. /.  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  TN/MA/13 
19 April 2004 
 (04-1745) 
Negotiating Group on Market Access  
   
 
NEGOTIATING GROUP ON MARKET ACCESS 
Report by the Chairman to th e Trade Negotiations Committee
 
 
I. STATUS OF WORK 
1. Following the Cancún Ministerial Conferen ce, the Negotiating Group on Market Access met 
for the first time on 29-31 March 2004, and took up the following agenda items: Election of 
Chairperson; organization of work; and date of the next meeting.   Apart from a brief formal meeting 
held on 29 March and another one on 31 March, the intervening time was left for delegations to 
consult among themselves.   
2. Concerning discussions under the agenda items:   
 (a) On "Election of Chairperson", the Negotia ting Group confirmed the understanding reached by 
the General Council at its meeting of  11 February 2004, and elected me 
Stefán H. Jóhannesson, Ambassador of Iceland, as Chairman of the Negotiating Group on Market Access.  
 
(b)  On "Organization of work",  I reported on  the consultations I had been conducting on how 
best the Negotiating Group could resume its wo rk.  It was evident from the discussions that 
delegations were eager to restart work.  Moreove r, there appeared to be broad agreement that 
the Group should try to reach a framework on modaliti es before end of July 2004.  It was also 
clear that all the work done pre- and post-Cancún relating to NAMA should be used for this 
purpose. On the practical arrangements of this me eting where the major part of the three days 
was reserved for direct contacts between delega tions, I explained that it was my belief that 
more active dialogue between delegations was required to reach a common understanding of 
the various elements of the NAMA modalities on which divergences existed.  
 
3.  Following my report, the  meeting was suspe nded and time was given to delegations to meet 
and consult among themselves.    4. I understand that such contacts did take place on a bilateral and plurilateral basis.  
Additionally, open-ended informal consultations were organized and chaired by certain Members 
based on the following themes:   
 (1) Overall goals  (2) Formula and related technical elements  (3) Sectorial tariff component  
(4) NTBs  
(5) Flexibility (S&D)   (6) Specific concerns of Members on the texts currently under consideration   TN/MA/13 
Page 2  
 
5. When the Negotiating Group reconvened on 31 March, an opportunity was provided to 
delegations to report on any consu ltations undertaken.  This was done in order to ensure transparency 
in the process. Following this exercise of stocktak ing, the representative of Trinidad and Tobago, 
made a statement on behalf of the ACP Group,  in  which he introduced their paper circulated in 
document TN/MA/W/47.  
 
6. Before closing the meeting, I drew Member s' attention to document TN/MA/W/46 and Add.1 
which contained a compilation of non-tariff barrier (NTB) notifications received pursuant to the new 
format which was sent to delegations by fax on 8 Se ptember 2003.  I urged all Members to make their 
NTB notification and in particular to indicate how th ey wished to see such barriers addressed in the 
context of the negotiations.   
 7. Regarding future meetings of the Group, I informed Members that meetings had been 
scheduled for 10-12 May and 9-11 June.  A third mee ting was also planned for July, but dates had yet 
to be finalized.    
 
II. OUTSTANDING ISSUES  
8. The main outstanding issue continues to be the balance between the level of ambition and 
flexibility in the negotiating modalities on tariffs.  In the area of non-tariff barriers, the Group still 
remains at the initial stages of its work.   III. FUTURE WORK 
9. The Group will be working to reach a framewo rk on modalities before the end of July 2004. 
 
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