WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/L/658
13 November 2003
(03-6083)
REPORT (2003) OF THE COMMITTEE ON MARKET ACCESS
1. Since the last review1, the Committee on Market Access has held two formal meetings (26
March 2003 and 20 October 20032, plus the resumption of a suspended meeting from 2002 on 29
November 2002) and five informal meetings (7 Oc tober, 29 October, 15 November, 21 November and
29 November 2002). The minutes of the formal meetings are contained in documentsG/MA/M/33/Add.1, G/MA/M/34 and G/MA/M/35.  In  addition, two periodic reports giving an
overview of the issues discussed in the Committee and providing factual information related to the
requests for waivers and waiver extensions, both for the introduction of HS96 changes and for the
transposition of schedules into the Harmonized System are contained in documents G/MA/149 and
G/MA/151.
2. At its meeting of 26 March 2003, the Committee took note of the nomination of Ms. Jo
Lomas (United Kingdom) as Chairperson of the Committee for the current year and elected her by
acclamation.  At that meeting, it was agreed that informal consultations would be carried out in order
to elect a Vice-Chairperson for the current year.   At the meeting of 20 October 2003, Mr. Sebastián
Herreros (Chile) was elected Vice-Chairperson for 2003.
A. 
TRANSPOSITION OF SCHEDULES OF CONCESSIONS INTO THE HARMONIZED SYSTEM (HS)
3. The Committee took note that there was one Member under waiver for the transposition of
their schedule into the Harmonized System.
B. INTRODUCTION OF HS96 CHANGES TO SCHEDULES OF CONCESSIONS
4. On 13 December 1995, several Members were granted individual waivers for the introduction
of HS96 changes (WT/L/124 + Corr.1) which for operational reasons were grouped into one single
decision.  These waivers were extended by successive decisions of the General Council until
30 April 2002 (WT/L/400).   The Committee agreed in 2001  that this would be the last HS96 waiver
to be granted on a collective basis but that this did not preclude any Member from requesting a waiveron an individual basis.  In this connection, at its formal meetings of 26 March 2003 and 20 October
2003, the Committee took note of and approved the individual requests for waivers to carry out
possible consultations/negotiations under Article XXVIII following the introduction of HS96 changes
in national tariffs.
5. At its formal meetings, the Committee examined the situation related to the submission of HS96
documentation set out in documents  G/MA/TAR/2/Rev.30-31.   At its meeting of 20 October 2003, the
Committee noted that the submissions of seven Memb ers, whether they had requested an extension of
waivers or not, remained pending due to ongoing consultations and/or negotiations. The Committee
agreed to hold an informal meeting to review the HS96 situation based on an informal list prepared bythe Secretariat.
                                                     
1 G/L/582 (30 October 2002).
2 The meeting was suspended for one agenda item.G/L/658
Page 2
C. INTRODUCTION OF HS2002 C HANGES TO SCHEDULES OF CONCESSIONS
6. At its formal meetings, the Committee took note of document G/MA/TAR/4 and its revisions
containing information on documents circulated in connection with the procedures to introduce
HS2002 changes to schedules of concessions. At its meeting of 20 October 2003, the Committee held
discussions on the process for the HS2002 exercise.  The Committee agreed to have informalconsultations on HS2002 as well as for the waiver before the end of the year.  The October meeting
was suspended for this agenda item so that the Co mmittee could take up the issue of the waiver before
the end of the year at a re-convened meeting.
D. D
ATABASES
7. With reference to the modalities and operation of the Integrated Data Base (IDB), the
Committee, at its formal meetings, examined the status of IDB submissions on the basis of documentsG/MA/IDB/2/Rev.16-17.  The Secretariat presented reported on the status of IDB dissemination, use
and publication of IDB information, IDB technical as sistance, status of submissions, and the status of
software development (IDB reporting tools and internet analysis facility).  Delegations were reminded
of their notification obligations to the IDB and in that respect, the Chair would remind delegations in
writing of their specific outstanding notifications, in particular those who had not submitted anyinformation or those who had significant gaps of information.
8. At its formal meetings, the Committee took note of the Secretariat's reports on the status of
the Consolidated Tariff Schedules Database Project which included the status of CTS files for both
the tariff and agricultural commitments for Members. The software development status for
dissemination, analytical facilities, and the link with the IDB were also presented.  It was noted that amore in-depth discussion on the 'link' would be held  at an informal meeting to be convened, as it
involved highly technical matters.
9. At its meetings this year, the Committee agreed to the requests for access to the IDB and CTS
databases from the ITCB, OECD and the FAO, contained in documents G/MA/W/48, G/MA/W/43
and G/MA/W/47, respectively.  The organizations had undertaken to use and publish the information
contained in these databases in accordance with the terms and conditions laid out in the document
G/MA/115.  Pursuant to the request made by the ITCB, at the meeting of 20 October 2003, the
Committee held discussions and agreed that the Chair would follow-up with a letter to the ITCB about
data it may have that could be shared with the WTO.
E. I
MPLEMENTATION ISSUES
(1) Implementation-Related Issues and Concerns:  Meaning to be given to the phrase "substantial
interest" in paragraph 2 (d) of Article XIII of GATT 1994 (paragra ph 1.2 of WT/MIN(01)17)
10. At its formal meeting of 23 September 2002 the Committee suspended discussions on
implementation issues in order to undertake further work on this issue.  At its resumed formal meetingof 29 November 2002 the Committee agreed to forward document G/MA/119, containing
recommendations, to  the General Council.
(2) Outstanding Implementation Issues raised by Members: Tiret 99 of Job(01)/152/Rev.1 –
Measures designed to secure a Redistribution of Negotiating Rights in Favour of Small and
Medium-sized Exporting Members in Trade Negotiations
11. At its resumed formal meeting of 29 November 2002 the Committee adopted its report to the
TNC contained in document G/MA/118.G/L/658
Page 3
F. PARAGRAPH 18 OF THE PROTOCOL OF ACCESSION OF THE PEOPLE 'S REPUBLIC OF  
CHINA – CHINA 'S TRANSITIONAL REVIEW MECHANISM
12. On China's Transitional Review Mechanism, the review took place at the meeting of 20
October 2003.  Information was provided by Chin a in G/MA/W/52 and questions and/or comments by
Japan, the European Communities and the United States had been circulated in documentsG/MA/W/49, G/MA/W/50 and G/MA/W/51, respectively.  It was noted that China also had submitted
its notification of Quantitative Restrictions, but some of the information was in Chinese and it would
be submitted in English as soon as it was available.   The Committee completed its review and agreed
to forward its report in G/MA/150 to the Council for Trade in Goods.
G. S
TATUS OF NOTIFICATIONS ON QUANTITATIVE RESTRICTIONS AND REVERSE
NOTIFICATIONS OF NON-TARIFF MEASURES
13. At its meeting of 26 March 2003, the Committee reviewed the status of notifications under
the "Decision on Notification Procedures for Quantitative Restrictions" on the basis of Secretariat
documents G/MA/NTM/QR/1/Add.9 and its corrigendum.
H. OTHER ACTIVITIES
14. At its meeting of 26 March 2003, the Committee took note of document G/MA/TAR/3/Rev.8
and its corrigendum which reflected the latest tariff information available in the Secretariat.  A second
corrigendum was circulated after the meeting.
__________