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ACCESSIONS

Latvia

This page gathers key information on Latvia's negotiations to join the WTO.  Latvia became the 134th WTO Member on 10 February 1999. As of 1 May 2004 it is a member State of the European Union (more info). All EU member States are WTO members, as is the EU (until 30 November 2009 known officially in the WTO as the European Communities for legal reasons) in its own right.

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Latvia's Timeline

I. Overview
GATT application received 08/11/1993  L/7342
GATT Accession Working Party established 17/12/1993  C/M/268
GATT terms of reference & accession Working Party membership  23/12/1993  L/7365  + ( revisions)
WTO application received & WTO accession Working Party established 30/01/1995
  •  WT/L/39 (Request to transform the Working Party on the Accession of Latvia to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade 1947 into a WTO accession Working Party. As per document WT/L/39 of 15 February 1995, the Working Party on the Accession of Latvia to the GATT 1947 was transformed into a WTO Accession Working Party, in accordance with the decision adopted by the General Council on 31 January 1995. Document WT/L/39 also reproduced the name of the Chairperson and the terms of reference of the Working Party.)
WTO terms of reference & accession Working Party membership  03/04/1995  WT/L/62  + ( revision)
~revised 17/11/1995  WT/ACC/LVA/6  + ( revisions)
Chairperson of the Accession Working Party 
1st 03/1995 - 02/1999 Mr Finn THEILGAARD (Denmark)
Formal Meetings of the Working Party Date of the meeting Convening notice/fax Statement(s) by the Head of the Delegation Statement(s) by Working Party members Delegation list Other documents for the meeting News item
1st 28/03/1995 WT/SPEC/6 — — — —
2nd 13/11/1995 — — WT/ACC/LVA/7 — —
3rd 22/03/1996 — — WT/ACC/LVA/10 — —
4th 16/09/1996 — — — — —
5th 27/02/1997 — — WT/ACC/LVA/19 — —
6th 29/09/1998 — — — — —
Informal Meetings of the Working Party Date of the meeting Convening fax Statement(s) by the Head of the Delegation
— — —
Plurilateral Meetings Date of the meeting Convening fax Statement(s) by the Head of the Delegation
— — —
II. Multilateral Negotiations
Memorandum on the Foreign Trade Regime (MFTR)  29/08/1994  L/7526
~additional information 19/04/1995  WT/L/63
Initial cycle(s) of Questions and Replies, following the circulation of the MFTR 22/02/1995  WT/L/49 (+  corrigendum & addendum)
28/07/1995  WT/ACC/LVA/3
01/08/1995  WT/ACC/LVA/4
19/02/1996  WT/ACC/LVA/8  (+  revisions)
15/07/1996  WT/ACC/LVA/12
Factual Summary of Points Raised  — —
Additional Questions & Replies 16/12/1996  WT/ACC/LVA/16
Elements of a Draft Report of the Working Party  05/12/1996  WT/ACC/SPEC/LVA/1  (+  revision)
Draft Report of the Working Party  02/05/1997  WT/ACC/SPEC/LVA/3  (+  revisions & corrigendum)
25/09/1998  WT/ACC/SPEC/LVA/7  (+  revisions)
Agriculture (WT/ACC/22/Add.1), including Questions and Replies  12/02/1997  WT/ACC/SPEC/LVA/2  (+  addenda)
13/01/1999  WT/ACC/LVA/36
SPS Checklist (WT/ACC/22/Add.2)  — —
TBT Checklist (WT/ACC/22/Add.2)  — —
TRIPS Questionnaire (WT/ACC/22/Add.2)  — —
Import Licensing Procedures Questionnaire (WT/ACC/22 + revisions)  23/09/1997  WT/ACC/LVA/27
Customs Valuation Checklist (WT/ACC/22 + revisions)  — —
State-Trading Questionnaire (WT/ACC/22 + revisions)  — —
Draft Subsidies Notification (WT/ACC/22/Add.2)  — —
Comprehensive Legislative Action Plan (LAP)  14/05/1998  WT/ACC/SPEC/LVA/4
Rule-specific Action Plans  — —
Legislation and implementing regulations    Click for details Legislation notice Notified legislation
09/03/1995  WT/L/53
  •  Regulations of the Cabinet of Ministers No. 208 of 1 November 1994 "On the Order of Establishment and Administration of Import and Export Tariff Quotas
  •  Regulations of the Cabinet of Ministers No. 24 of 17 January 1995 "On Order by which the Special Authorizations (Licences) shall be Issued in Accordance with the Quotas of Customs Tariffs
  •  Regulations of the Cabinet of Ministers No. 20 of 17 January 1995 "Regulations to Protect the Domestic Market for Food Stuff Produced in Latvia
  •  Regulations of the Cabinet of Ministers No. 27 of 31 January 1995 "On Determining the Customs Value of Import and Export Goods or Other Items
  •  Regulations of the Cabinet of Ministers No. 87 of 12 April 1994 "On the Mandatory Certification of Foodstuff, Perfumery and Toys
  •  Programme of Reforms for the National Economy of Latvia "Latvia 2000
  •  Regulations of the Cabinet of Ministers No. 37 of 25 January 1994 "On State Monopoly of Alcohol and Alcoholic Beverages
24/03/1995  WT/L/53/Add.1
  •  Regulations of the Cabinet of Ministers No. 37 of 25 January 1994 "On State Monopoly of Alcohol and Alcoholic Beverages".
20/04/1995  WT/L/57/Add.1
  •  Communication from Latvia, submitting additional information to facilitate its WTO bilateral market access negotiations and submitting also the following documentation
01/08/1995  WT/ACC/LVA/2
  •  Bank of Latvia's Regulation "On granting and revocation of licences to perform activities of credit institutions"
31/08/1995  WT/ACC/LVA/5
  •  Law "On Entrepreneurial Activity" and amendments
  •  Law "On Limited Liability Companies" and amendments
  •  Law "On Joint Stock Companies" and amendments
  •  Law on Taxes and Fees
  •  Law on the Value Added Tax
  •  Law on the Excise Tax and amendments
  •  Regulations passed in accordance with Law "On Customs Duty (Tariffs)"
  •  Law "On the Bank of Latvia
  •  Law "On Banks"
  •  Patent Law
  •  Law "On Trademarks"
  •  Law "On Industrial Design Protection"
  •  Law "On Stock Exchange" - 28 January 1992
  •  Law "On Scientific Work" - 10 November 1992
  •  Law "On Insurance" - 12 January 1993
  •  Law "On Telecommunications" - 4 May 1993
  •  Law "On Posts" - 12 May 1994
  •  Law "On Municipalities" - 19 May 1994
  •  Law "On Lotteries and Gambling" - 16 June 1994
  •  Law "On Ports" - 22 June 1994
  •  Law "On Aviation" - 5 October 1994
  •  Law "On Radio and Television" - 24 August 1995
  •  Regulation No. 41 "On Auto Transport Conveyance" - 21 December 1993
  •  Regulation No. 60 "On Works and Supplies for State Needs" - 1 March 1994
  •  Regulation No. 168 "Maritime Regulations" - 16 August 1994
  •  Regulations "On Securities" - 7 January 1995
  •  Regulations No.40 "On Issuance and Turnover of Bills" - 21 February 1995
  •  Law "On Competition and Restriction of Monopoly" and amendments
  •  Law "On the Latvian Grain Market and the National Grain Reserve" and amendments
  •  Law "On Sugar" and amendments
  •  Law "On Limited Liability Companies" and amendments
  •  Law "On Joint Stock Companies" and amendments
  •  Laws and legal acts relating to entrepreneurial activity
  •  Law "On Entrepreneurial Activity" and amendments
  •  Law "On Joint Stock Companies" and amendments
  •  Law on Taxes and Fees
  •  Law on the Value Added Tax
  •  Law on the Excise Tax and amendments
  •  Law on the Customs Duty (Tariffs)
  •  Regulations passed in accordance with Law "On Customs Duty (Tariffs)"
  •  Law "On the Bank of Latvia"
  •  Law "On Banks"
15/03/1996  WT/ACC/LVA/9
  •  Regulations of the Cabinet of Ministers No.20 of 17 January 1995 "Regulations to Protect the Domestic Market for Food Stuff Produced in Latvia
  •  Regulations of the Cabinet of Ministers No.185 of 23 August 1994 "On Formation of Prices and Tariffs of Goods and Services"
05/06/1996  WT/ACC/LVA/11
  •  Draft Customs Code of Latvia
  •  Draft Law on Safety on Products, Services and Liability of Producer, Supplier
  •  Draft Law on Uniformity of Measurements
  •  Draft Law on Conformity Assessment
  •  Law on Foreign Investment in the Republic of Latvia
  •  The Official List of Quarantinable Pests
05/07/1996  WT/ACC/LVA/13
  •  Import Veterinary Regulations in Latvia
11/07/1996  WT/ACC/LVA/14 (+  corrigendum)
  •  Law on Credit Institutions
  •  Regulation on Granting Licences (Permissions) to Perform Activities of Credit Institutions
  •  Regulation on Amending the Charter, Changing Shareholders, the Initial Capital, the Management, the Chief Accountant, the Legal Address, the Name of Credit Institution, and Undertaking Merger of Split up of Credit Institutions
18/09/1996  WT/ACC/LVA/15
  •  Founding Law of the Latvian Food Centre
  •  Statute on Information, Consultation and Training Centre of Goods and Services
19/02/1997  WT/ACC/LVA/17
  •  Regulation of the Government of Latvia No. 434 of 19 November 1996 On Licensing of Separate Forms of Entrepreneurial Activity
24/02/1997  WT/ACC/LVA/18
  •  Law of the Republic of Latvia "On Government and Municipal Procurement", effective on 1 January 1997
11/04/1997  WT/ACC/LVA/21
  •  Law on Pharmaceutical Operations of 27 April 1993
  •  Law on Veterinary Medicine of 6 March 1995
  •  Law on Food-stuff Circulation Procedures and Supervision of 29 June 1995
  •  Regulations No. 463 On the Authorization of Testing and Calibration Laboratories, Certification and Inspection Bodies in the Mandatory Area of 24 December 1996
25/04/1997  WT/ACC/LVA/22
  •  Law on the Protection of Consumer Rights of 28 October 1992
19/06/1997  WT/ACC/LVA/23
  •  Law On Uniformity of Measurements of 11 March 1997
08/07/1997  WT/ACC/LVA/24
  •  Regulation of the Cabinet of Ministers No. 106 on "Regulations of Quotas of Customs Tariffs
23/07/1997  WT/ACC/LVA/25
  •  Law on Agriculture
  •  Conception on Use of Agricultural Subsidies and the Program Rationales for 1998 2002
25/07/1997  WT/ACC/LVA/26
  •  Regulation On the Indication of Durability Date of Pre packaged Foodstuffs (25 June 1996)
  •  Regulation On the Authorisation of Testing and Calibration Laboratories, Certification and Inspection Bodies in the Mandatory Area (24 December 1996)
  •  Regulation Procedure of Recognition in the Republic of Latvia of Conformity Assurances and Approvals Issued Abroad in Mandatory Area (24 December 1996)
  •  Regulation On the Accreditation of Testing and Calibration Laboratories, Certification and Inspection Bodies (24 December 1996)
15/10/1997  WT/ACC/LVA/28
  •  Draft Regulations on the Order of Calculating the Customs Value of Goods
  •  Section G of the Customs Law on Provisions of the Application of Customs Duties
  •  an evaluation of the compliance of this legislation with provisions in the Agreement on the Implementation of Article VII of the GATT 1994 and legislation of the European Communities
14/04/1998  WT/ACC/LVA/29
  •  Regulation of the Cabinet of Ministers No. 428 "Procedure for Calculating the Customs Value of Goods of 17 December 1997
  •  Law "On Value Added Tax" of 9 March 1995 with amendments of 13 November 1997 (consolidated text)
  •  Law "On Excise Tax on Mineral Oils" of 28 November 1997
  •  Customs Law of 27 June 1997
13/07/1998  WT/ACC/LVA/30
  •  Law "On Protection of Topographies of Semiconductor Products" of 31 March 1998
  •  Draft Law "On Trademarks and Indications of Geographical Origin"
  •  Law "On Pharmaceutical Activities" of 24 April 1997
  •  Regulations of the Cabinet of Ministers No. 295 "On Procedure of Conformity Attestation of Building Materials and Construction Products in Mandatory Area" of 5 August 1997
  •  Regulations of the Cabinet of Ministers No.140 "On the Electrical Safety of Equipment" of 21 April 1998
  •  Regulations of the Cabinet of Ministers No.161 "On the Electromagnetic Compatibility of Apparatus" of 5 May 1998
  •  Regulation of the Cabinet of Ministers No. 399 "On the Conformity Assessment of Foodstuffs, Cosmetics and Toys" of 2 December 1997
  •  Regulations of the Cabinet of Ministers No. 170"On Standing Order for Food Additives" of 6 May 1997
  •  Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers No. 12 "On Order, How the Ministry of Economy Coordinates the Exchange of Information in the Area of Technical Barriers to Trade and Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures" of 28 October 1997
  •  Regulations of the Cabinet of Ministers no. 465"On Accreditation Testing and Calibration Laboratories, Certification and Inspection Bodies" of 24 December 1996
  •  Law "On Supervision of Food Circulation" of 19 February 1998
  •  Regulations of the Cabinet of Ministers No.349"On Labelling of Foodstuffs" of 7 October 1997
  •  Draft Regulations of the Cabinet of Ministers "On Labelling of Textiles"
  •  Law "On Enterprise Register" of 20 November 1990 with amendments
  •  Law "On Judicial Power" of 18 June 1994
  •  Law "On Radio and Television" of 24 August 1995 with amendments
21/09/1998  WT/ACC/LVA/31
  •  Draft Regulations of the Cabinet of Ministers "Regulation Regarding Customs Control Measures on Protection of Intellectual Property"
  •  Draft "Personal Data Protection Law"
  •  Draft "Commercial Law"
  •  Excerpt of Criminal Code of 6 October 1995 regarding Part III Section 5 of the TRIPS Agreement (criminal procedures)
  •  Law "On Latvia Grain Market and State Grain Reserve"
  •  Regulation of the Cabinet of Ministers No. 348 "On Licensing of Separate Forms of Entrepreneurial Activity" of 7 October 1997
  •  Law "On Competition" of 18 June 1997
29/09/1998  WT/ACC/LVA/31/Add.1
  •  Regulation of the Cabinet of Ministers No. 351 "Regulations of Circulation of Tobacco and Tobacco Products" of 7 October 1997
Consultation documents    Click for details Consultation notice Notified consultation document
09/03/1995  WT/L/53
  •  Annex I - Import duty tariffs and Annex II - Export duty tariffs of the Law on Customs Duty (Tariffs)
16/05/1995  WT/ACC/LVA/1 (+  corrigendum & revisions)
  •  Check List of Documents
24/03/1995  WT/L/57
  •  Invitation to interested GATT contracting parties and Members of the World Trade Organization to convey their initial market access requests to Latvia
20/04/1995  WT/L/57/Add.1
  •  Latvia's National Tariff Schedule
  •  Latvia's Import Totals under each Harmonized System 8-digit category, FOB values
  •  Latvia's Import Data for 1994
23/05/1995  WT/L/57/Add.2  Import Data of Latvia for 1994
21/03/1997  WT/ACC/LVA/20  Information on industrial policies
24/06/1998  WT/ACC/SPEC/LVA/5  (+  corrigendum)  Preliminary list of concessions and commitments on goods
24/06/1998  WT/ACC/SPEC/LVA/6  (+  corrigendum)  Preliminary list of concessions and commitments on services
01/10/1998  WT/ACC/LVA/33
  •  Communication from Latvia addressed to the Chairman of the Working Party (with reference to Latvia's WTO tariff Schedule on Goods)
III. Bilateral Market Access Negotiations 
Goods Offer(s)  24/03/1995  WT/L/57 (+  addenda)
Services Offer(s)  24/03/1995  WT/L/57 (+  addenda)
Register of Bilateral Market Access Agreements 
Draft Goods Schedule  22/09/1998  WT/ACC/SPEC/LVA/7/Add.1  (+  corrigendum)
Draft Services Schedule  22/09/1998  WT/ACC/SPEC/LVA/7/Add.2  (+  corrigendum)
Goods and Services Technical Verification Meetings  — —
IV. Summary of Final Meeting of the Working Party
— — —
V. Accession Package (“Terms of Accession”, de-restricted) 
Ministerial Conference/General Council Decision on the Accession 14/10/1998  WT/ACC/LVA/34  News item
Protocol of Accession  14/10/1998  WT/ACC/LVA/35
Report of the Working Party 30/09/1998  WT/ACC/LVA/32
Goods Schedule (Schedule of Concessions and Commitments Annexed to the GATT 1994)  30/09/1998  WT/ACC/LVA/32/Add.1   (+  corrigendum)
Services Schedule (Schedule of Specific Commitments Annexed to the GATS)  30/09/1998  WT/ACC/LVA/32/Add.2
VI. Accessions Commitments Database (ACDB) 
Specific Accession Commitments   http://acdb.wto.org/ click on “Report by Member”, select “Latvia” in drop down list then click on “View Report”
VII. Instrument of Acceptance 
Notification of Acceptance and Entry Into Force of the Protocol of Accession 11/01/1999  WT/LET/281
VIII. Date of Membership
  10/02/1999 134th Member
IX. Since 1995, this is the…
6th economy that joined the WTO pursuant to Article XII of the Marrakesh Agreement.
All documents on the accession of Latvia in Documents Online by date of circulation   help

Note:
The de-restriction of documents is a key component of the transparency obligations of the Multilateral Trading System.  Paragraphs 1 and 2(e) of the Ministerial Council Decision WT/L/452 of 14 May 2002 provide that “documents relating to working parties on accession shall be restricted and shall be automatically de-restricted upon the adoption of the report of the working party” by the Ministerial Conference/General Council.  The time of completion of the de-restriction process depends on the amount and complexities of the documents involved.  Prior to 2002, the de-restriction of accession-related documents was governed by a different set of rules (i.e. General Council Decision WT/L/160/Rev.1 of 26 July 1996), which only affect documents circulated prior to 2002.