G/TFA/N/PNG/1  
 
27 May 2019  
(19-3672) Page: 1/7 
Committee on Trade Facilitation  Original: English  
 
NOTIFICATION OF CATE GORY COMMITMENTS  UNDER  
THE AGREEMENT ON TRA DE FACILITATION  
COMMUNICATION FROM PAPUA NEW GUINEA  
The following communica tion, dated  24 May 2019 , is being circulated at  the request of the delegation 
of Papua New Guinea for Members' informa tion. 
 
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Following up on the notification dated 8 June 2016 (WT/PCTF/N/PNG/1), in which Papua New Guinea 
indicated its category A commitments, the Government of Papua Ne w Guinea hereby makes the 
following notifications in accordance with Articles 15 and 16 of the Trade Facilitation Agreement 
(WT/L/931).  
  
  G/TFA/N/PNG/1  
 
- 2 - Provision  Heading/Description  Category  Indicative date for 
implementation  
(for categories  
B and C) Definitive date for 
implementation  
(for categories  
B and C)  Assistance and Support for Capacity 
Building Required for Implementation  
(for category C)  
Article 1  Publication and Availability of Information  
Article 1.1  Publication  B 22 February 2020  To be determined  - 
Article 1.2  Information Available through Internet  C 22 February 2020  To be determined  Technical assistance and capacity building 
needed to support information collation : 
1. Creation of a National trade portal where 
information identified in  TFA Art.1. 1 is made 
available ; 
2. Procurement of Software, Hardware and IT 
Equipment for National trade portal ; 
3. Upload information . 
Article 1.3  Enquiry Points C 22 February 2021  To be determined  Technical assistance and capacity building is  
also required to explain the roles and 
responsibilities of enquiry points. Technical 
assistance also required to review institutional 
setups and support for legislative change to 
give effect for the e stablishment of Enquiry 
Points (of at least two officer s) in each of the 
following Agencies:  
• PNG Customs Services  
• National Agriculture Quarantine and 
Inspection Authority)  
• National Institute for Standards and 
Industrial Technology (NISIT)  
• Department of Trade  
NAQIA  and NISIT Enquiry Points will also act 
as bodi es preparing SPS and TBT notifications 
respectively. (However, notifications will be 
made through Trade Ministry.)  
Article 1.4  Notification  B 22 February 2020  To be determined  - 
Article 2  Opportunity  to Comment, Information before Entry into Force and Consultations   
Article 2.1  Opportunity to Comment and Information 
Before Entry into Force  B 22 February 2021  To be determined  - 
Article 2.2  Consultations  B 22 February 2020  To be determined  - 
Article 3 Advance Rulings  
 A - - - 
Article 4  Procedures for Appeal or Review  
 B 1 February 2019  To be determined  -  
  G/TFA/N/PNG/1  
 
- 3 - Provision  Heading/Description  Category  Indicative date for 
implementation  
(for categories  
B and C) Definitive date for 
implementation  
(for categories  
B and C)  Assistance and Support for Capacity 
Building Required for Implementation  
(for category C)  
Article 5  Other Measures to Enhance Impartiality, Non -Discrimination and Transparency  
Article 5.1  Notification for Enhanced Controls or 
Inspections  C 22 February 2021  To be determined  Technical assistance needed to support 
National Agricultural Quarantine Inspection 
Authority  and Department of Health  with: 
1. Current primary and secondary legislation, 
and the proposed Biosecurity Bill to be 
amended to include provisions for a TFA 
compatible rapid alert system for the 
notification of a direct or indirect risk to 
human, animal, or plant life or health 
deriving from food or feed ; 
2. Build a globally accessible, instantaneous, 
ICT based communication system for alert 
and information notifications linking food 
safety authority, National Agricultural 
Quarantine Inspection Authority , and 
border posts (and third countries on the 
basis of a greements providing for 
reciprocity) ; 
3. National Agricultural Quarantine Inspection 
Authority  and food safety authority move 
to strong, scientific evidence -based risk 
assessment systems to justify enhanced 
actions as well as to justify removal of 
enhanced co ntrols.  
Article 5.2  Detention  B 22 February 2019  To be determined  - 
Article 5.3  Test Procedures  A - - - 
Article 6  Disciplines on Fees and Charges Imposed on or in Connection with Importation and Exportation and Penalties  
Article 6.1  General Disciplines on Fees and Charges 
Imposed on or in Connection with 
Importation and Exportation  B 22 February 2020  To be determined  - 
Article 6.2  Specific Disciplines on Fees and Charges 
for Customs Processing Imposed on or in 
Connection with Importation and 
Exportation  A - - - 
Article 6.3  Penalty Disciplines  A - - - 
Article 7  Release and Clearance of Goods  
Article 7.1  Pre-arrival Processing  B 22 February 2021  To be determined  - 
Article 7.2  Electronic Payment  B 22 February 2020  To be determined  -  
  G/TFA/N/PNG/1  
 
- 4 - Provision  Heading/Description  Category  Indicative date for 
implementation  
(for categories  
B and C) Definitive date for 
implementation  
(for categories  
B and C)  Assistance and Support for Capacity 
Building Required for Implementation  
(for category C)  
Article 7.3  Separation of Release from Final 
Determination of Customs Duties, Taxes, 
Fees and Charges  A - - - 
Article 7.4  Risk Management  C 22 February 2021  To be determined  Technical assistance and capacity building  to 
assist with N ational Agriculture Quarantine 
Inspection Authority:  
1. Existing risk management systems to be 
revised and made fully applied at 
operational level eliminating current 
discriminations due to arbitrary selection 
of cargo for inspection initially cleared 
under the green lane ; 
2. A sound compliance management regime 
needs to be implemented, including with 
respect to ASYCUDA inspection reporting 
module ; 
3. For National Agricultural Quarantine 
Inspection Authority  profiling based upon 
manifest screening to be consistent across 
PNG, risk -related information need to be 
centralized, systematically analys ed, 
profile  application centralized, etc.;  
4. National Agricultural Quarantine 
Inspectio n Authority  profiling must be 
aligned and ultimately integrated with PNG 
Customs Services . 
PNG Customs Services requires technical 
assistance for training on targeting and risk 
profiling.  
Article 7.5  Post-clearance Audit  B 22 February 2020  To be determined  - 
Article 7.6  Establishment and Publication of Average 
Release Times  C 22 February 2021  To be determined  To be undertaken after ASYCUDA World has 
been fully appropriated and following 
Technical Assistance  for Risk Management 
and PCA.  
1. Through T echnical Assistance  Customs to 
develop its capacity to conduct T ime 
Release Survey's  for measuring the actual 
performance of its activities as they relate 
to trade facilitation at the border.   
  G/TFA/N/PNG/1  
 
- 5 - Provision  Heading/Description  Category  Indicative date for 
implementation  
(for categories  
B and C) Definitive date for 
implementation  
(for categories  
B and C)  Assistance and Support for Capacity 
Building Required for Implementation  
(for category C)  
2. Technical assistance t o be extended to 
NAQIA subject to deployme nt of 
ASYCUDA.  
Article 7.7  Trade Facilitation Measures for Authorized 
Operators  C 22 February 2021  To be determined  Technic al assistance needed to support : 
PNG Customs Services: Adopt a policy for the 
implementation of an AO/AEO scheme based 
on WCO standards (Revised Kyoto Convention 
and SAFE Framework of Standards). PNG 
Customs Services to adopt a compliance 
assessment program to identify operators 
with a high level of compliance.  
Article 7.8  Expedited Shipments  A - - - 
Article 7.9  Perishable G oods B 22 February 2020  To be determined  - 
Article 8  Border Agency Cooperation  
 C 22 February 2020  To be determined  Technical and capacity building support for : 
1. PNG Customs Services  and National 
Agricultural Quarantine Inspection 
Authority  to agree on a Memorandum of 
Understanding (MOU) including formal 
procedures of activity coordination in 
relation to border control ; 
2. Implement agreed processes and 
procedures, incorporating le gislative 
change if necessary;  
3. Introduce automation to National 
Agricultural Quarantine Inspection 
Authority  and an int erface with the PNG 
Customs Services system.  
Article 9  Movement of Goods Intended for I mport  under Customs Control  
 B 22 February 2020  To be determined  - 
Article 10  Formalities Connected with Importation, Exportation and Transit  
Article 10.1  Formalities and Documentation 
Requirements  C 22 February 2023  To be determined  Technical assistance and capacity building 
support for:  
1. PNG Customs Services  and National 
Agricultural Quarantine Inspection 
Authority  to examine their separate 
procedures with a view to reducing them 
and then agree and align their practices and 
procedures ;  
  G/TFA/N/PNG/1  
 
- 6 - Provision  Heading/Description  Category  Indicative date for 
implementation  
(for categories  
B and C) Definitive date for 
implementation  
(for categories  
B and C)  Assistance and Support for Capacity 
Building Required for Implementation  
(for category C)  
2. Consider whether legislative amendments 
will be required and build in the time frame 
for this accordingly;  
3. A periodic revie w process needs to be put in 
place.  
Article 10.2  Acceptance of C opies C 22 February 2023  To be determined  Technical assistance required to support:  
1. Amending  legislations (incl. Biosecurity Bill) 
and/or regulations for both PNG Customs 
Services  and National Agricultural 
Quarantine Inspection Authority  allowing 
acceptance of copies ; 
2. Examining whether  systems be developed 
to allow National Agricultural Quarantine 
Inspection Authority  acceptance of copies 
there would have to be subordinate 
legislation c hanges after Biosecurity Bill is 
enacted ; 
3. PNG Customs Services  to implement 
ASYCUDA World to take electronic 
lodgement of supporting documents ; 
4. Reviewing and aligning processes and 
requirements around documentation and 
the acceptance of copies.  
Article 10.3 Use of International Standards  B 22 February 2019  To be determined  - 
Article 10.4  Single Window  C 22 February 2023  To be determined  Technical assistance and capacity building 
required to:  
1. Implement the Single Window feasibility 
study  recommendations;  
2. Replace document manual processing 
systems with automated systems (all 
agencies except PNG Customs Services ); 
3. Expedite effective i mplementation of 
ASYCUDA World that integrates all border 
clearance agencies;  
4. Facilitate a ll agencies involved in border 
clearance and regulation of trade to jointly 
establish a common strategy for the phased 
implementation of a single window;  
5. Assist the National Trade Facilitation 
Committee  to decide on which single 
window model is to be implemented;   
  G/TFA/N/PNG/1  
 
- 7 - Provision  Heading/Description  Category  Indicative date for 
implementation  
(for categories  
B and C) Definitive date for 
implementation  
(for categories  
B and C)  Assistance and Support for Capacity 
Building Required for Implementation  
(for category C)  
6. Implement the single window ; 
7. Support the process for e nactment of an e -
commerce legislation.  
Article 10.5  Pre-shipment Inspection  A - - - 
Article 10.6  Use of Customs Brokers  A - - - 
Article 10.7  Common Border Procedures and Uniform 
Documentation Requirements  A - - - 
Article 10.8  Rejected G oods A - - - 
Article 10.9  Temporary Admission of Goods and Inward 
and Outward Processing  A - - - 
Article 11  Freedom of Transit  
 B 22 February 2019  To be determined  - 
Article 12  Customs C ooperation  
 C 22 February 2022  To be determined  PNG Customs Services  to seek Technical 
Assistance in establishing required legislative 
amendment, in accordance with other 
domestic law, system connectivity among 
regional groupings, map processes and 
procedures required, including the 
establishment of an enquiry point.  
 
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