. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/SCM/91
13 december 2002
(02-6897)
Committee on Subsidies
and Countervailing Measures
EXTENSION UNDER SCM ARTICLE 27.4 OF THE TRANSITION
PERIOD FOR THE ELIMINATION OF EXPORT SUBSIDIES
PURSUANT TO THE PROCEDURES IN G/SCM/39
ST. VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES
Fiscal Incentives Act No. 5 of 1982, as amended
Decision of 22 November 2002
The Committee on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures (the “Committee”),
As directed by the Fourth Ministerial Conference, in its Decision on Implementation-Related
Issues and Concerns, (WT/MI N(01)/17, 20 November 2001);
In following the “Procedures for Extensions Under Article 27.4 for Certain Developing
Country Members” (G/SCM/39, 20 November 2001) ("the Procedures");
Taking into account the request and other notified information provided by St. Vincent and
the Grenadines to the Committee1, pursuant to the Procedures, for Fiscal Incentives Act No. 5 of
1982, as amended (“the programme”);
Recognizing with appreciation the efforts, by St. Vincent and the Grenadines, in light of its
capacity constraints, during the review by the Committ ee, to describe and clarify the provisions of the
programme;
Considering for purposes of this request, St. Vincent and the Grenadines to be a developing
country Member, whose share of world merchandise export trade was not greater than 0.10 per centand whose total Gross National Income for the year 2000 as published by the World Bank was at or
below US$20 billion, and who is otherwise eligible to request an extension pursuant to Article 27.4 of
the Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures ("SCM Agreement");
Noting that  St. Vincent and the Grenadines recognizes that it must satisfy obligations under
the transparency and standstill provisions contained in paragraphs 3 and 4 of the Procedures;
Hereby grants to St. Vincent and the Grenadines an extension, until 31 December 2003, of
the transition period, under Article 27.2(b) of the SCM Agreement, for the elimination of export
subsidies which take the form of full or partial exemptions from import duties and internal taxes and
which were in existence under the programme on 1 September 2001.
                                                     
1The notified information on the basis of which this decision is taken is found in documents
G/SCM/N/74/VCT, G/SCM/N/71/VCT, G/SCM/Q3/VCT/1 to G/SCM/Q3/VCT/8.G/SCM/91
Page 2
As provided  in paragraphs 1(d) and 1(e) of the Procedures, the period during which the
extension hereby granted can be continued on the basis of the Procedures is through the end of
calendar year 2007, and such continuation shall be subject to annual review by the Committee for the
purposes and subject to the conditions set forth in paragraphs 1(d) and 1(e) of the Procedures.  Asprovided in paragraph 1(f) of the Procedures, the Committee shall consider on the basis of the
provisions of Article 27.4, i.e., outside the framework of these procedures, any request for further
continuation, past the end of 2007, of the extension in respect of Fiscal Incentives Act No. 5 of 1982,
as amended; and as provided in paragraph 1(g) of the Procedures, St. Vincent and the Grenadines
shall have the final period referred to in that paragraph if such a further continuation is either not
requested or not granted.
As provided  in paragraph 7(c) of the Procedures, the criteria set forth in the Procedures are
solely and strictly for the purpose of determinin g whether Members are eligible to invoke the
Procedures, and these criteria have no precedential value or relevance, direct or indirect, for any other
purpose.
This decision does not affect the legal rights of Members with respect to any other obligations
of St. Vincent and the Grenadines under the SC M Agreement, that may apply to the programme.
Among such other obligations, it is recognized that this programme remains subject to Article 3.1(b)
of the SCM Agreement, which prohibits subsidies contingent, whether solely or as one of several
other conditions, upon the use of domestic over imported goods.
This decision  does not affect any rights, obligations or commitments of Members under any
other WTO Agreement with respect to the programme; and is without prejudice to the existing and
future relationship between the SCM Agreement and any other WTO Agreement, and has no
precedential value for any other purpose.
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