RESTRICTED
WORLD TRADE G/STR/W/9
28February 1996
ORGANIZATION(96-0738)
Original: English Working Party onState Trading Enterprises
REPLIES TOQUESTIONS POSED BYTHE UNITED STATES1
AND JAPAN2CONCERNING THE
ARTICLE XVII NOTIFICATION OFAUSTRALIA3
Thefollowing communication, dated 19January 1996, hasbeenreceived fromthePermanent
Mission ofAustralia.
_______________
Question bytheUnited States
WenotethatAustralia didnotinclude theAustralian Barley Board, theWestAustralia Grains
Pool, GRAINCO, andGRAINCORP initsArticle XVIInotification. Weunderstand thatthese entities
"enjoyspecialorexclusiverightsorprivileges"inthemeaningoftheUnderstandingontheInterpretation
ofArticle XVIIoftheGATT 1994. Could Australia explain whythese entities werenotincluded in
thenotification?
Reply
TheAustralian Barley Board, theGrain PoolandGrainco arenotcovered byCommonwealth
legislation. However theydooperate under Statelegislation. Accordingly, inlightoftheUSinterest
inthese bodies, therelevant information willbeprovided inthe1996 update oftheAustralian
notification.
Graincorp wasprivatized in1992. Inanycase, Graincorp 'sfunctions related tohandling,
storage andtransport ofgrainandwould nothavefallen within thescope ofArticle XVIIofGATT 1994
andtheUnderstanding.
Question byJapan
WenotethatAustralia didnotinclude some entities suchastheAustralian Barley Board in
thisnotification. Weunderstand thattheseentities arestateenterprises which enjoy "special orexclusive
rights orprivileges" inthemeaning oftheUnderstanding ontheInterpretation ofArticle XVIIofthe
GATT 1994. Could Australia explain whythese entities werenotincluded inthenotification?
1G/STR/W/2
2G/STR/W/4
3G/STR/N/1/AUS
./.G/STR/W/9
Page2
Reply
TheAustralian Barley Board isnotcovered byCommonwealth legislation. However itdoes
operate under State legislation. Accordingly, inlightofJapan'sinterest inthisbody, therelevant
information willbeprovided inthe1996 update oftheAustralian notification.