WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SG/N/8/PAN/1/Suppl.2 
G/SG/N/10/PAN/1/Suppl.2 2 June 2008 
 
(08-2548) 
Committee on Safeguards Original:   Spanish 
  
 
NOTIFICATION UNDER ARTICLE 12.1(B) OF THE AGREEMENT ON 
SAFEGUARDS ON MAKING A FINDING OF SERIOUS INJURY OR 
THREAT THEREOF CAUSED BY INCREASED IMPORTS 
 
NOTIFICATION UNDER ARTICLE 12.1(C) 
OF THE AGREEMENT ON SAFEGUARDS 
 
PANAMA 
 
(Printed BOPP Film and Printed PVC Film, in Rolls
) 
 
Supplement  
   The following communication, dated 26 May 2008, is being circulated at the request of the delegation of Panama. 
 
_______________ 
 
  Panama reports that Decision No. 01 of 11  April 2008, accepting the request filed by the 
enterprise CELLOPRINT, S.A. for extension of  the safeguard measure imposed by Cabinet 
Decree No. 24 of 8 October 2007 on printed film in ro lls for the manufacture of flexible packaging of 
monolayer polypropylene for packaging machines, produced by the biaxially oriented blow-moulding 
process (BOPP), was published on 13 May 2008 in Gazeta Oficial  (Official Journal) No. 26038.  The 
measure has been notified to the Committee on Safeguards in document G/SG/N/8/PAN/1;  
G/SG/N/10/PAN/1;  G/SG/N/8/PAN/1/Suppl.1;  G/SG/N/10/PAN/1/Suppl.1. 
 
 Annexed hereto is a copy of Decision No. 01 of 11 April 2008.  G/SG/N/8/PAN/1/Suppl.2 
G/SG/N/10/PAN/1/Suppl.2 Page 2 
 
 
  REPUBLIC OF PANAMA 
 
MINISTRY OF TRADE AND INDUSTRY 
 
NATIONAL DIRECTORATE FOR THE ADMINISTRATION 
OF INTERNATIONAL TRADE TREATIES 
AND TRADE PROTECTION 
 
DECISION No. 01 
 
(of 11 April 2008) 
 
The National Director for the Administration of International 
Trade Treaties and Trade Protection (Acting) 
 
in the exercise of his legal powers, 
 
WHEREAS 
 
Pursuant to Decision No. 003 of 21 May 2007,  this Department recommended that the 
Cabinet Council, in accordance with Article 74 of Decree-Law No. 7 of 2006, impose definitive 
safeguard measures in respect of the following products under investigation:   (1) Printed film in rolls for the manufact ure of flexible packaging of monolayer 
polypropylene for packaging machines, produced by the biaxially oriented 
blow-moulding process (BOPP), classified under subheading 3920.20.90 of Panama's 
Import Tariff, consisting in a 48.4 per cent surcharge on the c.i.f. value of the imported product, in addition to the 6.0 pe r cent MFN tariff applicable to the product;  
and 
  (2) Rigid (non-stretch) printed film in rolls  for the manufacture of flexible packaging of 
polyvinyl chloride (PVC) for packaging machines, classified under 
subheading 3920.49.00 of Panama's Impor t Tariff, consisting in a 63.8 per cent 
surcharge on the c.i.f. value of the imported product, in addition to the zero per cent MFN tariff applicable to the product; 
 
Pursuant to Cabinet Decree No. 24 of 8 October 2007, the Cabinet Council endorses the 
recommendation made by this Department in its Decision No. 003 of 21 May 2007 and establishes 
definitive safeguard measures in respect of the products specified in the preceding paragraph; 
 
In accordance with Article 4 of Cabinet Decree No. 24 of 8 October 2007, the above 
safeguard measures apply for a period of one year as from 13 April 2007, which period includes that 
of application of the provisional safeguard me asures imposed by Cabinet Decree No. 7 of 
11 April 2007;  
On 10 April 2008, in conformity with Article 58 of Decree-Law No. 7 of 2006 and 
Article 7.2 of the WTO Agreement on Safeguard s, the law firm GALINDO, ARIAS & LÓPEZ, 
representing the enterprise CELLOPRINT, S.A., f iled a request for extension for thirty-six 
(36) months of the definitive safeguard measure imposed by Cabinet Decree No. 24 of 8 October 2007 in respect of printed film in rolls for the manufacture of flexible packaging of monolayer polypropylene for packaging machines, produced by the biaxially oriented blow-moulding 
process (BOPP);  G/SG/N/8/PAN/1/Suppl.2 
 G/SG/N/10/PAN/1/Suppl.2  Page 3 
 
 
   
Having examined the documents presented, this  Authority has noted that the enterprise 
CELLOPRINT, S.A. is the same enterprise as th at which requested, on behalf of the domestic 
industry, the initial investigation which r esulted in the recommendation concerning the 
aforementioned definitive safeguard measures; 
 
Along with the communication containing the re quest, the representative of the enterprise 
CELLOPRINT, S.A. has submitted documentation comp rising statistical data, reports, figures, and 
arguments in support of extension of  the safeguard measure in force; 
 
The above communication does not request extensi on of the safeguard measure in effect that 
applies to printed film in rolls for the manufacture of flexible packaging of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) 
for packaging machines;  
It is necessary for the said measure to remain in effect until such time as the investigating 
authority, having examined the matter, determin es whether the safeguard measure imposed by 
Cabinet Decree No. 24 of 8 October 2007 in respect of printed film in rolls for the manufacture of flexible packaging of monolayer polypropylene fo r packaging machines, produced by the biaxially 
oriented blow-moulding process (BOPP), is still required  in order to prevent or  remedy serious injury 
or threat thereof, and whether th ere is evidence of ongoing re-adjustment by the domestic industry, in 
conformity with domestic legislation, 
 
DECIDES 
 
FIRST
:  TO ACCEPT , for the purposes of evaluation, the re quest filed by CELLOPRINT, S.A. for 
extension of the safeguard measure relating to prin ted film in rolls for the manufacture of flexible 
packaging of monolayer polypropylene for packagin g machines, produced by the biaxially oriented 
blow-moulding process (BOPP), in accordance with the legal provisions in force.  SECOND
:  TO CONFIRM  the expiry according to the provisi ons of Article 4 of Cabinet Decree 
No. 24 of 8 October 2007 of the safeguard measur e relating to printed film in rolls for the 
manufacture of flexible packaging of polyvinyl ch loride (PVC) for packagi ng machines, since this 
product is not the object of the request for extension filed by the applicant.  THIRD
:  TO RECOMMEND , for  consideration and decision by the Cabinet Council, that the 
definitive safeguard measure established pursuan t to Article 4 of Cabinet Decree No. 24 of 
8 October 2007 in respect of printed film in rolls for the manufacture of flexible packaging of 
monolayer polypropylene for packaging machines, produced by the biaxially oriented blow-moulding 
process (BOPP), be extended for a period of 90 days as from 13 April 2008, during which period the investigating authority of the Ministry of Trade and Industry shall make its final recommendation to 
the Cabinet Council regarding the request fo r extension filed with this Department. 
 
FOURTH
:  TO RECOMMEND  that the amounts collected under the safeguard measure applied 
beyond the period laid down in Article 4 of Cabine t Decree No. 24 be refunded if, as a result of the 
analysis conducted by the investigating authority,  the Cabinet Council determines that the safeguard 
measure requested should not be extended.  
FIFTH
:  TO NOTIFY all interested parties accredited in th e initial investigation procedure on the 
basis of which definitive safeguard measures were imposed by Cabinet Decree No. 24 of 
8 October 2007.  G/SG/N/8/PAN/1/Suppl.2 
G/SG/N/10/PAN/1/Suppl.2 Page 4 
 
 
  SIXTH
:  TO NOTIFY  the parties that this Decision is open to appeal by transfer to a higher 
authority within a period of five (5) working days following notification of the Decision, in accordance with Articles 17 ff. of Law No. 38 of 2000.  
SEVENTH
:  TO PUBLISH this Decision in the Official Journal, or an extract thereof in a newspaper 
with recognized national circulation.  STATUTORY BASIS
:  Decree-Law No. 7 of 2006, Law No. 23 of 1997, Law No. 38 of 2000. 
 
Done at Panama City, this eleventh day of April of the year two thousand and eight (2008). 
   
ALEXIS PINEDA MIRANDA 
National Director for the Administration of International 
Trade Treaties and Trade Protection (Acting) 
 
__________