WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/SG/N/10/USA/5
23 February 2000
(00-0673)
Committee on Safeguards Original:  English
NOTIFICATIONS PURSUANT TO ARTICLE 12.1(C) AND
ARTICLE 9, FOOTNOTE 2, OF THE AGREEMENT ON SAFEGUARDS
ON TAKING A DECISION TO APPLY A SAFEGUARD MEASURE
UNITED STATES
The following communication, dated 22 February 2000, has been received from the Permanent
Mission of the United States.
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Pursuant to the above-referenced provision of the Agreement on Safeguards, and in light of the
agreed format for notifications (G/SG/1, 1 July 1996), the United States provides the following
notification to the Committee on Safeguards.
A. NOTIFICATION UNDER ARTICLE 12.1( C) UPON TAKING A DECISION TO APPLY A SAFEGUARD
MEASURE
1. Provide evidence of serious injury or th reat thereof caused by increased imports
This information was provided in previous notifications.  See G/SG/N/8/USA/7
(11 November 1999) and G/SG/N/8/U SA/7/Suppl.1 (25 January 2000).
2. Provide information on whether there is an ab solute increase in imports or an increase in
imports relative to domestic production (please see also Article 2.1 for the context)
This information was provided in a previo us notification.  See G/SG/N/8/USA /7/Suppl.1
(25 January 2000).
3. Provide a precise description of the product involved
The imported article covered by the proposed measure is welded carbon quality line pipe of
circular cross section, of a kind used for oil and gas pipelines, whether or not stencilled. “Carbon quality”
is defined to mean: products in which (1) iron predominates, by weight, over each of the other contained
elements, (2) the carbon content is 2 per cent or less, by weight, and (3) none of the elements listed belowexceeds the quantity, by weight, respectively indicated: 1.80 per cent of manganese, or 2.25 per cent of
silicon, or 1.00 per cent of copper, or 0.50 per cen t of aluminum, or 1.25 per cent of chromium, or
0.30 per cent of cobalt, or 0.40 per cent of lead, or 1.25 pe r cent of nickel, or 0.30 per cent of tungsten, orG/SG/N/10/USA/5
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0.10 per cent of molybdenum, or 0.10 per cent of niobium, or 0.15 per cent of vanadium, or 0.15 per cent
of zirconium.
Such line pipe is currently classified in subheadings 7306.10.10 and 7306.10.50 of the
Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States.  The proposed measure excludes certain merchandisedescribed as arctic grade line pipe, defined as welded line pipe that (1) has an outer diameter of 4.5 inches
or more and a wall thickness equal to or less than 0.75 inches; and (2) when subjected to a Charpy V-
notch test performed at minus 50 degrees Fahrenheit or below applied to three specimens taken from the
well area, has a ft-lbs rating of no less than 17 ft-lbs for each sample, with an average for all three at no
less than 19 ft-lbs; and (3) using at least three samples, has a minimum average shear area of 85 per cent
in the base metal and 50 per cent in the weld; and (4 ) when subjected to a hydrogen induced cracking test
to be performed as per NACE (National Association of Corrosion Engineers) TM0284 test with solution
A, has a crack length ratio that does not exceed 15 per cent, a crack sensibility ratio that does not exceed
2 per cent, and a crack thickness ratio that does not exceed 5 per cent.
4. Provide a precise description of the proposed measure
The proposed measure is an increase in duty on imports of certain line pipe, as described in the
reply to question 3, above.  The additional duty will be 19 per cent ad valorem in the first year of relief,
declining to 15 and 11 per cent ad valorem in the second and third years, respectively.  Each year, the first
9,000 short tons of imports from each supplying country will be excluded from the increase in duty.  The
proposed measure will not apply to imports from Canada or Mexico.
5. Provide the proposed date of introduction of the measure
The proposed date of introduction of the measure is 1 March 2000.
6. Provide expected duration of the measure
The proposed measure is expected to be in effect for 3 years and 1 day.
7. For a measure with a duration of more than th ree years, provide the proposed date for the
review (under Article 7.4) to be held not later than the mid-term of the measure, if such a
date for the review has already been scheduled
Not currently available.
8. If the expected duration is over one year, provide expected timetable for progressive
liberalization of the measure
See response to question 4, above.
9. If the measure is being extended, also provide:  (i) evidence that the industry concerned is
adjusting and that the safeguard measure cont inues to be necessary to prevent or remedy
serious injury
Not applicable.G/SG/N/10/USA/5
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B. NOTIFICATION UNDER ARTICLE 9, FOOTNOTE 2 OF THE NON -APPLICATION OF A SAFEGUARD
MEASURE TO DEVELOPING COUNTRIES UNDER ARTICLE 9.1
1. Specify the measure
See response to question A.4 above.
2. Specify the product subject to the measure
See response to question A.3 above.
3. Specify the developing countries to which the measure is not applied under Article 9.1 of the
Agreement on Safeguards, and the import shares of these countries individually and
collectively
The United States has structured the proposed measure to ensure that the first 9,000 short tons of
imports from each supplying country will be exempted from the increase in duty during each year that the
action is in effect.  In this manner, the United States has ensured that the increase in duty will not apply to
imports originating in any developing country Member subject to exemption from a safeguard measure
under Article 9.1.
4. Subsequently, if there is a change in the list of developing countries exempted from the
safeguard measure pursuant to Article 9.1, please notify
(i) the reference to the WTO document that notified the Members about the initial action
under footnote 2 to Article 9.1;
(ii) if applicable, names of the countries which are dropped from the list of developing
countries to which the safeguard measure does not apply pursuant to Article 9.1, the list
of the countries remaining on the list, the individual and collective import shares of the
developing countries remaining on the list, and the date on which the safeguard measure
applies to the countries dropped from the list;
(iii) if applicable, names of the countries which are added to the list of developing countries
to which the safeguard measure does not apply pursuant to Article 9.1, the list of all the
countries on the list, the individual and collective import shares of the developing
countries on the list, and the date from which the safeguard measure does not apply to
the countries which are added to the list.
Not applicable.
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