. /.  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  TN/TF/W/123 
4 July 2006 
 (06-3211) 
Negotiating Group on Trade Facilitation Original:   English 
  
 
COMMUNICATION FROM INDIA 
  
 The following communication, dated 30 June 2006,  is being circulated at the request of the 
Delegation of India.  
 
_______________ 
 
 
COOPERATION MECHANISM FOR CUSTOMS COMPLIANCE 
 1. The following textual proposal is submitted by  India for consideration by the Negotiating 
Group.  It is closely based on the proposals on c ooperation mechanism for customs compliance made 
in the communications TN/TF/W/68 of 24
 October 2005 and TN/TF/W/103 of 10 May 2006 and takes 
account of the discussions and other submissions on this issue in the Negotiating Group. 
Textual Proposal  
 
"Cooperation Mechanism for Customs Compliance 
  Members shall, upon request, exchange inform ation and documents on matters such as HS 
classification, full and accurate description, quantity,  country of origin and valuation of goods in 
identified cases of import or export, where there is reason to doubt the truth or accuracy of a 
declaration filed by the importer or exporter. 
 
Specific Parameters
 
 
 1. The information shall be provided only to  the extent it is available in the import or 
export declaration(s). 
  2. Documents filed in support of a goods declaration, such as commercial invoice, 
packing list, certificate of origin and bill of lading, in the form in which these are filed, whether paper or electronic, shall also be provided, if so requested. 
 
 3. The information and the documents ex changed shall be authenticated by the 
requested Member as having been submitted by the importer or exporter and accepted 
by it. 
 
 4. No such request for information or do cuments shall be made unless verification has 
been carried out by the requesting Member to  satisfy itself that there are reasons to 
doubt the truth or accuracy of the declaration filed. 
  TN/TF/W/123 
Page 2  
 
  5. Such exchange of information shall not require the Members to: 
 (a) modify the format of their import or export declarations,  (b) call for documents other than tho se filed with the goods declarations, 
 (c) modify the period of retention of such information or documents, or   (d) introduce paper documentation where electronic format has already been  
   introduced. 
6. Any information or documents provided sh all not be disclosed to any third party 
except to the extent required in judicial proceedings. 
Procedure
 
 
1. Each Member shall designate and notify to  the WTO a centralized  agency within its 
customs administration for exchange of information and documents. 
2. A Member making a request for informa tion or documents shall provide a brief 
summary of the case in which information is sought, reasons for doubting the truth or accuracy of the declaration made before it, results of verification and specify 
information and/or documents required.  
3. The request for information shall be made in one of the three official languages of the 
WTO. 
4. Only certified copies of the requested documents shall be provided. 5. The request for information shall not be made later than two years after the 
importation or exportation of the goods. 
6. The requested Member shall provide the in formation to the extent possible within a 
period of 90 days from the date of receipt of the request." 
 
__________