WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/MA/154 
29 September 2004 
 (04-4097) 
Committee on Market Access  
  
 
PERIODIC REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE TO THE 
COUNCIL FOR TRADE IN GOODS   
 
 
1. The Committee met on 22 September 2004 and examined the following issues: 
2. The Committee took note of the factual informa tion provided by Member s who were requesting 
a waiver extension for the introduction of HS96 changes to their schedule. The information is 
summarized in the Annex to this report. 
3. The Committee examined the situation related to  the submission of HS96 documentation set out 
in document G/MA/TAR/2/Rev.34.  
4. The Committee examined the situation related to the circulation of HS2002 documentation set 
out in document G/MA/TAR/4/Rev.7.  The Commit tee took note of the Chairman's report on the 
informal consultations he had held on the proposal  for the Secretariat to transpose schedules of 
concessions in the CTS database in to the Harmonized System 2002 nomenclature.  On this subject the 
Committee agreed that: (1) the Chairman would hold informal consultations with key donor Members to 
see to what extent such a project could be funded by  them and other sources; (2) the Secretariat should 
prepare a first draft of simplified procedures based on a flow chart which was circulated at the informal 
consultations regarding this transposition exercise; (3) an informal briefing would be provided by the 
Secretariat to Geneva-based delegations on the technical aspects of this exercise as laid out in JOB(04)/95; (4) a workshop on the same subject would be organized for capital-based representatives if 
funding could be found. It was agreed to susp end the meeting on this sub-agenda item. 
5. On the HS2002 "collective waiver", the Committe e agreed that a draft decision extending this 
waiver should be prepared and circulated to Memb ers for comments. One dele gation indicated that it 
was not in favour of "collective" waivers, and was concerned by a third renewal of this waiver. It 
intended to look carefully at the draft decisi on to be circulated by the Secretariat.  
6. With reference to the modalities and opera tion of the Integrated Data Base (IDB), the 
Committee examined the status of IDB submissions on the basis of the document 
G/MA/IDB/2/Rev.20. The Secretariat reported on the status of processing of IDB submissions, use of 
IDB information,  the status of software development and technical assistance. 
7. The Secretariat reported on the status of the Consolidated Tariff Schedules (CTS) Database. 
8. The Committee approved the request for access to the IDB and CTS database from the United 
Nations Economic Commission for Europe (G/MA/ W/57), the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat 
(G/MA/W/59), the ANDEAN Community Secretariat (G/MA/W/61) and the Commonwealth 
Secretariat (G/MA/W/63).  It was also agreed that it would be useful to include in the Chairman's 
exchanges with these organizations a request that th eir members be encouraged to comply with WTO 
obligations relating to  data notifications.  
 G/MA/154 
Page 2  
 
 9. On the review of status of quantitative restri ction (QR) notifications, a delegation pointed out 
that as not all Members had comp lied with their notification obligations under the decision G/L/59, 
the Secretariat document entitled "Summary Ta bles of Notified Quantitative Restrictions" 
(JOB(04)/92) could be misconstrue d.  In light of such concerns , the Committee agreed that once a 
comparable and representative set of notifications was received the document would be re-issued.   
Another Member stated that this might be the appropriate time to re-energize the process of 
notifications under the decision G/L/59.  10. The Committee completed the transitional revi ew under Paragraph 18 of the Protocol of 
Accession of the People's Republic of China.  Chin a submitted information pursuant to Annex 1 of 
the Protocol (G/MA/W/64) and submitted questions  to the EC and Turkey (G/MA/W/62 and Add.1, 
respectively). Questions/comments were subm itted to China by the European Communities 
(G/MA/W/56), Japan (G/MA/W/60, Add.1 and Add.1/Corr.1) and the United States (G/MA/W/58).  The Committee's report to the CTG on the review will be circulated as document G/MA/155.  
11. The Committee agreed that the Draft Annual Report (2004) of the Committee to the Council 
for Trade in Goods (G/MA/SPEC/28) would be update d by the Secretariat, and then circulated to 
Members for their comments.  12. The Committee elected Mr. William Tagliani (US) as Vice-Chair for 2004.  
13. Under other business, the Committee took note that the next meeting of the Committee was 
scheduled for the Spring of next year.  A precise date would be fixed nearer the time.  
 
  
  G/MA/154
 Page 3ANNEX  
 
FACTUAL INFORMATION RELATING TO A WAIVER REQUESTED FOR THE PURPOSE OF  
INTRODUCING HS 96 CHANGES TO A SCHEDULE OF CONCESSIONS 
 
Member Date of 
original 
waiver Date of submission of 
HS documentation N° of 
extensions 
and dates N° of Members 
with which 
Article XXVIII 
negotiations have 
been initiated N° of Members with 
which 
Article XXVIII 
negotiations have 
been concluded 
 Status of 
outstanding 
Article XXVIII 
negotiations Outlook for 
concluding the 
process Request for a waiver 
and draft decision 
1. Argentina 13.12.1995  G/SECRET/HS96/30  
(16.10.1996)  
G/SECRET/HS96/30/
Corr.1  (16.05.2000)
 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 
15.10.2003 
24.07.2003 
 Four Two Information is still 
being exchanged with the EC and the 
US with regard to a 
series of tariff headings.
 - Requested a waiver 
until 30 April 2005 G/L/693 
G/C/W/493 
2. 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) Fourteen 
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 
16.12.2003 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/687 
G/C/W/492 
 
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