RESTRICTEDWORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONWT/BOP/R/49
25 May 2000
(00-2117)
Committee on Balance-of-Payments Restrictions
NOTE ON THE MEETING OF 4 AND 5 MAY 2000
1. The Committee met on 4 and 5 May to consult with Bangladesh and Pakistan (see
WT/BOP/R/50 and WT/BOP/R/51)
2. The Committee elected a new Chairman, Ambassador Milan Hovorka (Czech Republic).
3. On 5 May, the Committee considered a notific ation by the Slovak Republic (WT/BOP/N/49),
in which the Government stated that it was continui ng with the reduction of its import surcharge, due
for elimination by 1 January 2001, in accordance with its timetable.  In view of its adherence to the
time table, the Slovak Republic suggested that there might not be any need for the annual consultationunder Article XII:4.  The Committee decided that, in order not to set the wrong precedent, it preferred
to maintain procedures and hold a consultation on a date to be agreed in consultations conducted by
the Chairman.  It was agreed that the consultations would be held without producing the normal set of
documentation, but the Committee would rely on a background paper by the IMF, as well as the Fund
statement.
4. Under "Other Business", Romania referred to  its notification (WT/BOP/N/50) in which it
suggested that there might not be any need for the annual consultation under Article XII:4.  The
notification stated Romania's intention to proceed wi th the phasing out of the surcharge by the end of
the year 2000 and, if conditions were to improve, could envisage an earlier elimination.  The
Committee considered that, as in the case of the Slovak Republic, a consultation should be held in
tandem with and under the same conditions as those for the Slovak Republic.
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