ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement (ATIGA)
Note on the Meeting of 8 april 2024
Chair:
Ambassador H.E. Ms. Clare KELLY (New Zealand)
1.1. The 109th Session of the Committee on Regional Trade
Agreements (hereinafter "CRTA" or the "Committee") was
convened in Airgram _WTO/AIR/RTA/34/Rev.1 dated 28 March 2024.
1.2. Under Agenda Item 8.1, the CRTA considered the Agreement
establishing an ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement
(ATIGA), (hereinafter "the Agreement"). The Chair
stated that the Factual Presentation had been prepared by the Secretariat on
its own responsibility in full consultation with the Parties, in accordance
with paragraph 7(b) of the Transparency Mechanism for Regional Trade Agreements
(document _WT/L/671).
1.3. The Agreement, which superseded earlier ASEAN agreements and built upon
the Common Effective Preferential Tariff Agreement, had entered into force on 17
May 2010. It had been notified to the WTO by the Parties on 31 August 2021 under Articles XXIV:7(a) of the GATT 1994 as "providing the
legal framework for ASEAN to realise free flow of goods in the region" (document _WT/REG457/N/1).
A notification of changes concerning rules of origin followed (document _WT/REG457/N/1/Add.1). In September 2021, the
Parties circulated a "Summary Fact Sheet" on the Agreement. The text
of the Agreement, together with its Annexes, was available on the Parties'
official websites and in the WTO RTA database. The Factual Presentation, document _WT/REG457/2, and questions and replies,
documents _WT/REG457/3 and _RD/RTA/63, had been distributed.
1.4. The representative of the Lao PDR, on behalf of the Parties, extended
sincere appreciation to the WTO Secretariat for the preparation of a
comprehensive factual presentation on the Agreement. The Agreement had evolved
from ASEAN's earlier trade agreements. The Common Effective Preferential Tariff
Scheme (CEPT), signed in 1992, had been the direct predecessor of the Agreement,
which had entered into force in 2010. The Agreement built on the CEPT's
objectives of establishing ASEAN as a single market and production base
characterised by the free flow of goods, services, investment, skilled labour,
and capital. It provided comprehensive trade measures – such as tariff
liberalisation, rules of origin, non-tariff measures, trade facilitation, and
customs procedures in order to enhance economic cooperation among the Parties.
The Agreement's significant outcome had been the reduction of intra-ASEAN trade
tariff to zero for almost all types of goods. To date, more than 98% of all
tariff lines had zero rates.
1.5. The Agreement also instituted a variety of trade facilitative
measures. The ASEAN Single Window, for example, enabled seamless electronic
exchange of trade documents, such as Certificates of Origin and Customs Declarations,
for all ten Parties. Another example was the ASEAN Trade Repository, which
served as a single information source on tariffs, regulations, and
administrative procedures. These measures had contributed to ASEAN trade
growth. Between 2010 and 2022, intra-ASEAN trade had increased from
approximately USD 500 billion to USD 850 billion in 2022, making up about 22% of
its total trade. ASEAN's share of world trade had continuously increased from
around 6% in 2010 to 7.6% in 2022, indicating the region's trade strength and
reflecting the outward-looking nature of ASEAN integration. The Agreement stood
as a cornerstone of ASEAN's economic integration efforts, fostering
intra-regional trade, enhancing competitiveness, and driving economic growth
within the region.
1.6. In conclusion, the Parties thanked WTO Members for their keen
interest in the Agreement. They acknowledged written questions from some
Members and anticipated that they would be able to circulate the answers from
the ASEAN Secretariat soon. They looked forward to a productive meeting while
welcoming any further comments and questions from Members.
1.7. The representative of the United States thanked the Parties
for the notification.
1.8. The representative of the European Union also thanked Lao PDR
for the presentation on the Agreement and wished the Parties success in its implementation.
1.9. The Chair noted the
consideration of the goods aspects of the ASEAN Trade
in Goods Agreement (ATIGA), had allowed the Committee to clarify a number of
questions and conclude oral discussion of the RTA in accordance with paragraph
11 of the Transparency Mechanism. Any delegations wishing to ask follow-up
questions were invited to forward submissions in writing to the Secretariat by
15 April 2024 and the Parties were asked to submit replies in writing by
no later than 29 April 2024. In accordance with paragraph 13 of the
Transparency Mechanism all written submissions, as well as minutes of the
meeting would be circulated promptly, in all WTO official languages, and made available
in the WTO database on RTAs.
1.10. The Committee took note of the comments made.
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