EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES - DUTIES ON IMPORTS OF RICE
Document: Request for Consultations by Thailand
Date: 11 October 1995
Document codes: WT/DS17/1; G/L/27; G/AG/W/10
Complainant: Thailand
Respondent: EU
Dispute stage: Consultation
Agreements cited: Art. I, II, VII  GATT 1994Art. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, Annex I  Customs valuation

EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES - DUTIES ON IMPORTS OF RICE
Request for Consultations by Thailand
The following communication, dated 3 October 1995, from the Permanent Mission of Thailand
to the Permanent Delegation of the European Commission, is circulated at the request of the Permanent
Mission of Thailand in accordance with Article 4:4 of the DSU.
Upon instructions from my authorities, I have the honour to inform you that the Government
of the Kingdom of Thailand would like to request consultations with the Commission of the European
Communities.
The Government of the Kingdom of Thailand requests consultations with the Commission of
the European Communities pursuant to Article 4 of the Understanding on Rules and Procedures
Governing the Settlement of Disputes (DSU), Article XXIII of the General Agreement on Tariffs and
Trade 1994, and Article 19 of the Agreement on Implementation of Article VII of the General Agreement
on Tariffs and Trade 1994 regarding certain regulations of the European Communities concerning import
duties on rice. These regulations include, but not limited to, Council Regulation (ECC) No. 1418/76
of 21 June 1976 and Commission Regulation (EC) No. 1573/95 of 30 June 1995.
Council Regulation (ECC) No. 1418/76 and Commission Regulation (EC) No. 1573/95 provide
for the method of calculation of duties to be imposed on imports of rice which are equal to the
intervention buying-in price valid for those products on importation, increased by a certain percentage
according to whether it is husked or milled rice, indica rice or japonica rice, and minus the import
price. In addition, these cited Council Regulations give special treatment to the basmati rice originating
from India and Pakistan.
Accordingly,the Government of the Kingdomof Thailandisof the view thatCouncil Regulation
(EEC) No. 1418/76and Commission (EC) 1573/95are incontravention of the provisionsof the General
Agreement on Tariffs and Trade 1994 and the Agreement on Implementation of Article VII of the General
Agreement on Tariffs and Trade 1994 to which the European Union has obligations to conform, and
thereby nullify and impair the benefits of Thailand under these Agreements. The provisions of these
Agreements of which the cited Council Regulations are in contravention include, but are not limited
to the following:
1. The General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade 1994, Articles I, II and VII; and
2. The Agreement on Implementation of Article VII of the General Agreement on Tariffs
and Trade 1994, Articles 1 through 7 and Annex 1.

The Government of the Kingdom of Thailand requests consultations with the Commission of
the European Communities on the above-mentioned matters with a view to reaching a mutually
satisfactory result. The Government of the Kingdom of Thailand looks forward to receiving the
Commission's reply to thisrequest and to fixing a mutually convenient venue and date for consultations.