RESTRICTED
WORLD TRADE G/ADP/W/229
G/SCM/W/239
ORGANIZATION 1December 1995
(95-3909)
Original: English Committee onAnti-Dumping Practices
Committee Subsidies andCountervailing Measures
QUESTIONS CONCERNING THE NOTIFICATIONS PROVIDED BY
CUBA1OFLAWS AND REGULATIONS UNDER
ARTICLES 18.5AND 32.6OFTHE AGREEMENTS
Thefollowing communication, dated 29November 1995, hasbeenreceived fromthePermanent
Mission ofCanada.
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1. Wewould appreciate clarification ofthestatement inCuba'snotification that: "....theRepublic
ofCuba doesnothavespecific legislation orregulations related tothe(WTO) Agreement, duetothe
current revision ofdomestic trade policy resulting fromitsadjustment tothenewconditions forthe
development ofCuban foreign trade." Inparticular, istheGovernment ofCuba, aspartofitscurrent
revision ofdomestic trade policy, drafting legislation and/or regulations torender Cuban lawfully
consistent withtheWTO ADandSCM Agreements and,ifso,whatistheimplementation timetable?
2. Cuba'snotification citesDecree LawNo.124of15October 1990, and,inparticular, Article 11
thereof, asgenerally governing matters related tosubsidies andcountervailing measures, anti-dumping
practices andsafeguards. There is,however, nospecific reference tothedumping orsubsidizing of
goods inArticle 11,which seems tooperate more asaGATT Article XIXsafeguard provision.
Moreover, theincorporation byreference inArticle 11ofCuba'sobligations under international treaties
towhich Cuba isaparty orwhich Cuba hasratified extends onlyto"theform" ofmeasures deemed
appropriate andnottotheprocedural andsubstantive requirements relating totheinitiation andconduct
ofdumping andcountervailing dutyinvestigations. Wenotethatfinalclause no.1inDecree Law124
makes reference to"anyother legislation resulting (from theDecree Law)" andwould, inthisregard,
appreciate clarification ofCuba'sexisting laws, regulations and/or administrative practices governing
theinitiation andconduct ofdumping andcountervailing dutyinvestigations themselves.
3. Thesupplement toCuba'snotification advises thattheauthorities competent toinitiate and
conduct anti-dumping investigations aretheMinistry ofFinance andPrices andtheMinistry ofForeign
Trade, acting jointly. Wewould appreciate clarification of:(i)therespective responsibilities ofeach
ofthese authorities inrelation tothedecision toinitiate aninvestigation andthedetermination of
dumping, injury andcausal link;(ii)whether these authorities operate independently, (i.e.freefrom
political direction), andinaquasi-judicial manner intheconduct ofdumping investigations; and
(iii)whether theseauthorities arealsoresponsible fortheconduct ofcountervailing dutyinvestigations.
1G/ADP/N/1/CUB/1-G/SCM/N/1/CUB/1-G/SG/N/1/CUB/1 &G/ADP/N/1/CUB/1/Suppl.1.