WTO Members Discuss Trade Facilitation In RTAs

WTO members have discussed the relationship between trade facilitation provisions in regional trade agreements (RTAs) and the World Trade Organization's (WTO's) Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA).

At a meeting in early April, delegates from the European Union, Japan, and Australia delivered presentations comparing their existing and future RTAs with provisions of the WTO's landmark TFA, which is intended to remove non-tax barriers to trade, as part of Doha Round talks towards a comprehensive, global free trade deal.

The informal meeting was held to discuss working towards the transformation of the provisional Transparency Mechanism, which is used to review RTAs, into a permanent one without prejudice to questions related to notification requirements.

The talks covered how certain RTAs of these members converge with or diverge from the provisions of the TFA. Members also heard how trade facilitation provisions in RTAs have evolved and shaped TFA negotiations and how, in turn, the TFA could set the basis for customs and trade facilitation chapters in future RTAs.

Committee chair Daniel Blockert said that while WTO members continue to disagree over the transparency mechanism, he had "a sense there is a genuine will to try and make progress on this."

Source: Tax News