RESTRICTED
WORLD TRADE G/ADP/W/294
G/SCM/W/302
5March 1996
ORGANIZATION(96-0779)
Original: Spanish Committee onAnti-Dumping Practices
Committee onSubsidies andCountervailing Measures
REPLIES TOQUESTIONS POSED BYKOREA1CONCERNING
THE NOTIFICATION OFLAWS AND
REGULATIONS OFCUBA2
Thefollowing communication, dated 15February 1996, hasbeenreceived fromthePermanent
Mission ofCuba.
________________
General questions
1. Incases where there arenorelevant provisions inthedomestic legislation, doestheWTO
Agreement apply?
2. Iftheprovisions oftheexisting domestic legislation donotconform totheWTO Agreement,
dotheprovisions oftheWTO Agreement apply?
Replies
UnderArticle90(m)oftheConstitutionoftheRepublicofCuba,on9February1995theCouncil
ofStateadopted theproposal oftheCouncil ofMinisters ratifying theAgreement Establishing theWorld
Trade Organization.
TheCuban legal system iscodified, based ontheprinciples ofRoman law. Inaccordance
withtheconstitutional provisions inforce, aninternational agreement when ratified bytheCouncil
ofState isincorporated inCuban lawonequal terms withother legalprovisions.
Theentry intoforce ofDecree-Law No.124before theWTO Agreement doesnotalterthe
factthattheprovisions established bytheOrganization arebinding atnational level. Furthermore,
theydonotconflict; theycomplement andsupplement eachother.
Asstated previously, theWTO Anti-Dumping Agreement hastheforce oflawinCuba.
1G/ADP/W/166-G/SCM/W/173.
2G/ADP/N/1/CUB/1-G/SCM/N/1/CUB/1-G/SG/N/1/CUB/1 +G/ADP/N/1/CUB/1/Suppl.1.
./.G/ADP/W/294
G/SCM/W/302
Page2
Question
3. Could Cuba tellusabout theCuban Government 'sschedule, ifany,toenact anti-dumping
andcountervailing legislation?
Reply
Thecompetent authorities (theMinistry ofFinance andPrices andtheMinistry ofForeign
Trade) areworking onthepreparation ofspecific legislation onthissubject, andthisispartofone
whole review ofCuban trade policy resulting from itsadjustment tothenewconditions forthe
development ofCuban foreign trade. Aworking objective ofbothMinistries in1996 istocomplete
thislegislation andsubmit itforconsideration bytheGovernment.
Theresponsibilities oftheCuban administrative competent authorities insuchmatters willbe
defined inthespecific legislation. TheMinistry ofForeign Trade isexpected toberesponsible for
investigatinganddetermininginjury,andtheMinistryofFinanceandPricesforimposingtheappropriate
measure andoverseeing itsimplementation. Inthemeantime, these authorities willactjointly.
Question
4. Under thecurrent circumstances inwhich there existnolawsorregulations concerning
anti-dumping orcountervailing measures, howwilltheCuban Government address such
potential matters asmaterial injury toadomestic industry caused bydumped orsubsidized
imports?
Reply
Under theCuban legalsystem, thereisnoconflict between domestic legislation andtheWTO
Agreements, since thelatter hasbeenincorporated innational legislation. Domestic legislation isnot
specific, andassuchissupplemented bytheinternational treaties towhich Cuba isparty orwhich
Cuba hasratified.
Until ithasspecific legislation inthesematters, theRepublic ofCuba willrefrain fromadopting
anti-dumping duties orcountervailing measures. Should thisbenecessary onanexceptional basis,
Cuba would insuchcases apply therules established intherelevant WTO Agreements.