WT/DS576/1  
G/L/1291  
 
31 January 2019  
(19-0575) Page: 1/2 
  Original: English  
 
QATAR – CERTAIN MEAS URES CONCERNING GOOD S FROM THE UNITED AR AB EMIRATES  
REQUEST FOR CONSULTA TIONS BY THE UNITED ARAB EMIR ATES 
The following communication, dated 28 January 2019 , from the delegation of the United Arab 
Emirates  to the delegation of Qatar , is circulated to the Dispute Settlement Body in accordance with 
Article 4.4 of the DSU.  
 
_______________  
 
 
With regard to measures maintained by Qatar in relation to the importing, stocking, 
distribution, marketing, or sale of goods originating in the Un ited Arab Emirates (hereinafter 
"UAE"),  this letter  constitutes  a request  for consultations  with the Government  of the State  of 
Qatar (hereinafter "Qatar") pursuant to Articles 1 and 4 of the Understanding on Rules and 
Procedures  Governing  the Settlement  of Disputes  ("DSU")  and Article  XXIII:1  of the General 
Agreement  on Tariffs  and Trade  1994 ("GATT  1994").  
 
A. Measures at  Issue  
 
The measures maintained by Qatar prohibit various sales outlets in Qatar, including 
distributors, retailers, and pharmacies, from importing, stocking, distributing, marketing or 
selling goods, medicines, and other products originating in or exported from the UAE. The 
measures  are reflected  in legal instruments  that include,  but are not limited  to, the following, 
operating  separately  or collectively:  
 
a. Notice  to sales outlets  issued  on 26 May 2018 by the Ministry  of Economy  and 
Commerce of  Qatar;  
 
b. Notice  to pharmacies issued  on 6 June 2018 by the Ministry  of Public  Health  of Qatar;  
c. Unpublished embargoes  on products  from the UAE; 
 
d. Statement of  26 May 2018 issued by  the Government  Communications  Office  of 
Qatar on  Protecting the  Safety  of Consumers  and to Combat  Improper  Trafficking  
of Goods;  
 
e. Removal of  UAE companies from the approved vendor list for infrastructure projects 
in Qatar;  
 
f. Other  rationally -related  or similar  measures;  and 
 
g. Any modification,  replacement  or amendment  to the measures  identified  above,  and 
any subsequent  measures.  
 
B. Legal Bases of the  Complaint  
 
The above measures appear to be inconsistent with Qatar's obligations under the GATT 1994, 
including but not limited to:  
 
a. Article I:1 of the GATT 1994 because the measures fail to accord immediately and WT/DS576/1 • G/L/1291  
 
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  unconditionally  to like products  originating  in the UAE advantages,  favours,  privileges  
or immunities  that are granted  by Qatar  to products  originating  in other  countries.  
 
b. Article III:4 of the GATT 1994 because the measures are laws, regulations, or 
requirements affecting the internal sale, offering for sale, purchase, or distribution of 
products and fail to accord products imported into Qatar treatment no less favorable than 
that accor ded to like products of Qatari origin.  
 
c. Article  X of the GATT  1994 insofar  as the measures  have not been published  promptly  
in such manner as to enable governments and traders to become acquainted with 
them and were  enforced  before  such measures  have been officially  published;  
d. Article  XI:1 of the GATT  1994  insofar  as the measures  institute  or maintain  prohibitions 
or restrictions,  other  than duties,  taxes  or other  charges,  on the importation  of 
products  of the territory of the  UAE; 
e. Article  23.1 of the DSU insofar as  through  the measures Qatar  appears  to be seeking  
the redress of an alleged violation of obligations or other nullification or impairment 
of benefits  under  the covered  agreements  or an impediment to  the attainment  of any 
f. objective of  the covered  agreements,  without  having  recourse  to, and abide  by, the 
rules and procedures of the DSU;  and 
g. Article 23.2(a) of the DSU  insofar as through the measures Qatar has made a 
determination  to the effect  that a violation  has occurred,  that benefits  have been 
nullified or impaired, or that the attainment of any objective of the covered 
agreements has been impeded without recourse to dispute settlement in accordance 
with the rules and procedures of the DSU, and Qatar has failed to make any such 
determination con sistent with the findings contained in a panel or Appellate Body 
report adopted by the WTO Dispute  Settlement  Body or an arbitration  award  rendered  
under  the DSU. 
 
In addition to the violations of obligations under the GATT 1994 identified above, the UAE 
considers that benefits accruing to the UAE directly and indirectly under the GATT 1994 are 
being nullified and impaired as a result of the application of the measur es identified above, 
within the meaning of Article XXIII: 1(b) of the GATT 1994.  
 
The UAE reserves its rights to raise additional matters during the course of these consultations 
and in any future request for panel proceedings.  
 
The UAE looks forward to rec eiving a reply from Qatar to this request within 10 days after 
receipt of this request, as contemplated by Article 4.3 of the DSU, and to fixing a mutually 
acceptable date for consultations.  
 
 
__________