. /.  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SG/82 
3 November 2006 
 (06-5324) 
Committee on Safeguards  
 
 
 
CHAIRMAN'S REPORT TO THE COUNCIL FOR TRADE IN GOODS 
ON TRANSITIONAL REVIEW OF CHINA  
  
1. The Committee on Safeguards undertook the fifth transitional review of China's 
implementation of the Agreement on Safeguards pursuant to Paragraph 18 of the Protocol on the 
Accession of the People's Republic of China (WT/ L/432) at its meeting on 23 October 2006.   
2. Annex 1A to the Protocol requires China to submit information regarding the implementation 
of its Regulation on Safeguards.  China submitted the information in this respect on 23 October 2006. 
It can be found in document G/SG/W/205. 
3. The statements made at the meeting of 23 Oct ober 2006, at which the transitional review was 
Item D of the agenda, are reflected in the minut es of the meeting, which will be circulated as 
document G/SG/M/30.  The relevant paragraphs whic h reflect the statements made and the discussion 
at the meeting are annexed. G/SG/82 
Page 2 
 
 
  ANNEX  [EXTRACT FROM DOCUMENT G/SG/M/30] 
D. TRANSITIONAL  REVIEW  UNDER  PARAGRAPH  18 OF THE  PROTOCOL  OF 
ACCESSION  OF THE  PEOPLE'  S REPUBLIC  OF CHINA  TO THE  WORLD  TRADE  
ORGANIZATION 
1. The Chairman  noted that Paragraph 18 of China's Protocol of Accession provided that all 
subsidiary bodies, including the Safeguards Comm ittee, "which have a mandate covering China's 
commitments under the WTO Agreement or [the] Prot ocol shall, within one year after accession, 
review, as appropriate to their mandate, the implem entation by China of the WTO Agreement and of 
the related provisions of [the] Protocol."  China was to provide relevant information in advance of the 
review, including information specified in Annex 1A to the Protocol.  China could also raise issues 
relating to any reservations under S ection 17 or to any other speci fic commitments made by other 
Members in the Protocol, in subsidiary  bodies which have a relevant mandate. 
2. The Chairman stated that the Committee must repor t the results of the review promptly to the 
Council for Trade in Goods.  Review was to take place after accession in each year for eight years, 
with a final review in year 10 or at an earlier da te decided by the General Council.  He added that 
there were no procedures set out for the conduct of th e transitional review in the Protocol, except that 
China was to provide relevant information in adva nce of the review.  In accordance with section IV.6 
of Annex 1A to the Protocol, China was required to  notify the Committee of its implementation of its 
Regulation on Safeguards.  The Chairman info rmed the Committee that China had submitted the 
information that morning.1   
3. The representative of China  explained that the late timing of the submission of the 
information was largely due to the heavy workload in preparing for th e transitional review in various 
Committees.  He added that the situation was, nonethel ess, fairly clear in the area of safeguards – that 
is, since the last review, China had neither taken an y safeguard measure nor enacted any legislation in 
this regard. 
4. There was no other comment from the floor on the information submitted.   
5. The Chairman  noted that China's Protocol of Accession contained no guidelines for reporting 
to the Council for Trade in Goods on the Committee' s transitional review of China's implementation 
of the Agreement.  He proposed that the Committee  follow the same reporting procedure as last year, 
whereby the Chairman, acting on his own responsibility , would prepare a brief, factual report, with 
references to the documents concerned, and attach ing the portion of the minutes of the meeting which 
relate to the transition review. 
6. The Committee agreed  that the Chairman should prepare the same type of report in respect of 
this year's review. 
__________ 
 
                                                      
1  The document was subsequently circulated as document G/SG/W/205.