G/L/1357  
G/SG/N/12/TUR/8  
 
7 April 2020 
(20-2773) Page: 1/2 
Council for Trade in Goods  
Committee on Safeguards  Original: English  
 
IMMEDIATE NOTIFICATI ON UNDE R ARTICLE 12.5 OF TH E AGREEMENT  
ON SAFEGUARDS TO TH E COUNCIL FOR TRADE IN GOODS OF  
PROPOSED SUSP ENSION OF CONCESSION S AND OTHER  
OBLIGATIONS  REFERRED TO IN PARAGRAPH 2  
OF ARTICLE 8 OF THE AGREEMENT  
ON SAFEGUARDS  
TURKEY 
The following communication, dated 7 April 2020, is being circulated at the reque st of the delegation 
of Turkey . 
 
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Pursuant to Article 12.5 of the Agreement on Safeguards, and in accordance with the agreed format 
for noti fications (G/SG/1, 1 July 1996; amended 19 October 2009, G/SG/1/Rev.1 - G/SG/N/6/Rev.1 
- G/SG/89), Turkey provides the immediate notification to the Council for Trade in Goods of the 
proposed suspension of concessions and other obligations referred to in p aragraph 2 of Article 8.  
1. Which Member is proposing suspension of concessions and other obligations referred 
to in Article 8.2?  
Turkey.  
2. Specify the measure, the product subject to the measure, the WTO document that 
notified the safeguard measure, and the Member imposing the measure in relation to 
which the Member is proposing suspension of concessions and other obligations referred 
to in Article 8.2 of the Agreement on Safeguards  
On 24  January  2020, the United States issued a Presidential Proclamation stating that imports of 
steel and aluminium derivatives would be subject to safeguard measures in the form of a tariff 
increase effective from 8  February  2020.  
Although the United States explained that these measures were being imposed on grou nds of 
national security, Turkey considers them to be an extension of certain previously imposed safeguard 
measures on imports of steel and aluminium articles. Turkey recalls that in 2018 it had requested 
consultations with the United States under Article 12.3 of the Agreement on Safeguards with respect 
to those safeguard measures.1 
On 2 April 2020, as a major exporter having substantial interest in these products, Turkey requested 
consultations with the United States pursuant to Article 12.3 of the Agreeme nt on Safeguards, with 
a view to reviewing the information provided under Article 12.2, exchanging views on the measure, 
and reaching an understanding on ways to achieve the objective set out in Article 8.1 of the 
Agreement. 2 That objective is of course t o maintain a substantially equivalent level of concessions 
and other obligations . 
 
1 See document G/SG/183 , dated 20 April 2018.  
2 See Document G/SG/234, dated 2 April 2020.  G/L/1357 • G/SG/N/12/TUR/8  
 
- 2 - 
 
  To date, Turkey has not received a response from the United  States. Therefore, no agreement could 
be reached so far with respect to adequate means of trade compensation for t he adverse effects of 
the measure on Turkey's trade.  
Turkey remains open to pursuing this consultations process with the United  States, so that an 
agreement can be found. Nevertheless, in the light of the deadlines set out in Article  8.2 of the 
Agreement on Safeguards, Turkey wishes to reserve its rights under all relevant provisions of the 
Agreement on Safeguards. This includes the right to suspend substantially equivalent concessions 
and other obligations pursuant to Article  8.2 of the Agreemen t on Safeguards.  
3. Describe the proposed suspension of concessions and other obligations referred to in 
Article 8.2 of the Agreement on Safeguards, and the proposed date from which it will come 
into effect  
Turkey provides this written notification in orde r to achieve the highest degree of legal certainty so 
that, in all circumstances, its rights to suspend the application of substantially equivalent concessions 
or other obligations pursuant to Article  8 of the Agreement on Safeguards are fully protected. T urkey 
also reserves the right to withdraw, modify, supplement or replace this notification, and/or make a 
further notification or notifications, should it deem that appropriate, including in light of any 
subsequent developments.  
Without prejudice to the ef fective exercise of its right to suspend substantially equivalent concessions 
or other obligations referred to in Article 8.2, Turkey hereby reserves its right to apply these 
proposed suspension upon the expiration of the 30 days from the day on which the written notice of 
this suspension is received by the Council for Trade in Goods.  
The suspension of concessions and other obligations will continue to apply until the United  States' 
safeguard measures are lifted.  
 
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