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Brazil, China, India and Korea proposed the extension
of the waiver, which was set to expire on 30 June 2009.
India, speaking on behalf of the sponsors of the proposal, said that “over the
last few years developing countries have been finding means within their own
developmental imperatives to meet the requirements of the LDCs and grant them
meaningful concessions...given the right environment and enabling provisions the
developing countries can be encouraged to enhance their efforts.”
Tanzania said the LDC Group had been “very much inspired by the goodwill shown
by the membership in approving the extension.”
The Council also approved one-year extensions, respectively, to waivers granted
to Argentina and Panama in connection with the introduction of Harmonized System
1996 changes into WTO schedules of tariff concessions. These draft decisions
have also been forwarded to the General Council.
On a related matter, the Council approved a decision on procedures leading to
the verification and certification of Harmonized System 1996 changes the WTO
Secretariat had undertaken to tariff schedules of 64 developing-country members.
This decision also goes to the General Council for adoption.
The Council noted the recent notification of two free-trade agreements: between
Costa Rica and Panama, and between China and New Zealand.
Turkey presented an updated version of its compilation of recent research of
main trends after the phase-out of quantitative restrictions in the textiles
sector. The paper proposed that the WTO take a coordinating role in overcoming
economic difficulties encountered by developing countries in the post-quota
period. Turkey suggested a detailed discussion of the paper at the next meeting.
Jordan, El Salvador, the Dominican Republic, Mauritius and Morocco expressed
support for Turkey's paper. Korea said that any trade-related matter can be
discussed by the Council.
China, Pakistan, India, Korea and Hong Kong, China expressed concern that the
paper might be aimed at reversing trade liberalization, and stressed that it
would never enjoy consensus in the Council.
The chair, Amb. Elin Østebø Johansen (Norway), said that it was clear members
were far from an agreement on this issue, with some wanting it to remain on the
agenda and some others wanting to take it off the agenda. She urged interested
delegations to meet among themselves to find a way forward. The Council agreed
to revert to this item at the next meeting (29 June 2009), but that if the
discussions remained inconclusive, this agenda item would be suspended.
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