GATT/AIR/UNNUMBERED 16 FEBRUARY 1988

SUBJECT: INTEGRATED DATA BASE

1. IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE DECISION TAKEN AT ITS 22 JANUARY 1988

MEETING, THE NEXT MEETING OF THE INFORMAL ADVISORY GROUP, WHICH IS OPEN

TO ALL CONTRACTING PARTIES, WILL BE HELD ON FRIDAY, 19 FEBRUARY AT

10.30 A.M. IN ROOM E.

2. IT WILL BE RECALLED THAT THE COUNCIL STRESSED THE NEED TO ASSURE THE BROADEST POSSIBLE PARTICIPATION OF CONTRACTING PARTIES IN THE INTEGRATED DATA BASE, AND IT WAS NOTED THAT THE SECRETARIAT SHOULD BE READY TO PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO COUNTRIES, PARTICULARLY DEVELOPING COUNTRIES, WHICH MAY HAVE DIFFICULTY IN SUPPLYING THE NECESSARY INFORMATION.

3. AT THE MEETING ON 22 JANUARY SEVERAL DELEGATIONS STATED THEIR INTENTION TO PARTICIPATE IN THE INTEGRATED DATA BASE. SEVERAL OTHER DELEGATIONS INDICATED THAT MORE TIME WAS REQUIRED IN THEIR CAPITALS TO COME TO A FULLER UNDERSTANDING OF THE TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS OF COMPLYING WITH THE SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS OF THE INTEGRATED DATA BASE. THE SECRETARIAT UNDERTOOK, IN THIS CONNECTION, TO DISCUSS WITH DELEGATIONS ADDITIONAL DETAILS CONCERNING THE PREPARATION OF SUBMISSIONS. IN THIS CONNECTION IT ALSO UNDERTOOK TO PREPARE A NOTE EXPANDING ON THE MATERIAL IN ANNEX 2 OF L/6290 CONCERNING THE DATA REQUIREMENTS OF THE INTEGRATED DATA BASE AND THE FORMAT OF SUBMISSIONS.

4. IT IS SUGGESTED THAT THE NEXT MEETING OF THE INFORMAL ADVISORY GROUP COULD BE USED (1) TO REVIEW THE DRAFT NOTE PREPARED BY THE SECRETARIAT WHICH EXPANDS ON THE MATERIAL IN ANNEX 2 OF L/6290 (COPIES OF THE DRAFT NOTE WILL BE AVAILABLE TO DELEGATIONS AT THE MAIN RECEPTION DESK OF THE SECRETARIAT BEGINNING AT 3 P.M. ON THURSDAY 18 FEBRUARY), (2) TO CONSIDER ANY PARTICULAR PROBLEMS WHICH CONTRACTING PARTIES MAY WISH TO BRING UP REGARDING THE SUBMISSION OF DATA TO THE INTEGRATED DATA BASE, AND (3) IN LIGHT OF THE SECRETARIAT'S DISCUSSIONS WITH DELEGATIONS AND THE ADDITIONAL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED, TO SEEK FROM THOSE DELEGATIONS WHICH HAVE NOT YET STATED THEIR INTENTION TO PARTICIPATE, AN INDICATION OF THEIR INTENTIONS CONCERNING THEIR PARTICIPATION IN THE INTEGRATED DATA BASE OR IN THE PRESENT TARIFF STUDY DATA BASE.

88-0254