World Trade
Organization WT/L/876
14 December 2012 (12-6823)
extension of waiver
concerning Kimberley Process Certification Scheme
for Rough Diamonds
Decision of 11 December 2012
The General Council,
Conducting the function of the Ministerial Conference in the interval between meetings pursuant to paragraph 2 of Article IV of the Marrakesh Agreement Establishing the World Trade Organization (the "WTO Agreement");
Having regard to paragraphs 1, 3 and 4 of Article IX of the WTO Agreement, the Guiding Principles to be followed in considering applications for waivers adopted on 1 November 1956 (BISD 5S/25), and the Understanding in Respect of Waivers of Obligations under the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade 1994 (the "Understanding");
Recalling that by a Decision of 15 May 2003 the General Council granted certain Members a waiver from obligations under paragraph 1 of Article I, 1 of Article XI, and 1 of Article XIII of the GATT 1994 for the period 1 January 2003 until 31 December 2006;
Recalling that by a Decision of 15 December 2006 the General Council granted certain Members a waiver from obligations under paragraph 1 of Article I, 1 of Article XI, and 1 of Article XIII of the GATT 1994 for the period 1 January 2007 until 31 December 2012 (the "Existing Waiver");
Taking note of the request of the Members listed in the Annex for an extension of the Existing Waiver with respect to their domestic measures to regulate the international trade in rough diamonds consistent with the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme;
Noting that this Decision does not prejudge the consistency of domestic measures taken consistent with the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme with provisions of the WTO Agreement, Botswana, Brazil, Canada, Croatia, European Union, India, Israel, Japan, Korea, Mexico, New Zealand, Norway, Philippines, Russian Federation, Singapore, Chinese Taipei, Thailand, Turkey, United States, and Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.
Australia, Botswana, Brazil, Canada, Croatia, India, Israel, Japan, Korea, Mauritius, Mexico, Norway, Philippines, Sierra Leone, Chinese Taipei, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, United States, Venezuela.
World Trade
Organization WT/L/875
14 December 2012 (12 6824)
INTRODUCTION OF HARMONIZED SYSTEM 2012 CHANGES INTO WTO SCHEDULES OF TARIFF CONCESSIONS
Decision of 11 December 2012*
The General Council,
Having regard to Articles IV:2 and IX:3 of the Marrakesh Agreement establishing the World Trade Organization (the "WTO Agreement");
Recognizing that the adoption of the Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System (hereinafter referred to as the "Harmonized System") has, in addition to facilitating international trade and the analysis of trade statistics, ensured greater uniformity in countries' customs classification, thus enabling them to monitor and protect the value of tariff concessions;
Noting that, in accordance with Article 16 of the Harmonized System Convention, the Council of the World Customs Organization adopted a Recommendation on 26 June 2009 concerning amendments to the Harmonized System which came into force on 1 January 2012 (hereinafter referred to as "HS2012 changes");
Considering that the General Council by its decision of 30 November 2011 acting pursuant to the provisions of Articles IV:2 and IX:3 of the WTO Agreement, suspended the application of the provisions of Article II of GATT 1994 for certain Members, from the date of implementation of HS2012 changes for those Members until 31 December 2012, to the extent necessary to implement domestically the HS2012 changes pending incorporation of such changes into their Schedules of Concessions, the suspension of the application of the provisions of Article II for the Russian Federation will begin as of that date and not from the date of implementation of the HS2012 changes for the Russian Federation. WT/L/875 Page 2
World Trade
Organization WT/L/874
14 December 2012 (12-6828)
INTRODUCTION OF HARMONIZED SYSTEM 2007 CHANGES INTO WTO SCHEDULES OF TARIFF CONCESSIONS
Decision of 11 December 2012*
The General Council,
Having regard to Articles IV:2 and IX:3 of the Marrakesh Agreement establishing the World Trade Organization (the "WTO Agreement");
Recognizing that the adoption of the Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System (hereinafter referred to as the "Harmonized System") has, in addition to facilitating international trade and the analysis of trade statistics, ensured greater uniformity in countries' customs classification, thus enabling them to monitor and protect the value of tariff concessions;
Noting that, in accordance with Article 16 of the Harmonized System Convention, the Council of the World Customs Organization adopted a Recommendation on 26 June 2004 concerning amendments to the Harmonized System which will come into force on 1 January 2007 (hereinafter referred to as "HS2007 changes");
Considering that the General Council by its decisions of 15 December 2006, 18 December 2007, 18 December 2008, 17 December 2009, 14 December 2010 and 30 November 2011 acting pursuant to the provisions of Articles IV:2 and IX:3 of the WTO Agreement, suspended the application of the provisions of Article II of GATT 1994 for certain Members, China 1 January 2007
India 1 January 2007
Israel 31 December 2007
Korea 1 January 2007
Macao, China 1 January 2007
Malaysia 1 January 2007
Mexico 1 July 2007
New Zealand 1 January 2007
Nicaragua 1 January 2007
Norway 1 January 2007
Pakistan 1 July 2007
Philippines 11 December 2007
Singapore 1 July 2007
Switzerland 1 January 2007
Thailand 1 January 2007
United States 1 January 2007
Uruguay 1 January 2007
__________
* Secretariat note: Adopted in accordance with the Decision-Making Procedures under Articles IX and XII of the WTO Agreement agreed by the General Council in November 1995 (WT/L/93). WT/L/874 Page 2
World Trade
Organization WT/L/873
14 December 2012 (12-6827)
INTRODUCTION OF HARMONIZED SYSTEM 2002 CHANGES INTO
WTO SCHEDULES OF TARIFF CONCESSIONS
Decision of 11 December 2012*
The General Council,
Having regard to Articles IV:2 and IX:3 of the Marrakesh Agreement establishing the World Trade Organization (the "WTO Agreement");
Considering that the General Council, by its Decisions of 13 May 2002 and 8 July 2002, acting pursuant to the provisions of Articles IV:2 and IX:3 of the WTO Agreement, suspended the application of the provisions of Article II of GATT 1994 for certain Members for periods up to one year for each respective Member to the extent necessary to implement domestically the "HS2002 changes" pending incorporation of such changes into their Schedules of Concessions, subject to certain conditions;
Considering that the General Council, by its Decisions of 12 December 2002, 11 February 2004, 13 December 2004, 1 December 2005, 15 December 2006, 18 December 2007, 18 December 2008, 17 December 2009, 14 December 2010 and 30 November 2011 acting pursuant to the provisions of Articles IV:2 and IX:3 of the WTO Agreement, suspended the application of the provisions of Article II of GATT 1994 for further periods until 31 December 2012 for certain Members, to the extent necessary to implement domestically the HS2002 changes pending incorporation of such changes into their Schedules of Concessions, paragraph 17. WT/L/873 Page 2
World Trade
Organization WT/L/871
7 December 2012 (12-6744) Original: English
accession of the republic of tajikistan
Invocation by the United States of Article XIII of the
Marrakesh Agreement Establishing the World Trade Organization
with respect to the Republic of Tajikistan
The following communication, dated 7 December 2012, from the Permanent Mission of the United States, addressed to the Chair of the General Council, is circulated to WTO Members.
_______________
My authorities have instructed me to inform you and the General Council of the World Trade Organization (WTO), prior to its approval of the agreement of the terms of accession for Tajikistan to join the WTO that the United States of America does not consent to the application as between it and Tajikistan of the Marrakesh Agreement Establishing the World Trade Organization and the agreements annexed thereto.
World Trade
Organization WT/L/870/Corr.1
7 December 2012 (12-6745) General Council
11 December 2012 Original: English
European union preferences for Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina,
Croatia, the former yugoslav republic of Macedonia,
montenegro, Serbia AS WELL AS kOSOVO
Report of the European Union under the Decision of 5 December 2011
Corrigendum
The last sentence of paragraph 10 should read as follows:
"The Stabilization and Association Agreement with Serbia has not yet entered into force".
__________
Kosovo under United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244.
WT/L/836.
World Trade
Organization WT/L/870
5 December 2012
(12-6704) General Council
11 December 2012 Original: English
European union preferences for Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina,
Croatia, the former yugoslav republic of Macedonia,
montenegro, Serbia AS WELL AS kOSOVO
Report of the European Union under the Decision of 5 December 2011
The following communication, dated 30 November 2012, is being circulated at the request of the Delegation of the European Union.
_______________
Introduction
On 8 December 2000, the European Union (EU) was granted a waiver (WT/L/380) from its obligations under paragraph 1 of Article I of the GATT 1994 to the extent necessary to permit the European Union to afford duty-free or preferential treatment to eligible products originating in Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Serbia and Montenegro, without being required to extend the same duty-free or preferential treatment
World Trade
Organization WT/L/867
19 November 2012 (12 6314) General Council
11 December 2012 Original: Spanish
CUBA ARTICLE XV:6 OF THE GENERAL AGREEMENT ON TARIFFS AND TRADE 1994
Report by the Government of Cuba under the Decision of 14 February 2012
The following communication, dated 9 November 2012, is being circulated at the request of the delegation of Cuba.
_______________
Pursuant to Article IX:4 of the Agreement Establishing the World Trade Organization (WTO), the Republic of Cuba hereby submits the first annual report on the renewal granted on 14 February 2012 of the waiver extension approved on 14 December 2006. This waiver was granted to Cuba under the Decision of 14 October 1996 in relation to Article XV:6 of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade 1994 (GATT 1994) and was extended on 20 December 2001.
In 2011, Cuba continued to be the target of direct attacks by the Government of the United States of America (hereinafter the
World Trade
Organization WT/L/868
16 November 2012 (12-6312) General Council
11 December 2012 Original: English/ French
CANADIAN TARIFF TREATMENT FOR COMMONWEALTH
CARIBBEAN COUNTRIES
2012 Report of the Government of Canada on the
Trade-Related Provisions of CARIBCAN
The following communication, dated 15 November 2012, is being circulated at the request of the Delegation of Canada.
_______________
Introduction
CARIBCAN is an economic and trade development assistance programme for the Commonwealth Caribbean countries and territories established as a result of a commitment by Canada at the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Nassau in October 1985.
The objectives of CARIBCAN are to enhance Commonwealth Caribbean trade and export earnings, improve the trade and economic development prospects of the region, promote new investment opportunities, and encourage enhanced economic integration and co-operation. The main feature of CARIBCAN
