RESTRICTED
WORLD TRADE G/C/W/26
22November 1995
ORGANIZATION(95-3797)
COUNCIL FOR TRADE INGOODS
1December 1995
JAMAICA -ESTABLISHMENT OFANEW SCHEDULE LXVI
Draft Decision onExtension ofTime-Limit
Considering thattheCONTRACTING PARTIES toGATT 1947, bytheir Decision of
20August 19931,suspended theapplication oftheprovisions ofArticle IIofGATT 1947 toenable
theGovernment ofJamaica toimplement theHarmonized Commodity Description andCoding System
(Harmonized System) andcarry outnegotiations subsequently;
Takingintoaccountthat,bysuccessiveDecisions,thetime-limitofthewaivergrantedtoJamaica
hasbeenextended until31December 19952;
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
toJamaica fortheestablishment ofanewSchedule LXVI;
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;
Noting thatthedocumentation relevant tothetransposition ofJamaica 'sSchedule intothe
Harmonized System wassubmitted on29September 1995, andwascirculated indocument
G/SECRET/HS/5 on6October 1995;
1L/7291.
2WT/L/83.
3WT/L/3 +Corr.1.
./.G/C/W/26
Page2
Noting thattheninety-day period torequest consultations ornegotiations withJamaica has
notelapsed, andthatitwillbedifficult fortheGovernment ofJamaica tocarry outandconclude
consultations before 31December 1995, incaseofreceipt ofsuchrequests;
Considering thattheGovernment ofJamaica, having fulfilled therequirements ofparagraph 1
oftheUnderstanding inRespect ofWaivers ofObligations under theGATT 1994, hasrequested a
further extension ofthewaiver until30June19964;
TheGeneral Council, acting pursuant totheprovisions ofArticle IXoftheWTO Agreement,
Decides, inviewoftheexceptional circumstances outlined above, toextend thewaiver granted
toJamaica bytheDecision of20August 1993, until30June1996.
4G/L/45.