WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SG/N/6/AUS/2 
30 October 2007 
 (07-4688) 
Committee on Safeguards Original:   English 
  
NOTIFICATION UNDER ARTICLE 12.1(A) OF THE 
AGREEMENT ON SAFEGUARDS ON INITIATION OF  
AN INVESTIGATION AND THE REASONS FOR IT 
 
AUSTRALIA 
 
(Swine meat
) 
 
  The following communication, dated 22 October 2007, is being circulated at the request of the Delegation of Australia. 
 
_______________ 
 
  Pursuant to Article 12.1(a) of the WTO Agre ement on Safeguards, Australia notifies that a 
safeguards investigation has been initiated as follows. 
 
1.   Specify the date when the investigation was initiated 
 
 The reference to the Productivity Commission, wh ich is the investigating authority, was made 
on 17 October 2007.  (Australia's safeguard proce dures were notified in document G/SG/N/1/AUS/2 
dated 2 July 1998 and G/SG/N/1/AUS/2/Suppl.1 dated 16 December 2005.) 
  The Press Release attaching the Terms of Reference of the inquiry is at Attachment A.  Canada, Denmark, the United States, which are the significant suppliers to th e Australian market, and 
the EC were also advised by letter on 17 October 2007.    
 A public notice was placed in The Austra lian newspaper on 20 Oc tober 2007 and will be 
advertised in rural media this week.  The first circular/issues paper by the Productivity Commission 
for the inquiry including the dates for submissions for interested parties and in order to assist 
participants in preparing submissions will be di stributed and made available on the website on 
23 October 2007.  Interested parties are invited to make submissions and register an interest in the 
inquiry on the Productivity Commission's website:  www.pc.gov.au. 
  The final report by the Productivity Commission is to be provided to the Government by the end of March 2008.  2.   Specify the product subject to the investigation 
 
 Meat of swine, frozen, other (i.e. excluding:  carcasses and half-carcasses; and hams, shoulders and cuts thereof, with bone in), falling within tariff subh eading 0203.29.00 of the Australian 
Customs Tariff.  
 In addition to the safeguards investigation, the Productivity Commission is also to examine 
more broadly structural adjustment that has b een occurring recently in the Australian industry. G/SG/N/6/AUS/2 
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3.   Provide the reasons for the initiation of investigation 
 
(i) The investigation was initiated ex officio  through a decision by the Government, 
following representations by industry. 
 
 (ii)   Data   The following provides information on the incr ease in imports which form the basis for the 
initiation of the investigation. 
 
Imports of 0203.29.00 from countries other than New Zealand and Singapore
 
 Volume (tonnes) by Financial Year:
1 
 
2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 
Total 44,971 57,831 78,946 69,668 104,012
% Change 7.299 28.594 36.512 -11.752 49.297
Source: ABS2 
 
 New Zealand and Singapore are excluded from safeguard action under the Australia 
New Zealand Closer Economic Relations Trad e Agreement (ANZCERTA) and the Singapore 
Australia Free Trade Agreement (SAFTA).  As noted above, imports are primarily sourced from 
Canada, Denmark and the United States.   There has been a gradual trend upwards in pi g meat imports averaging at an annual increase 
of 15 per cent over the period 2002-03 to 2005-06.  Co mpared to this recent trend, there was a marked 
increase in imports in the 2006-07 financial year wh ere imports of pig meat increased by over 49 per 
cent.  Imports of pig meat to Australia are generally higher from December to May reflecting 
increased demand over the Christmas period and seasonal variations.  Over 60 per cent of pig meat 
imports in 2005-06 occurred over the December to Ma y period and the current surge in imports of pig 
meat is likely to continue over the co ming six months reflecting this trend. 
  Australian pig meat production is relatively stable and was approximately 389,000 tonnes in 
2004-05 (ABS)
3 and 2005-06 (ABS).4  Australian pig meat production was approximately 
382,000 tonnes in 2006-07 (ABS).5 
 
 (iii)   The Productivity Commission has also been asked to provide an accelerated report by 
14 December 2007 on whether critical circumstances exist where delay in applying measures would cause damage which it would be  difficult to repair and consequently, 
whether provisional measures may be justified.  
 
Attachments
 
 A.   Press Release and Terms of Refe rence to the Productivity Commission. 
                                                     
 
1 The Australian Financial Year is the 12 month period beginning 1 July. 
2 Australian Bureau of Statistics, Intern ational Trade, Australia, cat. no. 5465.0 
3 Australian Bureau of Statistics, Agricultural Commodities, Australia, cat. no. 7121 
4 Australian Bureau of Statistics, Livestock and Meat, Australia - Electronic Publication, (released 
monthly), cat. no. 7218.0. 
5 Australian Bureau of Statistics, Livestock and Meat, Australia - Electronic Publication, (released 
monthly), cat. no. 7218.0.  G/SG/N/6/AUS/2 
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 G/SG/N/6/AUS/2 
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