Their joint statement cited the following “examples of where there appears to be an emerging and serious disregard of multilateral rules”: imposition of provisional safeguard measures without clear evidence; lack of rationale and consistency in the data examined during the investigation; “suspension” of previously imposed safeguard measures; untimely notifications to the Committee; and unwarranted safeguard investigations.

The United States, on behalf of the FSP group (Australia, Canada,  the European Union,  Japan,  Korea,  New Zealand, Norway,  Chinese Taipei,  Singapore  and the United States), said that over the past few years, there have been improvements in the way members apply safeguard actions without going to dispute settlement as a result of interventions by concerned delegations in the Safeguards Committee. However, it said there has been an alarming increase in safeguard actions in recent years, and members must work together to deal with systemic concerns about safeguard proceedings.

The other members of the FSP group reiterated the concerns expressed in the paper. Other delegations shared the concern of the group about the increasing use of safeguard measures. 

At the end of the discussion, the US asked that the Committee take up this agenda item again at the next meeting in spring 2013.

 

First notifications from the Russian Federation

Newly-acceded Russian Federation notified initiation of three safeguard investigations. One member commended Russia for complying with the requirements of the Safeguards Agreement in such a short period of time, stating that this was a positive sign of the seriousness with which Russia takes its trade obligations. Several members took the floor to comment, including registering their concerns, regarding these three notifications.

 

Other safeguard notifications

In all, the Committee considered 21 safeguard actions notified by members, including four from Turkey, and three each from the Russian Federation and Egypt.

The items discussed were as follows: Brazil — Fine or Table Wine, Chile — Maize Otherwise Worked, Costa Rica — Pounded Rice, Egypt — Cotton Textile and Mixed Cotton Textile, Egypt — Cotton Yarn, Egypt — Polypropylene,   India — Dioctyl Phthalate (DOP),   Indonesia — Wheat Flour,  Indonesia — Conveyor Belts Or Belting Reinforced Only with Metal of a Width 20-230 cm,   Jordan — Bars and Rods of Iron And Steel, Morocco — Certain Bars and Rods of Iron or Steel,  Philippines — Testliner Board,  Philippines — Steel Angle Bars, Russian Federation — Combine-Harvesters, Russian Federation — Tableware,   Russian Federation — Woven Fabrics of Man-Made Fibres and Filaments,   Turkey — Footwear, Turkey — Motorcycles,   Turkey — Matches,   Turkey — Certain Electrical Appliances,   Ukraine — Casing and Pump-Compressor Seamless Steel Pipes. 

The Committee re-elected Ms Tomoko Ota (Japan) as vice-chair. It also approved its 2012 report to the Goods Council.