The Committee of Participants on the Expansion of Trade
in Information Technology Products (ITA Committee)
approved, on 13 November 2000, a one-year work programme
on non-tariff measures on ITA products consisting of
three phases.During
the first phase, the Committee will compile, by March
2001, an inventory of non-tariff measures which have been
identified by participants as impediments to trade in ITA
products.
In
the second phase, the participants will examine the
economic and developmental impact of such measures on
trade in ITA products and the benefits which would accrue
to participants from addressing their undue
trade-distorting effects.
The
third phase would be completed by November 2001 when the
Committee meets to consider the outcomes of Phases I and
II.
The
work programme is based on a proposal submitted by
Australia and agreed after intensive consultations held
by the ITA Committee Chairperson, Ms. Elizabeth Chelliah
(Singapore).
Under
the decision, the Committee “may, as appropriate,
draw on the expertise of regulatory, industry, and
relevant WTO and other international bodies with due
regard to the inter-governmental nature of the WTO”.
At
the WTO Information Technology Symposium held in July
last year, several IT industry representatives complained
about non-tariff barriers in the IT sector, including
what they said are redundant testing and certification
requirements by various countries on IT products, and
problems with import licenses. One speaker cited a
seven-fold increase worldwide in regulatory standards and
certifications for IT products from 1989 to 1998, which
he said meant hundreds of millions of dollars in
additional cost to consumers.
In
the ITA Committee, a number of participants have
submitted national-experience papers on the benefits of
reducing or removing non-tariff barriers to IT products.
Participants have also submitted answers to a
questionnaire on standards they apply to IT products.
The
ITA's current 54 participants (counting the EC as 15)
account for about 93% of world trade in IT products. The
Agreement provides for the elimination of all tariffs on
ITA products by 1 January 2000 but extended phase-out
periods had been granted to developing countries on
certain products.
Non-tariff
measures work programme Back
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The
Committee of Participants on the Expansion of Trade in
Information Technology Products (the
“Committee”),
RECALLING
that Ministers had acknowledged the importance of
non-tariff measures (the “NTMs”) and their
impact on trade in information technology products when
they agreed on the need for discussion on this issue in
relation to products covered in the Ministerial
Declaration on Trade in Information Technology Products,
Singapore, December 1996, (the “ITA”), in
accordance with paragraph 3 of the Annex of the ITA,
NOTING
that liberalised trade in information technology products
can assist participants to take advantage of the benefits
of electronic commerce and the information economy, which
contribute directly to improving competitiveness and
economic development,
NOTING
that tariffs on ITA products will be eliminated, as per
the agreement reached and that participants are
consulting among themselves on further tariff
liberalization,
AGREEING
that, in parallel with tariff liberalisation, there is a
need to identify non-tariff measures which adversely
affect the expansion of trade in ITA products and to
explore how the undue trade-distorting effects of such
non-tariff measures could be reduced or eliminated,
AIMING
to avoid duplication in, and to complement work carried
out by, WTO bodies under other agreements,
WELCOMING
the work on NTMs already undertaken by the Committee on
the provision of national experience papers by
participants,
AGREES
to proceed with a work programme on NTMs on ITA products,
on the following basis:
- Phase
I: identify NTMs which are impediments to trade
in ITA products;
Phase II: examine the economic and developmental
impact of such measures on trade in ITA products
and the benefits which would accrue to
participants from addressing their undue
trade-distorting effects;
Phase III: the formal consideration by the
Committee of the outcomes of Phases I and II.
By
no later than March 2001, the Committee will compile an
inventory of NTMs which have been identified by Committee
participants in their submissions as impediments to trade
in ITA products. The submissions should include specific
details of the trade distorting impact of the NTMs
identified. Further, the Committee will agree on
modalities for the commencement of Phase II after
modifications, if any, to the work programme that may be
necessary.
The
Committee will meet to consider the outcomes of Phases I
and II no later than November 2001.
The
Committee may, as appropriate, draw on the expertise of
regulatory, industry, and relevant WTO and other
international bodies with due regard to the
inter-governmental nature of the WTO.
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