. /.RESTRICTEDWORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/C/W/142
5 March 1999
(99-0873)
Council for Trade in Goods
25 March 1999Original:  English
BANGLADESH – ESTABLISHMENT OF A NEW SCHEDULE LXX
Draft Decision on Extension of Time-Limit
Considering that the CONTRACTING PA RTIES to GATT 1947, by their Decision of
18 July 19881, suspended the application of the provisi ons of Article II of GATT 1947 to the extent
necessary to enable the Government of Bangladesh to implement the Harmonized System on
1 July 1988 and carry out negotiations subsequently;
Taking into account that, by successive Decisi ons, the time-limit of the waiver granted to
Bangladesh has been extended until 30 April 19992;
Considering that by a Decision of 31 January 19953 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
Bangladesh for the establishment of a new Schedule LXX;
Considering that the documentation relevant to the transposition of Bangladesh's Schedule into
the Harmonized System was circulated on 6 December 1990 in document SECRET/HS/29;
Noting that the Government of Bangladesh has initiated consultations under Article XXVIII
with four countries and has conclude d negotiations with three of them;
Noting that the Government of Bangladesh need s to conclude negotiations with the remaining
trading partner;
Considering that the Government of Bangladesh  has provided the assurance that it will make
every effort to conclude negotiations as early as possible;
Considering that the Government of Bangladesh, having fulfilled the requirements of
paragraph 1 of the Understanding in Respect of Waivers of Obligations under the GATT 1994 has,
therefore, requested a further extension of the exemption of its obligations under Article II of
GATT 19944;
The General Council, acting pursuant to the prov isions of Article IX of the WTO Agreement,
                                                     
     1BISD, 35S/348.
     2WT/L/277.
     3WT/L/3 + Corr.1.
     4G/L/298.G/C/W/142
Page 2
Decides, in view of the exceptional circumstances outlined above, to extend the waiver granted
to Bangladesh by the Decision of 18 July 1988, until 31 October 1999.
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