RESTRICTEDWORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/MA/M/25
18 August 2000
(00-3338)
Committee on Market Access
MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF 28 JULY 2000
Chairman:  Mr. Christophe Kiener (Switzerland)
Table of contents Page
1. Consolidated Tariff Schedules (CTS) Database Project .......................................................1
- Format for Specific Commitments  in Agriculture (G/MA/W/25) ...................................1
2. Other business............................................................................................................... ............2
(a) United States – IDB submissions............................................................................................. ...2
(b) Australia – HS96 submissions ................................................................................................ ....2
The above agenda as reproduced in document WTO/AIR/1360 was adopted with the addition of
items 2(a) and (b).
1. Consolidated Tariff Schedules (CTS) Database Project
- Format for Specific Commitments in Agriculture (G/MA/W/25)
1.1 The Chairman recalled that at the Committee's formal meeting of 27 June 2000 it was agreed
that informal consultations should be held to consider the informal document containing the
Secretariat's proposed format for inclusion of agricultural commitments into the CTS database which
was distributed to all delegations at that meeting.  The document was examined at an informal
meeting held on 18 July 2000. At that meeting the general reaction to the document was favourable,although certain delegations indicated that more tim e would be required for their capitals to examine
the document. It was agreed that another informal  meeting would be held on 28 July 2000 to review
the situation, and it was also agreed that a formal meeting of the Committee would follow the
informal meeting for the purpose of adopting the report in case capitals had managed to complete
their examination of the document and were satisfied with it.
1.2 The discussion at the informal meeting preceding this formal session had led him to
understand that all capitals had now had sufficient time to review this document and were satisfied
with it.  He therefore proposed that the Committee adopt the document G/MA/W/25.  He added that
certain technical adjustments to the format might need to be made at the time of processing the data incase problems or situations which were not foreseen surfaced at that time.  He also confirmed that the
CTS database had no legal status, and that the information contained in the database would be
released to all Members at the same time as soon as the requested input from all Members had been
provided.G/MA/M/25
Page 2
1.3 On this basis, the Committee adopted document G/MA/W/251 containing the proposed format
for inclusion of Members' specific commitments in agriculture in the CTS database.
1.4 The representative of Japan stated that his delegation could support the format contained in
document G/MA/W/25 especially as the database had no legal status.  He informed the Committee
that Japan was making every effort to submit the relevant data.
1.5 The Committee took note of the statement.
2. Other business
(a) United States – IDB submissions
2.1 The representative of the United States stated that informal consultations on the subject of
IDB submissions were going to be held in the autumn and in the interim he appealed to Members to
think of a system that would work and would produce reliably submissions to a database which
everyone admitted was a valuable tool.  A tool which would, however, lose its value if the pattern of
submissions was interrupted or if submissions were not made at all. He invited those countries having
experienced problems to come prepared to discuss the practicalities of what was necessary, whether itwas technical assistance or direct contact between the Secretariat and statistical authorities back in
capital, in order to address the problem of what appeared to be a deceleration in the pace of IDB
submissions.
2.2 The representative of the Philippines stated that there was need for a decision as to whether
Members should submit tariffs at the bound and applied rates as this would affect the picture of IDB
submissions.  She hoped that this issue would also be included in the informal consultations.
2.3 The representative of Canada supported the US statement.  He hoped that Members would
think about how best to address the outstanding problems, in particular as concerned the updating of
submissions.  As his delegation had indicated previously, one of its major concerns was that there
seemed to be a dropping off of submissions after 1998 for tariffs and after 1996 for import data. His
delegation looked forward to the informal consultations, including addressing the kinds of questions
raised by the Philippines.
2.4 The Committee took note of the statements.
(b) Australia – HS96 submissions
2.5 The representative of Australia stated that his delegation had found the informal document
circulated by the Secretariat at the last meeting to be extremely useful in reconciling and stocktaking
the situation in relation to the work on HS96 transpositions.  It was true that his delegation owed some
responses and in turn was owed some responses.  His delegation had now moved into a phase of
trying to expedite this work and would keep the Committee informed of any progress made.
2.6 The representative of Canada supported Australia's statement. The document produced by the
Secretariat had helped in invigorating the HS96 wo rk and the idea of a special session in the autumn
at which Members would have to explain themselves had been a very useful device in that regard.  It
was his hope that before then his delegation would have reduced the number of countries to which itowed explanations.
                                                     
1 Following its adoption, document G/MA/W/25 was issued as G/MA/110.G/MA/M/25
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2.7 The Committee took note of the statements.
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