Working Party

Establishment and composition of the Working Party on the accession of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the WTO

Following the application for accession submited by Azerbaijan to the WTO on June 23, 1997, the Working Party on Azerbaijan was established on July 16, 1997. Currently, the Working Party has 42 WTO members:

 

 

Documentation submitted

Memorandum on Foreign Trade Regime and Questions-Replies 

The Memorandum on Foreign Trade Regime of the Republic of Azerbaijan is a data set covering various fields of economy of the Republic of Azerbaijan. WTO Members periodically submit questions on the Memorandum and receive replies. The main objective of submitting questions is to obtain more comprehensive information on Azerbaijan’s foreign trade regime and identify issues contradicting WTO rules.     

 

Market access on goods

The document reflects obligation of the Republic of Azerbaijan on tariff binding (bound rates). After accession of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the WTO, “bound rates” are the maximum rates of customs tariffs to be applied for each imported commodity. Rates higher than bounds may be applied as a result of the imposition of anti-dumping, countervailing or safeguard measures, among others. 

 

Document on customs valuation 

The document reflects set of information on conformity of customs valuation system in the Republic of Azerbaijan to the WTO agreement on Customs Valuation. 

 

ACC/4 – WTO schedule on Domestic support to the agriculture and export subsidies 

The document reflects information on government subsidies and other types of support to the agriculture. The volume of domestic support (subsidies) scaled by the percentage to the total amount of annually produced agriculture products. According to the WTO rules, domestic support (subsidies) to the agriculture subject to the Amber Box may count 5% of the total amount of annually produced agriculture products in developed countries and 10% in developing countries.   

 

ACC/5 – Market Access on Services 

The document reflects current state of services market in the Republic of Azerbaijan. Terms for functioning of foreign legal entities and physical persons in the services market of Azerbaijan and rights of citizens of Azerbaijan to consume services abroad are described in this document. The document also envisages obligations of Azerbaijan on liberalization of its services market and protection tools after accession of Azerbaijan to the WTO. At the same time, the document enables Members to compare legislation of Azerbaijan in the field with WTO requirements. 

 

ACC/8 – WTO schedule on Technical Barriers to Trade and Sanitary and Phytosanitary measures 

The document reflects the extent to which the legislation of the Republic of Azerbaijan conforms to WTO standards, in particular the following fields: 

  • Standardization
  • Certification
  • Veterinary
  • Sanitary and phytosanitary measures

 

ACC/9 – WTO schedule on application of TRIPS 

The document reflects the current state of legislation of the Republic of Azerbaijan on intellectual property rights, in particular:

  • General obligations
  • Copyrights and related rights
  • Trademarks
  • Geographical indications
  • Industrial designs 
  • Patent
  • Integrated circuit layout-designs
  • Undisclosed information
  • Protection of rights

 

The document describes the extent to which the national legislation of Azerbaijan conforms to the TRIPS Agreement.  

 

Legislation Action Plan

The document reflects the action plan to bring the legislation of Azerbaijan into conformity with WTO requirements. The document is being periodically updated. Steps toward adoption of new laws and regulations, amendments and changes to the current legislation as well as actions planned by the Republic of Azerbaijan are exhibited in this document. 

 

Document on State-Trading Enterprises 

The document reflects functioning areas of state-trading enterprises and legal – economic basis for such functioning in the Republic of Azerbaijan in accordance with Article XVII of GATT.