WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/L/609
13 March 2003
(03-1470)
Original:  Spanish
INTRODUCTION OF HARMONIZED SYSTEM 1996 CHANGES
INTO WTO SCHEDULES OF TARIFF CONCESSIONS
Venezuela - Schedule LXXXVI
Request for a Waiver
The following communication, dated 20 February 2003, has been received from the
Permanent Mission of Venezuela.
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I have the honour to request an extension of the waiver from the obligations undertaken by
Venezuela under Article II of the GATT 1994, for a period of six months.
This request is being made pursuant to the provisions of paragraph 3 of Article IX of the
WTO Agreement, in view of the reservations  made by the European Communities regarding
Schedule LXXXVI proposed by Venezuela, which will prevent the consultation and negotiation
procedures referred to in Article XXVIII of the GATT 1994 from being completed on time.
Attached is the factual information requested in your note dated 13 February 2002.
_______________G/L/609
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Date of original waiver: Decision of 13 December 1995 (WT/L/124)
Date of submission of documents relevant to the HS implementation:
G/SECRET/HS96/12/R ev.1 (07/11/1996)
G/SECRET/HS96/12  (19/01/1996)
Number of extensions and dates when granted:
Number Dates
1 WT/L/173
Extension until 30 April 1997Decision of 18 July 1996
2 WT/L/216
Extension until 31 October 1997Decision of 24 April 1997
3 WT/L/243
Extension until 30 April 1998Decision of 22 October 1997
4 WT/L/268
Extension until 31 October 1998Decision of 24 April 1998
5 WT/L/281
Extension until 30 April 1999Decision of 14 October 1998
6 WT/L/303
Extension until 31 October 1999Decision of 15 June 1999
7 WT/L/338
Extension until 30 April 2000Decision of 4 November 1999
8 WT/L/351
Extension until 30 October 2000Decision of 3 May 2000
9 WT/L/379
Extension until 30 April 2001Decision of 8 December 2000
10 WT/L/400
Extension until 30 April 2002Decision of 8 May 2001
11 WT/L/457
Extension until 31 October 2002Decision of 13 May 2002
12 WT/l/491
Extension until 30 April 2003Decision of 15 October 2002
Number of countries with which Article XXVIII negotiations have been initiated:
Three (3):  United States, Australia and European Commission.
Number of countries with which Article XXVIII negotiations have been concluded:
Two (2):  United States and Australia.
Status of outstanding Article XXVIII negotiations as well as a general outline of relevant problems, if
any:
The European Communities have raised concerns in connection with six tariff headings that
were affected by the changeover to the 1996 Harmonized System.  To date, the questions
pertaining to five out of six of these headings have been dealt with, and only the concernsrelating to one heading remain to be solved.G/L/609
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Outlook for concluding the process:
Venezuela expects to be able to conclude the negotiating process before the period of time
specified in the request has elapsed.
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