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FACTSHEET

The Agreement in short History of the Agreement

The agreement aims at long-term harmonization of 1986-1993: Negotiation as part of the
rules of origin, other than rules of origin relating to
Uruguay Round (UR).
the granting of tariff preferences, and to ensure
that such rules do not themselves create 1994: Signature of the Final Act of the UR,
unnecessary obstacles to trade. including the Agreement on Rules of Origin.
The agreement sets up a harmonization 1 Jan. 1995: Entry into force of the
programme, to be initiated as soon as possible
Agreement.
after the completion of the Uruguay Round and to
be completed within three years of initiation. It
would be based upon a set of principles, including
making rules of origin objective, understandable
and predictable. The work would be conducted by
a Committee on Rules of Origin in the GATT and a Definitions
technical committee under the auspices of the
Customs Cooperation Council in Brussels.
“Rules of Origin”
Until the completion of the harmonization
programme, contracting parties would be expected Laws, regulations and administrative
to ensure that their rules of origin are transparent; determinations of general application applied
that they do not have restricting, distorting or by any Member to determine the country of
disruptive effects on international trade; that they origin of goods provided such rules or origin
are administered in a consistent, uniform, impartial are not related to contractual or autonomous
and reasonable manner, and that they are based trade regimes leading to the granting of tariff
on a positive standard (in other words, they should preferences going beyond the application of
state what does confer origin rather than what paragraph 1 of Article I of GAT 1994 (MFN)
does not).

An annex to the agreement sets out a "common

declaration" with respect to the operation of rules
of origin on goods which qualify for preferential
treatment. WTO Working Bodies

Coverage of the Agreement MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE

All rules of origin used in non-preferential
commercial policy instruments, such as in the GENERAL COUNCIL
application of: MFN treatment under Art. I, II,
III, XI and XIII of GATT 1994; anti-dumping COUNCIL FOR TRADE IN
and countervailing duties under Art. VI of GOODS
GATT 1994, safeguard measures under Art.
XIX of GATT 1994; origin marking
COMMITTEE ON RULES OF
requirements under Art. IX of GATT 1994; and
ORIGIN
any discriminatory quantitative restrictions or
tariff quotas. They shall include rules of origin
used for government procurement and trade
statistics. WCO TECHNICAL
COMMITTEE ON RULES OF
ORIGIN
Structure of the Agreement
PREAMBLE

PART I – DEFINITIONS AND COVERAGE

ART. 1 : Rules of origin

PART II – DISCIPLINES TO GOVERN THE APPLICATION OF RULES OF ORIGIN

ART. 2 : Disciplines during the transition period

ART. 3 : Disciplines after the transition period

PART III – PROCEDURAL ARRANGEMENTS ON NOTIFICATION, REVIEW, CONSULTATION AND DISPUTE SETTLEMENT

ART. 4 : Institutions

ART. 5 : Information and procedures for modification and introduction of new rules or origin

ART. 6 : Review

ART. 7 : Consultation

ART. 8 : Dispute settlement

PART IV : HARMONIZATION OF RULES OF ORIGIN

ART. 9 : Objectives and principles / Work programme / Role of the Committee / Results of the harmonization work programme and subsequent work

ANNEX I : TECHNICAL COMMITTEE ON RULES OF ORIGIN / Responsibilities / Representation / Meetings / Procedures

ANNEX II : COMMON DECLARATION WITH REGARD TO PREFERENTIAL RULES OF ORIGIN

Disputes

No dispute has yet given rise to a panel or Appellate Body report.