RESTRICTED
WORLD TRADE G/SG/Q1/HND/2
16October 1997
ORGANIZATION(97-4492)
Original: English Committee onSafeguards
NOTIFICATION OFLAWS AND REGULATIONS UNDER
ARTICLE 12.6OFTHE AGREEMENT
Questions posed bytheUNITED STATES
toHONDURAS1
Thefollowing communication, dated 8October 1997, hasbeenreceived fromthePermanent
Mission oftheUnited States.
_______________
1. Article 14oftheRegulations listscertain information tobeincluded intheresolution forthe
opening ofaninvestigation.
(a) Article2:2oftheSafeguardsAgreementstatesthat“Safeguardmeasuresshallbeapplied
toaproduct being imported irrespective ofitssource ”-thatis,onanMFN basis.
Does thereference inArticle 14(e) withrespect tocountry orcountries oforigin of
imports indicate thatthefocus oftheinvestigation willbeonimports from certain
countries, withimports fromother countries tobeexcluded? Oristheintent toidentify
thechief supplying countries? Iftheintent isthelatter, thetextshould beclarified.
(b) DoesthereferenceinArticle14(f)toadescriptionoflikeordirectlycompetitiveproduct
meanthattheinvestigatingauthoritywillhavedecidedcertainissuesrelatingtodomestic
industry prior totheopening oftheinvestigation? Oristheintent tosetoutwhatthe
applicant hasalleged isthelikeordirectly competitive domestic product? Iftheintent
isthelatter, thetextshould beclarified.
2. WhydoesArticle 15giveinterested parties only45daysina6-month proceeding tosubmit
rebuttals andevidence? Isthissufficient timeforimporters, exporters, andothers withaninterest
intheproceeding tobemade aware oftheproceeding, toretain legalorother counsel torepresent
them, andtoprepare aresponse thataddresses theprincipal issues?
3. HowdoesArticle 15relate toArticle 17,which states that“Anyinterested party maysubmit
itsstatements during theperiod oftheinvestigation, together withevidence insupport ofthose
statements ”?
(a) Isthesubmission described inArticle 15aninitial submission?
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(b) Canaperson become aninterested party atanytime?
(c) Canaperson withaninterest intheproceeding, regardless ofwhether itisaninterested
party, submit evidence atanytimeevenifitdidnotsubmit arebuttal within the45-day
period referred toinArticle 15?
4. What istheprocess under Article 19fordetermining when theinvestigating authority will
consider whether torecommend aprovisional measure? Forexample, mustarequest foraprovisional
measure havebeenincluded intheapplication forasafeguard measure?
5. Isthepublic hearing referenced inArticle 22optional orrequired? Is15daysnotice ofthe
dateofthehearing likely tobeadequate notice?
6. Willthe“finalresolution ”described inArticle 26address howthemeasure will“facilitate
adjustment ”within themeaning ofthatterminArticle 5:1oftheSafeguards Agreement?
7. Does thereference inArticle 27totaking intoaccount “thecommitments entered intointhe
framework ofCentral American economic integration ”mean thatacountry applying ameasure may
exclude imports from, orstructure relief todiminish theimpact on,another Central American country?
Ifso,under whatconditions?
8. Reference ismade inArticle 35topublication ofresolutions “atthecostoftheinterested party. ”
Isthe“interested party”theapplicant, orarealltheparties falling within thedefinition ofinterested
party inArticle 1,including foreign governments, assessed apublication cost?