WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/SG/57/Suppl.2
8 November 2002
(02-6171)
Committee on Safeguards Original:  English
PROPOSED DEFINITIVE SAFEGUARD MEASURES IMPOSED BY THE
PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA ON CERTAIN STEEL PRODUCTS
Request for Consultations under Article 12.3
of the Agreement on Safeguards
EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
Supplement
The following communication, dated 7 November 2002, has been received from the
Permanent Delegation of the European Commission.
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On 20 May 2002, the People’s Republic of China (“PRC”) notified the Committee on
Safeguards under Article 12.1(a) of the Agreement on Safeguards  the initiation of an investigation, the
imposition of provisional measures and the decision not to apply provisional measures to certain
products originating in developing countries (document  G/SG/N/6/CHN/1, G/SG/N/7/CHN/1,
G/SG/N/11/CHN/1).  On 1 November 2002, the PRC notified the WTO under Article 12.1(b) and
12.1(c) of the Agreement on Safeguards  a finding a serious injury or threat thereof caused by
increased imports and on the proposed safeguard measures on imports of certain steel products
(document  G/SG/N/8/CHN/1, G/SG/N/10/CHN/1).  Under the latter notifications, the PRC provided
the possibility to hold consultations under Article 12.3 of the Agreement on Safeguards .
The European Communities requests consultations under Article 12.3 of the Agreement on
Safeguards  with a view to, inter alia , reviewing the information provided by the PRC, exchanging
views on the announced measures and reaching an understanding on ways to achieve the objective set
out in Article 8.1 of the Agreement on Safeguards .  However, the European Communities reserves its
position as to whether the PRC’s notification of 1 November 2002 provides sufficient opportunity for
adequate consultations as required by Article 12.3 of the Agreement on Safeguards .
The European Communities further reserves all its rights under the Agreement Establishing
the World Trade Organization  and its annexes.
The European Communities looks forward to receiving a reply to its request and to fixing a
mutually acceptable date and place for the consultations.
A copy of this letter is sent to the Chairman of the Committee on Safeguards.
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