27. The representative of the United States shared the Chairperson's view that a review prior to the expiration of the transitional period should not be duplicated after the transitional period and that there should be an opportunity to follow-up any matter arising until it would have been satisfactorily resolved. In this regard, he recalled that the purpose of such early review should be to alleviate the burden for the Council in reviewing the large number of Members that were required to comply with the entire Agreement as of 1 January 2000. He also recalled that such early reviews were intended to cover only those parts of the legislation that the Member in question considered to be in conformity with the Agreement. Other parts would still need to be reviewed after the expiration of the transitional period in 2000. He also expressed an interest in informal consultations on this matter.
