WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/SG/N/6/PHL/1
3 July 2001
(01-3312)
Committee on Safeguards Original:  English
NOTIFICATION UNDER ARTICLE 12.1(A) OF THE
AGREEMENT ON SAFEGUARDS ON INITIATION OF
AN INVESTIGATION AND THE REASONS FOR IT
PHILIPPINES
The following communication, dated 29 June 2001, has been received from the Permanent
Mission of the Philippines.
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Pursuant to Article 12.1(a) of the WTO Agreement on Safeguards, and in light of the relevant
format for notifications earlier adopted by the Committee on Safeguards, the Philippines notifies that
its competent authorities have initiated a safeguards investigation as follows:
1. Date investigation was initiated
28 May 2001
2. Product subject to the investigation
Grey Portland cement of all types, including blended Portland cement that contains  pozzolan,
slag or other additives.  This excludes white Portland cement, aluminous cement, and masonry
cement.  The products under investigation are classified under HS Codes 2523.2900 and 2523.9000
and are described in the Tariff and Customs Code of the Philippines as follows:
2523.2900 Other Portland cement
2523.9000 Other hydraulic cements
3. Reasons for the initiation of the investigation
(i) The investigation was initiated pursuant to a petition from the Philippine Cement
Manufacturers Corporation (Philcemcor).  The petitioners account for around 82.3 per cent of
the total cement industry's actual productive capacity in the year 2000.
(ii) The documents submitted by the petitioners indicate that increased imports have caused
serious injury to the local cement industry, as determined by the industry's decreased
production, employment, productivity, market share, and sales volume, among others.
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