WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/MA/71
12 October 1999
(99-4267)
Committee on Market Access
PERIODIC REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE TO THE
COUNCIL FOR TRADE IN GOODS
1. The Committee met on 5 October 1999 and examined the following issues:
2. On 13 December 1995, several Members were granted individual waivers for the introduction
of HS96 changes (WT/L/124 + Corr.1); for operational reasons the waivers were grouped into one
single decision.  These waivers were extended by successive decisions by the General Council until
31 October 1999 (WT/L/303).  At its meeting of  5 October 1999, the Committee took note of the
requests for further extension of, or inclusion in, the waiver to carry out possible
consultations/negotiations under Article XXVIII after the introduction of HS96 changes in nationaltariffs.  This information is summarized in Annex I of the report.
3.  The Committee took note of the factual info rmation provided by the Members under current
waivers regarding the transposition into the Harmonize d System or the renegotiation of their schedules.
This information is summarized in Annex II of this report.
4. Japan informed the Committee of a proposal that it intended to make to the Council for Trade
in Goods concerning waiver extensions.  The Committee took note of the views expressed by
Members on the proposal and agreed that the Chairman consult on this subject.
5. The Committee examined the situation related to the submission of HS96 documentation set out
in document G/MA/TAR/2/Rev.20.   It noted that out of the 31 Members currently under waivers,
7 Members had not yet submitted the required doc umentation, the submission of one Member was
finalized, and the submissions of 23 Members were still pending due to ongoing consultations and/or
negotiations. The submissions of two Members, which had not requested an extension of their waivers,
were also pending.
6. With reference to the modalities and operation 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.6.
As of 27 September 1999, 65 Members and 3 acceding countries had provided IDB submissions. The
Secretariat presented an oral report on the status of processing of IDB submissions, the status ofsoftware development and the technical assistance activities that had been carried out since the last
report
7. Singapore, on behalf of the APEC Market Access Group (MAG), informed the Committee
that the MAG had reversed its decision and that there was no need anymore to request a mirror site of
the IDB.
8. The Committee took note  of the status of notifications of quantitative restrictions
(G/MA/NTM/QR/1/Add 6), and of the report by the Secretariat on the work undertaken so far on the
consolidated tariff schedules database project.G/MA/71
Page 2
ANNEX I
REQUESTS FOR INCLUSION IN AND EXTENSION OF THE HS96 WAIVERS
Country Document
(G/SECRET/HS96 series)Reservations
(Number of
countries)Reasons for requesting waiver
or extension of waiver
ARGENTINA /30 4 Extension needed to finalize consultations and
negotiations with various Members havingreservations.
AUSTRALIA /19 + Corr.1 2 Extension needed in order to finalize and submit
a notification.
BRAZIL /36 + Corr.1 + 2 4 Extension needed to conclude consultations.
BRUNEIDARUSSALAM/14 + Rev.1 2 Extension needed to conclude consultations.
BULGARIA Extension needed to finalize documentation and
to allow for consultations.
COSTA RICA /37 2 Extension needed to finalize consultations with
the two Members.
EGYPT G/MA/TAR/RS/50/Rev.112 Extension needed to continue the process of
consultations with Members having submitted
questions and comments.
EL SALVADOR Extension needed as certain technical problems
have delayed the submission of the
documentation.
HONDURAS Extension needed as certain technical problems
have delayed the submission of thedocumentation,  which is in its final stages of
preparation.
ICELAND /38 + Corr.1 +  Add.1 2 Extension needed  to finalize consultations and
possible negotiations under Article XXVIII.
INDIA /8 + Corr.1 1 Extension needed to conclude consultations.
ISRAEL /26 +  Add.1 4 Extension needed as reservations on earlier
documentation have not been lifted.
MALAYSIA /31 + Rev.1 3 Extension needed to conclude consultations.
MALDIVES Extension needed to follow procedures
regarding the introduction of HS96 changes.
MEXICO Extension needed due to technical difficulties
encountered in completing documentation which
is required for any relevant consultations or
negotiations.
                                                     
1 Contains also rectifications to the schedule.G/MA/71
Page 3
Country Document
(G/SECRET/HS96 series)Reservations
(Number of
countries)Reasons for requesting waiver
or extension of waiver
MOROCCO Extension needed as technical difficulties have
been encountered in the implementation of theprocedures for the introduction of HS96
changes. Documentation is under preparation.
NEW ZEALAND /20 + Corr.1 2 Extension needed to allow more time to resolve
questions raised on New Zealand's schedule by
two Members.
NORWAY /11 2 Extension needed to complete consultations.
PAKISTAN /40 3 Extension needed to complete bilateral
negotiations.
PANAMA Extension needed as institutional restructuring in
Panama has delayed the preparation of
documentation.
PARAGUAY /29 3 Extension needed to conclude consultations and
negotiations.
SLOVENIA /23 + Corr.1 1 Extension needed to conclude consultations and
negotiations with one Member.
SWITZERLAND /10 1 Extension needed to conclude ongoing
consultations.
THAILAND /17 + Rev.1 2 Extension needed to conclude on-going
consultations with two Members.
TUNISIA /25 1 Extension needed to conclude negotiations with
one Member.
URUGUAY /28 1 Extension needed to conclude consultations and
negotiations with one Member.
VENEZUELA /12 + Rev. 1 1 Extension needed to conclude negotiations with
one Member.G/MA/71
Page 4
ANNEX II
FACTUAL INFORMATION RELATED TO THE EXTENSION OF WAIVERS
RELATED TO THE TRANSPOSITION OF SCHEDULES INTO THE HARMONIZED SYSTEM
Country Date of
original
waiverDate of
submission of HS
documentationN° of
extensions and
datesN° of countries
with which
Article XXVIII
negotiations have
been initiatedN° of countries with
which
Article XXVIII
negotiations have
been concludedStatus of
outstanding
Article XXVIII
negotiationsOutlook for
concluding the
processRequest for
extension and draft
decision
1.  Bangladesh 18.07.198806.12.1990
SECRET/HS/29Twenty:
24.07.1989
05.12.1989
16.07.199013.12.1990
12.08.1991
04.12.199120.07.1992
03.12.1992
19.07.199317.01.1994
21.07.1994
09.12.1994
31.08.1995
13.12.199518.07.1996
24.04.1997
22.10.199724.04.1998
14.10.1998
15.06.1999Four Three - Working to conclude
negotiations as earlyas possible.Extension requested
G/L/324G/C/W/162
2. Nicaragua 26.01.199428.06.1995
G/SECRET/HS/3Eight:
09.12.199413.12.1995
18.07.1996
24.04.199722.10.1997
24.04.1998
14.10.199815.06.1999Two One Continuing
negotiations with the
interested Member.- Extension requested
G/L/320
G/C/W/160G/MA/71
Page 5Country Date of
original
waiverDate of
submission of HS
documentationN° of
extensions and
datesN° of countries
with which
Article XXVIII
negotiations have
been initiatedN° of countries with
which
Article XXVIII
negotiations have
been concludedStatus of
outstanding
Article XXVIII
negotiationsOutlook for
concluding the
processRequest for
extension and draft
decision
3. Sri Lanka 08.11.198812.01.1990
SECRET/HS/26Nineteen:
24.07.1989
16.07.1990
07.12.199001.07.1991
04.12.1991
20.07.1992
03.12.1992
19.07.199317.01.1994
21.07.1994
09.12.199431.08.1995
13.12.1995
18.07.199616.07.1997
22.10.1997
24.04.199814.10.1998
15.06.1999Five One Continues to make
every effort toconclude
negotiations under
Article XXVIII.Following its most
recent initiatives in
this respect, SriLanka is about to
conclude
negotiations withtwo Members where
only finalization of
documents nowremains to be
formally completed.Hopeful of
concluding itsnegotiations
satisfactorily, before
long.Extension requested
G/L/321G/C/W/161
4. Zambia 26.11.199312.03.1996
G/SECRET/HS/8Seven:
13.12.199518.07.1996
24.04.1997
22.10.199724.04.1998
14.10.1998
15.06.1999Two None Negotiations to be
completed with two
Members based on a
schedule which wasmodified following
earlier consultations
with these twoMembers.Bright Extension requested
G/L/329
G/C/W/163
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