WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/MA/191 
1 May 2006 
 (06-2059) 
Committee on Market Access  
 
 
PERIODIC REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE TO THE 
COUNCIL FOR TRADE IN GOODS   
 
 
1. The Committee met on 4 April 2006 and examined the following issues:  
2. The Committee took note of the factual inform ation 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 subm issions of HS96 documentation as set out in 
document G/MA/TAR/2/Rev.37. 
 4. The Committee took note of th e correlation tables  between HS2002 and HS2007 submitted by 
the WCO (G/MA/W/76). A representative from the WCO informed the Committee  that that there 
were 121 contracting parties to the HS convention,  but noted that there were about 200 countries 
which were using the HS as a basis for their nati onal tariffs.   Regarding implementation of HS2007 
changes, he indicated that work seemed to be making good progress.  
 5. On the same subject of HS2007 changes, th e Committee agreed that the Secretariat should 
elaborate procedures for the incorporation of HS2007 changes to schedules using as a basis the 
HS2002 procedures which were adopted by the Ge neral Council in 2005 (WT/L/605). It was noted 
that  any decision on procedures for the HS2007 exercise would be subject to funding being available 
to undertake this work, and the Secretariat would look into it.  It was also agreed that at its next 
meeting, the Committee would consider  a draft HS2007 "collective" waiver decision to be elaborated 
by the Secretariat which would be based on the ex isting HS2002  "collective" waiver decision.   
 6. With reference to the modalities and operati on of the Integrated Data Base, the Committee 
examined the status of IDB submissions on the basis of the document G/MA/IDB/2/Rev.23. 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 Committee took note of the report by the S ecretariat on the status of work done pursuant 
to the General Council decision (WT/L/605) to introduce HS2002 changes to schedules of 
concessions using the CTS database.    8. The Committee approved the request for access to the IDB and CTS database from the European Free Trade Association (G/MA/W/73) and the West African Economic and Monetary 
Union (G/MA/W/75). 
 9. The Committee took note of the status of no tifications under the Decision on Notification 
Procedures for Quantitative Restrictions (QRs) (G /L/59) on the basis of a Secretariat document 
(G/MA/NTM/QR/1Add.10).   G/MA/191 
Page 2  
 
  10. The Committee took note that no new notifications pursuant to the Decision on Reverse 
Notification of Non Tariff Measures (G/L/60) had been made since the Secretariat document G/MA/NTM/W/3/Rev.1 was prepared in 2001.    11. The Committee took note of a Secretariat docum ent which provided details on the most recent 
information available in the tariff library and the website addresses where more recent national tariffs 
could be found (G/MA/TAR/3/Rev.10).   12. The Chairman recalled that the CTG at its 10 November 2005 meeting had agreed that  certain tariff commitments, as described in JOB(05)/ 167 and Corr.1,  that were approved at the end of 
the Uruguay Round but which had not entered into fo rce due to legal technicalities should be brought 
into force by means of  certifications.  The Chai rman informed the Committe e that several of those 
commitments had now been certified and that this in formation would be circulated as an addendum to 
the JOB document.    
13.  The Committee took note that its next meeting was scheduled for 4 October 2006. 
 14. The Committee elected Dr. Saeed (Pakistan) as Chairman for 2006. 
    
   G/MA/191
 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)
 Fifteen 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 
 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/769 G/C/W/547  
  G/MA/191 
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 
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) 
  Ten: 
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 
 
 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/768 
G/C/W/546 
 
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