WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/SG/N/6/PHL/3
8 May 2003
(03-2453)
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 1 May 2003, 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 following the relevant
format suggested in G/SG/W/1 (23 February 1995), the Permanent Mission of the Philippines hereby
notifies the Committee on Safeguards of the initiation of a safeguards investigation on the imports of
glass mirrors.
1. Date when the investigation was initiated
The investigation was initiated on 16 April 2003.
2. The product subject to investigation
Glass mirrors classified under HS Codes 7009.9100 and 7009.9200 described as unframed
and framed mirrors.
3. Reasons for the initiation of investigation
The investigation was initiated following an evaluation of a safeguards petition from the
domestic figured glass industry.  The petitioner accounts for total production capacity of the industry.
An evaluation of data showed that imports had increased by 22.4 per cent on an annual
average basis from 1997 to 2001, and by a further 95 per cent for the period January-August 2002.  Asa result, domestic production had decreased by an average 15 per cent per year from 1997 to 2002.
Imports as a percentage of domestic production increased from 18 per cent in 1997, to 51 per cent in
2001, and 104 per cent as of January-August 2002.
The investigation has been initiated to determine whether a safeguards measure is warranted.
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