. /.    WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  TN/TF/W/129/Rev.2 
10 March 2008 
 (08-1032) 
Negotiating Group on Trade Facilitation Original:   English 
  
 
COMMUNICATION FROM BARBADOS, CUBA, FIJI, PAPUA NEW GUINEA 
AND THE SOLOMON ISLANDS 
 
Revision
 
 
 
 The following communication, dated 7 March 2007, is being circulated at the request of the 
Delegations of Barbados, Cuba, Fiji, Papu a New Guinea and the Solomon Islands.   
 
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REGIONAL APPROACHES TO TRADE FACILITATION 
 
 1. In July 2006 a number of Small, Vulnerable Economies tabled document 
TN/TF/W/129/Rev.1.  This was a proposal on regional  approaches to trade facilitation, specifically on 
regional enquiry points.  The proponents recognize the positive reaction to the measures recommended in that proposal and are tabling the current revision as a contribution to the discussions 
in the Negotiating Group on Trade Facilitation. 
2. The current proposal provides three legal drafting suggestions to be included in three different 
areas of an eventual text.  The idea at the core of these three suggestions is that small, vulnerable 
economies and other developing countries invol ved in a customs union or similar economic 
integration movement should be a llowed to pool their scarce resources to assist in the implementation 
of the obligations arising from a possible WTO agreem ent on trade facilitation.  It is important to note 
that this proposal seeks to provide the flexibility for members to use regional approaches as an 
additional option in the implementation of an ev entual Agreement on Trade Facilitation, if these 
individual members decide.  The proposed language is based in some measure on the General Council 
decisions of 10 October 2006 regarding the regional approaches to the SPS, TBT and TRIPS 
Agreements. 
 
I. TO BE PLACED IN THE PREAMBLE/INTRODUCTORY SECTION OF A 
POSSIBLE TRADE FACILITATION AGREEMENT 
 Small Economies/developing countries which are members of a Customs Union or a regional 
economic arrangement may adopt regional approaches to assist in the implementation of their 
obligations under the Trade Facilitation Agreement including through the establishment and use of 
regional bodies.  
 TN/TF/W/129/Rev.2 
Page 2  
 
  II. TO BE PLACED IN THE SECTION ON "ESTABLISHMENT OF ENQUIRY 
POINTS" 
 Small Economies/developing countries which are members of a Customs Union or a regional 
economic arrangement shall have the option of establishing one or more enquiry points at the 
regional level.
1  The existence of a notified regional enquiry point would satisfy the requirements for 
the existence of an enquiry point under this current provision.  
III. TO BE PLACED IN THE SECTION ON TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND 
CAPACITY BUILDING 
 Members and the WTO, within its competen ce, shall provide technical and financial 
assistance, on mutually agreed terms, to sma ll economies/developing countries to support the 
establishment, modification and maintenance of  these national and regional enquiry points.  
  Members and the WTO shall consider the advantages of providing assistance to the regional body, where one exists within a Customs Union or regional economic arrangement, which will assist 
those members in the implementa tion of their obligations under the Trade Facilitation agreement. 
 
IV. FINAL REMARK 
3. This proposal is without prejudice to individual country positions and to the rights of the co-
sponsors to submit additional proposals in future sessi ons on any issues contained in this paper and/or 
on any other issues not included here 
 
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 1 It is understood that individual Members benefitin g from these recommendations will continue to be 
legally responsible and accountable for their individual notifications and other obligations under these Agreements.