RESTRICTED
WORLD TRADE G/C/W/9
23June1995
ORGANIZATION(95-1693)
COUNCIL FOR TRADE INGOODS
3July1995
BANGLADESH -ESTABLISHMENT OFANEW SCHEDULE LXX
Draft Decision onExtension ofTime-Limit
ConsideringthattheCONTRACTINGPARTIES,bytheirDecisionof18July19881,suspended
theapplication oftheprovisions ofArticle IIofGATT 1947 totheextent necessary toenable the
Government ofBangladesh toimplement theHarmonized System on1July1988 andcarry out
negotiations subsequently;
Taking intoaccount that,bysuccessive Decisions, theCONTRACTING PARTIES extended
thetime-limit ofthewaiver granted toBangladesh until30June19952;
Considering thatthefootnote toAnnex IA,Section onGATT 1994, sub-paragraph 1(b)(iii)
oftheAgreement establishing theWorld Trade Organization requires theMinisterial Conference to
establish atitsfirstsession arevised listofwaivers granted under Article XXV ofGATT 1947 and
stillinforce onthedateofentry intoforce oftheWTO Agreement;
Considering thatbyaDecision of31January 19953theGeneral Council established alistof
waivers existing attheentry intoforce oftheWTO Agreement, which included thewaiver granted
toBangladesh fortheestablishment ofanewSchedule LXX;
Considering thatparagraph 2oftheUnderstanding inRespect ofWaivers ofObligations under
theGeneral Agreement onTariffs andTrade 1994 provides thatanywaiver ineffect onthedateof
entryintoforceoftheWTOAgreementshallterminateunlessextendedinaccordancewiththeprocedures
setoutinparagraph 1oftheaforementioned Understanding andthose ofArticle IXoftheWTO
Agreement onthedateofitsexpiry ortwoyears from thedateofentry intoforce oftheWTO
Agreement, whichever isearlier;
Considering thattherequired HSdocumentation forrenegotiation under Article XXVIII has
beensubmitted totheSecretariat andcirculated tothecontracting parties on6December 1990 in
document SECRET/HS/29;
Noting thattheGovernment ofBangladesh hasinitiated consultations under Article XXVIII
withsixcountries, andnowthattheUruguay Round negotiations havebeenconcluded, itwillmake
every effort tofinalize these consultations asearly aspossible;
1BISD 35S/348.
2L/7593.
3W/L/3 +Corr.1.
./.G/C/W/9
Page2
ConsideringthattheGovernmentofBangladesh,havingfulfilledtherequirementsofparagraph1
oftheUnderstanding inRespect ofWaivers ofObligations under theGATT 1994 has,therefore,
requested afurther extension oftheexemption ofitsobligations under Article IIofGATT 1994 until
31December 19954;
TheGeneral Council, acting pursuant totheprovisions ofArticle IXoftheWTO Agreement,
Decides, inviewoftheexceptional circumstances, toextend thetime-limit, provided forin
theDecision of18July1988, until31December 1995.
4G/L/8.