. /. RESTRICTED  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/MA/SPEC/31 
26 September 2005 
 (05-4260) 
Committee on Market Access  
 
 
DRAFT 
 
REPORT (2005) OF THE COMMITTEE ON MARKET ACCESS 
 
 1. Since the last review
1, the Committee on Market Access has he ld three formal meetings (two 
on 30 March 2005 (a resumed meeting as well as a regular  meeting), and [3 October 2005]), and three 
informal meetings (1 November, 30 November , 10 December 2004). The minutes of the formal 
meetings are contained in documents G/MA/M /38/Add.1, G/MA/M/39 and [G/MA/M/40].  In 
addition, two periodic reports giving an overvie w of the issues discussed in the Committee and 
providing factual information on the requests for wa ivers and waiver extensions related to the 
Harmonized System are contained in documents G/MA/157 and Corr.1 and [G/MA/...]. 
 2. At its meeting of  30 March 2005, the Committee took note of the nomination of Mr. Martin Pospíšil (Czech Republic) as Chairman of the Committee for the current year and elected 
him by acclamation.  At that meeting, it was agreed  that informal consultations would be carried out 
in order to elect a Vice-Chair fo r the current year.  [At its meeting of 3 October 2005, the Committee 
elected  (...) as the Vice-Chair.] 
 
A. 
INTRODUCTION OF HS96  CHANGES TO SCHEDULES OF CONCESSIONS  
3. At its formal meetings in 2005, the Committee examined the s ituation related to the submission 
of HS96 documentation set out in do cuments G/MA/TAR/2/Rev.35-36.  
 
B. INTRODUCTION OF HS2002  CHANGES TO SCHEDULES OF CONCESSIONS  
4. At its meeting of 30 March 2005, the Co mmittee took note of document G/MA/TAR/4/Rev.8 
which contained information on HS2002 docum entation submitted by Members under the old 
procedures (WT/L/407). In the course of its inform al meetings at the end of 2004, the Committee 
discussed and was able to agree on the proce dures for the introduction of HS2002 changes to 
schedules of concessions using the CTS database. The se procedures were subsequently adopted by the 
General Council on 15 February 2005 (WT/L/605).  At its meetings in 2005, the Secretariat reported 
on the status of work concerning the introductio n of HS2002 changes to schedules of concessions 
using the CTS database. On 29 June 2005, the Secr etariat gave a technical briefing to the Committee 
on issues arising from the HS2002 transposition exerci se.  [At its meeting of 3 October 2005, the 
Committee considered the extension of the HS2002 "collective" waiver (WT/L/598).]  
 
C. INTRODUCTION OF HS2007  CHANGES TO SCHEDULES OF CONCESSIONS  
5. At its meeting of 30 March 2005, the Committee took note of the changes in the Harmonized 
System to be introduced on 1 January 2007 (G/M A/W/67). On that occasion, detailed information on 
these changes was also provided by the WCO representative.   
                                                      
1 G/L/699 (dated 13 October 2004). G/MA/SPEC/31 
Page 2  
 
 D. D
ATABASES  
6. With reference to the modalities and opera tion of the Integrated Data Base (IDB), the 
Committee, at its formal meetings in 2005, examined  the status of IDB submissions on the basis of 
documents G/MA/IDB/2/Rev.21-22.  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). At its meeting of 
30 March 2005, The Committee took note of the in formation provided by the Secretariat on the 
Common Analytical Market Access Database (JOB(04)/179).]   
  7. [At its formal meetings in 2005, the Comm ittee took note of the Secretariat reports on the 
work undertaken on the Consolidated Tariff Schedules Database.] 
 8. At its meeting of 30 March 2005, the Committee agreed to the requests for access to the IDB 
and CTS databases from the South Centre. [At its meeting of 3 October 2005,  the Committee took up 
the request for access to these data bases from the Economic Commission for Latin America and the 
Caribbean (G/MA/W/68) and the Agency for Inte rnational trade Information and Co-operation 
(G/MA/W/69)]    
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 3 October 2005.  Questions and/or comments were 
circulated by the European Communities (G/MA/W/ 70), Japan (G/MA/W/72) and the United States 
(G/MA/W/71). [The Committee completed its review a nd agreed to forward its report in [G/MA/...] to 
the Council for Trade in Goods.]  
F. O
THER ACTIVITIES  
10. At its meeting of 30 March 2005, the Co mmittee took note of the statement by the 
European Communities concerning import bans in Nigeria. [At its meeting of 3 October 2005, the Committee took note of two document s circulated by the Secretariat concerning certain uncertified 
commitments (JOB(05)/167) and the situation of schedules of WTO Members (G/MA/W/23/Rev.2), 
respectively.] 
 
The report will be completed in light of the di scussions that will take place at the Committee 
meeting on 3 October 2005. 
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