RESTRICTED
WORLD TRADE G/MA/SPEC/5
25September 1997
ORGANIZATION(97-3974)
Committee onMarket Access
DRAFT
PERIODIC REPORT OFTHE COMMITTEE ONMARKET ACCESS
TOTHE COUNCIL FOR TRADE INGOODS
1. Since thelastperiodic report oftheCommittee onMarket Access totheCouncil forTrade
inGoods (G/MA/57 dated 11April 1997), theCommittee heldtwoformal meetings, on24Juneand
on29September 1997. Detailed reports onthemeetings canbefound indocuments G/MA/M/10
dated 22July1997 andG/MA/M/11 [notyetcirculated].
2. Atitsmeetingof24June1997,theCommitteewasrequestedtoexaminetherequestforobserver
status received fromtheLatin American Economic System (SELA) butadelegation pointed outthat
thismatter wasunder consideration bytheGeneral Council andthattheconsideration ofthisagenda
itemshould bepostponed untiladecision wastaken inthatforum.
3. AtitsJunemeeting theCommittee examined thesituation related totheintroduction on
1January 1996 ofthechanges tothenomenclature oftheHarmonized System andthesubmission of
documentation related tothese changes (G/MA/TAR/2/Rev.9). Inthisconnection, theChairman
summarized theoutcome oftheinformal consultations undertaken bytheChairman oftheCouncil
forTrade inGoods onthismatter asfollows: itwasconsidered useful topursue twoapproaches, one
intheshort termandoneinthelongterm. Intheshort term, Members should pursue thework on
theverification andcertification ofHS96 documentation without delay. With aview toassisting
interested Members, theSecretariat would transpose theavailable HS96 documentation ontoelectronic
media inastandard database system. Inthecontext ofthelongtermapproach anumber ofimportantG/MA/SPEC/5
Page2
issues were raised which could leadtochanges oramendments tothedecisions currently inforce.
Thiswork wascontinuing intheframework oftheCouncil forTrade inGoods.
4. On13December 1995 several Members were granted waivers onacollective basis forthe
introduction ofHS96 changes (WT/L/124 +Corr.1); these waivers were, bysuccessive decisions
bytheGeneral Council, extended until 31October 1997 (WT/L/216). Atitsmeeting of
29September 1997, theCommittee tooknoteoftherequests forextension oforinclusion inthewaiver
inorder tocarry outpossible consultations/negotiations under Article XXVIII aftertheintroduction
ofHS96 changes innational tariffs. Thisinformation issummarized inAnnex Iofthereport.
[Tobecompleted inlightofthediscussion heldatthemeeting of29September 1997.]
5. RegardingthestatusofcountriesunderwaiversforthetranspositionintotheHarmonizedSystem
orfortherenegotiations oftheirschedules, theCommittee tooknoteofthefactual information provided
byMembers under current waivers. Thisinformation issummarized inAnnex IItothisreport [to
becompleted].
6. Following theDecision onNotification Procedures forQuantitative Restrictions adopted by
theCouncil forTrade inGoods inDecember 1995, theCommittee adopted aformat forthesubmission
ofQuantitative Restriction notifications atitsmeeting of24June1997. Theapproved format was
circulated indocument G/MA/NTM/QR/2 dated 10July1997.
7. Atitsmeeting of29September, theCommittee tooknoteofthestatus ofQuantitative Restriction
notifications contained indocument G/MA/NTM/QR/1/Add.4. [Tobecompleted]G/MA/SPEC/5
Page3
8. Atitsmeeting on24June 1997, theCommittee agreed, asoutlined indocument
G/MA/IDB/1/Rev.1, totherestructuring ofthecurrently existing Integrated DataBase(IDB) from
amainframeenvironmenttoaPersonalComputer(PC)-basedsystem,whichwouldutilizenewtechnology
toimprove theoperation oftheIDB. Inaddition toadapting theIDBtomodern technology, one
essential element ofthereform wasthatitwould allow adegree offlexibility inthetransmission of
datathereby reducing theburden onMembers. Inaddition totheoperational changes outlined in
G/MA/IDB/1/Rev.1, theCommittee sought tolaydown asolid basis forthetransmission ofthe
information required forthefunctioning ofthePCIDB. Inthisconnection, theCommittee forwarded
adraftDecision ontheSupply ofInformation tothePCIDBtotheCouncil forTrade inGoods, and
thentotheGeneral Council foradoption. ThisDecision wasformally adopted bytheGeneral Council
atitsmeeting of18July1997 (WT/L/225).
9. Atitsmeeting on29September 1997, theCommittee examined theprogress inthe
implementation oftheDecision ontheIntegrated DataBaseandtooknoteofthestatus ofsubmission
ofrequired data. [Tobecompleted inlightofthediscussion thatwilltakeplace atthemeeting of
29September.]
10. Atitsmeeting on24June1997, theCommittee tooknoteoftheSecretariat proposal under
"other business" relating tothecreation ofanelectronic basis or'yardstick 'fortheverification of
schedules inloose-leaf format which hadalready beensubmitted inanelectronic form. Asrequested
bysome delegations, theSecretariat hadprepared astandard format thatcould assist delegations for
future submission ofloose-leaf schedules.
11. TheCommittee alsotooknoteofthedeparture ofMrs. Simona Valceanu, Vice-Chairperson
oftheCommittee anddecided [tobecompleted].G/MA/SPEC/5
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[Thereport willbecompleted inlightofthediscussion thatwilltakeplace attheCommittee
meeting on29September 1997.]G/MA/SPEC/5
Page5
ANNEX I
REQUESTS FOR INCLUSION INAND EXTENSION OFTHE HS96 WAIVER
Country Document
(G/SECRET/HS96
series)Reservations
(Number of
countries)Reasons forrequesting waiver
orextension ofwaiver
ARGENTINA /30 4 Extension tofinalize consultations and
negotiations under Article XXVIII*.
AUSTRALIA /19+Corr.1 5 Extensions needed because unlikely to
complete negotiations by31October
1997; areresponding toquestions
received andawaiting further
information from some delegations.*
BRAZIL /36 1 Extension needed toconclude
consultations andpossible Article
XXVIII negotiations.
BRUNEI
DARUSSALAM/14
(prelimin. inf.)2 Documentation isabout tobecirculated
andextension isrequired for
consultations.
CANADA /7 3 Extension tocomplete consultations.
COLOMBIA /32+Corr.1 1 Extension duetoageneral reservation
byoneMember, which hasnotbeen
specified orlifted.*
COSTA RICA /37 1 Extension needed because oneMember
submitted ageneral reservation, andhas
notspecified theproblem; therefore itis
impossible toconclude theconsultations
andnegotiations intime.*
CUBA /21+Rev.1 1 Extension duetooneMember which has
placed ageneral reservation thathasnot
beenfurther specified.*
CZECH REP. /5 2 Extension duetothesituation with
respect tobothspecific andgeneral
reservations andtocomplete
negotiations andconsultations.*
EGYPT Extension needed tofinalize the
documentation, andtoallow for
consultations which maybenecessary.
ELSALVADOR Extension needed; hasrecently presented
their1996 tariff totheSecretariat and
requested technical assistance forthe
preparation ofthedocumentation.G/MA/SPEC/5
Page6
Country Document
(G/SECRET/HS96
series)Reservations
(Number of
countries)Reasons forrequesting waiver
orextension ofwaiver
EUROPEAN
COMMUNITIES/3 5 Extension tofinalize consultations and
negotiations.*
HONDURAS Extension tofinalize documentation, in
which technical assistance from the
Secretariat hasbeensought. Has
submitted 1996 tariff schedule.
HUNGARY /22+Corr.1 1 Extension duetoageneral reservation
byoneMember.*
ICELAND /38 2 Extension necessary toallow for
completion ofpossible negotiations
under Article XXVIII.*
INDIA /8+Corr.1 2 Extension needed toresolve issues
relating tothereservations.*
INDONESIA /33 3 Extension needed; received two
reservations ofageneral nature andare
awaiting specific concerns bythese
Members.*
ISRAEL /26 4 Extension duetotechnical difficulties in
finalizing detailed documentation and
duetoanumber ofgeneral reservations
onsubmission.*
KOREA /4+Add.1 +
Corr.1-2/Rev. 13 Extension needed because ofthree
general reservations where noprogress
hasbeenmade.*
MALAYSIA /31+Rev.1 5 Extension toallow additional timefor
consultations andclarification.
MALTA Waiver requested duetoadministrative
procedures thatstillhavetobecarried
out.
MEXICO Extension duetotechnical difficulties in
completing documentation andto
conclude relevant consultations or
negotiations.
NORWAY /11 2 Extension tofinalize consultations and
negotiations.
PAKISTAN Extension duetoformalities regarding
theintroduction ofHS96 changes into
theWTO schedule.G/MA/SPEC/5
Page7
Country Document
(G/SECRET/HS96
series)Reservations
(Number of
countries)Reasons forrequesting waiver
orextension ofwaiver
PARAGUAY /29 3 Extension duetogeneral reservations
andtofinalize consultations andpossible
Article XXVIII negotiations.*
PHILIPPINES /16+Add.1 +
Corr.1-22 Extension tofinalize consultations with
twoMembers.
POLAND /34 1 Extension duetoonereservation thathas
notbeenspecified.*
ROMANIA /24 1 Extension duetoonegeneral reservation
where nospecific requests havebeen
received atthistime.*
SLOVAK REP. /6 2 Extension duetothesituation with
respect tobothspecific andgeneral
reservations andtocomplete
negotiations andconsultations.*
SLOVENIA /23+Corr.1 1 Extension tocomplete consultations and
negotiations withoneMember.
SOUTH
AFRICA/15
(prelimin. inf)2 Extension because authorities areinthe
process ofconverting thetariff
nomenclature database toacommon
readable format andbecause the
correlation tables havenotbeen
completed.
THAILAND /17+Rev.1 3 Extension duetoageneral reservation
whereby specific technical questions are
expected tobeforthcoming sothat
consultations canbeconcluded inthe
nearfuture.*
TUNISIA /25 2 Extension duetotwogeneral
reservations thathavenotbeenspecified
orjustified tofinalize negotiations.*
TURKEY /27 2 Extension needed; received two
reservations ofageneral nature andare
awaiting specific concerns bythese
Members.*
UNITED
STATES/9 6 Extension needed.
URUGUAY /28 1 Extension tofinalize consultations and
negotiations.*G/MA/SPEC/5
Page8
Country Document
(G/SECRET/HS96
series)Reservations
(Number of
countries)Reasons forrequesting waiver
orextension ofwaiver
VENEZUELA /12+Rev.1 2 Extension duetogeneral reservations
received andtocomplete consultations
andnegotiations.*
[ZIMBABWE] [Extension duetotechnical difficulties in
thetransposition toHS96.]
*Awaiting specific comments from Members whohavemade general reservations.G/MA/SPEC/5
Page9ANNEX II
FACTUAL INFORMATION RELATED TOTHE EXTENSION OFWAIVERS
Country Date of
original
waiverDate of
submission
ofHS
documentationNof
extensions
anddatesNofcountries
withwhich
Article XXVIII
negotiations have
been
initiatedNof
countries
withwhich
Article
XXVIII
negotiations
have been
concludedStatus of
outstanding
Article XXVIII
negotiationsOutlook for
concluding
theprocessRequest
for
extension
anddraft
decision
1.Bangladesh 18.07.1988 06.12.1990
SECRET/HS/29Sixteen:
24.07.1989
05.12.1989
16.07.1990
13.12.1990
12.08.1991
04.12.1991
20.07.1992
03.12.1992
19.07.1993
17.01.1994
21.07.1994
09.12.1994
31.08.1995
13.12.1995
18.07.1996
24.04.1997Four Two Proposals were forwarded
tothetwocountries
concerned.
Agreement wasreached
withoneMember and
reaction from theother is
awaited.Intention isto
conclude
negotiations as
soonaspossible.Extension requested
G/L/186
G/C/W/89
2.Nicaragua 26.01.1994 28.06.1995
G/SECRET/HS/3Four:
09.12.1994
13.12.1995
18.07.1996
24.04.1997Two None Stillawaiting asubstantiated
request from oneMember.Extension requested
G/L/187
G/C/W/87
3.Guatemala 26.01.1994 08.12.1995
G/SECRET/HS/6Four:
09.12.1994
31.08.1995
13.12.1995
18.07.1996One Two Outstanding negotiations
withoneMember.Consultations tobe
concluded aftera
technical matter
related toINRs is
resolved.Extension requested
(thegapinthe
extension ofthe
waiver isduetoan
internal
administrative
restructuring atthe
Mission)
G/L/185
G/C/W/88G/MA/SPEC/5
Page10Country Date of
original
waiverDate of
submission
ofHS
documentationNof
extensions
anddatesNofcountries
withwhich
Article XXVIII
negotiations have
been
initiatedNof
countries
withwhich
Article
XXVIII
negotiations
have been
concludedStatus of
outstanding
Article XXVIII
negotiationsOutlook for
concluding
theprocessRequest
for
extension
anddraft
decision
4.SriLanka 08.11.1988 12.01.1990
SECRET/HS/26Fifteen:
24.07.1989
16.07.1990
07.12.1990
01.07.1991
04.12.1991
20.07.1992
03.12.1992
19.07.1993
17.01.1994
21.07.1994
09.12.1994
31.08.1995
13.12.1995
18.07.1996
16.07.1997Five One Because ofthepolitical
situation inthecountry,
negotiations havebeen
delayed.Expects to
conclude the
negotiations within
afewmonths.Extension requested
G/L/188
G/C/W/90
5.Zambia 26.11.1993
(2years)12.03.1996
G/SECRET/HS/8Three:
13.12.1995
18.07.1996
24.04.1997Three None Contacts havebeenmade
withtheMembers
concerned.Expects tofinalize
theprocess before
theendoftheyear[Extension requested]
G/L/189
G/C/W/91