WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONWT/L/556
22 December 2003
(03-6704)
SRI LANKA – ESTABLISHMENT OF A NEW SCHEDULE VI
Extension of Time-Limit
Decision of 16 December 20031
The General Council,
Considering  that the CONTRACTING PARTIES to GATT 1947, by their Decision of
8 November 19882 suspended the application of the provisi ons of Article II of GATT 1947 to the extent
necessary to enable the Government of Sri Lanka to implement the Harmonized Commodity Description
and Coding System (Harmonized System) on 1 Janua ry 1989 and carry out negotiations subsequently;
Taking into account  that, by successive Decisions, the time-limit of the waiver granted to
Sri Lanka has been extended until 31 October 20033.
Considering  that by a Decision of 31 January 19954 the General Council established a list of
waivers existing at the entry into force of the WT O Agreement, which included the waiver granted to
Sri Lanka for the establishment of a new Schedule VI;
Taking into account  that the documentation relevant to the transposition of Sri Lanka's Schedule
into the Harmonized System was circulated  in document SECRET/HS/26 on 12 January 1990;
Considering  that the Government of Sri Lanka has initiated Article XXV III negotiations with
five Members and has concluded with four of them, and is currently negotiating with the remaining one;
Considering  that the Government of Sri Lanka has assured its trading partners in these
negotiations that every effort will be made to conclude the negotiations satisfactorily and in the
mutual interest of all concerned as soon as possible;
Considering  that the Government of Sri Lanka, having fulfilled the requirements of paragraph 1
of the Understanding in Respect of Waivers of Obligations under the GATT 1994, has requested a
further extension of the exemption of its obligations under Article II of GATT 19945;
Acting  pursuant to the provisions of Article IX of the WTO Agreement,
Decides , in view of the exceptional circumstances outlined above, to extend the waiver granted
to Sri Lanka by the Decision of 8 November 1988, until 30 April 2004.
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1 Adopted in accordance with the Decision-Making Procedures under Articles IX and XII of the WTO
Agreement agreed by the General Council in November 1995 (WT/L/93).
2 BISD, 35S/22.
3 WT/L/532.
4 WT/L/3+Corr.1.
5 G/L/644.