G/L/1351  
G/SG/229  
17 December  2019 
(19-8736) Page: 1/1 
Council for Trade in Goods  
Committee on Safeguards  Original:  English  
 
  
IMMEDIATE NOTIFICATI ON TO THE COUNCIL FO R TRADE IN GOODS  
OF THE RESULTS OF TH E CONSULTATIONS UNDE R ARTICLE 12.3  
JOINT COMMUNICATION OF THE SEPARATE CUST OMS TERRITORY OF TAI WAN,  
PENGHU, KINMEN AND M ATSU AND THE REPUBLI C OF TURKEY  
Certain nylon yarn products  
The following communication, dated 16 December 2019, is being circulated at the request of the 
Delegation s of the Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu and Turkey.  
_______________  
Pursuant to Article 12. 5 of the WTO Agreement on Safeguards (Safeguard Agreement), the Separate 
Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu and the Republic of Turkey are notifying 
the results of the consultations conducted under Article 12.3 of the Safeguards Agreemen t. 
Documents G/SG/N/6/TUR/25  (dated 4 January 2019), G/SG/N/8/TUR/17  - G/SG/N/10/TUR/17  - 
G/SG/N/11/TUR/24  (dated 23 October 2019) contain notifications from the Republic of Turkey 
concerning measures taken under the Safeguards Agreement concerning certain  nylon yarn 
products. Document G/SG/225  (dated 29 October 2019) contains notification from the Separate 
Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu concerning its request for consultations 
with the Republic of Turkey under Article 12.3 of the Agr eement on Safeguards.  
On 12 November 2019, the Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu and 
the Republic of Turkey conducted the consultations with a view to, inter alia, discussing the 
information on the safeguard measures and reachi ng an understanding on ways to maintain a 
substantially equivalent level of concessions pursuant to Article 8.1 of the Safeguards Agreement.  
Two Members discussed the relevant information and exchanged views on the safeguard measures 
at issue. In particula r, the Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu 
contested the legality of the safeguard measures in the following aspects: (1) the import trends do 
not justify the imposition of measures, (2) Turkey did not evaluate the factors other than imports 
which might have contributed to the serious injury, (3) the measures mainly targeted low -priced 
imports from specific countries, and (4) Turkey failed to  demonstrate "unforeseen developments " 
which must result in an increase in imports.  
The R epublic of Turkey stressed that its measures have been taken pursuant to the relevant 
provisions of the WTO Agreement on Safeguards. Turkey mentioned that its measures have been 
taken as a result of an absolute increase in imports and disagreed with the Se parate Customs 
Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu 's assessment of the legality of the measures.  
Finally, the Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu stated that it reserves 
all its rights provided under Article 8 of the Ag reement on Safeguards. Turkey noted the Separate 
Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu’s concerns and requests and clarified that 
Turkey had conducted the investigation cautiously before making a decision.  
__________