No. _______________
WORLD TRADE G/SECRET/HS96/29
23 October 1996
ORGANIZATION
Original: Spanish
1996 CHANGES IN THE HARMONIZED SYSTEM
Submission of Documentation
Schedule XCI - Paraguay
The following communication, dated30 September 1996,has b een received from thePermanent
Mission of Paraguay.
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I have the honour to transmit herewith the documentation rel ating to the introduction of the
amendments to the Harmonized Commodity Description and Cod ing System, in force since
1 January 1996 (HS 1996), in accordance with the GATT Council Decision of 8 October 1991
establishing the Procedures to implement changes in the Har monized System (BISD 39S/300) and the
General Council Decisions of 13 December 1995 (WT/L/124) an d 18 July 1996 (WT/L/173).
The attached table comprises the following information:
Column headed Emni SA
Tariff headings that have been modified as a result of the int roduction of the HS 1996 are marked
with XX.
Column headed Schedule XCI - Paraguay to the GATT
This column contains the tariff headings of Schedule XCI - Pa raguay annexed to the Protocol
for the Accession of Paraguay to the GATT, which is the same as Schedule XCI - Paraguay annexed
to the Marrakesh Protocol annexed to the General Agreement o n Tariffs and Trade 1994.
Column headed NCM - including HS 1996
This column contains the tariff headings of the MERCOSUR Com mon Nomenclature (NCM),
currently used by Paraguay, including the modifications re sulting from the HS 1996.
Column headed DESCRIPTION
This column contains the description of the products.
./.G/SECRET/HS96/29
Page 2
Column headed AA %
This column gives the tariff applied by Paraguay until 31 Dec ember 1994, prior to the entry
into force of the MERCOSUR Common External Tariff (1 January 1995).
Column headed AC %
This column shows the levels bound in Schedule XCI - Paraguay .
Column headed AEC %
This column contains the current tariff levels in the MERCOS UR Common External Tariff
(AEC).
Column headed Inc. OMC
In this column the headings in which the bound tariff (AC %) is lower than the MERCOSUR
Common External Tariff (AEC %) are marked with an X.
For products where the bound tariff is lower than the MERCOSU R Common External Tariff,
it is to be understood that the proposed tariff ("bound rate o f duty") is the AEC. It should be stressed
that in these cases the final level to be bound may be differen t as a result of the negotiations under
Article XXIV:6 and the Enabling Clause. It should also be poi nted out that the introduction of the
modifications to the Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System in force since
1 January 1996 have in no case led to Paraguay failing to fulfi l its obligations under the WTO.
Column headed Derecho de Primer Negociador
This column indicates the WTO Members with initial negotiat ing rights for the product concerned.
Column headed Importacions US$ F.O.B. 1992-1994
This column contains statistical information on average im ports by Paraguay during the period
1992-1994 expressed in f.o.b. value terms.
Part of the information contained in this table is also inclu ded in document WT/COMTD/1/Add.5
of 20 September 1995, which includes the proposed changes in the tariff levels bound by MERCOSUR
Members (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay).
If any WTO Member should express an interest, Paraguay, toge ther with the other MERCOSUR
members, is ready to conduct consultations under the releva nt provisions of Article XXIV:6 and the
Enabling Clause to examine the changes introduced by the Com mon External Tariff and HS 1996 and
the maintenance of the general level of concessions.
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If no objection is notified to the Secretariat within 90 days from the date of this document,
the changes to Schedule XCI - Paraguay will be deemed to be app roved and will formally certified.
Copies of the above mentioned documentation (in Spanish onl y) are available for collection
in the Market Access Division (Mrs. Hudry, office No. 3142).