Other measures that increase the cost of imports in a manner similar to tariff measures, i.e. by a fixed percentage or by a fixed amount, calculated respectively on the basis on the value and the quantity, are known as para-tariff measures. Four groups are distinguished: customs surcharges; additional charges; internal taxes and charges levied on imports; and decreed customs valuation.

Source: http://www.unctad.org/Templates/WebFlyer.asp?intItemID=2177&lang=1

Part IV of the GATT includes provisions on the concept of non-reciprocal preferential treatment for developing countries — when developed countries grant trade concessions to developing countries they should not expect the developing countries to make matching offers in return. However, developing countries claim that Part IV has been without practical value as it does not contain any obligations for developed countries.

See BINDING

Country of origin of imports or of destination of exports.

Provision in Article XIII of the Agriculture Agreement saying agricultural subsidies committed under the agreement cannot be challenged under other WTO agreements, in  particular the Subsidies Agreement and GATT. Expired at the end of 2003.

A customs tariff is generally considered to contain tariff peaks if it contains in selected sectors high tariffs compared to the overall average tariff. During the Uruguay Round, tariff peaks were considered as duties over 15%. More recently, duties over 15% are considered as "international peaks" and duties that are three times the overall national tariff average are considered as "national peaks".   However, no official definition of tariff peaks exists within the WTO framework.

A group of participants involved in consultations or negotiations among themselves, as opposed to bilateral consultations (two participants) or multilateral consultations (many participants).

Refers to the agreements under the WTO which are not a pre-condition for WTO membership.  These are the Agreement on Trade in Civil Aircraft (AIRCRAFT AGREEMENT (ATCA), Agreement on Government Procurement, International Dairy Agreement and International Bovine Meat Agreement.  The later two agreements were terminated on 31 December 1997.

Derived from: Walter Goode: Dictionary of Trade Policy Terms, Fourth Edition, (Cambridge University Press/WTO, 2003), pp.274 and 395

Pre-Uruguay Round duty refers to the base rate of duty (bound or unbound), and Post-Uruguay Round duty or concession to the bound rate of duty (or final rate) notified in the schedules annexed to the Marrakesh Protocol to the General Tariffs and Trade 1994.

Special trade advantages (e.g. tariff preferences) granted by a government to some of its trading partners to promote trade with them.  See also FREE TRADE AREA (FTA) and ENABLING CLAUSE.

Preshipment inspection (PSI) is the government contracted or mandated employment of specialized private companies to verify shipment details - essentially price, quantity and quality - of goods ordered from overseas. Used currently by some 30 developing countries, mainly in Africa, the purpose is to safeguard national financial interests (prevention of capital flight and commercial fraud as well as customs duty evasion, for instance) and to compensate for inadequacies in administrative infrastructures.

The WTO PSI Agreement recognizes that GATT 1994 principles and obligations apply to the activities of preshipment inspection agencies mandated by governments. The obligations placed on PSI-user governments include non-discrimination, transparency, protection of confidential business information, avoidance of unreasonable delay, the use of specific guidelines for conducting price verification and the avoidance of conflicts of interest by PSI agencies. The obligations of exporting members towards PSI users include non-discrimination in the application of domestic laws and regulations and the provision of technical assistance where requested.

The Agreement provides for expeditious settlement of disputes through “an independent entity constituted jointly by an organization representing preshipment inspection entities and an organization representing exporters”. WTO Members have decided that these organizations would be the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and International Federation of Inspection Agencies (IFIA), respectively.

Undertaking by an exporter to raise the export price of the product to avoid the possibility of an anti-dumping duty.

Generally considered as the country that has the largest share of imports into a given market for a given product or group of products.

Tariff dispersion is generally analyzed by compiling tariff profiles. IDB tariff profiles show a distribution of tariff lines according to duty ranges as follows:

TARIFF PROFILES    

MFN RANGE	NB. TARIFF LINES	%	CUMULATIVE %
Total	8637	100	100
Duty-free	1780	21	21
0.1 - 5.0%	2087	24	45
5.1 - 10.0%	1929	22	67
10.1 - 15.0%	850	10	77
15.1 - 35.0%	1349	16	93
Over 35%	642	7	100

Trade profiles show a distribution of imports according to duty ranges in a similar manner.

A tariff rate set so high that it acts as an insurmountable barrier to imports. See also PROTECTION.

Source: Walter Goode: Dictionary of Trade Policy Terms, Fourth Edition, (Cambridge University Press/WTO, 2003), p.283

Government measures — including tariff and nontariff barriers — that raise the cost of imported goods or otherwise restrict their entry into a market and thus strengthen the competitive position of domestic goods.

Source: http://usinfo.state.gov/products/pubs/trade/glossjr.htm#j

Related terms:

PROTECTIONISM - The deliberate use or encouragement of restrictions on imports to enable relatively inefficient domestic producers to compete successfully with foreign producers.

Source: http://usinfo.state.gov/products/pubs/trade/glossjr.htm#j

PROTECTIVE TARIFF - A tariff designed to shelter part of the national productive capacity from the full impact of foreign competition.

Source: Walter Goode: Dictionary of Trade Policy Terms, Fourth Edition, (Cambridge University Press/WTO, 2003), p.284

The legal document that records the obligations agreed to as a consequence of accession to an international accord or organization.   

Source: http://www.asycuda.org/cuglossa.asp?firstlet=P&submit1=Browse