. /. RESTRICTED  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/MA/SPEC/34 
22 September 2006 
 (06-4496) 
Committee on Market Access  
 
 
DRAFT 
 
REPORT (2006) OF THE COMMITTEE ON MARKET ACCESS 
 
 1. Since the last review
1, the Committee on Market Access has held two formal meetings 
(4 April 2006 and 4 October 2006), and three in formal dedicated sessions of the Committee 
(25 January, 23 May and 27 July 2006). The minutes of the formal meetings are contained in 
documents G/MA/M/41 and [G/MA/M/42].  In additi on, two periodic reports giving an overview of 
the issues discussed in the Committee and providin g factual information on the requests for waivers 
and waiver extensions related to  the Harmonized System are contained in documents G/MA/191and 
[G/MA/...]. 
 2. At its meeting of 4 April 2006, the Committ ee took note of the nomination of Dr. Mohammad 
Saeed (Pakistan) as Chairman of the Committee for the current year and elected him by acclamation.  
At that meeting, it was agreed that informal cons ultations would be carried out in order to elect a 
Vice-Chair for the current year.  [At its meeting of  4 October 2006, the Committ ee elected  (...) as the 
Vice-Chair.] 
 
A. 
INTRODUCTION OF HS96  CHANGES TO SCHEDULES OF CONCESSIONS  
3. At its formal meetings in 2006, the Committee examined the s ituation related to the submission 
of HS96 documentation set out in do cuments G/MA/TAR/2/Rev.37-38.  
 
B. INTRODUCTION OF HS2002  CHANGES TO SCHEDULES OF CONCESSIONS  
4.  At its meetings in 2006, the Secretaria t reported on the status of work concerning the 
introduction of HS2002 changes to schedules of co ncessions using the CTS database as well as on the 
outcomes of the informal dedicated sessions of the Committee in which the HS02 Files of Members 
were examined.  [It was noted that the files of [..] Members had been approved, but could not be 
certified because the approval from the Member concerned was still pending.  It was also noted that 
the HS02 files of [..] Members could be forwar ded for certification.].  [At its meeting of 
4 October 2006, the Committee considered the ex tension of the HS2002 "collective" waiver 
(G/MA/W/80)].  C. 
INTRODUCTION OF HS2007  CHANGES TO SCHEDULES OF CONCESSIONS  
5. At its meeting of 4 April 2006, the Committe e took note of the corr elation tables between 
HS2002 and HS2007 submitted by the WCO (G/MA/W/ 76).  The Committee also  agreed that the 
Secretariat should elaborate procedures to incorp orate HS2007 changes to schedules using as a basis 
the HS2002 procedures which were adopted by th e General Council in 2005 (WT/L/605).  It was 
noted that any decision on procedures for the HS2007 exercise would be subject to funding being 
available to undertake this work, and the Secretariat w ould look into it.  It was also agreed that at its 
next meeting, the Committee would consider a dr aft HS2007 "collective" waiver decision to be 
                                                      
1 G/L/748 (dated 18 October 2005). G/MA/SPEC/34 
Page 2  
 
  elaborated by the Secretariat which would be based on the existing HS2002 "collective" waiver 
decision.    6. [At its meeting of 4 October 2006, the Committe e considered draft procedures to incorporate 
HS2007 changes to schedules (G/MA/W/81) as well as a draft HS2007 "collective" waiver decision 
(G/MA/W/82).] 
 
D. D
ATABASES  
7. With reference to the modalities and opera tion of the Integrated Data Base (IDB), the 
Committee, at its formal meetings in 2006, examined  the status of IDB submissions on the basis of 
documents G/MA/IDB/2/Rev.23-24.  At these meeti ngs, the Secretariat reported on the status of IDB 
dissemination, use of IDB information, IDB technical assistance, status of submissions, and the status of software development (IDB reporting tools and in ternet analysis facility).  Also during these 
meetings, the Committee took note of the Secret ariat reports on the work undertaken on the 
Consolidated Tariff Schedules Database.     
 
8. In 2006, the Committee approved the request  for access to the IDB and CTS database from 
the European Free Trade Association (G/MA/W/73)  and the West African Economic and Monetary 
Union (G/MA/W/75).  
E. 
PARAGRAPH 18 OF THE PROTOCOL OF ACCESSION OF THE PEOPLE 'S REPUBLIC OF  
 CHINA – CHINA 'S TRANSITIONAL REVIEW MECHANISM  
9. The review took place at the meeting of 4 October 2006.  Questions and/or comments were 
circulated by the European Communities (G/MA/W/ 79), Japan (G/MA/W/77) and the United States 
(G/MA/W/78). [The Committee completed its review a nd agreed to forward its report in [G/MA/...] to 
the Council for Trade in Goods.] 
 
F. OTHER ACTIVITIES  
10. In 2006, the Committee took note of the status of notifications under the Decision on 
Notification Procedures for Quantitative Restrictions (QRs) (G/L/59) on the basis of a Secretariat 
document (G/MA/NTM/QR/1Add.10).  It also took note that no new notifications pursuant to the Decision on Reverse Notification of Non Tariff Measures (G/L/60) had been made since the 
Secretariat document G/MA/NTM/W/3/Rev.1 was prepared in 2001.   
 11. The Committee noted the Secretariat documen t which provided details on the most recent 
information available in the tariff library and the website addresses where more recent national tariffs 
could be found (G/MA/TAR/3/Rev.10 and Corr.1).  In addition, the Committee noted that certain 
tariff commitments, as described in JOB(05)/167 and Corr.1,  that were approved at the end of the 
Uruguay Round but which had not entered into force due to legal technicalitie s had now been certified 
(see JOB(05)/167/Add.1).   
 The report will be completed in light of the discussions that will take place at the 
Committee meeting on 4 October 2006. 
 
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