./RESTRICTEDWORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/SCM/Q2/TUN/5
17 July 2001
(01-3525)
Committee on Subsidies
and Countervailing MeasuresOriginal:  English
SUBSIDIES
Questions Posed by the UNITED STATES Regarding the
New and Full and Updating Notifications of TUNISIA1
The following communication, dated 14 July 2001, has been received from the Permanent
Mission of the United States.
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The following are questions regarding the notification of Tunisia made pursuant to
Article XVI:1 of the GATT 1994 and Article 25 of the Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing
Measures, in document G/SCM/N/38/TUN-G/SCM/N/48/TUN-G/SCM/N/60/TUN-G/SCM/N/71/TUN, dated 21 May 2001.
Promotion of Research and Development
1. Are the results of the research which is granted aid under this programme made public?
2. Are the exemption from customs duties and waiver of VAT and the consumption tax on
purchases of capital goods needed for the investment a one-time exemption?  Or do these exemptions
continue annually?  If they continue, do institutions/enterprises/industries need to reapply for these
benefits?
3. Does the dollar or value amount of funds provided under this programme change on an annual
basis?
Promotion of Technology and Technological Expertise
1. You state that the objective of the aid is to help industrial companies increase their local
content.  Is aid under this programme provided based on the amount of local content that is used in
production?
2. Do industries/enterprises pay any type of fee or make a contribution to the Industrial
Competitiveness Development Fund (FODEC)?  Who pays for the studies that must be undertaken
before benefits are provided under the FODEC?
3. Must the funds provided by FODEC be repaid?  Are the funds always provided to
beneficiaries as a grant?  Or are they provided in  some other form, such as a low-interest loan to
                                                     
1 G/SCM/N/38/TUN-G/SCM/N/48/TUN-G/SCM/N/60/TUN-G/SCM/N/71/TUNG/SCM/Q2/TUN/5
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finance technological acquisitions?  If the aid is provided in various forms, please detail which forms
are used under what circumstances.
4. What conditions must be met in order for en terprises/industries to receive funding for human
resource related activities?
Encouragement of Light Industries and Crafts and Trade
1. If the National Fund for the Promotion of Crafts and Trade and Light Industries
(FONAPRAM) is managed by banks, do the banks made the judgement about whether or not funds
will be provided to an enterprise?
2. Once the interest-free loan period has ended, are recipients required to repay the loan in one
lump sum?  Or do recipients repay the loan over a longer period of time?  If repayment takes place
gradually, what is the interest rate charged on the loan?  How is the interest rate determined?  Do
these terms vary depending on the recipient of the loan?  What happens to loans which cannot be
repaid?
3. Can you provide any details about the value or volume of crafts/handicrafts which are
exported annually?
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