WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/L/646
14 October 2003
(03-5427)
Original:  English
INTRODUCTION OF HARMONIZED SYSTEM CHANGES INTO WTO
SCHEDULES OF TARIFF CONCESSIONS ON 1 JANUARY 1996
Israel – Schedule XLII
Request for a Waiver
The following communication, dated 10 October 2003, has been received from the Permanent
Mission of Israel.
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Israel requests the granting of an extension on the waiver with respect to the introduction of
HS96 changes in its schedule of concessions. This need is due to the fact that there is still a
reservation pending on Israel’s documentation, presented by the EC.
The original waiver was granted to Israel on 13 May 2002 by Decision WT/L/455, and
expired on 31 October 2002. Subsequently, an extension was conceded to Israel by Decision
WT/L/487, dated 15 October 2002, which expired on 30 April 2003. Finally, a new extension was
granted by Decision WT/L/531, to expire on 30 October 2003.
Previously, Israel had been granted a waiver and extensions in a collective basis, as follows:
WT/L/124 + WT/L/173+ WT/L/216+ WT/L/243+ WT/L/268+ WT/L/281+ WT/L/303+ WT/L/338+
WT/L/351+ WT/L/379+ WT/L/400.
With respect to the 1996 changes on the Harmonized System-Schedule XLII, Israel has
submitted the following documents: G/SECRET/HS96/26 dated 08 October 1996;
G/SECRET/HS96/26/Add.1 dated 5 March 1999 and G/SECRET/HS96/26/Add.1/Corr.1 dated
6 July 2000.
In this regard, general reservations were presented by: US (dated 08.11.1996); EC (dated
06.12.1996, and specified concerns on 03.10.2000); Australia (dated 12.12.1996) and Canada (dated
06.01.1997, and specified concerns on 17.02.2000).
The reservations by Australia, Canada and US have been withdrawn or expired. The
reservation by the EC is, nevertheless, still pending.
On February 2002 Israel submitted its responses to the EC questions and concerns regarding
HS 96. On 4 September 2002, the EC specified two further conc erns with respect to the answers
provided, which Israel will respond as soon as possible.
Since it is not clear whether the EC will be able to remove its reservation before the
expiration date of the current waiver, notably 30 October 2003, Israel is in need of requesting a further
extension, and will do its best to provide the reques ted explanations in the shortest possible time, in
the hope that this will lead to the removal of the reservation in the near future.
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