This article discusses the deadlock in the WTO on multilateral harmonization of non-preferential rules of origin (RoO) and reviews some of the RoO included in recent preferential trade agreements. We argue that there is a trend towards adoption of similar approaches and that this suggests that cooperation to reduce the trade-impeding effects of differences in RoO across jurisdictions is more feasible than often is assumed by observers and policymakers. From a trade facilitation perspective such cooperation could be based on plurilateral initiatives under the umbrella of the WTO. These could include a focus on pursuit of greater convergence between preferential and nonpreferential RoO helping to achieve the long-standing goal of moving towards harmonization of rules of origin.

中文翻译：

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统一原产地规则：多边合作的议程？

本文讨论了WTO对非优惠原产地规则（RoO）进行多边协调的僵局，并回顾了最近的优惠贸易协议中包括的某些RoO。我们认为，采用类似方法的趋势正在出现，这表明减少观察员和政策制定者通常所采取的减少跨辖区RoO差异的贸易阻碍影响的合作更为可行。从贸易便利化的角度来看，这种合作可以建立在世贸组织伞下的多边倡议基础上。其中可能包括着眼于在优惠和非优惠RoO之间寻求更大的融合，以帮助实现实现原产地规则统一的长期目标。