G/SG/N/11/VNM/8  
16 December  2019 
(19-8664) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Safeguards  Original:  English  
 
  
NOTIFICATION PURSUAN T TO ARTICLE 9, FOOT NOTE 2  
OF THE AGREEMENT ON SAFEGUARDS  
VIET NAM 
(Alloy and non -alloy steel ) 
The following communication, dated 13 December  2019, is being circulated at the request of the 
delegation of Viet Nam.  
 
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This notification is made pursuant under Article 9, footnote 2 of the Agreement on Safeguards (under 
the format established in document G/SG/1/Rev.1  – G/SG/N/6/Rev. 1 – G/SG/89  dated 
5 November  2009).  
On 20 November 2019, the Ministry of Industry and Trade issued Decision No 3463/QD -BCT on the 
amendment, supplementation of Decision No 4086/QD -BCT dated 30 October 2018 of the Minister 
of the Ministry of Industry and Tr ade (in effect on 20 November 2019) on the mid -term review of 
the application of the safeguard measure against certain semi -finished and finished products of alloy 
and non -alloy steel with regards to the change of the list of developing countries exempted from the 
safeguard measure.  
1. Specify the measure  
Tariff on imports of certain semi -finished and finished products of alloy and non -alloy steel.  
Further details regarding the measure are set out in the notifications on definitive measures: 
G/SG/N/8/VNM/3  – G/SG/N/10/VNM/2  – G/SG/N/11/VNM/4 dated 2 August 2016 and notification 
of the results of a mid -term review of the measure (G/L/1287  – G/SG/N/13/VNM/3 dated 
4 December  2018).  
2. Specify the product subject to the measure  
Certain semi-finished and finished products of alloy and non -alloy steel  imported into Viet Nam.  
3. Specify the developing countries to which the measure is not applied under 
Article  9.1 of the Agreement on Safeguards, and the import shares of these countries 
individually and collectively  
As per Appendix on List of countries excluded from the investigation in documents 
G/SG/N/8/VNM/3  –G/SG/N/10/VNM/2  – G/SG/N/11/VNM/4 dated 2 August 2016.  G/SG/N/11/VNM/8  
- 2 - 
  4. Subsequently, if there is a change in the list of developing countries exe mpted from 
the safeguard measure pursuant to Article 9.1, please notify:  
(i) the reference to the WTO document that notified the Members about the 
initial  action under footnote 2 to Article 9.1 :  
 G/SG/N/8/VNM/3  – G/SG/N/10/VNM/2  – G/SG/N/11/VNM/4 dated 2 Augu st 2016  
(ii) if applicable, names of the countries which are dropped from the list of 
developing countries to which the safeguard measure does not apply 
pursuant to Article 9.1, the list of the countries remaining on the list, the 
individual and collective import shares of the developing countries 
remaining on the list, and the date on which the safeguard measure applies 
to the countries dropped from the list;  
 - For semi -finished products of iron or non -alloy steel products: Malaysia and 
Kazakhst an are dropped from the list of developing countries to which the 
safeguard  measure  does not apply pursuant to Article 9.1. According to the 
imports data from the Customs of Viet Nam, in 2018, Malaysia accounts for 
7.26%, Kazakhstan accounts for 55.57% of the imports of semi -finished products 
of iron or non -alloy steel products into Viet Nam.  
 The date on which the safeguard measure applies to the countries dropped from 
the list is 13 June 2019 (the effective date).  
 - For bars & rods of iron or non -alloy s teel: Malaysia is dropped from the list of 
developing  countries to which the safeguard measure does not apply pursuant to 
Article 9.1. According to the imports data from the Customs of Viet Nam, from  
the first quarter to the  third quarter of 2019, bars & r ods of iron or non -alloy steel  
imports from Malaysia increased sharply to over 35 thousand tons, accounting for 
20.38% of total its imports.  
 The date on which the safeguard measure applies to the countries dropped from 
the list is 20 November 2019 (the ef fective date).  
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