G/L/1412  
 
27 October  2021 
(21-8137) Page: 1/2 
   
 
 
REPORT (20 21) OF THE COMMITTEE OF PARTICIPANTS ON THE EXPANSION  
OF TRADE IN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY PRODUCTS  
1.1.  The Committee of Participants on the Expansion of Trade in Information Technology Products, 
hereinafter referred to as "the Committee", was established pursuant to the provisions of the 
Ministerial Declaration on Trade in Information Technology Products (WT/MIN(96)/16), hereinafter 
referred to as "the Ministerial Declaration", and the provisions for the Implementation of the 
Ministerial Declaration on Trade in Information Technology Products (G/L/160), in order to carry out 
the provisions of paragraphs  3, 5, 6 , and 7 of the Annex to the Declaration.  
1.2.  The Committee's rules of procedure provide for observer status to WTO Members th at are not 
participants to the Ministerial Declaration, and governments that are observers to the Council for 
Trade in Goods. Requests for observer status by international intergovernmental organizations are 
considered on a case-by-case basis. The Internat ional Trade Centre (ITC) and the Organi sation for 
Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) have been granted observer status, and the World 
Customs Organization (WCO) has been granted observer status to meetings where issues of 
HS classification and HS  amendments are included on the agenda.  
1.3.  The Committee has held two formal m eeting s and one informal meeting in 2021 . The 
Committee's formal meetings were held  on 15  April and 17  September and their minutes are 
contained in document s G/IT/M/7 3 and G/IT/M/7 4, respectively . The Committee's informal meeting 
was held on 30  July 2021 regarding Lao  PDR's draft ITA  Schedule . 
1.4.  Ms Uma Muniandy (Singapore)  (Chair person  of the Committee for 20 20) chaired the 
Committee 's work  until 30 July 2021. On 2  August  2021, through a written procedure, the 
Committee elected by acclamation Ms Katarzyna Stecz (Poland) as Chairperson for the period 
of 2021-2022. 
1.5.  As of 17  September, t he total number of WTO Members that are participants to the Ministerial 
Declaration is 82. The Committee has consistently reviewed the status of implementation, a 
summary of which is provided in document  G/IT/1 and its revisions. One participant had not yet 
submitted its ITA Schedule  for the rec tification and modification of its WTO Schedule  in order to 
incorporate the commitments arising from the Ministerial Declaration.  
1.6.  At the Committee's meeting  of 15 April, the Committee reviewed  document  G/IT/W/52, which 
had been circulated on 4  January  2021 at the request of the United Kingdom. In this document, the 
United Kingdom had undertaken to continue implementing , in its own right,  all tariff liberalization 
commitments with respect to products annexed to both the 1996  ITA and the 2015  ITA Expansion  
from the expiration of the transition period relating to its withdrawal from the European Union. The 
United Kingdom indicated that it had replicated all ITA and ITA  Expansion tariff liberalization 
commitments in Schedule  XIX-United Kingdom, which could be fo und in 
document  G/MA/TAR/RS/570. Two  participants raised concerns  regarding the completeness of the 
information that the United Kingdom had provided on its ITA commitments in the document 
submitted and sought bilateral consultations with the United Kingdom for clarification . At the 
Committee's meeting of 17  September, the r elevant parties informed the Committee on the outcome 
of their bilateral discussions.  Technical discussions will continue r egardi ng the United Kingdom's 
ITA Schedule.  
1.7.  Three  implementation issues , concerning India, Indonesia,  and China,  were raised at the 
Committee's meeting  in April. The implementation issue concerning Indonesia was reiterat ed at the 
Committee's meeting  in September . G/L/1412  
 
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  1.8.  The Committee continued its deliberations on the Non -Tariff Measures (NTMs) Work 
Programme in 20 21. Regarding  its work on the EMC/EMI  Pilot Project, the Committee took note that, 
among  current  participants, 43 had provided survey responses , and the Committee encouraged 
those that had not yet done so to provide the information without any further delay.  
1.9.  On classif ication divergences, with regard  to the possible HS2007  classification for the 
remaining 22  "Attachment  B" items, t he Secretariat  had so far  received  comments from 
21 delegations , which  were compiled in document  G/IT/W/40 and its Addend a and Supplement s. 
The Committee encouraged delegations that had not yet provided their comments to do so as soon 
as possible in order to arrive at a common classification for these products within the existing 
HS nomenclature.  
1.10.   On product coverage, the Committee took note of the reports and updates from those 
participants that were engaged in the 2015  ITA Expansion (WT/L/956 and WT/MIN(15)/25) and its  
implementation.  
1.11.   Regarding new participant s, Lao People's Democratic Republic  (Lao PDR) had sent a No te 
Verbal e to the WTO  on 28  June expressing its intention to join the ITA and the ITA Expansion 
Agreements. Lao PDR's draft ITA and ITA  Expansion Schedules  and other related documents  were 
circulated to ITA  Participants for review on 13  July. An informal C ommittee meeting was held on 
30 July, to listen to  Participants' preliminary feedback  on Lao  PDR's draft Schedule . At its meeting 
of 17 September, t he Committee  review ed the progress  made  in bilateral consultations . Lao PDR 
reiterated its commitment to join the ITA and ITA  Expansion before or at MC12. A number of 
participants  appreciated the efforts made by Lao  PDR in its accession process and looked forward to 
welcoming it in the ITA in the near future.  
1.12.   "The ITA Sympos ium: 25 Years of the Information Technology Agreement " was held on 
16-17 September in hybrid format  in Geneva . Dr Ngozi Okonjo -Iweala, Director -General of the WTO , 
gave the opening remarks , and Ambassador Michael Punke , Vice President of Amazon , delivered the 
keynote address. Twenty -six business leaders, scholars, senior government officials , and 
representatives of international organizations made presentations around  five themes , namely : 
(i) trade liberalization under the ITA and the evolution of global trade in ICT  products; (ii) the role 
of ITA  products , ICT  and digital solutions in combatting the COVID -19 pandemic ; (iii) latest 
advances in technologies and the ICT  sector; (iv) the role of ICT as an economic development tool ; 
and (v) the future of the ITA. Around 15 0 people  registered and participated  in the event online and 
a few Geneva -based delegates attended the Symposium in person. At its meeting of 17 September, 
the Committee listened to the feedback of Participants on  the Symposium.  Participants applauded 
the success of the Symposium and expressed their appreciation to the Secretariat for the event's 
preparation and organization.  
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