RESTRICTED
WORLD TRADE G/L/32
10November 1995
ORGANIZATION(95-3492)
Committee onSafeguards
REPORT (1995) OFTHE COMMITTEE ON
SAFEGUARDS
I. Organization ofthework oftheCommittee
1. TheAgreement onSafeguards entered intoforce on1January 1995. Pursuant toArticle 13.1
oftheAgreement, membership intheCommittee onSafeguards isopen totheparticipation ofany
Member indicating itswishtoserve onit.Atitsmeeting on20February 1995, theCouncil forTrade
inGoods adopted thedecision thatallWTO Members would beMembers oftheCommittee on
Safeguards, except forthose WTO Members thatexplicitly indicated theirwishnottobeMembers
oftheCommittee by22February 1995. NoMembers notified awish nottobeMembers ofthe
Committee bythatdate. Consequently, atitsmeeting of24February, theCommittee tooknotethat,
byvirtue oftheCouncil forTrade inGood'sdecision, allMembers oftheWTO areMembers ofthe
Committee.
2. Observer governments intheGeneral Council oftheWTO have Observer status inthe
Committee. Inaddition, atitsspecial meeting of13-14 July1995, theCommittee invited, onanad
hocbasis, representatives oftheWorld Bank, OECD, andIMFtoattend meetings oftheCommittee
inanobserver capacity.
3. During theperiod under review (January 1995-November 1995) theCommittee heldfour
meetings. Theregular meeting oftheCommittee washeldon6November 1995(G/SG/M/4). Special
meetings oftheCommittee were held24February 1995, 13-14 July1995 and2November 1995
(G/SG/M/1, 2,and3,respectively).
4. Mr.Jorge A.Ruiz(Argentina) wasappointed Chairman oftheCommittee. Atitsmeeting
of24February 1995, theCommittee decided toelectitsownofficers, Chairman andVice-Chairman.
TheCommittee atitsspecial meeting of13-14 July1995 elected Mr.Andràs Lakatos (Hungary) as
itsVice-Chairman.
5. TheCommittee atitsspecial meeting of24February 1995 decided thatitsregular meeting
would usually beheldinthefirstweek ofNovember, asclosely aspossible tothemeetings ofthe
CommitteesonAnti-DumpingPracticesandonSubsidiesandCountervailingMeasures.TheCommittee
discussed thepossibility ofscheduling asecond regular meeting atitsmeetings of24February and
6November 1995. Thepossibility ofasecond regular meeting wasleftopen, butnodecision was
taken.
II. Notification andexamination ofsafeguards lawsand/or regulations ofMembers
6. TheCommittee decided atitsspecial meeting of24February 1995 thatallMembers which
hadavailable relevant legislation and/or regulations which apply tosafeguard measures covered by
theAgreement should notify thefullandintegrated textofthatlegislation and/or regulations tothe
Committee by15March 1995. Ifsuchlegislation and/or regulations didnotexistorwere notyetG/L/32
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available, theMember would inform theCommittee ofthisfact,would explain thereasons therefore,
andwould provide anindicative datebywhich timeanotification wasexpected. These notifications
willbetreated asunrestricted documents.
7. TheCommittee alsodecided atitsspecial meeting of24February 1995 thatObserver
governments should provide theCommittee withanyinformation theObserver government considers
relevant tomatters within thepurview oftheAgreement, including thetextoflawsandregulations
regarding safeguard measures, andinformation regarding anysafeguard measures taken bytheObserver
government.
8. Asof6November 1995, 52Members hadnotified theCommittee oftheirdomestic safeguards
legislation ormade communications inthisrespect totheCommittee (G/SG/N/1 andaddenda). 43
Members hadnot,asyet,made notifications under Article 12.6oftheAgreement. Annex Aliststhe
status ofnotifications under Article 12.6oftheAgreement.
9. During theperiod under review, theCommittee reviewed thenotifications ofsafeguards
legislation ofthefollowing Members inspecial meetings: Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, European
Community,NewZealand,Romania,UnitedStates,andKorea.Writtenquestionsandanswersregarding
these legislations canbefound indocuments intheG/SG/W/... series. TheCommittee alsoreviewed
thenotifications without legislative textofthefollowing Members: Argentina, Chile, Czech Republic,
Egypt,HongKong,Indonesia,Peru,Singapore,Thailand,andVenezuela.Writtenquestionsandanswers
regarding these legislations canbefound indocuments intheG/SG/W/... series. TheCommittee has
scheduled athirdspecial meeting toreview notifications oflegislation on11-12 December 1995, at
which timeitwill,asplanned, havecompleted aninitial review ofallnotifications oflegislation received
prior to25October 1995.
III. Notifications ofpre-existing Article XIXmeasures
10. Article 12.7oftheAgreement requires Members maintaining measures described inArticle
10oftheAgreement, i.e.pre-existing Article XIXsafeguard measures, which measures existonthe
dateofentry intoforce oftheWTO Agreement, tonotify suchmeasures totheCommittee notlater
than60daysafterthedateofentry intoforce oftheWTO Agreement, i.e.notlaterthan2March
1995. Atitsmeeting of24February 1995 theCommittee decided thattheinformation required in
thesenotifications should alsobeprovided bysignatories thatwereeligible tobecome original Members
ofWTO within thesame timelimits asthose which apply toWTO Members, recognizing thatthis
didnotimply thatthese signatories would undertake anyobligations asaresult ofproviding such
information.
11. Atitsmeeting of24February 1995, theCommittee adopted aformat forthese notifications,
document G/SG/N/2.
12. ThefollowingMembersandcountrieseligibletobecomeoriginalMemberssubmittednotifications
indicating thattheyhadpre-existing Article XIXmeasures inplace onthedateofentry intoforce of
theWTO Agreement: European Community andKorea (G/SG/N/2 andaddenda).
13. Although suchnotifications arenotrequired bytheAgreement, thefollowing Members and
countries eligible tobecome original Members submitted notifications indicating thattheyhadnopre-
existing Article XIXmeasures inplace onthedateofentry intoforceoftheWTO Agreement: Canada,
Colombia, Costa Rica, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mauritius, Pakistan, Peru, Singapore, Switzerland,
United States, Venezuela, andSouth Africa (G/SG/N/2 andaddenda).G/L/32
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14. Atitsmeeting of6November 1995, theCommittee examined these notifications, andthe
comments ofMembers arereflected intheminutes (G/SG/M/4). TheCommittee agreed torevert to
these notifications atitnextspecial meeting scheduled for11-12 December 1995.
IV. Notifications under Article 12.7ofmeasures subject totheprohibition andelimination ofcertain
measures under Article 11.1oftheAgreement onSafeguards
15. Article 12.7oftheAgreement requires Members maintaining measures described inArticle
11.1oftheAgreement, i.e.so-called "grey area" measures, which measures existonthedateofentry
intoforce oftheWTO Agreement, tonotify suchmeasures totheCommittee notlaterthan60days
afterthedateofentry intoforce oftheWTO Agreement, i.e.notlaterthan2March 1995. These
measures arethose subject tothe"prohibition andelimination ofcertain measures" under Article 11,
i.e.,themeasures specified inArticle 11.1(b). Atitsmeeting of24February 1995 theCommittee
decided thattheinformation required inthese notifications should alsobeprovided bysignatories that
wereeligible tobecome original Members ofWTO within thesame timelimits asthose which apply
toWTO Members, recognizing thatthisdidnotimply thatthese signatories would undertake any
obligations asaresult ofproviding suchinformation.
16. Atitsmeeting of24February 1995, theCommittee adopted aformat forthese notifications,
document G/SG/N/3.
17. ThefollowingMembersandcountrieseligibletobecomeoriginalMemberssubmittednotifications
indicating thattheyhadmeasures described inArticle 11.1oftheAgreement inplace onthedateof
entryintoforceoftheWTOAgreement:Cyprus,EuropeanCommunity,Korea,Slovenia,SouthAfrica,
andThailand (G/SG/N/3 andaddenda).
18. Although suchnotifications arenotrequired bytheAgreement, thefollowing Members and
countries eligible tobecome original Members submitted notifications indicating thattheyhadno
measures described inArticle 11.1oftheAgreement inplace onthedateofentry intoforce ofthe
WTOAgreement:Canada,CostaRica,India,Indonesia,Malaysia,Mauritius,Pakistan,Peru,Singapore,
Switzerland, United States, andVenezuela (G/SG/N/3 andaddenda).
19. Atitsmeeting of6November 1995, theCommittee examined these notifications, andthe
comments ofMembers arereflected intheminutes (G/SG/M/4). TheCommittee agreed torevert to
these notifications atitnextspecial meeting scheduled for11-12 December 1995.
V. Notifications oftheexception under article 11.2oftheAgreement onSafeguards
20. Under Article 11.2oftheAgreement onSafeguards, allmeasures referred toinArticle 11.1(b)
havetobephased outorbrought intoconformity withtheAgreement bytheMembers within four
years afterthedateofentry intoforce oftheWTO Agreement, except foronespecific measure per
importing Member forwhich theduration oftheperiod willbemore thanfouryears, i.e.until
31December 1999. Under Article 11.2oftheAgreement, suchanexception mustbemutually agreed
between theMembers directly concerned andnotified totheCommittee onSafeguards foritsreview
andacceptance within 90daysoftheentry intoforce oftheWTO Agreement, i.e.notlaterthan
31March1995.Atitsmeetingof24February1995theCommitteedecidedthattheinformationrequired
inthese notifications should alsobeprovided bysignatories thatwere eligible tobecome original
Members ofWTO within thesame timelimits asthose which apply toWTO Members, recognizing
thatthisdidnotimply thatthese signatories would undertake anyobligations asaresult ofproviding
suchinformation.G/L/32
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21. Atitsmeeting of24February 1995, theCommittee adopted aformat forthese notifications,
document G/SG/N/4.
22. Theexception oftheEuropean Community iscontained intheAnnex totheAgreement. The
onlyMember tosubmit anotification totheCommittee inthisregard wasMauritius. Thatnotification
stated thattheobligation wasnotapplicable since Mauritius didnotmaintain anyrelevant measures
(G/SG/N/4/MUS/1).
VI. Notifications under Article 11.2oftheAgreement onSafeguards ontimetables forphasing
outmeasures referred toinArticle 11.1(b) orforbringing them intoconformity withthe
Agreement.
23. Under Article 11.2oftheAgreement onSafeguards, thephasing outofmeasures referred to
inArticle 11.1(b) should becarried outaccording totimetables tobepresented totheCommittee on
Safeguards bytheMembers concerned notlaterthan180daysafterthedateofentry intoforce ofthe
WTO Agreement, i.e.by30June1995. These timetables should provide forallmeasures referred
toinArticle 11.1(b) tobephased outorbrought intoconformity withtheAgreement onSafeguards
within aperiod notexceeding fouryears afterthedateofentry intoforce oftheWTO Agreement,
subject tonotmore thanonespecific measure perimporting Member, theduration ofwhich shallnot
extend beyond 31December 1999. Atitsmeeting of24February 1995 theCommittee decided that
theinformation required inthesenotifications should alsobeprovided bysignatories thatwereeligible
tobecome original Members ofWTO within thesame timelimits asthose which apply toWTO
Members, recognizing thatthisdidnotimply thatthese signatories would undertake anyobligations
asaresult ofproviding suchinformation, andthatwhile thetimetables presented bysuchsignatories
would notbeimplemented untiltheybecame Members, thedeadline forphasing outorbringing into
conformity themeasures referred towould notbelaterthanforMembers whobecame Members on
thedatetheWTO Agreement came intoforce.
24. Atitsmeeting of24February 1995, theCommittee adopted aformat forthese notifications,
document G/SG/N/5.
25. ThefollowingMembersandcountrieseligibletobecomeoriginalMemberssubmittednotifications
oftheirtimetables forphasing outorbringing intoconformity withtheAgreement themeasures referred
toinArticle 11.1(b): Cyprus, European Community, Korea, Mauritius, andThailand (G/SG/N/5 and
addenda, G/SG/N/3/THA).
26. Thefollowing Members andcountries eligible tobecome original Members, which hadnotified
thattheyhadrelevant measures, didnotsubmit notifications oftheirtimetables forphasing outor
bringing intoconformity withtheAgreement themeasures referred toinArticle 11.1(b): Slovenia,
andSouth Africa.
27. Atitsmeeting of6November 1995, theCommittee examined these notifications, andthe
comments ofMembers arereflected intheminutes (G/SG/M/4). TheCommittee agreed torevert to
these notifications atitnextspecial meeting scheduled for11-12 December 1995.
VII. Notifications under Article 12.1ofinitiation ofaninvestigation, making afinding, orapplying
orextending asafeguard measure
28. Under Article 12.1(a) oftheAgreement onSafeguards, Members arerequired toimmediately
notify theCommittee uponinitiating aninvestigatory process relating toserious injury orthreat thereofG/L/32
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andthereasons forit.Under Article 12.1(b) oftheAgreement onSafeguards, Members arerequired
toimmediately notify theCommittee uponmaking afinding ofserious injury orthreat thereof caused
byincreased imports. Under Article 12.1(c) oftheAgreement onSafeguards, Members arerequired
toimmediately notify theCommittee upon taking adecision toapply orextend asafeguard measure.
29. Atitsmeeting on24February 1995, theCommittee adopted aformat fornotifications under
Article 12.1(a), G/SG/N/6. TheCommittee alsoadopted formats forthenotifications required under
Articles 12.1(b)and(c),G/SG/W/1, page5,itemVI.
30. Notifications under Article 12.1(a) werereceived fromtheUnited States andKorea (G/SG/N/6
andaddenda).
31. Atitsmeeting of6November 1995, theCommittee examined these notifications, andthe
comments ofMembers arereflected intheminutes (G/SG/M/4). TheCommittee agreed torevert to
these notifications atitnextspecial meeting scheduled for11-12 December 1995.
32. Nonotifications under Articles 12.1(b) and(c)were received from anyMembers.
VIII. Formats fornotifications
33. Atitsmeeting on24February 1995, theCommittee adopted aseries ofsuggested formats for
notifications required under Article 12oftheAgreement (G/SG/W/1). Several ofthese formats were
reproduced inaseries ofinvitations tosubmit notifications totheCommittee (G/SG/N/1, G/SG/N/2,
G/SG/N/3, G/SG/N/4, G/SG/N/5, andG/SG/N/6).
34. Atitsmeeting of6November 1995, theCommittee agreed thatasummary oftheevidence
referred toinparagraphs 3(ii)and3(iii)ofdocument G/SG/N/6, asstructured bythenotifying Member,
would beuseful.
IX. Other matters discussed bytheCommittee
35. Atitsspecial meeting of24February 1995, theCommittee tooknoteoftheDecision on
Avoidance ofProcedural andInstitutional Duplication adopted bytheGeneral Council on31January
1995 (WT/L/29). Thefirstparagraph ofthatdecision pertains toavoiding duplication ofsafeguard
notifications totheGATT Council andtheCommittee.
36. Atitsspecial meeting of24February 1995, theCommittee agreed thatMembers beasked
toreport attheendofeachyearontheirprogress inphasing outpre-existing Article XIXmeasures
andmeasures subject toprohibition andelimination under Article 11.1oftheAgreement.
37. Atitsspecial meeting of24February 1995, theCommittee discussed theformthattechnical
assistance toMembers relating totheimplementation oftheAgreement, andparticularly theprovision
ofassistance onmatters referred toinArticle 13.1(b), (c),and(d),could take. Nodecision wasmade,
andattheregular meeting of6November 1995, theCommittee decided that,rather thanattempt to
establish aprocedure inadvance ofanyrequests forassistance, theCommittee would address these
matters onanadhocbasis, ifandwhen arequest forassistance inthese matters isreceived.
38. Atitsmeeting of6November 1995, theCommittee decided thatMembers should notify the
Committee ofthetermination ofaninvestigation conducted under theAgreement.G/L/32
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39. Atitsmeetingof6November1995,theCommitteedecidedtoprovideanopportunityforwritten
questions concerning notifications submitted byMembers tobeconsidered attheCommittee 'smeetings
inthefuture.G/L/32
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ANNEX A
SAFEGUARDS LEGISLATION NOTIFICATIONS
MEMBER/OBSERVER NOTIFICATION PROVIDED
Antigua andBarbuda
Argentina X
Australia X
Bahrain
Bangladesh
Barbados
Belize
Bolivia X
Botswana
Brazil X
Brunei Darussalam
Burkina Faso
Burundi
Canada X
Central African Republic
Chile X
Colombia X
Costa Rica X
Côted'Ivoire
Cuba X
Cyprus
Czech Republic X
Djibouti
Dominica
Dominican Republic X
European Community X
Ecuador (Observer) X
Egypt X
ElSalvador XG/L/32
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Gabon
Ghana
Guatemala X
Guinea Bissau
Guinea, Rep.of
Guyana
Honduras X
Hong Kong X
Hungary X
Iceland X
India X
Indonesia X
Israel X
Jamaica
Japan X
Kenya
Korea X
Kuwait
Lesotho
Liechtenstein
Macau X
Malawi
Malaysia X
Maldives X
Mali
Malta
Mauritania
Mauritius X
Mexico X
Morocco X
Mozambique
MyanmarG/L/32
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Namibia
NewZealand X
Nicaragua X
Nigeria
Norway X
Pakistan X
Paraguay X
Peru X
Philippines X
Poland X
Romania X
Saint Lucia
Saint Vincent &Grenadines
Senegal
Sierra Leone
Singapore X
Slovak Republic X
Slovenia
South Africa X
SriLanka X
Suriname
Swaziland
Switzerland X
Tanzania
Thailand X
Togo
Trinidad andTobago X
Tunisia
Turkey X
Uganda
United States X
Uruguay XG/L/32
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Venezuela X
Zambia X
Zimbabwe X