. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/L/484
2 October 2001
(01-4692)
REPORT (2001) OF THE COMMITTEE OF PARTICIPANTS ON THE EXPANSION
OF TRADE IN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY PRODUCTS
1. The Committee of Participants on the Expansi on of Trade in Information Technology Products,
hereinafter referred to as the Committee, was estab lished pursuant to the provisions of the Ministerial
Declaration on Trade in Information Technology Pr oducts (WT/MIN(96)/16), hereafter referred to as
the Ministerial Declaration, and the provisions for the Implementation of the Ministerial Declaration on
Trade in Information Technology Products (G/L/ 160), in order to carry out the provisions of
paragraphs 3, 5, 6 and 7 of the Annex to the Declaration.
2. The Committee has held four formal meetings in 2001:  on 27 February, 27 April, 5 July, and
24 September.  The minutes of these meetings ar e contained in documents G/IT/M/25 to G/IT/M/281.
Mr. H. Yano (Japan) was elected Chairman of the Committee for 2001.
3. During the past year, the Committee approved the draft schedule of commitments submitted by
Bulgaria.  Thus, with the addition of this country, the total number of participants to the Ministerial
Declaration is fifty-six2.  Membership in the Committee is open to  representatives of all participants.
The Committee's rules of procedure provide for obs erver status in the Committee for WTO Members
which are not participants to the Ministerial Decl aration and Governments that are observers to the
Council for Trade in Goods.  Requests for observe r status by international intergovernmental
organizations are considered on a case-by-case basis.  The International Trade Centre (ITC) and
Organization for Economic Cooperati on and Development (OECD) have been granted observer status;
and the World Customs Organization (WCO) has been granted observer status to meetings where the
issues of HS classification and HS am endments are included in the agenda.
4. The Committee addressed a number of on-going issues during the year.  As a result of the
approval of the Non-Tariff Measures Work Programme in late 2000, the Committee began work by
identifying NTMs which were impediments to trade in ITA products.  In this respect, there are nine
submissions by participants thus far.  The Committe e is in the process of examining the economic and
developmental impact of such measures on trade in ITA products and the benefits which would accrueto participants from addressing their undue trade-distorting effects.  It is foreseen, in its final phase,
that the Committee will give formal consideration of the outcome of the work programme.
5.  The Committee addressed classification divergences during the year.  Noting the constructive
work of the customs experts from their meetings in 1999 and 2000, the Committee worked on the
basis of their reports.   Progress was made on the divergences and the Committee forwarded one list
of products to the WCO Harmonized System Committee for their consideration.  Furthermore, theCommittee was able to identify products where divergences were narrowed to one classification
option, or were significantly reduced to two or more possible classifications.  The Committee
continued to review the situation so that further progress could be made.
                                                     
1 Currently in the process of being issued.
2 Counting the individual members of customs unions separately (EC member states, Switzerland and
Liechtenstein).G/L/484
Page 2
6. The Committee has consistently reviewed the status of implementation, a summary of which
was provided in documents G/IT/1/Rev.17 to G/IT/1/Rev.20 during the year.  There were 56
participants3 (covering Members and States or separate customs territories in the process of acceding
to the WTO) representing approximately 93 percent of world trade in information technology
products.  The latest document noted that 45 participants had submitted the formal documentation forrectification and modification of their WTO schedules in order to incorporate the commitments
arising from the Ministerial Declaration and that 43
4 of these had been certified by the Director-
General.  Nine participants had incorporated th eir commitments in their schedules at the time of
accession, thus it was not necessary to submit the documentation for rectification and modification of
schedules.  It was noted that the one participant who was not yet a WTO Member was implementing
the concessions on an autonomous basis.  There were two countries that were still awaiting the
completion of domestic procedural requirements so that their schedules could be certified, and onewho had not yet submitted the necessary documentation.
7.  The Chairman regularly informed the Committee under "other business" that various
participants continued to consult amongst themselves on review of product coverage.  He encouraged
delegations to continue consultations.
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3 Ibid.
4 One schedule was in the process of being certified by the Director-General.