WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  WT/REG/18 
3 December 2007 
 (07-5294) 
  
  
 
REPORT (2007) OF THE  
COMMITTEE ON REGIONAL TRADE AGREEMENTS  
TO THE GENERAL COUNCIL 
 
Chairman:  Mr. Julian Metcalfe (United Kingdom
) 
 
 
I. INTRODUCTION 
1. At its first meeting in March 2007, the Comm ittee on Regional Trade Agreements (CRTA) 
elected Mr. Julian Metcalfe (United Kingdom) as Chairman of the CRTA. 
2. During 2007, the Committee held four sessions (i n March, May, September and November).  
The minutes of those meetings are listed in Attachment 1.  Four sessions are foreseen in 2008.   
II. OBSERVER STATUS 
3. The Committee agreed to continue the granti ng of observer status in the CRTA to the 
Latin American Integration Association (LAIA), on an ad hoc  basis.  No decision was taken with 
respect to the requests for observer status lis ted in document WT/REG/W/11/Add.3, pending the 
definition of guidelines by the General Council. 
III. CONSIDERATION OF REGIONAL TRADE AGREEMENTS 
4. As of 1 November 2007, 385 regional trade agre ements (RTAs) have been notified to the 
GATT or WTO, 197 of which are currently in force.1  Of the agreements in force, 125 were notified 
under GATT Article XXIV;  22 under the Enabling Clause2,  and 50 under GATS Article V. 
5. On 14 December 2006, the General Council established on a provisional basis a new 
transparency mechanism (TM) for all RTAs.  The ma in features of the mechanism, agreed upon in the 
Negotiating Group on Rules, include the early announc ement of any RTA;  guidelines regarding the 
notification of RTAs;  the preparation by the Secretariat, on its own responsibility and in full 
consultation with the parties, of a factual presentation of RTAs to assist Members in their consideration of a notified RTA;  timeframes associ ated with the consideration of RTAs;  provisions 
regarding subsequent notification and reporting of notified RTAs;  technical support for developing 
countries;  and the distribution of work between the CRTA – entrusted to implement the mechanism 
vis-à-vis  RTAs falling under Article XXIV of GATT 1994 and Article V of the GATS – and the 
Committee on Trade and Development, entrusted to do the same for RTAs falling under the Enabling 
Clause.  Given its provisional basis, the Decision foresees that Members are to review, and if 
necessary modify, the decision, and replace it by a permanent mechanism adopted as part of the 
overall results of the Doha Round. 
                                                     
 
1 These figures correspond to notifications of ne w RTAs, as well as accessions to existing RTAs.   
2 Differential and More Favourable Treatment, Reci procity and Fuller Partic ipation of Developing 
Countries , Decision of the GATT CONTRACTING PARTIES of 28 November 1979. WT/REG/18 
Page 2  
 
  6. Prior to the adoption of the TM, the Committee had completed the factual examination of a 
total of 67 agreements, of which 46 in the area of tr ade in goods and 21 in trade in services.  During 
2007, the Secretariat distributed factual presentations of 13 RTAs, 11 of which were used as the basis 
for RTAs' consideration in the CRTA during 2007.
3  Seventeen RTAs are sch eduled for consideration 
in the next Session of the CRTA;  factual presentations  of these RTAs are currently under preparation.  
There is a remaining backlog of 64 RTAs, comprised of 36 RTAs for which the factual presentation is 
still to be done and 28 RTAs (mostly with non-WT O Members) for which the factual presentation is 
on hold (see Attachment 2). 
7. According to paragraph 22 of the TM, the Secretar iat is to prepare a factual abstract for those 
RTAs for which the CRTA had concluded the fact ual examination by 31 December 2006 and for 
RTAs notified to the WTO under the Enabling Clause.  Eight factual abstracts have been prepared and 
placed on the WTO website ;  30 are still awaiting comments from the parties, and  the remaining 39 
are under preparation (see Attachment 3). 
8. At the time of the adoption of the Decision on the Transparency Mechanism for Regional 
Trade Agreements in December 2006, the Chair of the General Council had noted that Members 
intended to conduct an initial review of the Mechanism within one year.  In this context, the Chair of 
the CRTA, in concert with the Chair of the Ne gotiating Group on Rules, reported that Members 
considered that there was not yet enough experience for the review.  
IV. EARLY ANNOUNCEMENT 
9. Paragraph 1 of the TM provides for Members par ticipating in new negotiations and parties to 
a newly signed RTA to provide information to the S ecretariat, to be posted on the WTO website.  As 
of 16 November 2007, a total of 31 early announcem ents have been received from Members, 22 for 
RTAs under negotiation and nine for newl y signed RTAs (see Attachment 4). 
V. SUBSEQUENT NOTIFICATION AND REPORTING  
10. Paragraph 14 of the TM provides for changes affe cting the implementation of an RTA, or the 
operation of an already implemented RTA to be notif ied as soon as possible after such changes occur.  
Such communications are to be made availabl e on the WTO website.  As of 1 November 2007, 
two notifications have been recei ved and posted on the WTO website.4  
11. Paragraph 15 of the TM provides for parties to  an RTA to submit a short written report on the 
realization of the liberalization commitments in the RTA as originally notified at the end of the RTA's 
implementation period.  No such re ports were submitted during 2007. 
VI. DATABASE ON RTAS 
12. Paragraph 21 of the TM provides for the Secr etariat to establish and maintain an updated 
electronic database on individual RTAs.  At the Committee's 46th Session, a representative of the 
Secretariat made a short presentation on the develo pment of the database.  Work on its establishment 
is in progress. 
VII. PROCEDURES TO IMPROVE AND FACILITATE THE EXAMINATION PROCESS 
13. No formal discussions took place under this specific agenda item, although Members 
continued to provide input to the Secret ariat on how to improve CRTA procedures. 
                                                      
3 The US-Morocco FTA will be considered in the ne xt Session of the CRTA. The factual presentation 
of the Chile-Korea FTA was distributed in 2005. 
4 Japan-Singapore and Japan-Mexico FTAs.  WT/REG/18 
 Page 3 
 
 
  VIII. SYSTEMIC IMPLICATIONS OF REGIONAL TRADE AGREEMENTS AND 
INITIATIVES FOR THE MULTILATERAL TRADING SYSTEM AND THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THEM 
14. No discussion took place on this item. 
IX. OTHER 
15. The notification format for new RTAs which the Committee agreed at its 44
th Session to 
recommend to the Council for Trade in Goods, the Council for Trade in Services and the Committee 
on Trade and Development was adopted by the CTG on 19 March 2007, by the CTS on 6 November 2007, and by the CTD on 6 March 2007.
5 
X. FINAL REMARKS 
16. Although a number of factual presentations have been prepared by the Secretariat and used as 
the basis for the consideration of RTAs in the CRTA, the Committee has experienced some 
difficulties in adhering to the work programme estab lished in March 2007.  This is due to several 
factors including delays in the receipt of statistical data from parties, data discrepancies in Members' submissions, and delays in the receipt of comments from parties.  This has resulted in a postponement 
of the consideration of several RTAs. Some deve loping Members have faced particular technical 
difficulties as recognized in th e Transparency Mechanism. 
                                                     
 
5 These have been circulated in documents G/L/834, S/L/310 and  WT/COMTD/63, respectively. WT/REG/18 
Page 4  
 
  ATTACHMENT 1 
 
Minutes of the Meetings held in 2007
 
  
Forty-Fifth Session – 14 March 2007
 
  WT/REG/M/45  Forty-Sixth Session – 14 and 15 May 2007
 
 
 WT/REG/M/46 
  WT/REG185/M/1 Thailand – Au stralia, Goods and Services 
 WT/REG207/M/1 Thailand – New Zealand, Goods 
 WT/REG176/M/1 Southern African Development Community (SADC), Goods 
 WT/REG173/M/1 Armenia – Moldova, Goods   Forty-Seventh Session – 13 September 2007
 
 
 WT/REG/M/47 
 
 WT/REG179/M/1 EFTA States – Chile, Goods and Services  WT/REG184/M/1 United States – Australia, Goods and Services 
 
Forty-Eighth Session – 29-30 November 2007
 
 
 WT/REG/M/48 
  WT/REG164/M/4 European Communities - Chile, Services  WT/REG209/M/1 Turkey – Morocco, Goods    WT/REG/18 
 Page 5 
 
 
  ATTACHMENT 2 
A. RTAs for which the factual examin ation has been completed (67): 
ANZCERTA (S) EC-FYROM (G) Iceland-Faroe Isl. (G) 
Canada-Chile (G&S) EC-Israel (G) Japan-Singapore (G&S) Canada-Costa Rica (G) EC-Jordan (G) Kyrgyz Rep.-Armenia (G) Canada-Israel (G) EC-Mexico (G) Kyrgyz Rep.-Moldova (G) CARICOM (S) EC-Morocco (G) MERCOSUR (G) Chile-Costa Rica (G&S) EC-Tunisia (G) Mexico-Israel (G) Chile-El Salvador (G&S) EC-Turkey (G) NAFTA (G&S) Chile-Mexico (G&S) EFTA (S) New Zealand-Singapore (G&S) Chile- Korea (G&S) EFTA-Croatia (G) Norway-Faroe Isl. (G) China-Hong Kong, China (G&S) EFTA-FYROM (G) Singapore-Australia (G&S) China-Macao, China (G&S) EFTA-Israel  (G) Switzerland-Faroe Isl. (G) 
EC (Treaty of Rome) (S)
  EFTA-Jordan (G) Turkey-Croatia (G) 
EC-P. of Andorra (G) EFTA-Mexico (G)  Turkey-FYROM (G) EC-Chile (G) EFTA-Morocco (G) Turkey-Israel (G) EC-Croatia (G) EFTA-Singapore (G &S) United States-Chile (G&S) 
EC Enlargement (15) (G&S) European Economic Area (S) United States-Jordan (G&S) EC Enlargement (25) (G)* Georgia-Armenia (G) United States-Singapore (G&S) 
B. RTAs for which a factual presentation has been distributed (14): 
Armenia-Moldova (G) EFTA-Chile  (G&S) US-Australia (G&S) 
Australia-Thailand (G&S) SADC (G) US-Morocco (G&S) 
Chile-Korea (G) Thailand-New Zealand (G)  EC-Chile (S) Turkey-Morocco (G)  
C. RTAs for which a factual presentation is under preparation (15): 
EC 25 (S) Japan-Mexico (G&S) Trans-Pacific SEP (G&S) EC-Albania (G) MERCOSUR (S) Turkey-Tunisia (G) EFTA-Tunisia (G) Panama-El Salvador (G&S)  India-Singapore (G&S) Panama-Singapore (G&S)  
D. RTAs for which a factual presentation is to be done  (36): 
CEFTA-Accession of Croatia (G) EF TA-Egypt (G) Japan-Thailand (G&S) 
CEFTA Enlargement  (G) EFTA-Korea (G&S) Jordan-Singapore(G&S) Chile-China (G) Egypt-Turkey (G) Korea-Singapore (G&S) Chile-Japan (G&S) El Salvador-Mexico (G&S) Mexico-Nicaragua (G&S) Costa Rica-Mexico (G&S) GCC (G) SACU (G) Dominican Republic-Central America-
United States (CAFTA-DR) (G&S) Guatemala-Mexico (G&S) Un ited States-Bahrain (G&S) 
EC 27 (G&S) Honduras-Mexico (G&S)  EC-Egypt (G) Japan-Malaysia(G&S)  
 
E. RTAs for which the factual presentation is on hold (28):1   
Armenia-Kazakhstan (G) EC-Palestinian Authority  (G) Kyrgyz Republic-Russian Federation (G) 
Armenia-Russian Federation (G) EFTA-Leb anon (G) Kyrgyz Republic-Ukraine (G) 
Armenia-Turkmenistan (G) EFTA-Mexico (S) Kyrgyz Republic-Uzbekistan (G) Armenia-Ukraine (G) EFTA-Palestinian Authority (G) Pan-Arab Free Trade Area (G) CIS (G) Georgia- Azerbaijan (G) Thailand-New Zealand (S) EAEC (G) Georgia-Kazakhstan (G) Turkey-Bosnia and Herzegovina (G) EC-Algeria (G) Georgia-Russian Federation (G) Turkey-Palestinian Authority (G) EC-Faroe Islands (G) Georgia-Turkmenistan (G) Turkey-Syria (G)  EC-Lebanon (G) Georgia-Ukraine (G)  EC-Mexico (S) Kyrgyz Republic-Kazakhstan (G)  
 
                                                      
* Once a satisfactory resolution of outstanding issues  is  reached, the factual examination of this 
agreement will be deemed concluded. 
1 Includes RTAs with non-Members and RTAs co vering trade in servi ces for which specific 
commitments have yet to be agreed between the parties. WT/REG/18 
Page 6  
 
  ATTACHMENT 3 
A.
 RTAs for which a factual abstract has been completed (8): 
Canada-Costa Rica (G) EC-Jordan (G) Switzerland-Faroe Islands (G) 
Canada-Israel (G) EC-Mex ico (G) US-Jordan (G) 
EC-Israel (G) Japan-Singapore (G)  
B. RTAs for which a factual abstract  has been sent for comments (30): 
Chile-Mexico(G) EC-Turkey (G) Israel-Mexico (G) 
China-Hong Kong, China (G) EFTA-Croat ia (G) Kyrgyz Republic-Armenia (G) 
China-Macao, China (G) EFTA-FYROM  (G) Kyrgyz Republic-Moldova (G) 
EAC (G) EFTA-Israel (G) New Zealand-Singapore (G) 
EC 15 (G) EFTA-Jordan (G)  Singapore-Australia (G) 
EC-Andorra (G) EFTA- Morocco (G) Turkey-Croatia (G) 
EC-Croatia (G) EFTA-Singa pore (G) Turkey-FYROM (G) 
EC-FYROM (G) Faroe Islands-Ice land (G) Turkey- Israel (G) 
EC-Morocco (G) Faroe Islands-Nor way (G) United States-Chile (G) 
EC-Tunisia (G) Georgia-Armenia (G) United States-Singapore (G) 
C. RTAs for which a factual abstract is in preparation (39): 
APTA-Accession of China(G) China-Ma cao, China (S) Japan-Singapore (S) 
ASEAN-China (G) COMESA (G) Korea-Chile (S) 
Canada-Chile (G) EC (Treaty of Rome) (S) MERCOSUR (G) 
Canada-Chile (S) EC 15 (S) MSG (G) 
CARICOM (S) EC 25 (G) NAFTA (G) 
CEMAC (G) EC-Chile (G) NAFTA(S) 
CER (S) EC-South Africa (G) New Zealand-Singapore (S) 
Chile-Costa Rica (G) ECOWAS (G) SAPTA (G) 
Chile-Costa Rica (S) EEA (S) Singapore-Australia (S) 
Chile-El Salvador (G) EFTA (S) United States-Chile (S) 
Chile-El Salvador (S) EFTA-Mexic o (G) United States-Jordan (S) 
Chile-Mexico (S) EFTA-Singapore (S) United States-Singapore (S) 
China-Hong Kong, China (S) India-Sri Lanka (G) WAEMU/UEMOA (G)  WT/REG/18 
 Page 7 
 
 
  ATTACHMENT 4 
Early Announcements received during 2007 
Agreement Subsequently 
Notified Neg/Sign 
Date Website 
Signed    
US-Peru Trade 
Promotion Agreement  12-Apr-07 http://www.ustr.gov/Trade_Agreements/B ilateral/Peru_TPA/Final_Texts/Sectio
n_Index.html  
     http://www.tlcperu-eeuu.gob.pe/index. php?ncategoria1=209& ncategoria2=215  
US-Panama  28-Jun-07 http://www.ustr.gov/Trade_Agreements/B ilateral/Panama_FTA/Draft_Text/Sect
ion_Index.html   
     http://www.mici.gob.pa/Tpc /Texto%20del%20tlc.php  
US-Oman  19-Jan-06  http://www.ustr.gov/Trad e_Agreements/Bilateral/Oman_FTA/Final_Text/Secti
on_Index.html  
Korea-US 
   30-Jul-07 
  http://www.mofat.go.kr/mofa t/fta/eng_0707/eng_list.htm  
http://www.ustr.gov/Trade_Agreements /Bilateral/Republic_of_Korea_FTA/Dra f
t_Text/Section_Index.html  
 Japan-Philippines   09-Sep-06 http://www.mofa.go.jp/region/asia-p aci/philippine/epa0609/index.html  
Japan-Thailand WT/REG235/N/1 
S/C/N/419 03-Apr-07 http://www.mofa.go.jp/region/asia -paci/thailand/epa0704/index.html  
Japan-Chile  WT/REG234/N/1 
S/C/N/398 27-Mar-07 http://www.mofa.go.jp/policy/economy/fta/chile.html  
Japan-Brunei 
Darussalam   18-Jun-07 http://www.mofa.go.jp/region/as ia-paci/brunei/e pa0706/index.html  
EFTA-Egypt  WT/REG232/N/1 27-Jan-07  http://secretariat.efta.int/Web/Exter nalRelations/PartnerCountries/EG . 
Under Negotiation    
EU-India  28-Jun-07 http://ec.europa.eu/trade/issues/b ilateral/countries/india/index_en.htm  
     http://commerce.nic.in  
     EU-India Joint Statement  
Canada-EFTA  07-Jun-07  
Canada-CARICOM  19-Jul-07  
Canada-Dominican 
Republic  07-Jun-07  
Canada-Colombia-Peru  07-Jun-07  
Canada-El Salvador-
Guatemala-Honduras-Nicaragua  21-Nov-01  
Canada-Singapore  21-Oct-01  
Korea-Mexico  07-Feb-06   
Korea-India  07-Feb-06   
Korea-EU  06-May-07 http://www.fta.go.kr/user/fta _korea/info.asp?country_idx=21  
     http://ec.europa.eu/trade/issues/b ilateral/countries/korea/index_en.htm  
Korea-Canada  15-Jul-05  
Korea-ASEAN  30-Nov-04   
Japan-Vietnam   Jan-07   
Japan-Korea  Sep-03   
Japan-Indonesia   Jul-05   
Japan-India   Jan-07   
Japan-GCC   Sep-06   
Japan-Australia   Apr-07   
Japan-ASEAN   Apr-05   
EFTA-Colombia  04-Jun-07   
EFTA-Peru  04-Jun-07   
Japan-Switzerland   14-May-07   
__________