ACCIONES DE LAS ORGANIZACIONES ENCARGADAS DE ACTUAR SOBRE LAS PROBLEMÁTICAS

As Egypt has become a member of WTO, the tariff barriers were a big debate in the Egyptian trade policy. The government in treating tariff's list of rates was trying to make compromise between several national development objectives. On the national level there is a need for protecting the domestic enterprises from imports competition, in the same time, there is a need for facilitating the delivery of domestic industries imported requisites and raw materials. The ultimate target of trade liberalization agreements of WTO is to lower the tariff rates.

As the Customs Law No. 66/1963 stipulates in Articles 6 and 9 that the Customs tariff should be issued by a Presidential Decree that has the power of law, on condition that it be submitted to the legislative authority in its current cycle as soon as it becomes effective. If Parliament is in recess, it is to be submitted to the following legislative cycle, tariff rate amendments were made through several successive presidential decree over the last decade. Therefore, Egypt made several amended its on tariffs system over the last decade. The Presidential Decree No. 33 in 1999 was amended by the Presidential decree No. 300 in 2004, implying significant across-the-board tariff cuts and a reduction in the number of tariff bands. The only products excluded from tariff cuts were alcoholic beverages, tobacco, and cars with an engine greater than 1,600cc. No other changes in Egypt's MFN tariff have been implemented since 1999. The Customs tariff was amended by the Presidential Decree No 39 in 2007 and again was fatherly amended in the Harmonized System of the year 2009 Issued by The Presidential Decree of The New Customs Tariff No 51 in 2009 to reach a regulated system of the rate of custom tariffs in Egypt.

The tariff reductions that came into force then were largely driven by national and international changes the Egyptian economy had experienced at the time. The Egyptian Government's long term development plan since 2004 has been to create an investor friendly environment that is increasingly led by the private sector and that provides rapid job growth. In this context, a new Customs tariff issued by Presidential Decree No. 39/2007 has made amendments deemed necessary to achieve the Government's economic objectives in a changing environment. The main objectives of the amendments were as follows:

1. To simplify the structure of tariff rates with a view to reducing distortions in tariff rates and facilitating their implementation by all concerned parties. This objective is achieved through the following reductions: a) 12 % down to 10 percent; (b). 22% down to 20 percent; (c) 32 % down to 30percent; (d) 40 %t down to 30 percent

2. To achieve a balance between tariffs imposed on manufactured products, intermediate goods and raw materials that are used entirely or in part in the production of final goods, while taking into consideration the contradictory goals of supporting the national industry reducing the burden on the Egyptian people, and supporting the various productive activities.

3. To comply with Egypt's commitments to the International Convention on the Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System, as stipulated by Presidential Decree No. 33/1999, by adopting the HS 2007 issuance as the basis for the Egyptian Customs tariff. This will help facilitate Egypt's external trade, put Egypt's statistics at par with international standards, and ultimately serve negotiations on bilateral and multilateral trade agreements.

4.To review Article 3 of the Customs Law concerning the collection of Customs taxes due on goods that are subject to temporary admission – whether for repair purposes or for completion of manufacturing activities – in order to ensure sound implementation of the Law.

5. Eliminate many of the tariff lines and keep only those strictly necessary in order for the tariff schedule to be at par with international practice.

6. Reduce the current tariff rates on selected imports of basic commodities, medications (especially those used for chronic illnesses) and intermediate and capital goods used for production activities.

7. Support production activities while creating a fair and competitive environment that does not represent a burden on the Egyptian consumer.

8.Develop a partnership with all stakeholders to ensure transparency – a pillar of the international trading system – in the decision making process. The tariff schedule was discussed widely with all concerned parties such as commodity councils, chambers of commerce, the Federation of Egyptian Industries, a number of private and public sector production units, and industrial and investment compounds. The objective was to harmonize all points of view, and to ensure that all stakeholders are partners in the decision-making process to engage all parties and factors concerned with production and commercial operations.

9. Contribute to the creation of a clean environment by applying to selected environmental products a Customs duty of 2 percent of the value of the product. (In cases where a lower tariff rate below 2 percent has been in force, the lower rate applies.) This tax will be applied on stations supplying vehicles with natural gas, on parts needed to transform vehicles to use natural gas, on equipment used to monitor and control various products of environmental concern, and on equipment for renewable and new sources of energy (wind and solar energy) and their spare parts.

Reviewing the (See attached PDF files into the Folder : TRADE TARIFFS) shows that the tariff rate on almost all food products are within the range 2-5% and the tariff rate on agricultural requisites is almost nil (free)

Egypt's average applied MFN tariff has fallen from 26.8% in 1998 to 20.0% in 2005, and the number of tariff bands has been reduced. While the majority of rates adopted by decree (normally the applied rates) remain well below Egypt's bindings, for 19 tariff lines, they exceed, sometimes substantially, the corresponding bound rates; imports from WTO Members are alleged to carry the bound or the applied tariff rate, whichever is lower. Despite recent tariff reforms, Egypt's tariff system remains complex, with numerous exemptions, reductions, and concessions. In addition to tariffs, imports are subject to a general sales tax of between 5% and 45%, which also applies to domestically produced goods. The 2005 tariff contains 5,687 lines at the HS eight-digit level, of which 99.8% carry ad valorem duties. Egypt does not apply compound, mixed, or seasonal MFN tariffs.

There are other Trade Barriers rather than tariffs, which have been adjusted and relaxed during the economic reform program application. Imports are not subject to licenses or prior approval. However, a wide range of imported products is subject to mandatory quality controls. Since its last Review, Egypt has imposed 14 definitive anti-dumping duties and two safeguard measures. No notifications on sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures or on technical barriers to trade (TBT) have been submitted to the WTO during the period.

Egypt's customs regime is based on Law 121/1982, Law 66/1963 (the Customs Law), Law118/1975 (which, together with its Executive Regulations (Ministerial Decree 275/1991), is also known as the Import and Export Regulations), and a number of Ministerial Decrees.

In accordance with Law 121/1982, all persons or companies importing goods into Egypt must register with the General Organization for Export and Import Control within the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Industry. The Law also requires that all registered importers be Egyptian nationals and fulfil a number of other conditions, including financial reliability and the presentation of a proven record of past commercial activities. When registering, importers must

also provide details of the products they intend to import. Importers must pay for imports through a bank operating in Egypt.

All goods imported into Egypt, except those destined for the free zones, must be accompanied by a customs declaration, irrespective of their value. Other documents required are the original commercial invoice, bill of lading, packing list, pro-forma invoice, a form specifying the mode of payment, delivery order from the carrier in return for the bill of lading, and, if appropriate, a content analysis of the commodity. In certain cases, additional certificates may be required by the customs authorities, including chemical certificates for imports of food additives and other material used in the food processing industry; quality control certificates for a number of products; and a disinfection certificate for shipments of shaving brushes and bristles. Sanitary certificates are also required for a number of products, and plant and animal products are subject to inspection by the Agriculture Quarantine Body and the Animal Quarantine Body.

Ministerial Decree619/1998 requires that all imported consumer goods be shipped directly from the country of origin to Egypt. Ministerial Decree 423/1999 exempts from these provisions goods shipped from the producing country through a transit port and goods assembled from intermediate products of different origins. The authorities indicate that the decrees are intended to prevent the entry of products of unknown source into the Egyptian market.

Various imported goods are liable to quality control inspection by the General Organization for Export and Import Control within one week of the date of import (see also section (2)(viii)(b)). The Organization is entitled to examine a random sample of 1% of the total number of packages in each consignment and up to 2% of the contents of the chosen packages. The procedures for sampling are laid down in Ministerial Decree 1186/2003; as a main principle, the customs officials must ensure that the samples examined are representative for the consignment. If the chosen samples are not in conformity with regulations, the Organization may search up to 2% of the remaining number of packages in the sample before rejecting a consignment. (Import and Export Regulations, Article 83) Rejected goods must be re-exported or destroyed.

Since Egypt's previous Review, the Customs Administration has stepped up efforts to improve inspection and clearance activities. Advanced clearance centres have been established at the ports of Alexandria, Cairo, Port Said, and Suez to simplify entry procedures (There are six customs offices). The use of computers and x-ray equipment has also helped to improve efficiency and, according to the authorities, the average clearance time has been reduced to between 30 minutes and three days, depending on the size and sensitivity of the consignment. In late 1999, Egypt established a register of trustworthy importers and exporters (reliable in trading in products in conformity with Egyptian specifications). Inclusion on the register, held by the General Organization for Import and Export Control, entitles speedier product quality controls based on the producers or importers' declarations.

Regarding subsidies in the agricultural sector, Jordan is to reduce total domestic subsidies offered by the government to local agricultural producers by 13.3% out of JDs (1,539,199) over a period of seven years as of date of joining WTO. The ceiling of agriculture exports subsidies has been fixed at 0%. While for export subsidies in the industrial sector, which are considered, prohibited under WTO agreements, a special program by the Central Bank of Jordan to subsidize exports loans' interests was cancelled by December 31, 2002. In addition, under Jordan's commitments under the WTO, the exemption of profits resulting from exports from income tax is to end by the end of the year 2007. (This program was extended to the end of 2007 as a result to the exemption given to Jordan and other developing countries during the fourth ministerial meeting of WTO in 2001). It is noteworthy that Jordan submitted its application in 1994 to what was known then the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) which was changed later to become an application request

to join WTO in 1995 (the legal successor to GATT). Accession negotiations were concluded in signing the Accession Protocol that became part of Law No. 4 for the year 2000 (Law of Ratification of Jordan's Accession to the World Trade Organization).

Accession to WTO provides Jordan's goods and services with market access to more than 150 countries within clear and transparent trade procedures and laws and regulations in accordance with WTO rules and agreements. On the other hand, national economic reform procedures and new legislations that were enacted in preparation to joining WTO, contributed to creating a conductive business environment attracting investments. In addition, joining WTO provides new market access opportunities for Jordan's goods and services that would result from the Doha Development Agenda (Multilateral trade negotiations round that was launched in WTO Fourth Ministerial Conference in Doha in 2003.

Syria used to have high NTBs for the purpose of providing commercial protection for domestic producers and achieve self sufficient of local production. However, within the economical reform, the state started gradually abolishing those barriers as a step in the direction of adopting with international trade bodies. Syria has also adapted the Harmonize System on imports and exports (law 265 for 2001).

Currently, most quantitative restrictions for import or export have been removed and tariff rates on import and other fees have been reduced (maximum tariffs on imported products have been reduced from as high as 150% down to 50% and tariffs on most imported raw materials were reduced to 1%).

Moreover, the ban on most agro- food imported products was lifted, most other non-tariff barriers to imports or exports were removed, procedures for export and import are being simplified, import licensing was eliminated except for some sensitive products, tariffs on imports have been simplified (Law No 336 for 2002) and agricultural tariffs were justified (Law No 494 for 2005). In addition, imported commodities, that have to temporary entered the country to be manufactured and re-exported, are exempted from the provisions of prevention and restriction on the import and also exempted from the currency regulations.

Furthermore, the previous confines, restrictions, and commissions on imports for some products, which were in favour of some public associations, were left out by law No 61 for 2009 which specified the associations and the products. The agricultural goods that included in this law are; (veterinary antiseptics, agricultural fertilizers, Soya beans, sunflower seeds and fish).

However, there are some agricultural products still banned or restricted from import such as onion, citrus and sugar beet which are banned; cotton, and wheat which are restricted to public associations. Those products are included in the official list of banned products that was issued in 2008. This list has been eased since that time. In the meantime, some types of bans and inspection requirements on imports are applied for religious, national security, health, or environmental grounds.

In addition, some agricultural products are subject to consumption expenditure tax such as alcohol drinks at a rate equal to 35% and there are quantitative restriction on export of some other products as a tool of a policy managed to satisfy local need from domestic resources.

At present, some of the bans are no longer applied to imports from GAFTA countries, or from Turkey, and also such bans will not be practiced on imports from the EU under tariff quotas and other market access facilities that included in the AA.

Generally, some products are restricted from import for one of the following reasons: Protection of local production such as vegetables, fruits and animal products;

Religious, and health or environmental reasons, such as: animal fat to the food industry;

Social reasons related to the existence of a large number of workers in the sector (producers, industrialists, workers) who are vulnerable to low income, or even loss of employment in the event of exposure to foreign competition;

Support for some starting or nascent agro-food industries which need such protection in order to develop and become competitive;

Food security reasons, the wheat is an example for these products.

Agricultural imports are subject to SPS condition in which imports have to be inspected to get certificate proves its according to SPS terms (law 26 for 2007). As for animal products, in addition to the previous condition the imports should be only from the country of origin (law 29 for 2006). Actually, some exporters and importers claim that, they face some constraints include: fees and delay for customs and various inspections during export and import.

Tunisia: As is known, not all trade barriers, past or present, are of a tariff nature. As a matter of fact those that are of this type are undergoing major revisions so that they would be either reduced or converted into tariff equivalents, in line with WTO guidelines. Some non tariff barriers such as norms and standard requirements, calendar export restrictions, variable entry price restrictions, administrative rigidities and slowness in export procedures are more cumbersome and difficult to overcome.

Tariffs are the main policy instruments of Turkish agricultural trade policy. Within the framework of the URAA in 1995, all border levies were converted to tariff equivalents and bound. Under the URAA, Turkey’s tariff bindings had to fall by an average of 24% over 10 years, with a minimum 10% reduction per tariff line. Turkey opted for the minimum 10% reduction on many products, including a number of animal products, tea, most grains, flours and cereal preparations, a few vegetables and nuts, sugar and unprocessed tobacco.

The tariff structure of agricultural products is mostly composed of ad valorem tariffs, while non-ad valorem tariffs in the form of specific, mixed or compound and formula duties are utilised only to a limited extent. For agriculture, tariff escalation is observed for some products such as edible vegetables and its preparations”, while negative escalation is observed for processed dairy, meat and grain products which constitute a significant proportion of all processed agricultural products. In general, tariff protection for agricultural products is substantially higher than in non-agricultural products. The simple, average, applied m.f.n. tariff in agro-food products was 59% in 2007, 42% in 2008, 46% in 2009 and 50% in 2010. Tariff rates on some dairy and meat products were higher than 100% in 2010. Other products with relatively high tariffs include sugar, cereals, and preparations of vegetables, fruits and nuts. Imports of agricultural products, such as live animals for breeding purposes, are duty free, as are cotton, raw hides and skins. In general, Turkey maintains a restrictive import policy for livestock products. In response to high red meat prices in 2009, the government announced a partial lifting of the import ban for live cattle and beef meat. In addition to the URAA, as a result of the Customs Union between Turkey and the EU, Turkey began, since 1996, to base its tariff on all industrial products and the industrial components of processed agricultural products (imported from third countries) on the EU Common Customs Tariffs, whose levels are far below the rates bound under the URAA.

Sanitary and phytosanitary measures: Sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) controls are imposed on live animals, and animal and plant products, whether domestically produced or imported. Existing SPS measures are in accordance with the WTO Agreement on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures. The Production, Consumption and Inspection of Food Law, which has been in force since

2004, is Turkey’s principle law governing food. Its aim is to ensure food safety and the hygienic production of all food products and food packaging materials; to protect public health; to establish the minimum technical and hygienic criteria for food producers; and to set forth the principles for