马拉喀什建立世界贸易组织协定——附件1A:货物贸易多内协定——保
马拉喀什建立世界贸易组织协定——附件1A:货物贸易多内协定——保
障措施协定
辽宁电子图书有限责任公司 编著
辽宁电子图书有限责任公司
书名:马拉喀什建立世界贸易组织协定——附件1A:
货物贸易多内协定——保障措施协定
作者:辽宁电子图书有限责任公司责任编辑:孟厦
出版社:辽宁电子图书有限责任公司
ISBN:L-FL-0344/D92
出版日期:2003年12月定价:9.00元
——附件 1A:货物贸易多内协定
——保障措施协定
(关于附件 1A的总体解释性说明:如《1994 年关税与贸易总协定》的条款与《建立世界贸易组织协定》(附件 1A所列各协定中称“《WTO协定》”)附件 1A中另一协定的条款产生抵触,则以该另一协定的条款为准。)
各成员,
考虑到各成员改善和加强以GATT1994 为基础的国际贸易体制的总体目标;
认识到有必要澄清和加强GATT1994 的纪律,特别是其中第 19 条的纪律(对某些产品进口的紧急措施),而且有必要重建对保障措施的多边控制,并消除逃避此类控制的措施;
认识到结构调整的重要性和增加而非限制国际市场中竞争的必要性;以及
进一步认识到,为此目的,需要一项适用于所有成员并以GATT1994 的基本原则为基础的全面协议;
特此协议如下:第 1 条 总则
x协定为实施保障措施制定规则,此类措施应理解为GATT1994 第 19 条所规定的措施。
第 2 条 条件
1.一成员(注 1)只有在根据下列规定确定正在进口至其领土的一产品的数量与国内生产相比绝对或相对增加,且对生产同类或直接竞争产品的国内产业造成严重损害或严重损害威胁,方可对该产品实施保障措施。
注 1:一关税同盟可作为一单独整体或代表一成员国实施保障措施。如关税同盟作为一单独整体实施保障措施,则本协定项下确定严重损害或严重损害威胁的所有要求应以整个关税同盟中存在的条件为基础。如代表一成员国实施保障措施,则确定严重损害或严重损害威胁的所有要求应以该成员国中存在的条件为基础,且保障措施应仅限于该成员国。本协定的任何规定不预断对GATT1994 第 19 条与第 24 条第 8 款之间关系的解释。
2.保障措施应针对一正在进口的产品实施,而不考虑其来源。
第 3 条 调查
1.一成员只有在其主管机关根据以往制定的程序进行调查、并按GATT1994 第
10 条进行公开后,方可实施保障措施。该调查应包括对所有利害关系方作出的合理公告,及进口商、出口商和其他利害关系方可提出证据及其意见的公开听证会或其他适当方式,包括对其他方的xx作出答复并提出意见的机会,特别是关于保障措施的实施是否符合公共利益的意见。主管机关应公布一份报告,列出其对所有有关事实问题和法律问题的调查结果和理由充分的结论。
2.任何属机密性质的信息或在保密基础上提供的信息,在说明理由后,主管机关应将其视为机密信息。此类信息未经提供方允许不得披露。可要求机密信息的提供方提供一份此类信息的非机密摘要,或如果此类提供方表明此类信息无法摘要,则应提供不能提供摘要的理由。但是,如主管机关认为有关保密的请求缺乏理由,且如果有关方不愿披露该信息,或不愿授权以概括或摘要形式披露该信息,则主管机关可忽略此类信息,除非它们可从有关来源满意地证明该信息是正确的。
第 4 条 严重损害或严重损害威胁的确定 1.就本协定而言:
(a)“严重损害”应理解为指对一国内产业状况的重大全面减损;
(b)“严重损害威胁”应理解为指符合第 2 款规定的明显迫近的严重损害。对存在严重损害威胁的确定应根据事实,而非仅凭指控、推测或极小的可能性;以及
(c)在确定损害或损害威胁时,“国内产业”应理解为指一成员领土内进行经营的同类产品或直接竞争产品的生产者全体,或指同类产品或直接竞争产品的总产量占这些产品全部国内产量主要部分的生产者。
2.(a)在根据本协定规定确定增加的进口是否对一国内产业已经或正在威胁造成严重损害的调查中,主管机关应评估影响该产业状况的所有有关的客观和可量化的因素,特别是有关产品按绝对值和相对值计算的进口增加的比率和数量,增加的进口所占国内市场的份额,以及销售水平、产量、生产率、设备利用率、利润和亏损及就业的变化。
(b)除非调查根据客观证据证明有关产品增加的进口与严重损害或严重损害威胁之间存在因果关系,否则不得作出(a)项所指的确定。如增加的进口之外的因素正在同时对国内产业造成损害,则此类损害不得归因于增加的进口。
(c)主管机关应依照第 3 条的规定,迅速公布对被调查案件的详细分析和对已审查因素相关性的确定。
第 5 条 保障措施的实施
1.一成员应仅在防止或补救严重损害并便利调整所必需的限度内实施保障措施。如使用数量限制,则该措施不得使进口量减少至低于最近一段时间的水平,该水平应为可获得统计数字的、最近 3 个代表年份的平均进口,除非提出明确的正当理由表明为防止或补救严重损害而有必要采用不同的水平。各成员应选择对实现这些目标最合适的措施。
2.(a)在配额在供应国之间进行分配的情况下,实施限制的成员可就配额份额的分配问题寻求与在供应有关产品方面具有实质利益的所有其他成员达成协议。在该方法并非合理可行的情况下,有关成员应根据在供应该产品方面具有实质利益的成员在以往
一代表期内的供应量占该产品进口总量或进口总值的比例,将配额分配给此类成员,同时适当考虑可能已经或正在影响该产品贸易的任何特殊因素。
(b)一成员可背离(a)项中的规定,只要在第 13 条第 1 款规定的保障措施委员会主持下根据第 12 条第 3 款进行磋商,并向委员会明确证明(i)在代表期内,自某些成员进口增长的百分比与有关产品进口的总增长不成比例,(ii)背离(a)项规定的理由是正当的,以及(iii)此种背离的条件对有关产品的所有供应商是公正的。任何此种措施的期限不得延长超过第 7 条第 1 款规定的最初期限。以上所指的背离不允许在严重损害威胁的情况下使用。
第 6 条 临时保障措施
在迟延会造成难以弥补的损害的紧急情况下,一成员可根据关于存在明确证据表明增加的进口已经或正在威胁造成严重损害的初步裁定,采取临时保障措施。临时措施的期限不得超过 200 天,在此期间应满足第 2 条至第 7 条和第 12 条的有关要求。此类措施
应采取提高关税的形式,如第 4 条第 2 款所指的随后进行的调查未能确定增加的进口对一国内产业已经造成或威胁造成严重损害,则提高的关税应予迅速退还。任何此类临时措施的期限应计为第 7 条第 1 款、第 2 款和第 3 款所指的最初期限和任何延长期的一部分。
第 7 条 保障措施的期限和审议
1.一成员仅应在防止或补救严重损害和便利调整所必需的期限内实施保障措施。该期限不得超过 4 年,除非根据第 2 款予以延长。
2.第 1 款所述的期限可以延长,只要进口成员的主管机关以符合第 2 条、第 3 条、第 4 条和第 5 条所列的程序已经确定保障措施对于防止或补救严重损害仍然有必要,且有证据表明该产业正在进行调整,且只要第 8 条和第 12 条的有关规定得到遵守。
3.一保障措施的全部实施期,包括任何临时措施的实施期、最初实施期及任何延长,不得超过 8 年。
4.在根据第 12 条第 1 款的规定作出通知的一保障措施的预计期限超过 1 年的情况下,为便利调整,实施该措施的成员应在实施期内按固定时间间隔逐渐放宽该措施。如措施的期限超过 3 年,则实施该措施的成员应在不迟于该措施实施期的中期审议有关情
况,如适当应撤销该措施或加快放宽速度。根据第 2 款延长的措施不得比在最初期限结束时更加严格,而应继续放宽。
5.对于在《WTO协定》生效之日后已经受保障措施约束的一产品的进口,在与先前实施保障措施的期限相等的期限内,不得对其再次实施保障措施,但是不适用期至少为2 年。
6.尽管有第 5 款的规定,但是期限等于或少于 180 天的保障措施可对一产品的进口再次实施,条件是:
(a)自对该产品的进口采用保障措施之日起已至少过去 1 年;且
(b)自采用该保障措施之日起 5 年期限内,该措施未对同一产品实施 2 次以上。第 8 条 减让和其他义务的水平
1.提议实施保障措施或寻求延长保障措施的成员,应依照第 12 条第 3 款的规定,努力在它与可能受该措施影响的出口成员之间维持与在GATT1994 项下存在的水平实
质相等的减让和其他义务水平。为实现此目标,有关成员可就该措施对其贸易的不利影响议定任何适当的贸易补偿方式。
2.如根据第 12 条第 3 款进行的磋商未能在 30 天内达成协议,则受影响的出口成员有权在不迟于该保障措施实施后 90 天,并在货物贸易理事会收到此中止的书面通知之日起 30 天期满后,对实施保障措施成员的贸易中止实施GATT1994 项下实质相等的减让或其他义务,只要货物贸易理事会对此中止不持异议。
3.第 2 款所指的中止的权利不得在保障措施有效的前 3 年内行使,只要该保障措施是由于进口的绝对增长而采取的,且该措施符合本协定的规定。
第 9 条 发展中国家成员
1.对于来自发展中国家成员的产品,只要其有关产品的进口份额在进口成员中不超过 3%,即不得对该产品实施保障措施,但是进口份额不超过 3%的发展中国家成员份额总计不得超过有关产品总进口的 9%。(注 2)
注 2:一成员应立即将根据第 9 条第 1 款采取的行动通知保障措施委员会。
2.一发展中国家成员有权将一保障措施的实施期在第 7 条第 3 款规定的最长期限基础上再延长 2 年。尽管有第 7 条第 5 款的规定,但是一发展中国家有权对已经受在《W TO协定》生效之日后采取的保障措施约束的产品的进口,在等于以往实施该措施期限一半的期限后,再次实施保障措施,但是不适用期至少为 2 年。
第 10 条 先前存在的第 19 条措施
各成员应在不迟于保障措施首次实施之日后 8 年,或在《WTO协定》生效之日后 5年内,以在后者为准,终止根据GATT 1947 第 19 条采取的、且在《WTO协定》生效之日存在的所有保障措施。
第 11 条 某些措施的禁止和取消
1.(a)一成员不得对某些产品的进口采取或寻求GATT 1994 第 19 条列出的任何紧急行动,除非此类行动符合依照本协定实施的该条的规定。
(b)此外,一成员不得在出口或进口方面寻求、采取或维持任何自愿出口限制、有序销售安排或其他任何类似措施。(注 3,4)这些措施包括单个成员采取的措施以及根据两个或两个以上成员达成的协议、安排和谅解所采取的措施。在《WTO协定》生效之日有效的任何此类措施,应使其符合本协定或依照第 2 款逐步取消。
注 3:符合GATT 1994 和本协定有关规定的以保障措施形式实施的进口配额,经双方同意,可由出口成员管理。
注 4:类似措施的例子包括下列任何可提供保护的措施:出口节制、出口价或进口价监控体制、出口或进口监督、强制进口xxx以及酌情发放进出口许可证的方案等。
(c)本协定不适用于一成员根据除第 19 条外的GATT 1994 其他条款和除本协定外的附件 1A所列其他多边贸易协定,或根据在GATT 1994 范围内订立的议定书、协定或安排所寻求、采取或维持的措施。
2.第 1 款(b)项所指的措施的逐步取消应按照有关成员在不迟于《WTO协定》生效之日后 180 天提交保障措施委员会的时间表实施。这些时间表应规定第 1 款所指的
所有措施应在《WTO协定》生效之日后不超过 4 年的期限内逐步取消或使其符合本协定,但每一进口成员(注 5)不得多于一项特定措施,且措施的期限不得超过 1999 年 12
月 31 日。任何此类例外必须在直接有关的成员之间达成协议,并通知保障措施委员会,
供其在《WTO协定》生效起 90 天内进行审议和接受。本协定附件列出一项经同意属此类例外范围的措施。
注 5:欧洲共同体有权实施的惟一此种例外列在本协定附件中。
3.各成员不得鼓励或支持公私企业采用或维持等同于第1 款所指措施的非政府措施。第 12 条 通知和磋商
1.一成员在下列情况下应立即通知保障措施委员会:
(a)发起与严重损害或严重损害威胁相关的调查程序及其原因;
(b)就因增加的进口所造成的严重损害或严重损害威胁提出调查结果;以及
(c)就实施或延长保障措施作出决定。
2.在作出第 1 款(b)项和(c)项所指的通知时,提议实施或延长保障措施的成员应向保障措施委员会提供所有有关信息,其中应包括增加的进口所造成严重损害或严重损害威胁的证据、对所涉及的产品和拟议措施的准确描述、拟议采取措施的日期、预计的期限以及逐步放宽的时间表。在延长措施的情况下,还应提供有关产业正在进行调整的证据。货物贸易理事会或保障措施委员会可要求提议实施或延长该措施的成员提供其认为必要的额外信息。
3.提议实施或延长保障措施的成员应向作为有关产品的出口方对其有实质利益的成员提供事先磋商的充分机会,目的特别在于包括审议根据第 2 款提供的信息、就该措施交换意见以及就实现第 8 条第 1 款所列目标的方式达成谅解。
4.一成员应在采取第 6 条所指的临时保障措施之前,向保障措施委员会作出通知。磋商应在采取措施后立即开始。
5.本条所指的磋商的结果、第 7 条第 4 款所指的中期审查的结果、第 8 条第 1 款所指的任何形式的补偿以及第 8 条第 2 款所指的拟议减让或其他义务的中止,均应由有关成员立即通知货物贸易理事会。
6.各成员应迅速向保障措施委员会通知它们与保障措施有关的法律、法规和行政程序以及任何修改。
7.维持在《WTO协定》生效之日存在的第 10 条和第 11 条第 1 款所述措施的成员,
应在不迟于《WTO协定》生效之日后 60 天将此类措施通知保障措施委员会。
8.任何成员可将本协定要求其他成员通知的、而其他成员未通知的本协定处理的所有法律、法规、行政程序及任何措施或行动通知保障措施委员会。
9.任何成员可将第 11 条第 3 款所指的任何非政府措施通知保障措施委员会。
10.本协定所指的向货物贸易理事会作出的所有通知通常应通过保障措施委员会作出。
11.本协定有关通知的规定不要求任何成员披露会妨碍执法或违背公共利益或损害特定公私企业合法商业利益的机密信息。
第 13 条 监督
1.特此设立保障措施委员会,由货物贸易理事会管理,对任何表示愿意在其中任职的成员开放。该委员会具有下列职能:
(a)监督并每年向货物贸易理事会报告本协定的总体执行情况,并为改善本协定提出建议;
(b)应一受影响成员的请求,调查本协定中与一保障措施有关的程序性要求是否得到遵守,并向货物贸易理事会报告其调查结果;
(c)如各成员提出请求,在各成员根据本协定规定进行的磋商中提供协助;
(d)审查第 10 条和第 11 条第 1 款涵盖的措施,监督此类措施的逐步取消,并酌情向货物贸易理事会报告;
(e)在采取保障措施的成员请求下,审议中止减让或其他义务的提议是否是“实质相等”,并酌情向货物贸易理事会报告;
(f)接收和审议本协定规定的所有通知,并酌情向货物贸易理事会报告;
(g)履行货物贸易理事会可能确定的、与本协定有关的任何其他职能。
2.为协助委员会行使其监督职能,秘书处应根据通知和可获得的其他可靠信息,就本协定的运用情况每年准备一份事实报告。
第 14 条 争端解决
由《争端解决谅解》详述和适用的GATT1994 第 22 条和第 23 条的规定适用于本协定项下产生的磋商和争端解决。
附件 第 11 条第 2 款所指的例外
有关成员 | 产品 | 终止时间 |
欧共体/日本 | 客车、越野车、轻型商用车、轻型卡车(5 吨以下)以及上述 车辆的成套散件(CKD)。 | 1999 年 12 月 31 |
AGREEMENT ON SAFEGUARDS
ANNEX 1A OF ANNEX 1 OF MARRAKESH AGREEMENT ESTABLISHING THE WORLDTRADE ORGANIZATION AGREEMENT ON SAFEGUARDS
Members,
Having in mind the overall objective of the Members to improve and strengthen the international trading system based on GATT 1994;
Recognizing the need to clarify and reinforce the disciplines of GATT 1994, and specifically those of its Article XIX (Emergency Action on Imports of Particular Products), to re-establish multilateral control over safeguards and eliminate measures that escape such control;
Recognizing the importance of structural adjustment and the need to enhance rather than limit competition in international markets; and
Recognizing further that, for these purposes, a comprehensive agreement, applicable to all Members and based on the basic principles of GATT 1994, is called for;
Hereby agree as follows:
Article 1 General Provision
This Agreement establishes rules for the application of safeguard measures which shall be understood to mean those measures provided for in Article XIX of GATT 1994.
Article 2 Conditions
1. A Member(Notes 1) may apply a safeguard measure to a product only if that Member has determined, pursuant to the provisions set out below, that such product is being imported into its territory in such increased quantities, absolute or relative to domestic production, and under such conditions as to cause or threaten to cause serious injury to the domestic industry that produces like or directly competitive products.
Notes
1: A customs union may apply a safeguard measure as a single unit or on behalf of a member State. When a customs union applies a safeguard measure as a single unit, all the requirements for the determination of serious injury or threat thereof under this Agreement shall be based on the conditions existing in the customs union as a whole. When a safeguard measure is applied on behalf of a member State, all the requirements for the determination of serious injury or threat thereof shall be based on the conditions existing in that member State and the measure shall be limited to that member State. Nothing in this Agreement prejudges the interpretation of the relationship between Article XIX and paragraph 8 of Article XXIV of GATT 1994.
2. Safeguard measures shall be applied to a product being imported irrespective of its source.
Article 3 Investigation
1. A Member may apply a safeguard measure only following an investigation by the competent authorities of that Member pursuant to procedures previously established and made public in consonance with Article X of GATT 1994. This
investigation shall include reasonable public notice to all interested parties and public hearings or other appropriate means in which importers, exporters and other interested parties could present evidence and their views, including the opportunity to respond to the presentations of other parties and to submit their views, inter alia, as to whether or not the application of a safeguard measure would be in the public interest. The competent authorities shall publish a report setting forth their findings and reasoned conclusions reached on all pertinent issues of fact and law.
2. Any information which is by nature confidential or which is provided on a confidential basis shall, upon cause being shown, be treated as such by the competent authorities. Such information shall not be disclosed without permission of the party submitting it. Parties providing confidential information may be requested to furnish non-confidential summaries thereof or, if such parties indicate that such information cannot be summarized, the reasons why a summary cannot be provided. However, if the competent authorities find that a request for confidentiality is not warranted and if the party concerned is either unwilling to make the information public or to authorize its disclosure in generalized or summary form, the authorities may disregard such information unless it can be demonstrated to their satisfaction from appropriate sources that the information is correct.
Article 4 Determination of Serious Injury or Threat Thereof
1. For the purposes of this Agreement:
(a) "serious injury" shall be understood to mean a significant overall impairment in the position of a domestic industry;
(b) "threat of serious injury" shall be understood to mean serious injury that is clearly imminent, in accordance with the provisions of paragraph 2. A determination of the existence of a threat of serious injury shall be based on facts and not merely on allegation, conjecture or remote possibility; and
(c) in determining injury or threat thereof, a "domestic industry" shall be understood to mean the producers as a whole of the like or directly competitive products operating within the territory of a Member, or those whose collective output of the like or directly competitive products constitutes a major proportion of the total domestic production of those products.
2.
(a) In the investigation to determine whether increased imports have caused or are threatening to cause serious injury to a domestic industry under the terms of this Agreement, the competent authorities shall evaluate all relevant factors of an objective and quantifiable nature having a bearing on the situation of that industry, in particular, the rate and amount of the increase in imports of the product concerned in absolute and relative terms, the share of the domestic market taken by increased imports,
changes in the level of sales, production, productivity, capacity utilization, profits and losses, and employment.
(b) The determination referred to in subparagraph (a) shall not be made unless this investigation demonstrates, on the basis of objective evidence, the existence of the causal link between increased imports of the product concerned and serious injury or threat thereof. When factors other than increased imports are causing injury to the domestic industry at the same time, such injury shall not be attributed to increased imports.
(c) The competent authorities shall publish promptly, in accordance with the provisions of Article 3, a detailed analysis of the case under investigation as well as a demonstration of the relevance of the factors examined.
Article 5 Application of Safeguard Measures
1. A Member shall apply safeguard measures only to the extent necessary to prevent or remedy serious injury and to facilitate adjustment. If a quantitative restriction is used, such a measure shall not reduce the quantity of imports below the level of a recent period which shall be the average of imports in the last three representative years for which statistics are available, unless clear justification is given that a different level is necessary to prevent or remedy serious injury. Members should choose measures most suitable for the achievement of these objectives.
2. (a) In cases in which a quota is allocated among supplying countries, the Member applying the restrictions may seek agreement with respect to the allocation of shares in the quota with all other Members having a substantial interest in supplying the product concerned. In cases in which this method is not reasonably practicable, the Member concerned shall allot to Members having a substantial interest in supplying the product shares based upon the proportions, supplied by such Members during a previous representative period, of the total quantity or value of imports of the product, due account being taken of any special factors which may have affected or may be affecting the trade in the product.
(b) A Member may depart from the provisions in subparagraph (a) provided that consultations under paragraph 3 of Article 12 are conducted under the auspices of the Committee on Safeguards provided for in paragraph 1 of Article 13 and that clear demonstration is provided to the Committee that (i) imports from certain Members have increased in disproportionate percentage in relation to the total increase of imports of the product concerned in the representative period, (ii) the reasons for the departure from the provisions in subparagraph (a) are justified, and (iii) the conditions of such departure are equitable to all suppliers of the product concerned. The duration of any such measure shall not be extended beyond the initial period under paragraph 1 of Article 7. The departure referred to above shall not be permitted in the case of threat of serious injury.
Article 6 Provisional Safeguard Measures
In critical circumstances where delay would cause damage which it would be difficult to repair, a Member may take a provisional safeguard measure pursuant to a preliminary determination that there is clear evidence that increased imports have caused or are threatening to cause serious injury. The duration of the provisional measure shall not exceed 200 days, during which period the pertinent requirements of Articles 2 through 7 and 12 shall be met. Such measures should take the form of tariff increases to be promptly refunded if the subsequent investigation referred to in paragraph 2 of Article 4 does not determine that increased imports have caused or threatened to cause serious injury to a domestic industry. The duration of anysuch provisional measure shall be counted as a part of the initial period and any extension referred to in paragraphs 1, 2 and 3 of Article 7.
Article 7 Duration and Review of Safeguard Measures
1. A Member shall apply safeguard measures only for such period of time as may be necessary to prevent or remedy serious injury and to facilitate adjustment. The period shall not exceed four years, unless it is extended under paragraph 2.
2. The period mentioned in paragraph 1 may be extended provided that the competent authorities of the importing Member have determined, in conformity with the procedures set out in Articles 2, 3, 4 and 5, that the safeguard measure continues to be necessary to prevent or remedy serious injury and that there is evidence that the industry is adjusting, and provided that the pertinent provisions of Articles 8 and 12 are observed.
3. The total period of application of a safeguard measure including the period of application of any provisional measure, the period of initial application and any extension thereof, shall not exceed eight years.
4. In order to facilitate adjustment in a situation where the expected duration of a safeguard measure as notified under the provisions of paragraph 1 of Article 12 is over one year, the Member applying the measure shall progressively liberalize it at regular intervals during the period of application. If the duration of the measure exceeds three years, the Member applying such a measure shall review the situation not later than the mid-term of the measure and, if appropriate, withdraw it or increase the pace of liberalization. A measure extended under paragraph 2 shall not be more restrictive than it was at the end of the initial period, and should continue to be liberalized.
5. No safeguard measure shall be applied again to the import of a product which has been subject to such a measure, taken after the date of entry into force of the WTO Agreement, for a period of time equal to that during which such measure had been previously applied, provided that the period of non-application is at least two years.
6. Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph 5, a safeguard measure with a duration of 180 days or less may be applied again to the import of a product if:
(a) at least one year has elapsed since the date of introduction of a safeguard measure on the import of that product; and
(b) such a safeguard measure has not been applied on the same product more than twice in the five-year period immediately preceding the date of introduction of the measure.
Article 8 Level of Concessions and Other Obligations
1. A Member proposing to apply a safeguard measure or seeking an extension of a safeguard measure shall endeavour to maintain a substantially equivalent level of concessions and other obligations to that existing under GATT 1994 between it and the exporting Members which would be affected by such a measure, in accordance with the provisions of paragraph 3 of Article 12. To achieve this objective, the Members concerned may agree on any adequate means of trade compensation for the adverse effects of the measure on their trade.
2. If no agreement is reached within 30 days in the consultations under paragraph 3 of Article 12, then the affected exporting Members shall be free, not later than 90 days after the measure is applied, to suspend, upon the expiration of 30 days from the day on which written notice of such suspension is received by the Council for Trade in Goods, the application of substantially equivalent concessions or other obligations under GATT 1994, to the trade of the Member applying the safeguard measure, the suspension of which the Council for Trade in Goods does not disapprove.
3. The right of suspension referred to in paragraph 2 shall not be exercised for the first three years that a safeguard measure is in effect, provided that the safeguard measure has been taken as a result of an absolute increase in imports and that such a measure conforms to the provisions of this Agreement.
Article 9 Developing Country Members
1. Safeguard measures shall not be applied against a product originating in a developing country Member as long as its share of imports of the product concerned in the importing Member does not exceed 3 per cent, provided that developing country Members with less than 3 per cent import share collectively account for not more than 9 per cent of total imports of the product concerned.(Notes 2)
Notes 2: A Member shall immediately notify an action taken under paragraph 1 of Article 9 to the Committee on Safeguards.
2. A developing country Member shall have the right to extend the period of application of a safeguard measure for a period of up to two years beyond the maximum period provided for in paragraph 3 of Article 7. Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph 5 of Article 7, a developing country Member shall have the right to apply a safeguard measure again to the import of a product which has been subject to such
a measure, taken after the date of entry into force of the WTO Agreement, after a period of time equal to half that during which such a measure has been previously applied, provided that the period of non-application is at least two years.
Article 10 Pre-existing Article XIX Measures
Members shall terminate all safeguard measures taken pursuant to Article XIX of GATT 1947 that were in existence on the date of entry into force of the WTO Agreement not later than eight years after the date on which they were first applied or five years after the date of entry into force of the WTO Agreement, whichever comes later.
Article 11 Prohibition and Elimination of Certain Measures
1. (a) A Member shall not take or seek any emergency action on imports of particular products as set forth in Article XIX of GATT 1994 unless such action conforms with the provisions of that Article applied in accordance with this Agreement.
(b) Furthermore, a Member shall not seek, take or maintain any voluntary export restraints, orderly marketing arrangements or any other similar measures on the export or the import side.(Notes 3, 4) These include actions taken by a single Member as well as actions under agreements, arrangements and understandings entered into by two or more Members. Any such measure in effect on the date of entry into force of the WTO Agreement shall be brought into conformity with this Agreement or phased out in accordance with paragraph 2.
Notes 3: An import quota applied as a safeguard measure in conformity with the relevant provisions of GATT 1994 and this Agreement may, by mutual agreement, be administered by the exporting Member.
Notes 4: Examples of similar measures include export moderation, export-price or import-price monitoring systems, export or import surveillance, compulsory import cartels and discretionary export or import licensing schemes, any of which afford protection.
(c) This Agreement does not apply to measures sought, taken or maintained by a Member pursuant to provisions of GATT 1994 other than Article XIX, and Multilateral Trade Agreements in Annex 1A other than this Agreement, or pursuant to protocols and agreements or arrangements concluded within the framework of GATT 1994.
2. The phasing out of measures referred to in paragraph 1(b) shall be carried out according to timetables to be presented to the Committee on Safeguards by the Members concerned not later than 180 days after the date of entry into force of the WTO Agreement. These timetables shall provide for all measures referred to in paragraph 1 to be phased out or brought into conformity with this Agreement within a period not exceeding four years after the date of entry into force of the WTO Agreement, subject to not more than one specific measure per importing Member(Notes 5), the duration of which shall not extend beyond 31 December 1999.
Any such exception must be mutually agreed between the Members directly concerned and notified to the Committee on Safeguards for its review and acceptance within 90 days of the entry into force of the WTO Agreement. The Annex to this Agreement indicates a measure which has been agreed as falling under this exception.
Notes 5: The only such exception to which the European Communities is entitled is indicated in the Annex to this Agreement.
3. Members shall not encourage or support the adoption or maintenance by public and private enterprises of non-governmental measures equivalent to those referred to in paragraph 1.
Article 12 Notification and Consultation
1. A Member shall immediately notify the Committee on Safeguards upon:
(a) initiating an investigatory process relating to serious injury or threat thereof and the reasons for it;
(b) making a finding of serious injury or threat thereof caused by increased imports;
and
(c) taking a decision to apply or extend a safeguard measure.
2. In making the notifications referred to in paragraphs 1(b) and 1(c) , the Member
proposing to apply or extend a safeguard measure shall provide the Committee on Safeguards with all pertinent information, which shall include evidence of serious injury or threat thereof caused by increased imports, precise description of the product involved and the proposed measure, proposed date of introduction, expected duration and timetable for progressive liberalization. In the case of an extension of a measure, evidence that the industry concerned is adjusting shall also be provided. The Council for Trade in Goods or the Committee on Safeguards may request such additional information as they may consider necessary from the Member proposing to apply or extend the measure.
3. A Member proposing to apply or extend a safeguard measure shall provide adequate opportunity for prior consultations with those Members having a substantial interest as exporters of the product concerned, with a view to, inter alia, reviewing the information provided under paragraph 2, exchanging views on the measure and reaching an understanding on ways to achieve the objective set out in paragraph 1of Article 8.
4. A Member shall make a notification to the Committee on Safeguards before taking a provisional safeguard measure referred to in Article 6. Consultations shall be initiated immediately after the measure is taken.
5. The results of the consultations referred to in this Article, as well as the results of mid-term reviews referred to in paragraph 4 of Article 7, any form of compensation referred to in paragraph 1 of Article 8, and proposed suspensions of concessions and other obligations referred to in paragraph 2 of Article 8, shall be notified immediately to the Council for Trade in Goods by the Members concerned.
6. Members shall notify promptly the Committee on Safeguards of their laws, regulations and administrative procedures relating to safeguard measures as well as any modifications made to them.
7. Members maintaining measures described in Article 10 and paragraph 1 of Article 11 which exist on the date of entry into force of the WTO Agreement shall notify such measures to the Committee on Safeguards not later than 60 days after the date of entry into force of the WTO Agreement.
8. Any Member may notify the Committee on Safeguards of all laws, regulations, administrative procedures and any measures or actions dealt with in this Agreement that have not been notified by other Members that are required by this Agreement to make such notifications.
9. Any Member may notify the Committee on Safeguards of any non-governmental measures referred to in paragraph 3 of Article 11.
10. All notifications to the Council for Trade in Goods referred to in this Agreement shall normally be made through the Committee on Safeguards.
11. The provisions on notification in this Agreement shall not require any Member to disclose confidential information the disclosure of which would impede law enforcement or otherwise be contrary to the public interest or would prejudice the legitimate commercial interests of particular enterprises, public or private.
Article 13 Surveillance
1. A Committee on Safeguards is hereby established, under the authority of the Council for Trade in Goods, which shall be open to the participation of any Member indicating its wish to serve on it. The Committee will have the following functions:
(a) to monitor, and report annually to the Council for Trade in Goods on, the general implementation of this Agreement and make recommendations towards its improvement;
(b) to find, upon request of an affected Member, whether or not the procedural requirements of this Agreement have been complied with in connection with a safeguard measure, and report its findings to the Council for Trade in Goods;
(c) to assist Members, if they so request, in their consultations under the provisions of this Agreement;
(d) to examine measures covered by Article 10 and paragraph 1 of Article 11, monitor the phase-out of such measures and report as appropriate to the Council for Trade in Goods;
(e) to review, at the request of the Member taking a safeguard measure, whether proposals to suspend concessions or other obligations are "substantially equivalent", and report as appropriate to the Council for Trade in Goods;
(f) to receive and review all notifications provided for in this Agreement and report as appropriate to the Council for Trade in Goods; and
(g) to perform any other function connected with this Agreement that the Council for Trade in Goods may determine.
2. To assist the Committee in carrying out its surveillance function, the Secretariat shall prepare annually a factual report on the operation of this Agreement based on notifications and other reliable information available to it.
Article 14 Dispute Settlement
The provisions of Articles XXII and XXIII of GATT 1994 as elaborated and applied by the Dispute Settlement Understanding shall apply to consultations and the settlement of disputes arising under this Agreement.
ANNEX EXCEPTION REFERRED TO IN PARAGRAPH 2 OF ARTICLE 11
Members concerned | Product | Termination |
EC/Japan | Passenger cars, off road vehicles, light commercial vehicles, light trucks (up to 5 tones), and the same vehicles in wholly knocked-down form (CKD sets). | 31 December1999 |