RESTRICTED
WORLD TRADE G/STR/W/5
7February 1996
ORGANIZATION(96-0435)
Original: English Working Party onState Trading Enterprises
REPLIES TOQUESTIONS POSED BYTHE UNITED STATES1
CONCERNING THE ARTICLE XVII NOTIFICATION OFNORWAY2
Thefollowing communication, dated 29January 1996, hasbeenreceived fromthePermanent
Mission ofNorway.
_______________
1. Please findbelow theresponse bytheNorwegian authorities tothequestion puttothem by
theUnited States.
2. Inasimplified version thequestion iswhyNorway didnotinclude Statoil, Norsk Hydro A/S,
A/S Sydvaranger andStore Norske Spitsbergen Kulkompani A/S initsnotification under
Article XVII:4(a) oftheGATT 1994. Theanswer isasfollows:
Norway considers thatithasasystemic interest inthefullest possible transparency intherules-
based World Trade Organization. When theentities identified bytheUShavenotbeenincluded in
thenotification, thisisexplained bytheNorwegian authorities 'reading andunderstanding oftheir
obligations under the"Understanding ontheInterpretation ofArticle XVII ...".
According totheworking definition ofstatetrading enterprises assetoutinparagraph 1of
theUnderstanding, enterprises tobenotified are:
"Governmental andnon-governmental enterprises, including marketing boards, which have
beengranted exclusive orspecial rights orprivileges, including statutory orconstitutional powers,
intheexercise ofwhich theyinfluence through theirpurchases orsalesthelevelordirection ofimports
orexports ."(italics added).
Totheextent Statoil, Norsk Hydro A/S, A/SSydvaranger andStore Norske Spitsbergen
Kulkompani mayhavereceived "exclusive orspecial rights orprivileges", Norway doesnotconsider
thatthesemay"influence through theirpurchases orsalesthelevelordirection ofimports orexports".
Presuming thatthere arenosucheffects, these enterprises have notbeen included inthe
Norwegian notification.
Itshould allthesame beunderstood thatNorway isprepared toparticipate withanopenmind
inthediscussions oftheWorking Group concerning theinterpretation ofthescope ofresponsibilities
inthisareaofnotifications. Norway thusisprepared toanswer anyadditional questions inthe
forthcoming meeting oftheWorking Group.
1G/STR/W/2
2G/STR/N/1/NOR