RESTRICTED
WORLD TRADE G/ADP/AHG/W/14
15September 1997
ORGANIZATION(97-3654)
Original: English Committee onAnti-Dumping Practices
AdHocGroup onImplementation
TIMELINE, CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION, AND LESSER
DUTY RULE (PARAGRAPH 3OFWTO/AIR/643)
Information Provided byTurkey
Thefollowing communication, dated 8September 1997, hasbeenreceived fromthePermanent
Mission ofTurkey.
_______________
WithreferencetothedecisionstakenduringthemeetingoftheAdHocGrouponImplementation
oftheCommittee onAnti-Dumping Practices which washeldon29-30 April 1997, Ihavethepleasure
toenclose theherewith Turkey 'sviews onthefollowing subjects described inairgram WTO/AIR/643.
(A) Atimeline ofwhen various events occur intheirrespective investigative processes,
including atleast thefollowing elements: application, initiation, preliminary
determination, hearing(s), written submission(s) fromparties, disclosure ofessential
facts, finaldeterminations andpublic notice ofdeterminations;
(B) Alistofinformation Members believe isconfidential bynature; and
(C) Adescription ofhowthelesser dutyruleisapplied bytheMember.G/ADP/AHG/W/14
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(A) Theviews oftheTurkish delegation onthequestion regarding thetimeline ofvarious events
intheinvestigative process stated inairgram WTO/AIR/643 isasfollows:
Application andinitiation
According totheprovisions ofrelevant Turkish legislation complaints about dumped imports
aresubmitted totheDirectorate-General forImportation whoistheinvestigating authority inanti-
dumping proceedings. Theapplication should include evidence ofdumping, injury asinterpreted in
theA-D Agreement andacausal linkbetween dumped imports andalleged injury. The
Directorate-General examines theapplication within thecontext ofArticle 5oftheA-DAgreement.
Atmost within 60daysafterreceipt oftheproperly documented application thatcontains sufficient
evidence, theBoard ofEvaluation ofUnfair Competition inImportation which isthedecision-making
authority regarding theinitiation ofanti-dumping proceedings should decide whether ornottoinitiate
aninvestigation upon aproposal submitted bytheDirectorate-General.
Preliminary determination
During thecourse ofaninvestigation provisional measures canbeapplied asaresult of
preliminary determination ofdumping andconsequent injury tothedomestic industry. Provisional
measures shallnotbeapplied sooner than60daysfromthedateofinitiation oftheinvestigation. The
minimum 60daysperiod canberegarded sufficient tomake apreliminary affirmative determination
concerning theexistence ofdumping andconsequent injury tothedomestic industry.
Hearing(s)
Hearing(s) canbeheldatanytimeduring thecourse ofinvestigation. Itisregarded beneficial
thatifalltheinterested parties have basic information andfacts about theinvestigation andthe
investigating authority hasidentified some issues buthasnotmade apreliminary determination yet.
After preliminary determination, hearing(s) maybeheldfortheinterested parties whowanttosubmit
theirviews again.
Written submission(s) from parties
According totherelevant Turkish legislation there isnospecific timelimittomake written
submissions totheinvestigating authority. Written submission(s) frominterested parties canbetaken
atanytimeduring thecourse ofinvestigation. Sufficient timemaybegranted toeachinterested party
tomake written submissions.
Disclosure ofessential facts
InArticle6.9oftheA-DAgreement,itisstatedthatdisclosure"...shouldtakeplaceinsufficient
timefortheparties todefend theirinterests". Taking thisprovision intoconsideration, interested parties
whohavecooperated should beinformed oftheessential factsduring theinvestigation. Thisshould
takeplace earlyenough toallow interested parties tomake theirviews known andlettheinvestigating
authority evaluate those views.
Disclosure should bemade inwriting andtakeplace afterpreliminary determination butnot
tooearlybefore finaldetermination. Itshould benoted thatnewandimportant factsmight beobtained
during thefinalpartoftheinvestigation. These factsshould alsobedisclosed.G/ADP/AHG/W/14
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Final determinations
Final determinations should takeplace atanytimeafterdisclosure toallow interested parties
todefend theirinterests before theconclusion oftheinvestigation inaccordance withtheprovision
ofArticle 5.10oftheA-DAgreement.
Public notice ofdetermination
Thenotice ofinitiation ofaninvestigation isgiven rightafterthedecision taken toinitiate an
investigation.
Other public notices arealsogiven rightaftertherelevant decisions aretaken.
(B) Confidential information
Article 6.5oftheA-DAgreement states that:"Any information which isbynature confidential
(forexample, because itsdisclosure would beofsignificant competitive advantage toacompetitor or
because itsdisclosure would haveasignificantly adverse effect uponaperson supplying theinformation
orupon aperson from whom thatperson acquired theinformation) ...betreated assuchbythe
authorities". Inthisrespect, information relating tothefollowing issues canberegarded asconfidential:
- costofproduction;
- market share;
- evidence relating tonormal value andexport prices;
- capacity;
- investment.
(C) Application oflesser dutyrule
InArticle 1oftheA-DAgreement, itisstated thatananti-dumping measure shallbeapplied
onlyunder thecircumstances setforthinArticle VIoftheGATT 1994andpursuant toinvestigations
initiated andconducted inaccordance withtheprovisions oftheAgreement.
Inaddition tothis,inArticle 9oftheAnti-Dumping Agreement thedecision whether ornot
toimpose ananti-dumping dutyincases where allrequirements fortheimposition havebeenfulfilled,
islefttotheinvestigating authorities. Besides, theamount oftheanti-dumping dutytobeimposed,
provided thatitisnothigher thanthemargin ofdumping, isatthediscretion oftheinvestigating
authorities.
InArticle 9.1oftheA-DAgreement itisstated thattheanti-dumping dutyisdesirable tobe
lessthanthemargin ofdumping ifsuchlesser dutywould beadequate toremove theinjury.
Application oflesser dutyshould betherulebecause:
- thespirit oftheA-DAgreement requires this.Theaimofimposing anti-dumping duty
istoremove theinjury, notthedumping since, incases where goods aresoldatdumped
prices buthavenotcaused injury thennomeasures canbeimposed.G/ADP/AHG/W/14
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- ahigher dutythantheamount necessary toremove theinjury mayleadtoinefficiencies
intheallocation ofresources.
Turkey'scurrentlegislationgoverningproceduresforanti-dumpinginvestigationshasprovisions
concerning thissubject. InArticle 7oftheLawonthePrevention ofUnfair Competition inImportation
itisstated that"...incaseitisdetermined thattheinjury occurring onaccount ofdumped and/or
subsidized importation maybecompensated bytheimposition ofadutyatalesser quantity orrate
thantheestablisheddumpingmarginorsubsidyamount,adutyonsuchrateorquantityshallbeapplied".
InTurkish experience lesser dutyruleisapplied.