REPORT (2015) OF THE COMMITTEE OF
PARTICIPANTS ON THE EXPANSION
OF TRADE IN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY PRODUCTS
1.1. The Committee of Participants on the Expansion of Trade in
Information Technology Products, hereinafter referred to as "the
Committee", was established pursuant to the provisions of the Ministerial
Declaration on Trade in Information Technology Products (WT/MIN(96)/16),
hereinafter 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.
1.2. The Committee has held two formal meetings in 2015: on 8 May
and 14 October. The minutes of these meetings are contained in
documents G/IT/M/62 and G/IT/M/63. Mr Andrew Staines (United Kingdom)
was elected Chairman of the Committee for 2015.
1.3. The total number of WTO Members that are participants to the
Ministerial Declaration is 82. Since the last report, the Republic of
Kazakhstan joined the ITA on 27 July 2015. Kazakhstan's ITA commitments
will be implemented upon its accession to the WTO. The Committee's rules of
procedure provide for observer status in the Committee for WTO Members
that are not participants to the Ministerial Declaration, and governments that
are observers to the Council for Trade in Goods. Requests for observer status
by international intergovernmental organizations are considered on a case‑by‑case
basis. The International Trade Centre (ITC) and the Organization for Economic
Cooperation and Development (OECD) have been granted observer status, and the
World Customs Organization (WCO) has been granted observer status to
meetings where issues of HS classification and HS amendments are
included in the agenda.
1.4. The Committee continued its deliberations on the Non‑Tariff Measures
(NTMs) Work Programme in 2015. With regard to its work on the
EMC/EMI Pilot Project, the Committee took note that, among the
53 participants, 29 had provided survey responses and the Committee
encouraged those that had not yet done so to provide the information without
any further delay. In considering ways to advance and expand its work on NTBs
other than EMC/EMI, the Committee on 7 May 2015 held a workshop on
NTBs affecting trade in IT products. The main issues raised at the
workshop by industry representatives were: transparency, standards for
recognition of test results, e‑labelling, and energy efficiency. A factual
report on the workshop was circulated in document G/IT/28. At the request
of the Committee, the Chairman undertook informal consultations with interested
delegations to examine the recommendations and avenues that were suggested by
industry representatives at the NTB workshop, and such consultations will
continue in 2016.
1.5. On classification divergences, with regard to the Committee's
Decision (G/IT/27) concerning the endorsement of the 18 List I‑A items for
Attachment B (G/IT/W/34), the Secretariat has been approached by
five ITA Participants for technical assistance. For the remaining 37 Attachment B
items, the Committee discussed a Swiss proposal, circulated as document JOB/IT/12,
and adopted from it a three‑step procedure. The Secretariat's comments on the
remaining 37 items and comments received from ten delegations were
compiled in document G/IT/W/40 and its Addenda and Supplement.
1.6. The Committee has consistently reviewed the status of
implementation, a summary of which is provided in document G/IT/1 and its
revisions. The document details that most participants had submitted the formal
documentation for rectification and modification of their WTO schedules in
order to incorporate the commitments arising from the Ministerial Declaration,
and most had been certified by the Director‑General. One participant still
had not yet submitted the necessary documentation.
1.7. At the meetings of 8 May and 14 October 2015, the
Committee took note of the plurilateral negotiations and the result of an
agreement on product expansion among some participants (WT/L/956). The
Committee agreed to revert to this matter at its future meetings.
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