WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONWT/DS137/1
G/L/246G/SPS/GEN/84
G/TBT/D/17
24 June 1998
(98-2537)
Original:  English
EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES – MEASURES AFFECTING IMPORTS
OF WOOD OF CONIFERS FROM CANADA
Request for Consultations by Canada
The following communication, dated 17 June 1998, from the Permanent  Mission of Canada
to the Permanent Delegation of the European Commission and to the Dispute Settlement Body, is
circulated in accordance with Article 4.4 of the DSU.
_______________
The Government of Canada requests consultations with the European Communities pursuant
to Article XXIII of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade 1994, Article 11 of the Agreement on
the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures and Article 14 of the Agreement on
Technical Barriers to Trade, regarding certain measures concerning the importation into the European
Communities of wood of conifers originating in Canada.  These measures include but are not limitedto Council Directive 77/93/EEC, of 21 December 1976, as amended by Commission Directive
92/103/EEC, of 1 December 1992, and any further m odifications thereto, as well as any relevant
measures adopted by the EC Member States affecting exports of wood of conifers originating in
Canada.
These measures adversely affect the importation into the European Communities of wood of
conifers originating in Canada.  The Government of Canada is of the view that these measures areinconsistent with the obligations of the European Communities under the Agreement on the
Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures, the Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade
and the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade 1994.  The provisions of these agreements with
which these measures are inconsistent include, but are not limited to, the following:
(i) Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures, Article 2, 3,
4, 5 and 6;
(ii) Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade, Article 2;  and
(iii) General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade 1994, Articles I, III and XI.
The Government of Canada is of the view that these measures nullify or impair the benefits
accruing to Canada directly or indirectly under the cited Agreements, regardless of whether violations
of these Agreements occurred.
In accordance with Article 4 of the Understanding on Rules and Procedures Governing the
Settlement of Disputes, the Government of Ca nada requests consultations with the European
Communities to discuss this matter with the intention of reaching a satisfactory result.  We look
forward to your reply to this request and to fixing a mutually convenient date for consultations.
__________