RESTRICTED
WORLD TRADE G/SG/W/7
12July1995
ORGANIZATION(95-1937)
Original: English Committee onSafeguards
QUESTIONS CONCERNING THE NOTIFICATIONS
PROVIDED BYCOLOMBIA OFLAWS AND REGULATIONS
UNDER ARTICLE 12.6OFTHE AGREEMENT
Thefollowingcommunication,dated4July1995,hasbeenreceivedfromthePermanentMission
ofAustralia.
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1. What is"thegeneral system regulating theapplication ofsafeguard measures" referred toin
Article 1?Isthisareference toother domestic legislation orisitareference totheWTO Safeguards
Agreement?
2. Withregard tothedefinition of"serious injury" inArticle 1,whatdifference, ifany,isthere
between"significantmaterialimpairment"andtheterm"significantoverallimpairment"usedinArticle4
oftheSafeguards Agreement?
3. What would constitute a"considerable proportion ofthedomestic industry" inArticle 3.1?
4. HowdoesColombia justify theparameters setoutinparagraph 6ofArticle 6foragricultural
andfisheries products asabasis fordetermining serious injury?
5. How dotheshort timeperiods of20daysand60daysinArticles 10and11,respectively,
allow forthefulfilment oftherequirements ofArticle 3.1oftheSafeguards Agreement regarding
"reasonable public notice" and"theopportunity torespond"? Willthisallow interested parties tosubmit
views onwhether theaction would beinthepublic interest? Willinterested parties beabletopresent
theirviews onpublic interest under Article 25?
6. Howaresafeguard measures imposed pursuant toArticles 13and15,e.g.aretheyimposed
byPresidential decree orthrough legislation?
7. What provision isthere toensure theappropriate publication ofanotice ofthemeasures and
ofthereport containing findings andreasons asprovided forinArticles 3.1and4.2(c) oftheSafeguards
Agreement?
8. Under Article 15,istheadoption oftherecommendation onprovisional measures mandatory
upon theGovernment?
9. What provision isthere forduties collected asprovisional measures under Article 16tobe
refunded (orsecurities taken under Article 28returned) ifthere isanegative finaldecision?
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10. Howaretheprovisions ofChapter III:Agricultural Safeguards onGrounds ofThreat ofInjury
tooperate? Howaretheyconsistent withtheSafeguards Agreement? Whyaretheyrequired inaddition
tothegeneral provisions intherestofthenotification?
11. Article 21appears toenvisage notification totheWTO andconsultations withMembers affected
onlyafteranaffirmative recommendation bytheCustoms, Tariffs andForeign Trade Committee.
How isthisconsistent withtherequirements under Article 12oftheSafeguards Agreement?
12. What provision isthere fornotification andconsultation prior totheextension ofasafeguard
measure?
13. Article 24provides foraperiod ofnon-application ofatleastoneyear. Howisthisconsistent
withArticles 7.5and9.2oftheSafeguards Agreement, which provide foraperiod ofnon-application
ofatleasttwoyears?