RESTRICTED
WORLD TRADE G/MA/SPEC/7
24March 1998
ORGANIZATION(98-1183)
Committee onMarket Access
DRAFT
PERIODIC REPORT OFTHE COMMITTEE TOTHE
COUNCIL FOR TRADE INGOODS
1. [TheCommittee meton26March 1998 andexamined thefollowing issues:]
2. [On13December 1995several Members weregranted individual waivers fortheintroduction
ofHS96 changes (WT/L/124 +Corr.1); foroperational reasons thewaivers weregrouped intoone
single decision. These waivers wereextended bysuccessive decisions bytheGeneral Council until
30April 1998(WT/L/243). Atitsmeeting of26March 1998, theCommittee tooknoteoftherequests
forfurther extension of,orinclusion in,thewaiver tocarry outpossible consultations/negotiations
under Article XXVIII aftertheintroduction ofHS96 changes innational tariffs. Thisinformation is
summarized inAnnex Iofthereport.]
[tobecompleted inlightofthediscussion atthemeeting of26March 1998]
3. [TheCommittee tooknoteofthefactual information provided bytheMembers under current
waivers regarding thetransposition intotheHarmonized System ortherenegotiation oftheirschedules.
Thisinformation issummarized inAnnex IIofthisreport.]
[tobecompleted].
4. [TheCommittee examined thesituation related tothesubmission ofHS96 documentation set
outindocument G/MA/TAR/2/Rev.13. Itwasnoted thatoutofthe[...]Members under waivers,
only[three] schedules hadbeen finalized and[...]Members hadnotyetsubmitted therequired
documentation. TheChairman recalled thestatement made bytheChairman oftheCouncil forTrade
inGoods anditsmeeting of6October 1997regarding theshort-term approach related tothereservations
made onthedocumentation totheextent that"Delegations thathaveentered unspecified reservations
todocumentation submitted fortheintroduction ofHS96 changes, undertake tospecify theirreservations
before 30April 1998, byidentifying thetarifflineand/or description forwhich theyconsider thattheG/MA/SPEC/7
Page2
proposed change alters thescope ofaconcession. Itisfurthermore agreed that,where reservations
havenotbeenspecified bythatdate, theywillbedeemed tobewithdrawn".]
[tobecompleted]
5. [With reference tothemodalities andoperation oftheIntegrated DataBaseandonthebasis
ofdocument G/MA/IDB/2 theCommittee examined thepresent status ofthesubmissions oftherequired
documentation.] [tobecompleted]
6. [TheSecretariat presented anoralreport onthestatus ofprocessing ofIDBsubmissions and
onthestatus ofsoftware development.] [tobecompleted]
7. [Onthequestion oftechnical assistance fortheIDB,adocument which described themodalities
andwhich incorporated thesuggestions proposed byMembers during themeeting oftheCommittee
on2December 1997 wasexamined bytheCommittee.] [tobecompleted]
8. [TheCommitteealsoconsideredpracticalmattersconcerningthedisseminationoftheinformation
contained intheIntegrated DataBaseonthebasis ofaninformal paper dated 16March 1998 (Job
No.1483). Thepaper circulated toallWTO Members attherequest oftheChairman, contained a
number ofpoints thatneeded tobeclarified. [tobecompleted]
9. [Another issue discussed atthemeeting related tothepreparation ofconsolidated loose-leaf
schedules ongoods. Aninformal notebytheSecretariat dated 16March 1998 (Job. No.1484),
circulated toallWTO Members attherequest oftheChairman, addressed thepossibility ofestablishing
aworking databaseofconsolidated loose-leaf schedules ongoods.] [tobecompleted]
10. [Election oftheChairperson] [tobecompleted]
[Thereport willbecompleted inlightofthediscussion thatwilltakeplace attheCommittee
meeting on26March 1998.]G/MA/SPEC/7
Page3
ANNEX I
REQUESTS FOR INCLUSION INAND EXTENSION OFTHE HS96 WAIVERS
Country Document
(G/SECRET/HS96
series)Reservations
(Number of
countries)Reasons forrequesting waiver
orextension ofwaiver
ARGENTINA /30 4 Extension needed tofinalize consultations
andnegotiations under Article XXVIII.*
AUSTRALIA /19+Corr.1 5 Extension needed torespond toquestions
raised andawaiting further information from
some delegations.*
BRAZIL /36 1 Extension needed toconclude consultations
andnegotiations.*
BULGARIA Extension needed tofinalize documentation
andtoallow forconsultations
CANADA /7 3 Extension needed tocomplete consultations.
COSTA RICA /37 1 Extension needed duetoageneral
reservation byoneMember*.
CZECH REP. /5 2 Extension needed tocomplete negotiations
andconsultations.
EGYPT Extension needed tofinalize the
documentation, andtoconduct consultations.
ELSALVADOR Extension needed ascertain technical
problems have been encountered inthe
presentation ofthedocumentation.
EUROPEAN
COMMUNITIES/3 5 Extension needed tofinalize consultations
andnegotiations.
GUATEMALA Waiver requested tocontinue theprocedures
necessary tointroduce thedocumentation.
HONDURAS Extension needed tofinalize documentation,
which hasnotbeen submitted dueto
technical problems.
HUNGARY /22+Corr.1 1 Extension needed duetoageneral
reservation byoneMember.*
ICELAND /38 2 Extension needed toallow forfinalization of
consultations andpossible negotiations under
Article XXVIII.*
INDONESIA /33 3 Extension needed duetounfinished
negotiations.
ISRAEL /26 4 Extension needed duetotechnical difficulties
infinalizing detailed documentation.
MALAYSIA /31+Rev.1 5 Extension needed tocomplete consultations.G/MA/SPEC/7
Page4
Country Document
(G/SECRET/HS96
series)Reservations
(Number of
countries)Reasons forrequesting waiver
orextension ofwaiver
MALTA Waiver requested because documentation
wassubmitted recently.
MEXICO Extension duetotechnical difficulties in
completing documentation andtoconclude
relevant consultations ornegotiations.
MOROCCO Waiver requested because HS96
implemented inFebruary 1998 andhasnot
yetbeen abletosubmit thenecessary
documentation.
NORWAY /11 2 Extension needed tocomplete procedures
andconsultations.
PAKISTAN Extension needed because formalities
regarding theintroduction ofHS96 changes
intotheWTO schedule have notbeen
completed.
PANAMA Waiver requested because HS96
implemented inFebruary 1998 andhasnot
yetbeen abletosubmit thenecessary
documentation.
PHILIPPINES /16+Add.1 +
Corr.1-22 Extension needed tofinalize consultations
withtwoMembers.
SLOVAK REP. /6 2 Extension needed tocomplete consultations
andnegotiations.
SLOVENIA /23+Corr.1 1 Extension needed tocomplete consultations
andnegotiations withoneMember.
SOUTH AFRICA /15
(prelimin. inf)2 Extension needed because, while progress
hasbeen made, hasnotyetbeen ableto
submit thenecessary documentation.
TUNISIA /25 2 Extension needed duetotwogeneral
reservations thathave notbeen specified or
justified tofinalize negotiations.*
TURKEY /27 2 Extension needed because received two
reservations ofageneral nature, onewhich
wasfurther specified, andareawaiting
specific concerns bythisMember.*
UNITED STATES /9 6 Extension needed because more time is
needed tocomplete consultations.
URUGUAY /28 1 Extension tofinalize consultations and
negotiations.*
VENEZUELA /12+Rev. 1 1 Extension needed duetoageneral
reservation byoneMember.*
*Awaiting specific comments from Members whohave made general reservations.G/MA/SPEC/7
Page5ANNEX II
FACTUAL INFORMATION RELATED TOTHE EXTENSION OFWAIVERS
RELATED TOTHE TRANSPOSITION OFSCHEDULES INTO THE HARMONIZED SYSTEM
Country Date of
original
waiverDate of
submission
ofHS
documentationNof
extensions
anddatesNofcountries
withwhich
Article XXVIII
negotiations have
been
initiatedNof
countries
withwhich
Article
XXVIII
negotiations
have been
concludedStatus of
outstanding
Article XXVIII
negotiationsOutlook for
concluding
theprocessRequest
for
extension
anddraft
decision
1.Bangladesh 18.07.1988 06.12.1990
SECRET/HS/29Seventeen:
24.07.1989
05.12.1989
16.07.1990
13.12.1990
12.08.1991
04.12.1991
20.07.1992
03.12.1992
19.07.1993
17.01.1994
21.07.1994
09.12.1994
31.08.1995
13.12.1995
18.07.1996
24.04.1997
22.10.1997Four Three Agreement stillpending
withoneMember.Intention isto
conclude
negotiations as
soonaspossible.Extension
requested
G/L/227/Rev.1
G/C/W/107
2.Nicaragua 26.01.1994 28.06.1995
G/SECRET/HS/3Five:
09.12.1994
13.12.1995
18.07.1996
24.04.1997
22.10.1997Two None Stillawaiting asubstantiated
request from oneMember.Extension
requested
G/L/187
G/C/W/87G/MA/SPEC/7
Page6Country Date of
original
waiverDate of
submission
ofHS
documentationNof
extensions
anddatesNofcountries
withwhich
Article XXVIII
negotiations have
been
initiatedNof
countries
withwhich
Article
XXVIII
negotiations
have been
concludedStatus of
outstanding
Article XXVIII
negotiationsOutlook for
concluding
theprocessRequest
for
extension
anddraft
decision
4.SriLanka 08.11.1988 12.01.1990
SECRET/HS/26Fifteen:
24.07.1989
16.07.1990
07.12.1990
01.07.1991
04.12.1991
20.07.1992
03.12.1992
19.07.1993
17.01.1994
21.07.1994
09.12.1994
31.08.1995
13.12.1995
18.07.1996
16.07.1997
22.10.1997Five One Negotiations havebeen
delayed byseveral
constraints: themost
important being thesecurity
situation which prevails in
thecountry; needto
consult withallrelevant
agencies concerned andwith
thenewly established
Commission onTrade and
Tariffs. Awaiting report
from theCommission in
order topursue the
negotiations.Intends to
conclude
negotiations inthe
shortest possible
time.Extension
requested
G/L/229
G/C/W/109
5.Zambia 26.11.1993
(2years)12.03.1996
G/SECRET/HS/8Four:
13.12.1995
18.07.1996
24.04.1997
22.10.1997Three One Contacts havebeenmade
withtheMembers
concerned.Expects tofinalize
theprocess before
theendoftheyearExtension
requested
G/L/228
G/C/W/108
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