. /.   RESTRICTED  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/IT/W/32 
28 October 2010 
 
 (10-5657) 
  
  
 
DRAFT
 
 
REPORT (2010) OF THE COMMITTEE OF  PARTICIPANTS ON  THE EXPANSION 
OF TRADE IN INFORMAT ION TECHNOLOGY PRODUCTS 
 
 
1. The Committee of Participants on the Expa nsion of Trade in Information Technology 
Products, hereinafter referred to as "the Committee" , was established pursuant to the provisions of the 
Ministerial Declaration on Trade in Information Technology Products (WT/MIN(96)/16), hereinafter 
referred to as "the Ministerial Declaration", and the provisions for the Implementation of the 
Ministerial Declaration on Trade in Information T echnology Products (G/L/160), in order to carry out 
the provisions of paragraphs 3, 5, 6 and 7 of the Annex to the Declaration. 
2. The Committee has held two formal meetings in 2010: i.e. on 8 July and [11 November]. The 
minutes of these meetings are contained in docum ents G/IT/M/51 and [G/IT/M/52].  Mr. Tomohiro 
Kaneko (Japan) was elected Chairman of the Committee for 2010. 
3. The total number of participants to the Ministerial Declaration is seventy-three (73). At the 
meeting of 8 July 2010, the Committee agreed th at the ITA schedule of Kuwait be deemed to be 
approved unless any participant would notify in writi ng to the Secretariat within two weeks from the 
circulation of Kuwait's ITA schedule.  On 13 Se ptember 2010, it was confirmed that the ITA schedule 
of Kuwait was formally approved and therefore, Kuwa it became the 73rd participant to the Ministerial 
Declaration.  The Committee's rules of procedure provide for observer status in the Committee for 
WTO Members which are not participants to the Ministerial Declaration and governments that are 
observers to the Council for Trade in Goods.  Requests for observer status by international 
intergovernmental organizations are considered on a case-by-case basis.  Th e International Trade 
Centre (ITC) and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) have been 
granted observer status; and the World Customs Organization (WCO) has been granted observer 
status to meetings where the issues of HS cla ssification and HS amendments are included in the 
agenda. 
4. [The Committee continued its deliberations on the Non-Tariff Measures (NTMs) Work 
Programme.  With regard to its work on the EM C/EMI Pilot Project, the Committee took note that 
among the 46 participants, 24 of them have provide d their survey responses and encouraged those  
who had not provided the information to do so with out any further delay.  In considering ways to 
advance and expand its work on NTMs other than  EMC/EMI, the Committee also heard reports and 
updates by participants on their c ontributions to the work on NTMs, including those in other bodies of 
the WTO, e.g., in the NGMA.]   
5. [The Committee further continued its work on cl assification divergences.  In this respect, the 
Committee heard a report on the Chairman's subsequent  consultations with th e Participants and the 
follow-ups since the Committee meeting of 30 Oct ober 2008.  The Committee also discussed on how 
to advance the Committee's work on classification divergences.]  G/IT/W/32 
Page 2  
 
  6. [At the meeting of 11 November 2010, the Committee had an update from the European 
Union, proponent of the proposal (G/IT/W/28) concerning the review of ITA.]   
7. The Committee has consistently reviewed the status of implementation, a summary of which 
is provided in document G/IT/1 and its revisions.  The document noted that most participants had 
submitted the formal documentation for rectificat ion and modification of their WTO schedules in 
order to incorporate the commitments arising from the Ministerial Declaration and most had been 
certified by the Director General.  [Two] particip ants were still awaiting the completion of domestic 
procedural requirements or had not yet submitted the necessary documentation.   
8. The Chairman regularly informed the Committee under "Other Business" that participants 
continued to consult among themselve s on review of product coverage.  He encouraged delegations to 
continue their efforts.     
 This document will be updated to take into account the discussions at the meeting to be 
held on 11 November 2010. 
 
__________