WORLD TRADE WT/DS56/5
10January 1997
ORGANIZATION(97-0074)
Original: English
ARGENTINA -MEASURES AFFECTING IMPORTS OF
FOOTWEAR, TEXTILES, APPAREL AND OTHER ITEMS
Request fortheEstablishment ofaPanel bytheUnited States
Thefollowing communication, dated 9January 1997, fromthePermanent Mission oftheUnited
States tothePermanent Mission ofArgentina andtotheDispute Settlement Body iscirculated atthe
request ofthatdelegation.
_______________
On4October 1996, theUnited States Government requested consultations withtheGovernment
ofArgentina pursuant toArticle 4oftheUnderstanding onRules andProcedures Governing the
Settlement ofDisputes, Article XXII:1 oftheGeneral Agreement onTariffs andTrade 1994 (GATT
1994), Article 14oftheAgreement onTechnical Barriers toTrade, Article 19oftheAgreement on
Implementation ofArticle VIIoftheGATT 1994, andArticle 7oftheAgreement onTextiles and
Clothing, regarding certain measures implemented byArgentina affecting imports oftextiles, apparel,
footwear andother items. Themeasures inquestion included:
1. Resolutions 304/95, 305/95, 103/96, 299/96, Decree 998/95 andother measures which impose
specific duties onvarious textile, apparel orfootwear items inexcess ofthebound rateof35per
centadvalorem provided inArgentina 'aSchedule LXIV;
2. Decrees 2277/94, 389/95 andother measures which impose astatistical taxof3percentad
valorem, effective March 1995, onimports fromallsources otherthanMERCOSUR countries;
and
3. Resolutions 622/95, 26/96, 850/96 andother measures which were imposed without proper
notification andameaningful opportunity tocomment being afforded andwhich impose
unnecessary obstacles totrade, suchasrequirements relating toaffidavits ofproduct components
mandating that,among other things, footwear, textile andapparel items belabelled withthe
number ofthecorresponding affidavit ofproduct components assigned bytheUndersecretariat
ofForeign Trade.
TheUnited States andArgentina heldconsultations inGeneva on12November 1996. During
theconsultations, Argentina represented thatithasmodified itslabelling regime asdescribed in
paragraph 3above. Among other changes, Argentina nolonger requires thatthenumber ofthe
corresponding affidavit ofproduct components assigned bytheUndersecretariat ofForeign Trade appear
onlabels oftextiles, apparel orfootwear. Argentina 'srepresentations regarding itsrevised labelling
requirements satisfied theconcerns raised bytheUnited States.
./.WT/DS56/5
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Theconsultations, however, failed tosettlethedispute asitrelates toArgentina 'sspecific duties
andstatistical tax,asdescribed inparagraphs 1and2above. TheUnited States considers thatthese
measures areinconsistent withtheobligations ofArgentina under Articles II,VII,VIIIandXofthe
GATT 1994; Articles 1through 8oftheAgreement onImplementation ofArticle VIIoftheGATT
1994; andArticle 7oftheAgreement onTextiles andClothing.
Accordingly, theUnited States respectfully requests thatapanel toexamine thismatter be
established atthenextmeeting oftheDispute Settlement Body.