WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/MA/60
28 September 1998
(98-3742)
Committee on Market Access
PERIODIC REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE TO THE
COUNCIL FOR TRADE IN GOODS
1. The Committee met on 18 June and on 22 September 1998 and examined the following
issues:
2. On 13 December 1995 several Members were granted individual waivers for the introduction
of HS96 changes (WT/L/124 + Corr.1); for operational reasons the waivers were grouped into one
single decision.  These waivers were extended by successive decisions by the General Council until
31 October 1998 (WT/L/268).  At its meeting of 22 September 1998, the Committee took note of the
requests for further extension of the waivers (until 30 April 1999) in order to pursueconsultations/negotiations under Article XXVIII resulting from the introduction of HS96 changes in
WTO schedules.  This information is summarized in Annex I of the report.
3. The Committee took note of the factual inform ation provided by the Members under current
waivers regarding the transposition into the Harmonize d System or the renegotiation of their schedules.
This information is summarized in Annex II of th is report.  At the meeting of 22 September 1998, the
Committee took note of the requests for extension of the waivers.
4. The Committee examined the situation related to the submission of HS96 documentation set out
in document G/MA/TAR/2/Rev.15.  It  was noted that out of the 37 Members currently under waivers,
ten Members had not yet submitted the required doc umentation and the submissions of 27 of those
Members were still subject to approval.
5. With reference to the modalities and operation of the Integrated Data Base, the Committee
examined the status of IDB submissions at its m eetings of  18 June and 22 September 1998 on the basis
of documents G/MA/IDB/2/Rev.1 and G/MA/IDB/2/Rev.2.  At the meeting of 18 June, several
Members expressed concern that many Members had not provided their IDB submissions and stressed
the need for all Members to supply this data in order to fulfil their notification obligations. It was further
noted that technical assistance was available to assi st Members in the submission of data to the IDB. As
of 22 September 1998, 35 Members and three acceding c ountries had provided IDB submissions.   At
the meeting of 22 September 1998, it was agreed th at the Chairman would send a letter to those
delegations that had not yet provided their IDB subm issions, to seek clarification on the problems these
Members were facing in this regard and on their requirements for technical assistance.
6. At the meeting of 22 September 1998, the Secretar iat presented an oral report on the technical
assistance activities that had been carried out thus far.
7. At the meeting of 18 June 1998 the Committee considered matters concerning the dissemination
of the information contained in the IDB, on the basis of a revised informal paper dated 28 May 1998
(Job No. 1483/Rev.1).  The paper, circulated to all WTO Members at the request of the Chairman, raised
several points that needed to be clarified. Delegations  noted that the IDB was a very important tool and
needed to become operational as rapidly as possible.  Delegations noted that there should be a minimum
level of information provided in the submissions, befo re the files were distributed.  They favoured theG/MA/60
Page 2
establishment of a list of international organizations that would have access to the IDB and according
these organizations access only to the IDB CD-ROM.  An exception would be those organizations with
which the WTO had entered into formal cooperation agreements, who would receive IDB files at the
tariff line level for their internal use.  Many dele gations indicated that they wished to approve their
processed files before their distribution to other Memb ers, and that the approval should be notified to the
Secretariat within a maximum of sixty days. Opin ions differed as to whether the original IDB
submissions should remain confidential and as to whether the Secretariat should set up an electronic
library of tariff and trade information that was already available from public sources.  Delegations
supported the dissemination of IDB files via a password-pr otected Internet site.  It was agreed that the
dissemination policy for the IDB would be discussed further in informal consultations and that the
Secretariat would revise the note on the basis of Members' comments.  At its meeting of
22 September 1998, on the basis of the revised not e dated 18 September 1998 (Job No. 1483/Rev.2), the
Committee adopted the proposals for dissemination of the IDB as described in the document prepared
by the Secretariat, which would be issu ed as an addendum to G/MA/IDB/1/Rev.1.
8. At the meeting of 22 September 1998, the Secretar iat presented an oral report on the status of
the pilot project to establish a database of Members'  consolidated tariff concessions and to incorporate
this information into the IDB.
9. At its meeting of 18 June 1998, the Committee t ook note of the nomination of Mr. Ole  Lundby
of Norway as Chairman of the Committee for th e current year and elected him by acclamation.  On
22 September 1998, the Chairman informed the Co mmittee that  despite his efforts to find a
Vice-Chairperson for the Committee he had not been  successful and suggested that, exceptionally and
without creating a precedent, in view of the fact th at the year was already well advanced, the Committee
would not elect a Vice-chairperson during this  term.  This was agreed by the Committee.G/MA/60
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ANNEX I
REQUESTS FOR INCLUSION IN AND EXTENSION OF THE HS96 WAIVERS
Country Document
(G/SECRET/HS96 series)Reservations
(Number of
countries)Reasons for requesting waiver
or extension of waiver
ARGENTINA /30 4 Extension needed to finalize consultations and
negotiations under Article XXVIII.
AUSTRALIA /19 + Corr.1 4 Extension needed to respond to questions raised
and awaiting further information from some
delegations.
BOLIVIA Extension needed to finalize documentation.
BRAZIL /36 4 Extension needed to conclude consultations and
negotiations.
BRUNEIDARUSSALAM/14 + Rev.1 2 Extension needed to finalize consultations.
BULGARIA Extension needed to finalize documentation and
to allow for consultations.
CANADA /7 1 Extension needed in order to conclude
consultations.
COSTA RICA /37 2 Extension needed to conclude consultations with
two Members.
CZECH REP. /5 1 Extension needed to complete negotiations and
consultations with one Member.
EGYPT G/MA/TAR/RS/50/Rev.11Extension needed to conduct consultations
following the recent submission of the
documentation.
EL SALVADOR Extension needed as certain technical problems
have been encountered in the presentation of the
documentation.
GUATEMALA Waiver requested to finalize the documentation.
HONDURAS Extension needed to finalize documentation,
which has not been submitted due to technicalproblems.
ICELAND /38 2 Extension needed  to finalize consultations and
possible negotiations under Article XXVIII.
INDIA /8 + Corr.1 1 Extension needed in order to finalize
consultations.
INDONESIA /33 1 Extension needed due to unfinished negotiations.
ISRAEL /26 4 Extension needed due to technical difficulties in
finalizing detailed documentation.
                                                     
1 Contains also rectifications to the schedule.G/MA/60
Page 4
Country Document
(G/SECRET/HS96 series)Reservations
(Number of
countries)Reasons for requesting waiver
or extension of waiver
KOREA /4/Rev.1 1 Extension needed to conclude negotiations.
MALAYSIA /31 + Rev.1 5 Extension needed to complete consultations.
MALTA /39 + Rev.1 1 Extension requested because revised
documentation was submitted recently.
MEXICO Extension due to technical difficulties in
completing documentation and to conclude
relevant consultations or  negotiations.
MOROCCO Waiver requested because HS96 implemented in
February 1998 and has the necessary
documentation is under preparation.
NEW ZEALAND /20 + Corr.1 3 Extension needed to conclude ongoing
consultations.
NORWAY /11 2 Extension needed to complete procedures and
consultations.
PAKISTAN Extension needed because formalities regarding
the introduction of HS96 changes into the WTOschedule have not been completed.
PANAMA Waiver requested because HS96 implemented in
February 1998 and Government has not yet been
able to submit the necessary documentation.
PARAGUAY /29 3 Extension needed to finalize consultations.
PHILIPPINES /16 + Add.1 + Corr.1-2 1 Extension needed to finalize consultations with
one Member.
SLOVAK REP. /6 1 Extension needed in order to conclude
consultations.
SLOVENIA /23 + Corr.1 1 Extension needed to complete consultations and
negotiations with one Member.
SOUTH AFRICA /15
(prelimin. inf)2 Extension needed in order to finalize the
preparation of the documentation
SWITZERLAND /10 3 Extension needed in order to conclude process
of certification.
THAILAND /17 + Rev.1 2 Extension needed to pursue consultations.
TUNISIA /25 2 Extension needed due to two reservations and in
order to finalize negotiations.
UNITED STATES /9 2 Extension needed because more time is needed
to complete consultations.
URUGUAY /28 1 Extension to finalize consultations and
negotiations.
VENEZUELA /12 + Rev. 1 1 Extension needed to conclude negotiations with
one Member.G/MA/60
Page 5ANNEX II
FACTUAL INFORMATION RELATED TO THE EXTENSION OF WAIVERS
RELATED TO THE TRANSPOSITION OF SCHEDULES INTO THE HARMONIZED SYSTEM
Country Date of
original
waiverDate of
submission of HS
documentationN° of
extensions and
datesN° of countries
with which
Article XXVIII
negotiations have
been initiatedN° of countries with
which
Article XXVIII
negotiations have
been concludedStatus of
outstanding
Article XXVIII
negotiationsOutlook for
concluding the
processRequest for extension
and draft decision
1.  Bangladesh 18.07.199806.12.1990
SECRET/HS/29Eighteen:
24.07.198905.12.1989
16.07.1990
13.12.199012.08.1991
04.12.1991
20.07.199203.12.1992
19.07.1993
17.01.199421.07.1994
09.12.1994
31.08.199513.12.1995
18.07.1996
24.04.199722.10.1997
24.04.1998Four Three Agreement still
pending with one
Member.Intention is to
conclude negotiations
as soon as possibleExtension requested
G/L/255
G/C/W/118
2. Nicaragua 26.01.199828.06.1995
G/SECRET/HS/3Six:
09.12.1994
13.12.199518.07.1996
24.04.1997
22.10.199724.04.1998Two None Still awaiting a
substantiated
request from one
Member.Extension requested
G/L/256
G/C/W/119G/MA/60
Page 6
Country Date of
original
waiverDate of
submission of HS
documentationN° of
extensions and
datesN° of countries
with which
Article XXVIII
negotiations have
been initiatedN° of countries with
which
Article XXVIII
negotiations have
been concludedStatus of
outstanding
Article XXVIII
negotiationsOutlook for
concluding the
processRequest for extension
and draft decision
3. Sri Lanka 08.11.198812.01.1990
SECRET/HS/26Seventeen:
24.07.198916.07.1990
07.12.1990
01.07.199104.12.1991
20.07.1992
03.12.199219.07.1993
17.01.1994
21.07.199409.12.1994
31.08.1995
13.12.199518.07.1996
16.07.1997
22.10.199724.04.1998Five One Negotiations have
been delayed by
several constraints:
the most importantbeing the security
situation which
prevails in thecountry;  need to
consult with all
relevant agenciesconcerned and with
the newly
establishedCommission on
Trade and Tariffs.
Awaiting reportfrom the
Commission in
order to pursue the
negotiations.Intends to conclude
negotiations in the
shortest possible time.Extension requested
G/L/257
G/C/W/120
4. Zambia 26.11.199312.03.1996
G/SECRET/HS/8Five:
13.12.1995
18.07.199624.04.1997
22.10.1997
24.04.1998Three One Consultations are
being pursued withthe Members
concerned.Expects to finalize the
process shortly.Extension  requested
G/L/258
G/C/W/121
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