WTO Secretariat announces statistics on safeguard measures

The WTO Secretariat, on 16 November, published statistics on safeguards actions notified by WTO Members pursuant to the Agreement on Safeguards during the period 1 January 1995 to 30 June 2005.

According to these statistics, a total of 139 safeguard investigations were initiated during the period, and a total of 68 safeguard measures were imposed. These totals are relatively low, compared to the 2743 anti-dumping initiations and 1729 anti-dumping measures, and the 176 countervailing duty initiations and 108 countervailing duties measures notified during the same period.

The number of initiations of safeguard investigations peaked in 2002 at 34. The number of initiations has declined since then, with 14 initiations in 2004 and 4 initiations for the most recent period, 1 January – 30 June 2005.

The Member notifying the largest number of initiations since 1995 was India, with 15 initiations. Chile, Jordan and the United States followed, with 10 initiations each. The Czech Republic was third with 9 initiations.

The most frequent subject of investigations since 1995 were chemical products (25 initiations), base metals (21 initiations), foodstuffs (15 initiations), vegetables (13 initiations) and animal products (12 initiations). For the period January-June 2005, the products subject to newly notified investigations were bicycles (“transport equipment”), insecticides (“chemicals”), ceramic tiles (“ceramic/glass products”) and footwear.

Concerning application of new final safeguard measures, since 1995, India reported the largest number (8), followed by Chile and the United States (6 measures each), followed by the Czech Republic and the Philippines (5 measures each). During the period January-June 2005 Chile, the European Communities and Indonesia each notified one new measure, on wheat flour (“vegetable products”), salmon (“animal products”) and ceramic tableware (“ceramic/glass products”), respectively. The European Communities subsequently notified in April 2005 that the measure on salmon was terminated.

世界贸易组织秘书处公布近10年来的保障措施统计数据

世界贸易组织秘书处11月１６日公布，１９９５年１月１日至２００５年６月３０日期间，世贸组织成员依照《保障措施协定》发起的保障措施统计数据表。

根据这些统计数据，在这十年中，世贸组织成员共发起１３９项保障调查，实施６８项保障措施。 这些数据和同期世贸组织成员发起的２７４３项反倾销调查，实施１７２９项反倾销措施；发起１７６项反补贴调查，实施１０８项反补贴措施对比相对较低。

2002年，保障调查的发起次数达到了顶峰，为34项。自此，发起总数总体走低。2004年为14项：2005年1月1日至2005年6月30日为4项。

自１９９５年以来，发起保障调查最多的是印度（１５项），随后是智利、约旦和美国（各１０项）。再者是捷克共和国（9项）。

自1995年以来，最易受保障调查的产品类别依次为化学产品（２５项）、贱金属（２１项）、食品（１５项）、蔬菜（１３项）和畜产品（１２项）。2005年1月至6月这一时期，被调查的主要产品为，运输工具、杀虫剂、陶瓷制品以及鞋类。

同期实施保障措施最多的依然是印度（８项），其后是智利和美国（各６项）、捷克和菲律宾（各５项）。2005年1月至6月这一期间，智利、欧盟、印度尼西亚分别对面粉、大马哈鱼、陶瓷餐具实施了保障措施。即后，欧盟于2005年4月终止了对大马哈鱼的实施的保障措施。

Poorest countries given more time to apply intellectual property rules

Least-developed countries have been given an extension until 1 July 2013 to provide protection for trademarks, copyright, patents and other intellectual property under the WTO’s agreement, following a decision reached by member governments on 29 November 2005.

The decision by the WTO’s Council for Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) extends the transition period for least-developed countries by seven and a half years, and includes commitments on technical assistance to help them prepare to apply the agreement. The transition period was due to expire on 1 January 2006, 11 years after the TRIPS Agreement came into force.

The decision does not affect the transition period for patents for pharmaceutical products, which was agreed in 2002; least-developed countries will not have to protect these patents until 2016.

The decision (see below) says least-developed countries will not have to provide the intellectual property protection covered by the TRIPS Agreement until 1 July 2013 unless they graduate from being least-developed. However — as is currently the case — if they voluntarily provide intellectual property protection, they have to observe TRIPS provisions on non-discrimination.

In the discussions leading up to the decision, one of the questions raised was whether the extension should be given country by country. The final agreement gives the extension to all the least-developed countries as a group. It confirms these countries’ right to seek further extensions afterwards. At present, 32 WTO members are least-developed.

The decision also reiterates developed countries’ commitment to provide technical and financial cooperation to help the least-developed countries implement the TRIPS Agreement and respond to needs that the least-developed countries have promised to identify, preferrably over the next two years.

Where least-developed countries do voluntarily provide some kinds of intellectual property protection even though they are not required to do so under the TRIPS Agreement, they have promised not to reduce or withdraw the current protection that they give.

世界贸易组织延长最不发达成员实施知识产权协定的过渡期

2005年11月29日，世贸组织作出决定，将最不发达成员遵照《与贸易有关的知识产权协定》对商标、版权、专利和其他知识产权进行保护的过渡期延长至2013年。

世贸组织根据《与贸易有关的知识产权协定》作出的决定将最不发达国家的过渡期延长了7年半。与此同时，决定还重申，发达成员承诺为最不发达成员提供技术援助，帮助他们为保护知识产权作准备。《与贸易有关的知识产权协定〉生效时，规定最不发达成员有11年的过渡期，即2006年1月1日为最后期限。

但该决定不涉及对药品专利权的保护。2002年世贸组织成员就药品专利保护的过渡期达成过一致，允许最不发达成员在2016年前，不对药品专利予以保护。

根据该决定最不发达成员国在2013年7月1日前可以不遵照《与贸易有关的知识产权协定》，直到这些成员摆脱最不发达的状态。然而，根据现有情况，如果他们自愿提供知识产权的保护，他们将不得不遵照《与贸易有关的知识产权协定》的非歧视性条款。

在做出决定的讨论中，一个问题时，延长期是否要逐国给与。最后一致认为，延长期给予作为一个集团的所有最不发达成员。这一决定确认了，这些成员进一步寻求延长期的权利。世贸组织有32个最不发达成员。

决议也重申，发达国家成员承诺提供技术和财政上的合作，以帮助最不发达国家成员实施《与贸易有关的知识产权协定》。

即使在《与贸易有关的知识产权协定》没有对最不发达国家成员最要求的情况下，最不发达国家成员已自愿提供了多种知识产权的保护，并且它们已经作出不减少或撤回现有保护的承诺。

The DSB adopts rulings on Korea anti-dumping duties on certain paper from Indonesia and US anti-dumping measures on oil country tubular Goods from Mexico

?? On 28 November 2005, the DSB adopted panel report concerning Korea anti-dumping duties on certain paper from Indonesia; and panel and appellate body reports pertaining to United-States anti-dumping measures on oil country tubular goods from Mexico.

When a panel report comes out, it is either adopted by the Dispute Settlement Body or appealed by one or more main parties to the dispute. When the Appellate Body report comes out, it is automatically adopted by the DSB — unless there is consensus to reject it .

Korea — Anti-Dumping Duties on Imports of Certain paper from Indonesia

Indonesia was pleased with the overall panel's finding and expressed trust that Korea would promptly comply with rulings.

While Korea did not agree with all aspects of the panel's decision, it admitted that a careful review of the evidence and the submissions of the parties were done by the panel before reaching its conclusions.

United States — Anti-Dumping Measures on Oil Country Tubular Goods (OCTG) from Mexico

The Mexican delegate said that although Mexico won this case, it did not win the appeal. It added that the manner in which the Appellate Body dismissed Mexico's claims, particularly those related to the Sunset Policy Bulletin (SPB), should be a strong systemic concern to all WTO members.

The US was pleased that the Appellate Body upheld the panel's finding on likelihood of injury . In addition it welcomed that the Appellate Body reversed the panel's finding that the SPB was inconsistent with WTO obligations.

争端解决机构对两起争端作出裁决：韩国对出产印尼的特种纸实施反倾销税和美国对来自墨西哥的石油工业用管材实施反倾销措施

2005年11月28日，争端解决机构采纳了专家组作出的关于解决韩国对出产印尼的特种纸实施反倾销税争端的报告，以及专家组和上诉处理机构做出的解决美国对墨西哥石油工业用管材实施反倾销措施的报告。

专家小组报告出台后，或者是被专家解决机构采纳或者是被争端的一方或争端的主要方上诉于上诉处理机构去裁决。上诉处理机构的报告出台后，除非一致否决，否则将自动被专家解决机构采纳。

韩国对产自印尼的特种纸实施反倾销税

印尼对专家组全面的调查结果非常满意，并且表达了对韩国能迅速回应专家解决机构做出的裁决的充分信任。

但是韩国并不同意专家组作出的所有决定，韩国认为，专家组应该对所有的证据进行复查，听取争端双方的论证后才能得出最后的结论。

美国对墨西哥的石油工业用管材实施反倾销措施

墨西哥代表认为，虽然墨西哥在这一案件中获胜，但是在上诉中确是败诉方。上诉处理机构驳回墨西哥的诉讼主张，尤其是那些和日落政策公告相关的，将会是对世贸组织所有成员强大的系统关注。美国对上诉处理机构支持专家组认为有损害的可能性的调查结果非常满意。此外，美国采纳了上诉处理机构推翻了专家组的调查结论即日落政策公告是和世贸组织规则相矛盾的。

小注：《日落政策公告》,是美国商务部发布的一项公告。此公告中，重点规定了对倾销案件的审查程序。