RESTRICTED
WORLD TRADE G/ADP/W/195
G/SCM/W/202
ORGANIZATION 28November 1995
(95-3786)
Original: English Committee onAnti-Dumping Practices
Committee onSubsidies andCountervailing Measures
QUESTIONS CONCERNING THE NOTIFICATIONS PROVIDED
BYTHE GOVERNMENT OFCOSTA RICA1OFLAWS AND REGULATIONS
UNDER ARTICLES 18.5AND 32.6OFTHE AGREEMENTS
Thefollowing communication, dated 16November 1995, hasbeenreceived fromthePermanent
Mission ofHong Kong.
_______________
1. CostaRica'snotificationcontainstheCentralAmericanRegulationsonUnfairBusinessPractices
andSafeguard Clause. Apparently numerous provisions oftheWTO A-DAgreement arenotfeatured
intheCentral American Regulations andsome provisions intheCentral American Regulations may
beatoddswiththeWTO provisions.
Questions:
(a) What isthelegalstatus oftheWTO A-DAgreement intheCosta Rica'slegalsystem?
Does ithave thesame force oflaw? AretheA-Dofficials required, legally or
otherwise, toabide bytheprovisions oftheA-DAgreement intheconduct ofA-D
proceedings?IfaprovisionofthedomesticlegislationisinconflictwiththeAgreement,
which willtakeprecedence?
(b) What isthelegal status oftheCentral American Regulations onUnfair Business
Practices andSafeguard Clause inCosta Rica'slegalsystem? Does ithavethesame
force asanyother domestic legislation inCosta Rica? AretheA-Dofficials required,
legally orotherwise, toabide bytheprovisions oftheCentral American Regulations
intheconduct ofA-Dproceedings?
(c) Ifaprovision oftheCentral American Regulations isinconflict with theA-D
Agreement, which willtakeprecedence? HowwillCosta Ricaensure compliance with
theprovisions oftheWTO A-DAgreement before itslawsarebrought intototal
conformity withtheWTO A-DAgreement?
(d) What steps hasCosta Ricataken, andwhat further steps willittake, toensure the
conformity ofitslaws, regulations andadministrative procedures withtheprovisions
oftheWTO A-DAgreement, inaccordance withArticle 18.4?
1G/ADP/N/1/CRI/1-G/SCM/N/1/CRI/1.
./.G/ADP/W/195
G/SCM/W/202
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(e) IftheCentral American Regulations arecurrently under review, whatistheintended
purpose andcoverage andtimetableofthecompletion ofthereview?
2. Question: What judicial review procedures hasCosta Ricaputinplace inobservance
ofitsobligations under Article 13oftheWTO A-DAgreement?
3. Question: What isCosta Rica'spolicy andlawfortheimplementation ofWTO Panel
Reports?