RESTRICTED  
  
G/SCM/M/94  
 
2 February 2016  
(16-0697)  Page: 1/6  
Committee on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures    
 
 
 
MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL MEETING 
HELD ON 27 OCTOBER 2015 
 
CHAIR: MR MITSUHIRO FUKUYAMA (JAPAN) 
1. The Committee on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures ("Committee") held a 
special meeting on 27 October 2015, convened in WTO/AIR/SCM/5/Rev.1 dated 20 October 2015.  2. The Committee adopted the following agenda: 
1   REVIEW OF 2015 NEW AND FULL SUBSIDY NOTIFICATIONS 
(G/SCM/N/ 284/...) ......................................................................................................... 2
 
1.1   Albania (G/SCM/N/284/ALB and G/SCM/N/253/ALB) ....................................................... 2  
1.2   Armenia (G/S CM/N/284/AR M) ..................................................................................... 2  
1.3   Singapore (G /SCM/N/284/ SGP) ................................................................................... 2  
2   REVIEW OF 2013 NEW AND FULL SUBSIDY NOTIFICATIONS 
(G/SCM/N/253/…) NOT PREV IOUSLY REVIEWED ........................................................... 2  
2.1  European Union (G/SCM/N/253/EU/A ddenda 28 pertaining  to Croatia) ............................... 2  
2.2  Turkey (G/SCM/N /253/TUR/SUP PL.2) ............................................................................ 2  
2.3  United States (G/SCM/N/253 /USA) ............................................................................... 3  
3   CONTINUATION OF REVIEW OF 2013 (G/SCM/N/253/…)  NEW AND FULL 
SUBSIDY NOTIFICATIONS ............................................................................................... 3  
3.1  Brazil (G/S CM/N/253/BR A) .......................................................................................... 3  
3.2  Canada (G/S CM/N/253/CAN) ....................................................................................... 3  
3.3  European Union (G/SCM/N/253/EU, Addenda 1, 2, 8, 8/Suppl.1, 9, 14, 16/Suppl.1, 
17, 19 and 24/Suppl.1, pertaining to Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Italy, Lithuania, 
Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and Slovenia, respectively) ...................................................... 3  
3.4  India (G/SCM/N/253/IND an d G/SCM/N/253/IN D/Suppl.1 ) ............................................... 4  
3.5  Malaysia (G/S CM/N/253/MYS) ...................................................................................... 4  
3.6  Russian Federation (G/SCM/N/253 /RUS and G/SCM/N/ 253/RUS/Rev. 1) ............................. 4  
3.7  Turkey (G/S CM/N/253/TUR)......................................................................................... 5  
4   CONTINUATION OF REVIEW OF 2011 (G/SCM/N/220/…) NEW AND FULL 
NOTIFICATIONS ............................................................................................................... 5  
4.1   Argentina (G /SCM/N/220/ ARG) ................................................................................... 5  
5   CONTINUATION OF REVIEW OF 2009 (G/SCM/N/186/...) NEW AND FULL 
NOTIFICATIONS ............................................................................................................... 6  
5.1   Gabon (G/S CM/N/186/G AB) ........................................................................................ 6  
5.2   Turkey (G/SCM/N/186/TUR) ........................................................................................ 6 G/SCM/M/94 
 
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  3. China requested the floor to inform the Committee that it had just submitted its third subsidy 
notification covering 2009 through 2014, constituting its new and full subsidy notifications for the 
years of 2011, 2013, and 2015. China attached grea t importance to honouring its transparency 
obligations and had been working hard on the notification, in the face of many difficulties as a 
developing member. The notification covered subsidy programmes at the central government 
level. Sub-central-level programmes would be notified in a supplement to be submitted as soon as possible. Upon circulation of the notification by the Secretariat, China welcomed written questions 
from Members to which China would respond pursuant to the review procedures of the 
SCM Agreement and the Committee.  4. The Chair expressed appreciation on behalf of the Committee for the notification, which would 
be immediately circulated and sent for translation so that it could be on the agenda for review at 
the Committee's spring 2016 special meeting.1 
 
1  REVIEW OF 2015 NEW AND FULL SUBS IDY NOTIFICATIONS (G/SCM/N/284/...) 
5. The Chair recalled that, at its April 2015 regular meeting the Committee decided to continue 
to apply the same procedures in G/SCM/117 accord ing to which only notifications that had been 
circulated to Members in all three WTO working languages not later than 29 June 2015 could be 
reviewed at this meeting. Those notifications were listed in WTO/AIR/SCM/4. Written questions pertaining to those notifications had been due by 27 July 2015, and written answers by 
28 September 2015. 
 
1.1  Albania (G/SCM/N/284/ALB and G/SCM/N/253/ALB)  
6. No Member raised any questions about this notification. 
 
7. The Committee took note of the notification. 
 
1.2  Armenia (G/SCM/N/284/ARM) 
8. No Member raised any questions about this notification. 
 9. The Committee took note of the notification. 
 
1.3  Singapore (G/SCM/N/284/SGP) 
10. No Member raised any question about this notification. 
 
11. The Committee took note of the notification. 
 
2  REVIEW OF 2013 NEW AND FULL SUBSIDY NOTIFICATIONS (G/SCM/N/253/…) NOT 
PREVIOUSLY REVIEWED 
2.1  European Union (G/SCM/N/253/EU/Addenda 28 pertaining to Croatia) 12. No Member raised any question about this notification. 
 
13. The Committee took note of the notification. 
 
2.2  Turkey (G/SCM/N/253/TUR/SUPPL.2) 
14. No Member raised any question about this notification. 
 
15. The Committee took note of the notification. 
 
                                               
1 G/SCM/N/220/CHN-G/SCM/N/253/CHN-G/SCM/N/284/CHN, 30 October 2015. G/SCM/M/94 
 
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  2.3  United States (G/SCM/N/253/USA) 
16. Written questions concerning this notification can be found in: 
 
 G/SCM/Q2/USA/63 – questions from Canada 
 G/SCM/Q2/USA/62 – questions from Australia 
17. The Chair recalled that no answers had yet been received regarding the written questions 
submitted by Canada and Australia. 
 
18. The United States stated that the draft answers would be submitted in the near future. 
 
19. The Committee took note of the notification, questions and statements made. 
 
3  CONTINUATION OF REVIEW OF 2013 (G/SCM/N/253/…) NEW AND FULL SUBSIDY NOTIFICATIONS 
20. The Chair noted that this agenda item was for continuation of reviews of 2013 new and full 
notifications started at prior meetings that had no t yet been completed, due to late submission of 
questions or non-submission or late submission of  written replies. The Committee also considered 
under this agenda item the follow-up questions that had been submitted in respect of certain of 
those notifications.  21. The Chair recalled that the exchange of writte n questions and answers was the essence of the 
review process for those notifications, as per the Committee's agreed procedures. Failure to reply 
promptly to such questions undermined transparency, and thus frustrated the purpose of the review. All Members that had not yet responded to written questions concerning their subsidy 
notifications thus should submit their answers without further delay. 
 22. The Chair thanked those delegations with notifications under the remaining agenda items that 
had submitted written answers to questions that had remained pending at the end of the spring 
2015 special meeting.  3.1  Brazil (G/SCM/N/253/BRA) 
23. Written questions concerning this notification can be found in: 
 
 G/SCM/Q2/BRA/47 – follow-up questions from the United States 
24. Brazil stated that it would provide written replies soon. 
 
25. The Chair noted that as no written response had been submitted to the US follow-up 
questions, the Committee would return to this notification at its spring 2016 special meeting.  
 26. The Committee took note of the notification, questions and statements made. 
 
3.2  Canada (G/SCM/N/253/CAN) 
27. Written answers concerning this notification can be found in: 
 
 G/SCM/Q2/BRA/47 – replies to follow-up questions from the United States 
28. The Committee took note of the notification, questions and answers. 
 
3.3  European Union (G/SCM/N/253/EU, Addend a 1, 2, 8, 8/Suppl.1, 9, 14, 16/Suppl.1, 
17, 19 and 24/Suppl.1, pertaining to Austria, Be lgium, Finland, France,  Italy, Lithuania, 
Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and Slovenia, respectively) 
29. Written questions and answers concerning this notification can be found in: 
 G/SCM/M/94 
 
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   G/SCM/Q2/EU/44 – Questions from the Russian Federation (Austria, Belgium, Finland, 
Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Slovenia) 
 G/SCM/Q2/EU/45 – Replies to Australia (France) 
 G/SCM/Q2/EU/46 – Replies to New Zealand (Finland, Lithuania, Slovenia) 
 G/SCM/Q2/EU/47 – Replies to the Russian Federation (Finland, Luxembourg, 
Netherlands, Slovenia)2 
30. The Chair recalled that shortly before the spring 2015 special meeting, the European Union 
had submitted replies to certain pending questions from Australia and New Zealand. In addition, 
Russia had submitted questions pertaining to certain EU Member States which remained pending.   31. The European Union indicated that it would provide written answers to the remaining 
questions from the Russian Federation as soon as possible. 
 32. The Chair noted that because the answers to th e Russian Federation had been submitted very 
shortly before the meeting and some questions remained pending, the Committee would return to 
this notification at its spring 2016 special meeting.  
33. The Committee took note of the notification, questions and answers, and statements made. 
 
3.4  India (G/SCM/N/253/IND and G/SCM/N/253/IND/Suppl.1) 
34. Written answers concerning this notification can be found in: 
 
 G/SCM/Q2/IND/43 – replies to follow-up questions from the United States 
 G/SCM/Q2/IND/44 – replies to New Zealand (on Suppl.1) 
35. The United States recalled that some of its questions, as to whether certain fisheries 
programmes were export contingent, remained pending. 
 
36. India stated that would provide the answers soon. 
 
37. The Committee took note of the notification, questions and answers, and statements made. 
 
3.5  Malaysia (G/SCM/N/253/MYS) 
38. Written questions concerning this notification can be found in: 
 
 G/SCM/Q2/MYS/20 and G/SCM/Q2/MYS/20/Corr.1 – questions from the United States 
39. Malaysia stated that it had received the replies from capital and would submit the written 
answers very soon. 
 
40. The Chair noted that as no written response had been submitted to the questions from US, 
the Committee would return to this notifica tion at its spring 2016 special meeting. 
 
41. The Committee took note of the notification, questions, and statements made. 
 
3.6  Russian Federation (G/SCM/N/253/RUS and G/SCM/N/253/RUS/Rev.1) 
42. Written answers concerning this notification can be found in: 
 
 G/SCM/Q2/RUS/11 – replies to New Zealand 
 G/SCM/Q2/RUS/12 – replies to Japan 
                                               
2 Submitted at the meeting. G/SCM/M/94 
 
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   G/SCM/Q2/RUS/13 – replies to the United States 
43. Japan noted that it had submitted questions to the TRIMs Committee concerning the issue of 
local content in relation to the subsidy programme for the automobile sector. 
 
44. New Zealand noted that much of the support provided to aquaculture was for construction 
and modernization of fish processing infrastructure. It appreciated Russia's confirmation that the 
programme had expired in 2013 after implementati on from 2008 to 2013, and that the support 
had not been specific to fish species or geographical areas. New Zealand inquired as to the 
fisheries that had been affected during the life of the programme. 
 45. The United States appreciated Russia's general responsiveness in the notification process and 
indicated that it had a further question which it could submit in writing.3 
 46. Russia stated that it would soon submit answers to Japan's questions posed in the 
TRIMs Committee, and requested New Zealand and th e US to submit their additional questions in 
writing.  
47. The Committee took note of the notification, questions and answers, and statements made. 
 
3.7  Turkey (G/SCM/N/253/TUR) 
48. Written questions concerning this notification can be found in: 
 
 G/SCM/Q2/TUR/29 – questions from Canada 
 G/SCM/Q2/TUR/33 – additional questions from the United States 
49. The Chair recalled that Turkey had not yet replied to pending questions from Canada and the 
United States.  
 
50. Turkey stated that it had provided oral an swers to Canada's questions at the Committee's 
spring special meeting, and referred to its notification in G/SCM/N/284/TUR dated 
18 September 2015 for further details.   
51. The Chair noted that as no written replies had been submitted to the questions from Canada 
and the United States, the Committee would return to this notification at its spring 2016 special 
meeting. 
 
52. The Committee took note of the notification, questions, and statements made. 
 
4  CONTINUATION OF REVIEW OF 2011 (G/SCM/N/220/…) NEW AND FULL 
NOTIFICATIONS 
4.1  Argentina (G/SCM/N/220/ARG) 53. Written answers concerning this notification can be found in: 
 
 G/SCM/Q2/ARG/39 – replies to the United States 
54. The Chair noted Argentina had submitted its writte n replies to the United States shortly before 
the spring special meeting. 
 55. The United States stated that although some serious issues remained, it would not ask any 
follow-up questions. It strongly disagreed with Argentina's position that the programme in 
question was not subject to the notification requirement.  56. Argentina indicated that it would refer the US comments to its capital. 
 
57. The Committee took note of the notification, answers, and statements made. 
                                               
3 G/SCM/Q2/RUS/14, 17 November 2015. G/SCM/M/94 
 
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5  CONTINUATION OF REVIEW OF 2009 (G/SCM/N/186/...) NEW AND FULL 
NOTIFICATIONS 
5.1  Gabon (G/SCM/N/186/GAB) 
58. Written questions concerning this notification can be found in: 
 
 G/SCM/Q2/GAB/1 – questions from the United States 
 G/SCM/Q2/GAB/2 – questions from Turkey 
59. The Chair noted that as no written replies had been submitted, the Committee would return to 
this notification at its spring 2016 special meeting for continuing review. 
 
60. The Committee took note of the questions and statement. 
 
5.2  Turkey (G/SCM/N/186/TUR) 
61. Pending written questions concerning this notification can be found in: 
 
 G/SCM/Q2/TUR/23 – questions from Australia 
62. Turkey stated that it had replied to Australia's questions at the Committee's previous 
special meeting, and requested Australia to re-sub mit the questions in writing so that it could 
provide written answers.   
63. Australia recalled that its written questions have been submitted in July 2010, and that 
whatever oral answers might have been provided at Committee meetings, written replies remained 
outstanding. Australia disagreed that it needed to re-submit its written questions. The document 
references for the questions were listed in the agenda. 
 64. Turkey stated that it would try to provide the written answers in the following weeks. 
 
65. The Chair noted that since Turkey had not yet submitted its written replies, the Committee 
would return to this notification at its spring 2016 special meeting. 
 
66. The Committee took note of the questions and statements made. 
 
67. The Chair reminded those delegations that had not yet replied to questions that they had 
received in connection with this or previous meetings to provide their written responses as soon as 
possible, so that the Committee could conclude the review of the notifications. He also reminded Members that had not yet done so, to submit their 2015 new and full notifications as soon as 
possible. The Members that already had made those notifications were to be commended. All other 
Members should redouble their efforts to notify on time, which would greatly enhance the transparency function of subsidy notification and review.  
68. For new and full notifications to be placed on the agenda of the spring special meeting, they 
would need to be circulated in all three working languages not later than 28 December 2015. Given the time needed for translation, this left a narrow window to notify in time for review in the 
spring. The Secretariat stood ready to offer any a ssistance in that regard. Finally, delegations 
wishing to receive written answers to any question s regarding notifications reviewed at the present 
meeting should submit those questions in wr iting to both the Member concerned and the 
Secretariat.  
 69. Shortly after the meeting, the Secretariat would circulate the usual triple-symbolled document 
containing all of the deadlines for documents to be submitted.
4 
 
70. The meeting was closed. 
 
__________  
                                               
4 G/ADP/W/493-G/SCM/W/565-G/SG/W/234, 11 November 2015.