G/SG/N/6/MAR/7/Suppl.1  
G/SG/N/14/MAR/1/Suppl.2  
31 August  2018 
(18-5433) Page: 1/2 
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  
 
NOTIFICATION UPON INITIATION OF A REVIEW PURSUANT  
TO ARTICLE 7.2 REGARDING THE EXTENSION  
OF A SAFEGUARD MEASURE  
MOROCCO  
(Wire Rods and Reinforcing Bars ) 
Supplement  
The following communication, dated  13 August 2 018, is being circulated at the request of the 
delegation of Morocco.  
_______________  
 
 
Pursuant to Article 7.2 of the Agreement on Safeguards, Morocco hereby notifies the initiation of  a 
review investigation regarding  extension of the current safeguard measure on imports of wire rods 
and reinforcing bars . 
 
1  DATE OF INITIATION OF THE INVESTIGATION  
The Ministry of Industry, Investment, Trade and the Digital Economy (hereinafte r the Ministry) has 
decided to initiate a review investigation on extension of the safeguard measure applied to imports 
of wire rods and reinforcing bars , as from  13 August 2 018. 
 
Public notice  concerning the initiation of the investigation has been given to the public on the 
Ministry's website  (http://www.mcinet.gov.ma/ce/antidumping/avis_sauvgarde.asp ). 
 
2  DESCRIPTION OF THE PRODUCTS INVOLVED  
The products under consideration and subject to the review investigation are wire rods and 
reinforcing bars belonging to the family of long iron and non-alloy steel products . 
 
Wire rods and reinforcing bars are imported under the following Moroccan Harmonized System 
customs headings : 
 
• Wire rods : 7213.91.90.00;  
• Reinforcing bars : 7214.20.90.00 and 7214.99.91.00.  
 
The review concerns all the products subject to the existing measure . 
 
3  REFERENCE TO THE WTO DOCUMENT CON TAINING THE MOST RECENT 
ARTICLE  12.1(C) NOTIFICATION  
The WTO document containing the most recent Article 12.1(c) notification is document  
G/SG/N/10/MAR/3/Suppl.3 -G/SG/N/11/MAR/2/Suppl.3 -G/SG/N/14/MAR/1/Suppl.1, published G/SG/N/6/MAR/7/Suppl.1 • G/SG/N/14/MAR/1/Suppl.2  
- 2 - 
  on 22 December  2015. The corrigendum was published on 1 9 April 2 016 as document 
G/SG/N/10/MA R/3/Suppl.3/Corr.1 -G/SG/N/11/MAR/2/Suppl.3/Corr.1 -G/SG/N/14/MAR/1/Suppl.1/Corr.1.  
 
4  REASONS FOR INITIATION OF THE REVIEW  
The review investigation on extension of the safeguard measure applied to imports of wire rods 
and reinforcing bars was initiated by the Ministry following a petition submitted by the Moroccan 
Iron and Steel Industry Association (Association des Sidérurgistes du Maroc, ASM) , which 
constitutes  the domestic industry for these products . 
 
The review  was initiated for the fo llowing reasons : 
 
• the injury caused to the domestic industry has not yet been remedied and the measure 
continues to be necessary to remedy and prevent  such injury ; 
• the domestic industry is in the process of introducing adjustment s so as  to improve its 
competitiveness ; and 
• without a safeguard measure, the domestic  market would be inundated with diverted  
exports given the new factors and circumstances characterizing the global steel market , 
such as the increase in  global overcapacity, the growth in  Chinese  exports and the 
recent introduction of safeguard measures by the leading global steel market players.  
5  DEADLINES FOR EXPORTERS AND OTHER INTERESTED PARTIES TO SUBMIT 
COMMENTS IN WRITING  
The Ministry will send questionnaires to the exporters identified in t he petition . Other concerned  
parties wishing to receive a questionnaire and participate in the investigation should request the 
questionnaire within 15 days of the date of initiation of the investigation . 
 
Replies to the investigation questionnaires must reach the Ministry within the time-limits laid down  
in the questionnaires , and an y party requesting an extension of these time -limits  must show good 
cause . 
 
Parties that consider that the investigation concerns them  have a period of 30 days from the date 
of initiation of the investigation to make themselves known as interested parties . 
 
In addition to their questionnaire replies, concern ed parties may send their views and comments 
on the initiation of the investigation, in writing, withi n 30 days of  the date of initiation  and, in 
accordance with point 7 of the public notice, in confidential and non -confidential versions.  
 
To submit replies and comments or to request information about the investigation procedure , 
parties should  contact the Ministry using the  fax number or email  address  provided below . 
 
Ministère de l'Industrie, de l'Investissement, du Comm erce et de l'Économie Numérique  
Direction Générale du Commerce  
Direction de la Défense et de la Réglementation Commerciale  
Parcelle 14, Business center, aile Nord bd Riad,  
Hay Riad . BP 610, Rabat Chellah, Maroc  
Tel.: (+212 ) 5 3770-1846 
Fax: (+212 ) 5 3772-7150 
Email : mberredouane@mcinet.gov.ma  
 cmoublad@mcinet.gov.ma  
 jsegdoud@mcinet.gov.ma  
 
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