The first issue of the AFTA Reader, a specialized quarterly publication of the ASEAN Secretariat on AFTA, marks a significant step in our journey towards a free trade area by the year 2008. This publication will be our main vehicle for providing interested parties with updates on AFTA. Since the start of the ASEAN Free Trade Area, we have had many queries about AFTA. This issue of the AFTA Reader has been designed to provide answers to some of the queations on the CEPT for AFTA and the Products and programmes of Tariff Reduction under the CEPT Scheme. It also provides copies of three basic documents-the CEPT Agreement, the Interpretative Notes, the Operational Procedures and the Rules of Origins In our subsequent issues we will be focussing on detailed analysis of the CEPT Product List, global developments affecting AFTA as well as abstract of works done by regional institutions and other international organizations on the CEPT for AFTA. We will also elaborate on the progress in the ""FTA Plus""areas, giving readers the latest information on other measure taken to complement and supplement the removal of tariffs and other barriers such as the harmonisation of standards and customs procedures, reciprocal recognition of test and certification of products and the promotion of vebture capital. At this time of intensified ASEAN economic coorperation, publications like this one are important in icreasing awareness of the various activities of ASEAN and in showing how ASEAN is foging even closer links to enhance intra-ASEAN economic coorperation. i hope taht the AFTA Reader will provide a more detailed and clearer picture of the developments concerning the implementation of AFTA.

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