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2007年6月WTO对中非共和国贸易政策审议-WTO秘书处报告(英文)

World Trade

Organization

RESTRICTED

 

WT/TPR/S/183

7 May 2007

 

 

(07-1822)

 

 

Trade Policy Review Body

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TRADE POLICY REVIEW

 

Report by the Secretariat

 

CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC

 

 

 

 

This report, prepared for the first Trade Policy Review of Central African Republic, has been drawn up by the WTO Secretariat on its own responsibility.  The Secretariat has, as required by the Agreement establishing the Trade Policy Review Mechanism (Annex 3 of the Marrakesh Agreement Establishing the World Trade Organization), sought clarification from Central African Republic on its trade policies and practices.

 

Any technical questions arising from this report may be addressed to Mr Jacques Degbelo (022 739 55 83).

 

Document WT/TPR/G/183 contains the policy statement submitted by Central African Republic.

 

 

Note:    This report is subject to restricted circulation and press embargo until the end of the first session of the meeting of the Trade Policy Review Body on the Central African Republic.


CONTENTS

 

 

                                                                                                                                                Page

SUMMARY OBSERVATIONS                                                                                                                                               vii

(1)           Economic Environment   vii

(2)           Trade and Investment Regimes                                                                                                          viii

(3)           Trade Policy Instruments  viii

(4)           Sectoral Policies  ix

(5)           Trade Policy and Trading Partners                                                                                                xi

I.              ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT   1

(1)           Main Features of the Economy   1

(2)           Recent Economic Trends  4

(3)           Trade and Investment Performance  6

(4)           Prospects                                                                                                                                                    9

II.            TRADE AND INVESTMENT REGIMES  10

(1)           Overview    10

(2)           Policy Objectives  12

(3)           Trade Agreements and Arrangements  13

(i)            The WTO   13

(ii)           Regional agreements  14

(4)           Investment   20

ANNEX II.1:  TRADE-RELATED TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE  23

(1)           Implementation of Agreements and Policy Formulation   23

(2)           Supply-Side Constraints  24

(3)           Integration of Trade in Development Strategies  25

III.           trade policies and practices by measure  26

(1)           Introduction   26

(2)           Measures Directly Affecting Imports  26

(i)            Registration  26

(ii)           Customs procedures  27

(iii)          Rules of origin  29

(iv)          Customs levies  29

(v)           Prohibitions, quantitative restrictions and licensing  35

(vi)          Standardization, accreditation and certification  36

(vii)         Sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures  36

(viii)        Rules on packaging, marking and labelling  37

(ix)          Contingency measures  37

(x)           Other measures  37

                                                                                                                                                                                              Page

 

(3)           MEASURES DIRECTLY AFFECTING EXPORTS  37

(i)            Customs procedures  37

(ii)           Export duties and taxes  38

(iii)          Prohibitions, quantitative restrictions, export controls and licences  39

(iv)          Export subsidies, promotion and assistance  39

(4)           Measures Affecting Production And Trade  39

(i)            Protection of intellectual property rights  39

(ii)           Competition policy  43

(iii)          Incentives  44

(iv)          State trading, State-owned enterprises and privatization                                                    44

(v)           Government procurement 45

IV.           trade policy and practice by sector   47

(1)           Introduction   47

(2)           Agriculture and Related Activities  47

(i)            Overview   47

(ii)           Agricultural policy  48

(iii)          Policy by subsector 50

(iv)          Fishing and aquaculture  55

(v)           Forestry  55

(3)           Mining, Energy and Water  57

(i)            Mining products  57

(ii)           Petroleum products and natural gas  58

(iii)          Electricity  59

(iv)          Water 60

(4)           Manufacturing Sector  61

(5)           Services  62

(i)            Transport 62

(ii)           Tourism   64

(iii)          Telecommunications and postal services  65

(iv)          Financial services  66

 

REFERENCES                                                                                                                                                                             69

 

APPENDIX TABLES                                                                                                                                                                73


GRAPHS

 

 

                                                                                                                                                Page

 

I.              ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT

I.1            Structure of merchandise trade, 1995-2005                                                                                                              3

I.2            Direction of merchandise trade, 1995-2005                                                                                                              8

 

III.           TRADE POLICIES AND PRACTICES BY MEASURE

III.1         Breakdown of MFN duties applied, 2006                                                                                                               31

III.2         Escalation of MFN duties applied, 2006                                                                                                                33

 

IV.           TRADE POLICY AND PRACTICE BY SECTOR

IV.1         River traffic, 1980-2006                                                                                                                                              63

 

 

TABLES

 

 

I.              ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT

 

I.1            The Central African Republic in figures, 1998-2006                                                                                               1

I.2            Main economic indicators, 1998-2006                                                                                                                      4

I.3            Balance of payments, 1997-2006                                                                                                                               7

 

II.            TRADE AND INVESTMENT REGIMES

 

II.1          Principal trade-related laws and regulations, March 2007                                                                                   11

II.2          Investment Charter:  Benefits available for newly created manufacturing                                                     21
                or processing enterprises

 

III.           TRADE POLICIES AND PRACTICES BY MEASURE

 

III.1         MFN applied tariff structure, 2006                                                                                                                          30

III.2         Summary of MFN tariff applied, 2006                                                                                                                     32

III.3         Fines and terms of imprisonment under the Bangui Agreement (1977)                                                            40
and its revision (1999)

III.4         Subjects and terms of protection under the Bangui Agreement (1977)                                                            41
and its revision (1999)

III.5         Status of the Central African Republic regarding ratification of                                                                        43
the intellectual property protection treaties administered by the WIPO, 2007

III.6         Enterprises with State participation, March 2007                                                                                                 45

 

IV.           trade policy and practice by sector

 

IV.1         Production of food crops, 1993-1994 and 1998-2006                                                                                            48

IV.2         Exports of Robusta green coffee, 2000-2005                                                                                                         50

IV.3         Production and export of timber, 2000-2005                                                                                                          56

IV.4         Electricity rates, March 2007                                                                                                                                    60

IV.5         Basic telecommunications indicators, 2002-2006                                                                                                  66


APPENDIX TABLES

 

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                Page

 

I.              ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT

AI.1        Structure of exports, 1995-2005                                                                                                                               75

AI.2        Structure of imports, 1995-2005                                                                                                                               77

AI.3        Destination of exports, 1995-2005                                                                                                                           79

AI.4        Origin of imports, 1995-2005                                                                                                                                    80

 

III.           TRADE POLICIES AND PRACTICES BY MEASURE

AIII.1      Tariffs by HS chapter, 2006                                                                                                                                      81

 

IV.           TRADE POLICY AND PRACTICE BY SECTOR

AIV.1      Applied MFN tariffs by ISIC Rev.2 category, 2006                                                                                              84

 

 

 


SUMMARY OBSERVATIONS

(1)               Economic Environment

1.                  Several years after the military- political crisis that undermined the foundations of its economy as from 1996, the Central African Republic, a vast and sparsely populated land-locked country in the heart of Africa, has returned to economic growth (3.7 per cent in 2006 as compared to a yearly average of 0.6 per cent from 1998 to 2005).  This economic recovery, helped along by a return to constitutional order in 2004 and the holding of elections in 2005, should continue in 2007 and 2008 with the macroeconomic stabilization programme and structural reforms.  During 2007, the Central African Republic intends to finalize its Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP), and hopes to gain access to the enhanced Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative as a means of reducing its external debt burden.

2.                  On the demand side, consumption is currently sustained by more regular payment of wages and salaries to civil servants, who absorb all of fiscal revenue (excluding grants) – hence the recurring budget deficit.  Private investment, which had dried up during the crisis, is recovering in leading sectors such as mobile telecommunications, mining and forestry.  Public investment being extremely limited, a number of development partners are financing, to a certain extent, the upgrading of the country's roads and other infrastructure.  In 2006, grants accounted for about one third of overall budgetary receipts.  Thanks to the restrictive monetary policy of the Bank of Central African States (the central bank of the Central African Monetary Union, of which the Central African Republic is a member) it has been possible, overall, to contain inflation.  However, it will take some time for the country to extricate itself from its disastrous economic and financial situation and fight against the alarming poverty in which its population lives.  In 2005, per capita income stood at US$338, and according to the UNDP, the Central African Republic ranked 172nd (out of 177 countries) in the human development index.

3.                  The Central African Republic's economy is based essentially on subsistence farming (including livestock breeding, hunting, fishing, and forestry), which provides employment for about 75 per cent of the population and produces about 50 per cent of GDP.  The mining and quarrying sector  and the manufacturing sector account for only 7 per cent and 2 per cent of the GDP respectively. Services, including trade, transport and communications, account for approximately 32 per cent GDP.  Among the supply-side constraints are the poor state of transport infrastructure, the non-availability of inputs such as electricity, and a financial system that mainly focuses on short-term credits, not to mention the higher costs connected with the country's land-locked situation.

4.                  According to official statistics (which are far from complete), the ratio of merchandise trade to GDP remained at 20 per cent in 2005.  Raw diamonds and wood are the leading export products.  Imports are more diversified, consisting mainly of petroleum products, foodstuffs and medicines, and materials and equipment.  The European Union is the Central African Republic's main trading partner. Leaving aside the considerable transit traffic through Cameroon, the African countries would appear to account for only a small share of the country's trade.  While there has been a surge in world prices of petroleum products (entirely imported) over the past few years, the trend for diamonds and wood has been less favourable.  This deterioration in the terms of trade and the disruptions in export volumes during the crisis go a long way to explain why the traditional trade balance surplus became a deficit starting in 2004.  The Central African Republic is a net importer of services.


 


(2)               Trade and Investment Regimes

5.                  The Ministry in charge of trade is responsible for defining domestic and foreign trade policy.  For the purposes of the trade negotiations, it is assisted by an interministerial structure.  The Ministry in charge of industry is responsible for industrial investment policy, while investment policy in the forestry and mining subsectors is defined by the ministries responsible for those areas.  The Ministry in charge of finance handles customs and government procurement matters.  The private sector would like to be more closely associated in defining trade and investment policy.

6.                  The Central African Republic inherited the status of GATT contracting party on 3 May 1963, and has been a member of the WTO since 31 May 1995.  It is recognized as a least developed country (LDC).  It is not a party to the plurilateral agreements concluded under WTO auspices, nor to the agreements concluded since the end of the Uruguay Round, i.e. the Agreement on Information Technology and the protocols on telecommunications and financial services.  It grants most favoured nation (MFN) treatment to all of its trading partners.  It does not maintain a mission in Geneva, a fact which hinders its participation in the WTO's regular activities.  It does, however, participate in the WTO ministerial conferences, and generally supports the positions adopted by the developing countries and the African Group.

7.                  The Central African Republic has a long history of regional integration with its neighbours in central Africa.  It is a member of the Central African Economic and Monetary Community (CEMAC), whose common currency is pegged to the euro and whose common external tariff (CET) was established in 1993.  In view of the cash flow problems it is experiencing, the Central African Republic has obtained a waiver on application of the CEMAC generalized preferential tariff (GPT).  Consequently, it grants no tariff preferences to any country.  The EU is currently negotiating with CEMAC and associated countries (Sao Tomé and Principe, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo) the economic partnership agreement (EPA), scheduled to come into force in January 2008.  The Central African Republic also belongs to two larger economic areas:  the Community of Sahelan-Saharan States (CEN-SAD), and the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS);  however, their respective tariff reduction projects (for the purposes of creating free trade zones) have not yet been launched.

8.                  The new Investment Charter of the Central African Republic entered into force in 2001.  Its main objective is the promotion of activities, in particular manufacturing activities.  The authorizations granted to enterprises under this Charter provide for tax and customs exemptions, which are also available to enterprises operating under sectoral codes (forestry and mining), or which have concluded establishment agreements or bilateral agreements. For tax control purposes, all tax and customs exemptions granted before 1 January 2007 were suspended.

9.                  Within the framework of its PRSP, the Central African Republic intends to rationalize its trade policies (domestic and foreign) and its investments.  To that end, it is relying on this trade policy review report and on the Diagnostic Trade Integration Study (DTIS) under the Integrated Framework.  It also hopes to obtain further technical assistance in the areas of capacity building to enhance understanding of the WTO agreements;  notifications;  trade policy formulation and integration thereof in its development strategy;  dismantling of supply-side constraints;  and participation in trade negotiations, inter alia, in the context of the Doha Development Agenda.

(3)               Trade Policy Instruments

10.              The Central African Republic applies the CEMAC's Customs Code.  Apart from a few exceptions, its customs tariff is based on the CEMAC's CET.  The simple average of its applied MFN tariff is 18.2 per cent, with considerably higher tariff protection (22.7 per cent) for agricultural products (WTO definition).  Overall, the tariff shows mixed escalation owing to the relatively high degree of protection afforded to unprocessed agricultural products.

11.              During the Uruguay Round, the Central African Republic bound 62.3 of its tariff lines.  However, the applied rate for bicycles exceeds the bound rate.  The "other import duties and taxes" have been bound at zero or 16 per cent, depending on the category of product.  This poses a problem of consistency with regard to products subject to the CEMAC Community Integration Tax (TCI) of 1 per cent, the ECCAS Community Integration Contribution (CCI) of 0.4 per cent, the OHADA levy of 0.05 per cent, and the levy on computer equipment for finance (REIF) of 0.5 per cent.

12.              Domestic taxes, such as value added tax (VAT) and excise duties on certain products, are levied on imports and local products.  However, unlike imports, locally-produced non-alcoholic beverages are exempted from the excise duty of 10 per cent.  Moreover, unlike local goods, in keeping with CEMAC regulations the taxable base for VAT on imports also includes the excise duty.  Imports whose value is at least CFAF 500,000 are generally subject to pre-shipment inspection by the company BIVAC, the cost of which is charged to the importer (1 per cent of the f.o.b. value).  The Central African Republic is encountering difficulties in implementing the WTO Agreement on Customs Valuation.  It has never resorted to any contingency measures.

13.              Approximately 80 per cent of the goods going to the Central African Republic transit through the port of Douala in Cameroon and are transported the 1,500 km between Douala and Bangui.  In view of the importance of customs revenue (approximately 65 per cent of total fiscal revenue excluding grants in 2006), this traffic is strictly controlled. Meanwhile, a number of malfunctions in the customs administration led to its reorganization in 2007.

14.              Sugar imports are subject to licensing, with a 90 per cent share reserved exclusively for the national producer (SUCAF-RCA) until 2008.  Coffee imports are allowed only once all the domestic output has been sold.  The Central African Republic observes the provisions of international treaties on environment protection as well as international standards with respect to sanitary and phytosanitary measures.

15.              The privatization programme, introduced in 1996, has resulted among other things in the opening up to competition of activities downstream of the hydrocarbons sector.  Prices at the pump are administered, and taxes on the products concerned were reduced in 2006 in order to limit the impact of the increase in world prices on Central African consumers.  Intellectual property is protected, inter alia by the revised Bangui Agreement.  Domestic legislation on copyright and neighbouring rights is obsolete, and needs to be brought up to date.  The same applies to competition legislation.  The Central African Republic has no regulatory framework for standardization, essential to improving the quality of its products.  The government procurement regime is currently being revised.

(4)               Sectoral Policies

16.              The Central African Republic has considerable potential in the agricultural sector.  Priority has been given to reviving coffee and cotton subsectors, once the most important cash crops in the country.  In the medium term, the Government intends to focus on reviving food crops and livestock breeding.  While awaiting the arrival of a new strategic partner, the State is managing the cotton subsector and fixes minimum purchase prices for cotton growers.  However, the insecurity that still prevails in certain parts of the interior remains a threat to economic recovery in the rural areas, and without that recovery, it will be difficult to make any true progress
towards poverty reduction.  Average tariff protection in the agricultural sector (ISIC (Rev.2) definition) is 23.2 per cent, well above the overall average of 18.2 per cent.

17.              The forestry subsector has traditionally attracted foreign investors.  Through export duties and various forestry royalties, it accounted for approximately one quarter of fiscal revenue (excluding grants) in 2006.  A large portion of the forests of the south-west are under concession, and the authorities intend to extend the areas with forest management plans that meet sustainable management criteria beyond the 6.5 per cent level of 2005 in accordance with the International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO).  Under the Forestry Code of 1990, companies are obliged to process 60 per cent of the logs felled on the spot, but in practice only 48 per cent of the total volume was processed in 2005.  The new draft Forestry Code (not yet enacted) would prohibit the exportation of logs.  The profitability of the wood sector is considerably reduced by high road transport costs to Douala, in Cameroon.  Forestry and logging together enjoy an average tariff protection of 25.1 per cent, as opposed to 36 per cent for logging alone.

18.              The mining sector is fast expanding following the adoption of a new mining code in 2004.  The official trade in raw diamonds appears to operate according to the Kimberley Process requirements.  Raw diamonds are subject to various taxes levied on export (approximately 9 per cent in 2006), and on import (approximately 93 per cent).  These taxes do not encourage the local processing of diamonds, which are cut exclusively abroad.  The industrial exploitation of gold will begin in the near future.  A specific regime for uranium was introduced in 2006 in order to facilitate exploitation of the Bakouma deposit.

19.              High protection in the agricultural sector is not conducive to the development of the agri-food industries, since it pushes up production costs.  In addition to the tariff structure, the high prices and shortages of
basic inputs stand in the way of the development of the manufacturing sector, which is still confined to producing basic products for the local market.  Owing to their limited production capacity, none of the Central African enterprises appears to be taking advantage of the preferential access to neighbouring markets which is available for their products under the CEMAC's GPT.  Average tariff protection of manufactured products is 18 per cent.

20.              The absence or poor condition of basic infrastructure (including transport, fixed telephony, hotels) and above all the irregular electricity supply, even in the capital, Bangui, coupled with the high cost of related services, are among the major challenges to the country's development, including the development of trade and tourism (for which there is immense potential).  The river network, once the main access route to the Atlantic Ocean from the Central African Republic, is now only navigable during the rainy season.  Consequently, goods are transported mainly by road, which is more costly but more rapid.  Development partners are financing the restoration of the river transport network and the asphalting of the main roads.  Tourism is the main services category in which the Central African Republic has made commitments under the GATS.

21.              Teledensity has progressed considerably since the introduction of mobile telephony in the Central African Republic in 1996, but basic fixed telecommunication services remain unsatisfactory.  The privatization of the traditional operator, the Société centrafricaine des télécommunications – SOCATEL (Central African Telecommunications Company), which currently has a monopoly of basic services, is under consideration. Banking and microfinance services are subject to the common banking regulations of the CEMAC.  Banking institutions are chiefly involved in Treasury operations and loans to support import-export transactions;  their involvement
in the financing of production activities is minimal.  Microfinancing helps to meet the financing needs of craftsmen, farmers and small businessmen.  With the exception of compulsory insurance for automobiles and construction sites, insurance services are not very developed.

(5)       Trade policy and trading partners

22.              The resumption of support from the international community should help to reinforce the incipient positive impact of the country's reconstruction efforts.  For this to happen, order will have to be restored in the regions where insecurity still prevails and the different reforms (including structural reforms) aimed at reducing the numerous supply-side constraints will have to be pursued.  The country's land-locked situation is in itself a natural barrier to trade and tends to push up costs.  However, trade facilitation measures, including the streamlining of institutional structures and the various taxation systems (import and export) which add to the costs of the goods traded, could help to contain its effects.

23.              Continuation of the different reforms should facilitate the country's access to the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries Initiative and provide debt relief which, in the long term, could securitize resources to support the
ongoing financing by foreign donors of the
rehabilitation of infrastructure and to implement other components of the poverty reduction strategy, for which the paper is currently being finalized.  This report for the Central African Republic's first Trade Policy Review highlights certain areas in which trade policy could play a role in that strategy.  With that in mind, the Central African Republic would do well to improve the implementation of its commitments under the WTO Agreements, and to strengthen its commitments in the area of trade in goods and services.

24.              These efforts should help the Central African Republic to adhere more closely to the principles of the WTO, to create a more business-friendly environment, and to make its trade regime more transparent, more credible and more predictable.  This, in its turn, would help to attract the capital needed to exploit the country's enormous potential, to profit more fully from its participation in the multilateral trading system, and to better exploit the trade preferences it has been granted.  The international community could do more to help the Central African Republic in its economic reconstruction efforts by opening up its markets, on a stable basis, to products and services of interest to the country, and by responding favourably to its requests for technical assistance, particularly in the area of capacity-building.

 


 

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