Guia De Aduanero

1. Difference between GATT and the WTO.

GATT is a system of rules stablished by nations while the wTO is an international organism.

The GATT is a multilateral agreement regulating international trade.

The WTO is an organization that intends to supervise and liberalize international trade.

GATT was a set of rules agreed upon by nations, WTO is an institutional body. It expanded its scope from traded goods to trade within the service sector and intellectual property rights.

Gatt 1947.

It provided the very first dispute settlement provisions upon which the WTO dispute settlement system is built.

Gatt 1994.

Is a bizarre agreement. It assembles legal provisions from different sources. It consists of the provisions of the GATT 1947 of legal instruments concluded under Gatt 1947 of understandings concluded during Uruguay round on the interpretation of the provision of the Gatt 1947 and of the Marrakesh Protocol of Tariff Concessions.

2. Voting rules in WTO.

The general rule is that the WTO seeks consensus, but if consensus cannot be reached, the matter at issue shall be decided by voting.

One vote per country.

Supermajority rules for some issues, in some cases a two third of three quarter majority is needed and in some cases consensus must be reached.

3. Method to determine what countries are developing countries under GATT.

Members announce for themselves whether they are developed or devaloping countries.

This status bring certain rights in the WTO for example provisions in some agreements which provide developing countries with longer transition periods before they are required to fully implement the agreement and developing countries can receive technical assistance.

3. Developing countries: less developed countries, is a natiin with low living standard, undeveloped indusrrial base, and low Human development index.

Newly industrialized countries: countries with more advanced economies than other developing nations, but which have not yet fully demonstrated the signs of a developed country.

Developed country: can be defined through economic growth and security.

Infant industry: new industry in its early stages of development and in need of protection from predatory competition through tariff and non-tariff barriers until it is stablished.

4. Countries where Mex has free trade agreements.

Venezuela , Jan 1 1995

Costa rica, april 5,1994

Bolivia, jan 1 1995

Nicaragua,

Chile, July 7 1995

Northern triangle salvador, guatemala, honduras 2000.

European union, october 1996

Israel, april 10 2000

Japan sep 2004

Colombia jan1 1995.

7. Consensus and unanimity.

Consensus: results in the best solution that the group can achieve at the time. Even if parties disagree there is still overall consent to move forward in order to settle the issue.

Unanimity: everyone has to agree. Everyone is of the same mind and acting together as one.

8. Provision thresholds.

9. Types of tariffs.

Tariffs under Gatt, tariffs and custom duties are financial charges imposed on goods at the time of and or because of their importation market acces is conditional upon the payment of these customs duties. Custom duties are either specific (amount based on weight, volume etc) or ad valore (an amount based on value).

There are two basic types of tariffs.

The ad valorem tax which is a percentage of the value of the item.

And specific tariff which is a tax levied based on a set fee per number of items or by weight.

Tariffs are imposed to:

Protect newly established domestic industries from foreign competition.

Protect aging and inefficient domestic industries from foreig competition.

Protect domestic procedures from dumping by foreign companies or governments.

To raise revenue.

Rounds of GATT:

Annecy round 1949

More tariff reduction

Torquay. 1951

Geneva. 1955 1956

Dilon. 1960 1962

Kennedy 1962. 1967

Tokyo. 1973 1979

Uruguay. 1986. 1994

10. Nafta agreement.

December 17, 1992 came into force on jan 1 1994.

Negotiators: Mulroney, Canada.

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