WTO Dispute Settlement Proceeding Regarding USADefinitive Safeguard Measures on Imports of Wheat Gluten

摘要

The Office of the United States Trade Representative (``USTR'') is providing notice of the European Communities' (``EC'') request for the establishment of a dispute settlement panel under the Marrakesh Agreement Establishing the World Trade Organization (``WTO''). The EC challenges the United States' action in imposing temporary quantitative limitations on imports of wheat gluten in an effort to aid the domestic industry to make a positive adjustment to import competition. In this dispute the EC alleges that the United States' safeguard measure is inconsistent with certain obligations under the WTO Agreement on Safeguards (``Safeguards Agreement''), Article XIX of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade 1994 (``GATT 1994''), and the WTO Agreement on Agriculture (``Agriculture Agreement''). USTR invites written comments from the public concerning the issues raised in this dispute.