. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/IT/W/21 
24 July 2006 
 
 (06-3541) 
Committee of Participants on the Expansion of Trade in 
Information Technology Products Original:   English 
 
 
 
 
COVERAGE FOR INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY PRODUCTS UNDER THE 
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AGREEMENT (ITA) 
 
Communication from the United States  
   The following communication, dated 21 July 2006, is being distributed at the request of the delegation of the United States. 
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 1. The information technology sector is one of the most dynamic sectors in terms of export growth, as countries develop global production netw orks to meet international demands for 
information technology products.  Much of this expo rt growth can be attributed to the Ministerial 
Declaration on Trade in Information Technolog y Products, WT/MIN(96)/16 (13 December 1996) 
(“Information Technology Agreement (ITA)”), which has proven to be an effective tool in increasing 
trade, jobs, and investment in the information t echnology sector, especially in developing countries. 
 2. The information technology sector is also one of the most innovative sectors in terms of 
adoption of new technologies. In the almost ten y ears that have passed since product coverage for the 
ITA was finalized, many ITA products have evolved to become even more highly sophisticated, often 
including additional functions that are also f ound in other information technology products. 
 3. In order to encourage the continued tec hnological development of information technology 
products and industries, Members agreed to bind and eliminate customs duties and other duties and 
charges of any kind with respect to informati on technology products specified in Attachments A 
and B of the ITA. Paragraph 1 of the ITA states that “each party’s trade regime should evolve  in a 
manner that enhances  market access opportunities for inform ation technology products” (emphasis 
added). This commitment may be undermined if  Members no longer provide or guarantee duty-free 
treatment for products specified in Attachments A and B because of a reclassification or other change.   
 
4. Members should make certain that duties on in formation technology products covered by the 
ITA, including products which are more technolog ically sophisticated, continue to be bound and 
eliminated in their customs schedules. In particular , with respect to products listed in Attachment B 
for which a particular HS heading is not specified , changes in customs classification could result in a 
Member failing to provide the treatment specified in paragraph 1 of the ITA if steps are not taken to 
ensure that such treatment is maintained. Paragr aph 5 of the ITA states that Members agree on the 
common objective of achieving, where appropriate, a common classification for ITA products within 
the HS nomenclature in order to avoid a divergen ce in classification. However, such products should 
continue to receive the tariff treat ment specified by the ITA wherever  they are classified in a 
Member’s schedule (see ITA, Annex). 
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  5. The United States proposes that the Chair c onduct informal consultations with Members on 
any issues or concerns about ITA products that they feel are currently or are in danger of not receiving the tariff treatment provided by the ITA, with th e aim of reaching a consensus on how to ensure 
duty-free treatment for such products will be mainta ined. If a Member is proposing a change in the 
customs classification of a product that would have the effect of reclassifying imports for which the 
Member was providing duty free-treatment under the ITA into dutiable tariff codes in its customs 
schedule, we would further propose that the Member  notify other Members of the proposed change in 
order to afford Members an opportu nity for comment and consultations. 
 
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