RESTRICTED
WORLD TRADE G/RO/W/27
25May1998
ORGANIZATION(98-2116)
Committee onRules ofOrigin
NEGOTIATING TEXT FOR CHAPTERS 50-63 (TEXTILE PRODUCTS)
Harmonization Work Programme
Note bytheSecretariat
Thisdocument isthemost recent update ofthenegotiating textforChapters 50-63 (WCO
document 42.271, which isacompilation ofWCO documents 42.215 and42.215/corr.). Thedocument
reflects alsotheUSproposal concerning Issues 12and13,which hasbeencirculated indocument
G/RO/W/25.G/RO/W/27
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UNRESOLVED ISSUES FOR DECISION BYTHE COMMITTEE ONRULES OFORIGIN
AGREED RULES OFORIGIN SUBMITTED BYTHE TECHNICAL COMMITTEE ONRULES
OFORIGIN FOR ENDORSEMENT BYTHE COMMITTEE ONRULES OFORIGIN ARE
DESIGNATED AS“BASKET 1”INTHE ANNEX
FOR CHAPTERS 50TO63:TEXTILES AND TEXTILE ARTICLES
SECOND REFERRAL
TheCommittee onRules ofOrigin isinvited todecide whether theproducts resulting from
processes described below haveundergone theirlastsubstantial transformation.
Foreaseofreference thisdocument alsoreproduces theIssues Nos.1to13previously referred
totheCommittee onRules ofOrigin inDoc.41.821. ThelistsofRelevant HSCodes forthose Issues
havebeencompleted withtheadditions ofrelevant HSCodes inChapters 56to63.G/RO/W/27
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CHAPTERS 50to60
ISSUE NO.1:GARNETTING
1. Garnetting isaprocess forrecovering fibres, known asgarnetted stock, from ragsorother
waste ofanytextile material ortextile articles (classified inheadings 63.09, 63.10) byuseofagarnett,
amachine which pulls thestructure apart.
OPTION A:
2. Theoperation ofgarnetting results inanewproduct andisasubstantial transformation. The
waste textile materials or“stock”issorted bytypeandcolour, followed bychemical treatment and
mechanical processes torecover thefibre. Therecovered fibreisanewproduct thathasundergone
asubstantial transformation from thewaste materials asaresult ofgarnetting.
3. Textile waste maybecombined withwaste originating inother countries before being sorted
bytypeandcolour forgarnetting. Itisnotpracticable tobasetheorigin ofthefibres onthecountry
oforigin ofthewaste materials.
OPTION B:
4. Garnetting isnotsubstantial transformation. Garnetted stock hastheorigin ofthewaste textile
materials fromwhich itisobtained. Garnetted stock isobtained fromwaste inthesamecountry where
thewaste isderived sothere isnoneedtohaveaspecial rule.
RELEVANT HSCODES
50.03, 51.04, 53.01, 53.02, 53.03, 53.04, 53.05, 55.05
REFERENCE DOCUMENTS
41.630, 41.702
ISSUE NO.2:CARDING ORCOMBING OFFIBRES INPREPARATION FOR SPINNING
5. Wool andfineorcoarse animal hair,waste ofwoolandfineorcoarse animal hair,cotton and
cotton waste, synthetic orartificial staple fibres andwaste ofsynthetic orartificial fibres arecarded
orcombed inpreparation forspinning. Carding disentangles thefibres, laysthemmoreorlessparallel,
andentirely orlargely removes anyextraneous matter theymaystillcontain. Thefibres arethenin
theform ofwidewebs (laps) which aregenerally condensed intoslivers. These slivers mayormay
notbecombed before being converted intorovings. Combing removes thelasttraces ofextraneous
matter clinging tothefibres andeliminates theshorter fibres intheformofcombing waste, onlylonger
fibres, lying parallel, remain.
OPTION A:
6. Carding orcombing doesnotbring about asubstantial transformation, itismerely apreparation
forspinning.
OPTION B:
7. Carding orcombing ofnatural fibres results inasubstantial transformation. Before undergoing
theseoperations, natural fibres areunsuitable forspinning. However, carding orcombing ofsynthetic
orartificial fibres isnotasubstantial transformation, these operations being lessvitalgiven thegreatG/RO/W/27
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regularity ofthefibres atissue. Moreover, synthetic andartificial fibres donotrequire washing after
extrusion.
RELEVANT HSCODES
Natural Fibres: 51.05, 52.03,
Synthetic orartificial fibres: 55.06, 55.07
REFERENCE DOCUMENT
41.702
ISSUE NO.3:SPINNING CARDED ORCOMBED FIBRES TOYARNS
OPTION A:
8. Spinningaloneisnotasubstantialtransformation.Tobeconsideredassubstantialtransformation
yarns mustbeproduced from fibres thathavenotbeencarded orcombed ornototherwise prepared.
9. Thevitaloperation inthemanufacture ofyarns iscarding and/or combing, which convert the
rawmaterials (fibres) intocardslivers which arethensimply wound intoyarns.
OPTION B:
10. Thechange from carded orcombed fibres byspinning toproduce yarn isasubstantial
transformation because thegood isnotcalled ayarnbefore spinning.
RELEVANT HSCODES
50.04 to50.06, 51.06 to51.10, 52.04 to52.07, 53.06 to53.08, 54.01 to54.06, 55.08 to55.11
REFERENCE DOCUMENT
41.702
ISSUE NO.4:MERCERISATION
OPTION A:
11. Mercerisation causes thefibrecross-section tobecome swollen andmore rounded. Yarns and
fabrics aremade :
- stronger
- more lustrous
- capable ofbeing dyedorprinted toamuch deeper shade foragiven amount ofcolour.
12. Treatments suchasmercerisation affect themain structure oftheyarnandarenotasurface
treatment andmust beconsidered assubstantial transformations.
OPTION B:
13. Mercerisation ismerely afinishing operation anddoesnottransform theyarn.
RELEVANT HSCODES
51.06 to51.10, 52.04 to52.07, 53.06 to53.08, 54.03, 55.08 to55.11