WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/MA/153 
6 April 2004 
 (04-1532) 
Committee on Market Access  
  
PERIODIC REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE TO THE 
COUNCIL FOR TRADE IN GOODS   
 
 
1. The Committee met on 2 April 2004 and examined the following issues:  
2. The Committee took note of the factual information provided by the Members under current 
waivers regarding the introduction of HS96 chang es to their schedules. This information is 
summarized in the Annex to this report.   The Co mmittee approved the requests for waiver extensions 
and agreed to forward the draft decisions set out in  column 9 of the Annex to the Council for Trade in 
Goods for appropriate action. 
 
3. The Committee examined the situation related to the submission of HS96 documentation set out 
in document G/MA/TAR/2/Rev.32. It noted that  the submission of four Members remained pending 
due to on-going consultations.  The Committee agreed to hold an informal meeting in May to review the 
status of HS96 submissions based on a revision of th e informal list prepared by the Secretariat detailing 
the situation of HS96 submissions.  
 
4. The Committee took note of document G/MA/TAR /4/Rev.5 containing information with respect 
to documentation submitted pursuant to the procedur es to introduce HS2002 changes to schedules of 
concessions.  A Member raised concerns regarding the delays in the issuance of the verification sheets by the Secretariat.   The Committee was also informed that the HS2002 "collective" waiver decision had 
been adopted by the General Council on 11 February  2004 (WT/L/562).  It noted that Chinese Taipei 
wished to be covered by this waiver and had  notified the Committee accordingly (G/MA/W/152).     5. With reference to the modalities and operati on of the Integrated Data Base, the Committee 
examined the status of IDB submissions on the basis of the document G/MA/IDB/2/Rev.18.  A Member observed that the situation of submissions  to the IDB had improved considerably with only 
twenty-one Members not having made a submission at all.  At the same time,  many Members were 
not up to date with their submissions and this was a source of concern to his delegation.  Regarding 
the twenty-one Members, it was agreed that at the Committee's next meeting the Secretariat would report on the IDB-related technical assistance activiti es provided to these Members.  In addition, the 
Secretariat would contact these delegations in order to see what kind of assistance could be given to 
enable them to comply with their IDB notifica tion requirements.  The Committee noted that the 
Secretariat's report on the status of processing of ID B submissions, use of IDB information,  the status 
of software development and technical assist ance would be faxed to all delegations. 
 6. The Committee was informed  that the Secretariat document entitled "Tariff Line of 
Information Contained in the Consolidated Tariff Schedules Database with Information Contained in 
the Integrated Data Base – Some Technical and Procedural Issues for Discussion" (Job(03)/217/Rev.1) circulated on 23  January 2004 had been approved. As a result, the Secretariat had 
already begun work on the linkage between the two databases using the methodology set out in this 
document.  The Committee also noted that the Secr etariat's  report on work done on the Consolidated 
Tariff Schedules database would be  faxed to all delegations.   
 G/MA/153 
Page 2  
 
 7. The Committee approved the request for access to the IDB and CTS database from the United 
Nations Economic and Social Commi ssion for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP)  (G/MA/W/53).  The 
Chair stated that she would send a letter to UN ESCAP, as she had done to the ITCB, seeking advice 
about what data the UNESCAP might be able to sh are with WTO Members.  She also informed the 
Committee of ITCB's response to her letter.  
 
8.  The Committee took note of the docum ent entitled "Notifications of Quantitative 
Restrictions" (G/MA/NTM/QR/3) which provided Members with information on the status of 
submissions to the quantitative restrictions database.    The notifications were made pursuant to the 
"Decision on Notification Procedures of Quantitative Restrictions" (G/L/59).  The Committee agreed 
to undertake the review foreseen in the Decision at the Committee's next meeting based on a 
Secretariat summary.   9.  The Committee took note of the document entitled "Notifications under the Decision on 
Reverse Notification of Non-Tariff Measures" (G/M A/NTM/W/3/Rev.1) which gave information on 
the status of reverse notifications on non-tariff m easures.  Since January 2001, one notification had 
been made pursuant to that Decision (G/L/60), and the Committee agreed  to conduct the review 
foreseen in the Decision when ther e were more notifications on which the Secretariat could usefully 
undertake an analysis.     10. The EC provided information on the Expanding Exports Helpdesk which is an online resource 
set up by the Commission to supply relevant info rmation required by deve loping country exporters 
interested in exporting to the EU market.   11. The Committee agreed to take up the agenda ite m on "Election of the Chairperson" at its next 
meeting in light of the fact that the Chairman of  the Council for Trade in Goods had not completed his 
consultations on the slate of Chairpersons for 2004 for the subsidiary bodies to the Council. 
 12. The Committee took note of the document giving the present status of the submission of  national tariffs (G/MA/TAR/3/Rev.9).  It also not ed that the next meeting of the Committee was 
scheduled for 21 June 2004, subject to confirmation.    
  
  G/MA/153
 Page 3ANNEX  
 
FACTUAL INFORMATION RELATING TO WAIVERS REQUESTED FOR THE PURPOSE OF  
INTRODUCING HS 96 CHANGES TO SCHEDULES OF CONCESSIONS 
 
Member 
 
 
 
 
(1) Date of 
original 
waiver 
 
 
(2) Date of submission of 
HS documentation 
  
 
(3) N° of 
extensions 
and dates 
 
 
(4) N° of Members 
with which 
Article XXVIII 
negotiations have 
been initiated 
(5) N° of Members with 
which 
Article XXVIII 
negotiations have 
been concluded 
(6) Status of 
outstanding 
Article XXVIII 
negotiations 
 
(7) Outlook for 
concluding the 
process 
 
 
(8) Request for a waiver 
and draft decision 
  
 
(9) 
1. Israel 13.12.1995 G/SECRET/HS96/26  
(08.10.1996)  
G/SECRET/HS96/26/
Add.1  (05.03.1999) 
 
G/SECRET/HS96/26/Add.1/Corr.1  
(06.07.2000) Thirteen 
18.07.1996 24.04.1997 
22.10.1997 
24.04.1998 14.10.1998 
15.06.1999 
04.11.1999 03.05.2000 
08.12.2000 
08.05.2001 13.05.2002 
15.10.2002 
24.07.2003 Four Three Israel has to respond 
to two additional questions by the EC.  Israel will do its best 
to provide the requested 
explanations in the 
shortest possible time so that the EC can 
remove its 
reservation.  Requested 6 months. 
G/L/670 G/C/W/482 
2. Malaysia 13.12.1995 G/SECRET/HS/96/31 
(16.10.1996)  
G/SECRET/HS96/31/
Rev.1 (31.07.1997) Twelve 
18.07.1996 24.04.1997 
22.10.1997 
24.04.1998 14.10.1998 15.06.1999 
04.11.1999 
03.05.2000 08.12.2000 
08.05.2001 
13.05.2002  24.07.2003 
 Five Five All consultations 
regarding the introduction of 
HS96 changes into 
Malaysia’s schedule of tariff concessions have been 
completed All that remains to be 
completed now is to 
notify the corrections 
to Malaysia's 
proposed HS96 tariff 
schedule. Unforeseen 
circumstances 
disabled the 
completion of the 
remaining work by 30 
April 2004 Requested one year. 
G/L/676 G/C/W/485  
 G/MA/153 
Page 4 
Member 
 
 
  
(1) Date of 
original 
waiver 
  
(2) Date of submission of 
HS documentation 
 
  
(3) N° of 
extensions 
and dates 
  
(4) N° of Members 
with which 
Article XXVIII 
negotiations have 
been initiated 
(5) N° of Members with 
which 
Article XXVIII 
negotiations have 
been concluded 
(6) Status of 
outstanding 
Article XXVIII 
negotiations 
 
(7) Outlook for 
concluding the 
process 
  
(8) Request for a waiver 
and draft decision 
 
  
(9) 
3. Panama 24.04.1998 G/SECRET/HS96/48 
(04.04.2001) 
 G/SECRET/HS96/48/
Add.1 
(18.03.2002)   
G/SECRET/HS96/48/
Rev.1 (4 June 2002) 
 
G/SECRET/HS96/48/Rev.1/Corr.1 
(26.02.03) 
  Eight 
14.10.1998 
15.06.1999 04.11.1999 
03.05.2000 
08.12.2000 08.05.2001 13.05.2002 
24.07.2003 
  None (Corrections 
were sought by 
the Members having made 
reservations.  
Currently, of the four, two Members have 
withdrawn their 
reservation.)  - - Panama is waiting for  
two delegations to 
confirm acceptance of 
the documents 
submitted to the 
Secretariat in order to 
formally conclude 
implementation of 
HS96 nomenclature 
changes.  Requested one year. 
G/L/672 
G/C/W/483 
4. Pakistan 24.04.1997 G/SECRET/HS96/40 
(10.12.1998) Ten 
22.10.1997 
24.04.1998 
14.10.1998 15.06.1999 
04.11.1999 
03.05.2000 08.12.2000 
08.05.2001 
13.05.2002 24.07.2003 Three Two One outstanding 
Article XXVIII 
negotiations with the 
US is still being examined in capital.  
The reservation 
made by the US dates back to 1995 
and the specific 
concern was notified on 1 February 2001. Pakistan is hopeful 
that the matter will be 
resolved bilaterally at 
the earliest.  Requested one year 
G/L/673 
G/C/W/484 
  
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