G/SG/N/6/CRI/4  
26 March  2018 
(18-1856) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Safeguards  Original:  Spanish  
 
  
NOTIFICATION UNDER ARTICLE 12.1(A) OF THE AGREEMENT  
ON SAFEGUARDS ON INITIATION OF AN INVESTIGATION  
AND THE REASONS FOR IT  
COSTA RICA 
(Bars and R ods of Steel for Concrete Reinforcement ) 
The following communication, dated 2 6 March 2 018, is being circulated at the request of the 
delegation of Costa Rica.  
 
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The Republic of Costa Rica hereby submits to the Committee on Safeguards the following 
notification under Article 12.1 (a) of the Agreement on Safeguards  regarding the initiation of  an 
investigation procedure with a view to the application of a safeguard measure to imports of  bars 
and rods of steel for concrete reinforcement . 
1  DATE WHEN THE INVESTI GATION  WAS INITIATED  
An excerpt of the Resolution initiating the investigation was publis hed in the Costa  Rican Official  
Journal La Gaceta  No. 51 of 1 9 March 2 018. Under the terms of  this Resolution, the  investigation 
is initiated 10 calendar days following such publication . The full text of the Resolution is  
available  at: 
https://www.meic.go.cr/meic/web/169/defensa -comercial/resoluciones -finales.php  
2  PRODUCT SUBJECT TO IN VESTIGATION  
The product subject to the investigation is "cylindrical bars and rods of alloy and non -alloy steel , 
corrugated, for use in reinforced concrete constructions, regardless of the ir dimension and 
diameter ", imported into Costa  Rica under Costa Rican  Harmonize d System (SAC) tariff 
subheadings 7214.20.00.00.10, 7214.20.00.00.90, 7214.99.20.00.10, 7228.30.00.00.10, 
7228.50.00.00.10 and 7228.60.00.00.10 . 
3  REASONS FOR THE INIT IATION OF THE INVEST IGATION  
On 30 November 2 017, the company ArcelorMittal Costa Rica S.A submitted an applicat ion for an 
investigation with a  view to the application of a general safeguard measure pursuant to the 
provisions of Article  XIX of  the GATT  1994, the Agreement on Safeguards , and the Central 
American Regulations on  Safeguard Measures.  
With regard to the analysis of the preliminary evaluation of the relevant factors, bearing in mind 
that ArcelorMittal is the only company manufacturing the product subject to investigation 
domestically ; that the product subject to investigatio n and the dom estic product have been found 
to be like products ; that there were increased imports of the product subject to investigation 
(18%) during the last year of the  period of  investigation (2016-2017) which were recent, sudden 
and significant ; and elements were found to exist that demonstrate a threat of injury to the 
domestic industry, the Trade Defence Directorate of  the Ministry of the Economy, Industry and G/SG/N/6/CRI/4  
- 2 - 
  Trade, as  the investigating authority, considered that the application submitted met all of  the 
requirem ents justifying the  initiation of the investigation procedure.  
4  CONTACT INFORMATION  
Any questions on the above proceeding may be addressed to Ms  Odalys  Vega Calvo, Director  of 
the Trade Defence Directorate of the Ministry of the Econom y, Industry and Trade (MEIC) by  email 
(defensacomercial@meic.go.cr ; ovega@meic.go.cr ) or by telephone  (506)  2291-1865.  
5  DEADLINES AND PROCED URES  
 Presentation of evidence and views  (i)
Pursuant  to Article 14(j) of the Central American Regulations on Safeguard Measures, the parties 
will have a period of 10 working  days, in accordance with Article 264 of the General Law on Public 
Administration of Costa Rica,  as from the date of notification of th e initiation of  the investigation to 
submit their written argument s and any evidence  they consider pertinent . 
They will also have three working days from the date of th e last notification of the initiation  of the 
investigation to file an ordinary appeal under Articles 435.1 and 346.1 of the General Law on 
Public Administration of Costa Rica.  
In accordance with Article  15 of the Central American Regulations on Safeguard M easures, the  
parties will have  a peri od of 45 calendar days from the day following the  notification of the request 
for information  - a period which m ay be extended by up to 30 days - in which to  submit evidence.  
 Deadlines and procedures for Members and expo rters to identify themselves  as (ii)
interested parties  
Pursuant to paragraph 8.176  of the Resolution initiating the investigation, anyone who considers 
themselves to be an interested party to the proceedings has a period of eight working days as  
from the date of publication of the Resolution in the Official Journal to appear in person before the 
investigating authority and demonstrate that they have a  direct  interest in the case and that they 
fulfil the requirements to be considered as such.  
 Date of the intended public hearings  (iii)
Pursuant to Articl e 24 of the Central American Regulations on Safeguard Measures, during the  
investigation procedure the investigating authority will notify the parties of the holding of  a public 
hearing 15 calendar days in advance.  
 
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