. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  TN/TF/W/96 
10 May 2006 
 
 (06-2274) 
Negotiating Group on Trade Facilitation Original:   English 
  
 
COMMUNICATION FROM COSTA RICA, THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, JAPAN, 
MONGOLIA, NEW ZEALAND, THE SEPARA TE CUSTOMS TERRITORY OF TAIWAN, 
PENGHU, KINMEN AND MATSU, SINGAPORE, AND SWITZERLAND 
  
 The following communication, dated 9 May 2006, is being circulated at the request of the 
Delegations of Costa Rica, the European Communities, Japan, Mongo lia, New Zealand, the Separate 
Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinm en and Matsu, Singapore, Switzerland. 
 
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PROPOSALS ON PUBLICATION AND AVAILABILITY OF INFORMATION 
  
1. This submission is to present the key elements  on publication and availability of information 
which are summarized from existing proposals by Members.
1  Also identified are the elements that 
need further discussions among Members for greater clarification and specification. 
I. PUBLICATION 
A. PROPOSALS  
• Publication of trade regulations:  Publish all laws, regulations, judicial decisions and 
administrative rulings of general application pert aining to or affecting trade in goods in such a 
manner provided for in Article X:1, so as to  enable governments and traders to become 
acquainted with them.  The information to  be articulated and published includes: 
 
- Procedures of border agencies (including port, airport and other entry-point 
procedures and relevant forms and documents).  
- Rate of duties imposed on or in conne ction with importation or exportation   
(including applied tariff rates). 
- Decisions and examples of customs classification. 
- Import and export restrictions. 
- Fees and charges imposed on or in connection with importation or 
exportation. 
- Penalty provisions against breaches of import and export formalities. 
- Appeal procedures. 
                                                      
1 EC (TN/TF/W/6), Korea (TN/TF/W/7 ), Japan, Mongolia, Chinese Taipei, Pakistan and Peru (TN/TF/W/8 and 
Corr.1), Chinese Taipei (TN/TF/W/10), Un ited States (TN/TF/W /13), United States  (TN/TF/W/14), Japan, Mongolia, Peru 
and Chinese Taipei (TN/TF/W/17), Chin a (TN/TF/W/26), Peru (TN/TF/W/30), H ong Kong, China (TN/TF/W/32), Turkey 
(TN/TF/W/45), Chile (TN/TF/W/70).  See also national experience paper from Egypt (TN/TF/W/75). TN/TF/W/96 
Page 2  
 
  - Agreements with any other country or countries relating to the above issues. 
• Publication methods:  Ensure that information be easily accessible in a non-discriminatory 
manner via an officially designated medium, including official gazette, official journal and where feasible and possible, official website. 
• Availability of publication methods: Making available to other Members and traders, information 
on enquiry points and medium (e.g., website a ddress) through which information is published.  
• Treatment of confidential information:  Publication of information does not require the disclosure 
of confidential information which would impede la w enforcement or otherwise be contrary to the 
public interest or would prejudice the legitimate commercial interests of particular enterprises, 
public or private.  
 B. E
LEMENTS IDENTIFIED FOR FURTHER ADDRESSING  
• Publication of basic trade-related procedures : Publication of basic trade-related procedures in at 
least one official WTO language. 
 
• Special and differential treatment, including potential: 
- Progressive implementation of commitments.  
• Technical assistance and capacity building: 
- Assess situation, identify individual specific needs and priorities, training and addressing 
capacity constraints.  
II. AVAILABILITY OF INFORMATION 
A. P
ROPOSALS  
• Establishment of Enquiry points: Establish enquiry points which ar e responsible for providing or 
for facilitating access to trade-related information or documents to governments and traders on a 
non-discriminatory basis.  
•  Notification of enquiry points: Notify the contact information of the enquiry points to the WTO 
in order to make such inform ation available to the other Members and interested parties.  
B. ELEMENTS IDENTIFIED FOR FURTHER ADDRESSING  
• Establishment of a Single National Focal Point:   Establishment of a Single National Focal Point 
(SNFP) as a centre for communication with other domestic competent border agencies to more 
efficiently respond to inquiries.  The SNFP shoul d, within a reasonable period of time, supply not 
only the information requested but also any other pertinent information, which the SNFP considers the interested parties should be aware.   
 
• Special and differential treatment, including potential: 
- Progressive implementation of commitments.  
• Technical assistance and capacity building: 
- Assess situation, identify individual specific needs and priorities, training and addressing 
capacity constraints. 
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