WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/MA/151
13 November 2003
(03-6082)
Committee on Market Access
PERIODIC REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE TO THE
COUNCIL FOR TRADE IN GOODS
1. The Committee met on 20 October 2003 and examined the following issues:
2. The Committee took note of the factual informa tion provided by Members under current waiver
requesting extensions for the introduction of HS96 chan ges to their schedules or the establishment of a
new schedule.  This information is summarized in  Annexes I and II of this report.  The Committee
approved the requests for waiver extensions and agr eed to forward the draft decisions set out in the
Annexes to the Council for Trade in Goods (CTG) for appropriate action.
3. The Committee examined the situation related to the submission of HS96 documentation set out
in document G/MA/TAR/2/Rev.31.  The submission of seven Members, whether they had requested an
extension of waivers or not, remained pending due to on-going consultations and/or negotiations.  While
noting that it had not been possible to hold an info rmal meeting dedicated to the review of the HS96
situation since the last meeting, the Chair proposed th at such a meeting be scheduled in the near future
and that the Secretariat would prepare an inform al list detailing the situation for the review.
4. The Committee examined the situation related to the circulation of HS2002 documentation set
out in document G/MA/TAR/4/Rev.4 and held a di scussion on the process for the HS2002 work.  The
Committee agreed to hold an informal meeting for the purposes of continuing with HS2002 work and to
discuss the HS2002 waiver.  This agenda item was suspended so that the Committee could take up the
issue of the waiver before the end of the year at a re-convened meeting.
5. With reference to the modalities and operation of the Integrated Data Base, the Committee
examined the status of IDB submissions on th e basis of the document G/MA/IDB/2/Rev.17. The
Secretariat reported on the status of IDB dissemination, technical assistance, use and publication ofIDB and CTS information, and the status of softwa re development.  Delegations were reminded of
their notification obligations and in that respect, the Chair would remind delegations in writing of
their specific outstanding notifications, in particular those who had not submitted any information or
those who had significant gaps of information.
6. The Secretariat reported on the status of the Consolidated Tariff Schedules (CTS) Database
and informed the Committee about updating Members' files, creating new files for newly acceded
Members, incorporating commitments in the files, and extending the link between the CTS and IDB
databases.  In respect of the last point, it was noted that the 'link' involved matters of a highly
technical nature and therefore it was agreed to have a discussion on these technical matters at the
forthcoming informal meeting.
7. The Committee considered the request for access to the IDB and CTS databases from the
International Textiles and Clothing Bureau (ITCB) (G/MA/W/48) favourably.  However, during the
discussions leading to the approval of this request, there was a request to make an inquiry to the ITCB
about what possible data it may have that could be shared with the WTO.  The Chair would follow-up
with a letter to the ITCB on this matter.G/MA/151
Page 2
8. The Committee conducted the Transitional Review under Paragraph 18 of the Protocol of
Accession of the People's Republic of China.  Information provided by China under the review was
circulated in document G/MA/W/52.  It was noted that China also had submitted its notification of
Quantitative Restrictions, but some of the information was in Chinese and it would be submitted in
English as soon as it was available.  Questions and/or comments submitted to China by the EuropeanCommunities, Japan, and the United States, were circulated in documents G/MA/W/49, G/MA/W/50,
and G/MA/W/51, respectively.  The Committee agreed to follow the same format as last year with
respect to its report on the review to the CTG.
9. The Committee considered the Draft Report (2003) of the Committee to the Council for Trade
in Goods (G/MA/SPEC/25).  The report would be updated to take into account the discussions at this
meeting.
10. The Committee elected Mr. Sebastián Herreros (Chile) as its Vice-Chairperson for 2003.
11. Under other business, the Committee took note of the date of its next meeting.G/MA/151
Page 3ANNEX I
FACTUAL INFORMATION RELATING TO WAIVERS REQUESTED FOR THE PURPOSE OF
INTRODUCING HS 96 CHANGES TO SCHEDULES OF CONCESSIONS
Member Date of
original
waiverDate of submission of
HS documentationN° of
extensions
and datesN° of Members
with which
Article XXVIII
negotiations have
been initiatedN° of Members with
which
Article XXVIII
negotiations have
been concludedStatus of
outstanding
Article XXVIII
negotiationsOutlook for
concluding the
processRequest for a waiver
and draft decision
1. 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)Thirteen
18.07.1996
24.04.199722.10.1997
24.04.1998
14.10.1998
15.06.1999
04.11.199903.05.2000
08.12.2000
08.05.200113.05.2002
15.10.2002
24.07.2003Four Three Israel has to respond
to two additional
questions by the EC.Israel will do its best
to provide the
requestedexplanations in the
shortest possible time
so that the EC can
remove its
reservation.Requested 6 months.
G/L/646
G/C/W/468
2. Thailand 13.12.1995 G/SECRET/HS96/17
(14.03.1996)
G/SECRET/HS96/17/
Rev.1
(18.10.1996)
G/SECRET/HS96/17/
Rev.2
(27.11.2001)Thirteen
18.07.1996
24.04.1997
22.10.199724.04.1998
14.10.1998
15.06.199904.11.1999
03.05.2000
08.12.200008.05.2001
13.05.2002
15.10.200224.07.2003Four Negotiations had
concluded with all
four Members.
However,negotiations have
been re-initiated
with two of thoseMembers.Thailand has
recently replied to
the questions raised
by the twoMembers.As Thailand has
replied, the request is
made for procedural
reasons.Requested 6 months.
G/L/647
G/C/W/470G/MA/151
Page 4
ANNEX II
FACTUAL INFORMATION RELATED TO THE EXTENSION OF WAIVERS FOR THE PURPOSE OF
ESTABLISHING A NEW SCHEDULE
Member Date of
original
waiverDate of
submission of HS
documentationN° of
extensions and
datesN° of Members
with which
Article XXVIII
negotiations have
been initiatedN° of Members with
which
Article XXVIII
negotiations have
been concludedStatus of
outstanding
Article XXVIII
negotiationsOutlook for
concluding the
processRequest for an
extension and draft
decision
1. Sri Lanka 08.11.1988 12.01.1990
SECRET/HS/26Twenty-seven:
24.07.1989
16.07.1990
07.12.199001.07.1991
04.12.1991
20.07.199203.12.1992
19.07.1993
17.01.199421.07.1994
09.12.1994
31.08.199513.12.1995
18.07.1996
16.07.199722.10.1997
24.04.1998
14.10.199815.06.1999
04.11.1999
03.05.200008.12.2000
08.05.2001
31.10.200113.05.2002
15.10.2002
24.07.2003Five Four Sri Lanka continues
to make every effort
to conclude
negotiations underArticle XXVIII.
The negotiations
with the UnitedStates are still
continuing.Sri Lanka has had
bilateral negotiations
with the US in respectof Sri Lanka's
Schedule. These
negotiations are stillcontinuing.
Submissions have
been made to theAdvisory Committee
of the Government of
Sri Lanka seeking itsapproval on tariff
bindings to be made.
Since a response fromthe Tariff Advisory
Committee is yet to
be received, SriLanka requires one
more extension of
time to conclude thesenegotiations.  The
Government of
Sri Lanka, therefore,
will appreciate
granting of a furtherextension of six
months.  The
Government of SriLanka also wishes to
assure its tradingExtension of 6
months requested
G/L/644
G/C/W/469G/MA/151
Page 5Member Date of
original
waiverDate of
submission of HS
documentationN° of
extensions and
datesN° of Members
with which
Article XXVIII
negotiations have
been initiatedN° of Members with
which
Article XXVIII
negotiations have
been concludedStatus of
outstanding
Article XXVIII
negotiationsOutlook for
concluding the
processRequest for an
extension and draft
decision
partners that every
effort will be made to
conclude thenegotiations
satisfactorily, and in
the mutual interest ofall concerned, as soon
as possible.
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