RESTRICTED  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/MA/SPEC/28 
13 September 2004 
 (04-3811) 
Committee on Market Access  
 
 
DRAFT 
 
REPORT (2004) OF THE COMMITTEE ON MARKET ACCESS 
 
 1. Since the last review
1, the Committee on Market Access has held four formal meetings (5 
December 2003 (resumed meeting) 2 April 2004, 2 July 2004 and [22 September 2004]), and one 
informal meeting (5 December 2003).  The minutes of the formal meetings are contained in documents G/MA/M/35, G/MA/M/36, G/MA/M/37 and [G/MA/M/38].  In addition, two periodic 
reports giving an overview of the issues discussed  in the Committee and providing factual information 
related to the requests for waivers and waiver ex tensions, both for the introduction of HS96 changes 
and for the transposition of schedules into the Harmonized System are contained in documents 
G/MA/153 and [G/MA/154].  2. At its meeting of 2 July 2004, the Comm ittee took note of the nomination of Dr Magdi 
Farahat (Egypt) as Chairman of the Committee for the current year and elected him by acclamation.  At that meeting, it was agreed that informal cons ultations would be carried out in order to elect a 
Vice-Chair for the current year.  [At its meeti ng of 22 September 2004, the Committee elected the 
Vice-Chair (...).]  
A. 
INTRODUCTION OF HS96  CHANGES TO SCHEDULES OF CONCESSIONS  
3. At its formal meetings in 2004, the Committee examined the s ituation related to the submission 
of HS96 documentation set out in documents G/ MA/TAR/2/Rev.32-34.   [At its meeting of 22 
September 2004, the Committee noted that the submis sions of [five] Members remained pending due to 
ongoing consultations and/or negotiations.]   
B. 
INTRODUCTION OF HS2002  CHANGES TO SCHEDULES OF CONCESSIONS  
4. At its formal meetings in 2004, the Comm ittee took note of documents G/MA/TAR/4/Rev.5-7 
containing information on documents circulated in connection with the procedures to introduce 
HS2002 changes to schedules of concessions. At its m eeting of 2 July 2004, the Committee agreed to 
hold informal consultations on the Chairman's proposal  for the Secretariat to update the schedules in 
the CTS database into the HS2002. [The Committee furt her discussed this matter at its meeting of 22 
September 2004 as well as the extension of the HS200 2 waiver (WT/L/562). This waiver granted on a 
collective basis was approved by the Committee at its resumed meeting of 5 December 2003 and 
adopted by the General Council on 11 February 2004].   
C. D
ATABASES  
5. With reference to the modalities and opera tion of the Integrated Data Base (IDB), the 
Committee, at its formal meetings in 2004, examined  the status of IDB submissions on the basis of 
documents G/MA/IDB/2/Rev.18-20.  [At these meetings , the Secretariat presented an oral report on 
the status of IDB dissemination, use of IDB information, IDB technical assistance, status of 
                                                      
1 G/L/658 (dated 13 November 2003). G/MA/SPEC/28 
Page 2  
 
 submissions, and the status of software devel opment (IDB reporting tools and internet analysis 
facility).]   6. [At its formal meetings in 2004, the Committ ee took note of the Secretariat's reports on the 
status of the Consolidated Tariff Schedules Database  Project which included the status of CTS files 
for both the tariff and agricultural commitments for Members. The software development status for 
dissemination and analytical facilities was also presented.]  7. At its meeting of 2 April 2004, the Committee noted that the document entitled "Tariff Line 
of information contained in the Consolidated Tari ff Schedules Database with Information contained in 
the Integrated Data Base – Some technical and pro cedural issues for discussion" (JOB(03)/217/Rev.1) 
was considered approved as no objections had be en received concerning that document by the 
deadline of 19 March 2004.   7. At its meetings of 2 April 2004 and 2 July 2004 the Committee agreed to the requests for 
access to the IDB and CTS databases from the Un ited Nations Economic and Social Commission for 
Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), the Cari bbean Regional Negotiating Machinery and the 
CARICOM Secretariat contained in documents  G/MA/W/53, G/MA/W/54 and G/MA/W/55, 
respectively.  All  organizations had undertaken to  use and publish the information contained in these 
databases in accordance with  the terms and conditions laid out in the document G/MA/115. [At its 
meeting of 22 September 2004, the Committee t ook up the request for access to the IDB and CTS 
databases by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), the Pacific Islands 
Forum Secretariat and the ANDEAN Community Secretariat contained in documents G/MA/W/57,  G/MA/W/59 and G/MA/W/61, respectively.]    
D. 
PARAGRAPH 18 OF THE PROTOCOL OF ACCESSION OF THE PEOPLE 'S REPUBLIC OF  
 CHINA – CHINA 'S TRANSITIONAL REVIEW MECHANISM  
8. On China's Transitional Review Mechanism,  the review took place at the meeting of 22 
September 2004.  Questions and/or comments we re circulated by the European Communities 
(G/MA/W/56), Japan (G/MA/W/60) and the United States (G/MA/W/58). [The Committee completed its review and agreed to forward its report in [G/MA/...] to the Council for Trade in Goods.] 
 E. S
TATUS OF NOTIFICATIONS ON QUANTITATIVE RESTRICTIONS AND REVERSE 
NOTIFICATIONS OF NON-TARIFF MEASURES  
9. At its meeting of 2 April 2004, the Committee took note of the status of notifications made 
under the "Decision on Notification Procedures for Quantitative Restrictions" (G/L/59) and the 
Decision on Reverse Notifications of Non-Tariff Measures (G/L/60) on the basis of Secretariat 
documents G/MA/NTM/QR/3 and G/MA/NTM/W/3/Rev.1 , respectively.   The Committee agreed to 
conduct the review foreseen in the former Decisi on based on a summary to be prepared by the 
Secretariat.    At its meeting of 2 July 2004,  the Committee took note of the Secretariat document 
entitled "Summary Tables of Notified Quantitative Restrictions" (JOB(04)/92), and [conducted its 
review of the QR notifications at its meeting of  22 September 2004 on the basis of that document.]  
 F. O
THER ACTIVITIES  
10. At its meeting of 2 April 2004, the Committe e took note of document G/MA/TAR/3/Rev.9 
which contained a revised and updated list of  tariffs available to the Secretariat.  
 11. At that meeting, the EC provided informati on on the Expanding Exports Helpdesk which is an 
online resource set up by the Commission to supply  relevant information required by developing 
country exporters interested in exporting to the EU market.   G/MA/SPEC/28 
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The report will be completed in light of the di scussions that will take place at the Committee 
meeting on 22 September 2004. 
__________