RESTRICTED  
  
TCA/M/3 3 
 
23 January 2017  
(17-0407) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Trade i n Civil Aircraft    
 
MINUTES OF THE MEETI NG 
HELD ON 3 NOVEMBER  2016 
CHAIRPERSON: MR  HSIAO -YIN WU (CHINESE TAIP EI) 
1. The Chair referred to the proposed agenda containe d in document WTO/AIR/TCA/ 3. 
No requests were made by Signatories for "Other business" items. The Committee  adopt ed the 
agenda contained in document WTO/AIR/TCA/ 3. 
1. REPUBLIC OF TAJIKIST AN – OBSERVER STATUS IN T HE COMMITTEE  
2. The Chair referred to a letter received from the Republic of Tajikistan requesting observer 
status in the Committee, which was circulated as docume nt TCA/11.  After recalling the relevant 
procedure1, the Chair invited the Committee to agree to the request by the Republic of Tajikistan 
to participate in the Committee as an observer . 
 
3. The Committee so agreed . 
 
4. Chinese Taipei  welcomed the Republic of Taj ikistan's observer status in the Committee.  
 
5. The Republic of Tajikistan  thanked the Chair and the Secretariat for their assistance . 
 
6. The Committee took note  of the statements made.  
 
2. FOLLOW -UP OF THE PROTOCOL D ONE IN NOVEMBER 2015  (REPORT FROM THE 
CHAIRMAN)  
7. The Chair reported that no Participant had yet submitted a letter of acceptance of the 
Protocol done in N ovember 2015. He understood that many Participants implement what was 
agreed through their respective tariff schedules, which was, in turn, legally bi nding at the WTO. 
Although he was not in a position to know how many Participants were in this category, the Chair 
trusted that this was the case for most of the Participants.  
 
8. The United States  informed that it was in the process of approving the letter o f acceptance 
and anticipated submitting it before the end of 2016.  
 
9. The European Union  stated  that it was in the process of completing its acceptance 
procedures. The European Council had been completed its process, and the proposal would be 
submitted to th e European Parliament. T he adoption was expected by early 2017. 
 
10. Canada  indicated that the domestic procedures were still ongoing.  
 
11. The Committee took note  of the statements made.  
                                                
1 Contained in document AIR/M/1.  TCA/M/3 3 
 
- 2 - 
 
  3. PROPOSAL TO PREPARE DRAFT PROTOCOL AMEND ING THE ANNEX TO THE  
AGREEMENT TO A CCOUNT FOR CHANGES I NTRODUCED IN THE 201 2 VERSION OF THE 
HARMONIZED COMMODITY  DESCRIPTION AND CODI NG SYSTEM  (ITEM REQUESTED BY 
THE UNITED STATES)  
12. Recalling that the previous transposition and the producing of a protocol had been 
completed, the United State s stated  that it might be the time to move on to draft another protocol 
for the transposition into HS 2012, since the process might take longer than expected.  
 
13. The European Union,  in addition to express ing its support for the US proposal to further 
transpo se the product annex, suggested that the transposition to HS 2012 be combined with the 
transposition to HS 2017. The EU understood that this was technically possible and invited the 
Signatories to consider this suggestion.  
 
14. Canada  expressed its support fo r the US proposal to further transpose the product annex . It 
stated that it had to refer back to capital regarding the EU's proposal to combine the HS 2012 
transposition and the HS 2017 transposition . 
 
15. Chinese Taipei  echoed the statements made by the US, E U and Canada and highlighted the 
importance of transposing the annex into HS 2012. It urged the Secretariat to complete a draft as 
quickly as possible noting that it needed to be commented by capitals. It also requested the Chair 
to organize a meeting early in 2017 to work on these amendments.  
 
16. The United States  stated  that it needed to revert to capital regarding the EU's proposal.  
 
17. Canada  requested the Chair and the Secretariat to provide information on the transposition 
process.  
 
18. Egypt  indicated that it was not in a position to  comment on the proposals at the moment 
and it needed to consult with its capital.  
 
19. The Chair invited the Signatories to convey the proposals to their capital and stated that he 
would organize an informal meeting , either bilaterally  or multilater ally, as soon as possible  to 
check whether it would be possible to combine the HS 2012 transposition and the HS 2017 
transposition . If the answer was affirmative , he would ask the Secretariat to prepare the first 
draft. He would also try to c onvene a meeting in the first half of 2017 to move forward.  
 
20. The Committee took note  of the statements made.  
4. OTHER BUSINESS  
21. There were no items under this agenda item.  
5. DATE OF NEXT REGULAR  MEETING  
22. The Committee  agreed  to hold its next regular meeting in November 201 7, with the exact 
date to be confirmed in due course.  
6. ADOPTI ON OF THE ANNUAL REP ORT FOR 2016  
23. The Committee adopted  the annual report for 201 6.2  
 
24. The meeting was adjourned . 
__________  
                                                
2 Subsequently circulated as  WT/L/9 92-TCA/1 2.