RESTRICTEDWORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/MA/SPEC/15
3 October 2000
(00-4036)
Committee on Market Access
DRAFT
PERIODIC REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE TO THE
COUNCIL FOR TRADE IN GOODS
1. The Committee met on 12 October 2000 and examined the following issues:
2. [On 13 December 1995, several Members were granted individual waivers for the
introduction of HS96 changes (WT/L/124 + Corr.1); for operational reasons the waivers were groupedinto one single decision.  These waivers were extended by successive decisions by the General
Council until 31 October 2000 (WT/L/351).  At its meeting of 12 October 2000, the Committee took
note of the requests for further extension of, or inclusion in, the waiver to carry out possibleconsultations/negotiations under Article XXVIII after the introduction of HS96 changes in nationaltariffs.  This information is summarized in Annex I of the report.]
3.  [The Committee took note of the factual info rmation provided by the Members under current
waivers regarding the transposition into the Harmonize d System or the renegotiation of their schedules.
This information is summarized  in Annex II of this report.]
4. [The Committee examined the situation relate d to the submission of HS96 documentation set
out in document G/MA/TAR/2/Rev.23.  It was noted that out of the [...] Members under waivers, only
[…..] schedules had been finalized and [...]  Members had not yet submitted the required
documentation.]
5. [The Committee took note of the Chairman's report on the informal consultations held on
2 October concerning a possible procedure to introduce future HS 2002 changes to schedules ofconcessions.]
6. [With reference to the modalities and operation of the Integrated Data Base, the Committee
examined the status of IDB submissions on the basis of the document G/MA/IDB/2/Rev.9. As of12 October 2000, [....] Members and […] acceding countries had provided IDB submissions. TheSecretariat presented an oral report on the status of processing of IDB submissions and the status ofG/MA/SPEC/15
Page 2
software development.  The Committee continued  its review of the operation of the IDB and IDB
technical assistance activities on the basis of document G/MA/IDB/W/5/Rev.2 ]
7. [The Secretariat reported on the status of the Consolidated Tariff Schedules Database
Project.]
8. [On the review of paragraph 1 of the Understa nding on the Interpretation of  Article XXVIII
of GATT 1994, the Committee ….]
9.  [The Committee considered a request for observer status in the Committee from the Gulf
Organization for Industrial Consulting.]
10. [The Committee took note of the status of quantitative restriction notifications contained in
document G/MA/NTM/QR/1/Add.7.]
The report will be completed in light of the discussion that will take place at the
Committee's meeting on 12 October 2000.G/MA/SPEC/15
Page 3
ANNEX I
REQUESTS FOR INCLUSION IN AND EXTENSION OF THE HS96 WAIVERS
Country Document
(G/SECRET/HS96 series)Reservations
(Number of
countries)Reasons for requesting waiver
or extension of waiver
ARGENTINA /30 + Corr.1 3 Extension needed to finalize consultations and
negotiations with various Members havinggeneral reservations.
BRAZIL /36 + Corr.1 + 2 5 Extension needed to conclude consultations with
Members having raised specific reservations.
BRUNEIDARUSSALAM/14 + Rev.1 1 Extension needed in view of a response which is
pending from one Member to Brunei
Darussalam's letter.
BULGARIA /46  (to be issued) Extension needed to allow for consultations with
interested Members as may be necessary.
EGYPT G/MA/TAR/RS/50/Rev.111 Extension needed to continue the process of
consultations with one Member who has alreadyreceived replies from Egypt to its questions and
comments.
EL SALVADOR /44 3 Extension needed as consultations are ongoing.
GUATEMALA /41 2 Extension needed to finalize consultations.
HONDURAS /43 + Corr.1 + 2 1 Extension needed to finalize consultations with
one Member.
ICELAND /38 + Corr.1 +  Add.1 1 Extension needed  to finalize consultations and
possible negotiations with one Member.
ISRAEL /26 +  Add.1 + Add.1/Corr.1 2 Extension needed as consultations need to be
finalized.
MALAYSIA /31 + Rev.1 1 Extension needed to conclude consultations.
MEXICO /45 Extension needed as documentation was recently
circulated and additional time may be necessaryfor consultations with Members, as necessary.
MOROCCO Extension needed to finalize documentation.
NEW ZEALAND /20 + Corr.1 2 Extension needed to allow more time to resolve
questions raised on New Zealand's schedule by
two Members.
NORWAY /11 1 Extension needed to finalize consultations with
one Member.
PAKISTAN /40 3 Extension needed as bilateral negotiations are
still ongoing.
                                                     
1 Contains also rectifications to the schedule.G/MA/SPEC/15
Page 4
Country Document
(G/SECRET/HS96 series)Reservations
(Number of
countries)Reasons for requesting waiver
or extension of waiver
PANAMA Extension needed to finalize the correlation
tables.
PARAGUAY /29 4 Extension needed to conclude consultations and
negotiations with Members having raised
general reservations.
SWITZERLAND /10 1 Extension needed to conclude consultations.
THAILAND /17 2 Extension needed as consultations are still
ongoing with two Members.
URUGUAY /28 1 Extension needed to conclude consultations and
negotiations with one Member having a general
reservation.
VENEZUELA,
BOLIVARIANREPUBLIC OF/12 + Rev. 1 1 Extension needed to conclude negotiations with
one Member having a general reservation.G/MA/SPEC/15
Page 5ANNEX II
FACTUAL INFORMATION RELATED TO THE EXTENSION OF WAIVERS
RELATED TO THE TRANSPOSITION OF SCHEDULES INTO THE HARMONIZED SYSTEM
Country Date of
original
waiverDate of
submission of HS
documentationN° of
extensions and
datesN° of countries
with which
Article XXVIII
negotiations have
been initiatedN° of countries with
which
Article XXVIII
negotiations have
been concludedStatus of
outstanding
Article XXVIII
negotiationsOutlook for
concluding the
processRequest for
extension and draft
decision
1. Nicaragua 26.01.199828.06.1995
G/SECRET/HS/3Ten:
09.12.1994
13.12.1995
18.07.199624.04.1997
22.10.1997
24.04.199814.10.1998
15.06.1999
3
04.11.1999
03.05.2000Two One - - Extension requested
G/L/394
G/C/W/227
2. Sri Lanka 08.11.198812.01.1990
SECRET/HS/26Twenty-one:
24.07.1989
16.07.1990
07.12.1990
01.07.1991
04.12.199120.07.1992
03.12.1992
19.07.199317.01.1994
21.07.1994
09.12.199431.08.1995
13.12.1995
18.07.199616.07.1997
22.10.1997
24.04.199814.10.1998
15.06.1999
3
04.11.1999
03.05.2000Five Three Sri Lanka has
sought clarificationon the status of the
reservations made
by the remainingtwo Members.   Continues to make
every effort toconclude
negotiations.Extension requested
G/L/391G/C/W/225G/MA/SPEC/15
Page 6
Country Date of
original
waiverDate of
submission of HS
documentationN° of
extensions and
datesN° of countries
with which
Article XXVIII
negotiations have
been initiatedN° of countries with
which
Article XXVIII
negotiations have
been concludedStatus of
outstanding
Article XXVIII
negotiationsOutlook for
concluding the
processRequest for
extension and draft
decision
3. Zambia 26.11.199312.03.1996
G/SECRET/HS/8Nine:
13.12.1995
18.07.1996
24.04.199722.10.1997
24.04.1998
14.10.1998
15.06.1999
3
04.11.1999
03.05.2000Two - Process is slow. Depends on the
responses of the two
Members.Extension requested
G/L/393G/C/W/226
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