  
 
  The following communication, dated 23 November 2007, is being circulated at the request of 
the Delegation of Canada. 
_______________ 
 
Introduction 
 
 CARIBCAN is an economic and trade development assistance program for the 
Commonwealth Caribbean countries and territories esta blished as a result of a commitment by Canada 
at the Commonwealth Heads of Governme nt meeting in Nassau in October 1985. 
 
 The objectives of CARIBCAN are to enhance Commonwealth Caribbean trade and export 
earnings, improve the trade and economic development prospects of the region, promote new 
investment opportunities, and encourage enhanced economic integration and co-operation.  The main 
feature of CARIBCAN is the unilateral extension by  Canada, beginning on 15 June 1986, of duty-free 
access to the Canadian market for most comm odities originating in Commonwealth Caribbean 
countries.   On 28 November 1986, a decision by the Contracting Parties to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) waived un til 15 June 1998, the provisions of paragraph 1 of Article 1 of the 
General Agreement, "only to the extent necessary to permit the Government of Canada to provide 
duty-free treatment to eligible imports of Comm onwealth Caribbean countries benefiting from the 
provisions of CARIBCAN, without being required to extend the same duty- free treatment to like 
products of any other contracting party" (L/ 6102).  On 15 December 2006 the WTO extended the 
CARIBCAN waiver until 31 December 2011 (WT/L/ 677).  The conditions associated with the 
CARIBCAN waiver remain unchanged. 
 
 This report is being made in accordance with paragraph 3 of the WTO waiver of 
15 December 2006 and Article IX of the WTO Agreement. 
 
Country Coverage 
 
 The Customs Tariff  lists 18 countries or dependent territori es which are eligible to receive the 
duty-free benefits accorded under CARIBCAN:  Anguilla, Antigua-Barbuda,  Bahamas, Barbados, 
Belize, Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, 
Jamaica, Montserrat, St. Christopher (St. Kitts) and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, 
Trinidad and Tobago, and the Turks and Caicos Islands.   No additions or deletions from this list have 
occurred since CARIBCAN was enacted on 15 June 1986.  WT/L/705 
Page 2  
 
  Product Coverage  
 
 There have been no amendments to CARIBCAN product coverage since the changes made in 
February 1998.   
 Today, product exclusions from the duty-free provisions of CARIBCAN are:  
 - Goods of HS Chapters 50 to 65 inclusive; - Goods covered by tariff items with “over acc ess commitment” rates of duty established in the 
“tariffication” process . 
 
Rules of Origin  
 
 The rules of origin for the purposes of the Commonwealth Caribbean Countries Tariff 
(CCCT) treatment are set out in regulations  enacted pursuant to Section 24 of the Customs Tariff . 
 
 To qualify for the duty-free treatment accorded  to Commonwealth Caribbean countries, at 
least 60 per cent of the ex-factory price of the goods as packed for shipment to Canada must originate 
in one or more beneficiary countries or Canada.  The 60 per cent qualifying content may be cumulated 
from various CARIBCAN bene ficiary countries or Canada.  Th e goods must be finished in the 
beneficiary country in the form in which they are imported into Canada.  Pursuant to the Proof of 
Origin Regulations, either a duly completed Certific ate of Origin, Form A, or a written statement of 
origin signed by the exporter, must be presented to Customs at the time of release, accounting or 
refund.  
Trade under CARIBCAN  
 
 Canada-CARIBCAN trade statistics are annexed in a series of tabl es to this report and include 
2006 trade data.  In general, these trade statistics indicate that:  - In 2006, Can$903.7 million or 98 per cent of  total Canadian imports from CARIBCAN 
beneficiaries entered Canada free of duty.  As shown in Annex III, $804.4 million of this 
trade entered under MFN free rates while $11.1 million entered duty-free under General 
Preferential Tariff (GPT).  $115.2 million of this trade entered under the preferential 
CARIBCAN tariff (CCCT).  Annex IV shows the top twenty-five commodity imports benefiting from the CARIBCAN preference.   
 
- Total Canada-CARIBCAN trade (exports plus  imports) has grown from Can$884 million in 
1996 to $1.6 billion in 2006.  The value of Ca nadian imports from the region has risen from 
$551 million in 1996 to $954 million in 2006.  Th e value of Canadian exports to CARIBCAN 
countries has risen from $333 million in  1996 to $692 million in 2006. 
 
Statistical Annexes:  
 
Annex I: Total Imports form CARIBCAN Beneficiaries 1996 - 2006  Annex II: Total Canadian exports to  CARIBCAN Beneficiaries 1996 - 2006 
 Annex III: 2006 Imports from CARIBCAN Beneficiaries by Tariff Treatment 
 
Annex IV: Top 25 Merchandise Imports from CA RIBCAN Beneficiaries which entered Canada 
under the CARIBCAN Duty-Free Tariff Treatment (CCCT) in 2006  
   WT/L/705
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Total Canadian Imports from CARIBCAN Beneficiaries 1996 – 2006 Annex I 
  
(thousands of Canadian dollars)  
Country 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 
Anguilla 11 41 7 8 9 10 13 8 27 145 153 
Antigua - Barbuda 1,857 1,256 2,698 402 10,380 340 954 748 579 558 407 
Bahamas 23,432 8,056 22,002 25,959 14,003 13 ,785 16,941 48,149 55 ,652 56,816 23,274 
Barbados 15,703 13,736 11,722 10,652 7,375 9,118 7,543 6,282 8,508 7,368 13,615 
Belize 7,953 12,737 8,263 14,027 9,868 3,739 6,381 4,501 8,325 9,651 9,558 
Bermuda 2,317 3,751 7,602 19,689 17,614 2,369 3,803 1,655 12,511 17,738 16,783 
British Virgin Islands 1,299 199 615 614 1,376 1,324 501 1,146 1,785 2,699 4,120 
Cayman Islands 1,968 624 1,070 654 522 27,571 3,818 2,242 1,108 441 280 
Dominica 1,180 1,390 1,910 1,642 1,698 775 944 358 313 775 253 
Grenada 559 1,112 1,067 1,602 1,523 1,037 1,476 1,082 1,259 944 957 
Guyana 204,033 203,375 203,107 192,020 197,800 209,474 225,368 201,099 197,704 147,206 142,093 
Jamaica 239,135 257,507 256,384 201,074 197,727 324,783 270,927 264,871 346,608 393,028 418,261 
Montserrat 203 341 28 248 94 113 267 453 238 104 542 
St. Christopher (Kitts) 
and Nevis 2,958 4,426 4,494 5,120 4,399 6,121 7,458 8,722 8,185 7,868 8,798 
St. Lucia 1,602 1,287 1,595 580 1,413 237 411 266 366 512 164 
St. Vincent and the 
Grenadines 138 137 200 152 404 310 619 124 123 125 297 
Trinidad & Tobago 46,599 26,215 34,157 73,688 72,327 195,141 166,704 232,921 156,281 237,073 307,597 
Turks & Caicos Islands 93 338 686 1,823 1,647 1,007 2,347 7,980 6,871 7,525 6,917 
Total: 551,046 536,630 557,608 549,954 540,178 797,254 716,475 782,607 806,443 890,576 954,069 
 
 Source :  Statistics Canada. 
 Notes :  A dash (-) indicates  that an amount is ni l or negligible.    
  WT/L/705 
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Total Canadian Exports to CARIBCAN Beneficiaries 1996-2006 Annex II 
 (thousands of Canadian dollars)           
Country 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 
Anguilla 588 881 1,007 673 651 2,802 1,301 802 1,215 1,559 1,564 
Antigua - Barbuda 28,133 9,384 8,492 11,402 10,727 10,434 7,970 17,273 15,534 14,968 68,527 
Bahamas 19,292 21,610 24,513 26,301 26,018 27,706 33,245 28,883 30,392 59,949 51,275 
Barbados 35,872 37,193 36,396 41,087 33,783 29,104 33,629 41,979 44,769 55,729 59,411 
Belize 2,586 9,847 3,760 3,332 2,598 3,505 5,079 5,271 5,425 6,347 8,693 
Bermuda 33,453 39,177 40,165 42,973 34,540 34,715 107,599 42,945 59,301 66,405 68,131 
British Virgin Islands 898 3,417 2,628 28,743 60,187 2,240 2,167 2,129 2,637 2,786 3,672 
Cayman Islands 7,281 1,369 12,266 8,127 8,286 63,858 6,807 7,671 10,738 22,374 33,523 
Dominica 2,238 1,840 3,236 5,560 4,436 2,671 2,614 7,668 4,967 4,585 5,456 
Grenada 4,649 3,321 4,901 4,839 4,023 3,142 4,450 5,868 6,056 6,956 6,550 
Guyana 11,171 10,671 9,968 14,655 8,073 8,068 10,373 9,536 10,603 15,330 22,968 
Jamaica 90,784 86,937 98,032 96,699 99,815 121,933 158,212 124,650 163,755 144,312 142,636 
Montserrat 185 149 81 83 289 214 291 300 434 510 364 
St. Christopher (Kitts) 
and Nevis 2,560 2,011 5,675 10,646 9,633 16,147 27,036 12,059 3,982 5,380 7,101 
St. Lucia 5,426 8,729 11,493 12,524 9,683 7,375 7,804 7,423 8,059 7,020 11,494 
St. Vincent and the 
Grenadines 3,116 4,063 3,676 4,633 4,906 3,941 
3,743 5,874 5,130 6,978 9,830 
Trinidad & Tobago 83,913 102,544 129,703 161,936 110,822 156,222 136,808 125,507 121,475 141,525 178,797 
Turks & Caicos Islands 514 537 1,379 2,357 2,341 2,366 2,933 10,372 7,182 8,258 12,387 
Total: 332,667 343,680 397,371 476,570 430,811 496,443 552,061 456,210 501,654 570,971 692,379 
 
 Source :  Statistics Canada. 
 Notes :  A dash (-) indicates th at an amount is ni l or negligible.  Includes Ca nadian domestic exports only. 
  WT/L/705 
 Page 5 
 
 
   
 
Annex III (i) 
       
Duty Free  2006 Imports from CARIBCAN Beneficiaries by Tariff Treatment 
      
(in Canadian dollars)       
Country Total 
Imports MFN Free GPT Free Caribcan 
(CCCT) 
Free Total Free Total Free 
as % of 
Total 
Imports 
Anguilla 152,626 63,648 - - 63,648 42 
Antigua and 
Barbuda 407,172 156,450 - 
81,748 238,198 59 
Bahamas 23,274,439 17,049,085 29 4,859,771 21,908,885 94 
Barbados 13,615,006 6,028,717 4,172,829 2,949,387 13,150,933 97 
Belize 9,557,830 8,379,874 193,384 63,240 8,636,498 90 
Bermuda 16,782,954 16,084,955 - 2,283 16,087,238 96 
Br. Virgin Is. 4,120,192 2,281,861 1,124,830 4,378 3,411,069 83 
Cayman Islands 280,369 257,243 - - 257,243 92 
Dominica 253,306 80,142 - - 80,142 32 
Grenada 957,360 422,791 281,087 249,472 953,350 100 
Guyana 142,093,409 136,117,697 5,030,945 362,912 141,511,554 100 
Jamaica 418,260,846 394,923,121 189,971 15,031,650 410,144,742 98 
Montserrat 541,540 419,219 - - 419,219 77 
St. Christopher 
(Kitts) and Nevis 8,797,749 2,991,622 9,281 - 3,000,903 34 
Saint Lucia 164,004 142,172 - - 142,172 87 
Saint Vincent/Gren. 297,301 235,075 4,800 - 239,875 81 
Trinidad and 
Tobago 307,596,945 212,618,894 146,327 91,093,536 303,858,757 99 
Turks/Caicos Is. 6,916,812 6,147,821 - 461,053 6,608,874 96 
Total 954,069,860 804,400,387 11,153,483 115,159,430 930,713,300 98 
         
Source : Statistics Canada.      
Notes :  A dash (-) indicates  that an amount is ni l or negligible.      
 WT/L/705 
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Annex III (ii)
       
Dutiable  2006 imports from CARIBCAN Beneficiaries by Tariff Treatment  
       
(in Canadian dollars)  
Country Total 
Imports MFN 
Dutiable GPT 
Dutiable Caribcan 
Dutiable Total 
Dutiable Total 
Dutiable as 
% of Total 
Imports 
Anguilla 152,626 88,978 - - 88,978 58 
Antigua and Barbuda 407,172 168,974 - - 168,974 41 
Bahamas 23,274,439 1,363,281 2,273 - 1,365,554 6 
Barbados 13,615,006 452,484 11,589 - 464,073 3 
Belize 9,557,830 698,022 223,310 - 921,332 10 
Bermuda 16,782,954 695,716 - - 695,716 4 
Br. Virgin Is. 4,120,192 709,123 - - 709,123 17 
Cayman Islands 280,369 23,126 - - 23,126 8 
Dominica 253,306 173,164 - - 173,164 68 
Grenada 957,360 4,010 - - 4,010 0 
Guyana 142,093,409 581,592 263 - 581,855 0 
Jamaica 418,260,846 8,041,493 36,473 38,138 8,116,104 2 
Montserrat 541,540 122,321 - - 122,321 23 
St. Christopher (Kitts) 
and Nevis 8,797,749 5,796,846  
-  
- 5,796,846 66 
Saint Lucia 164,004 21,832 - - 21,832 13 
Saint Vincent/Gren. 297,301 47,783 - - 57,426 19 
Trinidad and Tobago 307,596,945 3,625,399 9,643 81,176 3,738,188 1 
Turks/Caicos Is. 6,916,812 307,938 31,613 - 307,938 4 
Total 954,069,860 22,922,082 315,164 119,314 23,356,560 2 
       
Source : Statistics Canada.      
Notes :  A dash (-) indicates that an  amount is nil or  negligible.   
  WT/L/705 
 Page 7 
 
 
   
 
Annex IV
   
Top 25 Merchandise Imports from CARIBCAN Beneficiaries which entered Canada Under 
CARIBCAN Duty-Free Tariff Treatment (CCCT) in 2006 
 
(in Canadian Dollars) 
HS 
Tariff Description Imports under 
CARIBCAN 
Treatment 
(CCCT) 
29051100 Methanol (methyl alcohol) 73,285,963 
72031000 Ferrous products obtained by direct reduction of iron ore 14,531,170 
22084010 Rum 9,506,141 
03061100 Rock lobster and other sea crawfish ( Palinurus spp ., Panulirus spp. , 
Jasus spp. ) 5,286,765 
20089930 Akalas, akees, anchovy pears, apple-pears, avocados, bananas, banana 
chips (thin banana slices fried or otherwise prepared whether or not 
salted, sweetened or otherwise fla voured), bread fruit, carambolas, 
chayotes, cherimoyas (Jam aica apples)…. 1,298,403 
22021000 Waters, including mineral waters and aerated waters, containing added 
sugar or other sweetening matter or flavoured 1,079,157 
73269090 Other [Other articles of iron or steel] 928,735 
21039020 Mixed condiments and mixed seasonings 768,485 
85369091 Other: Junction boxes; 
Receptacle boxes of metal 734,232 
07149090 Other [Arrowroot, salep, Jerusalem artichokes and similar roots and 
tubers with high starch or inulin  content, fresh, chilled or dried, 
whether or not sliced or in the form of pellets; sago pith] 558,645 
20059090 Other [Other vegetables and mixtures of vegetables] 557,873 
21039090 Other [Sauces and preparations] 428,020 
19059049 Other biscuits [Containing less than 25% by weight of wheat] 391,137 
83061090 Other [Bells, gongs and the like other than church bells] 386,112 
20089990 Other [Berries, berry pulp, other fruit and pulps] 379,500 
07142000 Sweet potatoes 316,774 
22089099 Other [spirituous beverages] 313,415 
22071010 Undenatured ethyl alcolhol >= 80% vol for use in the manufacture of 
spirituous or alcoholic beverages 267,577 
19053122 Sweet biscuits containing 25% or more by weight of wheat, in 
packages of a weight not exc eeding 1.36 kg each, over access 
commitment 236,294 
19053192 Other: Wafers and frozen waffles containing 25% or more by weight of 
wheat, in packages of a weight not exceeding 454 g each, and sweet 
biscuits containing 25% or more by weight of wheat, in packages of a 
weight not exceeding 1.36 kg each, over access.... 187,341 
17049090 Other [Sugar confectionery (including white chocolate), not containing 
cocoa , not including chewing gum, whether or not sugar-coated] 181,571 
19059020 Bread, leavened with yeast; Unl eavend bread for sacramental purposes 
and communion wafers 162,183 
08129010 Akalas, akees, anchovy pears, ap ple-pears, avocados, bananas, bread 
fruit, carambolas, chayotes, cherim oyas (Jamaica apples)…. 160,444 
09105000 Curry 156,089 
09109990 Other [Spices] 148,760 
   
Source : Statistics Canada import data.  
 
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