Paper on Key Issues in the Trade Facilitation Text, November 2013

Key Issues Still Under Brackets in the Trade Facilitation Text Presented to the Ministerial Conference in Bali (based on Room W-JOB/TNC/35)

The following document comments on the remaining bracketed articles in the trade facilitation (TF) draft text (Room W- JOB/TNC/35) presented to the ministerial conference in Bali. It includes five main sections, including:

1)     One page summary note and recommendations on the TF draft text
2)     General comments on the balance within the latest TF draft text;
3)     Comments of Section I
4)     Comments on the provisions under ‘institutional arrangements’ of the TF text;
5)     Comments on the ‘general provisions’ of the TF text;
6)     Comments on Section II

The document includes the following annexes:

• Annex (1): Recalling main parts of the Negotiating Mandate `
• Annex (2):  Note on the scope of the ‘Expedited Shipments’ provision under Section I of the trade facilitation draft text; services liberalization from the backdoor.
• Annex (3): Note on the Reference to ‘Making Category B and C provisions an integral part of the Agreement’
• Annex (4): Comments on Bracketed Articles under TF text Section I
• Annex (5): What did LDCs get under Section II of the Trade Facilitation draft text raised to the Ministerial Conference in Bali?

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