WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATION
WT/L/664
4 December 2006
(06-5786)
General Council
14-15 December 2006
Original: English
CANADA - TARIFF TREATMENT FOR COMMONWEALTH
CARIBBEAN COUNTRIES
2006 Report of the Government of Canada on the Trade-Related Provisions
of CARIBCAN
The following communication, dated 27 November 2006, is being circulated at the request of
the Delegation of Canada.
_______________
Introduction
CARIBCAN is an economic and trade development assistance program for the
Commonwealth Caribbean countries and territories established as a result of a commitment by Canada
at the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Nassau in October 1985.
The objectives of CARIBCAN are to enhance Commonwealth Caribbean trade and export
earnings, improve the trade and economic development prospects of the region, promote new
investment opportunities, and encourage enhanced economic integration and co-operation. The main
feature of CARIBCAN is the unilateral extension by Canada, beginning on 15 June 1986, of duty-free
access to the Canadian market for most commodities originating in Commonwealth Caribbean
countries.
On 28 November 1986, a decision by the Contracting Parties to the General Agreement on
Tariffs and Trade (GATT) waived until 15 June 1998, the provisions of paragraph 1 of Article 1 of the
General Agreement, "only to the extent necessary to permit the Government of Canada to provide
duty-free treatment to eligible imports of Commonwealth Caribbean countries benefiting from the
provisions of CARIBCAN, without being required to extend the same duty-free treatment to like
products of any other contracting party" (L/6102). On 14 October 1996, the WTO extended the
CARIBCAN waiver until 31 December 2006. (WT/L/185). The conditions associated with the
CARIBCAN waiver remain unchanged.
This report is being made in accordance with paragraph 3 of the WTO waiver of
14 October 1996 and Article IX of the WTO Agreement.
Country Coverage
The Customs Tariff lists 18 countries or dependent territories which are eligible to receive the
duty-free benefits accorded under CARIBCAN: Anguilla, Antigua-Barbuda, The Bahamas,
Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Dominica, Grenada,
Guyana, Jamaica, Montserrat, St. Christopher (St. Kitts) and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the
Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, and the Turks and Caicos Islands. No additions or deletions from
this list have occurred since CARIBCAN was enacted on 15 June 1986.
WT/L/664
Page 2
Product Coverage
There have been no amendments to CARIBCAN product coverage since the changes made in
February 1998.
Today, product exclusions from the duty-free provisions of CARIBCAN are:
-
Goods of HS Chapters 50 to 65 inclusive;
Goods covered by tariff items with “over access commitment” rates of duty
established in the “tariffication” process.
Rules of Origin
The rules of origin for the purposes of the Commonwealth Caribbean Countries Tariff
(CCCT) treatment are set out in regulations enacted pursuant to Section 24 of the Customs Tariff.
To qualify for the duty-free treatment accorded to Commonwealth Caribbean countries, at
least 60 per cent of the ex-factory price of the goods as packed for shipment to Canada must originate
in one or more beneficiary countries or Canada. The 60 per cent qualifying content may be cumulated
from various CARIBCAN beneficiary countries or Canada. The goods must be finished in the
beneficiary country in the form in which they are imported into Canada. Pursuant to the Proof of
Origin Regulations, either a duly completed Certificate of Origin, Form A, or a written statement of
origin signed by the exporter, must be presented to Customs at the time of release, accounting or
refund.
Trade under CARIBCAN
Canada-CARIBCAN trade statistics are annexed in a series of tables to this report and include
2005 trade data. In general, these trade statistics indicate that:
-
In 2005, Can$869.4 million or 98 per cent of total Canadian imports from
CARIBCAN beneficiaries entered Canada free of duty. As shown in Annex III,
Can$746.7 million of this trade entered under MFN free rates while Can$5.7 million
entered duty-free under General Preferential Tariff (GPT). Can$116.9 million of this
trade entered under the preferential CARIBCAN tariff (CCCT). Annex IV shows the
top 25 commodity imports benefiting from the CARIBCAN preference.
-
Total Canada-CARIBCAN trade (exports plus imports) has grown from Can$776.5
million in 1995 to Can$1.5 billion in 2005. The value of Canadian imports from the
region has risen from Can$448 million in 1995 to Can$890.6 million in 2005. The
value of Canadian exports to CARIBCAN countries has risen from Can$329 million
in 1995 to Can$571 million in 2005.
WT/L/664
Page 3
Statistical Annexes:
Annex I:
Total Imports form CARIBCAN Beneficiaries 1995 - 2005
Annex II:
Total Canadian exports to CARIBCAN Beneficiaries 1995 - 2005
Annex III:
2005 Imports from CARIBCAN Beneficiaries by Tariff Treatment
Annex IV:
Top 25 Merchandise Imports from CARIBCAN Beneficiaries which entered
Canada under the CARIBCAN Duty-Free Tariff Treatment (CCCT) in 2005
(thousands of Canadian dollars)
Country
1995
Anguilla
Antigua - Barbuda
389
Bahamas
16,715
Barbados
16,990
Belize
11,688
Bermuda
4,173
British Virgin Islands
91
Cayman Islands
638
Dominica
2,381
Grenada
639
Guyana
171,208
Jamaica
199,952
Montserrat
18
St. Lucia
1,222
St. Christopher (Kitts)
and Nevis
2,937
St. Vincent and the
Grenadines
183
Trinidad & Tobago
18,469
Turks & Caicos Islands
17
Total:
447,890
Annex I
1996
11
1,857
23,432
15,703
7,953
2,317
1,299
1,968
1,180
559
204,033
239,135
203
1,602
1997
41
1,256
8,056
13,736
12,737
3,751
199
624
1,390
1,112
203,375
257,507
341
1,287
1998
7
2,698
22,002
11,722
8,263
7,602
615
1,070
1,910
1,067
203,107
256,384
28
1,595
1999
8
402
25,959
10,652
14,027
19,689
614
654
1,642
1,602
192,020
201,074
248
580
2000
9
10,380
14,003
7,375
9,868
17,614
1,376
522
1,698
1,523
197,800
197,727
94
1,413
2001
10
340
13,785
9,118
3,739
2,369
1,324
27,571
775
1,037
209,474
324,783
113
237
2002
13
954
16,941
7,543
6,381
3,803
501
3,818
944
1,476
225,368
270,927
267
411
2003
8
748
48,149
6,282
4,501
1,655
1,146
2,242
358
1,082
201,099
264,871
453
266
2004
27
579
55,652
8,508
8,325
12,511
1,785
1,108
313
1,259
197,704
346,608
238
366
2005
145
558
56,816
7,368
9,651
17,738
2,699
441
775
944
147,206
393,028
104
512
2,958
4,426
4,494
5,120
4,399
6,121
7,458
8,722
8,185
7,868
138
46,599
93
551,046
137
26,215
338
536,630
200
34,157
686
557,608
152
73,688
1,823
549,954
404
72,327
1,647
540,178
310
195,141
1,007
797,254
619
166,704
2,347
716,475
124
232,921
7,980
782,607
123
156,281
6,871
806,443
125
237,073
7,525
890,576
Source: Statistics Canada.
Notes: A dash (-) indicates that an amount is nil or negligible.
WT/
Page
Total Canadian Imports from CARIBCAN Beneficiaries 1995 – 2005
Total Canadian Exports to CARIBCAN Beneficiaries 1995-2005
(thousands of Canadian dollars)
Country
1995
Anguilla
548
Antigua - Barbuda
6,160
Bahamas
15,231
Barbados
31,554
Belize
4,232
Bermuda
34,302
British Virgin Islands
1,381
Cayman Islands
11,490
Dominica
1,891
Grenada
3,789
Guyana
8,144
Jamaica
96,645
Montserrat
128
St. Lucia
12,521
St. Christopher (Kitts)
and Nevis
2,498
St. Vincent and the
2,815
Grenadines
Trinidad & Tobago
94,658
Turks & Caicos Islands
654
Total:
328,641
Annex II
1996
588
28,133
19,292
35,872
2,586
33,453
898
7,281
2,238
4,649
11,171
90,784
185
5,426
1997
881
9,384
21,610
37,193
9,847
39,177
3,417
1,369
1,840
3,321
10,671
86,937
149
8,729
1998
1,007
8,492
24,513
36,396
3,760
40,165
2,628
12,266
3,236
4,901
9,968
98,032
81
11,493
1999
673
11,402
26,301
41,087
3,332
42,973
28,743
8,127
5,560
4,839
14,655
96,699
83
12,524
2000
651
10,727
26,018
33,783
2,598
34,540
60,187
8,286
4,436
4,023
8,073
99,815
289
9,683
2001
2,802
10,434
27,706
29,104
3,505
34,715
2,240
63,858
2,671
3,142
8,068
121,933
214
7,375
2002
1,301
7,970
33,245
33,629
5,079
107,599
2,167
6,807
2,614
4,450
10,373
158,212
291
7,804
2003
802
17,273
28,883
41,979
5,271
42,945
2,129
7,671
7,668
5,868
9,536
124,650
300
7,423
2004
1,215
15,534
30,392
44,769
5,425
59,301
2,637
10,738
4,967
6,056
10,603
163,755
434
8,059
2005
1,559
14,968
59,949
55,729
6,347
66,405
2,786
22,374
4,585
6,956
15,330
144,312
510
7,020
2,560
3,116
2,011
4,063
5,675
3,676
10,646
4,633
9,633
4,906
16,147
3,941
27,036
12,059
3,982
5,380
83,913
514
332,667
102,544
537
343,680
129,703
1,379
397,371
161,936
2,357
476,570
110,822
2,341
430,811
156,222
2,366
496,443
3,743
136,808
2,933
552,061
5,874
125,507
10,372
456,210
5,130
121,475
7,182
501,654
6,978
141,525
8,258
570,971
Source: Statistics Canada.
Notes: A dash (-) indicates that an amount is nil or negligible. Includes Canadian domestic exports only.
WT/L/664
Page
WT/L/664
Page 6
Annex III(i)
Duty Free 2005 Imports from CARIBCAN Beneficiaries by Tariff Treatment
(in Canadian dollars)
Country
Anguilla
Antigua and
Barbuda
Bahamas
Barbados
Belize
Bermuda
Br. Virgin Is.
Cayman Islands
Dominica
Grenada
Guyana
Jamaica
Montserrat
St. Christopher
(Kitts) and Nevis
Saint Lucia
Saint Vincent/Gren.
Trinidad and
Tobago
Turks/Caicos Is.
Total
Total
Imports
MFN Free
144,775
115,383
557,918
56,816,109
7,367,727
9,651,248
17,738,257
2,698,459
441,259
774,520
943,959
147,206,217
393,028,412
103,902
477,403
52,361,654
2,163,519
8,860,357
17,352,460
2,332,037
382,836
522,691
401,225
141,360,391
370,301,535
66,862
7,868,091
512,059
124,853
237,073,012
7,525,349
890,576,126
GPT
Free
Caribcan
(CCCT)
Free
-
Total Free
Total Free as
% of Total
Imports
80
87
-
115,383
82,868
2,270
267,592
1,632,475
207,874
-
6,297
3,653,708
1,729,417
84,875
5,590
27,234
170,382
3,126,581
13,707,681
-
483,700
56,015,362
7,159,864
8,960,955
17,358,050
2,414,905
382,836
552,195
839,199
146,119,449
384,217,113
66,862
99
97
93
98
89
87
71
89
99
98
64
1,799,752
360,859
124,492
140,843,361
1,803
1,786
266,989
5,642
73,229
94,111,701
1,807,197
435,874
124,492
235,222,051
23
85
100
99
6,918,333
746,745,150
5,746,308
231,555
116,933,892
7,149,888
869,425,375
95
98
3,266,928
15,723
Source: Statistic Canada.
Notes: A dash (-) indicates that an amount is nil or negligible.
WT/L/664
Page 7
Annex III(ii)
Dutiable 2005 imports from CARIBCAN Beneficiaries by Tariff Treatment
(in Canadian dollars)
Country
Anguilla
Antigua and Barbuda
Bahamas
Barbados
Belize
Bermuda
Br. Virgin Is.
Cayman Islands
Dominica
Grenada
Guyana
Jamaica
Montserrat
St. Christopher (Kitts)
and Nevis
Saint Lucia
Saint Vincent/Gren.
Trinidad and Tobago
Turks/Caicos Is.
Total
Total
Imports
MFN
Dutiable
GPT
Dutiable
Caribcan
Dutiable
144,775
557,918
56,816,109
7,367,727
9,651,248
17,738,257
2,698,459
441,259
774,520
943,959
147,206,217
393,028,412
103,902
29,392
74,218
800,747
205,866
690,293
380,207
259,874
58,423
222,325
104,760
1,009,417
8,724,705
37,040
23,680
71,604
64,797
-
1,997
5,747
21,797
-
29,392
74,218
800,747
207,863
690,293
380,207
283,554
58,423
222,325
104,760
1,086,768
8,811,299
37,040
Total Dutiable
as % of Total
Imports
20
13
1
3
7
2
11
13
29
11
1
2
36
7,868,091
512,059
124,853
237,073,012
7,525,349
890,576,126
6,060,894
76,185
361
1,719,149
375,461
20,829,317
65,775
225,856
66,037
95,578
6,060,894
76,185
361
1,850,961
375,461
21,150,751
77
15
0
1
5
2
Source: Statistic Canada.
Notes: A dash (-) indicates that an amount is nil or negligible.
Total
Dutiable
WT/L/664
Page 8
Annex IV
Top 25 Merchandise Imports from CARIBCAN Beneficiaries which entered Canada Under CARIBCAN
Duty-Free Tariff Treatment in 2005
(in Canadian Dollars)
HS
Tariff
29051100
72031000
22084010
03061100
22071010
22021000
20089930
07149090
21039020
19059049
85369091
20059090
21039090
19053192
09109990
22087000
19053191
08129010
73269090
19059043
22029090
17049090
20079990
04063010
07142000
Description
Methanol (methyl alcohol)
Ferrous products obtained by direct reduction of iron ore
Rum
Rock lobster and other sea crawfish (Palinurus spp., Panulirus spp., Jasus
spp.)
Undenatured, ethyl alcohol of an alcoholic strength by volume of 80% vol or
higher, for use as a spirituous or alcoholic beverage or for use in the
manufacture of spirituous or alcoholic beverages
Waters, including mineral waters and aerated waters, containing added sugar
or other sweetening matter or flavoured
Akalas, akees, anchovy pears, apple-pears, avocados, bananas, banana chips
(thin banana slices fried or otherwise prepared whether or not salted,
sweetened or otherwise flavoured), bread fruit, carambolas, chayotes,
cherimoyas (Jamaica apples)….
Other [Arrowroot, salep, Jerusalem artichokes and similar roots and tubers
with high starch or inulin content, fresh, chilled or dried, whether or not
sliced or in the form of pellets; sago pith]
Mixed condiments and mixed seasonings
Other biscuits [Containing less than 25% by weight of wheat]
Other: Junction boxes; Receptacle boxes of metal
Other [Other vegetables and mixtures of vegetables]
Other [Sauces and preparations]
Other: Wafers and frozen waffles containing 25% or more by weight of
wheat, in packages of a weight not exceeding 454 g each, and sweet biscuits
containing 25% or more by weight of wheat, in packages of a weight not
exceeding 1.36 kg each, over access....
Other spices
Liqueurs and cordials
Sweet biscuits: containing 25% or more by weight of wheat, within access
commitment
Akalas, akees, anchovy pears, apple-pears, avocados, bananas, bread fruit,
carambolas, chayotes, cherimoyas (Jamaica apples)….
Other [Other articles of iron or steel]
Other biscuits: Containing 25% or more by weight of wheat, in packages of a
weight not exceeding 1.36 kg each, over access commitment
Other [non-alcoholic beverages, not including fruit or vegetable juices of
heading 20.09]
Other [Sugar confectionery (including white chocolate), not containing
cocoa, not including chewing gum, whether or not sugar-coated]
Other [nut puréee and nut pastes; berry purée, other fruit purée other jams,
jellies…]
Within access commitment [Process cheese, not grated or powdered]
Sweet potatoes
Source: Statistics Canada import data.
__________
Imports under
CARIBCAN
Treatment
(CCCT)
77,027,793
14,794,586
9,962,298
3,885,263
2,365,913
766,983
743,331
712,331
695,522
465,702
445,951
373,854
373,641
345,363
279,274
226,939
186,887
185,506
179,550
175,062
168,469
143,316
127,661
127,630
127,094