G/SG/N/6/MAR/14  
 
17 October 2022  
(22-7808) Page: 1/3 
Committee on Safeguards  Original: French  
 
  
NOTIFICATION UNDER ARTICLE 12.1(A) OF THE AGREEMENT ON SAFEGUARDS  
ON INITIATION OF AN INVESTIGATION  
AND THE REASONS FOR IT  
MOROCCO  
Inner tubes for bicycles, mopeds, motorcycles and scooters  
The following communication, dated and received on 17 October 2022, is being circulated at the 
request of the delegation of Morocco.  
 
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Pursuant to Article 12.1(a) of the Agreement on Safeguards, Morocco hereby notifies the initiation 
of a safeguard investigation concerning impo rts of inner tubes for bicycles, mopeds, motorcycles 
and scooters.  
1. Date of initiation of the investigation  
The Ministry of Industry and Trade (hereinafter the Ministry) has  decided to initiate a safeguard 
investigation concerning imports of inner tubes for  bicycles, mopeds, motorcycles and scooters, as 
from Monday, 3 October 2022.  
A notice concerning the initiation of the investigation is available to the public on the Ministry's 
website: http://www.mcinet.gov.ma/fr/avis -sauvegarde . 
2. Precise description of the product involved  
The product under consideration can be defined as a rubber ring inserted into a bike or motorcycle 
tyre and inflated to make it both firm and elastic, thereby allowing for easy reparation in the event 
of a flat tyre.  
According to the petitioner, t he inner tube is composed of two parts: the circular tube made of elastic 
materials (either natural rubber, butyl rubber or latex) and the valve, which can be either screwed 
or welded. The product under consideration is imported into Morocco under the foll owing national 
Harmonized System tariff headings: 4013.20.00.00; 4013.90.00.10; 4013.90.00.20.  
3. Reasons for initiation of the investigation  
The investigation was initiated by the Ministry following a petition submitted by the company 
SWALLOW TYRE DISTRIBUTI ON on behalf of the domestic industry producing inner tubes for 
bicycles, mopeds, motorcycles and scooters.  
The petitioner alleges that the products in question have been imported into the Moroccan market 
in massive quantities, both in absolute terms and i n relation to domestic production, as to cause 
serious injury to the domestic industry producing inner tubes for bicycles, mopeds, motorcycles and 
scooters.  G/SG/N/6/MAR/14  
 
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  Imports of inner tubes increased massively by 59.57% in absolute terms during the 2018 -2021 
review period, rising from 540,561 tonnes in 2018 to 862,579 tonnes in 2021.  
At the same time, between 2018 and 2021, imports increased by 126.93% relative to domestic 
production.  
This massive increase in imports appears to be the result of an unexpected developm ent in 
circumstances caused by a number of factors, such as the strong growth in the use of two -wheeled 
vehicles as a mode of transport combined with the surprising and unexpected increase in imports of 
these vehicles over the past three years. Given the l ogical link between the use of two -wheeled 
vehicles and inner tubes, this use has resulted in a surprising increase in the demand for the product 
under investigation that has mainly benefited imports.  
According to the claims made in the petition, the upsur ge in imports of inner tubes has caused 
serious injury to the domestic industry, resulting in a drop in sales volumes, market share and 
financial performance.  
4. Deadlines and procedures for importers, exporters and other interested parties to 
present evidenc e and views, including (i) deadlines and procedures for Members and 
exporters to identify themselves as interested parties, if so required, to participate in the 
investigation and (ii) the date of an intended hearing as provided for in Article 3.1  
In order  to gather the information required for its investigation, the Ministry will send questionnaires 
to the importers and domestic producers of the product at issue that were identified in the petition.  
Other concerned parties wishing to receive a questionnair e and participate in the investigation should 
contact the Ministry by fax or email within 15 days of the date of initiation of the investigation 
(i.e. by 4 p.m. on Monday, 24 October 2022 at the latest).  
Replies to the investigation questionnaires must rea ch the Ministry within the time limits indicated 
in the questionnaires. Any party requesting an extension of these time limits must show good cause.  
Parties that believe the investigation concerns them have a period of 30 days from the date of 
initiation o f the investigation (i.e. by 4 p.m. on Monday, 14 November 2022 at the latest) to make 
themselves known as interested parties.  
In addition to their questionnaire replies, interested parties may also submit their views and 
comments on the initiation of the investigation, in writing, within 30 days of the date of initiation of 
the investigation (i.e. by 4 p.m. on Monday, 14 November 2022 at the latest), in confidential and 
non-confidential versions.  
During the investigation, the Ministry shall be  open to hear ing the arguments of the various parties. 
Any request for a hearing shall be made in writing and be duly substantiated. This request shall 
contain the elements that the party concerned wishes to address.  
If the Ministry agrees to hold a hearing, the party concerned shall be informed, in due course, of the 
date on which it will take place and the arrangements for the event.  G/SG/N/6/MAR/14  
 
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  5. Contact point for correspondence concerning the investigation  
To request information about the investigation procedure, parties should c ontact the Ministry using 
the fax number or email address provided below:  
Ministère de l'Industrie et du Commerce  
Direction Générale du Commerce  
Direction de la Défense et de la Réglementation Commerciale  
Division de la Défense Commerciale  
Parcelle  14, Business center, aile Nord bd Riad,  
Hay Riad. BP 610, Rabat Chellah, Morocco  
Fax: +212 537. 72.71.50  
Email : ddc-svg-caa@mcinet.gov.ma  
 
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