An Analysis of the Product-Specific Rules of Origin of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership

This publication analyzes the Product-Specific Rules of Origin (PSRO) of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and other free trade agreements and proposes policy options. The report compares RCEP with the ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership. It looks at the main rules of origin provisions of the three free trade agreements and discusses differences and similarities in how they were drafted. The study compares the stringency and leniency of RCEP PSRO with that of the other agreements and identifies where PSRO among the three are converging. Its findings provide the basis for policy recommendations to leverage RCEP to simplify rules of origin across Asia and the Pacific.