G/SG/N/10/USA/7/Suppl.5  
 
7 August 2019 
(19-5160) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Safeguards  Original: English  
 
 
NOTIFICATION UNDER A RTICLE 12.1(C) UPON TAKING  
A DECISION TO APPLY OR EXTEND A SAFEGUAR D MEASURE  
UNITED STATES   
Crystalline Silicon Photovoltaic Cells  
(Whether or Not Partially or Fully Assembled into Other Products)  
Supplement  
The following communication, dated  6 August 2019, is being circulated at the request of the 
Delegation of the United States.  
 
_______________  
 
 
Pursuant to Article 12.1(a) of the WTO Agreement on Safeguards (Safeguards Agreement), the 
United States notifies that it has initiated a review of the situation with respect to the safeguard 
measures on crystalline silicon photovoltaic cells (whether or not partially or fully assembled into 
other products), notified to the Committee in G/SG/N/8/USA/9/Suppl.4  – G/SG/N/10/USA/7  – 
G/SG/N/11/USA/6 (dated 26 January 2018), as follows:  
 
1. Specify the date when the investigation was initiated.  
 
The U.S. International Trade Commission (Commission) initiated the investigation on 25 July 2019.  
 
A copy of the Federal Regi ster notice1, published on 1 August 2019, is attached and includes the 
scheduling of a public hearing, deadlines for the filing of written submission, and any applicable rules 
of procedure.   
 
2. Provide the precise description of the product involved.  
 
The products covered by this investigation are described in the Presidential Proclamation published 
in the Federal Register on 25 January 2018, and notified in G/SG/N/8/USA/9/Suppl.4  - 
G/SG/N/10/USA/7  - G/SG/N/11/USA/6 (dated 26 January 2018).  
 
3. Provide the  reasons for the initiation of the investigation.  
 
The U.S. International Trade Commission (Commission) has initiated this investigation for the 
purpose of preparing a report to the President and the Congress, as required by section 204(a)(2) 
of the Trade Act of 1974 (the Trade Act) (19 U.S.C. sec. 2254(a)(2)) on its monitoring of 
developments in the domestic industry following the President’s decision to impose a safeguard 
measure on imports of crystalline silicon photovoltaic cells (whether or not p artially or fully 
assembled into other products).  Section 204(a)(1) of the Trade Act (19 U.S.C. sec. 2254(a)(1)) 
requires the Commission to monitor developments with respect to the domestic industry, including 
the progress and specific efforts made by work ers and firms in the domestic industry to make a 
                                                
1 A copy of the Federal Register notice  has been submitted electronically. To consult this document 
please contact Ms. Richards ( anne.richards@wto.org ) or Ms. Naville ( delphine.naville@wto.org ) of the Rules 
Division.  G/SG/N/10/USA/7/Suppl.5  
 
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  positive adjustment to import competition, as long as any action under section 203 of the Trade Act 
remains in effect.  Whenever the initial period of such an action exceeds three years, 
section  204(a)(2) of the Trade Act requires the Commission to submit a report on the results of the 
monitoring to the President and the Congress no later than the mid -point of the initial period of relief 
– in this case by 7 February 2020.  
 
4. Provide a point of contact for th e investigation and identify the preferred means for 
corresponding  
 
The point of contact for the investigation is:  
 
Mary Messer  
Office of Investigations  
U.S. International Trade Commission  
500 E Street, SW  
Washington, DC 20436  
Tel: (202-205-3193)  
 
The public record for this investigation may be viewed on the Commission’s electronic docket (EDIS) 
at https://edis.usitc.gov .  
 
5. Provide the deadlines and procedures for importers, exporters and oth er interested 
parties to present evidence and their 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 the intended public hearing as provided 
for in Article 3.1  
 
Persons wishing to participate in the investigation must file an entry of appearance with the 
Secretary to the Commission, not later than 21 days after publication of the Federal Register notice, 
or by 22 Augu st 2019.  
 
Each party who is an interested party may submit a prehearing brief to the Commission.  The deadline 
for filing prehearing briefs is 26 November 2019.  Parties may also file posthearing briefs by 12 
December 2019.   
 
The Commission has scheduled a h earing for 5 December 2019, at the U.S. International Trade 
Commission Building, 500 E Street, SW, Washington, DC.   
 
Requests to appear at the hearings should be filed in writing with the Secretary to the Commission 
on or before 2 December 2019.  
 
All part ies and nonparties desiring to appear at the hearings and make oral presentations should 
participate in prehearing conferences to be held on 4 December 2019.  
 
Parties may file written testimony in connection with their presentation at the hearing.  Parties must 
submit any request to present a portion of their hearing testimony in camera no later than 7 business 
days prior to the date of the hearing.  
 
In addition, any person who has not entered an appearance as a party may submit a written 
statement c oncerning the matters to be addressed in the Commission’s report to the President on 
or before 12 December 2019.  
 
The attached Federal Register notice provides further information regarding deadlines and 
procedures applicable to this investigation.  
 
The Co mmission’s Handbook on E -Filing, available on the Commission’s website at 
https://www.usitc.gov/secretary/documents/handbook_on_filing_procedures.pdf , elaborates up on 
the Commission’s rules with respect to electronic filing.  
 
 
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