COMMON ISSUES

I

Tariff Elimination

1

Eliminate CEPT-AFTA tariffs on all identified products

Coordinating Committee on the Implementation of the CEPT Scheme for AFTA (CCCA)

ASEAN 6:  2007

CLMV:  2012

II

Non-Tariff Measures (NTMs)

2

Establish the Database of ASEAN NTMs to ensure transparency[1]

CCCA

30 June 2004

3

Establish clear criteria to identify measures that are classified as barriers to trade

30 June 2005

4

Establish a clear and definitive work programme for the removal of the barriers.

31 December 2005

5

Adopt the WTO Agreement on Import Licensing Procedures and develop implementation guidelines appropriate for ASEAN.

31 December 2004

III

Rules of Origin

6

Improve the CEPT Rules of Origin by:

Task Force on CEPT Rules of Origin (ROO-TF)

31 December 2004

-          making it more transparent, predictable and standardised taking into account the best practices of other Regional Trade Agreements including the rules of origin of the WTO; and

-          adopting substantial transformation as alternative criteria for conferring origin status.

IV

Customs Procedures

7

Extend the application of the ASEAN Harmonised Tariff Nomenclature (AHTN) for extra-ASEAN trade.

Expert Committee on Customs Matters (ECCM)

on-going

8

Develop a simplified, improved and harmonised customs declaration form.

31 December 2005

9

Ensure full implementation of the Green Lane System for CEPT Products, or similar systems, at entry points of all Member States.

31 December 2004

10

Develop implementation guidelines, as appropriate, for Member States which are not members of the WTO to fulfill the obligations of the WTO Agreement on Customs Valuation

31 December 2004

11

Adopt service commitment (client charter) by ASEAN customs authorities.

31 December 2004

12

Develop the Single Window approach, including the electronic processing of trade documents at national and regional levels

Inter-Agency Task Force on Single Window

31 December 2005

V

Standards and Conformance

13

Accelerate the implementation/ development of sectoral Mutual Recognition Arrangements (MRAs), as appropriate

ASEAN Consultative Committee on Standards and Quality (ACCSQ)

beginning 1 January 2005

14

Encourage domestic regulators to recognise test reports issued by testing laboratories which are already accredited by National Accreditation Bodies in ASEAN that are signatories to ILAC and APLAC MRA

on-going

15

Set clear targets and schedules for harmonisation of standards, wherever required; where international standards are not available, and when requested by industry, align national standards among Member States.

31 December 2005

16

Harmonise and/or develop, wherever appropriate, technical regulations for national application.

31 December 2010

17

Ensure compliance with the requirements, rights and obligations of WTO Agreements on Technical Barriers to Trade and the Application of Sanitary and Phyto-Sanitary Measures

on-going

18

Explore development of ASEAN policy on standards and conformance to further facilitate the realisation of the ASEAN Economic Community.

beginning 2005

VI

Logistics Services

19

Expedite the development of integrated transport logistics services within ASEAN through:

Senior Transport Officials Meeting (STOM)

beginning 2005

-          Promotion of efficient door-to-door cargo transport and cross-border transport facilitation through the expeditious implementation of the ASEAN Framework Agreement on the Facilitation of Goods in Transit, and the ASEAN Framework Agreement on Multimodal Transport;

-          Improvement of land transport network infrastructures and services to achieve better inter-connectivity, inter-operability and inter-modality with the national, regional and international maritime and air transport gateways;

-          Strengthening intra-ASEAN maritime and shipping transport services; and

-          Establishment of enabling and conducive policy environment for increased private sector involvement and/or public-private partnerships in the development of transport infrastructure and the provision and operation of transport logistics facilities and services.

VII

Outsourcing and Industrial Complementation

20

Identify and develop specialisation of production processes, research and development (R&D), and testing facilities based on comparative advantages of individual Member States

Working Group on Industrial Cooperation (WGIC), with inputs from the private sector

on-going

21

Develop guidelines to promote outsourcing arrangements among Member States, as applicable.

VIII

ASEAN Integration System of Preferences

22

Endeavour to expand the coverage of the ASEAN Integration System of Preferences (AISP) Scheme by including products in the priority integration sectors

CCCA

on-going

IX

Investments

23

Accelerate the opening up of sectors currently in the Sensitive List (SL) by transferring these sectors into the Temporary Exclusion List (TEL) under the Framework Agreement on the ASEAN Investment Area, using the ASEAN-X formula.

Coordinating Committee on Investment (CCI)

beginning 2004

24

Reduce restrictive investment measures in the SL

beginning 2004

25

Complete the progressive elimination of restrictive investment measures in the TEL

on-going[2]

26

Identify programmes and activities to promote investments in ASEAN

31 December 2005

27

Promote manufacturing processes across different ASEAN countries to take advantage of their comparative strengths through:

-          the establishment of a network of ASEAN free trade zones to facilitate outsourcing activities

beginning 2005

-          undertaking more efficient joint ASEAN facilitation and promotion measures to promote FDI

on-going

28

Promote and facilitate joint/cross border investments in manufacturing activities through:

on-going

-          special incentives, where appropriate, to be given by CLMV for investments from ASEAN

-          special measures, where appropriate to be given by ASEAN 6 to promote and facilitate relocation of investment to CLMV countries especially for labour intensive manufacturing activities

X

Trade and Investment Promotion

29

Intensify intra- and extra ASEAN joint promotion efforts regularly

CCI; ASEAN Chambers of Commerce and Industry (ASEAN-CCI); and relevant Industry Clubs/ Associations

on-going

beginning 2005

30

Organise regular private sector initiatives to undertake:

CCI;

ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ASEAN-BAC);

and ASEAN-CCI

on-going

beginning 2005

-          more efficient joint ASEAN facilitation and promotion measures to promote FDI ASEAN selling-buying missions; and

-          promotional activities to assist CLMV countries

31

Undertake more effective joint ASEAN facilitation in promotion measures and develop new sources of inward foreign direct investments, particularly from potential countries such as the People’s Republic of China, India and the Republic of Korea

on-going

XI

Intra-ASEAN Trade and Investment Statistics

32

Establish an effective system to monitor intra-ASEAN trade and investment through:

Working Group on Statistics; Working Group on Foreign Direct Investment Statistics; and CCCA

on-going

-          provision of updates to the ASEAN Secretariat of the latest trade (goods and services) and investment statistics

-          preparation of consolidated industry profile, by the respective associations, which among other matters, cover information such as production capacity and product range

XII

Intellectual Property Rights

33

Expand the scope of ASEAN intellectual property rights cooperation beyond trademarks and patents by including cooperation in copyrights information exchange and enforcement

ASEAN Working Group on Intellectual Property Cooperation (AWGIPC)

31 December 2004

XIII

Movement of Business Persons, Skilled Labour, Talents and Professionals

34

Develop an ASEAN Agreement to facilitate the movement of business persons, including the adoption of an ASEAN Travel Card, taking into account Member States’ domestic laws and regulations.

Directors-General of Immigration Departments and Heads of Consular Affairs Division of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs (DGICM)

31 December 2005

35

Develop an ASEAN Agreement to facilitate the movement of experts, professionals, skilled labor and talents, taking into account Member States’ domestic laws and regulations

Coordinating Committee on Services (CCS)

31 December 2005

36

Accelerate completion of MRAs to facilitate free movement of experts, professionals, skilled labor and talents in ASEAN, taking into account Member States’ domestic laws and regulations

31 December 2008

XIV

Facilitation of Travel in ASEAN

37

Harmonise procedures for the issuance of visas to international travelers

DGICM

31 December 2004

38

Provide visa exemption for intra-ASEAN travel by ASEAN nationals

2005

XV

Human Resource Development

39

Develop and upgrade skills and capacity building through joint trainings and workshops.

Senior Labour Officials Meeting (SLOM)

on-going

SPECIFIC ISSUES

XVI

Enhancing Cooperation in Timber Products

40

Develop cooperation programme among authorities dealing with certification of timber/ wood-based products to ensure the sustainability and legality of the origin of such products;

Working Group on Wood-based Products Integration and ASEAN Senior Officials on Forestry (ASOF)

2005

41

Develop cooperation programme among relevant authorities to combat illegal trade in forest products, including endangered species of flora and fauna, and exchange of relevant information on wood import as allowed by law, on the basis of mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit, and in all levels, to ensure the sustainability of forest resources.

ASEAN Customs DG and Working Group on Wood-based Products Integration

ASOF

on-going

42

Increase the awareness by disseminating information to all stakeholders on the legal and environmental consequences which forest destruction poses to our future environmental, economic and social well-being.

ASOF and ASEAN Senior Officials on the Environment (ASOEN)

beginning 2005

XVII

Joint Marketing and Image-Building

43

Launch ASEAN public relation campaign to counter negative publicity on tropical hardwood products;

ASOF

beginning 2005

44

Invite more advanced countries to provide assistance to ASEAN Member Countries, e.g. on the proposed EU action plan on Forest Law Enforcement,  Governance and Trade (FLEGT);

ASOF

beginning 2005

45

Showcase ASEAN wood products to the world markets;

ASEAN Business Advisory Council and ASEAN Chamber of Commerce and Industry

beginning 2005

46

Undertake joint approaches in the promotion and development of products markets for timber and timber products.

ASOF

beginning 2005

XVIII

Investment on Forest Plantation and Wood–Based Industry

47

Promote and facilitate joint investment

SOM-AMAF Joint Committee on ASEAN Cooperation and Joint Approaches in Agriculture and Forest Products Promotion Scheme

beginning 2005

48

Encourage the use of raw materials from timber plantations for investments in the wood processing industry

49

Endeavor to create an environment including regular dialogues and visits among ASEAN business people for the promotion of trade and investment

XIX

Human Resources Development

50

Cooperate to develop and upgrade skills in design, wood processing and furniture manufacturing through joint training and workshops.

ASOF

beginning 2005