RESTRICTED
WORLD TRADE G/SG/W/107
11December 1995
ORGANIZATION(95-4023)
Original: English Committee onSafeguards
QUESTIONS CONCERNING THE NOTIFICATION PROVIDED
BYCUBA1OFLAWS AND REGULATIONS
UNDER ARTICLE 12.6OFAGREEMENT
Thefollowing communication, dated 7December 1995, hasbeenreceived fromthePermanent
Mission oftheUnited States.
_______________
General
Cuba notes initsnotification thatitcurrently doesnothave“specific legislation orregulations
related totheAgreement ”.
DoesCubaintendtodevelopsuchlegislation,regulationsoradministrativeprocedurestogovern
theapplication ofsafeguard measures consistent withtheprovisions oftheWTO Agreement on
Safeguards?
Safeguard Measures
Article 11ofDecree-Law No.124which Cuba citesasgoverning, inpart,safeguard measures
doesnotappear toconform totherequirements ofGATT Article XIXortheWTO Agreement on
Safeguards.
- Please indicate anddescribe thetypeofsafeguard measures which maybeadopted under this
decree, andthemanner inwhich suchmeasures areadopted andapplied. Arethere any
regulations oradministrative procedures thatimplement orfurther explain howthedecree would
beapplied inthecontext ofanaction under theWTO Agreement onSafeguards?
Implementation ofSafeguard Measures
Decree-Law No.124doesnotdescribe theprocess forimplementing safeguard measures.
Theprocedures described donotappear toinvolve aninvestigation anddetermination asrequired by
theWTO Safeguards Agreement.
- What istheprocess under which safeguard measures areimplemented?
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- How doesthegovernment determine thatimports cause orthreaten tocause serious injury?
- What factors aretaken intoaccount when conducting suchaninvestigation? Howisthelevel
ofimport restriction determined?
- Howareinterested parties toparticipate inthisprocess? Howareoutside views addressed?
Duration ofSafeguard Measures
TheCuban decree states thatmeasures shallbeineffect “foraslongasisconsidered necessary ”.
- How isthisstatement consistent withWTO timelimits onsafeguard measures duration?
Noreference ismade tohowsuchmeasures would bereviewed orphased out.There isalso
noreference totheapplication ofprovisional measures incritical circumstances. Inaddition, there
arenoprovisions describing thetimeinterval required before there-application ofasafeguard measure.
- Would Cuba elaborate onthese points?