RESTRICTEDWORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/C/W/344
27 November 2001
(01-6049)
Council for Trade in Goods Original:  English
COMMUNICATION FROM THAILAND WITH RESPECT TO
THE WAIVER APPLICATION FOR THE NEW ACP-EC PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT
The following communication, dated 19 November 2001 from the Permanent Representative
of Thailand to the WTO, has been received with the request that the attached copy of the letter fromEC Commissioner Pascal Lamy be circulated.
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EUROPEAN COMMISSION
Commissioner Pascal LAMY
Doha, 14 November 2001
Dr. Adisai Bodharamik
Minister of Commerce
Thailand
Dear Minister,
Further to recent discussions between our dele gations on the subject of canned tuna, I would
like to confirm the Community's readiness to enter expeditiously into full consultations with Thailand
pursuant to GATT/WTO provisions, procedures and customary practices.  Such consultations, to be
initiated within four weeks of the date of this letter, shall examine the extent to which the legitimate
interests of Thailand are being unduly impaired as a result of the implementation of the preferential
tariff treatment for canned tuna originating in ACP states and consider means in which Thailand'slegitimate interests may be addressed.  The consultations shall be completed by 30 April 2002.  Upon
their completion, the Commission will report to the EU Council with a view to it taking appropriate
decisions.
Should the result of the consultations be consider ed unsatisfactory to the Thai authorities, the
Community would be open to recourse to the mediat ion procedure as provided under Article 5 of the
WTO's DSU.
Yours sincerely,
Pascal LAMY
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