RESTRICTED  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  WT/ACC/SAM/16/Rev.1 
18 November 2010 
 (10-6161) 
Working Party on the  
Accession of Samoa Original:   English 
 
 
 
ACCESSION OF SAMOA 
 
Draft Legislative Action Plan  
 
Revision  
  
 The following submission, dated 13 November 2010,  is being circulated at the request of the 
Government of Samoa. 
 
 
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  WT/ACC/SAM/16/Rev.1 
Page 2 Legislation Purpose of Legislation Status  Time Period 
Customs Valuation Amendments 
Regulations 2009 
  
Customs Amendment Act 2010 
 Proposed new Regulations To bring Samoa's customs valuation legislation into 
conformity with Articles 10, 12, and 14 of the Customs 
Valuation Amendments.  
 
 To ensure conformity of Samoa's Customs Valuation 
regime to the WTO Agreement on Customs Valuation. Effective. 
 
  
Effective. 
 Technical assistance to be sought/confirmed. 24 August 2009. 
 
  
27 January 2010. 
 June 2012. 
Liquor Bill To delink the right to import and the right to dist ribute. Revised draft of liquor licence provisions provided 
to Members. Passed by Parliament by 
December 2011. 
VAGST Amendment To remove VAGST exemption on domestically 
produced raw agricultural products. Seek assistance to undertake detailed analysis of 
WTO compatible system. 5 years from accession. 
Quarantine (Biosecurity) Act 
2005 To provide a mandate for administrative procedures 
outlining control, inspection and approval procedures 
that are consistent with the SPS Agreement.    
To train staff and ensure th at Government officials and 
stakeholders have a good knowledge and understanding of SPS legislative requirements. Legislation is currently enforced and implemented.  
Review to be undertaken by SPC.  Implementing 
regulations to be identified.  
Training is ongoing. 
  
Technical assistance is being sought for further 
training on the SPS Agreement. Full implementation by 
1 January 2012. 
Intellectual Property  
Patents Act 
Trademarks Act Industrial Property Act 
 
  
Protection of Geographical 
Indications Bill To review Samoa's IP legislation to ensure the 
legislation meets the policy objective of Samoa and 
conformity with Articles 9-14, 22, 25, 26, 27(1) and 29 provisions to be implemented as from accession: 
Articles 16(2), 16(3), 19, 20, 21, 27(2), 27(3), 30-34, 
39-64.  
To provide a legislative framework for the protection 
of geographical indications including appellation of origin. The Government of Australia has confirmed 
funding (April 2010) to undertake this project.  The 
consultant to be recr uited by December 2010.
 
 
 
  
Comments from Members have been received on 
the draft Protection of Geographical Indications Bill.  
 
The review of the GI Bill will be included in the IP review project and the comments/suggestions will 
be taken into consideration. 
 Technical assistance has also been sought from 
WTO for training on the TRIPS Agreement.  Review and draft IP 
legislation by 
December 2011; Parliamentary passage in 
2012; Full implementation 
by July 2013.  
 
  
 
Confirmed for 2011.  
   WT/ACC/SAM/16/Rev.1
 Page 3Legislation Purpose of Legislation Status  Time Period 
Foreign Investments Legislation To provide for a transparent mech anism for the review 
of criteria for the selection of restricted and reserved 
sectors. The Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Labour is 
currently finalising its review of the draft Foreign 
Investment Amendment Bill and Foreign Investment Regulations which involves the revision 
of the criteria for selection of restricted and 
reserved sectors. Passage by December 2011. 
Food Legislation To provide a WTO consistent regulatory mechanism 
for the import and sale of food including the fat content 
of meat that may be sold to consumers in Samoa. The Ministry of Health is reviewing the Food and 
Drugs Act with the assistance of WHO. Draft by 2013, Regulations 
to be developed by 2015. 
 
 
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