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Trade and Industry Department The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
Brand Hong Kong - Asia world city
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Harmonisation of Rules of Origin

The WTO Agreement on Rules of Origin (ARO) provides for the conduct of a three-year Harmonisation Work Programme (HWP) to draw up a set of harmonised rules of origin for all non-preferential commercial policy instruments.

Upon the implementation of the results of the HWP, WTO Members (including Hong Kong, China) shall ensure that they apply the harmonised rules of origin in accordance with the principles stipulated in the ARO.

Due to the complexity of the issues, the HWP could not be completed within its original timeframe of July 1998. Hong Kong, China will continue to participate actively in the ongoing negotiation at the WTO.