WORLD TRADE G/MA/58
3October 1997
ORGANIZATION(97-4180)
Committee onMarket Access
PERIODIC REPORT OFTHE COMMITTEE ONMARKET ACCESS
TOTHE COUNCIL FOR TRADE INGOODS
1. Since thelastperiodic report oftheCommittee onMarket Access totheCouncil forTrade
inGoods (G/MA/57 dated 11April 1997), theCommittee heldtwoformal meetings, on24Juneand
on29September 1997. Detailed reports onthemeetings canbefound indocuments G/MA/M/10
dated 22July1997 andG/MA/M/111.
2. Atitsmeetingof24June1997,theCommitteewasrequestedtoexaminetherequestforobserver
status received fromtheLatin American Economic System (SELA) butadelegation pointed outthat
thismatter wasunder consideration bytheGeneral Council andthattheconsideration ofthisagenda
itemshould bepostponed untiladecision wastaken inthatforum.
3. AtitsJune meeting theCommittee examined thesituation related totheintroduction on
1January 1996 ofthechanges tothenomenclature oftheHarmonized System andthesubmission of
documentation related tothese changes (G/MA/TAR/2/Rev.9). Anumber ofdelegations expressed
concern about theuse,bysome Members, ofgeneral reservations which seemed toimpede the
certification ofschedules presented toimplement HS96 changes. Inthisconnection, theChairman
summarized theoutcome oftheinformal consultations undertaken bytheChairman oftheCouncil
forTrade inGoods onthismatter asfollows: itwasconsidered useful topursue twoapproaches, one
intheshort termandoneinthelongterm. Intheshort term, Members should pursue thework on
theverification andcertification ofHS96 documentation without delay. With aview toassisting
interested Members, theSecretariat would transpose theavailable HS96 documentation ontoelectronic
media inastandard database system. Inthecontext ofthelongtermapproach anumber ofimportant
issues were raised which could leadtochanges oramendments tothedecisions currently inforce.
Thiswork wascontinuing intheframework oftheCouncil forTrade inGoods.
4. On13December1995severalMembersweregrantedindividualwaivers,foroperationalreasons
grouped intoonesingle decision, fortheintroduction ofHS96 changes (WT/L/124 +Corr.1); these
waivers were, bysuccessive decisions bytheGeneral Council, extended until 31October 1997
(WT/L/216). Atitsmeeting of29September 1997, theCommittee tooknoteoftherequests for
extension oforinclusion inthewaiver inorder tocarry outpossible consultations/negotiations under
Article XXVIII aftertheintroduction ofHS96 changes innational tariffs. Twoadditional Members
requested tobeincluded inthewaiver. Thisinformation issummarized inAnnex Iofthereport.
5. Atthemeeting of29September 1997some Members reiterated theirconcern about therepeated
extension ofwaivers duetothegeneral reservations made onthedocumentation ofcertain Members
andwhich prevented thecertification ofHS96 changes.
1Notyetcirculated.G/MA/58
Page2
6. RegardingthestatusofcountriesunderwaiversforthetranspositionintotheHarmonizedSystem
orfortherenegotiations oftheirschedules, theCommittee tooknoteofthefactual information provided
byMembers under current waivers. Thisinformation issummarized inAnnex IItothisreport. At
themeetingof29September1997,oneMemberreservedhispositionregardingtherequestforextension
made byadelegation.
7. Following theDecision onNotification Procedures forQuantitative Restrictions adopted by
theCouncil forTrade inGoods inDecember 1995, theCommittee adopted aformat forthesubmission
ofQuantitative Restriction notifications atitsmeeting of24June1997. Theapproved format was
circulated indocument G/MA/NTM/QR/2 dated 10July1997.
8. Atitsmeeting of29September, theCommittee tooknoteofthestatus ofQuantitative Restriction
notifications contained indocument G/MA/NTM/QR/1/Add.4. Inthiscontext, several delegations
pointed outtheneedtodefine moreclearly whatshould benotified under theseQuantitative Restrictions.
9. Atitsmeeting on24June 1997, theCommittee agreed, asoutlined indocument
G/MA/IDB/1/Rev.1, totherestructuring ofthecurrently existing Integrated DataBase(IDB) from
amainframeenvironmenttoaPersonalComputer(PC)-basedsystem,whichwouldutilizenewtechnology
toimprove theoperation oftheIDB. Inaddition toadapting theIDBtomodern technology, one
essential element ofthereform wasthatitwould allow adegree offlexibility inthetransmission of
datathereby reducing theburden onMembers. Inaddition totheoperational changes outlined in
G/MA/IDB/1/Rev.1, theCommittee sought tolaydown asolid basis forthetransmission ofthe
information required forthefunctioning ofthePCIDB. Inthisconnection, theCommittee forwarded
adraftDecision ontheSupply ofInformation tothePCIDBtotheCouncil forTrade inGoods, and
thentotheGeneral Council foradoption. ThisDecision wasformally adopted bytheGeneral Council
atitsmeeting of18July1997 (WT/L/225).
10. Atitsmeeting on29September 1997, theCommittee examined theprogress inthe
implementation oftheDecision ontheIntegrated DataBaseandtooknoteofthestatus ofsubmission
ofrequired data. Issues related totheimplementation oftheproject, thetiming andcontent ofthe
submissions, themodalities oftechnical assistance, were discussed. Itwasagreed toholdinformal
consultations toexamine theoutstanding questions.
11. Atitsmeeting of29September 1997, theChairman reminded theCommittee ofthepartsof
theCommittee 'sReport toMinisters inSingapore concerning future workoftheCommittee andrelated
recommendations. TheChairman suggested toholdinformal consultations inthisrespect, ifthe
Committee sowished.
12. Atitsmeeting on24June1997, theCommittee tooknoteoftheSecretariat proposal under
"other business" relating tothecreation ofanelectronic basis or'yardstick 'fortheverification of
schedules inloose-leaf format which hadalready beensubmitted inanelectronic form. Asrequested
bysome delegations, theSecretariat hadprepared astandard format thatcould assist delegations for
future submission ofloose-leaf schedules.
13. TheCommittee alsotooknoteofthedeparture ofMrs. Simona Valceanu, Vice-Chairperson
oftheCommittee anddecided. TheChairman informed theCommittee thathewould carry outinformal
consultations inthisrespect andwould report ontheresults ofhisconsultations atthenextmeeting
oftheCommittee.
14. TheCommittee tooknotethatthenextmeeting oftheCommittee would takeplace, subject
toconfirmation, on2December 1997.G/MA/58
Page3
ANNEX I
REQUESTS FOR INCLUSION INAND EXTENSION OFTHE HS96 WAIVER
Country Document
(G/SECRET/HS96
series)Reservations
(Number of
countries)Reasons forrequesting waiver
orextension ofwaiver
ARGENTINA /30 4 Extension tofinalize consultations and
negotiations under Article XXVIII*.
AUSTRALIA /19+Corr.1 5 Extensions needed because unlikely to
complete negotiations by31October 1997;
areresponding toquestions received and
awaiting further information from some
delegations.
BRAZIL /36 1 Extension needed toconclude consultations
andpossible Article XXVIII negotiations.
BRUNEI
DARUSSALAM/14
(prelimin. inf.)2 Documentation isabout tobecirculated and
extension isrequired forconsultations.
BULGARIA Waiver requested duetoadministrative
procedures thatstillhave tobecarried out.
CANADA /7 3 Extension tocomplete consultations.
COLOMBIA /32+Corr.1 1 Extension duetoageneral reservation by
oneMember, which hasnotbeen specified
orlifted.*
COSTA RICA /37 1 Extension needed because oneMember
submitted ageneral reservation, andhasnot
specified theproblem; therefore itis
impossible toconclude theconsultations and
negotiations intime.*
CUBA /21+Rev. 1 1 Extension duetooneMember which has
placed ageneral reservation thathasnot
been further specified.*
CZECH REP. /5 2 Extension duetothesituation withrespect to
reservations andtocomplete negotiations
andconsultations.
EGYPT Extension needed tofinalize the
documentation, andtoallow for
consultations which maybenecessary.
ELSALVADOR Extension needed; hasrecently presented
their 1996 tariff totheSecretariat and
requested technical assistance forthe
preparation ofthedocumentation.
EUROPEAN
COMMUNITIES/3 5 Extension tofinalize consultations and
negotiations.*G/MA/58
Page4
Country Document
(G/SECRET/HS96
series)Reservations
(Number of
countries)Reasons forrequesting waiver
orextension ofwaiver
HONDURAS Extension tofinalize documentation, in
which technical assistance from the
Secretariat hasbeen sought. Hassubmitted
1996 tariff schedule.
HUNGARY /22+Corr.1 1 Extension duetoageneral reservation by
oneMember.*
ICELAND /38 2 Extension necessary toallow forcompletion
ofpossible negotiations under Article
XXVIII.*
INDIA /8+Corr.1 2 Extension needed toresolve issues relating to
thereservations.*
INDONESIA /33 3 Extension needed; received tworeservations
ofageneral nature andareawaiting specific
concerns bythese Members.*
ISRAEL /26 4 Extension duetotechnical difficulties in
finalizing detailed documentation anddueto
anumber ofgeneral reservations on
submission.*
KOREA /4+Add.1 +
Corr.1-2/Rev. 13 Extension needed because ofthree general
reservations where noprogress hasbeen
made.*
MALAYSIA /31+Rev.1 5 Extension toallow additional timefor
consultations andclarification.
MALTA Waiver requested duetoadministrative
procedures thatstillhave tobecarried out.
MEXICO Extension duetotechnical difficulties in
completing documentation andtoconclude
relevant consultations ornegotiations.
NORWAY /11 2 Extension tofinalize consultations and
negotiations.
PAKISTAN Extension duetoformalities regarding the
introduction ofHS96 changes intotheWTO
schedule.
PARAGUAY /29 3 Extension duetogeneral reservations andto
finalize consultations andpossible Article
XXVIII negotiations.*
PHILIPPINES /16+Add.1 +
Corr.1-22 Extension tofinalize consultations withtwo
Members.
POLAND /34 1 Extension duetoonereservation thathasnot
been specified.*G/MA/58
Page5
Country Document
(G/SECRET/HS96
series)Reservations
(Number of
countries)Reasons forrequesting waiver
orextension ofwaiver
ROMANIA /24 1 Extension duetoonegeneral reservation
where nospecific requests have been
received atthistime.*
SLOVAK REP. /6 2 Extension duetothesituation withrespect to
bothspecific andgeneral reservations andto
complete negotiations andconsultations.*
SLOVENIA /23+Corr.1 1 Extension tocomplete consultations and
negotiations withoneMember.
SOUTH AFRICA /15
(prelimin. inf)2 Extension because authorities areinthe
process ofconverting thetariff nomenclature
database toacommon readable format and
because thecorrelation tables have notbeen
completed.
THAILAND /17+Rev. 1 3 Extension duetoageneral reservation
whereby specific technical questions are
expected tobeforthcoming sothat
consultations canbeconcluded inthenear
future.*
TUNISIA /25 2 Extension duetotwogeneral reservations
thathave notbeen specified orjustified to
finalize negotiations.*
TURKEY /27 2 Extension needed; received tworeservations
ofageneral nature andareawaiting specific
concerns bythese Members.*
UNITED STATES /9 6 Extension needed because ofreservations on
theUSdocumentation.
URUGUAY /28 1 Extension tofinalize consultations and
negotiations.*
VENEZUELA /12+Rev. 1 2 Extension duetogeneral reservations
received andtocomplete consultations and
negotiations.*
ZIMBABWE Extension duetotechnical difficulties inthe
transposition toHS96.
*Awaiting specific comments from Members whohave made general reservations.G/MA/58
Page6ANNEX II
FACTUAL INFORMATION RELATED TOTHE EXTENSION OFWAIVERS
Country Date of
original
waiverDate of
submission
ofHS
documentationNof
extensions
anddatesNofcountries
withwhich
Article XXVIII
negotiations have
been
initiatedNof
countries
withwhich
Article
XXVIII
negotiations
have been
concludedStatus of
outstanding
Article XXVIII
negotiationsOutlook for
concluding
theprocessRequest
for
extension
anddraft
decision
1.Bangladesh 18.07.1988 06.12.1990
SECRET/HS/29Sixteen:
24.07.1989
05.12.1989
16.07.1990
13.12.1990
12.08.1991
04.12.1991
20.07.1992
03.12.1992
19.07.1993
17.01.1994
21.07.1994
09.12.1994
31.08.1995
13.12.1995
18.07.1996
24.04.1997Four Two Proposals were forwarded
tothetwocountries
concerned.
Agreement wasreached
withoneMember and
reaction from theother is
awaited.Intention isto
conclude
negotiations as
soonaspossible.Extension requested
G/L/186
G/C/W/89
2.Nicaragua 26.01.1994 28.06.1995
G/SECRET/HS/3Four:
09.12.1994
13.12.1995
18.07.1996
24.04.1997Two None Stillawaiting asubstantiated
request from oneMember.Extension requested
G/L/187
G/C/W/87
3.Guatemala 26.01.1994 08.12.1995
G/SECRET/HS/6Four:
09.12.1994
31.08.1995
13.12.1995
18.07.1996Two One Outstanding negotiations
withoneMember.Consultations tobe
concluded aftera
technical matter
related toINRs is
resolved.Extension requested
(thegapinthe
extension ofthe
waiver isduetoan
internal
administrative
restructuring atthe
Mission)
G/L/185
G/C/W/88G/MA/58
Page7Country Date of
original
waiverDate of
submission
ofHS
documentationNof
extensions
anddatesNofcountries
withwhich
Article XXVIII
negotiations have
been
initiatedNof
countries
withwhich
Article
XXVIII
negotiations
have been
concludedStatus of
outstanding
Article XXVIII
negotiationsOutlook for
concluding
theprocessRequest
for
extension
anddraft
decision
4.SriLanka 08.11.1988 12.01.1990
SECRET/HS/26Fifteen:
24.07.1989
16.07.1990
07.12.1990
01.07.1991
04.12.1991
20.07.1992
03.12.1992
19.07.1993
17.01.1994
21.07.1994
09.12.1994
31.08.1995
13.12.1995
18.07.1996
16.07.1997Five One Negotiations havebeen
delayed byseveral
constraints: themost
important being thesecurity
situation which prevails in
thecountry; needto
consult withallrelevant
agencies concerned andwith
thenewly established
Commission onTrade and
Tariffs .Intends to
conclude Article
XXVIII
negotiations with
theleastpossible
delay.Extension requested
G/L/188
G/C/W/90
5.Zambia 26.11.1993
(2years)12.03.1996
G/SECRET/HS/8Three:
13.12.1995
18.07.1996
24.04.1997Three None Contacts havebeenmade
withtheMembers
concerned.Expects tofinalize
theprocess before
theendoftheyear[Extension requested]
G/L/189
G/C/W/91