FACTUAL PRESENTATION
FREE TRADE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA AND ISRAEL
(GOODS AND SERVICES)
Report by
the Secretariat
This report, prepared for the consideration of the Free
Trade Agreement between the Republic of Korea
and Israel, 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 Denby Probst (tel: + 41 22 739 5847). Any
statistical questions arising from this report may be addressed to Rowena Cabos (tel: +41 22 739 5185).
Table of Contents
EXECUTIVE
SUMMARY.................................................................................................. 4
1 TRADE ENVIRONMENT.......................................................................................... 5
1.1
Merchandise trade.................................................................................................. 5
1.2
Trade in services and investment............................................................................ 6
2 CHARACTERISTIC ELEMENTS OF THE AGREEMENT............................................. 9
2.1
Background information.......................................................................................... 9
3 PROVISIONS ON TRADE IN GOODS..................................................................... 9
3.1
Import duties and charges, and quantitative restrictions.......................................... 9
3.1.1
General provisions............................................................................................... 9
3.1.2
Liberalization of trade and tariff lines.................................................................. 10
3.1.3
Liberalization schedule....................................................................................... 10
3.1.3.1
Republic of Korea............................................................................................ 10
3.1.3.2
Israel.............................................................................................................. 13
3.1.4
Tariff rate quotas............................................................................................... 15
3.2
Rules of origin....................................................................................................... 15
3.3
Export duties and charges, and quantitative restrictions........................................ 16
3.4
Regulatory provisions on trade in goods................................................................ 17
3.4.1
Standards.......................................................................................................... 17
3.4.1.1
Sanitary and phytosanitary measures.............................................................. 17
3.4.1.2
Technical barriers to trade.............................................................................. 17
3.4.2
Safeguard mechanisms...................................................................................... 17
3.4.2.1
Global safeguards........................................................................................... 17
3.4.2.2
Bilateral safeguards........................................................................................ 17
3.4.3
Anti-dumping and countervailing measures........................................................ 18
3.4.4
Subsidies and state-aid...................................................................................... 18
3.4.5
Customs-related procedures and trade facilitation.............................................. 18
3.4.6
Other regulations............................................................................................... 18
4 PROVISIONS ON TRADE IN SERVICES AND
INVESTMENT............................... 19
4.1
Scope and definitions............................................................................................ 19
4.2
Denial of benefits.................................................................................................. 19
4.3
General provisions on trade in services................................................................. 19
4.3.1
Market access.................................................................................................... 19
4.3.2
National treatment and MFN............................................................................... 19
4.3.3
Commercial presence......................................................................................... 20
4.3.4
Performance requirements................................................................................. 20
4.3.5
Senior management and boards of directors....................................................... 20
4.3.6
Movement of natural persons............................................................................. 20
4.3.6.1
Republic of Korea............................................................................................ 21
4.3.6.2
Israel.............................................................................................................. 21
4.4
Liberalization commitments................................................................................... 21
4.4.1
Republic of Korea............................................................................................... 21
4.4.1.1
MFN and horizontal commitments................................................................... 22
4.4.1.2
Sector specific commitments on trade in services............................................ 22
4.4.2
Israel................................................................................................................. 24
4.4.2.1
MFN and horizontal Commitments................................................................... 24
4.4.2.2
Sector specific commitments on trade in services............................................ 24
4.5
Regulatory provisions............................................................................................ 27
4.5.1
Domestic regulation........................................................................................... 27
4.5.2
Recognition........................................................................................................ 27
4.5.3
Subsidies........................................................................................................... 27
4.5.4
Safeguards........................................................................................................ 27
4.5.5
Other................................................................................................................. 27
4.5.5.1
Transparency.................................................................................................. 27
4.5.5.2
Other investment provisions........................................................................... 27
4.6
Sector specific provisions on trade in services....................................................... 28
4.6.1
Telecommunications.......................................................................................... 28
5 GENERAL PROVISIONS OF THE AGREEMENT.................................................... 28
5.1
Transparency........................................................................................................ 28
5.2
Exceptions............................................................................................................ 28
5.3
Current payments and capital movements............................................................. 29
5.4
Accession and withdrawal..................................................................................... 29
5.5
Institutional framework......................................................................................... 29
5.6
Dispute settlement................................................................................................ 29
5.7
Relationship with other agreements concluded by the parties................................ 29
5.8
Government procurement..................................................................................... 31
5.9
Intellectual property rights.................................................................................... 31
5.10
Competition........................................................................................................ 31
5.11
Environment....................................................................................................... 32
5.12
Labour................................................................................................................ 32
5.13
Electronic commerce........................................................................................... 32
5.14
Small and medium-sized enterprises................................................................... 32
5.15
Other.................................................................................................................. 33
5.15.1
Technological Cooperation................................................................................ 33
ANNEX 1...................................................................................................................... 34