Regional Trade Agreements in
the Pacific
Dr Chris Noonan, Chief Trade Adviser
Office of the Chief Trade Adviser for Forum Island Countries
Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, Regional Workshop on
Trade Policy for Pacific Parliamentarians, Aggie Greys Hotel, Apia,
Samoa, 3-4 June 2010
WTO and Regional Trading Arrangements
The WTO regulates the regional trading arrangements entered by
WTO Members
The rules will apply even if not all of the parties to a regional
trading arrangement are WTO Members
Key WTO provisions:
GATT Article XXIV – free trade areas and customs unions for goods
GATS Article V – economic integration agreements for services
Enabling Clause (GATT Contracting Parties Decision on
Differential and More Favourable Treatment, Reciprocity and Fuller
Participation of Development Countries, 20 November 1979) –
Generalized System of Preferences
Enabling Clause – trade in goods liberalisation among developing
countries
GATT Article XXIV
If a regional trade agreement does not meet the requirements of
Article XXIV, it will breach one of the fundamental principles of
the GATT – MFN treatment
The Pacific has pursued free trade agreements rather than
customs unions
Key requirement that tariffs and quotas are eliminated on
substantially all trade between the parties within a reasonable period
of time
Same rules apply to developed and developing countries
EU-ACP EPAs: 90 percent of trade, by volume and by tariff lines;
almost 100 percent by EU; at least 80 percent by ACP States
GATS Article V
Applies to trade in services (cross-border supply; foreign
investment; and temporary movement of people)
Substantial sectoral coverage required
Uncertain how many sectors must be covered – significant
commitments have been extracted from countries acceding to the
WTO
Simple counting of sectors and subsectors may not provide an
accurate view of the level of liberalisation – especially new
liberalisation
More flexibility may be possible when agreement part of a wider
economic integration arrangement and when some of the
participants are developing countries
Enabling Clause
Preferential tariffs for developing countries
Grantor unilaterally determines product coverage, level of
preference, rules of origin and procedures
Preferences may be conditional on respect for human rights,
environmental and labour standards, intellectual property, and so
forth
WTO Appellate Body EC – Conditions for Granting Tariff Preferences to
Developing Countries, 2003: treat like developing countries alike
Permissible conditions and when developing countries need not be
treated alike is uncertain
Graduation from developing country status determined by grantor
Special treatment for LDCs permitted
Hong Kong Ministerial Decision – duty free access
EU EBA (Everything But Arms); Australia and New Zealand
Economic Integration Initiatives involving
the Forum Island Countries
SPARTECA – South Pacific Regional Trade and Economic
Cooperation Agreement
PICTA – Pacific Island Countries Trade Agreement
PACER – Pacific Agreement on Closer Economic Relations
MSGTA – Melanesian Spearhead Group Trade Agreement
EPA – Economic Partnership Agreement between the EU and the
PACPS
PICTA TIS – Trade in Services (and Temporary Movement of
Natural Persons)
PACER Plus
PICTA
Free trade agreement among the FICs
Not all FICs are a party to PICTA
Reciprocal commitments to reduce and eventually eliminate tariffs
on most goods
Basic trade agreement that does not address services or any traderelated issues and has an undeveloped institutional structure
Relatively little trade takes place under PICTA
PICTA TIS
Currently under negotiation
Trade in services liberalisation – based on GATS model
Approach driven by GATS Article V and expectation that FICs
would at some point negotiate trade on services agreements with
developed countries
Several rounds of negotiations to develop a draft text and
commitments of FICs – the schedules of commitments are very
important
Included provisions on Temporary Movement of Natural Persons
– but not currently being pursued
Selected Indicators of Global Integration for Pacific
Countries (2007)
Country
Trade (%
GDP)
Foreign
Direct
Investment
(% GDP)
Tourism
Receipts (%
GDP)
Remittances
(% GDP)
Pacific
78.9
6.5
16.5
11.8
Developing
Countries
64.3
3.7
2.1
2
World
56..9
4
1.9
0.7
Trade as a percentage of GDP – US 23%; Japan 30%; Australia 37%; UK
39%; New Zealand 45%; Portugal 58%; Denmark 66%; Sweden 72%
Cf. Interim EPA “Promoting the gradual integration of the Pacific States into
the world economy” and PACER Article 2
ODA (%
GDP 2007)
Imports (%
GDP 2005)
Exports (%
GDP 2006)
Tourism (%
of exports
2005)
FDI inflow
(% GDP
2007)
Remittance
(% GDP
2007)
Trade Taxes
(%
government
revenue)
Fiji
2
67
49
44.8
8
5
26
Kiribati
20
70
6
-
-
9
20
Papua New
Guinea
5
55
83
0.1
2
0
7
Samoa
7
56
26
63.6
1
23
13
Solomon
Islands
46
59
36
4.8
11
5
24
Tonga
12
70
16
27
11
39
54
Vanuatu
11
55
44
58.8
8
1
37
Challenges for Intra-FIC Integration
Small widely dispersed populations with generally poor direct transport
links
Limited manufacturing capacity in most FICs – high level of subsistence
living
Limited demand for economic integration by most economic operators,
cf. some goods, possible benefits from trade in some services, some
demand for labour mobility
Stronger ties to developed countries – exports and imports, labour
mobility and remittances, development aid, cultural and sporting ties, etc
Inadequate financial, human and technical resources to negotiate –
especially for smaller FICs – uncertainty about detailed objectives in
negotiations
Challenges for Intra-FIC Integration (2)
Inadequate institutional basis – decision to incorporate PICTA goods and
services into one agreement together with better institutional procedures
not acted upon
Different views of developed country partners, e.g. the origin of of PICTA
and PACER
The ‘vision’ for the region – Pacific Island regional entity – perception of
outside world – influence on world stage – cf. CARICOM
PACER may displace PICTA – especially if little progress can be made in
PICTA TIS and TMNP – cf. MSGTA which has a stronger political
purpose
Benefits from regional cooperation may be greater from sharing resources
and building common institutions
PACER
Endorsed by Forum Leaders on 18 August 2001 – almost all
Forum Members have signed and ratified – controversial origins
The Parties wish to establish a framework for the gradual trade
and economic integration of the economies of the Forum
members in a way that is fully supportive of sustainable
development of the Forum Island Countries and to contribute to
their gradual and progressive integration into the international
economy. Article 2(1)
More specifically, to provide a framework for cooperation leading
over time to the development of a single regional market. Article
2(2)(a).
A single market includes trade in goods and services as well as
movement in capital and labour.
No trade liberalisation commitments, but obligations to enter into
negotiations on a trade agreement under certain circumstances – 8
years after PICTA enters into force (Article 5); commencing or
concluding free trade negotiations with third parties (Article 6) Part 2
Commitments to cooperate on trade facilitation and the provision
of assistance – PACER Part 3
2 May 2009 Fiji suspended from participating in Forum activities
and not invited to participate in PACER Plus meetings
Legal and practical questions about the exclusion of Fiji from
PACER Plus negotiations
Fiji requested consultation under PACER Article 15 and latter
suspended Part 2 of PACER
PACER Plus
Commencement of negotiations endorsed by Leaders in Cairns in
August 2009; formally commenced by Forum Trade Ministers in
October 2009
Ministers identified a number of priority subjects for negotiation
Fiji: Effectively views the current process as illegal
Australia: It is not linked to PACER

Role of guiding principles in PACER?
Not clear what issues will be included in PACER Plus or the shape
of the final package
First formal PACER Plus negotiation in April 2010
Forum Trade Ministers’ Meeting,
29 April 2010, Pohnpei
Workshop on ROO and customs procedures in late August in
Tonga
Second PACER Plus negotiating meeting in October in Solomon
Islands
Third PACER Plus negotiating meeting in 2010?
Air and sea transport, telecommunications, and water supply
infrastrcuture next items on the agenda
Echoing comments made by Ministers Homae and McCully at the
FTMM, Minister Crean has subsequently written of the need for
flexibility in the press
FIC-ANZ Negotiations
Significant economic interests for almost all FICs and ANZ in PACER
Plus

Cf. EPA where few FICs had significant economic interests in
concluding a traditional goods and services trade agreement
ANZ – greater knowledge of FIC economies; greater engagement with FIC
political actors; and greater commercial interests – compared to EU
Perception that ANZ will take PICTA and EPA liberalisation as a starting
point – then ask for more – sectors where they have a trade interest;
WTO positions; and/or ideological commitment to liberalisation
Failure to set many useful precedents with PACP EPA or PICTA TMNP
negotiations
FIC-ANZ Negotiations (2)
Limited analytical and negotiating capacity in most FICs

Establishment of the OCTA – precondition to PACER Plus

Difficulty of most FICs to effectively engage with two major trade
negotiations at a time

For some FICs negotiations will trigger further processes – e.g. with
the US under the Compacts of Free Association
Regional assistance is not sufficient – need national engagement with
process, consultations with national stakeholders, data collection and
analysis, etc.
While many FICs will often have common interests, there are important
differences in the relationship between each FIC and ANZ – difficult for
FICs to credible commit to negotiate as a region
FIC-ANZ Negotiations (3)
Key issues may be discussed outside of PACER Plus, e.g. competition,
intellectual property – crating an incentive for a forum-shifting strategies –
cf. comprehensive EPA
Economic ties and contact at Ministerial and Prime Ministerial levels –
difficulties of credibly committing to negotiate as a region – effective
developed country strategy
Need for a whole of government approach to negotiations – national level
action required
Establishment of the Office of the Chief
Trade Adviser
Pre-condition for PACER Plus negotiations commencing
Intended to provide FICs with independent advice and support;
representation in negotiations; coordination of negotiating positions; and
build negotiating capacity
Only started setting up OCTA; it is not established
Legal and organisational structure not finalised and role still contested
OCTA operating under an interim arrangement with PIFS intended to
permit contracts with donors and engage staff
Some funding from Australia and New Zealand, further funding
absolutely necessary, some funding from the European Development
Fund possible
Approaching PACER Plus
The perception among many in the FICs is that PACER Plus is
something that is being done to the FICs
ANZ are the demandeurs
Leaders have agreed to negotiate – the issue is not whether there
will be a PACER Plus negotiation but what will it look like –
minimise costs and maximise benefits
There are opportunities for the FICs
FICs need to shape the agenda if the FICs are to benefit
Recent talk by Ministers of need for flexibility
Priority Issues
Rules of origin (ROO)
Customs procedures
Sanitary and phytosanitary measures (SPS)
Technical barriers to trade (TBT)
Labour mobility
Development assistance
Shipping, aviation, telecommunications and water infrastructure
ROO
Need industry input
Reform SPARTECA – an early harvest?
Change of tariff heading favoured by Australia and New Zealand,
and previously favoured by FICs in EPA negotiations
Forward looking and easy to administer – should assist FIC
exporters
The dark side – hundreds of pages of product specific exceptions
Value added – alternative or additional rule
SPARTECA – 50% value added
Much lower levels would promote development in FICs
Cumulation becomes important
Customs Procedures
Australia has suggested an approach similar to that contained in
the ANZ-ASEAN FTA
NZ appears less convinced that all those rules should be adopted
by all FICs
Would benefit foreign exporters (and local consumers and
businesses)
Matching specific commitments to additional development
assistance
Assistance provided by several donors in this area
SPS and TBT
Australia has suggested an approach similar to that contained in
the ANZ-ASEAN FTA – would require all FICs to adopt WTO
rules
FICs are likely to want to resolve some product-specific issues
restricting exports into Australia and New Zealand – and a
practical method of resolve disputes
Development assistance may be requested to assist exporters meet
foreign standards, and to improve the capacity of FIC institutions
FICs generally lack regulation on food safety and the alike rather
than having protectionist standard
SPS and TBT issues are being addressed both in PACER Plus
negotiations and by PIFS and SPC
Labour Mobility
Limited benefits likely from GATS mode 4 liberalisation for FICs
Many studies indicate there would be major benefits to the FICs
Interest in both unskilled and skilled workers – but differences
between FICs
Any proposals need to take into account political sensitivities in
ANZ
Need support for education and training in the FICs and
recognition of qualifications
Need to understand FIC and global markets
Development Assistance and Cooperation
Only significant benefit for some FICs likely from PACER Plus
Issues:
Additional resources
Binding commitment to provide resources
Modalities for delivery of assistance
Relationship with existing bilateral and regional programmes
Link between development assistance and commitments made
under PACER Plus
Non-financial assistance forms of development cooperation
Some Possible Areas of Interest
Trade policy and regulation
Formulation of trade policy; stakeholder consultations; customs law and administration; recognition
of standards and qualifications; …
Trade-related infrastructure
Transport, telecommunications, energy; regulatory reform and institutional building, including
services and SPS and standards and conformance; …
Productive capacity building
Investment in education and training; increasing productivity of agriculture; meeting foreign
quarantine standards; assistance with marketing and distribution; …
Trade-related adjustment
Mitigation of the impact of loss of government revenue; mitigation of the impact of the
phasing out of uncompetitive firms including retraining of workers; measures to stabilise
income of farmers; …
Services and Investment
FTMM noted importance of shipping, aviation,
telecommunications and water infrastructure to trade in goods
and services and agreed that they were priority negotiating issue
for PACER Plus
Significant investment in infrastructure in FICs is needed
Important questions on how to increase investment, provide
relevant services, and regulate service providers
Some Ministers may have seen this as involving little more than
liberalisation; other Ministers may have seen it as involving greater
assistance to the region
As a result of GATS Article V negotiations may extend to all
services