   
  
G/SG/Q2/ARE/5, G/SG/Q2/BHR/4  
G/SG/Q2/KWT/4, G/SG/Q2/OMN/4  
G/SG/Q2/Q AT/4, G/SG/Q 2/SAU/4  
 
24 February 2021 
(21-1537) Page: 1/2 
Commi ttee on Safeguards  Original: English  
 
 NOTIFICATION UNDER ARTICLE 12.1(A) OF THE  
AGREEMENT ON SAFEGUARDS ON INITIATION OF  
AN INVESTIGATION AND THE REASONS FOR IT  
QUESTIONS POSED BY THE UNITED STATES  REGARDING THE NOTIFICATION  
OF THE KINGDOM OF BAHRAIN, THE STATE OF  KUWAIT, THE SULTANATE OF OMAN , 
THE STATE OF QATAR, KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA, AND UNITED ARAB EMIRATES  
(COOPERATION COUNCIL FOR THE ARAB STATES OF THE GULF "GCC")1 
The following communication, dated and received on 17 February 2021, is being circulated at the 
request of the delegation o f the United Sta tes. 
 
_______________  
 
 
The United States thanks the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) for its supplemental notifica tion 
under 12.1(a) of the WTO  Agreement on Safeguards , and poses the following questions:  
Question 1  
The United States notes at  the outset that  the notification advises of additions and removal of 
products from the scope of the GCC 's investigation of certa in steel products.2 In addition, 
according to Article 35 of Section II of the  Gulf Cooperation Council Common Law of Anti -dumpi ng, 
Countervaili ng Measures and Safeguards (Rules of Implementation) , the competent authorities 
must conclude all investigations within a period of twelve months, or up to eighteen months when 
exceptional cases merit an extension of up to six months.  
Given  that this inves tigation was initiated on October 23, 2019, please indicate the current status 
of the October 23, 2019, investiga tion, including  whether the GCC competent authorities made a 
determination of exceptional circumstances (or similar finding) fo r extending the period of 
investigation, and the basis for that finding . Please also i ndicate when the competent authorities 
expect to conclude the investigation.  
Question 2  
Please identify the specific provisions in the Rules of Implementation that author ize the compet ent 
authorities to modify the scope of an investigation.  
 
1G/SG/N/6/ARE/3/Suppl.1  - G/SG/N/6/BHR/4/Suppl.1  - G/SG/N/6/KWT/4/ Suppl.1  - 
G/SG/N /6/OMN/3/Suppl.1  - G/SG/N/6/QAT/3/Suppl.1  - G/SG/N/6/SAU/3/Suppl.1  (dated  20 January  2021). 
2 The notice states t hat the inve stigation scope has been expanded to include metallic coated steel, 
reinforced steel bars and wire rod sections, an d welded and sea mless pipes and tubes. The following were 
removed from the scope: flat hot rolled coils and sheets, cold rolled f lat steel co ils and sheets, and welded and 
seamless pipes and tubes.  G/SG/Q2/ARE/5 • G/SG/Q2/BHR/4 • G/SG/Q2/KWT/4 • G/ SG/Q2/OMN/4 • G/SG/Q2/QAT/4 • 
G/SG/Q2/SAU/4  
 
- 2 - 
 
  Question 3  
On July 23, 2020, the GCC notified its finding of serious injury in this investigation.3 However, on 
January 20, 2021, the GCC notified that the competent authorities obtaine d "suffici ent prima facie 
evidence that would justify {} modifications within the scope of the current investigation. " 
(a) Please des cribe the nature of the prima facie  evidence that the GCC competent 
authorities found would justify the modifications in the sc ope of investiga tion – the 
addition of products, and the exclusion of products that were part of the original 
investigation. Plea se indicate how interested parties may review this evidence and 
review the rationale for the modification in scope.  
(b) Please indi cate whether the  GCC competent authorities have published the report and 
detailed analysis of the case relating to the determinat ion made on July 23, 2020, as 
required by Article 3.1 and Article 4.2(c) of the WTO Agreement on Safeguards . 
(c) Please explain the  process that th e GCC competent authorities intend to follow going 
forward, including the status of the determination made on Jul y 23, 2020, and 
whether a remedy  will be imposed based on that determination  while the 
investigation is ongoing . 
Question 4  
According to Articl e 26 of Section II of the Rules of Implementation , "the investigation committee 
shall give an equal opportunity t o all concerned and interested parties to defend their interests 
within the specified investigation period. " Also, Article 3.1 of the WTO Agree ment on Safeguards  
states that investigations sh all include appropriate means for interested parties to present 
evidence and their views.  
a. Please identify what opportunities have been made available for registered parties to 
present evidence  and submit thei r views concerning the scope modifications indi cated in 
the January 21, 2021 notification.  
b. Given that the scope m odifications indicated in the January 21, 2021 notification expand 
the scope of the ongoing investigation, please identify oppo rtunities for po tential newly 
interested parties to present ev idence and submit their comments, given that they may 
not have been  part of the earlier phase of the investigation . 
 
__________  
 
3 G/SG/N/8/ARE/3 - G/SG/N/8/BHR/3 - G/SG/N/8/KWT/3 - G/SG/ N/8/OMN/3 - G/SG /N/8/QAT/3 - 
G/SG/N/8/SAU/3 (dated 23 July 2020).  