WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/L/524
11 March 2002
(02-1213)
INTRODUCTION OF HARMONIZED SYSTEM 1996 CHANGES
INTO WTO SCHEDULES OF TARIFF CONCESSIONS
THAILAND – SCHEDULE  LXXIX
Request for a Waiver
The following communication, dated 7 March 2002, has been received from the Permanent
Mission of Thailand.
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Reference is made to your fax dated 5 February 2002 stating that, as the extension of waivers
concerning the introduction of HS96 changes into the WTO schedule will expire on 30 April 2002,
Members wishing to seek an individual waiver granted to them should make a request to the
Secretariat by no later than 21 February 2002.
In this connection, Thailand has unexpectedly received letters from the EC (specified
concerns on 25 February 2002) and Australia (general reservation on 25 February 2002 and specified
concerns on 5 March 2002) for reservation on Thailand's submission G/SECRET/HS96/17/Rev.2
dated 27 November 2001.  In light of this circumstance, Thailand requests the granting of a waiver
with respect to the introduction of HS96 changes in its schedule of concessions.
The status of Thailand's waiver is as follows: WT/L/124+173+216+243+268+281+303+338
+351+379+400.  It should be noted that, by the General Council's decision (WT/L/400) on 8 May
2001, the waiver on collective basis will be granted for the last time and will expire on 30 April 2002.
However, this would not preclude Members fr om requesting waivers on an individual basis.
With respect to the date of submission of documents relevant to the HS implementation,
Thailand has submitted the documents G/SECRET/HS96/17 dated 14 March 1996,
G/SECRET/HS96/17/Rev.1 dated 18 Octobe r 1996, and G/SECRET/HS96/17/Rev.2 dated
27 November 2001 respectively.
In this regard, reservations by Canada (dated 12.06.1996), Australia (dated 14.01.1997), US
(dated 12.07.1996 and 06.01.1998) and EC (11.06.1996, 13.03.1998 and 29.04.1998) were initiated.
All questions and concerns had been promptly responded by Thailand and that led to the removal of
reservations by all Members. As aforementioned, nevertheless, the reservations by EC and Australia
have been re-initiated on 25 February 2002.
Thailand is now considering the questions from the EC and Australia.  Thailand hereby
requests that a waiver be granted to it in this respec t, on an individual basis, for a period of six months
starting from 1 May 2002.
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