RESTRICTED
WORLD TRADE G/LIC//W/6
11October 1996
ORGANIZATION(96-4299)
Committee onImport Licensing
Draft Understanding onProcedures fortheReview ofNotifications
Submitted under theAgreement onImport Licensing Procedures
Note bytheSecretariat
AsMembers willrecall, atitsmeeting on8March 1996, theCommittee onImport Licensing
discussed aproposal bytheChairman onhowtodealwithsubstantive issues arising fromnotifications
submitted under theAgreement onImport Licensing Procedures. Thepurpose oftheunderstanding
istofacilitate andspeed upthereview ofnotifications andminimize anydelays inproviding clarifications
orresponses toanyqueries concerning suchnotifications. TheCommittee agreed torevert tothis
matter atthenextmeeting onthebasis ofarevised draft textforanunderstanding (G/LIC/M/3,
paragraphs 7-9). Thismatter wasfurther discussed ataninformal meeting on1October 1996. The
following draft, based onrecent consultations, iscirculated forconsideration oftheCommittee atits
nextmeeting on23October 1996.
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TheCommittee discussed thematter ofsubstantive issues arising fromnotifications ofimport
licensing procedures which could beraised byMembers andreached thefollowing understanding:
"OnthebasisofArticle 4oftheAgreement, itwasrecognized thatMembers could express views on
notifications ofimport licensing procedures asrequired under various Articles oftheAgreement, and
request clarifications, asmaybenecessary, fromother Members onmatters related totheAgreement
onImport Licensing Procedures. Itwas,however, agreed thatsuchviews, andrequests forclarification,
should becommunicated, inwriting, tothedelegations concerned withcopies forinformation tothe
Secretariat preferably 21days, butatleasttenworking days, inadvance ofthemeeting atwhich they
would beraised. Replies tothequestions should alsobeforwarded tothedelegations having raised
thequestions, inwriting, withcopies forinformation totheSecretariat. Thequestions andreplies
thusreceived would becirculated bytheSecretariat."