WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/L/896 
13 October 2009 
 (09-4976) 
  
 
 
 
REPORT (2009) OF THE COMMITTEE ON MARKET ACCESS 
 
 1. Since the last review
1, the Committee on Market Access has held three formal meetings 
(28 April, 13 July and 2 October 2009), two inform al dedicated sessions of the Committee (26 March 
and 2 October 2009) and several consultations. The minutes of the formal meetings are contained in 
documents G/MA/M/48,  G/MA/M/49 and G/MA/M/50.  In addition, two periodic reports giving an 
overview of the issues discussed in  the Committee and providing fact ual information on the requests 
for waivers and waiver extensions related to th e Harmonized System are contained in documents 
G/MA/236 and G/MA/240. 
 
2. At its meeting of 28 April, the Committee took note of the nomination of Mr. Barney Riley (New Zealand) as Chairman of the Committee for th e current year and elected him by acclamation.  
At its meeting of 2 October, the Committee elect ed  Ms. Juntra Siriuthaikorn (Thailand) as the 
Vice-Chair.  A. 
WAIVERS  
3. At its meeting of 28 April, the Committ ee approved waiver requests from Argentina and 
Panama in connection with the introduction of  HS96 changes to their schedules. The adopted 
decisions are reflected in WT/L/757 and WT/L/758 respectively. At its meeting of 2 October, the Committee approved the extension of the HS2002 "coll ective" waiver (G/C/W/624) and the extension 
of  the HS2007 "collective" waiver (G/C/W/625). 
 
B. I
NTRODUCTION OF HS96  CHANGES TO SCHEDULES OF CONCESSIONS  
4. At its formal meetings in 2009, the Committee examined the s ituation related to the submission 
of HS96 documentation (G/MA/TAR/2/ Rev.42 and 43) pursuant to the procedures laid out in GATT 
document L/6905.  Also concerning HS96 changes, at  its meeting of 28 April,  the Committee approved 
the "Decision on procedures leading to the verification and certification of HS96 changes to the 
schedules of 64 Members" (WT/L/756).  Concerning the implementation of this Decision, at its meeting of 2 October the Committee was informed th at the Secretariat had posted the HS96 files of 
these Members on the website and that notice of this posting was circulated in document G/SECRET/HS96/CTS/1 dated 3 August 2009.  In  accordance with the procedures, the Committee 
would meet six months from the date of the notifica tion to conduct a multilateral review of the files. 
 
C. I
NTRODUCTION OF HS2002  CHANGES TO SCHEDULES OF CONCESSIONS  
5.  At its meetings in 2009, 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 HS2002 files of Members 
were examined.  In its reports, the Secretariat point ed out that the number of certified files would be 
much higher if more Members could signal approval of  their own files.  At the 2 October meeting,  
                                                      
1 G/L/865, dated 4 November 2008. G/L/896 
Page 2  
 
  the Secretariat indicated that one of the reasons wh ich led to Members' files staying on the agenda of 
two or more dedicated sessions was the lack of follow-up activity by concerned delegations 
subsequent to a multilateral review of their files.  In order to address this situation, the Secretariat 
intended to facilitate exchanges between delegations by reminding them of any action required on 
their part such as responding to queries or elaborating specific concerns.   
 
D. I
NTRODUCTION OF HS2007  CHANGES TO SCHEDULES OF CONCESSIONS  
6. In 2009, the Committee took note of the reports  by the Secretariat on the status of work in 
incorporating HS2007 changes to schedules.  At its  28 April meeting, the Committee agreed that 
developed Members as well as those developing Members preparing their own HS2007 files should 
submit those files before 31 October 2009.   Also  at that meeting, the Committee considered 
document JOB(09)/24 and its adde ndum in which the Secretariat had provided some practical 
solutions aimed at simplifying as much as possibl e the structure of Members' schedules, while 
preserving their rights and obligations in doing the transposition. However, as comments were 
submitted subsequent to that meeting, the document c ould not be considered approved.  At its meeting 
of 2 October, the Committee took note that the DDA schedules to be submitted in the HS2002 
nomenclature would also need to be transposed into the HS2007 nomenclature thereby rendering to 
some extent the current exercise redundant.  Given this situation, the Committee decided to put on 
hold the current HS2007 transposition exercise and to revi ew the situation at its next meeting in 2010.   
It also agreed to revert to document JOB(09)/ 24 and Add.1 as well as the deadline for those Members 
preparing their own schedules when it decided to move ahead with the HS2007 transposition exercise. 
  
E. DATABASES  
7. At its meeting of 13 July, the Committ ee adopted a new dissemination policy of the 
Integrated Database (IDB)  and Consolidated Ta riff Schedule (CTS) database (G/MA/238 and Add.1), 
and a framework to enhance compliance levels in respect of IDB notifications (G/MA/239). 
8. Furthermore, in respect of the IDB, at its formal meetings in 2009, the Committee examined 
the status of IDB submissions on the basis of doc uments G/MA/IDB/2/Rev.29, and Corr.1 and 30.  
The Secretariat also reported on the status of IDB dissemination, use of IDB information, IDB technical assistance and the status of software deve lopment (IDB reporting tools and internet analysis 
facility).   In this regard, the Committee took note  that following its decision  (G/MA/238) to allow 
public access to the IDB and CTS as of January 2010 (with certain access conditions), the Secretariat 
was working to have a public version of the internet  analysis facility.  In response to a request, the 
Secretariat also indicated that its future reports would contain more information on how the decision contained in G/MA/239 was being implemented.  
9. Concerning the CTS database, during the year the Secretariat reported on the work 
undertaken on that database.  At its meeting of th e 28 April, the Committee considered the format  
(JOB(09)/32) that would be used in the new vers ion of the CTS in HS2002 nomenclature.   However, 
as comments were submitted subsequent to that m eeting, the document could not be considered  
approved.  At its meeting of 2 October, the Comm ittee was informed that th e Secretariat was working 
on a revision to this document in light of those comments. The Committee was also informed that in 
the meantime, the Secretariat had included in the new CTS database the information of Members with no specific commitments in agriculture as the co mments mainly concerned the format of the 
additional agricultural commitments.  
F. 
IMPROVING THE TIMELINESS AND COMPLETENESS OF NOTIFICATIONS  
10. At its 28 April meeting, the Chairman provide d a detailed report of the consultations held on 
the "Decision on Reverse Notification of Non-tariff Measures" (G/L/60),  the "Decision on the Supply  G/L/896 
 Page 3 
 
 
  of Information to the Integrated Database (IDB) for Personal Computers" (WT/L/225), and the 
"Decision on Notification Procedures for Quantitative Restrictions" (G/L/59).  Specifically, on the 
first decision, he reported that the Committee had ag reed that six months before a review of these 
notifications took place (i.e. the same time as th e quantitative restrictions, every two years) the 
Chairman should send a letter out to Members drawing their attention to the fact there is a venue for 
such types of notification and that the Committee will be assessing such notifications at its meeting 
which would take place in six months time. Concerni ng the supply of information to the IDB, at its 
meeting of 13 July, the Committee adopted a framewo rk to enhance compliance levels in respect of 
IDB notifications (G/MA/239).  At its meeting of 2 October, the Chairman reported that pursuant to 
what had been agreed in the Committee and in relation to the "Decision on Reverse Notification of 
Non-tariff Measures", he would soon be sending out a letter informing Members that a venue existed 
for such type of notifications. He also recalled the decision adopted by the Committee contained in 
document G/MA/239 which was intended to improve th e status of submissions to the IDB.  On the 
"Decision on Notification Procedures for Quantitative R estrictions", he reported that the Secretariat 
was still gathering information which had been re quested. Once this information was ready, he 
intended to hold consultations. 
G. PARAGRAPH 18 OF THE PROTOCOL OF ACCESSION OF THE PEOPLE 'S REPUBLIC OF  
 CHINA – CHINA 'S TRANSITIONAL REVIEW MECHANISM  
11. At its meeting of 2 October, the Co mmittee conducted the transitional review under 
Paragraph 18 of the Protocol of Accession of the People's Republic of China.   Questions/comments 
were submitted by the European Communities (G/MA/W/97), Japan (G/MA/W/96) and the United 
States (G/MA/W/98).   Information submitted by Chin a was circulated in document G/MA/W/99.  The 
Committee's report to the CTG on the review is contained in G/MA/241. 
H. OTHER ACTIVITIES  
12. The Committee took note of the Secretariat document which provided details on the most 
recent information available in the tariff library an d the website addresses where more recent national 
tariffs could be found (G/MA/TAR/3/Rev.13), as well as the Secretariat document entitled "Situation 
of Schedules of WTO Members" (G/MA/W/23/Rev.6).  
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