./.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONWT/GC/W/320
15 September 1999
(99-3797)
General Council Original:  English
PREPARATIONS FOR THE 1999 MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE
Objective and Overall Framework for Negoti ations on Non-Agricultural Market Access
Communication from the United States
The following communication, dated 13 September 1999, has been received from the
Permanent Mission of the United States.
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Proposal
1. That the objective  for WTO negotiations on non-agricultural tariffs be to maximize
opportunities for achieving market openings and make more uniform the structure of tariff bindings of
all WTO Members, building upon the Accelerated Tariff Liberalization initiative (ATL) which will be
finalized by the time of the 1999 Ministerial. WTO Members agree that a variety of modalities and
approaches will be necessary to ensure this objective is met and agree that the principles governing
these negotiations shall:
- result in fully bound schedules, consistent with what has already been agreed in the
agriculture negotiations in the Uruguay Round, and ensure that all participants
contribute to ensure a decrease in tariff disparities that currently exist;
- enable participants to amplify market openings through specific modalities to be
agreed including, but not limited to, initiatives of a sectoral nature and/or expandingthe scope of country participation in existing initiatives (zero/zero and/or
harmonization);
- provide recognition to Members for bound tariff reductions made as part of recent
autonomous liberalization packages; for WTO bindings undertaken since the UruguayRound (e.g., the Information Technology Agreement or the Accelerated Tariff
Liberalization initiative) and for the general openness of markets;
- seek the interim implementation of results to be considered as an integral part of the
overall balance of market access concessions to be determined at the conclusion ofthe new negotiations;
- endorse the use of  applied rates as the basis for negotiation, and incorporate
procedures to address non-tariff measures and other measures affecting the conditions
for imports, on specific products and on a sector basis, as needed to ensure equitable
conditions of market access;  andWT/GC/W/320
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- provide for the granting of improved market access through a variety of means to the
benefit of least-developed Members by all other WTO Members.
Initial Negotiating Plan
2. To realize this objective, WTO Members:
- task the WTO Secretariat through the Committee on Market Access to develop, no
later than x date, data profiles and analyses to assist Members in the negotiations;
- agree to present proposals on specific modalities to implement the mandate set forth
in this Decision, beginning in January 2000; and
- agree that each WTO Member will table a comprehensive offer following agreed
parameters no later than y date.
Background
3. The United States supports further market access negotiations in the WTO that will
complement the mandated negotiations that will be launched in services and agriculture.  To this end,
the United States has already initiated the necessary domestic procedures so that it may fully
participate at the outset of negotiations on developing options and modalities.  Specifically, in March
USTR requested that the U.S. International Trade Commission prepare a report on the probableeconomic effects of various scenarios of tariff reductions for all dutiable items, including tariff cuts of
50 per cent as well as duty elimination.
4. Further negotiations on non-agricultural tariffs should build upon agreements at Seattle which
include the Accelerated Tariff Liberalization initiative (ATL) that is supported by a large number ofWTO Members.  There is substantial work that must be done to prepare for broad-based negotiations
on market access.  Agreement at Seattle to the basic principles that govern the negotiations and an
active work programme should ensure the timely conclusion of negotiations that address the broad
range of interests and concerns identified.  The challenge for WTO Members will be to develop a
menu of approaches that address the needs and interests of participants.
5. A consensus appears to be emerging in the WTO to include negotiations on non-agricultural
tariffs in the new round and delegations appear open to considering new approaches to guide the
negotiations.  All WTO Members should participate in the negotiations, with one overall result being
comprehensive bindings at commercially meaningful levels, and provision for improved market
access for least-developed countries by all other WTO Members through a variety of approaches.  The
negotiations on non-agricultural tariffs need to be structured in an innovative way that does not favoura single target or approach but allows flexibility.  For example, modalities for the negotiations should
accommodate the possibility of pursuing sectoral initiatives (zero/zero and/or harmonization) but also
permit tariff liberalization in addition to sectoral initiatives.
6. Finally, an important element of the work programme for the negotiations will be to develop
the analytical information needed to conduct the negotiations, establish a time-frame for tabling
detailed proposals on specific modalities for the negotiations, and set a date for tabling country-
specific offers based on the agreed upon modalities.
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