Vol. 136, No. 13 — March 30, 2002

GOVERNMENT NOTICES

DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND INTERNATIONAL TRADE

INVITATION TO SUBMIT COMMENTS/VIEWS ON IMPROVING ACCESS FOR THE PRODUCTS OF THE LEAST DEVELOPED COUNTRIES (LDCs) TO THE CANADIAN MARKET

Proposed Product Coverage Expansion for Least Developed Countries Duty-free Quota-free Treatment

The Government of Canada proposes to extend duty-free and quota-free access to exports from 48 Least Developed Countries, with the exception of supply-managed agricultural products (dairy, poultry and eggs). All remaining dutiable imports would be assessed a tariff-rate of zero. A list of relevant tariff items that are not free under the LDCT follows. Under this initiative, quotas, or quantitative restrictions, on eligible products from these LDCs would be also be eliminated. The Government seeks the views of interested Canadians on this proposed approach. At the same time, the Government wishes to consider what economic and social effects this initiative might have on Canadians and what measures, if any, may be appropriate to address these effects.

Canada and other developed countries have recognized the need to look beyond aid to find effective tools to address global poverty. With this came the determination to adopt a comprehensive approach to poverty reduction that addresses economic, social, environmental and institutional, systemic issues. Joint initiatives such as the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries Initiative and the Global Health Fund, as well as individual efforts such as the Canadian Debt Initiative and CIDA's Social Development Priorities are part of this approach. In the context of strengthening global economic growth, education, the use of technology for development, aid effectiveness and trade are areas of work for this year's G8 Summit.

Developing countries most successful at alleviating poverty are those whose economies have grown through trade. Without economic growth, poverty does not decrease. Enabling economic growth therefore includes the important task of enhancing trade opportunities for developing countries. Improved market access removes constraints to greater trade and acts as an incentive for investment in developing countries. Market access while not sufficient for poverty reduction, reinforces the efforts of countries to make full use of their comparative advantage. Given Canada's longstanding interest in helping developing countries to reduce poverty, it is time for Canada to consider joining the growing international consensus to provide market access for LDCs free of tariffs and quotas.

Background

Developing countries defined by the United Nations to be "least developed" benefit from duty-free access to the Canadian market for some products. This duty-free treatment offers Least Developed Countries (LDCs) a distinct preferential tariff known as the Least Developed Country Tariff (LDCT) within Canada's Customs Tariff schedule. Products that are excluded from the LDCT include refined sugar, baby carrots, manufactured tobacco substitutes, most textiles, apparel, and footwear. Canada also maintains tariff rate quotas (TRQs) for certain agricultural products. Under these TRQs, LDCs can export all these products to Canada on a duty-free basis up to a specified quantity (within access). Above this quantity (over access), LDCs face the Most Favoured Nation (MFN) tariff rates that are applied to most countries (exceptions include the USA, Mexico and Chile which may export duty-free some of these products "over access"). LDC exports of agricultural products under TRQs have been limited, and well within Canada's duty-free access limits.

Countries eligible for the LDCT are Afghanistan, Angola, Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Kiribati, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Nepal, Niger, Rwanda, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Sudan, Togo, Tuvalu, Uganda, United Republic of Tanzania, Vanuatu, Yemen, and Zambia. Consideration is being given to extending the LDCT to Senegal. Burma is not eligible for either the GPT or the LDCT for political reasons.

Canada along with other World Trade Organization Members recognizes that the integration of the LDCs into the multilateral trading system requires enhanced market access. It is therefore timely for Canada to explore the extension of further market access improvements for exports from LDCs that qualify for preferential access to the Canadian market. New Zealand and Norway have provided duty-free and quota-free access to all products originating from LDCs. The 15 Member States of the European Union have also done so although arms have been excluded and commitments on sugar, rice and bananas are to be phased in over a number of years. The US African Growth and Opportunity Act provides limited new benefits for some least developed countries.

Related Information

A discussion paper, entitled "Improving Access for the Products of the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) to the Canadian Market," provides further information on the key issues with respect to access to the Canadian market for LDCs. It is available via the Internet at http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/tna-nac/Consult1e.asp.

To obtain a hard copy of the discussion paper, call

1-800-O-Canada (1-800-622-6232)

TTY/TDD 1-800-465-7735

Submissions

Interested parties are invited to submit their views by May 2, 2002. Submissions should be sent to the attention of the Director, Economic Relations with Developing Countries Division, Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, 125 Sussex Drive, Tower C, 6th Floor, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0G2, consultations@dfait-maeci.gc.ca (Electronic mail).

LIST OF TARIFF ITEMS THAT ARE NOT FREE UNDER THE LEAST DEVELOPED COUNTRIES TARIFF (LDCT) BASED ON THE 2002 CUSTOMS TARIFF SCHEDULE

TARIFF ITEMS	TARIFF ITEMS	TARIFF ITEMS	TARIFF ITEMS
0105.92.91	1905.90.63	5205.31.90	5208.21.40
0105.93.91	2004.90.10	5205.32.90	5208.21.50
0201.10.20	2302.30.20	5205.33.90	5208.21.90
0201.20.20	2302.40.12	5205.34.90	5208.22.20
0201.30.20	2403.99.20	5205.35.90	5208.22.90
0202.10.20	5111.11.20	5205.41.90	5208.23.10
0202.20.20	5111.11.90	5205.42.90	5208.23.90
0202.30.20	5111.19.31	5205.43.90	5208.29.20
1001.10.20	5111.19.32	5205.44.90	5208.29.90
1001.90.20	5111.20.11	5205.46.90	5208.31.20
1003.00.12	5111.20.12	5205.47.90	5208.31.90
1003.00.92	5111.20.13	5205.48.90	5208.32.90
1101.00.20	5111.20.18	5206.11.00	5208.33.90
1102.90.12	5111.20.91	5206.12.00	5208.39.90
1103.11.20	5111.30.11	5206.13.00	5208.41.90
1103.19.12	5111.30.12	5206.14.00	5208.42.90
1103.20.12	5111.30.13	5206.14.90	5208.43.30
1103.20.22	5111.30.18	5206.15.00	5208.43.40
1104.19.12	5111.30.91	5206.15.90	5208.43.50
1104.19.22	5111.90.21	5206.21.00	5208.43.60
1104.29.12	5111.90.22	5206.22.00	5208.43.90
1104.29.22	5111.90.23	5206.23.00	5208.49.90
1104.30.12	5111.90.28	5206.24.00	5208.51.00
1107.10.12	5111.90.91	5206.24.90	5208.52.90
1107.10.92	5112.11.20	5206.25.00	5208.53.00
1107.20.12	5112.11.30	5206.25.90	5208.59.90
1108.11.20	5112.11.40	5206.31.00	5209.11.20
1108.19.12	5112.11.90	5206.32.00	5209.11.30
1109.00.20	5112.19.20	5206.33.00	5209.11.40
1517.10.20	5112.19.30	5206.34.00	5209.11.90
1517.90.22	5112.19.40	5206.35.00	5209.12.10
1701.12.90	5112.19.91	5206.41.00	5209.12.20
1701.91.00	5112.20.91	5206.42.00	5209.12.30
1701.99.00	5112.30.91	5206.43.00	5209.12.40
1901.20.15	5112.90.91	5206.44.00	5209.12.90
1901.20.24	5203.00.90	5206.45.00	5209.19.20
1901.90.12	5204.11.90	5207.10.00	5209.19.30
1902.19.23	5204.19.00	5207.90.00	5209.19.90
1902.19.93	5204.20.00	5208.11.20	5209.21.20
1904.20.62	5205.11.90	5208.11.30	5209.21.30
1904.20.64	5205.12.90	5208.11.90	5209.21.90
1904.90.40	5205.13.90	5208.12.30	5209.22.10
1904.90.62	5205.14.90	5208.12.40	5209.22.20
1904.90.64	5205.15.90	5208.12.90	5209.22.30
1905.10.72	5205.21.90	5208.13.10	5209.22.90
1905.31.22	5205.22.90	5208.13.20	5209.29.20
1905.31.23	5205.23.90	5208.13.90	5209.29.90
1905.31.93	5205.24.90	5208.19.20	5209.31.20
1905.90.33	5205.26.90	5208.19.30	5209.31.30
1905.90.35	5205.27.90	5208.19.90	5209.31.90
1905.90.45	5205.28.90	5208.21.30	5209.32.10
5209.32.20	5407.41.90	5408.31.90	5513.33.90
5209.32.30	5407.42.90	5408.32.40	5513.39.00
5209.32.90	5407.43.00	5408.32.50	5513.41.90
5209.39.00	5407.44.00	5408.32.90	5513.42.00
5209.41.00	5407.51.10	5408.33.10	5513.43.00
5209.42.00	5407.51.20	5408.33.20	5513.49.00
5209.43.10	5407.51.30	5408.33.90	5514.11.00
5209.43.90	5407.51.90	5408.34.20	5514.12.00
5209.49.00	5407.52.20	5408.34.90	5514.13.00
5209.51.00	5407.52.90	5501.10.90	5514.19.00
5209.52.00	5407.53.00	5501.20.90	5514.21.00
5209.59.00	5407.54.00	5501.90.00	5514.22.00
5210.11.00	5407.61.11	5502.00.00	5514.23.00
5210.12.00	5407.61.19	5508.10.00	5514.29.00
5210.19.00	5407.61.20	5509.21.90	5514.31.00
5210.21.00	5407.61.93	5509.22.90	5514.32.00
5210.22.00	5407.61.94	5509.31.00	5514.33.00
5210.29.00	5407.61.99	5509.32.90	5514.39.00
5210.31.00	5407.69.20	5509.41.90	5514.41.00
5210.32.00	5407.69.90	5509.42.00	5514.42.00
5210.39.00	5407.71.00	5509.52.90	5514.43.00
5210.41.00	5407.72.00	5509.53.00	5514.49.00
5210.42.00	5407.73.90	5509.53.20	5515.11.90
5210.49.00	5407.74.00	5509.53.30	5515.12.00
5210.51.00	5407.81.00	5509.53.40	5515.13.20
5210.52.00	5407.82.90	5509.53.90	5515.19.00
5210.59.00	5407.83.10	5509.61.00	5515.21.00
5211.11.00	5407.83.90	5509.62.00	5515.29.00
5211.12.00	5407.84.00	5509.69.00	5515.91.00
5211.19.00	5407.91.10	5509.91.00	5515.99.00
5211.21.00	5407.91.90	5509.92.00	5516.11.00
5211.22.00	5407.92.20	5509.99.00	5516.12.00
5211.29.00	5407.92.30	5510.20.90	5516.13.00
5211.31.00	5407.92.90	5511.10.00	5516.14.90
5211.32.00	5407.93.10	5511.20.00	5516.21.90
5211.39.00	5407.93.20	5512.11.20	5516.22.00
5211.41.00	5407.93.30	5512.11.90	5516.23.20
5211.42.00	5407.93.90	5512.19.90	5516.23.30
5211.43.00	5407.94.90	5512.21.00	5516.23.90
5211.49.00	5408.10.00	5512.29.00	5516.24.90
5211.51.00	5408.21.30	5512.91.00	5516.41.00
5211.52.00	5408.21.90	5512.99.90	5516.42.00
5211.59.00	5408.22.22	5513.11.90	5516.43.00
5306.20.20	5408.22.29	5513.12.00	5516.44.00
5401.10.00	5408.22.40	5513.13.00	5516.91.90
5402.62.90	5408.22.90	5513.19.00	5516.92.00
5406.10.00	5408.23.10	5513.21.00	5516.93.20
5407.10.20	5408.23.20	5513.22.00	5516.93.90
5407.10.90	5408.23.90	5513.23.00	5516.94.00
5407.20.10	5408.24.19	5513.29.00	5601.21.30
5407.20.90	5408.24.99	5513.31.90	5601.22.30
5407.30.00	5408.31.30	5513.32.90	5602.29.00
5603.11.50	5806.20.90	6005.43.90	6104.19.10
5603.11.90	5806.31.10	6005.44.90	6104.19.90
5603.12.50	5806.31.20	6005.90.90	6104.21.00
5603.12.90	5806.31.90	6006.10.00	6104.22.00
5603.13.50	5806.32.90	6006.21.10	6104.23.00
5603.13.90	5806.40.00	6006.21.90	6104.29.00
5603.14.50	5808.90.00	6006.22.10	6104.31.00
5603.14.90	5809.00.00	6006.22.20	6104.32.00
5603.91.90	5810.91.90	6006.22.90	6104.33.00
5603.92.90	5810.92.00	6006.23.10	6104.39.10
5603.93.40	5810.99.00	6006.23.20	6104.39.90
5603.93.90	5811.00.10	6006.23.90	6104.41.00
5603.94.90	5811.00.20	6006.24.10	6104.42.00
5604.10.00	5811.00.90	6006.24.90	6104.43.00
5604.20.90	5902.10.00	6006.31.90	6104.44.00
5604.90.00	5902.20.00	6006.32.90	6104.49.00
5605.00.90	5902.90.00	6006.33.90	6104.51.00
5606.00.90	5906.99.22	6006.34.90	6104.52.00
5607.10.90	5907.00.29	6006.41.90	6104.53.00
5607.29.20	5911.20.90	6006.42.90	6104.59.10
5607.29.90	6001.10.90	6006.43.90	6104.59.90
5607.49.20	6001.22.00	6006.44.90	6104.61.00
5607.49.90	6001.92.90	6006.90.00	6104.62.00
5607.50.20	6002.40.90	6101.10.00	6104.63.00
5607.50.90	6002.90.90	6101.20.00	6104.69.00
5607.90.20	6003.10.90	6101.30.00	6105.10.00
5607.90.90	6003.20.90	6101.90.00	6105.20.00
5608.11.90	6003.30.90	6102.10.00	6105.90.00
5608.19.20	6003.40.90	6102.20.00	6106.10.00
5608.19.90	6003.90.90	6102.30.00	6106.20.00
5608.90.90	6004.10.90	6102.90.00	6106.90.00
5801.22.20	6004.90.90	6103.11.00	6107.11.90
5801.23.00	6005.10.00	6103.12.00	6107.12.90
5801.24.00	6005.21.90	6103.19.10	6107.19.00
5801.25.10	6005.22.90	6103.19.90	6107.21.00
5801.31.00	6005.23.90	6103.21.00	6107.22.00
5801.34.00	6005.24.90	6103.22.00	6107.29.00
5802.11.90	6005.31.30	6103.23.00	6107.91.00
5802.19.30	6005.31.40	6103.29.00	6107.92.00
5802.19.90	6005.31.90	6103.31.00	6107.99.00
5802.20.00	6005.32.30	6103.32.00	6108.11.00
5802.30.00	6005.32.40	6103.33.00	6108.19.00
5803.10.10	6005.32.90	6103.39.10	6108.21.00
5803.10.90	6005.33.30	6103.39.90	6108.22.90
5803.90.19	6005.33.40	6103.41.00	6108.29.00
5804.10.90	6005.33.90	6103.42.00	6108.31.00
5804.21.00	6005.34.40	6103.43.00	6108.32.00
5804.30.90	6005.34.50	6103.49.00	6108.39.00
5805.00.90	6005.34.90	6104.11.00	6108.91.00
5806.10.20	6005.41.90	6104.12.00	6108.92.00
5806.10.90	6005.42.90	6104.13.00	6108.99.00
6109.10.00	6203.12.00	6207.21.00	6302.32.00
6109.90.00	6203.19.10	6207.22.00	6302.39.00
6110.11.90	6203.19.90	6207.91.00	6302.40.00
6110.12.90	6203.21.00	6207.92.00	6302.51.00
6110.19.90	6203.22.00	6207.99.00	6302.53.90
6110.20.00	6203.23.00	6208.11.00	6302.59.00
6110.30.00	6203.29.00	6208.19.00	6302.60.00
6110.90.00	6203.31.00	6208.21.00	6302.91.00
6111.10.00	6203.32.00	6208.22.00	6302.93.00
6111.20.00	6203.33.00	6208.91.00	6302.99.00
6111.30.00	6203.39.10	6208.92.00	6303.11.00
6111.90.00	6203.39.90	6209.10.00	6303.12.00
6112.11.00	6203.41.00	6209.20.00	6303.19.00
6112.12.00	6203.42.00	6209.30.00	6303.91.00
6112.19.00	6203.43.00	6209.90.00	6303.92.10
6112.20.00	6203.49.00	6210.10.90	6303.92.90
6112.31.00	6204.11.00	6210.20.00	6303.99.00
6112.39.00	6204.12.00	6210.30.00	6304.11.00
6112.41.00	6204.13.00	6210.40.90	6304.19.00
6112.49.00	6204.19.10	6210.50.90	6304.91.90
6113.00.90	6204.19.90	6211.11.00	6304.92.90
6114.10.00	6204.21.00	6211.12.90	6304.93.90
6114.20.00	6204.22.00	6211.20.00	6304.99.90
6114.30.00	6204.23.00	6211.31.00	6305.20.00
6114.90.00	6204.29.00	6211.32.00	6305.32.00
6115.11.00	6204.31.00	6211.33.90	6305.33.00
6115.12.00	6204.32.00	6211.39.00	6305.39.00
6115.19.00	6204.33.00	6211.41.00	6306.11.00
6115.20.00	6204.39.10	6211.42.00	6306.12.00
6115.92.00	6204.39.90	6211.43.90	6306.19.00
6115.93.00	6204.41.00	6211.49.90	6306.21.00
6115.99.00	6204.42.00	6212.10.00	6306.22.00
6117.10.90	6204.43.00	6212.20.00	6306.29.00
6117.20.00	6204.44.00	6212.30.00	6306.91.00
6117.80.90	6204.51.00	6212.90.00	6306.99.00
6201.11.00	6204.52.00	6213.90.00	6307.10.90
6201.12.00	6204.53.00	6214.20.90	6307.20.00
6201.13.00	6204.59.10	6214.30.90	6307.90.40
6201.19.00	6204.59.90	6214.40.00	6307.90.93
6201.91.00	6204.61.00	6214.90.00	6307.90.99
6201.92.10	6204.62.00	6215.20.00	6308.00.00
6201.92.90	6204.63.00	6215.90.00	6309.00.90
6201.93.00	6204.69.00	6217.10.90	6401.10.19
6201.99.00	6205.10.00	6217.90.10	6401.10.20
6202.11.00	6205.20.00	6217.90.90	6401.91.19
6202.12.00	6205.30.00	6301.10.00	6401.91.20
6202.13.00	6206.20.00	6301.30.00	6401.92.12
6202.91.00	6206.30.00	6302.10.00	6401.92.91
6202.92.00	6206.40.00	6302.21.00	6401.92.92
6202.93.00	6206.90.00	6302.22.00	6401.99.21
6202.99.00	6207.11.00	6302.29.00	6401.99.29
6203.11.00	6207.19.00	6302.31.00	6401.99.30
6402.12.20	6403.12.20	6403.59.90	6405.10.90
6402.12.30	6403.12.30	6403.91.00	6405.20.20
6402.19.10	6403.19.20	6403.99.20	6405.20.90
6402.19.90	6403.19.90	6403.99.30	6405.90.00
6402.20.19	6403.20.00	6403.99.90	6406.10.11
6402.20.20	6403.30.00	6404.11.91	6406.10.19
6402.30.00	6403.40.00	6404.11.99	9612.10.30
6402.91.00	6403.51.00	6404.19.90
6402.99.00	6403.59.20	6404.20.90

[13-1-o]

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

FOOD AND DRUGS ACT

Food and Drug Regulations — Amendment

Interim Marketing Authorization

Provision currently exists in Table X to section B.16.100 of the Food and Drug Regulations for the use of sodium bisulphate as a pH adjusting agent in ale, beer, light beer, malt liquor, porter and stout at maximum levels of use consistent with good manufacturing practice. Health Canada has received a submission to permit the use of sodium bisulphate as a pH adjusting agent in unstandardized bakery products at a maximum level of use consistent with good manufacturing practice. Evaluation of available data supports the safety and effectiveness of this new use of sodium bisulphate.

This use of sodium bisulphate will benefit consumers through the increased availability of quality bakery products. It will also benefit the industry by facilitating their production.

Therefore, it is the intention of Health Canada to recommend that the Food and Drug Regulations be amended to permit the use of sodium bisulphate as a pH adjusting agent in unstandardized bakery products at a maximum level of use consistent with good manufacturing practice.

As a means to improve the responsiveness of the regulatory system, an Interim Marketing Authorization (IMA) is being issued to permit the immediate use of sodium bisulphate, as indicated above, while the regulatory process is undertaken to formally amend the Regulations.

March 14, 2002

DIANE C. GORMAN
Assistant Deputy Minister
Health Products and Food Branch

[13-1-o]

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