WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  WT/REG/W/51 
14 November 2007 
 (07-4965) 
Committee on Regional Trade Agreements  
  
 
DRAFT 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.  Three 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/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/W/51 
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 for which the fact ual 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. Informal consultations ha ve been held regarding the reappraisal of the TM ;  [to be completed 
...] 
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 1 November 2007, a total of 29 early announcements have been received from Members, 22 for 
RTAs under negotiation and seven for newly 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 first ph ase of the development of the database.  Work on 
its establishment is in progress. 
VII. PROCEDURES TO IMPROVE AND FACILITATE THE EXAMINATION PROCESS 
13. No discussion took place on this item. 
                                                      
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/W/51 
 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, [is on the agenda of the 
CTS scheduled for 16 November...to be updated] , 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 establishe d in March 2007.  This is due to a number of 
factors:  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. 
                                                      
5 These have been circulated in documents G/L/834 and  WT/COMTD/63. WT/REG/W/51 
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/W/51 
 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-T unisia (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-F YROM (G) Singapore-Australia (G&S) 
China-Macao, China (G&S) EFTA-Isr ael (G) Switzerland-Faroe Isl. (G) 
EC (Treaty of Rome) (S)  EFTA-Jordan (G) Turkey-Croatia (G) 
EC-P. of Andorra (G) EFTA-Mex ico (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 Econo mic Area (S) United States-Jordan (G&S) 
EC Enlargement (25) (G)* Georgia-Ar menia (G) United Stat es-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) S ADC (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) EFTA -Egypt (G) Japan-Thailand (G&S) 
CEFTA Enlargement  (G) EFTA-Kor ea (G&S) Jordan-Singapore(G&S) 
Chile-China (G) Egypt-Turkey (G) Korea-Singapore (G&S) 
Chile-Japan (G&S) El Salvador-Mex ico (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) United 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 Authorit y (G) Kyrgyz Republic-Russian Federation (G) 
Armenia-Russian Federation (G) EFTA-Leb anon (G) Kyrgyz Republic-Ukraine (G) 
Armenia-Turkmenistan (G) EFTA-Mexic o (S) Kyrgyz Republic-Uzbekistan (G) 
Armenia-Ukraine (G) EFTA-Palestinian Aut hority (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 Federatio n (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/W/51 
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/W/51 
 Page 7 
 
 
  ATTACHMENT 4 
 
Early Announcements received during 2007 
Agreement Date 
announced 
by Parties Status* Neg/ 
Signature 
Date Website 
EU-India 25/9/07 N 28-Jun-07 http://ec.europa.eu/trade/issues/bilateral/countries/india/index_
en.htm  
    http://commerce.nic.in  
US-Panama 11/9/07 S 28-Jun-07 http://www.ustr.gov/Trade_Agre ements/Bilateral/Panama_FT
A/Draft_Text/Section_Index.html   
    http://www.mici.gob.pa/Tpc /Texto%20del%20tlc.php  
US-Oman 11/9/07 S 19-Jan-06  http://www.ustr.gov/Trade_Ag reements/Bilateral/Oman_FTA
/Final_Text/Section_Index.html  
Canada-EFTA 24/8/07 N 07-Jun-07 
Canada-CARICOM 24/8/07 N 19-Jul-07 
Canada-Dominican 
Republic 24/8/07 N 07-Jun-07 
Canada-Colombia-Peru 24/8/07 N 07-Jun-07 
Canada-El Salvador-
Guatemala-Honduras-
Nicaragua 24/8/07 N 21-Nov-01 
Canada-Singapore 24/8/07 N 21-Oct-01 
Korea-US 12/7/07 S 30-Jul-07 http://www.mofat.go.kr/mofa t/fta/eng_0707/eng_list.htm  
    http://www.ustr.gov/Trade_Agre ements/Bilateral/Republic_of
Korea_FTA/Draft_Text/Section_Index.html  
Korea-Mexico 12/7/07 N 07-Feb-06  
Korea-India 12/7/07 N 07-Feb-06  
Korea-EU 12/7/07 N 06-May-07 http://www.fta.go.kr/user/fta _korea/info.asp?country_idx=21  
    http://ec.europa.eu/trade/issues /bilateral/countries/korea/index
en.htm  
Korea-Canada 12/7/07 N 15-Jul-05 
Korea-ASEAN 12/7/07 N 30-Nov-04  
Japan-Vietnam  2/7/07 N Jan-07  
Japan-Philippines  2/7/07 S 09-Sep-06 http://www.mofa.go.jp/region/asia-
paci/philippine/epa0609/index.html  
Japan-Korea 2/7/07 N Sep-03  
Japan-Indonesia  2/7/07 N Jul-05  
Japan-India  2/7/07 N Jan-07  
Japan-GCC  2/7/07 N Sep-06  
Japan-Australia  2/7/07 N Apr-07  
Japan-ASEAN  2/7/07 N Apr-05  
Japan-Thailand 2/7/07 S 03-Apr-07 http://www.mofa.go.jp/region/asia-
paci/thailand/epa0704/index.html  
Japan-Chile  2/7/07 S 27-Mar-07 http://www.mofa.go.jp/policy/economy/fta/chile.html  
Japan-Brunei 
Darussalam  2/7/07 S 18-Jun-07 http://www.mofa.go.jp/region/asia-
paci/brunei/epa0706/index.html  
EFTA-Colombia 14/6/07 N 04-Jun-07  
EFTA-Peru 9/6/07 N 04-Jun-07  
Japan-Switzerland  6/6/07 N 14-May-07  
 
* S=signed, N=under negotiation 
__________