ITA Parties to Begin Tariff Phaseouts in 2016, Says WTO
Members of the expanded Information Technology Agreement pact will initiate tariff phase-outs on covered products in 2016, and those tariffs will all drop to zero by 2019, the World Trade Organization said in a memo released on July 28 (here).…
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The first cuts will take place no later than July 1, 2016, followed by staged cuts every six months. By Oct. 30, ITA parties must release a draft schedule for tariff phaseouts and a detailed list of harmonized tariff subheadings, said the WTO. ITA members are then required to complete a review process of each draft by early December. The tariff benefits are available to WTO members on a most favored nation status, meaning virtually all WTO members will be able to import the covered products duty-free. So far, roughly 50 of 80 ITA parties have formally agreed on the expanded list, the WTO said. The expansion covers about 200 products (see 1507280018).