. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONWT/L/434
26 November 2001
(01-6012)
REPORT (2001) OF THE COMMITTEE ON
TRADE IN CIVIL AIRCRAFT
1. This report is submitted under Article 8.2 of the Agreement on Trade in Civil Aircraft
(hereinafter the "Agreement") and Article IV.8 of the Marrakesh Agreement Establishing the WorldTrade Organization.  It sets out the activities of the Committee since November 2000.
2. As of 1 November 2001, there were 29 Signatories to the Agreement:  Bulgaria, Canada, the
European Communities, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy,
Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom, Egypt, Estonia,
Georgia, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Macau, Malta, Norway, Romania, Switzerland and theUnited States.  Those WTO Members with observer status in the Committee are: Argentina, Australia,
Bangladesh, Brazil, Cameroon, Colombia, the Cz ech Republic, Finland, Gabon, Ghana, Hungary,
India, Indonesia, Israel, Korea, Mauritius, Nige ria, Oman, Poland, Singapore, the Slovak Republic,
Sri Lanka, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia and Turkey.  In addition, China and Chinese Taipei are
observers.  The Russian Federation and Saudi Arab ia are also observers.  The IMF and UNCTAD are
also observers.
3. Since its last Annual Report to the General Council (WT/L/374), the Committee on Trade in
Civil Aircraft has had two regular meetings, on 6 June 2001 and 21 November 2001.
4. The agenda and minutes of the 6 June 2001 meeting can be found in document TCA/M/12.
At that meeting, the Committee adopted ad referendum  the Protocol (2001) Amending the Annex to
the Agreement on Trade in Civil Aircraft , subject to certain conditions, and the Chairman undertook to
report to Signatories on this matter.  The Chairman's initial report to Signatories can be found indocument TCA/5.  As stated in that document, the consultations held with interested parties were
constructive and progress was made towards a convergence of Signatories' views, in particular,
relating to the treatment of "aircraft ground maintenance simulators".  However, one Signatory
informed the Chairman, in July 2001, that it still required more time before it can indicate whether it
is in a position to confirm the ad referendum  adoption of the Protocol (2001).  The Chairman
undertook again to report to Signatories on this matter immediately upon being informed of this
Signatory's position.
5. Also at the 6 June 2001 meeting, in addition to acknowledging the observer status of the
Sultanate of Oman in the Committee, the Committee considered the following matters on its agenda:
the status of the 1979 Agreement on Trade in Civil Aircraft under the WTO; steps taken bySignatories relating to interim application of du ty-free treatment to products in TCA/W/5/Rev.3;
"end-use" customs administration; statistical reporting of trade data; certification in Europe of United
States civil aircraft; European Union regulation on aircraft and engine noise; European government
support for the development of large civil aircraft; Belgian aircraft industry supports through
exchange rate mechanisms; United States government support for large civil aircraft industry; and thedate of the next regular meeting.  Under "other business", the Chairman raised the issue of the report
to the General Council as the Committee's input to the Doha Ministerial Conference.WT/L/434
Page 2
6. At the 21 November 2001 meeting, the Chairman gave an updated report confirming the
adoption by the Committee of the Protocol (2001)  (TCA/4) and decision on interim application of
duty-free treatment to aircraft ground maintenance simulators (TCA/6), with effect from 6 June 2001.
Considering that the Protocol (2001)  had not yet been accepted by all Signatories, and that the terms
of the Protocol give authority to the Committee to decide on the date for acceptance, Signatoriesadopted a decision to extend the date of acceptance of the Protocol (2001) indefinitely (TCA/7).
7. Also at the 21 November 2001 meeting, in addition to acknowledging the observer status of
Hungary in the Committee, the Committee considered the following matters on its agenda: the status
of the 1979 Agreement on Trade in Civil Aircra ft under the WTO; interim duty-free treatment of
aircraft ground maintenance simulators; "end-use" customs administration, including the proposal by
one Signatory concerning the definition of "civil" vs. "military" aircraft based on initial certification;
statistical reporting of trade data; matters relating to Article 3 of the Agreement, in particular, thestatus of implementation of ICAO stage 4 aircraft noise standards as it affects current regulations on
the operation of stage 3-compliant aircraft, and the meaning of certain language in proposed
legislation establishing a European Aviation Safety Agency (Articles 9 and 10); matters relating to
Article 4; matters relating to Article 6, in particular, United States government support for its large
civil aircraft industry; the date of the next regular meeting; and the adoption of this annual report.  Theagenda and minutes of this meeting will be found in document TCA/M/13.
8. The Technical Sub-Committee of the Committee on Trade in Civil Aircraft met once, on
27 March 2001, jointly with an informal meeting of the Committee. The Chairman's note on the
meeting of the Technical Sub-Committee can be found in document TCA/TSC/4.
9. The Sub-Committee of the Committee on Trade in Civil Aircraft did not meet during the
period under review.
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