Notification requirements

Trade Facilitation Agreement

This section of the Handbook on Notification Requirements covers the notification obligations under the TRADE FACILITATION AGREEMENT. It consists of the following five parts:

For Members which acceded pursuant to Article XII of the Marrakesh Agreement, their respective Protocols of Accession may contain notification obligations in addition to those set out in the WTO Agreements, and may govern the deadlines for the submission of their initial notifications.

PART 1 | OVERVIEW OF NOTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS

WHAT MUST BE NOTIFIED?

The TFA provides for three main types of notifications (with only one of them applying to all Members):

Implementation-related notifications (otherwise known as "ABC notifications"). These notifications are governed by section II of the TFA, especially Articles 15 and 16
Transparency notifications (set out by Articles 1.4, 10.4.3, 10.6.2 and 12.2.2 of the TFA)
Notifications related to technical assistance and support for capacity building (Articles 22.1, 22.2 and 22.3 of the TFA)

WHICH MEMBERS MUST NOTIFY?

The first type (implementation) applies to all developing and least-developed Members that chose to use the flexibilities set out in section II of the TFA.

The second type (transparency) applies to all WTO Members.

As far as the third type is concerned, Article 22.1 and 22.2 applies to "Donor Members". Article 22.3 applies to developing and least-developed countries that chose to use the flexibilities set out in section II of the TFA.

WHEN TO NOTIFY?

For reference on when to notify, please refer to the TFA Database.

HOW TO NOTIFY?¹

For information on how to notify, see TFA Notification Requirements.

PART 2 | LISTING OF THE NOTIFICATION OBLIGATIONS

	WHAT MUST BE NOTIFIED?		WHICH MEMBERS MUST NOTIFY?	WHEN TO NOTIFY?		HOW TO NOTIFY?
	Notification requirements	Type of measure	Members notifying	Periodicity	Comments on Periodicity	Format	To whom²	Notification Symbol
1.	Trade Facilitation Agreement, Article 1.4: Import, export and transit procedures.	Notify the official place(s) for items listed in Art. 1.1.1, URLs for websites in Art. 1.2.1, contact information for enquiry points in 1.3.1.	All WTO Members	One time	Plus, subsequent updates in case of changes.	No (There is no formal template, but informal model and guidance).	Committee on Trade Facilitation	G/TFA/N/*
2.	Trade Facilitation Agreement, Article 10.4.3: Single window.	Notify details of the operation of the single window.	All WTO Members	One time	Plus, subsequent updates in case of changes.	No (There is no formal template, but informal model and guidance).	Committee on Trade Facilitation	G/TFA/N/*
3.	Trade Facilitation Agreement, Article 10.6.2: Customs brokers.	Notify measures on the use of customs brokers.	All WTO Members	One time	Plus, subsequent updates in case of changes.	No (There is no formal template, but informal model and guidance).	Committee on Trade Facilitation	G/TFA/N/*
4.	Trade Facilitation Agreement, Article 12.2.2: Contact points.	Notify contact point for the exchange of information, where there are doubts about the accuracy of the information provided in an import/export declaration.	All WTO Members	One time	Plus, subsequent updates in case of changes.	No (There is no formal template, but informal model and guidance).	Committee on Trade Facilitation	G/TFA/N/*
5.	Trade Facilitation Agreement, Article 15 and Article 16: Category designation.	Designation of provisions in Section I of the TFA to be implemented according to the categories set out in Article 13.	DCs and LDCs that choose to implement according to section II.	One time	Normally once, unless improvement in category designation or use of Art. 19 to shift between category B and C. DCs: EIF (22/02/17) LDCs: 22/02/18.	No (There is no formal template, but informal model and guidance).	Committee on Trade Facilitation	WT/PCTF/N/* G/TFA/N/*
6.	Trade Facilitation Agreement, Article 16, Category B: Indicative dates.	Indicative dates for implementation of provisions of Section I designated in Category B.	DCs and LDCs that choose to implement according to section II.	One time	Unless improvement or category shifting. DCs: EIF (22/02/17) LDCs: 22/02/18 (may notify).	No (There is no formal template, but informal model and guidance).	Committee on Trade Facilitation	WT/PCTF/N/* G/TFA/N/*
7.	Trade Facilitation Agreement, Article 16, Category C: Indicative dates.	Indicative dates for implementation of provisions of Section I designated in category C.	DCs and LDCs that choose to implement according to section II.	One time	Unless improvement or category shifting. DCs: EIF (22/02/17) LCDs: 22/02/21.	No (There is no formal template, but informal model and guidance).	Committee on Trade Facilitation	WT/PCTF/N/* G/TFA/N/*
8.	Trade Facilitation Agreement, Article 16, Category B: Definitive dates.	Definitive dates for implementation of provisions of Section I designated in Category B.	DCs and LDCs that choose to implement according to section II.	One time	Unless improvement or category shifting. DCs: 22/02/18 LDCs: 22/02/20.	No (There is no formal template, but informal model and guidance).	Committee on Trade Facilitation	G/TFA/N/*
9.	Trade Facilitation Agreement, Article 16, Category C: Definitive dates.	Definitive dates for implementation of provisions of Section I designated in category C.	DCs and LDCs that choose to implement according to section II.	One time	Unless improvement or category shifting. DCs: 22/08/19 LDCs: 22/08/22.	No (There is no formal template, but informal model and guidance).	Committee on Trade Facilitation	G/TFA/N/*
10.	Trade Facilitation Agreement, Article 16, Category C: TACB requirements.	Information on the assistance and support for capacity building that the Member requires to implement (Art. 16).	DCs and LDCs that choose to implement according to section II.	One time	Unless improvement or category shifting. DCs: EIF (22/02/17) LDCs: 22/02/19.	No (There is no formal template, but informal model and guidance).	Committee on Trade Facilitation	WT/PCTF/N/* G/TFA/N/*
11.	Trade Facilitation Agreement, Article 16, Category C: TACB arrangements.	Arrangements maintained or entered into that are necessary to provide assistance and support for capacity building to enable implementation of provisions in Category C. (Art. 16).	DCs and LDCs that choose to implement according to section II, plus relevant Donor Members.	One time	Donors: 22/02/18 (DCs) – 22/02/21 (LDCs) DCs: 22/02/18 LDCs: 22/02/21.	No (There is no formal template, but informal model and guidance).	Committee on Trade Facilitation	G/TFA/N/*
12.	Trade Facilitation Agreement, Article 16, Category C: TACB progress.	Information on the progress in the provision of assistance and support for capacity building.	DCs and LDCs that choose to implement according to section II, plus relevant Donor Members.	One time	Donors: 22/08/19 (DCs) – 22/08/22 (LDCs) DCs: 22/08/19 LDCs: 22/08/22.	No (There is no formal template, but informal model and guidance).	Committee on Trade Facilitation	G/TFA/N/*
13.	Trade Facilitation Agreement, Article 22.1: Capacity building.	Donor Members: information on assistance and support for capacity building disbursed in the preceding 12 months and, where available, that is committed in the next 12 months.	Donor Members	Regular – Annual	Starting with EIF.	Yes (Annex I of the TFA)	Committee on Trade Facilitation	G/TFA/N/*
14.	Trade Facilitation Agreement, Article. 22.2: Assistance processes and mechanisms.	Donor Members: contact points and information on the process and mechanism for requesting assistance.	Donor Members	One time	Once, plus in case of subsequent updates or changes should also be notified.	No	Committee on Trade Facilitation	G/TFA/N/*
15.	Trade Facilitation Agreement, Article 22.3: Contact points.	Members seeking assistance and support for capacity building: contact points of TACB- coordinating agency.	DCs and LDCs that choose to implement according to section II.	One time	Once, plus in case of subsequent updates or changes should also be notified.	No	Committee on Trade Facilitation	G/TFA/N/*

PART 3 | RELEVANT DOCUMENTS(S) CONCERNING GUIDELINES AND FORMATS

Not applicable at this stage.

PART 4 | LIST OF NOTIFICATIONS SINCE 2014

The Trade Facilitation Agreement Database provides a list of all notifications available since 2014.

PART 5 | TEXT OF THE AGREEMENT

Protocol amending the Marrakesh Agreement establishing the World Trade Organization WT/L/940.

Notes

¹ All notifications, regardless of their subject content or the requirement under which they are being submitted, must be directed to the administrator of the Central Registry of Notifications (CRN), as indicated in document WT/INF/25/Rev.2. Notifications may be submitted through online submission systems, as electronic attachments to emails or on paper. As it may be practice, a copy of the notification may be sent to the Secretariat unit substantially handling the notification.

² All notifications, regardless of their subject content or the requirement under which they are being submitted, must be directed to the administrator of the Central Registry of Notifications (CRN), as indicated in document WT/INF/25/Rev.2. Notifications may be submitted through online submission systems, as electronic attachments to emails or on paper. As it may be practice, a copy of the notification may be sent to the Secretariat unit substantially handling the notification.