RESTRICTEDWORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/SCM/W/480
4 February 2002
(02-0521)
Committee on Subsidies
and Countervailing MeasuresOriginal:  English
MEMBERS' DIFFICULTIES IN MAKING SUBSIDY NOTIFICATIONS,
AND THE PLANNED SUBSIDY NOTIFICATION SEMINAR
Reply to Questions in document G/SCM/W/473
of 18 December 2001
Paper Submitted by Macao, China
The following communication, dated 31 January 2002, has been received from the Macao
Economic and Trade Office.
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B. QUESTIONS CONCERNING DIFFICULTIES IN NOTIFYING
The questions in Section B are not applicable to Macao, China.
Since the establishment of the WTO, Macao, China has not granted or maintained any
specific subsidy as defined in Articles 1 and 2 of the Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing
Measures.  In addition, Macao, China's incentive programmes do not operate directly or indirectly to
increase exports of any product from, or to reduce imports of any product into its territory within themeaning of Article XVI:1 of the GATT 1994.
1  For the above-mentioned reasons, there has been no
necessity for Macao, China to notify in accordance  with the questionnaire format contained in WTO
document G/SCM/6, of 9 August 1995.
C. QUESTIONS PERTAINING TO THE SUBIDY NOTIFICATION SEMINAR
Q1. Concerning the number and nature of pa rticipants in the seminar, how many
individuals in your government have day-to-day responsibility for gathering information about
subsidies and for preparing and submitting subsidy notifications based on that information?  If
more than one, please describe the differen ces in these individuals ’ responsibilities.
Reply
One individual.
Q2. Would it be sufficient for your government to have two participants in the seminar?  If
not, why not, and how many participants would be optimal from your government’s point of
view?
                                                     
1 WTO document G/SCM/N/71/MACG/SCM/W/480
Page 2
Reply
One participant would be sufficient.
Q3. Would two days be a sufficient/appropriate length for the seminar?  If not, what would
be more appropriate?
Reply
Yes.
Q4. Would the following schedule be appropriate:  First session:  detailed presentation of the
basic definitions in Articles 1, 2 and 3 of the SCM Agreement, and presentation of the subsidy
notification obligations in the light of these definitions.  Second session:  Presentations by
Members concerning the specific problems they experience in preparing subsidy notifications.
Third session:  Information-sharing and brainstorming among Members as to possible practical
solutions for the identified problems (ways to coordinate and streamline gathering and
formatting of subsidy information).  Fourth session:  Follow-up steps to ensure that information
shared and lessons learned would be retained and implemented.  (It has been emphasized thatto be effective, such follow-up should be immediate and intensive.)  Ideas suggested to date have
included establishment of informal contacts am ong capital-based officials, planning of future
focused technical assistance activities, etc.
Reply
Yes.
Q5. Does your government normally send capital-based representatives to the Committee’s
regular meetings?  If not, why not?
Reply
No.  Macao, China is a non-resident Member  of the WTO.  However, the Macao SAR
Government appoints representatives from the Macao Economic and Trade Office in Brussels toattend the SCM Committee meetings.
Q6. Does your government view this subsidy noti fication seminar as an important event in
improving its ability to understand the subsidy rules, and to make subsidy notifications in a
complete and timely manner?  (That is, does your government view the seminar as a priorityevent for its participation?)  Does your government  plan to send capital-based participants to
the seminar?  If so, how many and what are their functions?  If not, why not?
Reply
Yes.  Macao, China would like to send a capital-based participant to this Seminar.  The
participant's functions are related to the fulfilment of Macao, China's notification requirements under
the WTO Multilateral Agreements on Trade in Goods.  Macao, China would like to kindly request the
Committee to consider holding a similar Seminar at the regional level (S.E. Asia).
Q7. In the view of your government, would financial sponsorship only of participants from
least-developed country Members be appropriate?  If not, why not?  What other objective
criteria for eligibility for financial sponsorship could be developed that might be more
appropriate?G/SCM/W/480
Page 3
Reply
Yes.
Q8. If your government would be prevented from sending participants to the seminar due to
financial constraints, what is the minimum level of financial sponsorship that would make it
possible to send participants (e.g., airfare only, airfare and subsistence for the days in Geneva,
etc.)?
Reply
Macao, China shall be responsible for the financial sponsorship (airfare, accommodation and
subsistence in Geneva) of its participant in the Seminar.
Q9. Assuming that it is not possible to finance the seminar out of existing trust funds in the
WTO (a possibility currently being explored), and assuming a total budget of approximately
CHF 225,000, would your government consider making  a donation to finance it?  If so, how
much would your government be in a position to contribute?
Reply
Macao, China regretfully informs the Committee that, due to budget constraints and the
current economic conjuncture, it will be unable to make a donation to finance the Seminar.  However,
as stated above, Macao, China will sponsor its own participant.
Q10. If the seminar were financed by earmarked contributions from individual Members,
and there were a surplus in the budget for the seminar (due to fewer than expected participants
from Members eligible for financial sponsorship,  however they might be identified), how should
any such surplus be disposed of?  Two possible  options have been discussed (I) returning the
surplus to the sponsors on a pro-rata basis; or (ii) making the surplus available on a first-come,
first-served basis to other developing countr y Members.  Are there other, more appropriate,
options?
10. Cannot comment.
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