Government inviting views on non-agricultural market access negotiations in the WTO
The Government is inviting views from the public on Hong Kong, China's position on non-agricultural market access (NAMA) negotiations under the Doha Development Agenda of the World Trade Organization (WTO).
Through multilateral negotiations, the WTO aims at reaching legally enforceable agreements on global trade liberalisation. It currently comprises 144 Members.Liberalisation measures undertaken will be applicable to all WTO Members (i.e. most-favoured-nation treatment).
The WTO is embarking on a new round of negotiations. For trade in goods, Members will engage in negotiations to reduce or as appropriate eliminate tariffs and non-tariff barriers Members are expected to first decide the modalities for such negotiations by mid-2003 and commence negotiations afterwards with a view to concluding them before 2005.
In order that the Government can better assess the interests of our business community and formulate our position in the negotiations accordingly, we are seeking views regarding any non-agricultural products/sectors where our traders have encountered significant tariff and/or non-tariff barriers in overseas markets, or positive undertakings that traders consider beneficial to their trade. It is most useful if returns could identify specific country and specific products/sectors (preferably with details at six-digit level under the Harmonised System nomenclature).In addition, for non-tariff barriers, the specific measures (i.e. foreign laws, regulations or requirements) should be pinpointed in the returns.Comment on the general strategy the Government may adopt in the negotiations will also be appreciated. Please click here for some background information on NAMA negotiations.
Since the Government is pursuing bilateral trade liberalisation with the Mainland and New Zealand under separate channels, we therefore do not intend to duplicate the process by initiating NAMA negotiations with these two trading partners in the WTO.
Any views from the public may be addressed to the Regional Cooperation Division of the Trade and Industry Department at 17/F, Trade and Industry Department Tower, 700 Nathan Road, Kowloon, or via fax (2787 7799) or e-mail (rcregistry@tid.gov.hk), by 15 August 2002.Interested parties may contact Miss Jenny Yip at 2398 5305 or Mr Arthur Char at 2398 5535 for further information.
Trade and Industry Department
The Government of the HKSAR
July 2002