RESTRICTED  
  
G/IT/W/50  
 
28 October  2020 
(20-7513) Page: 1/2 
Committee of Participants on the Expansion of Trade in 
Information Technology Products    
 
DRAFT1 
REPORT (20 20) OF THE COMMITTEE OF PARTICIPANTS ON THE EXPANSION  
OF TRADE IN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY PRODUCTS  
1.1.  The Committee of Participants on the Expansion of Trade in Information Technology Products, 
hereinafter referred to as "the Committee", was established pursuant to the provisions of the 
Ministerial Declaration on Trade in Information Technology Products (WT/MIN(96)/16), hereinafter 
referred to as "the Ministerial Declaration", and the provisions for the Implementation of t he 
Ministerial Declaration on Trade in Information Technology Products (G/L/160), in order to carry out 
the provisions of paragraphs  3, 5, 6 , and 7 of the Annex to the Declaration.  
1.2.  The Committee has held one formal m eeting in 20 20: [30 October ]. The minute s of the 
meeting are contained in document  [G/IT/M/ 72]. Ms Uma MUNIANDY (Singapore ) was elected 
Chair person  of the Committee for 20 20. 
1.3.  The total number of WTO Members that are participants to the Ministerial Declaration is 82. 
The Committee has consistently reviewed the status of implementation, a summary of which is 
provided in document  G/IT/1 and its revisions. The document details that all but one  participant had 
submitted the formal documentation for the rectification and modification of thei r WTO  schedules in 
order to incorporate the commitments arising from the Ministerial Declaration, and that they had 
been certified by the Director -General. [T hree implementation issues , concerning India, China,  and 
Indonesia , were raised at the Committee's  meeting  in October .] 
1.4.  The Committee's rules of procedure provide for observer status in the Committee for 
WTO Members that are not participants to the Ministerial Declaration, and governments that are 
observers to the Council for Trade in Goods. Requests f or observer status by international 
intergovernmental organizations are considered on a case -by-case basis. The International Trade 
Centre (ITC) and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) have been 
granted observer status, and the  World Customs Organization  (WCO) has been granted observer 
status to meetings where issues of HS  classification and HS  amendments are included on the 
agenda.  
1.5.  The Committee continued its deliberations on the Non -Tariff Measures (NTMs) Work 
Programme in 20 20. Regarding  its work on the EMC/EMI  Pilot Project, the Committee took note that, 
among the 53  participants, [43] had provided survey responses and the Committee encouraged 
those that had not yet done so to provide the information without any further delay . In considering 
ways to advance and expand its work on NT Ms other than EMC/EMI, the Committee continued its 
discussions on the follow -up to the workshop held on 7 May 2015 on NT Ms affecting trade in 
IT products  and to the Symposium for the 20th Anniversary of the ITA held in June  2017. [At the 
October  meeting , the Committee  agreed that the Chair person , in 2021, would continue to undert ake 
informal consultations with interested delegations to examine the recommendations and avenues 
that were sugge sted by industry representatives  at the 7 May 2015 workshop on NT Ms.] 
1.6.  On classification divergences, regarding  the Committee's Decision concerning the endorsement 
of the 18  List I -A items for Attachment  B (G/IT/27) , the Secretariat has been approached by 
five ITA Participants for technical assistance. Regarding  the Committee's Decision for the 
 
1 This document will be updated to take into account the discussions at the meeting to be held on 
30 October  2020. G/IT/W/50  
 
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  HS2007  classification of 15  additional "Attachment  B" products  (G/IT/29), the Secretariat has been 
approached by one  Member for technical assistance . [With regard  to the possible 
HS2007  classification for the remaining 22  "Attachment  B" items, t he Secretariat  has received  
comments from 21 delegations , which  were compiled in document  G/IT/W/40 and its Addend a and 
Supplement s.][In addition, at the request of th e Committee, the Secretariat has prepared a new 
technical note to update the "ITA  Model List" (JOB/IT/25 ).] 
1.7.  [At the October  meeting, the Committee took note of the reports and updates from those 
participants that were engaged in the 2015  ITA Expansion (WT/ L/956 and WT/MIN(15)/25), and its 
implementation. The Committee agreed to revert to this matter at its future meetings.]  
1.8.  [At the October  meeting , the Committee discussed the date and programme for the proposed 
ITA Workshop .] 
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