The Working Group will be established as of the date of receipt of your letter in response. The Working Group s functions will include:

Transcription

1 [DATE] The Honorable Hyun Chong Kim Trade Minister Sejong, Republic of Korea Dear Minister Kim: I have the honor to confirm the following understanding reached between the Government of the United States of America (United States) and the Government of the Republic of Korea (Korea) during the modification and amendment negotiations held under the auspices of the Joint Committee pursuant to Article 22.2 (Joint Committee) of the Free Trade Agreement between the United States of America and the Republic of Korea (Agreement). The Government of the United States and the Government of Korea are committed to the Customs Principles under the Free Trade Agreement between the United States of America and the Republic of Korea included in the attachment to this letter. Pursuant to Article of the Agreement, the Joint Committee will establish the Rules of Origin Verification Working Group under the Committee on Trade in Goods. The Working Group will be co-chaired, in the case of the United States, by a representative of the Office of the United States Trade Representative and, in the case of Korea, by a representative of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and a representative of the Ministry of Strategy and Finance. The Working Group will be established as of the date of receipt of your letter in response. The Working Group s functions will include: 1) seeking to resolve concerns that arise from matters related to verification of claims of origin; 2) developing further guidelines to address systemic concerns with verification practices and to prevent such concerns from arising in the future; 3) monitoring verifications that are taking excessive lengths of time or that do not seem to be reaching conclusion; and 4) presenting findings, reports, and recommendations to the Committee on Trade in Goods as appropriate. The Working Group will meet at the request of the representative of either Party to the Committee on Trade in Goods to resolve concerns mentioned in the preceding paragraph. The Working Group may be terminated by decision of the Joint Committee. As with other committees and working groups established under the Agreement, the Working Group may agree to meet by digital video conference and will be supervised by the Joint

2 Committee and otherwise operate under applicable provisions set out in Article 22.2 of the Agreement. I look forward to your response to this letter as soon as possible confirming this understanding. Sincerely, Attachment Ambassador Robert E. Lighthizer United States Trade Representative

3 Attachment Customs Principles under the Free Trade Agreement between the United States of America and the Republic of Korea The United States and Korea confirm the following principles: Reaffirm the commitment to the knowledge-based self-certification system prescribed under the Agreement, which relies on importer knowledge or a certification of origin provided by an importer, exporter, or producer to make a claim of preferential tariff treatment. Allow a certification of origin to be completed by an exporter or producer regardless of its location or address. Allow an importer, exporter, or producer to correct minor errors or discrepancies in the certification, questionnaire, or other documents, with no penalty for making such corrections. In the case of such minor errors or discrepancies, allow an importer, exporter, or producer a period of not less than five working days to provide to the customs authority a copy of the corrected certification, questionnaire, or other document. Ensure that verifications of origin 1 are conducted by the importing Party through information requests to the importer, exporter, or producer. Reaffirm that verifications of origin will be conducted only if the customs authority has doubts as to a good s originating status, and based on risk management principles that facilitate the movement of low-risk goods. Provide written advance rulings, upon written request by the importer, exporter, or producer, to questions of whether a good is originating, rather than answering such questions through verbal advice. Increase efforts to ensure that information requests conducted through a verification of origin will clearly identify the specific goods being verified, will be limited in scope to information necessary to determine whether the goods are originating, and will provide clear guidance to importers, exporters, or producers with regard to specific information that must be provided in order to prove origin. Endeavor to conclude verifications of origin as expeditiously as possible and no later than 90 days after receiving the information necessary to make a determination, and no later than twelve months after the initiation of the verification, allowing extensions of the period in exceptional cases. 1 For greater certainty, these principles do not apply to audits of an exporter or producer.

4 [DATE] The Honorable Robert E. Lighthizer United States Trade Representative Washington, D.C. Dear Ambassador Lighthizer: I am pleased to acknowledge receipt of your letter of this date, which reads as follows: I have the honor to confirm the following understanding reached between the Government of the United States of America (United States) and the Government of the Republic of Korea (Korea) during the modification and amendment negotiations held under the auspices of the Joint Committee pursuant to Article 22.2 (Joint Committee) of the Free Trade Agreement between the United States of America and the Republic of Korea (Agreement). The Government of the United States and the Government of Korea are committed to the Customs Principles under the Free Trade Agreement between the United States of America and the Republic of Korea included in the attachment to this letter. Pursuant to Article of the Agreement, the Joint Committee will establish the Rules of Origin Verification Working Group under the Committee on Trade in Goods. The Working Group will be co-chaired, in the case of the United States, by a representative of the Office of the United States Trade Representative and, in the case of Korea, by a representative of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and a representative of the Ministry of Strategy and Finance. The Working Group will be established as of the date of receipt of your letter in response. The Working Group s functions will include: 1) seeking to resolve concerns that arise from matters related to verification of claims of origin; 2) developing further guidelines to address systemic concerns with verification practices and to prevent such concerns from arising in the future; 3) monitoring verifications that are taking excessive lengths of time or that do not seem to be reaching conclusion; and 4) presenting findings, reports, and recommendations to the Committee on Trade in Goods as appropriate. The Working Group will meet at the request of the representative of either Party to the Committee on Trade in Goods to resolve concerns mentioned in the preceding paragraph. The Working Group may be terminated by decision of the Joint Committee.

5 As with other committees and working groups established under the Agreement, the Working Group may agree to meet by digital video conference and will be supervised by the Joint Committee and otherwise operate under applicable provisions set out in Article 22.2 of the Agreement. I look forward to your response to this letter as soon as possible confirming this understanding. I have the honor to confirm my government shares the understanding expressed in your letter. Sincerely, Hyun Chong Kim Attachment

6 Attachment Customs Principles under the Free Trade Agreement between the United States of America and the Republic of Korea The United States and Korea confirm the following principles: Reaffirm the commitment to the knowledge-based self-certification system prescribed under the Agreement, which relies on importer knowledge or a certification of origin provided by an importer, exporter, or producer to make a claim of preferential tariff treatment. Allow a certification of origin to be completed by an exporter or producer regardless of its location or address. Allow an importer, exporter, or producer to correct minor errors or discrepancies in the certification, questionnaire, or other documents, with no penalty for making such corrections. In the case of such minor errors or discrepancies, allow an importer, exporter, or producer a period of not less than five working days to provide to the customs authority a copy of the corrected certification, questionnaire, or other document. Ensure that verifications of origin 1 are conducted by the importing Party through information requests to the importer, exporter, or producer. Reaffirm that verifications of origin will be conducted only if the customs authority has doubts as to a good s originating status, and based on risk management principles that facilitate the movement of low-risk goods. Provide written advance rulings, upon written request by the importer, exporter, or producer, to questions of whether a good is originating, rather than answering such questions through verbal advice. Increase efforts to ensure that information requests conducted through a verification of origin will clearly identify the specific goods being verified, will be limited in scope to information necessary to determine whether the goods are originating, and will provide clear guidance to importers, exporters, or producers with regard to specific information that must be provided in order to prove origin. Endeavor to conclude verifications of origin as expeditiously as possible and no later than 90 days after receiving the information necessary to make a determination, and no later than twelve months after the initiation of the verification, allowing extensions of the period in exceptional cases. 1 For greater certainty, these principles do not apply to audits of an exporter or producer.

7 비공식번역본 날짜 김현종통상교섭본부장대한민국세종 김현종본부장귀하, 본인은 대한민국과미합중국간의자유무역협정 ( 협정 ) 제 22.2 조 ( 공동위원회 ) 에따라공동위원회의주관하에이루어진수정및개정협상과정에서대한민국 ( 대한민국 ) 정부와미합중국 ( 미합중국 ) 정부간에도달한다음의양해를확인하는영광을가지는바입니다. 대한민국정부와미합중국정부는이서한의첨부에포함된 대한민국과미합중국간의자유 무역협정에따른통관원칙 에대하여약속한다. 협정제 22.2 조제 3 항에따라, 공동위원회는상품무역위원회아래원산지규정검증작업반을설치할것이다. 작업반은대한민국의경우산업통상자원부의대표와기획재정부의대표, 그리고미합중국의경우미합중국무역대표부의대표가공동의장이될것이다. 작업반은귀하의답신을접수한날에설치될것이다. 작업반의기능은다음을포함할것이다. 1) 원산지신청의검증과관련된사안에서발생하는우려의해결노력 2) 검증관행과관련된제도상우려를다루고그러한우려가미래에발생하는것을방지하기위한추가적인지침개발 3) 과도한기간이소요되거나결론에도달할것으로보이지아니하는검증의점검, 그리고 4) 적절한경우상품무역위원회에조사결과, 보고서및권고제시 작업반은앞문단에서언급된우려를해결하기위하여상품무역위원회의한쪽당사국대표의요청에따라회합할것이다. 작업반은공동위원회의결정에의하여종료될수있다. 협정에따라설치된그밖의위원회및작업반과같이, 작업반은디지털영상회의로회합하는것에합의할수있고, 공동위원회에의하여감독될것이며또한협정제 22.2 조에규정된적용가능한조항에따라운영할것이다. 본인은가능한한조속히이양해를확인하는귀하의답신을고대합니다. 로버트 E. 라이트하이저대사미합중국무역대표 첨부

8 비공식번역본 첨부 대한민국과미합중국간의자유무역협정에따른통관원칙 대한민국과미합중국은다음원칙을확인한다. 특혜관세대우를신청하기위하여수입자, 수출자, 또는생산자에의하여제공된원산지증명서또는수입자의지식에의존하는, 협정에따라규정된 인지기반 자율증명제도에대한약속을재확인함 소재나주소와관계없이수출자또는생산자에의하여원산지증명서가작성되도록허용함 수입자, 수출자, 또는생산자가증명서, 질문지또는그밖의문서의사소한오류나불일치를벌칙없이정정할수있도록허용함. 그러한사소한오류나불일치의경우, 수입자, 수출자또는생산자가정정된증명서, 질문지또는그밖의문서의사본을관세당국에제공할수있도록근로일기준 5 일이상의기간을허용함 원산지검증 1 은수입자, 수출자, 또는생산자에대한정보요청을통하여수입당사국에의하여수행됨을보장함 원산지검증은관세당국이상품의원산지지위를의심하는경우에만, 저위험상품의이동을원활하게하는위험관리원칙에기초하여수행될것임을재확인함 상품이원산지상품인지여부의질문에대하여수입자, 수출자, 또는생산자에의한서면요청이있는경우, 구두조언보다는서면사전심사결정서를제공함 원산지검증을통하여수행되는정보요청은검증되는특정상품을명확히적시하고, 상품이원산지상품인지여부를결정하기위하여필요한범위의정보로제한되고, 원산지를증명하기위하여제공되어야할특정정보에대하여수입자, 수출자또는생산자에게명확한지침을제공할것을보장하기위한노력을증대함 원산지검증을가능한한신속하게하여, 결정을내리기위하여필요한정보를수령한후 90 일이내, 그리고검증개시이후 12 월이내에완료하도록노력하고, 예외적인경우그기간의연장을허용함 1 보다명확히하기위하여, 이원칙은수출자또는생산자에대한감사에는적용되지아니한다.

9 비공식번역본 로버트 E. 라이트하이저미합중국무역대표워싱턴디씨 날짜 라이트하이저대사귀하, 본인은다음과같은내용의금일자귀하의서한을접수하였음을확인하게되어기쁘게생각합니다. 본인은 대한민국과미합중국간의자유무역협정 ( 협정 ) 제 22.2 조 ( 공동위원회 ) 에따라공동위원회의주관하에이루어진수정및개정협상과정에서대한민국 ( 대한민국 ) 정부와미합중국 ( 미합중국 ) 정부간에도달한다음의양해를확인하는영광을가지는바입니다. 대한민국정부와미합중국정부는이서한의첨부에포함된 대한민국과미합중국간의자유무역협정에따른통관원칙 에대하여약속한다. 협정제 22.2 조제 3 항에따라, 공동위원회는상품무역위원회아래원산지규정검증작업반을설치할것이다. 작업반은대한민국의경우산업통상자원부의대표와기획재정부의대표, 그리고미합중국의경우미합중국무역대표부의대표가공동의장이될것이다. 작업반은귀하의답신을접수한날에설치될것이다. 작업반의기능은다음을포함할것이다. 1) 원산지신청의검증과관련된사안에서발생하는우려의해결노력 2) 검증관행과관련된제도상우려를다루고그러한우려가미래에발생하는것을방지하기위한추가적인지침개발 3) 과도한기간이소요되거나결론에도달할것으로보이지아니하는검증의점검, 그리고 4) 적절한경우상품무역위원회에조사결과, 보고서및권고제시 작업반은앞문단에서언급된우려를해결하기위하여상품무역위원회의한쪽당사국대표의요청에따라회합할것이다. 작업반은공동위원회의결정에의하여종료될수있다. 협정에따라설치된그밖의위원회및작업반과같이, 작업반은디지털영상회의로회합하는것에합의할수있고, 공동위원회에의하여감독될것이며또한협정제 22.2 조에규정된적용가능한조항에따라운영할것이다. 본인은가능한한조속히이양해를확인하는귀하의답신을고대합니다. 본인은우리정부가귀하의서한에표현된양해를공유하고있음을확인하는영광을가지는바입니다.

10 비공식번역본 김현종 첨부

11 비공식번역본 첨부 대한민국과미합중국간의자유무역협정에따른통관원칙 대한민국과미합중국은다음원칙을확인한다. 특혜관세대우를신청하기위하여수입자, 수출자, 또는생산자에의하여제공된원산지증명서또는수입자의지식에의존하는, 협정에따라규정된 인지기반 자율증명제도에대한약속을재확인함 소재나주소와관계없이수출자또는생산자에의하여원산지증명서가작성되도록허용함 수입자, 수출자, 또는생산자가증명서, 질문지또는그밖의문서의사소한오류나불일치를벌칙없이정정할수있도록허용함. 그러한사소한오류나불일치의경우, 수입자, 수출자, 또는생산자가정정된증명서, 질문지또는그밖의문서의사본을관세당국에제공할수있도록근로일기준 5 일이상의기간을허용함 원산지검증 1 은수입자, 수출자, 또는생산자에대한정보요청을통하여수입당사국에의하여수행됨을보장함 원산지검증은관세당국이상품의원산지지위를의심하는경우에만, 저위험상품의이동을원활하게하는위험관리원칙에기초하여수행될것임을재확인함 상품이원산지상품인지여부의질문에대하여수입자, 수출자, 또는생산자에의한서면요청이있는경우, 구두조언보다는서면사전심사결정서를제공함 원산지검증을통하여수행되는정보요청은검증되는특정상품을명확히적시하고, 상품이원산지상품인지여부를결정하기위하여필요한범위의정보로제한되고, 원산지를증명하기위하여제공되어야할특정정보에대하여수입자, 수출자, 또는생산자에게명확한지침을제공할것을보장하기위한노력을증대함 원산지검증을가능한한신속하게하여, 결정을내리기위하여필요한정보를수령한후 90 일이내, 그리고검증개시이후 12 월이내에완료하도록노력하고, 예외적인경우그기간의연장을허용함 1 보다명확히하기위하여, 이원칙은수출자또는생산자에대한감사에는적용되지아니한다.