Department of Trade

  The First ASEAN Caucus for the fourth meeting of the Sub-Working Group on Rules of Origin for the ASEAN-CANADA FTA was virtually held on 27 July 2023. The Meeting war chaired by Mr. Aziz Sharkawi, Senior Principal Assistant Director, Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry, Malaysia. Responsible  Focal persons from ASEAN Member Countries and representatives from ASEAN Secretariat Office joined the meeting. Two Representatives from each of the Department of Trade and Myanmar Customs Department attended the meeting.

  The Meeting discussed the consolidated text of Rules of Origin (ROO), proposed text on Origin Procedures (OP) and Canada’s Non-Papers on Self-Certification. The Meeting proceeded discussion on possible Capacity Building on recovered material, remanufactured, full cumulation, net cost and de minimis. Moreover, the meeting updated and noted the Indicative Work Plan for the Negotiations of ACAFTA SWGROO.

      The 2nd Meeting of the Sub-Committee on Rule of Origin of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership was held in Surabaya, Indonesia on 18th July 2023. The meeting was attended virtually by one representative from Department of Trade of the Ministry of Commerce and two representatives from Myanmar Customs Department of the Ministry of Planning and Finance of Myanmar.

       The meeting noted the outcomes of the 2nd and 3rd RCEP Joint Committee Meetings. The RCEP participating countries updated the status of domestic process for the implementation of PSR in HS 2022 and amended Overleaf Notes of Form RCEP according to the Implementation Guidelines.

       The meeting continued the discussion on the indication of origin criteria, Korea’s non-paper proposal on Declaration of Origin (DO), China’s concerns on updated contact point information, adoption of the summary record and confirmation on the date and venue of the next meeting.