RESTRICTED  
  
G/IT/W/49  
 
25 October  2019 
(19-7131) Page: 1/2 
Committee of Participants on the Expansion of Trade in 
Information Technology Products    
 
DRAFT1 
REPORT (201 9) OF THE COMMITTEE O F PARTICIPANTS ON TH E EXPANSION  
OF TRADE IN INFORMAT ION TECHNOLOGY PRODU CTS 
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 has held two  formal meetings in 201 9: on 14 May and [31 October ]. The 
minutes of these meetings are contained in documents  G/IT/M/ 70 and [G/IT/M/ 71]. Mr Kazunori 
FUKUDA  (Japan ) was elected Chair man of the Committee for 201 9. 
1.3.  The total number of WTO Members that are participants to the Ministerial Declaration is 82. 
The C ommittee has consistently reviewed the status of implementation, a summary of which is 
provided in document  G/IT/1 and its revisions. The document details that all but one  participant had 
submitted the formal documentation for the rectification and modific ation of their WTO  schedules in 
order to incorporate the commitments arising from the Ministerial Declaration, and that they had 
been certified by the Director -General. [T hree] implementation issues , concerning India, China and 
Indonesia , have been raised at the May and Oct ober meetings of the Committee.  
1.4.  The Committee's rules of procedure provide for observer status in the Committee for 
WTO Members that 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 International Trade 
Centre (ITC) and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OE CD) 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.  
1.5.  The Committee continued its deliberations on the No n-Tariff Measures (NTMs) Work 
Programme in 201 9. Regarding  its work on the EMC/EMI  Pilot Project, the Committee took note that, 
among the 53  participants, [41] had provided survey responses and the Committee encouraged 
those that had not yet done so to pro vide the information without any further delay. In considering 
ways to advance and expand its work on NTBs other than EMC/EMI, the Committee continued its 
discussions on the follow -up to the workshop held on 7 May 2015 on NTBs affecting trade in 
IT product s and to the Symposium for the 20th Anniversary of the ITA held in June  2017. [At the 
request of the Committee, the Chair person undertook informal consultations with interested 
delegations to examine the recommendations and avenues that were suggested by i ndustry 
representatives and such consultations will continue in 20 20.] 
1.6.  On classification divergences, regarding  the Committee's Decision concerning the endorsement 
of the 18  List I -A items for Attachment  B (G/IT/27) , the Secretariat has been approached by 
five ITA Participants for technical assistance. Regarding  the Committee's Decision for the 
                                                
1 This document will be updated to take into account  the discussions at the meeting to be held on 
31 October  2019. G/IT/W/49  
 
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  HS2007  classification of 15  additional "Attachment  B" products  (G/IT/29), the Secretariat has been 
approached by one  Member for technical assistance . [With regard  to the possible 
HS2007  classification for the remaining 22  "Attachment  B" items, t he Secretariat  has received  
comments from 21 delegations , which  were comp iled in document  G/IT/W/40 and its Addend a and 
Supplement s.] 
1.7.  At the meetings of 14 May and [31 October ] 2019, [the Committee took note of the plurilateral 
negotiations and the result of an agreement on product expansion among some participants  
(WT/L/956 an d WT/MIN(15)/25) , and its implementation. The Committee agreed to revert to this 
matter at its future meetings].  
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