RESTRICTED
WORLD TRADE WT/DS13/1
G/L/21
G/VAL/4
ORGANIZATION 26July1995
(95-2169)
Original: English
EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES -DUTIES ONIMPORTS OFGRAINS
Request forConsultations bytheUnited States
Thefollowing communication, dated 19July1995, fromtheOffice oftheUnited States Trade
Representative tothePermanent Delegation oftheEuropean Commission iscirculated inaccordance
withArticle 4:4oftheDSU.
_______________
Myauthorities haveinstructed metorequest consultations withtheEuropean Communities
pursuanttoArticle4oftheUnderstandingonRulesandProceduresGoverningtheSettlementofDisputes
(DSU), Article XXIII:1 oftheGeneral Agreement onTariffs andTrade 1994, andArticle 19ofthe
Agreement onImplementation ofArticle VIIoftheGeneral Agreement onTariffs andTrade 1994
regarding theapplication oftariffs bytheCommunities tograins, including wheat, corn, barley and
rice.
These measures appear tobeinconsistent withtheobligations oftheCommunities under the
General Agreement onTariffs andTrade 1994 andtheAgreement onImplementation ofArticle VII
oftheGeneral Agreement onTariffs andTrade 1994, particularly inlightoftheso-called "margin
ofpreference" tariff binding undertaken bytheCommunities. Theprovisions ofthese agreements
withwhich these measures appear tobeinconsistent include, butarenotlimited tothefollowing:
1. General Agreement onTariffs andTrade 1994, Articles IIandVII; and
2. Agreement onImplementation ofArticle VIIoftheGeneral Agreement onTariffs and
Trade 1994, Articles 1through 7andAnnex I.
These measures alsoappear tonullify orimpair thebenefits accruing totheUnited States directly
orindirectly under thecitedagreements.
Welookforward toreceiving your reply tothepresent request andtofixing amutually
convenient dateforconsultations.