. /.  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  WT/L/639 
6 December 2005 
 (05-5803) 
  
  
 
INTRODUCTION OF HARMONI ZED SYSTEM 1996 CHANGES  
INTO WTO SCHEDULES OF TARIFF CONCESSIONS 
 
Israel – Schedule XLII
 
 
Decision of 1 December 2005∗ 
 
 The General Council,  
 Considering  that the Members of the WTO, by  their Decisions of 13 December 1995, 
18 July 1996, 24 April 1997, 22 October 1997, 24 April 1998, 14 October 1998, 15 June 1999, 4 November 1999, 3 May 2000, 8 December 2000, 08 May 2001
1, acting pursuant to the provisions of 
paragraph 3 of Article IX of the WTO Agreement, su spended the application of the provisions of Article 
II of GATT 1994 until 30 April 2002, for the purpose of  enabling the Members li sted in the Annex, 
including Israel, to implement the recommended am endments to the Harmonized System nomenclature; 
  Considering that by their Decision of 8 May 2001 the Me mbers of the WTO also agreed that it 
would be the last time an extension of HS96 waiver would be granted on a collective basis, but that this 
would not, however, preclude Members from requesting waivers on an individual basis; 
 
 Considering  that the Members of the WTO, by  their Decisions of 13 May 2002, 
15 October 2002, 24 July 2003, 16 December 2003,  17 May 2004 and 20 October 2004 acting pursuant 
to the provisions of paragraph 3 of  Article IX of the WTO Agreement, suspended the application of the 
provisions of Article II of GATT 1994, until 31 October 2005, for the purpose of enabling Israel to 
implement the recommended amendments to the Harmonized System nomenclature
2;  
 
 Noting  that Israel has requested an extension of the waiver for reasons explained in its request3; 
  Considering  that Israel would need more time to pr oceed with consultations with one Member; 
  Acting  pursuant to the provisions of paragraph 3 of Article IX of the WTO Agreement, 
 
 Decides, in view of the exceptional circumstanc es, to suspend the application of the 
provisions of Article II of GATT 1994, until 31 Oct ober 2006, for the purpose of enabling Israel to 
implement the recommended amendments to the Ha rmonized System nomenclature, subject to the 
following conditions: 
 
                                                     
 
∗ Secretariat note :  Adopted in accordance with the Decision -Making Procedures under Articles IX and 
XII of the WTO Agreement agreed by the Gene ral Council in November 1995 (WT/L/93). 
1 WT/L/124 + Corr.1, WT/L/173, WT/L/216, WT/L/243, WT/L/268, WT/L/281, WT/L/303, WT/L/338, 
WT/L/351, WT/L/379 and WT/L/400. 
2 WT/L/455,WT/L/487, WT/L/531, WT/L/554, WT/L/568 and WT/L/589. 
3 G/L/744. WT/L/639 
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 (i) Israel shall, where necessary, promptly enter into negotiations and consultations with 
interested Members pursuant to paragraphs 1-3 of  Article XXVIII of GATT 1994; 
  (ii) the negotiations and consultations menti oned above shall be comp leted not later than 
31 October 2006; 
 
 (iii) pending the entry into force of the results of the negotiations or consultations mentioned 
above, the other Members will be free to su spend concessions init ially negotiated with 
Israel to the extent that they consider th at adequate compensation is not offered by 
Israel. 
 
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