Representatives of a total of 39 countries yesterday agreed to scrap all tariffs in information technology trade by the year 2000. Poland and Panama, which had been expected to take part in the tariff-scrapping agreement, were not among the 39 countries for operational reasons, according to the World Trade Organization. The first tariff cuts must take place as soon as July, and are to be cut in four stages between 1997 and 2000 in five main product categories – computers, telecommunications products, semiconductors, semiconductor manufacturing equipment, software on floppy and CD-ROM disks, and scientific instruments.
