WTO Special Subjects Session One:
Dispute Settlement, Customs Valuation, Rules of Origin, Anti-dumping
May 17, 2002.

The year 2002 was the first year of China's accession to the WTO and, within the year, China has witnessed a relatively stable and predictable international trade environment, which has facilitated the rapid growth of China's foreign trade and economic cooperation.

 China's accession to the WTO has not only had important implications on China's further opening up and active participation in the economic globalization process in the year 2002, but will also continue to play an important role in that regard for a considerable period of time in the future. Upon China's entry into the WTO, China has lowered tariffs, further opened up the market for goods and gradually opened the service sectors, all of which will have important facilitating effects on the development of the national economy and foreign trade.

For a better understanding of rules of game and a better compliance performance in practice, the event invited experts from neighboring economies to share their after-accession experience. 51 officers from 36 Customs districts participated in the one-week discussion.

Syllabus

Module 1: WTO Dispute Settlement System

• The definition;
• The major points of WTO Dispute Settlement System compared with other international DS systems;
• How does it help WTO Members;
• Experience of Korea;
• Practical tips.

Module 2: Rules of Origin

• Harmonization Work Program;
• The rationale and what have been achieved;
• Relations with other WTO Agreements;
• India's experience of negotiating non-preferential and preferential rules of origin.

Module 3: Doha Round and WTO Negotiations

• The subjects of Doha Round;
• Implications for China;
• Doha Round and regional trade arrangements.

Module 4: Customs Valuation

• The significance of Customs valuation to developing countries;
• Evolution of international Customs valuation regime;
• The Agreement on Customs Valuation;
• India's experience in executing the Agreement on Customs Valuation.

Module 5: WTO Agreement on Safeguards

• The exercise of Anti-Dumping, Countervailing and Safeguards;
• The primary concern of developing countries;
• Opinions from Panels and Appellate Body;
• The impacts of regional trade arrangements and multilateral trade rules on China.