RESTRICTED  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/MA/SPEC/43 
22 September 2009 
 (09-4441) 
Committee on Market Access  
 
 
 
DRAFT 
 
REPORT (2009) OF THE COMMITTEE ON MARKET ACCESS 
 
 
1. Since the last review1, 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/...].  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 Commi ttee elected  (...) as the Vice-Chair.] 
 
A. WAIVERS 
3. At its meeting of 28 April, the Comm ittee approved waiver requests from Argentina 
(WT/L/757) and Panama (WT/L/758) in connection with the introduction of HS96 changes to their 
schedules. [At its meeting of 2 October, th e Committee approved the extension of the HS2002 
"collective" 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. It noted that Panama had completed the HS96 exercise  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). [At its 
meeting of 2 October, the Committee took note of a report concerning the implementation of this 
decision.]   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 HS02 files of Members 
were examined.   
 
                                                      
1 G/L/865, dated 4 November 2008. G/MA/SPEC/43 
Page 2  
 
  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 HS07 files should submit that information before 31 October 2009.   Also at this 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 documen t could not be considered as approved.  [The 
Committee reverted to this document at its 2 October meeting.]  
 
E. 
IMPROVING THE TIMELINESS AND COMPLETENESS OF NOTIFICATIONS  
7. At its 28 April meeting, the Chairman provide d a detailed report of the consultations held on 
this subject. He reported that in respect of the D ecision on reverse notifica tion of non-tariff measures 
(G/L/60), the Committee had agreed that six months before a review of these notifications took place 
(i.e. the same time as the 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 notificati ons at its meeting which would take place in six 
months time.  In addition, at its meeting of 13 July, the Committee adopted a framework to enhance 
compliance levels in respect of IDB notifications  (G/MA/239).  [At its meeting of 2 October, the 
Committee took note of the Chair's report on ongoi ng work concerning the Decision on Notification 
Procedures for Quantitative Restrictions.]  
 
F. DATABASES  
8. At its meeting of 13 July, the Committee a dopted a new dissemination policy of the IDB  and 
CTS database (G/MA/238).   
9. Furthermore, in respect to 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, status of submissions, and th e status of software development (IDB reporting 
tools and internet analysis facility).  
10. 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 mee ting, the document could not be considered as 
approved. [The Committee reverted to th is document at its 2 October meeting.] 
G. P
ARAGRAPH 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 Peop le's Republic of China and agreed to forward its 
report in [G/MA/..] to the Council for Trade in Goods.] 
 
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  G/MA/SPEC/43 
 Page 3 
 
 
  tariffs can be found (G/MA/TAR/3/Rev.13), as well as  the Secretariat documen t entitled "Situation of 
Schedules of WTO Members" (G/MA/W/23/Rev.6).  
 The report will be completed in light of the discussions that will take place at the 
Committee meeting on 2 October 2009. 
 
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