WORLD TRADE WT/DS118/1
16February 1998
ORGANIZATION(98-0543)
Original: English
UNITED STATES -HARBOUR MAINTENANCE TAX
Request forConsultations bytheEuropean Communities
Thefollowing communication, dated 6February 1998, fromthePermanent Delegation ofthe
European Commission tothePermanent Mission oftheUnited States andtotheDispute Settlement
Body iscirculated inaccordance withArticle 4.4oftheDSU.
_______________
Myauthorities haveinstructed metorequest consultations withtheUnited States pursuant to
Article 4oftheUnderstanding onRules andProcedures Governing theSettlement ofDisputes and
Article XXII:1 oftheGeneral Agreement onTariffs andTrade 1994 (GATT 1994) concerning the
USHarbour Maintenance Tax,which wasintroduced bytheWater Resources Development Actof
1986 andamended bytheOmnibus Budget Reconciliation Actof1990, including anysubsequent
amendments made andanyimplementing regulations issued (hereafter referred toas"HMT").
TheEuropean Communities considers thattheHMT mayconstitute aninfringement ofGATT
1994, inparticular, butnotnecessarily exclusively, ofthefollowing provisions:
Articles I,II,III,VIIIandXofGATT 1994, andoftheWTO Understanding onthe
Interpretation ofArticle II:1(b) ofGATT 1994.
Ilookforward toreceiving yourreply tothisrequest from theEuropean Communities and
tosetting amutually convenient dateforthese consultations.
__________