RESTRICTED
WORLD TRADE G/SG/W/61
25October 1995
ORGANIZATION(95-3263)
Original: English Committee onSafeguards
QUESTIONS CONCERNING THE NOTIFICATION PROVIDED
BYROMANIA1OFLAWS AND REGULATIONS
UNDER ARTICLE 12.6OFTHE AGREEMENT
Thefollowing communication, dated 18October 1995, hasbeenreceived from theOffice of
theUnited States Trade Representative.
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1. Procedures forsafeguards proceedings .Thenotification indicates (inArt.6ofDecree 228/7
andChapter VoftheWorking Rules) thatsafeguard investigations aretobecarried outby
acommission consisting ofcertain government officials.
(a) What procedures arefollowed bythecommission inconducting aninvestigation and
arriving atasafeguards recommendation? Forexample, whatprovision isthere for
reasonable public notice andameans forinterested parties topresent theirviews?
(b) Article 14,para. 2ofJointOrder No.128provides thatadetermination maybemade
bythecommission exofficio ,oruponrequest ofnational producers oflikeordirectly
competitive products ortheirassociations. What aretheprocedures forthefiling of
requests byproducers orassociations andwhat information must beincluded ina
request?
(c) Chapter VoftheWorking Rules states thatrequests toestablish safeguard measures
must be“solved ”within three months. What isthemeaning of“solved ”?Does it
include thefinal decision onwhether toprovide relief, orisitlimited tothe
determination ofinjury orsome other event?
2. Standard fordetermining increased imports andserious injury. Article 14,para. 5ofJoint
Order No.128provides thatthevolume ofimports during aperiod of2-3years, compared
tothelast4-6months (which arenotincluded inthe2-3years) shall beexamined. Isit
appropriate touse,inallcases, a4-6month period asindicative ofincreased imports, inlight
ofthefactthat:
- products andindustries havedifferent business cycles, many ofwhich extend well
beyond aperiod of4-6months
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- trade dataover aperiod of4-6months canbegreatly influenced byshort-term
aberrations intrade thatdonottrulyreflect significant economic trends.
Article 14,para. 5ofJoint Order No.128listsseveral factors thatwillbeexamined in
considering thecondition ofthedomestic industry, butdoesnotinclude allthefactors listed
inArticle 4.2(a) oftheAgreement onSafeguards. Willthecommission evaluate allthefactors
inArticle 4.2(a) indetermining whether there isinjury?
3. Imposition ofsafeguard measures .Chapter VoftheWorking Rules provides thatquotas are
established bytheMinister ofTrade andTourism andsurcharges areestablished bythe
regulations inforce byGovernment Decision attheproposal oftheMinistry ofTrade and
Tourism andtheMinistry ofEconomy andFinance. However, littleelsewithregard tothe
imposition ofsafeguards measures isspecified.
(a) Inparticular, howdoesRomania intend toimplement thefollowing requirements of
theAgreement onSafeguards:
(i) Article 5:application ofsafeguard measures (including limitations ontheuse
andstructure ofquantitative restrictions);
(ii) Article 6:provisional safeguard measures;
(iii) Article 7:duration andreview ofsafeguards measures?
(b) Also, what are“theregulations inforce byGovernment Decision ”withregard to
surcharges referenced inChapter V?