WORLD TRADE WT/L/173
25July1996
ORGANIZATION(96-2942)
INTRODUCTION OFHARMONIZED SYSTEM CHANGES INTO WTO
SCHEDULES OFTARIFF CONCESSIONS ON1JANUARY 1996
Extension ofTime-Limit
Decision of18July19961
Members,
Considering thattheMembers oftheWTO, bytheirDecision of13December 1995,2acting
pursuanttotheprovisionsofparagraph3ofArticleIXoftheWTOAgreement,suspendedtheapplication
oftheprovisions ofArticle IIofGATT 1994 until30June1996, forthepurpose ofenabling the
Members listed intheAnnex toimplement on1January 1996 therecommended amendments tothe
Harmonized System nomenclature.
Noting thattheMembers listed intheAnnex haveeither requested tobeincluded under the
waiver, orhaverequested anextenstion ofthewaiver forreasons explained intheirrequests;
Considering thattheMembers concerned would needmore timetoproceed withconsultations
orpossible Article XXVIII negotiations,
Acting pursuant totheprovisions ofparagraph 3ofArticle IXoftheWTO Agreement,
Decide, inviewoftheexceptional circumstances, tosuspend theapplication oftheprovisions
ofArticle IIofGATT 1994, until30April 1997, forthepurpose ofenabling theMembers listed in
theAnnex toimplement on1January 1996therecommended amendments totheHarmonized System
nomenclature, subject tothefollowing conditions:
(i) TheMember concerned shallsubmit, totheextent possible, by30June1996, the
documentation required under paragraph 2ofthesimplified procedures adopted by
theGATT 1947 Committee onTariff Concessions toimplement changes inthe
Harmonized System;3ifthisisnotpossible:
(a) theMember concerned shall submit by30June 1996, thepages ofits
consolidated schedule containing theproposed changes together with an
accompanying letter indicating theconcessions which mayhavebeenaltered
oronecopy ofitsnational tariff ineither itsnational language orinoneof
theWTO official languages, withtheHS96 changes clearly indicated; and
1AdoptedinaccordancewiththeDecision-MakingProceduresunderArticlesIXandXIIoftheWTOAgreemen t
agreed bytheGeneral Council (WT/L/93).
2WT/L/124 +Corr.1.
3BISD 39S/300.WT/L/173
Page2
(b) theMember concerned shall submit by30September 1996 theremaining
documentation required under paragraph 2ofthesimplified procedures adopted
bytheCommittee onTariff Concessions toimplement changes inthe
Harmonized System;
(ii) theMember concerned shall, where necessary, promptly enter intonegotiations and
consultations withinterested Members pursuant toparagraphs 1-3ofArticle XXVIII
ofGATT 1994;
(iii) thenegotiations andconsultations mentioned above shallbecompleted notlaterthan
30April 1997;
(iv) pending theentryintoforceoftheresults ofthenegotiations orconsultations mentioned
above, theother Members willbefreetosuspend concessions initially negotiated with
theMember concerned totheextent thattheyconsider thatadequate compensation
isnotoffered bytheMember concerned.WT/L/173
Page3
ANNEX
1. MEMBERS WHICH HAVE REQUESTED ANEXTENSION OFTHE TIME-LIMIT OF
THE ABOVE WAIVER
Argentina
Brazil
Brunei Darussalam
Canada
Colombia
Cuba
Czech Republic
European Communities
Hungary
Iceland
India
Indonesia
Israel
Malaysia
Mexico
Norway
Paraguay
Philippines
Poland
Singapore
Slovak Republic
Slovenia
South Africa
Switzerland
Thailand
Tunisia
Turkey
United States
Uruguay
Venezuela
Zimbabwe
2. ADDITIONAL MEMBERS WHICH HAVE REQUESTED TOBECOVERED BYTHE
WAIVER UNDER THE ABOVE DECISION
Australia
Costa Rica
ElSalvador
Egypt
Honduras
Korea