ARGENTINA - MEASURES AFFECTING IMPORTS OF FOOTWEAR, TEXTILES, APPAREL AND OTHER ITEMS
Document: Request for Consultations by the United States Thefollowingcommunication,dated 4October 1996,from the PermanentMission ofthe United States to the Permanent Mission of Argentina and the Dispute Settlement Body, is circulated in accordance with Article 4.4 of the DSU.
Date: 15 October 1996
Document codes: WT/DS56/1; G/L/115; G/TBT/D/10; G/VAL/7
Complainant: U.S.
Respondent: Argentina
Third parties: EU, Hungary, India
Dispute stage: Appellate Body
Agreements cited: Art. 1  Customs valuationArt. II, VII, VIII, X  GATT 1994Art. 7  Textiles and ClothingArt. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8  Customs valuation

ARGENTINA - MEASURES AFFECTING IMPORTS OF
FOOTWEAR, TEXTILES, APPAREL AND OTHER ITEMS
Request for Consultations by the United States
Thefollowingcommunication,dated 4October 1996,from the PermanentMission ofthe United
States to the Permanent Mission of Argentina and the Dispute Settlement Body, is circulated in
accordance with Article 4.4 of the DSU.
My authorities have instructed me to request consultations with the Government of Argentina
pursuant to Article 4 of the Understanding on Rules and Procedures Governing the Settlement of
Disputes, Article XXII:1 of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade 1994 ("GATT 1994"),
Article 14 of the Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade, Article 19 of the Agreement on the
Implementation of Article VII of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade 1994, and Article 7
of the Agreement on Textiles and Clothing, regarding certain measures implemented by Argentina
affecting imports of footwear, textiles, apparel and other items. The measures in question include:
- Executive Order 304/95 and any related measures which impose specific duties on
various textile and apparel items in excess of the bound rate of 35 per cent ad valorem
for these items provided in Argentina's Schedule LXIV;
- Resolution 299/96 and any related measures which impose specific duties on apparel
and other items in excess of the bound rate of 35 per cent ad valorem for these items
provided in Argentina's schedule LXIV;
- Resolution 305/95, as modified by Resolutions 998/95 and 103/96, and any other related
measures, which impose specific duties on various footwear items in excess of the bound
rate of 35 per cent ad valorem for these items provided in Argentina's schedule LXIV;
- Resolutions 2277/94, 389/95 and any related measures which impose a statistical tax
of 3 per cent ad valorem, effective March 1995, on imports from all sources other
than MERCOSUR countries;
- Resolutions 622/95, 26/96, 850/96 and any related measures which were imposed
without proper notification and a meaningful opportunity to comment being afforded
and which, individually, collectively, or in connection with other measures, impose

unnecessary obstacles to trade, such as requirements relating to affidavits of product
components mandating that, among other things, footwear, textile and apparel items
be labelled with the number of the corresponding affidavit of product components
assigned by the Undersecretariat of Foreign Trade.
Based upon information received todate, the UnitedStates considersthat these measures violate
the obligations of Argentina under, inter alia, Articles II, VII, VIII and X of the GATT 1994; Article 2
of the Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade; Articles 1 through 8 of the Agreement on the
Implementation of Article VII of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade 1994; and Article 7
of the Agreement on Textiles and Clothing.
We look forward to receiving your reply to this request and to fixing a mutually acceptable
date for consultations.