. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/L/518
4 March 2002
(02-1072)
Original: Spanish
INTRODUCTION OF HARMONIZED SYSTEM 1996 CHANGES
INTO WTO SCHEDULES OF TARIFF CONCESSIONS
PANAMA – SCHEDULE CXLI
Request for a Waiver
The following communication, dated 15 February 2002, has been received from the
Permanent Mission of Panama.
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The Government of Panama would like to request a waiver from its obligations under
Article II of the GATT 1994 and General Counc il Decision WT/L/400 of 8 May 2001 in order to
implement the 1996 Harmonized System (HS96) nomencl ature and conclude its authorities' efforts to
complete the documentation presented to the Committee on Market Access on 31 March 2001, for the
adoption of the changes that the said nomenclature entails for Panama's schedules of concessions.
As we explained in our note to the Secretariat of 31 March 2001 (MPP-OMC-01-041), the
authorities responsible for producing the final versio n of the documentation have yet to complete the
work that the consultation phases at the inter-institutio nal level require.  This is due to the complexity
involved in dealing with the various aspects of the correlation process while at the same time having
to interpret the scope of Panama's concessions reflected in the said schedules.
In view of the above circumstances, we would be grateful if you could circulate this waiver
request at the next meeting of the Committee on Market Access.
Attached hereto are the following documents:
− Draft waiver decision in which it is agreed to suspend the application by Panama of
the provisions of Article II of the GATT 1994 for the purpose of introducing the
HS96 changes to Panama's Schedule of Concessions1;
− factual information concerning the request for a waiver with respect to the
introduction of HS96 changes to Panama's Schedule of Concessions.
                                                     
1 Document G/C/W/354.G/L/518
Page 2
Factual Information Concerning the Request for a Waiver with Respect to the Introduction
of the HS96 Changes to Panama's Schedule of Concessions
Date of original waiver
24 April 1998
Date of submission of documents relevant to the implementation of the HS96
31 March 2001The documents transmitted to the Committee on 31 March 2001 represent approximately
95 per cent of Panama's import tariff.
Number of extensions and dates when granted
Panama has been granted six extensions.  The dates are as follows:
WT/L/281 – 14 October 1998
WT/L/303 – 15 June 1999
WT/L/338 – 4 November 1999
WT/L/351 – 3 May 2000WT/L/379 – 8 December 2000
WT/L/400 – 8 May 2001
Number of countries with which Article XXVIII negotiations have been initiated
None.Australia, Canada, the EC and the United States have made reservations with respect to the
partial documentation transmitted by Panama to the Committee on 31 March 2001 pending the
submission of the remaining documentation.
Information provided by Panama with the waiver request of 15 February 2002
Electronic files containing partial information on the correlation of pending tariff headings.During the waiver period, Panama will supply the documentation needed to complete the
information relating to the implementation of the amendments.
Outlook for concluding the process
Our authorities are currently involved in the preparatory work for the adoption of the
executive decrees needed to introduce the amendm ents to tariff headings in relation to the
introduction of the HS96 nomenclature in its Schedule of Concessions.  As the procedure is an inter-
institutional one, it will require a certain amount of time to complete.
In the light of these considerations and bearing in mind that Panama will have to conduct
consultations or possibly negotiations under Article XXVIII, particularly in view of the generalreservations made by other Members, we expect  that a period of 12 months will be needed to
complete the implementation of these amendments, starting from the date of the waiver decision.
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