G/SG/N/6/MAR/13  
27 April 2021 
(21-3569) Page: 1/3 
Committee on Safeguards  Original:  French  
 
  
NOTIFICATION UNDER ARTICLE 12.1(A) OF THE AGREEMENT ON SAFEGUARDS  
ON INITIATION OF AN INVESTIGATION AND THE REASONS FOR IT  
MOROCCO  
Lighting columns  
The following communication, dated and received on  26 April 2021 , is being circulated at the request 
of the delegation of Morocco . 
 
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Pursuant to Article 12.1(a) of the Agreement on Safeguards, Morocco hereby notifies the initiation 
of a safeguard investigation concerning imports of  lighting columns.  
1. Date of initi ation of the investigation  
The Ministry of Industry, Trade and the Green and Digital Economy (hereinafter the Ministry) 
has decided to initiate a safeguard investigation concerning imports of  lighting columns, as from 
23 April 2021.  
A notice concerning the initiation of the investigation is available to the public on the Ministry's 
website  (http://www.mcinet.gov.ma/ce/antidumping/avis_sauvgarde.asp ). 
2. Produ cts subject to the investigation  
The product s subject to the investigation are lighting columns , which are  metal supports designed 
to hold one or more luminaires or floodlights , consisting of a pole (or shaft)  and possibly an extension 
piece or one or more br ackets.  
The columns are imported into Morocco under the following Harmonized System tariff headings : 
7308.20.00.00 and 7308.90.00.00 . 
3. Reasons for initiation of the investigation  
The investigation was initiated by the Ministry following a petition submitted by the domestic lighting 
column industry . 
According to the petition , imports of  lighting columns increased massively by  82% in absolute terms  
during the  2015-2020 review period, rising from 8,285 tonnes in 2015 to 15,104 tonnes in 2020 . At 
the same time , between  2015 and 2020, imports  of these products increased by 26% relative to 
domestic production , rising from 87% to 110%. 
Moreover, this massive upsurge  in imports  would appear  to be the result of an unforeseen change 
in circumstances, such as the increase in global stee l product production capacities , the rise in 
protecti ve measures  at the international level applied to iron  or steel products, a nd the devastating 
impact of the COVID -19 pandemic on the global economy . G/SG/N/6/MAR/13  
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  There is also sufficient evidence  showing that imports of the products in question  had a negative 
impact on a number of the domestic column industry's economic indicators in 2019 and 2020, 
particularly sales and market share, which has  adversely  affected its financial results . The 
deterioration of these indicators has coincided with the increase in imports and t heir share of the 
domestic market . 
In addition to the injury found , it is claimed  that the industry in question faces  more serious injury 
unless a safeguard measure is introduced . 
According to the  information in the petition, given  the global production overcapacity in the steel 
product sector, the tightening of  protecti ve measures implemented by third countries in th is sector 
and the resulting  diversion  of trade flows , and the considerable world  stocks available to exporters, 
there is a risk that the situation of the domestic industry may deteriorate  further  in the near future . 
4. Deadlines and procedures for importers, exporters and other interested parties to 
present evidence and views, including (i) deadlines and pro cedures for Members and 
exporters to identify themselves as interested parties, if so required, to participate in the 
investigation and (ii) the date of an intended hearing as provided for in Article 3.1  
In order to gather the information required for its investigation, the Ministry will send questionnaires 
to known  domestic producers of like or directly competitive products.  
Interested parties wishing to participate in this investigation may make themselves known and put 
forward their views and comments on  the initiation of the investigation by contacting the Ministry 
via email as soon as possible and by 28 May 2021 at the latest . 
Interested parties wishing to receive and complete the investigation questionnaire must request to 
do so by contac ting the Ministry via email as soon as possible and by 7 May 2021 at the latest . 
Completed questionnaires must reach the Ministry within the time -limits indicated in the 
questionnaires.  Any party requesting an extension of these time -limits must show good caus e. 
Any confidential submissions or submissions containing confidential information must be provided 
to the  Ministry in both a confidential and public version, in accordance  with the instructions set forth 
in the following point. 
Any views , comments  and inf ormation submitted after the  deadlines indicated above may be 
disregarded  in this investigation . 
During the investigation, the Ministry may hold a public hearing, either ex officio  or at the request 
of the parties concerned, to allow interested parties to put forward their views and defend their 
interests . Once agreement has been reached on holding a public hearing, the Ministry will, in due 
course, inform the interested parties of the date on which it will take place and the arrangements 
for the event . 
5. Contact point for correspondence concerning the investigation  
Interested parties are invited to submit  all their documents, comments and requests via email, with 
the exception of voluminous  documents or responses, which must be provided  on USB drives  or 
delivered  by hand or registered mail . 
Registered mail is to be sent to the address below , indicating  the name , postal address,  email , 
telephone and fax number s of the interested party making the submission . G/SG/N/6/MAR/13  
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  Ministère de l'Industrie , du Commerce et de l' Économie Verte et Numérique  
Direction Générale du Commerce  
Direction de la Défense et de la Réglementation Commerciale  
Division de la Défense Commerciale  
Parcelle 14, Business center, aile Nord bd Riad,  
Hay Riad. BP 610, Rabat Chellah, M orocco  
Tel.: (+212 ) 537 70 18 46 
Fax: (+212 ) 537 72 71 50 
Email : 
ddc-svg-candelabre@mcinet.gov.ma  
 
 
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