WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  WT/L/634 
23 November 2005 
 (05-5613) 
General Council 
1-2 December 2005 Original:   English/ 
 French 
 
 
 
CANADA - TARIFF TREATMENT FOR COMMONWEALTH 
CARIBBEAN COUNTRIES 
 
2005 Report of the Government of Ca nada on the Trade-Related Provisions  
of CARIBCAN  
 
  The following communication, dated 23 November 2005, 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 14 October 1996, the WTO extended the 
CARIBCAN waiver until 31 December 2006 (WT/L/ 185).  The conditions associated with the 
CARIBCAN waiver remain unchanged.   This report is being made in accordance with paragraph 3 of the WTO waiver of 
14 October 1996 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, The Bahamas, 
Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, the British Virgin Is lands, the Cayman Islands, Dominica, Grenada, 
Guyana, Jamaica, Montserrat, St. Christopher (St. Kitts) and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the WT/L/634 
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 Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, and the Turks and Caicos Islands.  No addi tions or deletions from 
this list have occurred since CARIBCAN was enacted on 15 June 1986.   
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 access 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 
2004 trade data.  In general, these trade statistics indicate that: 
  - In 2004, just under Can$782 million or 97  per cent of total Canadian imports from 
CARIBCAN beneficiaries entered Canada free of duty.  As shown in Annex III, 
$654.7 million of this trade entered u nder MFN free rates while Can$6.3 million 
entered duty-free under General Preferentia l Tariff (GPT).  Can$121.5 million of this 
trade entered under the preferential CARIBCAN tariff (CCCT).  Annex IV shows the top 25 commodity imports benefiting from the CARIBCAN preference.   
  - Total Canada-CARIBCAN trade (exports  plus imports) has grown from Can$799 
million in 1994 to Can$1.3 billio n in 2004.  The value of Canadian imports from the 
region has risen from Can$527 million in 1994 to Can$806 million in 2004.  The 
value of Canadian exports to CARIBCAN countries has risen from Can$273 million in 1994 to Can$502 million in 2004. 
  WT/L/634 
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 Statistical Annexes: 
 
Annex I:  Total Imports form CARIBCAN Beneficiaries 1994 - 2004  Annex II:  Total Canadian exports to CARIBCAN Beneficiaries 1994- 2004 
 
Annex III:  2004 Imports from CARIBCAN Beneficiaries by Tariff Treatment 
 Annex IV: Top 25 Merchandise Imports from CARIBCAN Beneficiaries which entered 
Canada under the CARIBCAN Duty-Free Tariff Treatment (CCCT) in 2004 
  
 WT/L/634 
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Total Canadian Imports from CARIBCAN Beneficiaries 1994 – 2004  Annex I 
  
(thousands of Canadian dollars)          
Country 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 
Anguilla 5 - 11 41 7 8 9 10 13 8 27 
Antigua - Barbuda 368 389 1,857 1,256 2,698 402 10,380 340 954 748 579 
Bahamas 44,867 16,715 23,432 8,056 22,002 25 ,959 14,003 13,785 16 ,941 48,149 55,652 
Barbados 14,098 16,990 15,703 13,736 11,722 10,652 7,375 9,118 7,543 6,282 8,508 
Belize 17,686 11,688 7,953 12,737 8,263 14,027 9,868 3,739 6,381 4,501 8,325 
Bermuda 13,988 4,173 2,317 3,751 7,602 19,689 17,614 2,369 3,803 1,655 12,511 
British Virgin Islands 37 91 1,299 199 615 614 1,376 1,324 501 1,146 1,785 
Cayman Islands 586 638 1,968 624 1,070 654 522 27,571 3,818 2,242 1,108 
Dominica 423 2,381 1,180 1,390 1,910 1,642 1,698 775 944 358 313 
Grenada 440 639 559 1,112 1,067 1,602 1,523 1,037 1,476 1,082 1,259 
Guyana 203,865 171,208 204,033 203,375 203,107 192,020 197,800 209,474 225,368 201,099 197,704 
Jamaica 211,328 199,952 239,135 257,507 256,384 201,074 197,727 324,783 270,927 264,871 346,608 
Montserrat 78 18 203 341 28 248 94 113 267 453 238 
St. Lucia 463 1,222 1,602 1,287 1,595 580 1,413 237 411 266 366 
St. Christopher (Kitts) and Nevis 1,888 2,937 2,958 4,426 4,494 5,120 4,399 6,121 7,458 8,722 8,185 
St. Vincent and the Grenadines 247 183 138 137 200 152 404 310 619 124 123 
Trinidad & Tobago 16,122 18,469 46,599 26,215 34,157 73,688 72,327 195,141 166,704 232,921 156,281 
Turks & Caicos Islands 66 17 93 338 686 1,823 1,647 1,007 2,347 7,980 6,871 
Total: 526,555 447,890 551,046 536,630 557,608 549,954 540,178 797,254 716,475 782,607 806,443 
 
 Source :  Statistics Canada. 
 Notes :  A dash (-) indicates that an amount is nil or negligible. 
  
  WT/L/634
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Total Canadian Exports to CARIBCAN Beneficiaries 1994-2004 Annex II 
  
(thousands of Canadian dollars)           
Country 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 
Anguilla 127 548 588 881 1,007 673 651 2,802 1,301 802 1,215 
Antigua - Barbuda 6,022 6,160 28,133 9,384 8,492 11,402 10,727 10,434 7,970 17,273 15,534 
Bahamas 15,170 15,231 19,292 21,610 24,513 26,301 26,018 27,706 33,245 28,883 30,392 
Barbados 33,459 31,554 35,872 37,193 36,396 41,087 33,783 29,104 33,629 41,979 44,769 
Belize 4,776 4,232 2,586 9,847 3,760 3,332 2,598 3,505 5,079 5,271 5,425 
Bermuda 22,004 34,302 33,453 39,177 40,165 42,973 34,540 34,715 107,599 42,945 59,301 
British Virgin Islands 4,551 1,381 898 3,417 2,628 28,743 60,187 2,240 2,167 2,129 2,637 
Cayman Islands 4,483 11,490 7,281 1,369 12,266 8,127 8,286 63,858 6,807 7,671 10,738 
Dominica 1,613 1,891 2,238 1,840 3,236 5,560 4,436 2,671 2,614 7,668 4,967 
Grenada 1,936 3,789 4,649 3,321 4,901 4,839 4,023 3,142 4,450 5,868 6,056 
Guyana 5,517 8,144 11,171 10,671 9,968 14,655 8,073 8,068 10,373 9,536 10,603 
Jamaica 89,578 96,645 90,784 86,937 98,032 96,699 99,815 121,933 158,212 124,650 163,755 
Montserrat 208 128 185 149 81 83 289 214 291 300 434 
St. Lucia 10,425 12,521 5,426 8,729 11,493 12,524 9,683 7,375 7,804 7,423 8,059 
St. Christopher (Kitts) and Nevis 4,098 2,498 2,560 2,011 5,675 10,646 9,633 16,147 27,036 12,059 3,982 
St. Vincent and the Grenadines 3,015 2,815 3,116 4,063 3,676 4,633 4,906 3,941 3,743 5,874 5,130 
Trinidad & Tobago 65,192 94,658 83,913 102,544 129,703 161,936 110,822 156,222 136,808 125,507 121,475 
Turks & Caicos Islands 387 654 514 537 1,379 2,357 2,341 2,366 2,933 10,372 7,182 
Total: 272,561 328,641 332,667 343,680 397,371 476,570 430,811 496,443 552,061 456,210 501,654 
            
Source :  Statistics Canada           
Notes :  A dash (-) indicates that an amount is nil or negligible.  Includes Canadian domestic exports only.     
 WT/L/634 
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Annex III(i) 
       
Duty Free  2004 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 27,879 22,831 - - 22,831 82
Antigua and Barbuda 579,247 518,550 6,613 1,390 526,553 91
Bahamas 55,652,437 47,354,886 - 7,565,258 54,920,144 99
Barbados 8,508,002 1,478,073 3,264,944 2,397,232 7,140,249 84
Belize 8,325,413 7,328,938 192,373 55,981 7,577,292 91
Bermuda 12,511,576 11,851,205 - 37,261 11,888,466 95
Br. Virgin Is. 1,785,225 1,356,586 19,476 133 1,376,195 77
Cayman Islands 1,107,525 1,057,009 - - 1,057,009 95
Dominica 313,555 211,907 - 38,720 250,627 80
Grenada 1,259,367 932,853 208,130 46,866 1,187,849 94
Guyana 197,703,636 193,451,970 1,923,288 475,397 195,850,655 99
Jamaica 346,607,815 327,175,052 372,064 12,961,778 340,508,894 98
Montserrat 238,229 201,477 - - 201,477 85
St. Christopher (Kitts) and Nevis 8,185,253 1,860,798 104,236 21,477 1,986,511 24
Saint Lucia 366,305 303,196 - 52,704 355,900 97
Saint Vincent/Gren. 123,094 118,780 - 236 119,016 97
Trinidad and Tobago 156,281,426 53,412,441 197,665 97,290,135 150,900,241 97
Turks/Caicos Is. 6,870,982 6,113,288 - 508,793 6,622,081 96
Total 806,446,966 654,749,840 6,288,789 121,453,361 782,491,990 97
         
Source : Statistic Canada.      
Notes :  A dash (-) indicates that an amount is nil or negligible.      
  WT/L/634 
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Annex III(ii)
       
Dutiable  2004 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 27,879 5,048 - - 5,048 18
Antigua and Barbuda 579,247 52,694 - - 52,694 9
Bahamas 55,652,437 732,293 - - 732,293 1
Barbados 8,508,002 1,313,956 3,695 50,102 1,367,753 16
Belize 8,325,413 748,121 - - 748,121 9
Bermuda 12,511,576 622,756 - 354 623,110 5
Br. Virgin Is. 1,785,225 227,993 181,037 - 409,030 23
Cayman Islands 1,107,525 50,516 - - 50,516 5
Dominica 313,555 62,928 - - 62,928 20
Grenada 1,259,367 71,518 - - 71,518 6
Guyana 197,703,636 1,772,938 35,917 44,126 1,852,981 1
Jamaica 346,607,815 5,850,492 96,344 152,085 6,098,921 2
Montserrat 238,229 36,752 - - 36,752 15
St. Christopher (Kitts) and Nevis 8,185,253 6,198,742 - - 6,198,742 76
Saint Lucia 366,305 10,405 - - 10,405 3
Saint Vincent/Gren. 123,094 4,078 - - 4,078 3
Trinidad and Tobago 156,281,426 1,358,290 39,289 3,983,606 5,381,185 3
Turks/Caicos Is. 6,870,982 248,901 - - 248,901 4
Total 806,446,966 19,368,421 356,282 4,230,273 23,954,976 3
       
Source : Statistic Canada.      
Notes :  A dash (-) indicates that an amount is nil or negligible.      
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Annex IV  
   
Top 25 Merchandise Imports from CARIBCAN Beneficiaries which entered Canada Under 
CARIBCAN Duty-Free Tariff Treatment in 2004   
(in Canadian Dollars) 
HS 
Tariff Description Imports under 
CARIBCAN 
Treatment 
(CCCT) 
29051100 Methanol (methyl alcohol) 85,931,244 
72031000 Ferrous products obtained by direct reduction of iron ore 12,570,537 
22084010 Rum 8,326,249 
03061100 Rock lobster and other sea crawfish ( Palinurus spp ., Panulirus spp. , 
Jasus spp. ) 8,102,138 
85369091 Other: Junction boxes; Receptacle boxes of metal 837,556 
21039020 Mixed condiments and mixed seasonings 677,247 
22021000 Waters, including mineral waters and aerated waters, containing 
added sugar or other sweetening matter or flavoured 668,217 
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] 620,050 
22087000 Liqueurs and cordials 524,656 
19059049 Other biscuits [Containing less than 25% by weight of wheat] 513,130 
19019020 Food preparations of flour, meal, starch or malt extract 415,956 
19053192 Other: Wafers and frozen waffles containing 25% or more by weight 
of wheat, in packages of a we ight 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.... 349,575 
21039090 Other [Sauces and preparations] 326,571 
04063010 Within access commitm ent [Process cheese, not grated or powdered] 298,774 
20059090 Other [Other vegetables and mixtures of vegetables] 295,620 
73269090 Other [Other articles of iron or steel] 278,226 
07142000 Sweet potatoes 271,932 
09109990 Other spices 244,192 
20089210 Mixtures of akalas, akees, an chovy pears, apple-pears, avocados, 
bananas, bread fruit, carambolas, chayotes, cherimoyas (Jamaica 
apples), citris fruit, dates, durians, feijoas, figs, fu quas (alsam pears) 
genipes, guavas, imbus, jujubes, kiwi fruit… 199,282 
17049090 Other [Sugar confectionery (including white chocolate), not 
containing cocoa , not including chewing gum, whether or not sugar-
coated] 190,152 
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 flavoured), bread fruit, 
carambolas, chayotes, cherimoyas  (Jamaica apples)…. 186,781 
22029090 Other [non-alcoholic beverages, not including fruit or vegetable 
juices of heading 20.09] 179,992 
39269090 Other [Articles of plastics and articles of other materials of headings 
39.01 to 39.14] 168,614 
21069029 Other [Food concentrates and fruit syrups for use in beverages or 
other food preparations] 158,180 
83061090 Other [Bells, gongs and the like not including church bells] 141,600 
      
Source : Statistics Canada import data.  
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