RESTRICTED
WORLD TRADE G/MA/W/14
22September 1997
ORGANIZATION(97-3953)
Original: English Committee onMarket Access
INTRODUCTION OFHARMONIZED SYSTEM CHANGES INTO WTO
SCHEDULES OFTARIFF CONCESSIONS ON1JANUARY 1996
Draft Decision onExtension ofTime-Limit
Members,
Considering thattheMembers oftheWTO, bytheir Decisions of13December 1995,
18July1996, and24April 19971acting pursuant totheprovisions ofparagraph 3ofArticle IXof
theWTO Agreement, suspended theapplication oftheprovisions ofArticle IIofGATT 1994 until
31October 1997, forthepurpose ofenabling theMembers listed intheAnnex toimplement the
recommended 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, until30April 1998, forthepurpose ofenabling theMembers listed in
theAnnextoimplementtherecommendedamendmentstotheHarmonizedSystemnomenclature,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 System2;orifspecial
circumstances apply, theMember concerned shallhaverequested technical assistance
from theSecretariat forthecompletion ofsuchdocumentation.
(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 1998;
1WT/L/124 +Corr.1, WT/L/173, andWT/L/216
2BISD 39S/300.G/MA/W/14
Page2
(iv) pending theentryintoforceoftheresults ofthenegotiations orconsultations mentioned
above, theother Members willbefreetosuspend concessions initially negotiated with
theMember concerned totheextent thattheyconsider thatadequate compensation
isnotoffered bytheMember concerned.G/MA/W/14
Page3
ANNEX
1. MEMBERS WHICH HAVE REQUESTED ANEXTENSION OFTHE TIME-LIMIT OF
THE ABOVE WAIVER
Argentina
Australia
Brazil
Brunei Darussalam
Canada
Colombia
Costa Rica
Cuba
Czech Republic
Egypt
ElSalvador
European Communities
Honduras
Hungary
Iceland
India
Indonesia
Israel
Korea
Malaysia
Mexico
Norway
Pakistan
Paraguay
Philippines
Poland
Romania
Slovak Republic
Slovenia
South Africa
Thailand
Tunisia
Turkey
United States
Uruguay
Venezuela
[Zimbabwe]
2. ADDITIONAL MEMBERS WHICH HAVE REQUESTED TOBECOVERED BYTHE
WAIVER UNDER THE ABOVE DECISION
Malta