RESTRICTED
WORLD TRADE G/ADP/Q1/PRY/1
G/SCM/Q1/PRY/1
8October 1997
ORGANIZATION(97-4291)
Committee onAnti-Dumping Practices Original: Spanish
Committee onSubsidies andCountervailing Measures
NOTIFICATION OFLAWS AND REGULATIONS UNDER
ARTICLES 18.5AND 32.6OFTHE AGREEMENTS
Questions from Mexico
toParaguay1
Thefollowing communication, dated 30September 1997, hasbeenreceived fromthePermanent
Mission ofMexico.
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Mexico wishes toputthefollowing questions totheGovernment ofParaguay concerning the
notification ofDecree No.15,286 of28October 1996.
1. Where there isacontradiction between theWTO Agreements andDecree No.15,286 of
28October 1996 (theDecree), howwillitberesolved bythecompetent Paraguayan authority?
2. Asfrom what daydothetime-limits established bythenotified Decree run: thedateof
notification ofthecorresponding resolutions ordeterminations, thedayfollowing notification, orthe
dayfollowing publication (iftheyarepublished)?
3. Articles 2.1(b), 8.5,14.2, 18.1and27.1(among others) ofthenotified Decree refertothe
concept of"special" or"exceptional" circumstances. What criterion willtheParaguayan investigating
authority usetodetermine these special orexceptional circumstances when applying thelegislation?
4. What typeofcharacteristics would betaken intoaccount todetermine thataproduct issimilar
toanother within themeaning ofArticle 2?
5. Under Article 3,whatrolewilltheMinistry ofFinance playintheinvestigations? Willthe
same agency beresponsible fordetermining theexistence ofdumping orsubsidies andtheexistence
ofinjury?
6. Article 4.2setsouttwooptions forpricecomparisons where therearenosalesofthelikeproduct
intheordinary course oftradeinthedomestic market ofthecountry oforigin ortheexporting country.
What criterion doestheinvestigating authority follow todetermine which ofthese options should be
used, oraretheyusedwithout distinction.
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7. What elements must betaken intoaccount todetermine thatthere is"asufficient quantity"
within themeaning ofArticle 4.3oftheDecree?
8. What should beunderstood by"reasonable basis" forthecalculation oftheexport price in
accordance withArticle 4.5?
9. Article 4.10oftheDecree provides fortaking intoaccount thecontents ofArticle 8.Could
wehaveamore detailed explanation ofhowArticle 8willbetaken intoaccount?
10. How isthe"positive evidence" forthedetermination oftheexistence ofinjury established,
asprovided forinArticle 6.1? Arethecriteria mentioned inthatparagraph consecutive ormutually
exclusive?
11. Article 6.4laysdown anumber ofrequirements thatmustbetaken intoaccount todetermine
theeffect ofdumped orsubsidized imports onthedomestic industry. Arethefactors mentioned in
thisArticle alsotaken intoaccount todecide whether ornottoinitiate aninvestigation?
12. Article 8.3provides thattheapplication shallbedrawn upinconformity withtherequirements
laiddown inthehandbooks prepared bytheMinistry. Arethese handbooks different foreachcase,
andifso,whatarethegeneral guidelines thattheyhavetocover inorder tofulfilParaguay 'sobligations
asaWTO Member?
13. What criteria areusedtodetermine that"sufficient evidence" hasbeenprovided within the
meaning ofArticle 8.5,andingeneral ininvestigations intounfair practices ininternational trade?
14. What does"sufficient evidence" toinitiate aninvestigation exofficio, within themeaning of
Article 8.5,involve?
15. Article 5.5oftheAnti-Dumping Agreement establishes theobligation tonotify theexporting
Member oftheintention toinitiate aninvestigation before opening it.How doesParaguay claim to
fulfil thisobligation andwhatArticle ofthenotified legislation provides forthis?
16. Article 13.1oftheDecree provides thattheMinistry shallnotify theresolution fortheinitiation
ofaninvestigation andatthesame timeprovide aquestionnaire andtherespective forms tointerested
parties andtheauthorities oftheexporting country where appropriate (emphasis added). Inthis
connection, wewould likeclarifications astowhether thismeans thatthegovernment oftheexporting
country willnotalways benotified, andifthisthecase,whatcriteria areusedtodecide inwhich cases
notification isnecessary andhowthisiscompatible withtheobligation laiddown inArticle 5.5of
theAnti-Dumping Agreement?
17. Article 14.3provides thatusers fromtheproduction sectors oftheproducts under investigation
andtherepresentative consumer organizations shallbegiven theopportunity toprovide anyinformation
which isrelevant totheinvestigation regarding dumping orsubsidies, injury andthecausal linkbetween
thetwo. Willtheyhavethestatus ofinterested parties intheproceeding?
18. Article16.1establishestheobligationtopublishthepreliminaryresolutionintheOfficialGazette.
What isthetime-limit forpublication oftheresolution once ithasbeen issued bytheMinisters
concerned?
19. Whatdo"expedited"and"promptly"mean,intermsoftime,inconnectionwiththeinvestigating
authority'sobligationtoestablishindividualdutyratesforotherexportersasprovidedforinArticle19.2?G/ADP/Q1/PRY/1
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20. Article 21.4ofthenotified Decree refers totheconcept of"critical circumstances". What
criterion willtheMinistry usetodetermine such"critical circumstances" within themeaning ofthis
provision?
21. Article 22.1states thatanyanti-dumping andcountervailing dutyshallbeterminated within
fiveyears atmost. Iftheprocedure established inArticle 23isnotrequested, willtheduties be
terminated automatically ormustthisberequested byinterested parties? Willthetermination beeffected
bymeans ofabiministerial orministerial resolution orsimply byadecision oftheMinistry concerned?
22. Howdoesthereview procedure fordefinitive duties established inArticle 24operate? What
evidence must theimporter provide inthisprocedure?
23. Article 24.2states thatwhere dutypaidinexcess hastoberefunded, therefund willbe
established inaministerial resolution. Doesthisresolution havetobepublished intheOfficial Gazette?
24. HowdoesParaguay consider thatitfulfils itsobligation todisclose theessential factsthatit
willtakeintoaccount forissuing itsfinalresolution, asprovided forinArticle 6.9oftheAnti-Dumping
Agreement, andwhere intheDecree isthisobligation provided for?