RESTRICTED
WORLD TRADE G/ADP/W/165
G/SCM/W/172
ORGANIZATION 24November 1995
(95-3714)
Original: English Committee onAnti-Dumping Practices
Committee onSubsidies andCountervailing Measures
QUESTIONS CONCERNING THE NOTIFICATIONS PROVIDED BY
COSTA RICA1OFLAWS AND REGULATIONS UNDER
ARTICLES 18.5AND 32.6OFTHE AGREEMENTS
Thefollowing communication, dated 14November 1995, hasbeenreceived fromthePermanent
Mission ofKorea.
_______________
1. 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?
2. DeMinimis
Article 21ofthenewregulation doesnotreflect thepartoftheAgreement thatrequires,
inArticle 5.8,immediate termination incases where thedumping margin islessthan2percentor
thevolume ofdumped imports fromaparticular country accounts forlessthan3percentofimports
intheimporting country. Article 21states onlytheamount of1percentthreshold fortermination
oftheinvestigation.
What isCosta Rica'sposition onthispoint?
3. Provisional measures
3.1 Contrary tothenewregulation ofArticle 33inCosta Rica'slegislation which permits the
imposition ofprovisional measures atanytime inthecourse oftheinvestigation, Article 7.3
oftheAgreement provides thatprovisional measures shallnotbeapplied sooner than60days
from thedateofinitiation oftheinvestigation.
Thiscanretard freetrade where theinvestigation authority abuses itspower ofdiscretion for
purposes other thanpreventing unfair business practices.
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Would Costa Ricaagree thatthenewArticle 33hasbecome more restrictive thanArticle 7.3
oftheAgreement?
3.2 Article 7.4oftheAgreement limits theapplication ofprovisional measures toasshortaperiod
aspossible, inanyevent, notexceeding maximum 6months. ButArticle 34ofthenew
regulation allows application uptoamaximum of12months inspecial cases.
Would Costa Ricaexplain whatcircumstances could constitute special cases?