WT/REG307/1 30 August 2017 (17-4606) Page: 1/44 Committee on - PDF document

WT/REG307/1 30 August 2017 (17-4606) Page: 1/44 Committee on Regional Trade Agreements FACTUAL PRESENTATION INTERIM ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE EUROPEAN UNION AND THE ESA STATES (MADAGASCAR, MAURITIUS, SEYCHELLES AND ZIMBABWE) (GOODS) Report by the Secretariat This report, prepared for the consideration of the Interim Economic Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the ESA States (Madagascar, Mauritius, Seychelles and Zimbabwe), has been drawn up by the WTO Secretariat on its own responsibility and in full consultation with the Parties. The factual presentation reproduces as closely as possible the terminology used in the Agreement and in the comments provided and does not imply official endorsement or acceptance by the Secretariat of such terminology. The report has been drawn up in accordance with the rules and procedures contained in the Decision for a Transparency Mechanism for Regional Trade Agreements (WT/L/671) and thus does not imply any value judgement by the Secretariat regarding the contents of the Agreement. Any technical questions arising from this report may be addressed to Rohini Acharya (tel: +41 22 739 5874). Any statistical questions arising from this report may be addressed to Rowena Cabos (tel: +41 22 739 5185).

WT/REG307/1 - 2 - TABLE OF CONTENTS Page 1 TRADE ENVIRONMENT ................................................................................................. 4 2 CHARACTERISTIC ELEMENTS OF THE AGREEMENT ...................................................... 7 2.1 Background Information ............................................................................................... 7 3 PROVISIONS ON TRADE IN GOODS ............................................................................. 8 3.1 Import duties and charges, and quantitative restrictions................................................... 8 3.1.1 General provisions .................................................................................................... 8 3.1.2 Liberalization of trade and tariff lines .........................................................................10 3.1.3 Liberalization schedule .............................................................................................12 3.1.3.1 European Union ....................................................................................................12 3.1.3.2 ESA States ...........................................................................................................13 3.1.4 Tariff rate quotas .....................................................................................................18 3.2 Rules of origin ............................................................................................................18 3.3 Export duties and charges, and quantitative restrictions ..................................................20 3.4 Regulatory Provisions of the Agreement ........................................................................20 3.4.1 Standards ...............................................................................................................20 3.4.1.1 Sanitary and phytosanitary measures ......................................................................20 3.4.1.2 Technical barriers to trade .....................................................................................20 3.4.2 Safeguard mechanisms ............................................................................................20 3.4.2.1 Global safeguards .................................................................................................20 3.4.3 Bilateral safeguards .................................................................................................20 3.4.4 Anti-dumping and countervailing measures .................................................................22 3.4.5 Subsidies and State-aid ............................................................................................22 3.4.6 Customs-related procedures......................................................................................22 3.5 Sector-Specific Provisions of the Agreement ..................................................................23 3.5.1 Sugar .....................................................................................................................23 3.5.2 Fisheries .................................................................................................................24 3.5.2.1 Marine Fisheries ....................................................................................................24 3.5.2.2 Inland fisheries and aquaculture development ..........................................................24 4 GENERAL PROVISIONS OF THE AGREEMENT ............................................................. 24 4.1 Transparency .............................................................................................................24 4.2 Current payments and capital movements .....................................................................25 4.3 Exceptions .................................................................................................................25 4.4 Accession and Withdrawal............................................................................................25 4.5 Institutional framework ...............................................................................................26 4.6 Dispute settlement .....................................................................................................26 4.7 Relationship with other agreements concluded by the Parties ...........................................27 4.8 Government procurement ............................................................................................29

WT/REG307/1 - 3 - 4.9 Intellectual Property Rights ..........................................................................................29 4.10 Economic and Development Cooperation .....................................................................29 ANNEX 1 ........................................................................................................................ 31