G/SG/N/7/TUR/14  
G/SG/N/11/TUR/29  
 
5 January 2024 
(24-0156) Page: 1/8 
Committee on Safeguards  Original: English  
 
NOTIFICATION UNDER ARTICLE 12.4 OF THE AGREEMENT  
ON SAFEGUARDS BEFORE TAKING A PROVISIONAL  
SAFEGUARD MEASURE REFERRED TO IN ARTICLE 6  
NOTIFICATION PURSUANT TO ARTICLE 9, FOOTNOTE 2  
OF THE AGREEMENT ON SAFEGUARDS  
TÜRKIYE  
Wire rods products  
The following communication, dated and received on 4 January 2024, is being circulated at the 
request of the delegation of Türkiye . 
 
_______________  
 
 
NOTIFICATION UNDER ARTICLE 12.4 OF THE AGREEMENT  
ON SAFEGUARDS BEFORE TAKING A PROVISIONAL  
SAFEG UARD MEASURE REFERRED TO IN ARTICLE 6  
1  PRODUCT SUBJECT TO THE PROPOSED PROVISIONAL SAFEGUARD MEASURE  
Products subject to the provisional safeguard measure are wire rods, currently classified in the 
Turkish Customs Tariff Schedule under the customs tariff codes 72.13 and 72.27 and are listed in 
Annex -I to this Notice. Those HS codes are given for information purposes only and are hereinafter 
referred to as "the product conc erned".  
2  PROPOSED PROVISIONAL SAFEGUARD MEASURE  
Provisional safeguard measure is in the form of specific additional financial duty which will be 
implemented in the amount of "USD 175 per ton ". 
3  PROPOSED DATE OF THE INTRODUCTION OF THE PROPOSED PROVISIONAL 
SAFEGUARD MEASURE  
Proposed date of introduction of the provisional safeguard measure is 07/01/2024.  
4  EXPECTED DURATION OF THE PROVISIONAL SAFEGUARD MEASURE  
Provisional safeguard measure will be in force for 200 days.  G/SG/N/7/TUR/14 • G/SG/N/11/TUR/29  
 
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  5  PROVIDE THE BASIS FOR:  
(i) Making a prelimina ry determination, as provided for in Article 6, that increased 
imports have caused or are threatening to cause serious injury; and,  
UNFORESEEN DEVELOPMENTS  
Turkish investigating authority examined the unforeseen developments those have caused sharp 
and significant increase in imports.  
Global excess capacity of the product concerned in last decades has already been an agenda item 
on several international platforms. As a matter of fact, in an OECD report1 on the issue, it is stated 
that the excessive capa city as one of the main challenges faced by the global steel sector.  
Both the recent measures in the form of tariff increase and the trade restrictive practices of a number 
of countries (the United States, European Union and some developing countries) cau sed a change 
in the course of trade flow for the product concerned. These protective policies have been unforeseen 
developments directly affecting the amount of imports of the product concerned into Türkiye.  
On the other hand, many countries, especially th e European Union, the United States and Canada; 
have imposed a prohibition/restriction on imports from Russia due to the Ukraine -Russian war.  
Relatedly, Türkiye has become a target market of Russian products. Imports from Russia ha ve been 
147.5 thousand to ns by increasing 78 % in the first six months of 2023 compared to the same period 
of previous year.  
As a result, Türkiye has been an attractive market for the products concerned that are subject to 
increasing number of protective measures. Therefore, afore mentioned unforeseen developments 
have triggered an increase in import of wire rods into Türkiye.  
INCREASE IN IMPORTS  
Based on the information from official sources, the course of absolute and relative imports for the 
product subject to the investigation i s given below. 2019 -2022 full year and 2022 -2023 January -
June periodic import data were used.  
Total imports of the products concerned are indicated at the table below.  
 
IMPORTS  Quantity 
(Tons)  Value  
(Thousand 
USD)  U.P. 
(USD/Tons)  Change %  
Amount 
(Tons)  (Thousand 
USD) U.P. 
(USD/Tons)  
2019  424.948  283.012  666       
2020  382.460  238.763  624 -10 -16 -6 
2021  565.367  472.608  836 48 98 34 
2022  507.388  508.404  1.002  -10 8 20 
2022 (1 -6) 281.701  295.535  1.049        
2023 (1 -6) 514.204  402.020  782 83 36 -25 
 
The amount of wire rods imports, which was approximately 424.9 thousand tons in 2019, decreased 
by 10 % in 2020 and became 382.4 thousand tons. In 2021, imports increased by 48 % and reached 
to the level of 565.4 thousand tons. In 2022, total wire rods imports decreased to 507 thousand 
tons, marking a 10 % decrease.  
The increase in the amount of imports has especially been remarkable in the recent period of 
investigation. Imports i ncreased by 83 % in the first half of 2023 compared to the same period of 
the previous year and reached 514.2 thousand tons. In addition, the amount of imports increased 
by 133% in January - June period of 2023 compared to the same period of 2019.  
 
1 This paper was authored by Masanobu Nakamizu from the OECD Directorate for Science, Technology 
and Innovation (STI). It was approved and declassified by written procedure by the OECD Steel Committee on 
12/04/2023 and prepared for publication by the OECD Secretariat.  G/SG/N/7/TUR/14 • G/SG/N/11/TUR/29  
 
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  On value basis, imports decreased from the level of USD 283 million in 2019 to USD 238.7  million  
in 2020, marking a 16 % decrease. Thereafter, imports increased steadily on annual basis and 
reached to 508.4 million dollars in 2022, marking a 8 % compared to the previous year. In the first 
half of 2023 imports have increased by 36 % compared to the same period of the previous year and 
reached USD 402 million.  
Referring to the ratio of imports to domestic production, the data on relative imports takes place in 
the table below in the form of indexed values.  
Imports/Domestic production  2019  2020  2021  2022  2022  
(1-6) 2023  
(1-6) 
Index  100 91 130 127 100 279 
 
Relative imports index pursued a fluctuating path on annual basis. Index, which was 100 in 2019 
decreased to 91 in 2020, increased to 130 in 2021 and diminished to 127 in 2022. Periodical index, 
on the other hand, showed a sharp increase, and index, which was 100 in the first six months of 
2022 increased to 279 in the same period of 2023.  
It is concluded that there is a recent, sudden, sharp and significant increase in imports, both in 
absolute terms and relative to domestic production, on the basis of the analyses of imports of wire 
rods for the period of 2019 -2022 and January -June period of 202 3. 
SERIOUS INJURY  
In order to make a determination of serious injury or threat thereof to the domestic producers of 
the products concerned, evaluation of all relevant factors of an objective and quantifiable nature 
having a bearing on the situation of the domestic industry was undertaken for the investigation 
period January 2019 -December 2022 and January -June period for the years 2022 and 2023. Figures 
on economic indicators of the domestic producers are based on the data submitted by applicant 
domestic pro ducers and official import statistics.  
General economic indicators related to the products under investigation are presented with indexed 
values in the tables below.  
(i) Consumption  
Consumption  2019  2020  2021  2022  2022  (1-6) 2023  (1-6) 
Index  100 110 129 115 100 97 
 
Consumption data was calculated by consolidation of the domestic sales data of the applicant 
companies and import data.  
Consumption index, which was 100 in 2019, increased to 129 in 2021, and then decreased to 115 
in 2022. Periodic consumption showed a slight decline. Index, which was 100 in the first six months 
of 2022, decreased to 97 in the same period of 2023.  
(ii) Production  
Production  2019  2020  2021  2022  2022 (1 -6) 2023 (1 -6) 
Index  100 99 102 94 100 65 
 
Production followed a fluctuating course throughout the period under investigation. Production index, 
which was 100 in 2019, decreased to 94 in 2022. The decrease in production continued in the first 
six months of 2023.  Index, which was 100 in the first six months of 2022, decr eased to 65 in the 
same period of 2023.  
(iii) Domestic Sales  
Domestic Sales  2019  2020  2021  2022  2022 (1 -6) 2023 (1 -6) 
Index  100 115 128 114 100 73 
 G/SG/N/7/TUR/14 • G/SG/N/11/TUR/29  
 
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  Domestic sales increased regularly between 2019 and 2021, and index increased from 100 in 2019 
to 128 in 2021.However, domestic sales began to decline as of 2022 and index decreased to 
114 points in 2022. Similarly, periodic domestic sales index decreased from 100 in January -June 
period of 2022 to 73 in the same period of 2023.  
(iv) Capacity and Capacity Utilizati on Rate  
Capacity and CUR  2019  2020  2021  2022  2022 (1 -6) 2023 (1 -6) 
Capacity (Index)  100 100 100 100 100 100 
CUR (Index)  100 99 102 94 100 65 
 
Production capacity for the product concerned did not change during the investigation period. 
Similarly, capacity utilization rate (CUR) did not show a remarkable change between 2019 and 2021. 
CUR index, which was 100 in 2019 decreased to 99 in 2020, and increased to 102 point in 2021. In 
parallel to the decrease in production in 2022, CUR index dr opped to 94. In parallel to the continuing 
decrease in production, CUR index also showed a significant decrease in the first half of 2023 and 
index, which was 100 in the first half of 2022 decreased to 65 in the same period of 2023 . 
(v) Stocks  
Stocks  2019  2020  2021  2022  2022 (1 -6) 2023 (1 -6) 
Index  100 260 87 90 100 95 
Stocks index, which was 100 in 2019, increased significantly in 2020, reaching to 260 points. In 
2021, index decreased to 87, and re -increased to 90 in 2022. Downward trend in end of stock index 
continued periodically, and index decreased from 100 in the f irst half of 2022 to 95 in the same 
period of 2023.  
(vi) Employment  
Employment  2019  2020  2021  2022  2022 (1 -6) 2023 (1 -6) 
Index  100 104 113 113 100 96 
 
Employment index showed a continuous increase throughout the investigation period, except for the 
decline in the first six months of 2023. Employment index, which was 100 in 2019 increased to 113 
in 2022. Periodical employment index, which was 100 in the first 6 months of 2022, decreased to 
96 in the same period of 2023.  
(vii) Productivity   
Productivity  2019  2020  2021  2022  2022 (1 -6) 2023 (1 -6) 
Index  100 95 91 83 100 68 
 
Productivity index showed a continuous decrease throughout the investigation period. Index, which 
was 100 in 2019 decreased to 95 in 2020, to 91 in 2021, and to 83 in 2022. Periodical productivity 
index, which was 100 in the first 6 months of 2022, decreased to 68 in the same period of 2023.  
(viii)  Profitability  
Profitability  2019  2020  2021  2022  2022 (1 -6) 2023 (1 -6) 
Index  100 416 917 311 100 -9 
Profitability ratio, which refers to net profit in total sales , was at its highest level in 2021 and a 
downward trend has prevailed after this year.  Profitability index, which was 100 in 2019, increased 
to 416 in 2020, to 917 in 2021, and to 311 in 2022. P rofitability of domestic producers showed a 
negative trend in the recent period. Index, which was 100 in the first 6 months of 2022, decreased 
to -9 in the same period of 2023,  marking a negative indicator (loss) for the first time in the 
investigation per iod. 
In conclusion, although certain figures with regard to domestic industry have followed a positive or 
a horizontal course until 2021, overall picture indicates a situation of serious injury for the domestic G/SG/N/7/TUR/14 • G/SG/N/11/TUR/29  
 
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  industry after this year. Significant deterio rations occurred in indicators such as production, domestic 
sales, capacity utilization rate, employment and profitability in 2022 and these deteriorations 
continued in the first half of 2023. In addition, profitability ratios, which were previously positi ve, 
have recently decreased and turned into negative levels in the first 6 months of 2023.  
Overall, it has been concluded that there is an absolute and relative increase in imports and that 
domestic producers have suffered from serious injury due to the i ncrease in imports of the products 
concerned as a result of the concurrent evaluation of the course of imports for the goods under 
economic indicators of domestic producers and market conditions for domestic industry.  
CAUSATION  
Imports of the products subject to investigation followed a fluctuating course until 2022. Recently 
however, amount of imports increased significantly and reached to 514 thousand tons in the first 
half of 2023. It 's considerable that the amount of imports in the first ha lf of 2023 exceeded the 
amount of imports for the whole of 2022.  Simultaneously with the increase in imports, in absolute 
terms or relative to the domestic production, significant deteriorations  occurred in indicators such 
as production, domestic sales, em ployment and profitability. Capacity utilization level has decreased 
significantly in parallel with the deterioration in other economic indicators of domestic producers.  
On the other hand, Türkiye has been an attractive market for products concerned and 
aforementioned unforeseen developments have triggered an increase in imports of the products 
concerned with low unit -prices into Türkiye.  Domestic wire rods industry is evaluated to particularly 
be sensitive to price pressure, and it 's evaluated that any fur ther increase in imports with low prices 
will have a significant negative impact on the situation of domestic producers . 
(ii) Determining  that there are critical circumstances where delay would cause 
damage which it would be difficult to repair  
It is concluded that there is a causal link between increased imports of the products concerned and 
a serious injury on domestic industry, which took effect simultaneously. Most of the recent figures 
of the domestic industry indicate that the products concerned are highly  sensitive to any further 
increase of imports.  
Recent figures show that domestic industry has no more margin to absorb the effects of increase in 
imports. In this regard, a delay in taking a measure would cause a number of domestic producers 
to face furth er deterioration in their economic activities.  
6  OFFER OF CONSULTATIONS  
Türkiye offers consultations on the provisional safeguard measures at any time after the measure is 
taken . 
  G/SG/N/7/TUR/14 • G/SG/N/11/TUR/29  
 
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  NOTIFICATION PURSUANT TO ARTICLE 9, FOOTNOTE 2  
OF THE AGREEMENT ON SAFEGUARDS  
1  SPECIFY THE MEASURE  
Proposed provisional safeguard measure is in the form of specific additional financial duty which will 
be implemented in the amount of "USD 175 per ton ". 
2  SPECIFY THE PRODUCTS SUBJECT TO THE MEASURE  
Products subject to the proposed provisional safeguard measure are listed in Annex -I. 
3  SPECIFY THE DEVELOPIN G COUNTRIES TO WHICH THE MEASURE IS NOT APPLIED 
UNDER ARTICLE 9.1 OF THE AGREEMENT ON SAFEGUARDS  
The developing countries which are excluded from the provisional measure as they export in 
quantities less than 3 % of imports to Türkiye are listed belo w under Article 9.1 of the Agreement on 
Safeguards.  
Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, Republic of Angola, Argentine Republic, Republic of Albania, 
Republic of Azerbaijan, Belize, Republic of Benin, Republic of Belarus, Kingdom of Bhutan, 
Plurinational State of Bolivia, Bosnia And Herzegovina, Republic of Botswana, Burkina Faso, Republic 
of The Union Of Myanmar, Republic of Burundi, Republic of Cabo Verde, People's Democratic Republic 
of Algeria, Republic of Djibouti, Coo k Islands, Republic of Chad, Democratic Republic of Timor -Leste, 
Dominican Republic, Commonwealth of Dominica, Republic of Ecuador, Republic of Equatorial 
Guinea, Republic of El Salvador, State of Eritrea, The Kingdom of Eswatini, Federal Democratic 
Republ ic of Ethiopia, Republic of Fiji, Republic of Côte D'ivoire, Republic of the Philippines, State of 
Palestine, Gabonese Republic, The Republic of the Gambia, The Republic of Ghana, Republic of 
Guinea, Republic of Guinea -Bissau, Grenada, Republic of Guatemal a, Republic of South Sudan, 
Republic of Haiti, Republic of Honduras, Republic of Iraq, Islamic Republic of Iran, Jamaica, Kingdom 
of Cambodia, Republic of Cameroon, Republic of Kazakhstan, Republic of Kenya, Kyrgyz Republic, 
Republic of Kiribati, Republic of Colombia, Union of the Comoros, Republic of the Congo, Democratic 
Republic of the Congo, Republic of Kosovo, Republic of Costa Rica, Democratic People's Republic of 
Korea, Republic of Cuba, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Kingdom of Lesotho, Republic of Liberia, 
State of Libya, Lebanese Republic, Republic of Madagascar, Republic of Malawi, Republic of Maldives, 
Republic of Mali, Republic of the Marshall İslands, Federated States of Micronesia, Mongolia, Republic 
of Moldova, Islamic Republic of Mauritan ia, Republic of Mauritius, Republic of Mozambique, Republic 
of Namibia, Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, Republic of Niger, Federal Republic of Nigeria, 
Republic of Nicaragua, Niue, Central African Republic, Republic of Uzbekistan, Islamic Republic of  
Pakistan, Republic of Palau, The Independent State of Papua New Guinea, Republic of Paraguay, 
Republic of Peru, Republic of Rwanda, Independent State of Samoa, Democratic Republic of Sao 
Tome And Principe, Republic of Senegal, The Republic of Sierra Leone , Solomon Islands, Federal 
Republic of Somalia, Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the 
Grenadines, Republic of The Sudan, Republic of Suriname, Republic of Tajikistan, United Republic of 
Tanzania, Togolese Republic, Kingdom of Tonga, Tuvalu, Turkmenistan, The Republic of Uganda, 
Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, Republic of Vanuatu, Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Republic of 
Yemen, Republic of Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe . 
  G/SG/N/7/TUR/14 • G/SG/N/11/TUR/29  
 
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  ANNEX -I 
PRODUCTS SUBJECT TO PROVISIONAL SAFEG UARD MEASURE  
Customs Tariff 
Statistics Position  Product Name  
7213.10.00.00.00  Containing indentations, ribs, grooves or other deformations produced during the rolling 
process  
7213.20.00.00.11  Bars and rods for manufacturing of bolts and nuts  
7213.20.00.00.12  Bars and rods for manufacturing of electrodes  
7213.20.00.00.13  Bars and rods for manufacturing of wire and nails  
7213.20.00.00.19  Other  
7213.91.10.00.00  Of a type used for concrete reinforcement  
7213.91.20.00.00  Of a type used for tyre cord  
7213.91.41.00.11  Bars and rods for manufacturing of bolts and nuts  
7213.91.41.00.12  Bars and rods for manufacturing of electrodes  
7213.91.41.00.13  Bars and rods for manufacturing of wire and nails  
7213.91.41.00.19  Other  
7213.91.49.00.11  Bars and rods for manufacturing of bolts and nuts 
7213.91.49.00.12  Bars and rods for manufacturing of electrodes  
7213.91.49.00.13  Bars and rods for manufacturing of wire and nails  
7213.91.49.00.19  Other  
7213.91.70.10.11  Bars and rods for manufacturing of bolts and nuts  
7213.91.70.10.12  Bars and rods for manufacturing of electrodes  
7213.91.70.10.13  Bars and rods for manufacturing of wire and nails  
7213.91.70.10.19  Other  
7213.91.70.90.00  Other  
7213.91.90.00.00  Containing by weight more than 0,75 % of carbon  
7213.99.10.00.11  Bars and rods for manufacturing of bolts and nuts  
7213.99.10.00.13  Bars and rods for manufacturing of wire and nails  
7213.99.10.00.19  Other  
7213.99.90.10.11  Bars and rods for manufacturing of bolts and nuts  
7213.99.90.10.13  Bars and rods for manufacturing of wire and nails  
7213.99.90.10.19  Other  
7213.99.90.90.00  Other  
7227.10.00.00.00  Of highspeed steel  
7227.20.00.00.00  Of silicomanganese steel  
7227.90.10.00.00  Containing by weight 0,0008% or more of boron with any other element less than  the 
minimum content referred to in note1f) to this chapter  
7227.90.50.00.00  Containing by weight 0,9% or more but not more than 1,15% of carbon, 0,5% or more  
but not more than 2% of chromium and, if present, not mor e than 0,5% of molybdenum  
7227.90.95.00.00  Other  
  G/SG/N/7/TUR/14 • G/SG/N/11/TUR/29  
 
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  ANNEX -II 
ECONOMIC INDICATORS OF DOMESTIC PRODUCTION  
ECONOMIC 
INDICATORS  Unit 2019  2020  2021  2022  2022 (1 -6) 2023 (1 -6) 
Import  Ton 424.948  382.460  565.367  507.388  281.701  514.204  
Consumption  Index  100 110 129 115 100 97 
Production  Index  100 99 102 94 100 65 
Imports/Domestic 
production  Index  100 91 130 127 100 279 
Market share of 
imports  Index  100 82 103 103 100 188 
Total Import U.P.  USD/Ton 666 624 836 1.002  1.049  782 
Domestic sales  Index  100 115 128 114 100 73 
Overseas sales  Index  100 84 62 66 100 49 
Capacity  Index  100 100 100 100 100 100 
C.U.R.  Index  100 99 102 94 100 65 
Stocks  Index  100 260 87 90 100 95 
Employment  Index  100 104 113 113 100 96 
Productivity  Index  100 95 91 83 100 68 
Profitability  Index  100 416 917 311 100 -9 
 
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