• Korea Trade Review
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• v.45 no.5
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• pp.181-200
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• 2020

The Korea-Canada FTA and the EVTA have adopted cross-cumulation clauses in their rules of origin, aiming at the enhancement of the value chains among the FTA parties. In fact, intricate rules of origin are often considered as the major cause that discourages the utilization of the agreement for the exporting firms. From this perspective, the correct understanding of cross-cumulation clauses in FTAs is an urgent mission for the Korean exporters as well, and the EVTA, which has recently introduced the cross-cumulation method in a linkage with the Korea-EU FTA provides the timely motivation. This paper first analyzes the Korea-Canada FTA of 2015 as for the case study, because this is a unique trade agreement for Korea that has already adopted the cross-cumulation clauses. It is concluded that the clause is rather vague, particularly in certifying the origins of the intermediate goods from the territory of an authorized third party. From this perspective, the recently-ratified EVTA is particularly important and meaningful with its clearer explanations for the utilization of the privileged rules of origin. The paper finalizes the study by making policy suggestions to the stakeholders, expecting more future FTAs to come equipped with similar cumulative rules of origin, and implies the possibility of the modification of the current clauses in the FTA with Canada.

• Korea Trade Review
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.109-130
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• 2018

The cumulative standard is one of the criteria determining the origin of imported goods and is a provision that allows non-origin materials to be treated as origin goods when satisfying certain conditions. Regarding the Korea-Canada FTA, new cumulative standards were applied concerning cross accumulation of automobile products. It would benefit U.S. originating intermediate goods of HS code chapter 84, 85, 87, and 94 obtained into HS code heading from 8701 into 8706. We examine the effectiveness of crossover cumulative standards through the change in the import values of 84, 85, 87, 94, which are target items for cross cumulation. Only items designated for automobile parts were selected and analyzed. From the estimation results, significant changes appeared in 20 of the 35 items. It was found that the import amount increased significantly as of January 2015 or the rate of change in trend increases more than before. In addition, the estimation results show that Korean auto companies utilizing the cumulative standards through increased imports of auto parts form the U.S.