RESTRICTED  
  
G/MA/M/60  
 
17 April 2015  
(15-2067)  Page: 1/7  
Committee on Market Access    
 
 MINUTES OF THE COMMITTEE ON MARKET ACCESS  
22 OCTOBER 2014 
CHAIRPERSON: MS. ALANA HUDSON (NEW ZEALAND) 
 
Subjects discussed                   Pages 
 
A.  EXTENSION OF THE HS2002 WAIVER .......................................................................... 2  
B.  EXTENSION OF THE HS2007 WAIVER .......................................................................... 2  
C.  EXTENSION OF THE HS2012 WAIVER .......................................................................... 2  
D.  INTRODUCTION OF HARMONIZED SYSTEM 1996 (HS96) CHANGES TO 
SCHEDULES OF CONCESSIONS (L/6905 AND WT /L/756) ................................................ 2  
E.  INTRODUCTION OF HARMONIZED SYSTEM 2002 (HS02) CHANGES TO 
SCHEDULES OF CONCESSIONS USING THE CTS DATABASE (WT/L/605 AND 807) 
– STATUS REPORT ............................................................................................................ 3  
F.  INTRODUCTION OF HARMONIZED SYSTEM 2007 (HS07) CHANGES TO 
SCHEDULES OF CONCESSIONS USING THE CTS DATABASE (WT/L/673 AND 
WT/L/830) - STATUS REPORT ......................................................................................... 3  
G.  INTRODUCTION OF HARMONIZED SYSTEM 2012 (HS2012) CHANGES TO 
SCHEDULES OF CONCESSIONS USING THE CTS DATABASE (WT/L/831) - STATUS REPORT ............................................................................................................................ 3
 
H.  OPERATION OF THE INTEGRATED DATABASE (IDB), INCLUDING STATUS OF 
SUBMISSIONS (G/MA/IDB/2/REV.40), AND THE CTS DATABASE - REPORT BY THE SECRETARIAT ........................................................................................................... 3
 
I.  DECISION ON NOTIFICATION  PROCEDURES FOR QUANTITATIVE 
RESTRICTIONS (G/L/59/REV.1) ...................................................................................... 4  
J.  PROPOSED PROCEDURES FOR THE DERISTRICTION OF THE NEGOTIATING 
MATERIAL OF THE TOKYO ROUND (JOB/MA/112) ........................................................... 6  
K.  DRAFT REPORT (2014) OF THE CO MMITTEE TO THE COUN CIL FOR TRADE IN 
GOODS ......................................................................................................................... .... 7 
L.  ELECTION OF VI CE-CHAIRPERSON .............................................................................. 7  
M.  OTHER BUSINESS ....................................................................................................... 7  
-  BAHRAIN – DUTIES ON CIGARETTES – STATEMENT BY SWITZERLAND  ................................................ 7  
-  DATE OF THE NEXT MEETING  ............................................................................................. 7  
 
The Committee adopted the agenda as reproduced in WTO/AIR/4366 with the inclusion of the 
following items under Other Business:  "Bahrain – duties on cigarettes" and "Date of the next 
meeting."  An annotated agenda was circulated in JOB/MA/113.  
 G/MA/M/60 
 
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  A.  EXTENSION OF THE HS2002 WAIVER  
1.  The Chairperson recalled that a number of Members were given an extension, through the form 
of a "collective decision", to introduce HS2002 changes domestically and to subsequently introduce 
these changes to their respective schedule of concessions and to undertake negotiations if 
required. This waiver decision was contained in document WT/L/900 and would expire on 
31 December 2014.   She proposed that the Committee agree to extend the waiver for another year.  
 
2.  The representative of Hong Kong, China noted that Hong Kong, China's HS2007 transposition 
file would be approved by early November.  Un der that scenario, Hong Kong, China would not 
need an extension.  She wondered whether Hong  Kong, China's name could at that stage be 
removed from the list prior to the approval of the waiver by the Council for Trade in Goods. 
 3.  The Chairperson noted that this would be possible.   
 4.  The Committee agreed to forward the draft wa iver decision granting such an extension and 
contained in document G/C/W/702 to the Council for Trade in Goods for appropriate action.     
 
B.  EXTENSION OF THE HS2007 WAIVER  
5.  The Chairperson recalled that a number of Members were given an extension, through the form 
of a "collective" decision,  in order to introduc e HS2007 changes domestically and to subsequently 
introduce these changes to their respective schedul e of concessions and to undertake negotiations 
if required. This waiver decision was contai ned in document WT/L/901 and would expire on 
31 December 2014.  She proposed that the Committee agree to extend the waiver for another 
year.  
 6.  The Committee agreed to forward the draft wa iver decision granting such an extension and 
contained in document G/C/W/703 to the Council for Trade in Goods for appropriate action.     
 C.  EXTENSION OF THE HS2012 WAIVER 
7.  The Chairperson recalled that a number of Members were granted a waiver,  through the form 
of a "collective" decision, in order to introduc e HS2012 changes domestically and to subsequently 
introduce these changes to their respective schedul e of concessions and to undertake negotiations 
if required. This waiver decision was contai ned in document WT/L/902 and would expire on 
31 December 2014.   She proposed that the Committee agree to extend the waiver for a year.   
 8.  The Committee agreed to forward the draft wa iver decision granting such an extension and 
contained in G/C/W/704 to the Council for Trade in Goods for appropriate action.   
 D.  INTRODUCTION OF HARMONIZED SYSTEM  1996 (HS96) CHANGES TO SCHEDULES OF 
CONCESSIONS (L/6905 AND WT/L/756) 
9.  The Chairperson recalled that there were two procedures which had been used by Members to 
introduce HS96 changes to schedules of concessions. The general procedure contained in GATT 
document L/6905 dated October 1991 and the specific one contained in WTO document WT/L/756 
dated 29 May 2009.  It might be recalled that under the first one, Members had to transpose their 
own schedules, whereas under the second one the Secretariat transposed the schedules of 64 developing countries and LDCs. 
 
10.  There were three Members whose schedules were pending under either one or the other of these procedures. These are the files of Bangladesh , South Africa and Venezuela.  The Secretariat 
and Bangladesh had been in contact earlier this year to discuss next steps. In the case of 
South Africa, questions were raised by a delegation concerning the changes in the binding status 
of some tariff lines in HS chapters 4, 33 and 35.  South Africa had indicated that they were looking into these questions.   In the case of Venezuela, the next step continued to be the organization of 
a meeting or a video conference between the Secr etariat and relevant Venezuelan authorities so 
that the revised documentation sent to Vene zuela a few years ago could be reviewed.   
 
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  11.  The representative of Bangladesh stated that he had nothing new to report to the Committee 
since the last meeting. However his authorities were very engaged and hoped to complete the 
exercise soon. 
 
12.  The Committee took note of the statement.  
 
E.  INTRODUCTION OF HARMONIZED SYSTEM 2002 (HS02) CHANGES TO SCHEDULES OF 
CONCESSIONS USING THE CTS DATABASE (WT/L/605 AND 807) – STATUS REPORT  
13.  A member of the Secretariat (Jurgen Richtering) reported on the status of work on the HS02 
transposition files. A revised full report was issued as JOB/MA/42/Rev.12 on 4 July 2014.  The 
status of the HS02 transposition exercise after the multilateral review held on 11 July 2014 was 
the following: 109 HS02 files were certified; one HS02 file had been approved in a multilateral 
review; one HS02 file was released for multilateral review; 5 HS02 files were released for multilateral review and had received comments fr om other Members; one draft HS02 file had been 
completed and sent to Members for their first review; one Member had circulated its schedule in 
HS02;  thirteen Members were not affected by the transposition as seven had acceded in HS02 and six had acceded in HS07. 
 
14.  The Committee took note of the Secretariat report.  
 F.  INTRODUCTION OF HARMONIZED SYST EM 2007 (HS07) CHANGES TO SCHEDULES OF 
CONCESSIONS USING THE CTS DATABASE (WT/L/673 AND WT/L/830) - STATUS 
REPORT 
15.  A member of the Secretariat (Jurgen Richtering) reported on the status of work on the HS07 
files.  A revised full report was issued as JOB/MA/104/Rev.6 on 4 July 2014.  The status of the 
HS07 transposition exercise after the multilateral review held on 11 July 2014 was the following: 47 HS07 files were certified; 38 HS07 files had their transposition approved in the multilateral 
review process; ten HS07 files were released fo r multilateral review and had received comments 
from other Members; ten draft HS07 files had been completed and sent to Members for their first review;  twenty draft HS07 files remained to be prepared; six Members were not affected by the 
transposition as they had acceded in HS07. 
 
16.  The Committee took note of the Secretariat report.  
 
G.  INTRODUCTION OF HARMONIZED SY STEM 2012 (HS2012) CHANGES TO SCHEDULES 
OF CONCESSIONS USING THE CTS DATABASE (WT/L/831) - STATUS REPORT 
17.  A member of the Secretariat (Jurgen Richtering) reported that as work was on-going on the 
HS07 transposition the only information to report under this item was that the Secretariat had 
received a submission from only one Member fo r the HS2012 transposition. This submission was 
made by the United States on 3 October 2012.   
18.  The Committee took note of the Secretariat report.  
 
H.  OPERATION OF THE INTEGRATED DATABASE (IDB), INCLUDING STATUS OF 
SUBMISSIONS (G/MA/IDB/2/REV.40), AND THE CTS DATABASE - REPORT BY THE 
SECRETARIAT  
19.  The Chairperson drew the Committee's a ttention to document G/MA/IDB/2/Rev.40 which 
contained the status of submissions to the IDB.   
 20.  A member of the Secretariat (Jurgen Richte ring) reported that regarding IDB submissions, 
since the circulation of the Status of Submissi ons document, G/MA/IDB/2/Rev.40, the Secretariat 
had received India's imports for 2013 and tariffs for 2014. Also on IDB dissemination, 
1812 country-periods covering all 131 WTO Members and six acceding countries (Algeria, Bahamas, Belarus, Iran, Liberia and Serbia), were now available on the IDB websites.  
 
21.  Concerning technical assistance missions, since the last meeting of the Committee in May 2014, the following technical assistance activities had taken place.  The national workshop on 
NTMs in the Philippines; the Regional Trade Policy Course (RTPC) for Eastern European and Central G/MA/M/60 
 
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  Asian Countries in Turkey; RTPC for English speaking Africa in Botswana; Advanced Trade Policy 
Course for Latin America in Ecuador; RTPC for Asia-Pacific Countries in India; Advanced Trade Policy Course in Spanish and English in Geneva; Advanced course on Regional Trade Agreements, in Geneva; and an ITTC seminar for the Netherlands interns and Mission interns in the WTO. 
 
22.  Regarding the CTS database, the Secretariat currently had electronic bound schedules (CTS 
files) for all 131 Members available on the Members' website.  Of these 131 Members, CTS files in 
HS07 were available for 53 Members. CTS files in HS02 were available for 69 Members and CTS 
files for nine Members were still in HS96 nomencla ture using the previous CTS format.  They would 
be updated to the new format once their HS02 changes were certified.   
 
23.  The Committee took note of the report. 
 
I.  DECISION ON NOTIFICATION PROCEDURES FOR QUANTITATIVE RESTRICTIONS 
(G/L/59/REV.1) 
(1) Notifications 24.  The Chairperson noted that the Committee had a number of quantitative restriction (QR) 
notifications to review.   There were two notifi cations which stemmed from the 2012-2014 biennial 
period and on which questions remained, and several which covered the 2014-2016 biennial 
period.   
 
25.  The representative of the European Union stated that he had comments of a more general 
nature.  Only a few WTO Members were in compliance with their notification requirements under 
the Council for Trade in Goods decision contained in G/L/59/Rev.1.  The majority of Members had 
not yet submitted any notification. Specifically on the notifications, his delegation was still examining those notifications which had been circulat ed more recently and might wish to revert to 
them at a later stage with written questions. More generally, the EU wished to stress the 
importance of the whole procedure to transparency ; a key aspect for the WTO.  The EU had been 
raising notification compliance issues in several other WTO Committees by urging Members who had not done so to submit their notifications in due time. The EU was ready to discuss ways of 
improving the situation and to find ways of facilitating both the timing of submissions and their 
quality.  For example, comprehensive guidelines which responded to the need of all Members to understand what the restrictions were about could be prepared. Or the Secretariat might build on 
its presentation which was done in June. The EU was ready to work with Members and the 
Secretariat to make sure that all Members could respond to the need to increase transparency and submit complete notifications in due time.  In the absence of the transparency provided through 
notifications as well as a certain degree of quality in the information submitted by Members, it was 
very hard to assess whether WTO Members were complying with their WTO obligations and 
commitments and to evaluate the impact of their activities on international trade.  
26.  The representative of Chinese Taipei agreed with the EU representative. Information on tariffs 
and restrictions to trade were important for exporters and importers. The QR database was a 
useful tool to search and analyse quantitative restrictions information. His delegation had 
submitted the 2014-2016 quantitative restrictions notification according to the new QR Decision 
approved in 2012.  His delegation was pleased to see that more Members had done the same and hoped that others could also make complete notifications as agreed.  
27.  The Committee took note of the statements. 
 
2012-2014 Notifications 
- Hong Kong, China (G/M A/QR/N/HKG/1/Add.1) 
 28.  The Chairperson drew attention to the notification by Hong Kong, China circulated in 
G/MA/QR/N/HKG/1/Add.1.  29.  The Committee took note of the notification.  
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  - India (G/MA/QR/N/IND/1)  
 30.  The Chairperson drew attention to the notification by India circulated in G/MA/QR/N/IND/1. 
 
31.  The Committee took note of the notification.  
 
32.  The representative of the Philippines wanted  to know whether the Philippines notification 
should be related to the 2012-2014 period or to the 2014-2016 period. 
 33.  The Chairperson was of the view that the more pragmatic approach would be to make the 
notification for the 2014-2016 period. 
 
2014-2016 Notifications 
- Côte d'Ivoire (G/MA/QR/N/CIV/1) 
 
34.  The Chairperson drew attention to the notification by Côte d'Ivoire circulated in 
G/MA/QR/N/CIV/1. 
 
35.  The Committee took note of the notification.  
 - Costa Rica
 (G/MA/QR/N/CRI/2) 
 
36. The Chairperson drew attention to the notification by Costa Rica circulated in 
G/MA/QR/N/CRI/2. 
  
37.  The Committee took note of the notification.  
 
- Cuba (G/MA/QR/N/CUB/2) 
 38.  The Chairperson drew attention to the notification by Cuba circulated in G/MA/QR/N/CUB/2. 
 
39.  The Committee took note of the notification.  
 
- Hong Kong, China (G/MA/QR/N/HKG/2) 
 
40.  The Chairperson drew attention to the notification by Hong Kong, China circulated in 
G/MA/QR/N/HKG/2. 
 
41.  The Committee took note of the notification.  
 - European Union (G/MA/QR/N/EU/2) 
 
42. The Chairperson drew attention to the notification by European Union circulated in 
G/MA/QR/N/EU/2. 
 
43.  The Committee took note of the notification. 
 
- Macao China (G/MA/QR/N/MAC/2) 
 44.  The Chairperson drew attention to the notification by Macao China circulated in 
G/MA/QR/N/MAC/2. 
 
45.  The Committee took note of the notification. 
 
- New Zealand (G/MA/QR/N/NZL/2) 
 46.  The Chairperson drew attention to the notification by New Zealand circulated in 
G/MA/QR/N/NZL/2.  47.  The Committee took note of the notification. 
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  - Nicaragua G/MA/QR/N/NIC/1 
 48.  The Chairperson drew attention to the notification by Nicaragua circulated in 
G/MA/QR/N/NIC/1.  
 
49.  The Committee took note of the notification. 
 
- Russian Federation (G/MA/QR/N/RUS/2)  
 50.  The Chairperson drew attention to the noti fication by Russian Federation circulated in 
G/MA/QR/N/RUS/2.  
 
51.  The representative of Switzerland noted that  Switzerland was still reviewing the notification 
and might revert to it at a later stage with possible comments.  
 
52.  The Committee agreed to revert to this notification.  
 
- Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu (G/MA/QR/N/TPKM/1) 
 53.  The Chairperson drew attention to the notification by Chinese Taipei circulated in 
G/MA/QR/N/TPKM/1.  
 
54.  The Committee took note of the notification. 
 
- United States (G/MA/QR/N/USA/2) 
 55.  The Chairperson drew attention to the notification by the United States circulated in 
G/MA/QR/N/USA/2.   56.  The Committee took note of the notification. 
 
- Uruguay (G/MA/QR/N/URY/1) 
 57.  The Chairperson drew attention to the notification by Uruguay circulated in 
G/MA/QR/N/URY/1.  58.  The Committee took note of the notification. 
 (2)  Summary of the Status of Notifications  
59.  The Chairperson drew the Committee's attention to document G/MA/QR/2 entitled "Status of 
Notifications under the Decision on Notification Procedures for Quantitative Restrictions 
(G/L/59/Rev.1)".  This document had been prepared by the Secretariat pursuant to paragraph 7 of 
that Decision.   
60.  The Committee took note of document G/MA/QR/2. 
 
J.  PROPOSED PROCEDURES FOR THE DERISTRICTION OF THE NEGOTIATING MATERIAL 
OF THE TOKYO ROUND (JOB/MA/112) 
61.  The Chairperson noted that these procedures were not new and had already been used to 
derestrict the negotiating material of the previous rounds.  The procedure provided for in 
document JOB/MA/112 was the following: once the document was adopted it would be issued as a 
G/MA/- document.  Members who were responsible for having drawn up the negotiating records 
would have six months from the date of circulation of the G/MA/- document to notify the Secretariat of any negotiating record that they wo uld like to keep restricted.  They would also be 
provided electronic versions of the relevant records upon request to the Secretariat.  Such 
requests should be made within one month of the date of circulation of the G/MA/- document.  After the six-month period, open-ended informal consultations would be held sometime in May to 
decide on when the documents which could  be derestricted should be derestricted and to decide 
on what to do with those documents which ha d been identified by Members as requiring G/MA/M/60 
 
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  restriction. Such a decision would be proposed for adoption at the Committee's next formal 
meeting after the May consultation.   62.  The Committee approved the procedure as contained in document JOB/MA/112. 
 
K.  DRAFT REPORT (2014) OF THE COMMI TTEE TO THE COUNCIL FOR TRADE IN GOODS  
63.  The Chairperson noted that the Committee was required to submit annually a report on its 
activities to the CTG.  A draft report to the CTG covering the activities of the Committee since its 
last meeting was circulated in document G/MA/SPEC/54.  The report would be updated in light of today's meeting.   
64.  The Committee adopted the report. 
 
L.  ELECTION OF VICE-CHAIRPERSON 
65.  The Committee elected Mr. Sebastián Ortiz Montaner (Paraguay) as Vice-Chair of this 
Committee. 
 
M.  OTHER BUSINESS 
- B AHRAIN – DUTIES ON CIGARETTES – STATEMENT BY SWITZERLAND  
66.  The representative of Switzerland referred to the issue of customs duties on cigarettes levied 
by the Kingdom of Bahrain.  The customs tariff currently applied by Bahrain on cigarettes was a 
mixed duty of 100% ad-valorem with a minimum charge of 10 Bahraini Dinars per 1000 
cigarettes.  In its WTO schedule Bahrain had a bound rate on cigarettes of 35%.  As a result, duties levied at the border by Bahrain's customs were significantly higher than Bahrain's WTO 
commitment.  WTO duties represented the maximum level a Member was entitled to levy. 
Therefore, Switzerland was of the view that Bahr ain was not complying with its WTO obligations.  
Switzerland had already raised this issue on several occasions with Bahrain, bilaterally and in WTO 
committees, including the last Committee on Market Access. The first time was in January 2013.  
Switzerland was very disappointed that despite several assurances, Switzerland had, so far, not received any response from Bahrain. Switzerland expected a prompt answer to the questions raised. 
 
67.  The representative of the Kingdom of Bahr ain confirmed that the matter had been discussed 
with the GCC customs union. Bahrain had consulted with the WTO Secretariat regarding this issue 
through the GCC group coordinator, and stood ready to have bilateral meetings to help resolve this 
issue as quickly as possible.  
68.  The Committee took note of the statements.  
 
- D ATE OF THE NEXT MEETING  
69.  The Committee took note that its next meeting would take place in May 2015.  
 
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