G/L/1485  
G/SG/N/12/KOR/5  
 
26 May 2023 
(23-3622) Page: 1/2 
Council for Trade in Goods  
Committee on Safeguards  Original: English  
 
IMMEDIATE NOTIFICATION UNDER ARTICLE 12.5 OF THE AGREEMENT  
ON SAFEGUARDS TO THE COUNCIL FOR TRADE IN GOODS OF  
PROPOSED SUSPENSION OF CONCESSIONS AND OTHER  
OBLIGATIONS REFERRED TO IN PARAGRAPH 2  OF 
ARTICLE 8 OF THE AGREEMENT ON SAFEGUARDS  
REPUBLIC OF KOREA 
The following communication, dated and received on 25 May 2023, is being circulated at the request 
of the delegation of the Republic of Korea.  
 
_______________  
 
 
Pursuant to Article 12.5 of the Agreement on Safeguards, and in a ccordance with the agreed format 
for notifications (G/SG/1, 1 July 1996; amended on 19 October 2009, G/SG/1/Rev.1 -
G/SG/N/6/Rev.1 -G/SG/89) the Republic of Korea provides the immediate notification to the Council 
for Trade in Goods of the proposed suspension  of concessions and other obligations referred to in 
paragraph 2 of Article 8.  
 
Which Member is proposing suspension of concessions and other obligations referred to 
in Article 8.2.?  
 
The Republic of Korea.  
 
Specify the measure, the product subject to th e 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. 
 
On 3 April 2023, the Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Department of Commerce, Directorate 
General of Foreign Trade of India published Notification No. 64/2015 -2020, dated 31 March 2023, 
whereby India applied a definitive safeguard measure on imports of Iso propyl Alcohol (IPA) effective 
from 1 April 2023, in the form of quantitative restrictions.   
 
India notified the recommendation to impose a safeguard measure to the WTO in document 
G/SG/N/8/IND/33 -G/SG/N/10/IND/24 -G/SG/N/11/IND/19 dated 7 February 2022 an d the 
imposition of the definitive safeguard measure to the WTO in document G/SG/N/8/IND/33/Suppl.1 -
G/SG/N/10/IND/24/Suppl.1 -G/SG/N/11/IND/19/Suppl.1 dated 5 April 2023.  
 
Describe the proposed suspension of concessions and other obligations referred to in 
Article 8.2, and the proposed date from which it will come into effect.  
 
The Republic of Korea hereby reserves its right to suspend the application of substantially equivalent 
concessions or other obligations under GATT 1994 to the trade of India pursuant to Article 8 of the 
Agreement on Safeguards. Korea considers that various aspects of the safeguard measure are 
inconsistent with India's obligations under Article XIX of the GATT 1994 and the Agreement on 
Safeguards.  
 G/L/1485 • G/SG/N/12/KOR/5  
 
- 2 - 
 
  The proposed suspension of substantial ly equivalent concessions and other obligations under the 
GATT 1994 will take the form of an increase in duty on selected products originating in India. The 
details of the suspension of concessions or other obligations will be provided to the Council for T rade 
in Goods before its application.  
 
The proposed suspension will come into effect within the timeframes foreseen in Article 8 of the 
Agreement on Safeguards, and it will continue to apply until India 's safeguard measure is lifted, or 
until an agreement  on any adequate means of trade compensation, pursuant to Article 8.1 of the 
Agreement on Safeguards, for the adverse effects.  
 
The Republic of Korea reserves the rights to withdraw, modify, supplement or replace this 
notification, and/or make a further n otification or notifications, should it deem appropriate, including 
in light of any subsequent developments.  
 
 
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