./.RESTRICTEDWORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/VAL/W/56
13 January 2000
(00-0132)
Committee on Customs Valuation Original:  English
COMMUNICATION FROM EGYPT CONCERNING PARAGRAPH 1
OF ANNEX III OF TH E AGREEMENT ON IMPLEMENTATION
OF ARTICLE VII OF THE GENERAL AGREEMENT
ON TARIFFS AND TRADE 1994
The following communication, dated 10 January 2000, has been received from the Permanent
Mission of Egypt.
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Pursuant to the provisions of Annex III, paragraph 1 of the Agreement on Implementation of
Article VII of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade 1994 (WTO Customs Valuation
Agreement), the Government of Egypt hereby request s a further extension for a period of three years
of the delay in the full application of the provisions of that Agreement.
The purpose of this request is to consolidate the process of implementation of our customs
system and the training of personnel responsible for the effective operation and administration of the
provisions and obligations under the Agreement.
The term to apply the WTO Agreement on Customs Valuation in Egypt's case expires on
30 June 2000, which we consider as an insufficient period to complete the Egyptian Programme fortraining in addition to the other material preparations needed for the best operation and efficient
functioning of the Agreement.
The following are the main justifications of our request for the extension:
- to complete the technical training of the personnel responsible for the application of the
Agreement's provisions and the obligations therein;
- to ensure the completion of the material preparations required for the effective and efficient
follow-up of the world prices and economic changes (i.e. modern means of communicationsand information technology as well as the computerized system);
- to improve the awareness and knowledge of the business sector (public and private sector)
concerning the provisions and the main principles of the Agreement to achieve the effective
participation between both the customs authorities and the importers;
- to establish a system for the review of documents after the clearance of the imported goods to
be applied in collaboration between the customs authorities with other taxes authorities.  This
system will be an important element for the customs administration to accept the
documentations of the contractual value;  andG/VAL/W/56
Page 2
- to finalize the National Customs Legislation regulating the valuation procedures in conformity
with the Agreement.
For the reasons set forth Egypt formally requests a three-year extension period to be able to
finalize its administration, technical training and legislative programmes for the effective and efficientfunctioning of this Agreement.
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