SEE ALSO:
press releases
WTO news
Mike Moore's speeches
Renato Ruggiero's speeches,
1995-99
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In opening the workshop, WTO Market-Access Director
Heinz Opelz said that one reason why the harmonization work programme, launched in 1995,
has not yet been completed was "the enormous technical complexities deriving form the
realities of globalization and related multi-country production in goods".He said that the WTO work programme is
"the first ever attempt to create systematic and all-embracing non-preferential rules
of origin." Thus, "drafting the architecture of harmonized rules of origin has
turned out to be a very complicated and difficult task".
Presentations were given by Mr. Eki Kim
of the WTO Secretariat and by two origin experts from the World Customs Organization:
Deputy Director of Tariffs and Trade Affairs Miroslaw Zielinski and Technical Officer
Hiroshi Imagawa.
The topics of the workshop concerned
the overall architecture of the harmonized rules of origin and product-specific rules of
origin of agricultural products, textiles and machinery. Many delegations actively
participated in the discussions.
A two-week meeting of the Committee on
Rules of Origin (formal, informal and plurilateral) will take place from 3-14 April 2000
to continue work on the Harmonization Work Programme.
More information (http://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/roi_e/roi_e.htm) |
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