RESTRICTEDWORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/SCM/Q3/PAN/2
22 February 2002
(02-0911)
Committee on Subsidies
and Countervailing MeasuresOriginal:  English
SUBSIDIES
Requests Pursuant to Article 27.4 of the Agreement
on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures
Questions Posed by Switzerland
The following communication, dated 21 February 2002, has been received from the
Permanent Mission of Switzerland.
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Switzerland submits the following comments and questions seeking clarification of certain
aspects of the requests under review.  These comments and questions do not necessarily prejudice its
final position on these requests.  We thank all delegations mentioned below for their efforts in
complying with the procedures set out either in Ar t. 27.4 SCM or in § 10.6 of the Ministerial Decision
on Implementation-Related Issues and Concerns [W T/MIN(01)/17] and for having put forward their
requests in a timely manner.
Panama (G/SCM/N/74/PAN/1+2)
Could Panama provide statistical data of the value of total export of the enterprises included
in the Official Industry Register?
Could Panama also specify if the exemptions granted to enterprises included in the official
industry register are also open to foreign legal entities, and that the same application procedures apply
to both national and foreign companies?
Regarding the request for an extension of the transition period for the CAT programme,
Switzerland notes that the amount of the subsidy granted has increased considerably under the periodnotified by Panama (G/SCM/N/71/PAN).  Article 27.4 SCM allows for a yearly extension but also
refers to a progressive phase out of existing export subsidies.  Could Panama explain in greater detail
which timeframe it feels for the continuation of this programme to be necessary?
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