WORLD TRADE G/MA/57
11April 1997
ORGANIZATION(97-1541)
PERIODIC REPORT OFTHE COMMITTEE ONMARKET ACCESS
TOTHE COUNCIL FOR TRADE INGOODS
1. Since thelastperiodic report oftheCommittee onMarket Access totheCouncil forTrade
inGoods (G/MA/4 dated 24June1996) andthereport oftheCommittee prepared inthecontext of
theSingapore Ministerial meeting (G/L/132 dated 4November 1996), theCommittee heldtwoformal
meetings, on3March and8April 1997. Detailed reports onthemeetings canbefound indocuments
G/MA/M/7 andG/MA/M/8.
2. Atitsmeeting of3March 1997, theCommittee tooknoteofthenomination proposed bythe
Chairman oftheCouncil forTrade inGood atitsmeeting of12February 1997 of
Mr.Moha Ouali Tagma ofMorocco asChairman oftheCommittee for1997. TheCommittee agreed
toelect Mr.Tagma asChairman for1997. Atitsmeeting of8April, theCommittee elected
Mrs. Simona Valceanu ofRomania asVice-Chairperson.
3. Onthequestion ofobservers, theCommittee decided toaccord observer status totheACP
Group, FAO, ITCB, Inter-American Development Bank, UNCTAD andWCO. InthecaseofIMF
andWorld Bank, theCommittee tooknotethatobserver status hadalready beengranted byvirtue of
theagreements concluded withthese organizations.
4. TheCommittee examined thesituation related totheintroduction on1January 1996 ofthe
changes tothenomenclature oftheHarmonized System andthesubmission ofdocumentation related
tothesechanges(G/MA/TAR/2/Rev.8).On13December1995severalMembersweregrantedwaivers
based ontheirindividual requests dealtwithinasingle decision fortheintroduction ofHS96 changes
(WT/L/124 +Corr.1); these waivers wereextended until 30April 1997 bytheGeneral Council at
itsmeeting of18July1996 (WT/L/173). Atitsmeeting of8April 1997, theCommittee examined
therequests fortheextension oforinclusion inthewaiver anddecided toforward these requests to
theCouncil forTrade inGoods. Thisinformation issummarized inAnnex Iofthereport. Adraft
decision concerning theextension ofthewaivers under asingle decision wascirculated in
document G/MA/W/12 andCorr.1.
5. Committee Members requested theSecretariat toupdate onamonthly basisthesituation related
tothesubmission ofthedocumentation containing HS96 changes. On8April, thesituation wasas
follows (document G/MA/TAR/2/Rev.8): outofthe37Members covered bythewaiver, 7Members
hadeither submitted onlysome preliminary dataornothing atall.Itwasalsonoted thatoutofthe
32HSsubmissions received, onlytwohadbeenapproved andcertified, andgeneral reservations had
beenforwarded to27Members. Several delegations expressed concern about theuseofgeneral
reservations onthesubmissions andpointed thatsome ofthose reservations, which hadbeenmade
overayearago,hadsofarnotbeensubstantiated.
6. Regarding thestatus ofcountries under waivers forthetransposition intotheHarmonized
System orfortherenegotiation oftheirschedules, theCommittee tooknoteofthefactual information
providedbyMembersundercurrentwaivers.ThisinformationissummarizedinAnnexIItothisReport.
Adelegation stated thattheongoing negotiations withacountry under waiver forthetransposition
ofpre-Uruguay Round concessions intotheHarmonized System hadnotprogressed since thewaiver
wasextended thelasttime, tenmonths ago. Given thatthedelegation hadexpressed itsconcerns onG/MA/57
Page2
thisissue anumber oftimes during thepastwaiver extensions, itcould notjoinaconsensus forthe
further extension ofthewaiver forthecountry concerned. Thedelegation concerned explained that,
while theeconomic andpolitical circumstances prevailing inthecountry created many problems for
these negotiations, ithadcontinued theprocess andexchanged offers withthecountry concerned.
Itwastheviewofthecountry concerned thatitwould beabletocomplete thenegotiations during the
next6month period.
7. ADecision related totheestablishment ofconsolidated schedules inloose-leaf format was
approved bytheCouncil forTrade inGoods on29November 1996(G/L/138). TheCommittee noted
thattheschedules ofseveral Members which hadsubmitted consolidated schedules (including HS96
changes) weresubject toreservations byother Members. TheChairman urged those delegations which
hadraised reservations toproceed totheverification oftheconsolidated loose-leaf schedules concerned
without further delay.
8. With respect totheIDB, atprevious meetings theCommittee decided thatwork would focus
ontheimplementationofmodificationsinordertodevelopadatabasethatwillfacilitatetheinformation--
gathering and--dissemination processes, thusimproving theanalytical tools atthedisposal ofthe
WTO anditsMembers. Following thismandate, atthemeeting of8April, theCommittee discussed
these matters andtwodelegations made points withrespect tothecurrent problems withtheIDBand
possibilities forimproving thesituation. Inthiscontext, aproposal wasdistributed informally byone
delegation onthefuture direction oftheIDB. Assummarized bythechairman, inorder tohavean
adequate solution withrespect totheIDB,theCommittee would identify theneeds, usewhatresources
were available tomake itoperational, keeptheformat assimple aspossible, focus ontheinput and
needs ofusers, andmove asquickly aspossible. Itwasagreed thattheCommittee would holdinformal
consultations onthematter. Itshould alsobenoted thattheCommittee had,ataprevious meeting,
agreed toastudy onthe"downsizing" oftheIDBfrom themainframe system toaPCenvironment
andthisstudy, carried outbyaconsultant, hasbeen summarized bytheSecretariat in
document G/MA/IDB/W/2.
9. Given thatthenumber ofnotifications ofquantitative restrictions submitted inpursuance of
theDecision contained indocument G/L/59 hadrecently increased andthattheSecretariat hadreceived
numerous inquiries regarding theformat andcontent ofthesubmissions, aproposed draftformat for
thenotification ofQRs, which would facilitate thenotification process, wascirculated totheMembers
oftheCommittee on3March 1997. On8April, theCommittee agreed tohavetheproposed format
circulated asaWTO document withpossible minor amendments taking intoaccount asuggestion made
byadelegation, andtodiscuss thematter formally atthenextmeeting oftheCommittee.
10. Onthequestion oftheintroduction offuture changes intheHarmonized System nomenclature,
arepresentative oftheWorld Customs Organization gaveon3March 1997 adetailed presentation
regarding thechanges envisaged totakeplaceintheHarmonized System inyear2002(seeG/MA/M/8).G/MA/57
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ANNEX I
REQUESTS FOR INCLUSION INAND EXTENSION OFTHE HS96 WAIVER
Country Document
(G/SECRET/HS96
series)Reservations
(Number of
countries)Reasons forrequesting waiver
orextension ofwaiver
ARGENTINA /30 4 Extension tofinalize consultations and
renegotiations under Article XXVIII*.
AUSTRALIA /19+Corr.1 5 Extension tocomplete negotiations.*
BRAZIL /36 Recently submitted documentation and
needs additional timeforconsultations.
BRUNEI
DARUSSALAM/14
(prelimin. inf.)2 Extension tofinalize technical work and
complete documentation. Technical
assistance from theSecretariat requested.
CANADA /7 4 Extension tocomplete negotiations.*
COLOMBIA /32+Corr.1 1 Extension tocomplete negotiations.*
COSTA RICA /37 Recently submitted documentation and
needs additional timeforconsultations.
CUBA /21+Rev.1 2 Extension tocomplete negotiations.
General andspecific reservations
received.*
CZECH REP. /5 2 Extension tocomplete negotiations.*
EGYPT Extension duetotechnical difficulties in
submitting thedocumentation. Technical
assistance mayberequested.
ELSALVADOR Extension duetotechnical difficulties in
presenting documentation. Changes will
come intoforce insecond halfof1997.
EUROPEAN
COMMUNITIES/3 5 Extension tocomplete negotiations.*
HONDURAS Extension duetotechnical difficulties in
submitting thedocumentation. Changes
willbeenter intoforce inMay1997.
HUNGARY /22+Corr.1 1 Extension tocomplete negotiations.*
ICELAND Extension tofinalize documentation and
complete negotiations.
INDIA /8+Corr.1 4 Extension tofinalize negotiations.*
INDONESIA /33 3 Extension tofinalize negotiations*.G/MA/57
Page4
Country Document
(G/SECRET/HS96
series)Reservations
(Number of
countries)Reasons forrequesting waiver
orextension ofwaiver
ISRAEL /26 4 Technical problems infinalizing
documentation. Revision tobesubmitted
byendofApril 1997.
KOREA /4+Add.1 +
Corr.1-2/Rev. 13 Extension tofinalize negotiations.*
MALAYSIA /31 5 Extension tofinalize negotiations.*
MEXICO Technical difficulties incompleting
documentation. Extension needed to
finalize documentation andnegotiations.
NORWAY /11 2 Extension tofinalize negotiations.*
PAKISTAN Request forwaiver
PARAGUAY /29 3 Extension tofinalize negotiations.*
PHILIPPINES /16+Add.1 +
Corr.1-23 Extension tofinalize negotiations.*
POLAND /34 1 Extension tofinalize negotiations.*
ROMANIA /24 1 Inclusion tofinalize negotiations.*
SINGAPORE /13+Add.1 3 Extension tofinalize negotiations.*
SLOVAK REP. /6 2 Extension tofinalize negotiations.*
SLOVENIA /23+Corr.1 1 Extension tofinalize negotiations.*
SOUTH
AFRICA/15
(prelimin. inf)2 Extension fortechnical difficulties in
providing documentation. Technical
assistance requested.
SWITZERLAND
/LIECHT./10 4 Extension tofinalize negotiations.*
THAILAND /17+Rev.1 4 Extension tofinalize negotiations.*
TUNISIA /25 2 Extension tofinalize negotiations.*
TURKEY /27 2 Extension tofinalize negotiations.*
UNITED
STATES/9 6 Extension tofinalize negotiations.
URUGUAY /28 1 Extension tofinalize negotiations.*
VENEZUELA /12+ Rev.1 3 Extension tofinalize negotiations.*
ZIMBABWE Extension duetotechnical difficulties in
thetransposition toHS96.
*Also awaiting specific comments from members whohavemade general reservations.G/MA/57
Page5ANNEX II
FACTUAL INFORMATION RELATED TOTHE EXTENSION OFWAIVERS
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/29Fifteen:
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
18.07.1996Four Two Proposals were forwarded tothe
countries concerned.
Agreement wasreached withone
Member andreaction from the
other isawaited.Intention isto
conclude
negotiations assoon
aspossible.Extension requested
G/L/163
G/C/W/74
2.Bolivia 03.12.1992 08.12.1995
G/SECRET/HS/7Five:
17.01.1994
21.07.1994
09.12.1994
13.12.1995
18.07.1996Two One Arevised listwillbeissued
following consultations withthe
Member concerned.Government wishes
toconclude the
process soon.Extension requested
G/L/161
G/C/W/72
3.Nicaragua 26.01.1994 28.06.1995
G/SECRET/HS/3Three:
09.12.1994
13.12.1995
18.07.1996Two None Nicaragua isstillawaiting a
substantiated request from one
Member.Extension requested
G/L/166
G/C/W/77G/MA/57
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.Senegal 07.12.1990 18.11.1993
SECRET/341 and
Add.1Ten:
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
18.07.1996Four Three Negotiations stillpending withone
Member.Hopes toconclude
soon.Extension requested
G/L/165
G/C/W/76
5.SriLanka 08.11.1988 12.01.1990
SECRET/HS/26Fourteen:
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
18.07.1996Five One Because ofthepolitical situation in
thecountry, negotiations havebeen
delayed.Expects toconclude
thenegotiations
within afew
months.Extension requested
G/L/164
G/C/W/73
6.Zambia 26.11.1993
(2years)12.03.1996
G/SECRET/HS/8Two:
13.12.1995
18.07.1996Three None Contacts havebeenmade withthe
Members concerned.Expects tofinalize
theprocess before
theendoftheyearExtension requested
G/L/162
G/C/W/75