WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/SG/38
10 January 2002
(02-0111)
Committee on Safeguards Original:  English
PROVISIONAL SAFEGUARD MEASURE IMPOSED
BY THE PHILIPPINES ON IMPORTS OF CERAMIC TILES
Request for Consultations under Article 12.4
of the Agreement on Safeguards
EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
The following communication, dated 7 January 2002, has been received from the Permanent
Delegation of the European Commission.
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1. On 29 June 2001 (document G/SG/N/6/PHL/2), the Philippines notified the WTO Committee
on Safeguards under Article 12.1(a) of the Agreement on Safeguards ("SA") of the initiation of a
safeguard investigation on imports of ceramic tiles.
On 26 November 2001 (document G/SG/N/7/PHL /2 and G/SG/N/8/PHL/2) the Philippines
notified the said Committee under Articles 12.1(b) and 12.4 of the SA of a finding of serious injury
and of the imposition of provisional measures against imports of ceramic tiles.
2. The European Commission is seriously concerned about the consistency of this provisional
measure with Article XIX of GATT 1994 and the SA.  In particular, on the basis of the available
information, the European Commission has serious do ubts that the requirements laid down in the
Agreement on Safeguards for the adoption of a provisional safeguard measure have been satisfied in
this case.
3. The European Commission therefore requests consultations under Article 12.4 SA, and
propose that these consultations be held forthwith at a mutually agreed date and place.
4. The European Commission reserves all its rights under the SA, in particular Article 14, as
well as under the Dispute Settlement of Understanding.
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