APTA to adopt agreement on origin of goods

New Delhi, Oct 25 (UNI) The second Ministerial Council of Asia-Pacific Trade Agreement (APTA) will adopt the Agreement on Operational Rules for the Certification and Verification of the Origin of Goods at its meeting being held in Goa from tomorrow.

It is the first time that the economic powerhouses of China, India and South Korea will adopt a common set of operational rules under the Agreement in the meeting being hosted by Union Commerce and Industry Minister Kamal Nath, an official statement said here today.

More than 30 delegates headed by the respective ministers or vice ministers from the six APTA participating states - Bangladesh, China, India, South Korea, Laos and Sri Lanka - will attend the meeting.

The Ministerial Council will hold discussion to launch the fourth round of tariff negotiations which, when completed, will deepen and widen trading relations among the six participating states, the statement added.

Together with expected expansion of the Council in the coming years, APTA is emerging as the only truly regional trade agreement that links east, southeast and south Asia, and is thus becoming an important platform for regional economic cooperation and integration.

UNI