WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/MA/157 
6 April 2005 
 (05-1388) 
Committee on Market Access  
  
 
PERIODIC REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE TO THE 
COUNCIL FOR TRADE IN GOODS   
 
 
1. The Committee met on 30 March 2005 and examined the following issues: 
 
2. The Committee took note of the factual informa tion provided by Member s 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 submis sions of HS96 documentation as set out in 
document G/MA/TAR/2/Rev.35.  4. The Committee took note of the status of subm issions of HS2002 documentation as set out in 
document G/MA/TAR/4/Rev.8.   
5. The Committee took note of the changes in th e Harmonized System to be introduced on 
1 January 2007 as contained in G/MA/W/67, and of  the presentation by the WCO representative.  The 
Committee agreed in principle that it would be best if the Secretariat were to undertake the work to 
introduce HS2007 changes to Members' schedules. In th is regard, the Chairman referred to the current 
HS2002 procedures and proposed that the Committee could look into using those procedures as a 
blueprint for the HS2007 changes. He further indicated that the Secretariat would need to see how this 
exercise could be included as part of the regular budg et, and requested the Secretariat to put forward a 
proposal which would include budgetary estimates.    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.21. The 
Secretariat reported on the status of processing of  IDB submissions, use of IDB information,  the 
status of software development and technical assistance. The Committee al so took note of the 
information provided by the Secretariat on th e Common Analytical Market Access Database 
(JOB(04)/179).   The Committee agreed that the incoming Chairman should hold consultations on the 
idea of the Secretariat helping Members fulfil their IDB notifications in a manner similar to the 
ongoing HS2002 transposition exercise based on a paper by the Secretariat.  The Chairman also 
proposed that the Secretariat re-examine the form at of IDB notifications given that the processing 
time of such notifications appeared to be long.    7. The Secretariat reported on the status of work concerning the Consolidated Tariff Schedules  
(CTS) database and more particularly on the status of its work with regard to the introduction of 
HS2002 changes to schedules of concessions using th at database. On the latter, the Secretariat 
informed the Committee that the first batch of developing country files would be forwarded to 
Members by June 2005.  The Secretariat hoped to co mplete all developing country files by the Hong 
Kong, Ministerial.  On developed country files, the Secretariat indicated that it was looking at a 
similar time-frame 
 
8. The Committee granted the South Centre access to the IDB and CTS database. G/MA/157 
Page 2  
 
  
9. Under other business, the Committee took note of the statement by the 
European Communities concerning import bans in Nigeria.   10. The Committee took note that the date of its next meeting was 29 June 2004, subject to 
confirmation.  
 11. The Committee elected Mr. Martin Pospíšil, Chairman for 2005.  
 
      
  
  G/MA/157
 Page 3ANNEX  
 
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)
 Fourteen 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 
 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/735/Rev.1 G/C/W/514/Rev.1 
2. Malaysia 13.12.1995 G/SECRET/HS/96/31 
(16.10.1996)  
G/SECRET/HS96/31/
Rev.1 (31.07.1997) Thirteen 
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  24.07.2003 
17.05.2004 
 Five Five All consultations 
regarding the introduction of 
HS96 changes into 
Malaysia’s schedule of tariff concessions 
have been 
completed All that remains to be 
completed now is to notify the corrections 
to Malaysia's 
proposed HS96 tariff schedule. Unforeseen 
circumstances 
disabled the completion of the 
remaining work by 30 
April 2005 Requested one year. 
G/L/734 G/C/W/512  
 G/MA/157 
Page 4 
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 
3. 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) 
  Nine: 
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  
 None (Corrections 
were sought by 
the Members having made 
reservations.  
Currently, of the four, two Members have 
withdrawn their 
reservation.)    Panama is waiting for  
two delegations to 
confirm acceptance of the documents 
submitted to the 
Secretariat in order to formally conclude implementation of 
HS96 nomenclature 
changes.  Requested one year.  
G/L/736 
G/C/W/515 
 
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