RESTRICTED
WORLD TRADE G/ADP/W/293
G/SCM/W/301
5March 1996
ORGANIZATION(96-0780)
Original: Spanish Committee onAnti-Dumping Practices
Committee onSubsidies andCountervailing Measures
REPLIES TOQUESTIONS POSED BYHONG KONG1CONCERNING
THE NOTIFICATION OFLAWS AND REGULATIONS OFCUBA2
Thefollowing communication, dated 15February 1996, hasbeenreceived fromthePermanent
Mission ofCuba.
_______________
General questions
1. Cuba'snotification provides thatCuba doesnothavespecific legislation orregulations related
totheAgreement andArticle 11ofDecree-Law No.124of1990 (prior tothesigning ofthe
WTO Agreement inApril1994) ingeneral terms governs anti-dumping matters. Apparently theskeletal
Article 11doesnotfeature provisions oftheWTO Anti-Dumping Agreement.
(a) What isthelegal status oftheWTO A-DAgreement inCuba? Does ithavetheforce
oflaw?
Answer
Inaccordance withArticle 90,paragraph (m),oftheConstitution oftheRepublic ofCuba,
theCouncil ofState, following theproposal oftheCouncil ofMinisters, ratified theAgreement
Establishing theWorld Trade Organization on9February 1995.
TheCuban legalsystem iscodified, based ontheprinciples ofRoman Law. Inaccordance
withtheconstitutional provisions inforce, when ratified bytheCouncil ofState aninternational
agreement isincorporated intodomestic lawwiththesame status asother legalprovisions.
ThefactthatDecree LawNo.124entered intoforce prior totheWTO Agreement doesnot
prevent therules oftheOrganization from being mandatory atanational level. Besides, farfrom
conflicting, theyaremutually complementary andsupplement oneanother.
Asstated previously, theWTO Anti-Dumping Agreement hastheforce oflawinCuba.
1G/ADP/W/190-G/SCM/W/197.
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/293
G/SCM/W/301
Page2
Question
1. (b) AreCuban A-Dofficials required, legally orotherwise, toabide bytheA-DAgreement
intheconduct ofA-Dproceedings, ortoconsult theA-DAgreement, forexample on
theinterpretation ofdomestic legislation?
Answer
Inaccordance withDecree LawNo.147of21April 1994onthereorganization ofthebodies
oftheCentralAdministrationoftheState,theMinistryofFinanceandPricesandtheMinistryofForeign
Trade aretheauthorities competent toinitiate andconduct dumping investigations jointly, andthey
arebound byDecree LawNo.124.
Theproceedings ofthese authorities inanti-dumping andsubsidies matters, intheabsence of
specific legislation forthetimebeing, aregoverned bytheprovisions setoutintheWTO Agreements,
which form partofnational legislation.
Questions
1. (c) What stepshasCuba taken, andwhatfurther stepswillittake,toensure theconformity
ofitslaws, regulations andadministrative procedures withtheprovisions oftheWTO
A-DAgreement, inaccordance withArticle 18.4?
1. (e) IfCuba iscontemplating adoption ofnewlegislation induecourse, whatistheintended
purpose andcoverage? What isthetimetable oftheenactment?
Answers
Thecompetent authorities areintheprocess ofdrawing upspecific legislation inthisarea,
which willreflect theprovisions ofArticle 18.4. Thisprocedure ispartoftheoverall process ofthe
review ofCuban trade policy ensuing from adapting ittothenewconditions forthedevelopment of
Cuban foreign trade. ThetaskofthetwoMinistries in1996 istocomplete thislegislation inorder
tosubmit ittotheGovernment forconsideration.
Theresponsibilities oftheCuban Administrative Authorities competent insuchmatters will
bedefined inthespecific legislation. Itisconsidered thattheMinistry ofForeign Trade willbe
responsible forinvestigating anddetermining theinjury andthattheMinistry ofFinance andPrices
willberesponsible forimposing theappropriate measure andoverseeing itsimplementation. Inthe
meantime, these authorities willactjointly.
Question
1. (d) HowwillCubaensurecompliancewiththeprovisionsoftheWTOA-DAgreementbefore
itslawsarebrought intototalconformity withtheWTO A-DAgreement?
Answer
Under theCuban legalsystem, thereisnoconflict between domestic legislation andtheWTO
Agreements since thelatter havebeenincorporated intonational legislation. Thedomestic legislation
isnotspecific, butissupplemented bytheinternational agreement which Cuba ispartytoorhasratified.G/ADP/W/293
G/SCM/W/301
Page3
While nospecific legislation exists inthese matters, theRepublic ofCuba willrefrain from
adopting anti-dumping duties orcountervailing measures. Should thisbenecessary asanexception,
Cuba would implement theprovisions provided forinsuchcases bytheappropriate WTO Agreements.
Question
2. What judicial review procedures hasCuba putinplace inobservance ofitsobligations under
Article 13oftheWTO A-DAgreement?
Answer
Under theCuban legal system, acourt exists which specializes ineconomic matters. This
court isindependent oftheauthorities responsible forthedetermination orconsideration ofdisputes
arising inrespect ofanti-dumping measures. TheEconomic Division ofthePeople 'sSupreme Court
isempowered, under Article 5ofDecree-Law No.129of19August 1991, totryeconomic disputes
towhich aforeign natural orlegalperson isparty.
Question
3. What isCuba'spolicy andlawfortheimplementation ofWTO Panel Reports?
Answer
TheMinistry ofFinance andPrices andtheMinistry ofForeign Trade arethecompetent
authorities toimplement WTO Panel Reports and,asstated inourreplytoquestion 1(b),itismandatory
forCuba tocomply withitscommitments under theWTO inthisarea.