./.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/SG/N/1/LVA/1/Suppl.2
7 August 2000
(00-3235)
Committee on Safeguards Original:  English
NOTIFICATION PURSUANT TO ARTICLE 12.1(C)
OF THE AGREEMENT ON SAFEGUARDS
LATVIA
Supplement
The following communication, dated 27 July 2000, has been received from the Permanent
Mission of Latvia.
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Amendments to the Law on Safeguards
1. To replace the term "Committee" with "Bureau" throughout the text of the Law.
2. To use the following wording for article 3:
"Article 3.  The Responsible Institution
(1) To ensure execution of Anti-Dumping Law and the Law on "Protection against
subsidized import", the Cabinet sets up a state institution under the supervision of the
Ministry of Economy – State protection of Domestic Market Bureau and approves its
regulations.
(2) The Bureau is a legal entity;  it has a seal with a picture of the State Emblem of the
Republic of Latvia and the designation of the Bureau.  The Bureau has a budget
account in the State Treasury.
(3) Activity of the Bureau is financed by allo tted subsidy from the general income of the
State Budget.  The Bureau has the right to render paid services in accordance with theprocedures specified by the Cabinet.
(4) The Bureau has the following functions:
(1) to ensure and supervise execution of protection of domestic market politics
according to its competence;
(2) to ensure execution of Anti-Dumping Law and the Law on "Protection against
Subsidized Import";
(3) to work out draft laws in the fields of safeguards and anti-dumping as well as in
protection against subsidized import.
(5) The Bureau has rights:G/SG/N/1/LVA/1/Suppl.2
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(1) to request the necessary information for carrying out the Bureau's functions
from institutions, enterprises and other legal and physical persons including
information of restricted accessibility;  to get acquainted with the necessary
documents and obtain their copies and to receive written or verbal explanations
from relevant persons;
(2) to involve independent experts, consultants and other specialists by realizing
the functions established by this Law, Anti-Dumping Law and the Law on
"Protection against Subsidized Import"."
3. To amend the Law with article 3.1 as follows:
"Article 3.1 Competence of the Bureau's officials(1) Work of the Bureau is led by the direct or, which is appointed and dismissed by the
Cabinet of Ministers according to the recommendation of the Minister of Economy.
(2) Director of the Bureau:
(1) represents the Bureau without any special authority;
(2) administrates, plans and organizes the Bureau's work;
(3) operates with the Bureau's financial resources and is responsible for their
utilization;
(4) appoints and dismisses the Bureau's officials;  appoints and dismisses the
Bureau's employees;
(5) confirms the inner structure of the Bureau, functions of divisions and lists of
positions.
(6) promotes training and to increase efficiency for employees of the Bureau.
(3) The Deputy Director leads the Bureau in the Director's absence.  The Deputy Director
is appointed and dismissed by the Director of the Bureau."
The Law has been adopted by the Parliament on 13 April 2000.
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