WORLD TRADE WT/L/268
29April 1998
ORGANIZATION(98-1733)
INTRODUCTION OFHARMONIZED SYSTEM CHANGES INTO WTO
SCHEDULES OFTARIFF CONCESSIONS ON1JANUARY 1996
Extension ofTime-Limit
Decision of24April 19981
Members,
Considering thattheMembers oftheWTO, bytheir Decisions of13December 1995,
18July1996, 24April 1997, and22October 19972acting pursuant totheprovisions ofparagraph 3
ofArticle IXoftheWTO Agreement, suspended theapplication oftheprovisions ofArticle IIofGATT
1994 until30April 1998, forthepurpose ofenabling theMembers listed intheAnnex toimplement
therecommended amendments totheHarmonized System nomenclature;
Noting thattheMembers listed intheAnnex haveeither requested tobeincluded under the
waiver, orhaverequested anextension ofthewaiver forreasons explained intheirrequests;
Considering thattheMembers concerned would needmore timetoproceed withconsultations
orpossible Article XXVIII negotiations, inparticular alsoinlightofgeneral reservations made by
theother Members,
Acting pursuant totheprovisions ofparagraph 3ofArticle IXoftheWTO Agreement,
Decide, inviewoftheexceptional circumstances, tosuspend theapplication oftheprovisions
ofArticle IIofGATT 1994, until31October 1998, forthepurpose ofenabling theMembers listed
intheAnnex toimplement therecommended amendments totheHarmonized System nomenclature,
subject tothefollowing conditions:
(i) theMember concerned shall have submitted thedocumentation required under
paragraph 2ofthesimplified procedures adopted bytheGATT 1947 Committee on
Tariff Concessions toimplement changes intheHarmonized System3;orifspecial
circumstances apply, theMember concerned shallhaverequested technical assistance
from theSecretariat forthecompletion ofsuchdocumentation.
1AdoptedinaccordancewiththeDecision-MakingProceduresunderArticlesIXandXIIoftheWTOAgreemen t
agreed bytheGeneral Council (WT/L/93).
2WT/L/124 +Corr.1, WT/L/173, WT/L/216, andWT/L/243.
3BISD 39S/300.WT/L/268
Page2
(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
31October 1998;
(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/268
Page3
ANNEX
1. Members which haverequested anextension ofthetime-limit oftheabove waiver
Argentina
Australia
Brazil
Brunei Darussalam
Bulgaria
Canada
Costa Rica
Czech Republic
Egypt
ElSalvador
European Communities
Honduras
Hungary
Iceland
India
Indonesia
Israel
Korea
Malaysia
Malta
Mexico
Norway
Pakistan
Paraguay
Philippines
Slovak Republic
Slovenia
South Africa
Switzerland
Thailand
Tunisia
Turkey
United States
Uruguay
Venezuela
Zimbabwe
2. AdditionalMemberswhichhaverequestedtobecoveredbythewaiverundertheaboveDecision
Bolivia
Guatemala
Morocco
Panama
__________