WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/RO/47
20 December 2000
(00-5568)
Committee on Rules of Origin
SIXTH ANNUAL REVIEW OF THE IMPLEMENTATION AND
OPERATION OF THE AGREEMENT ON RULES OF ORIGIN
Note by the Secretariat
Article 6:1 of the Agreement on Rules of Origin (the Agreement) provides that "the
Committee shall review annually the implementation and operation of Part II and Part III of thisAgreement having regard to its objectives".  At its meeting on 1 December 2000 the Committee on
Rules of Origin conducted its sixth review of the implementation and operation of the Agreement.G/RO/47
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The contents of this document are as follows:
1. Members and Observer status.................................................................................................3
2. Officers of the Committ ee on Rules of  Orig in........................................................................4
3. Meetings of the Committe e on Rules of Origin ......................................................................4
4. Harmonization of Rules of Origin...........................................................................................4
5. Notifications of Rules of Origin ............................................................................................. ..7
6. Annual Report to the Council for Trade in Goods ................................................................8G/RO/47
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1. Members and Observer status
(a) WTO Members (139)
Albania
Angola
Antigua and Barbuda
ArgentinaAustraliaAustriaBahrainBangladeshBarbadosBelgiumBelizeBeninBoliviaBotswanaBrazilBrunei DarussalamBulgariaBurkina FasoBurundiCameroonCanadaCentral African RepublicChadChileColombiaCongoCongo, Democratic Republic of theCosta RicaCôte d'IvoireCubaCyprusCzech RepublicDenmarkDjiboutiDominicaDominican RepublicECEcuadorEgyptEl SalvadorEstoniaFijiFinlandFranceGabonGambiaGeorgiaGermanyGhanaGreece
Grenada
Guatemala
Guinea BissauGuinea, Rep.ofGuyanaHaitiHondurasHong Kong ChinaHungaryIcelandIndiaIndonesiaIrelandIsraelItalyJamaicaJapanJordanKenyaKoreaKuwaitKyrgyz RepublicLatviaLesothoLiechtensteinLuxembourgMacau ChinaMadagascarMalawiMalaysiaMaldivesMaliMaltaMauritaniaMauritiusMexicoMongoliaMoroccoMozambiqueMyanmarNamibiaNetherlandsNew ZealandNicaraguaNigerNigeriaNorwayOmanPakistan
Panama
Papua New Guinea
ParaguayPeruPhilippinesPolandPortugalQatarRomaniaRwandaSaint Kitts and NevisSaint LuciaSaint Vincent & GrenadineSenegalSierra LeoneSingaporeSlovak RepublicSloveniaSolomon IslandsSouth AfricaSpainSri LankaSurinameSwazilandSwedenSwitzerlandTanzaniaThailandTogoTrinidad and TobagoTunisiaTurkeyUgandaUnited Arab EmiratesUnited KingdomUnited StatesUruguayVenezuela, The Bolivaran
Republic of
ZambiaZimbabweG/RO/47
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(b) Observer Governments (33)
Algeria
AndorraArmeniaAzerbaijanBahamasBelarusBhutanBosnia and HerzegovinaCambodiaCape VerdeChina, Peoples Rep.CroatiaEthiopiaFormer Yugoslav  Rep. of MacedoniaHoly SeeKazakhstanLaos, P.D.R. ofLebanon
LithuaniaMoldovaNepalRussian FederationSamoaSaudi ArabiaSeychellesSudanTaipei, ChineseTongaUkraineUzbekistanVanuatuViet NamYemen
(c) Observer International Organizations (9)
1
ACP
EFTAIADB
IMF
ITCB
OECD
UNCTADWCO
World Bank
2. Officers of the Committee on Rules of Origin
Chairman: Mr. Sándor Simon (Hungary)
Vice-Chairman: Mr. Ho Young Ahn (Korea)
3. Meetings of the Committee on Rules of Origin
During the reporting period, the Committee on Rules of Origin (CRO) has held eight formal
meetings on 28 January, 18 February, 14 April, 23 June, 18 July, 29 September, 3 November and1 December 2000.  The minutes of these meetings are contained in documents G/RO/M/27-34.
4. Harmonization of Rules of Origin
4.1 At the meeting on 28 January 2000, the CRO discussed the development of a management
work programme for the Harmonization Work Programme (HWP).  In particular, it discussed the
                                                     
1 These organizations have official observer status following agreement in the Committee (G/RO/M/9) and
agreements between the World Bank and the IMF with the WTO (WT/L/195).G/RO/47
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problems Members had encountered and possible solutions to those problems in advancing its work,
the format and structure of the work, the sequencing of issues to be addressed and a work schedule for
future meetings.
Members agreed to a Notional Work Programme setting out a schedule of meetings and the
sequence for addressing issues, in particular the product-specific rules.  A number of Membersindicated that the above discussion and related decisions were made with no prejudice to their
positions in regard to the discussion on the issu e of deadlines in the General Council  (G/RO/M/27).
4.2 At the meeting on 18 February 2000, the CRO:
- discussed Appendix 2 of the overall architecture (G/RO/M/28, paragraph 1);
- discussed product-specific rules of origin for Chapters 25-27 (mineral products), 41-
43 (leather), 71 (precious stones and metals ), 72-73 (iron and steel) and 74-81 (non-ferrous
metals) (G/RO/M/28, paragraph 2), and endorsed various proposals on harmonized rules of
origin (G/RO/M/28, paragraph 3);
- discussed the deadline for completion of the work programme on harmonizing rules
of origin (G/RO/M/28, paragraph 5); and
- discussed the implications of the implementation of the harmonized rules of origin on
other WTO Agreements (G/RO/M/28, paragraph 4).
4.3 At its meeting on 14 April 2000, the CRO:
- discussed Appendix 2 of the harmonized rules of origin (G/RO/M/29, paragraph 1);
- discussed product-specific rules of origin for Chapters 82-83 (articles of metal), 84-
85 and 90 (machinery), 86-89 (transportation equipment), 92-97 (musical instruments and
other articles) (G/RO/M/29, paragraph 1);
- discussed the deadline for completion of the work programme on harmonizing rules
of origin.  The Chairman summarized the discussion as follows:
"There was a general recognition that while the CRO had developed good momentum under
the work programme for 2000, which it had adopted in January 2000, a deadline would be a
useful and important facilitator for completing the Harmonization Work Programme (HWP).
However, a number of delegations stated that the deadline had to be realistic and that the
results of the HWP should be a quality product.  Delegations also discussed the question ofcredibility of the WTO in terms of (a) setting a deadline and (b) missing a deadline.  One
delegation proposed a particular date as a deadline, and several delegations supported that
proposal.  Other delegations were of the view that the proposed date was too tight and not
likely to be achievable.  While a number of delegations suggested that the July stocktaking
meeting offered an opportunity to assess the state of progress, and to possibly set a deadline,some other delegations suggested that December might be a more appropriate time to
consider the deadline.  Various delegations also indicated that informal consultations on this
matter should continue."  (G/RO/M/29, paragraph 5); and
- discussed the implications of the implementation of the harmonized rules of origin on other
WTO Agreements (G/RO/M/29, paragraph 4).G/RO/47
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4.4 At its meeting on 23 June 2000, the CRO:
- discussed the overall architecture of harmonized rules of origin (G/RO/M/30,
paragraph 1);
- discussed product-specific rules of origin for Chapters 1-24 (agricultural products and
fish), 84-85 and 90 (machinery (G/RO/M/30, paragraphs 2 and 3);
- discussed the deadline for completion of the work programme on harmonizing rules
of origin (G/RO/M/30, paragraph 5); and
- discussed the implications of the implementation of the harmonized rules of origin on
other WTO Agreements (G/RO/M/30, paragraph 4).
4.5 At its meeting on 18 July 2000, the CRO:
- discussed in detail the status of negotiations on the overall architecture as well as on
product-specific rules as follow s (G/RO/M/31, paragraph 1):
- as concerned the overall architecture, it was recognized that many complex
technical questions had been clarified through extensive discussions over the past two
years, while the main obstacle, Rule 2( c) and (f) of Appendix 2 remained unresolved.
The willingness to achieve compromise appeared to be re-instituted;
- as concerned product-specific rules, it was noted that to date the CRO had
resolved only about 20 out of 481 outstanding issues transferred from the Technical
Committee for decision.  Although the number of resolved issues did not appear
impressive, it was recognized that Members had developed a better understanding of
issues through detailed technical discussions and a number of options had beennarrowed down;
- Members agreed that in order to maintain momentum, the future work
programme should be scheduled in a more focused manner, to the effect that the CRO
could consecutively take up the same issue without a lengthy time lapse; and
- discussed the deadline for completion of the work programme on harmonizing rules
of origin (G/RO/M/31, paragraph 4).
4.6 At its meeting on 29 September 2000, the CRO:
- discussed the overall architecture of the harmonized rules of origin (G/RO/M/32,
paragraph 1);
- discussed product-specific rules of origin of chapters 50-63 (textile products) and 64-
67 (footwear and headgear).  The CRO endorsed various proposals on harmonized rules of
origin (G/RO/M/32, paragraphs 2 and 3);
- discussed the deadline for completion of the work programme on harmonizing rules
of origin.  The Chairman summarized the discussion on this issue as follows:
"There is a growing view that the CRO should set as the new deadline the Fourth Session of
the Ministerial Conference or at the latest the end of 2001.  Some delegations, while not
objecting to setting a deadline per se  doubted whether, given the fact that a higher WTO bodyG/RO/47
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was discussing this issue, the CRO would be an appropriate body for decision on this issue.
The Chairman will continue his consultations with Members"  (G/RO/M/32, paragraph 5);
and
- discussed the implications of the implementation of the harmonized rules of origin on
other WTO Agreements (G/RO/M/32, paragraph 4).
4.7 At its meeting on 3 November 2000, the CRO discussed the deadline for completion of the
work programme on harmonizing rules of origi n.  It took note of the communication of the
Chairman of the General Council to the Chairman of the CRO regarding discussions on
implementation in the General Council Special Session of 18 October 2000 relating to rules of
origin issues.  The communication mentioned that the following elements had emerged which
might form a basis on which to deal with this issue:
- first, to consider as the new deadline the Fourth Session of the Ministerial
Conference, or at the latest the end of 2001, as has been suggested by the Chairman
of the Committee;
- second, to urge Members to exercise the political will necessary to expedite the
remaining work on harmonizing non-preferential rules of origin;  and
- third, to request the Chairman of the Committee to report to the General Council, on
his own responsibility, on the progress of work in the Committee;  the first suchreport would be submitted to the Council at its first regular meeting next year, and
subsequently at each regular meeting until the completion of the work programme.
The CRO agreed that informal consultations on this matter would continue, and to revert to
this issue at the December meeting  (G/RO/M/33, paragraph 2).
4.8 At its meeting on 1 December 2000, the CRO:
- discussed the overall architecture of the harmonized rules of origin (G/RO/M/34,
paragraph 1);
- discussed product-specific rules of origin of chapters 25-27 (mineral products), 41-43
(leather), 44-49 (wood and paper) and 92-97 (musical instruments and other articles)
(G/RO/M/34, paragraph 2) as well as cross- sectoral issues (G/RO/M/34, paragraph 2);
- discussed the progress made in the HWP (G/RO/M/34, paragraph 3);
- discussed the deadline for completion of the work programme on harmonizing rules
of origin (G/RO/M/34, paragraph 6);  and
- discussed the implications of the implementation of the harmonized rules of origin on
other WTO Agreements (G/RO/M/34, paragraph 5).
5. Notifications of Rules of Origin
(i) Non-preferential rules of origin
5.1 Notifications relating to non-preferential rules of origin under Articles 5.1 and 5.2 of the
Agreement have been received from 72 Members of which 38 Members notified that they do not haveG/RO/47
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non-preferential rules of origin.  52 Members have not yet notified their non-preferential rules of
origin (see Annex).
(ii) Preferential rules of origin5.2 Notifications relating to preferential rules of origin under paragraph 4 of Annex II to the
Agreement have been received from 75 Members, of which two Members notified that they do nothave preferential rules of origin.  49 Members have not yet notified their preferential rules of origin(see Annex).
6. Annual Report to the Council for Trade in Goods
The CRO adopted its report to the CTG at its meeting on 3 November 2000 (G/L/413).G/RO/47
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ANNEX
1. Members that have notified Non-Preferential Rules of Origin (34)
Argentina (G/RO/N/2, 10 & 16)
Australia (G/RO/N/1)Burkina Faso (G/RON/19)Bulgaria (G/RO/N/17 & 27)Canada (G/RO/N/1)Colombia (G/RO/N/1)Cuba (G/RO/N/3)Czech Rep. (G/RO/N/2)EC (G/RO/N/1)Hong Kong, China (G/RO/N/1)Hungary (G/RO/N/2)Israel (G/RO/N/13)Japan (G/RO/N/1)
Jordan (G(RO/N/30)Korea (G/RO/N/1)Latvia (G/RO/N/25)Madagascar (G/RO/N/11)Mexico (G/RO/N/12)Morocco (G/RO/N/2)New Zealand (G/RO/N/1)Niger (G/RON/19)Norway (G/RO/N/8)Peru (G/RO/N/4 & 5)Poland (G/RO/N/8)Qatar (G/RO/N/25) Romania (G/RO/N/1)
Senegal (G/RO/N/10)Slovak Republic(G/RO/N/1)Slovenia (G/RO/N/5, 7, 29& 29/Rev.1)South Africa (G/RO/N/3)Switzerland (G/RO/N/4)Tunisia (G/RO/N/7)Turkey (G/RO/N/8 & 28)US (G/RO/N/1 & 6)Venezuela The BolivaranRepublic of (G/RO/N/1 &10)
2. Members that have notified that they do not have Non-Preferential Rules of Origin (38)
Bolivia (G/RO/N/9)
Brazil (G/RO/N/14)Brunei Darussalam(G/RO/N/5)Chad (G/RO/N22)Chile (G/RO/N/6)Costa Rica (G/RO/N/1)Cyprus ((G/RON/19)Dominica (G/RO/N/24)Dominican Rep.(G/RO/N/9)El Salvador (G/RO/N/10)Fiji (G/RO/N/17)Guatemala (G/RO/N/21)Haiti (G/RO/N/20)
Honduras (G/RO/N/3)Iceland (G/RO/N/5)India (G/RO/N/1)Indonesia (G/RO/N/16)Jamaica (G/RO/N/4)Kenya (G/RO/N/9)Macau (G/RO/N/21)Malaysia (G/RO/N/6)Maldives (G/RO/N/22)Malta (G/RO/N/4)Mauritius (G/RO/N/1)Mongolia (G/RO/N/20)Namibia (G/RO/N/26)Nicaragua (G/RO/N/10)
Pakistan (G/RO/N/16)Panama (G/RO/N/23)Paraguay (G/RO/N/21)Philippines (G/RO/N/6)Singapore (G/RO/N/3)Suriname (G/RO/N/24)Thailand (G/RO/N/1)Trinidad & Tob. (G/RO/N/7)Uganda (G/RO/N/12)United Arab Emirates(G/RO/N/17)Uruguay (G/RO/N/12)
3. Members that have not notified Non-Preferential Rules of Origin (52)
Albania
AngolaAntigua & BarbudaBahrainBangladeshBarbadosBelizeBeninBotswanaBurundi
Cameroon
Central African Rep.CongoCôte d'IvoireD.R. of Congo
DjiboutiEcuadorEgyptEstoniaGabonGambiaGeorgiaGhanaGrenada
Guinea Bissau
Guinea, Rep. ofGuyanaKuwaitKyrgyz Rep.
LesothoLiechtensteinMalawiMaliMauritaniaMozambiqueMyanmarNigeriaOman
Papua New Guinea
RwandaSaint Kitts & NevisSaint LuciaSaint Vincent &
GrenadinesSierra LeoneSolomon IslandsSri LankaSwazilandTanzaniaTogoZambiaZimbabweG/RO/47
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4. Members that have notified Preferential Rules of Origin (73)
Argentina (G/RO/N/16)
Australia (G/RO/N/1)Bolivia (G/RO/N/1, 22&23)Brazil (G/RO/N/12)Brunei Darussalam(G/RO/N/4)Bulgaria (G/RO/N/15, 22,23 & 27)Burkina Faso (G/RO/N/19)Canada (G/RO/N/1, 6 & 8)Chad (G/RO/N/22)Chile (G/RO/N/6)Colombia (G/RO/N/1)
Costa Rica
(G/RO/N/20/Rev.1)Côte d'Ivoire (G/RO/N/11)Cuba (G/RO/N/3)Cyprus (G/RO/N/19)Czech Rep. (G/RO/N/2, 22& 23)Dominica (G/RO/N/24)Dominican Rep.(G/RO/N/5)EC (G/RO/N/1)Ecuador (G/RO/N/12)El Salvador (G/RO/N/10 &11)
Fiji (G/RO/N/17)
Guatemala (G/RO/N/21)
Haiti (G/RO/N/20)Honduras (G/RO/N/3 & 10)
Hungary (G/RO/N/2, 22 &23)
Iceland (G/RO/N/15, 22 &
23)
India (G/RO/N/1)
Indonesia (G/RO/N/4)
Israel (G/RO/N/13)
Jamaica (G/RO/N/4)Japan (G/RO/N/6)
Jordan (G/RO/N/30)
Kenya (G/RO/N/9)
Korea (G/RO/N/7)
Latvia (G/RO/N/25)Liechtenstein (G/RO/N/22)
Madagascar (G/RO/N/11)
Malaysia (G/RO/N/4)
Maldives (G/RO/N/22)
Malta (G/RO/N/4)Mauritius (G/RO/N/1)
Mexico (G/RO/N/12)
Mongolia (G/RO/N/20)
Morocco (G/RO/N/2)
Namibia (G/RO/N/26)New Zealand (G/RO/N/1)
Nicaragua (G/RO/N/10)
Niger (G/RON/19)
Norway (G/RO/N/8, 22 &
23)Pakistan (G/RO/N/16)
Panama (G/RO/N/23)Paraguay (G/RO/N/12)
Peru (G/RO/N/1)Philippines (G/RO/N/4)
Poland (G/RO/N/8, 22 & 23)
Qatar (G/RO/N/25)
Romania (G/RO/N/14, 22 &
23, 29 & 29/Rev.9)
Senegal (G/RO/N/10)
Singapore (G/RO/N/3 & 4)Slovak Republic (G/RO/N/1,
22 & 23)
Slovenia (G/RO/N/5, 7, 22
& 23)
Suriname (G/RO/N/24)
Switzerland (G/RO/N/6, 22,23, 29 & 30)
Thailand (G/RO/N/1 & 4)
Trinidad &Tob. (G/RO/N/7
& 24)
Tunisia (G/RO/N/7)Turkey (G/RO/N/8 & 28)
Uganda (G/RO/N/12)
United Arab Emirates
(G/RO/N/17)
US (G/RO/N/1 , 6 & 18)Uruguay (G/RO/N/5)
Venezuela The Bolivaran
Republic of  (G/RO/N/1)
Zambia (G/RO/N/15)
5. Members that have notified that they do not  have Preferential Rules of Origin (2)
Hong Kong, China (G/RO/N/1).
Macau (G/RO/N/21)G/RO/47
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6. Members that have not notified Preferential Rules of Origin (49)
Albania
Angola
Antigua & Barbuda
BahrainBangladesh
Barbados
Belize
Benin
Botswana
Burundi
CameroonCent. African Rep.
Congo
D.R. of Congo
Djibouti
EgyptEstoniaGabon
Gambia
Georgia
GhanaGrenada
Guinea Bissau
Guinea, Rep. of
Guyana
Kyrgyz Rep.
Kuwait
LesothoMalawi
Mali
Mauritania
Mozambique
MyanmarNigeriaOman
Papua New Guinea
Rwanda
St. Kitts & NevisSaint Lucia
Saint Vincent & Grenadines
Sierra Leone
Solomon Islands
South Africa
Sri Lanka
SwazilandTanzania
Togo
Zimbabwe
________