WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/L/768 
28 March 2006 
 
 (06-1411) 
 Original:   Spanish 
   
INTRODUCTION OF HARMONI ZED SYSTEM 1996 CHANGES 
INTO WTO SCHEDULES OF TARIFF CONCESSIONS 
 
Panama – Schedule CXLI
 
 
Request for a Waiver 
 
  The following communication, dated 15 March 2006, is being circulated at the request of the delegation of Panama.  
_______________ 
 
  The Government of Panama hereby requests a wa iver of its obligations under Article II of the 
General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade 1994 (GATT 1994) and General Council Decision 
WT/L/620 of 27 July 2005 in order to implement the Harmonized System 1996 (HS96) nomenclature 
and adopt the changes that this en tails for Panama's Schedule CXLI. 
  Attached to this request are the following documents for consideration by the Committee on 
Market Access: 
 
 - Draft waiver decision in which it is agreed  to suspend the application by Panama of 
the provisions of Article II of the GATT 1994 for the purpose of introducing the HS96 changes into Panama's Schedule of Concessions
1;   
  - factual information concerning the request  for a waiver for the purpose of introducing 
the HS96 changes into Panama's Schedule of Concessions. 
                                                     
 
1 G/C/W/546. G/L/768 
Page 2  
 
  Factual Information Concerning the Request fo r a Waiver for the Purpose of Introducing
 
the HS96 Changes into Panama's Schedule of Concessions  
  1. Date of original waiver
 
 24 April 1998 
 2. Date of submission of documents relevant to the HS96 implementation
 
 21 February 2002 
 
 Furthermore, on 6 February 2004, Panama sent the delegation of the United States of America 
copies of its foreign trade statistics for 2002, as requested by this delegation.  3. Number of extensions and dates granted
 
 Panama has been granted ten extensi ons, the dates of which are as follows: 
 
WT/L/281 - 14 October 1998 WT/L/303 - 15 June 1999 WT/L/338 - 4 November 1999 WT/L/351 - 3 May 2000 WT/L/379 - 8 December 2000 
WT/L/400 - 8 May 2001 
WT/L/458 - 13 May 2002 WT/L/524 - 24 July 2003 WT/L/570 - 17 May 2004 WT/L/620 – 27 July 2005 
 
4. Number of countries with which Artic le XXVIII negotiations have been initiated
 
 None. 
 
(a) Canada – Further to clarification of and corrections to the documents submitted by 
Panama to the Secretariat, on 9 September 2002 Canada gave formal notice that it had 
withdrawn its reservation. 
(b) Australia – Further to clarification of an d corrections to the documents submitted by 
Panama to the Secretariat, on 23 August 2003 Australia gave formal notice that it had withdrawn its reservation. 
(c) European Communities and United States – These two delegations are still verifying 
the documents provided by Panama, circul ated in documents G/SECRET/HS96/48 of 
4 April 2001, G/SECRET/HS96/48/Add. 1 and Rev.1 of 18 March 2002 and 
4 June 2002 respectively, and G/SECRET/HS96/48/Rev.1/Corr.2 of 14 August 2003. 
5. Outlook for concluding the process
 
 Panama is currently waiting for these two delega tions to confirm acceptance of the documents 
submitted to the Secretariat in order to forma lly conclude implementation of HS96 nomenclature 
changes. 
  G/L/768 
 Page 3 
 
 
   In the light of the above consid erations and taking into consider ation the fact that Panama will 
have to conclude these consultations or po ssibly conduct negotiations  under Article XXVIII, 
particularly in view of the general reservations ma de by other Members, we expect that a period of 
12 months as from the date of the waiver decision will be needed to complete the implementation of 
these amendments. 
 
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