RESTRICTED  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/MA/SPEC/38 
11 April 2008 
 (08-1689) 
Committee on Market Access  
 
 
DRAFT 
 
PERIODIC REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE TO THE 
COUNCIL FOR TRADE IN GOODS   
 
 1. The Committee met on 17 April 2008 and examined the following issues: 
 2. [The Committee took note of the factual in formation provided by Members who were 
requesting a waiver extension for the introduction of HS96 changes to their schedule. The information is 
summarized in the Annex to this report.] 
 
3.  [The Committee took note of the status of su bmissions of HS96 documentation as set out in 
document G/MA/TAR/2/Rev.40.]  4. [The Secretariat reported on th e status of work concerning th e introduction of HS2002 changes 
to schedules of concessions using the CTS database] 
 
5. [The Secretariat also reported on developments concerning the work related to the transposition 
of schedules of concessions into  HS2007 using the CTS database.] 
 6. [With reference to the modalities and operation of the Integrated Data Base, the Committee 
examined the status of IDB submissions on the basis of the document G/MA/IDB/2/Rev.27. The 
Secretariat reported on the status of processing of  IDB submissions, use of IDB information,  the 
status of software development and technical assistance. ]  7. [The Secretariat reported on the status of wo rk with respect to th e Consolidated Tariff 
Schedules (CTS) Database.] 
 
8. [The Committee took note of the status of notifications under the Decision on Notification Procedures for Quantitative Restrictions on the basis of a Secretariat document  
G/MA/NTM/QR/1/Add.11] 
9. [The Committee took note of the status of notifications under the Decision on Reverse 
Notification of Non-Tariff Measures on the basis of a Secretariat document G/MA/NTM/W/3/Rev.1] 
10. [Under other business, the Committee took note of: (1) a document by the Secretariat on tariff 
information available in the tariff library (G/M A/TAR/3/Rev.12); and (2) the date of its next 
meeting.] 
11. [The Committee elected its Chairman for 2008.]  
 
 
 [The report will be completed in light of the discussions that will take place at the 
Committee meeting on 17 April  2008.]  
  G/MA/SPEC/38 
Page 2 
ANNEX  
 
FACTUAL INFORMATION RELATING TO A WAIVER REQUESTED FOR THE PURPOSE OF  
INTRODUCING HS 96 CHANGES TO A SCHEDULE OF CONCESSIONS 
 
Member Date of 
original 
waiver Date of submission of 
HS documentation N° of 
extensions 
and dates N° of Members 
with which 
Article XXVIII 
negotiations have 
been initiated N° of Members with 
which 
Article XXVIII 
negotiations have 
been concluded 
 Status of 
outstanding 
Article XXVIII 
negotiations Outlook for 
concluding the 
process Request for a waiver 
and draft decision 
1. Argentina 13.12.1995  G/SECRET/HS96/30  
(16.10.1996)  
G/SECRET/HS96/30/
Corr.1  (16.05.2000)
 
 
 Seventeen 
18.07.1996 24.04.1997 
22.10.1997 
24.04.1998 14.10.1998 
15.06.1999 
04.11.1999 03.05.2000 
08.12.2000 
08.05.2001 13.05.2002 
15.10.2003 
24.07.2003 20.10.2004 27.07.2005 
28.07.2006 
27.07.2007 
 Four Three Information is still 
being exchanged with the EC with 
regard to a series of 
tariff headings.
 An extension is requested in order to complete the ongoing 
process with the EC. 
 Requested one year.  
G/L/848 G/C/W/595  
   G/MA/SPEC/38
 Page 3Member Date of 
original 
waiver Date of submission of 
HS documentation N° of 
extensions 
and dates N° of Members 
with which 
Article XXVIII 
negotiations have 
been initiated N° of Members with 
which 
Article XXVIII 
negotiations have 
been concluded 
 Status of 
outstanding 
Article XXVIII 
negotiations Outlook for 
concluding the 
process Request for a waiver 
and draft decision 
2. Panama 24.04.1998 G/SECRET/HS96/48 
(04.04.2001) 
 G/SECRET/HS96/48/
Add.1 
(18.03.2002)   
G/SECRET/HS96/48/
Rev.1 (4 June 2002) 
 
G/SECRET/HS96/48/Rev.1/Corr.1 
(26.02.03) 
  Twelve: 
14.10.1998 
15.06.1999 04.11.1999 
03.05.2000 
08.12.2000 08.05.2001 13.05.2002 
24.07.2003 
17.05.2004 27.07.2005 
28.07.2006 
27.07.2007  
 None (Currently, 
of the four, two 
Members have withdrawn their 
reservation. Two 
are still verifying documents circulated by 
Panama)    Panama is working 
towards revising its 
documentation and hopes to conclude 
soon.  Requested one year.  
G/L/849 
G/C/W/596 
 
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