G/SG/N/6/MYS/6  
 
23 September 2020 
(20-6469) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Safeguards  Original: English  
 
 
NOTIFICATION UNDER ARTICLE 12.1(A) OF THE AGREEMENT  
ON SAFEGUARDS ON INITIATION OF AN INVESTIGATION  
AND THE REASONS FOR IT  
MALAYSIA  
Ceramic Floor and Wall Tiles  
The following communication, dated  23 September 2020, is being circulated at the request of the 
delegation of Malaysia . 
 
_______________  
 
 
Pursuant to Article 12.1(a) of the WTO Agreement on Safeguards, Malaysia hereby notifies the 
Committee on Safeguards that the Government of Malaysia (GOM) has initiated a safeguard 
investigation on the imports of ceramic floor and wall tiles.  
1. The date of initiation  
The investigation was initiated on 13 September 2020.  The Notice of Initiation was published in the 
Federal Government Gazette  of Malaysia as P.U.(B) 462/2020 ("Notice of Initiation ") on 
11 September  2020. 
2. The product subject to the investigation  
The products under investigation are ceramic floor and wall tiles as classified under the Harmonised 
System Code (H.S. Code) Number and ASEAN Harmonised Tariff Nomencla ture (AHTN): 
6907.21.21  00, 6907.21.23 00, 6907.21.91 00, 6907.21.93 00, 6907.22.11 00, 6907.22.13 00, 
6907.22.91 00, 6907.22.93 00, 6907.23.11 00, 6907.23.13 00, 6907.23.91 00 and 6907.23.93 00.  
3. The reasons for the initiation of investigation  
(a) The investigation has been initiated pursuant to a petition received from Federation of 
Malaysian Manufacturers – Malaysian Ceramic Industry Group, acting on behalf of domestic 
industry in Malaysia producing the like products, requesting the GOM for an ini tiation of 
safeguard investigation;  
(b) Based on preliminary assessment of the information submitted in the petition, it indicated 
that: 
i. during 2017 to 2019, there has been an increase in imports of ceramic floor and wall 
tiles in absolute terms and relative to domestic production of the like products; and  
ii. such increase in imports of ceramic floor and wall tiles has caused serious injury to the 
domestic industry producing the like products which has been indicated in their 
declining market share, sale s, profitability, production volume, productivity rate and 
reduction in employment and wages.  G/SG/N/6/MYS/6  
 
- 2 - 
 
  4. Time limit for interested parties to submit information  
(a) Any interested parties, who wish to request for a copy of the questionnaires, shall identify 
themselves an d its related business activities to the investigation within 15 days from the 
date of publication of the Notice of Initiation in the Federal Government Gazette  of Malaysia.  
(b) All interested parties shall submit their views and response to the questionnaires  in writing 
within 30 days from the date of publication of the Notice of Initiation in the Federal 
Government Gazette  of Malaysia if such views and submissions of the responses are to be 
taken into consideration during the investigation, unless otherwise s pecified by the 
interested parties in the views and responses.  
5. Contact point and preferred means for corresponding  
All information, responses to questionnaires, requests and correspondence must be made officially 
in writing and sent by e -mail, post, facsim ile or by hand and with clear indication of the name, 
address, e -mail address, telephone and facsimile numbers of the interested parties to : 
Director  
Trade Practices Section  
Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI)  
Level 9, Menara MITI  
No. 7, Ja lan Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah  
50480 Kuala Lumpur  
Malaysia  
Telephone Number : (+603) 6208 4632  
Facsimile Number :  (+603) 6211 4429  
E-mail Address :  alltps@miti.gov.my  
 
 
__________