The World Trade Organization (hereinafter referred to as the "WTO"), pursuant to the approval of the General Council of the WTO accorded under Article XII of the Marrakesh Agreement Establishing the World Trade Organization (hereinafter referred to as "WTO Agreement"), and the Republic of Latvia (hereinafter referred to as "Latvia"),

Taking note of the Report of the Working Party on the Accession of Latvia to the WTO in document WT/ACC/LVA/32 (hereinafter referred to as the "Working Party Report"),

Having regard to the results of the negotiations on the accession of Latvia to the WTO,

Agree as follows:

Part I - General

1. Upon entry into force of this Protocol, Latvia accedes to the WTO Agreement pursuant to Article XII of that Agreement and thereby becomes a Member of the WTO.

2. The WTO Agreement to which Latvia accedes shall be the WTO Agreement as rectified, amended or otherwise modified by such legal instruments as may have entered into force before the date of entry into force of this Protocol. This Protocol, which shall include the commitments referred to in paragraph 131 of the Working Party Report, shall be an integral part of the WTO Agreement.

3. Except as otherwise provided for in the paragraphs referred to in paragraph 131 of the Working Party Report, those obligations in the Multilateral Trade Agreements annexed to the WTO Agreement that are to be implemented over a period of time starting with the entry into force of that Agreement shall be implemented by Latvia as if it had accepted that Agreement on the date of its entry into force.

4. Latvia may maintain a measure inconsistent with paragraph 1 of Article II of the GATS provided that such a measure is recorded in the list of Article II Exemptions annexed to this Protocol and meets the conditions of the Annex to the GATS on Article II Exemptions.

Part II - Schedules

5. The Schedules annexed to this Protocol shall become the schedule of Concessions and Commitments annexed to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade 1994 (hereinafter referred to as the "GATT 1994") and the Schedule of Specific Commitments annexed to the General Agreement on Trade in Services (hereinafter referred to as "GATS") relating to Latvia. The staging of concessions and commitments listed in the Schedules shall be implemented as specified in the relevant parts of the respective Schedules.

6. For the purpose of the reference in paragraph 6(a) of Article II of the GATT 1994 to the date of that Agreement, the applicable date in respect of the Schedules of Concessions and Commitments annexed to this Protocol shall be the date of entry into force of this Protocol.

Part III - Final Provisions

7. This Protocol shall be open for acceptance, by signature or otherwise, by Latvia until 1 May 1999.

8. This Protocol shall enter into force on the thirtieth day following the day of its acceptance.

9. This Protocol shall be deposited with the Director-General of the WTO. The Director-General of the WTO shall promptly furnish a certified copy of this Protocol and a notification of acceptance thereto pursuant to paragraph 7 to each Member of the WTO and Latvia.

10. This Protocol shall be registered in accordance with the provisions of Article 102 of the Charter of the United Nations.

11. Done at Geneva this fourteenth day of October one thousand nine hundred and ninety eight, in a single copy in the English, French and Spanish languages each text being authentic, except that a Schedule annexed hereto may specify that it is authentic in only one or more of these languages.