Abstract

In the last decade or so economists and multilateral organizations have devoted more attention to rules of origin than ever before. (For a comprehensive review of the topic see Vermulst, Waer, and Bourgeois 1994). Although attempts to address the issues on the rules of origin had been made in the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and the United Nations Council on Trade and Development, the Uruguay Round Agreement on Rules of Origin was the first binding multilateral agreement on the subject. This agreement relates to non-preferential rules of origin. It imposes some discipline on these rules in terms of their transparency and consistency of application, and it clarifies the objective of the harmonization of the rules for all non-preferential policy instruments. Negotiations under the joint auspices of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the World Customs Organization (WCO) were not concluded by the July 20,1998, deadline and are still ongoing. Preferential rules of origin are covered by a non-binding common declaration with regard to such rules; this declaration was annexed to the WTO agreement. Preferential rules are not subject to the agreement’s harmonization objective. Consequently countries are free to determine which rules of origin will be applied to both preferential and non-preferential trade.

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