Trade in Goods
Trade Facilitation
Canada’s Position in WTO Negotiations
The Doha Round WTO negotiations on trade facilitation stemmed from
the need to clarify and improve existing WTO disciplines on freedom
of transit, fees and formalities associated with border transactions,
and transparency of trade regulations. These disciplines date back
to the original formation of the GATT in 1947 and, in some cases,
build on predecessor arrangements from the early years of the 20th
century. Accordingly, and as part of the Doha Development Agenda,
the Negotiating Group on Trade Facilitation (NGTF) was tasked with
the clarification and improvement of relevant aspects of current
General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) Articles V, VIII and
X dealing with ‘Freedom of Transit’, ‘Fees and
Formalities’ and ‘Publication and Administration of
Trade Regulations’, with a view to further expediting the
movement, release and clearance of goods (including goods in transit)
and ensuring that rules reflect the realities and challenges faced
by traders in the 21st century.
Objectives
Canada’s priority for the negotiations is to secure strong
and binding rules on trade facilitation which would lead to more
transparent and streamlined procedures for border transactions.
Canada views trade facilitation as a win-win for all countries and
as a natural complement to market access negotiations on goods.
New rules on trade facilitation would help countries modernize their
border regimes to expedite the flow of both imports and exports
across borders, while fully meeting non-trade objectives such as
security. At the same time, new rules have the potential to reduce
the costs of doing business by facilitating access to information
regarding countries’ customs regulations and procedures while
reducing “red-tape” at borders. Progress on these issues
would especially benefit small and medium-sized companies, for whom
such costs can be particularly burdensome.
Since agreement in July 2004 on the modalities for trade facilitation
negotiations, Canada and other Trade Facilitation supporters have
submitted over 50 proposals on specific measures covering all the
main elements of potential clarification and improvement of relevant
aspects of current Articles V, VIII and X of the GATT 1994, that
might eventually had formed part of an agreement. Canada has submitted
three such proposals to date on binding
advance rulings for tariff classification, border
agency coordination (both across borders and among agencies
on one side of a border) and separation
of release of goods from clearance procedures. The WTO Secretariat
has also prepared a compilation
of all submissions received to date from WTO Members. A wide
variety of international financial institutions, donors, United
Nations agencies, the World Customs Organization and non-governmental
organizations have also been involved in supporting programs and
finding practical solutions that facilitate trade. Canada has actively
supported efforts on technical assistance and capacity building
that would help developing countries meet higher standards of border
management, and agreed with the inclusion of these elements as an
integral part of the negotiations.
Canada will continue to advocate the merits of reducing red-tape
at borders and expediting the movement, release and clearance of
goods, not only at the WTO but also through our bilateral free trade
agreements and in forums such as Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation
(APEC), where we are an active member.
Past Communications from
Canada
Related Links
Contact Point
If you have questions or comments, please contact International
Trade Canada at:
Multilateral Market Access Division (TMA)
Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada
Lester B. Pearson Building
125 Sussex Drive
Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0G2
Fax: 613-992-6002
E-mail : consultations@international.gc.ca
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