GATT/AIR/2934

GATT/AIR/2934 20 FEBRUARY 1990

SUBJECT: TECHNICAL GROUP ON QUANTITATIVE RESTRICTIONS AND OTHER NON-TARIFF MEASURES

1. IN 1984 AND 1985 THE CONTRACTING PARTIES ADOPTED RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE UP-DATING AND IMPROVEMENT OF THE INFORMATION BASE ON QUANTITATIVE RESTRICTIONS (BISD 31S/12 AND 211, BISD 32S/12 AND 91).

2. ACCORDINGLY CONTRACTING PARTIES SHOULD MAKE THEIR BIENNIAL COMPLETE NOTIFICATION OF THE QUANTITATIVE RESTRICTIONS WHICH THEY MAINTAIN BY THE END OF APRIL 1990. THIS NOTIFICATION SHOULD EITHER BE IN INTEGRATED-DATA-BASE FORMAT OR CONTAIN:

(I) A FULL DESCRIPTION OF THE PRODUCTS AND TARIFF LINES (OR PARTS OF TARIFF LINES) AFFECTED TOGETHER WITH THE RELEVANT HEADING OR SUB-HEADING IN THE CUSTOMS TARIFF CONCERNED AND, IN CASES IN WHICH THIS IS NOT BASED ON THE CUSTOMS CO-OPERATION COUNCIL NOMENCLATURE OR HARMONIZED SYSTEM NOMENCLATURE, THE CORRESPONDING CCCN OR HS HEADING;

(II) A PRECISE INDICATION OF THE TYPE OF RESTRICTION, USING THE SYMBOLS CONTAINED IN THE ANNEX TO THE GROUP'S 1985 REPORT (BISD, 32S/108);

(III) AN INDICATION OF THE GROUNDS AND GATT JUSTIFICATION FOR THE MEASURES MAINTAINED, INCLUDING THE PRECISE PROVISIONS CITED AS A JUSTIFICATION (E.G. THE RELEVANT SECTION OF ARTICLE XVIII OR SUBPARAGRAPH OF ARTICLES XX OR XXI);

(IV) AN ASSESSMENT, TO THE EXTENT POSSIBLE, OF THE TRADE EFFECTS OF THE MEASURES.

3. WHERE REQUESTED, THE SECRETARIAT SHOULD ASSIST DELEGATIONS OF CONTRACTING PARTIES TO PREPARE THESE NOTIFICATIONS, DRAWING, IF NECESSARY, UPON INFORMATION AVAILABLE IN OFFICIAL PUBLISHED SOURCES. DELEGATIONS ARE ALSO REMINDED THAT DETAILED EXTRACTS OF THE QUANTITATIVE RESTRICTIONS DATA BASE CAN BE PROVIDED, ON PAPER OR COMPUTER TAPE, TO HELP THEM WITH THEIR UPDATING.

4. CONTRACTING PARTIES ARE REMINDED THAT THE INVENTORY OF NON-TARIFF MEASURES (INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTS) REMAINS OPEN-ENDED AND THAT MODIFICATIONS AND NEW NOTIFICATIONS CAN BE MADE AT ANY TIME. THE PROCEDURES FOR UP-DATING IT, AS ADOPTED BY THE CONTRACTING PARTIES IN NOVEMBER 1979 (BISD, 27S/18), AND THE FORMAT ADOPTED BY THE CONTRACTING PARTIES IN NOVEMBER 1984 (BISD, 31S/227, PARAGRAPH 65(A)) REMAIN IN FORCE.

5. IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE 1986 DECISION OF THE CONTRACTING PARTIES (BISD, 33S/54) THE TECHNICAL GROUP CARRIES OUT PERIODICAL MULTILATERAL REVIEWS OF THE NOTIFICATIONS RECEIVED. AT ITS MEETING ON 10 MAY 1989, THE COUNCIL DECIDED, IN THE LIGHT OF THE CURRENT WORKLOAD OF THE GATT, THAT THE COUNCIL CHAIRMAN UNDERTAKE INFORMAL CONSULTATIONS IN THE LAST QUARTER OF 1990 CONCERNING THE DATE OF THE TECHNICAL GROUP'S NEXT MEETING (C/M/232, ITEM 3).

A. DUNKEL

90-0211