WORLD TRADE WT/DS133/1
G/L/243
ORGANIZATION G/SPS/GEN/71
G/LIC/D/22
18May1998
(98-1972)
Original: French
SLOVAK REPUBLIC -MEASURES CONCERNING THE IMPORTATION
OFDAIRY PRODUCTS AND THE TRANSIT OFCATTLE
Request forConsultations bySwitzerland
Thefollowing communication, dated 7May1998, fromthePermanent Mission ofSwitzerland
tothePermanent Mission oftheSlovak Republic andtotheDispute Settlement Body, iscirculated
inaccordance withArticle 4.4oftheDSU.
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Myauthorities haveinstructed metorequest consultations withtheSlovak Republic pursuant
toArticle 4oftheUnderstanding onRules andProcedures Governing theSettlement ofDisputes,
Article XXII:1 oftheGeneral Agreement onTariffs andTrade 1994 ("GATT 1994"), Article 11of
theAgreement ontheApplication ofSanitary andPhytosanitary Measures ("SPS Agreement") and
Article 6oftheAgreement onImport Licensing Procedures ("Import Licensing Agreement") concerning
Slovak regulations ontheimportation ofdairy products andthetransit ofcattle, pursuant to
Decree No.4/1996 of2July1996 (Prikazny listcislo 4/1996) based onDecision No.458of
25June1996oftheGovernment oftheSlovak Republic (Uznesenia C.458). These measures arehaving
anadverse effect onSwiss cheese andcattle exports.
Itwould appear thatsome ofthese measures arenotconsistent withtheSlovak Republic 's
obligations under Articles I,III,V,XandXIofGATT 1994. Itwould alsoseem thatthese measures
arenotconsistent withArticle 5oftheSPSAgreement andArticle 5oftheImport Licensing Agreement.
Switzerland reserves therighttopresent additional factsandarguments during theconsultations.
Ilookforward toreceiving yourreply tothisrequest andtosetting amutually convenient date
fortheconsultations. Wesuggest thatwemeetduring theweek of26June1998.
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