Commercial Information Circulars

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Ref : CR EIC 230/2/1/1/1

13 July 2011

Dear Sirs,

Commercial Information Circular No. 420/2011

Turkey : Imposition of Safeguard Measures on Certain Fabrics and Apparel

Turkey has recently announced a decision to impose provisional safeguard measures in the form of additional customs tariffs on imports of certain woven fabrics and apparel. The approval decision of the Turkish Council of Ministers was published in the Official Gazette on 24 March 2011 which can be accessed through the link:
http://www.resmigazete.gov.tr/eskiler/2011/03/20110324-1.htm (in Turkish only).

DETAILS

2. A summary of Turkey's decision with unofficial English translations of its two communiqués (in No: 2011/1 on woven fabrics and No: 2011/2 on apparel) is available at http://web.ita.doc.gov/otexa/hotiss.nsf/8af5eb1fedf54e7e85256e5b00498a50/0efe1139da1169c58525785e0045683e?OpenDocument. Salient points of Turkey's safeguard measures are set out below -

(a) Product Coverage

A range of certain woven fabrics and apparel classified under HS headings 51.11, 51.12, 52.08, 52.09, 52.10, 52.11, 54.07, 54.08, 55.12, 55.13, 55.14, 55.15, 55.16, 61.01, 61.02, 61.03, 61.04, 61.05, 61.06, 61.07, 61.08, 61.09, 61.10, 61.12, 62.01, 62.02, 62.03, 62.04, 62.05, 62.06, 62.07, 62.08 and 62.11.

(b) Additional Tariff Rate

Vary by product and country grouping, with details set out in the Turkish notice in para.1 above.
(As reference, imports of relevant woven fabrics and apparel from countries other than least developed countries, developing countries and countries under special arrangements in general will be subject to additional 20% and 30% tariffs respectively.)

21 July 2011

BACKGROUND

3. The Turkish authorities announced on 13 January 2011 to initiate safeguard investigations on a range of certain woven fabrics and apparel after examining the applications filed by domestic producers. It was alleged that increase in imports of the subject products in Turkey had caused serious injury to its domestic industry producing similar products. The Turkish authorities subsequently reached a preliminary conclusion that it was necessary to impose provisional measure in the form of tariff increase. Importers in Turkey will be obliged to pay the additional provisional customs tariffs.

4. The measures in para.2 above are provisional until the Turkish authorities complete their 9-month investigation by September 2011, with the possibility of a 2-month extension. If further investigations by the Turkish authorities determine there is no need for safeguard measures, the already collected provisional tariffs will be returned in full. If definitive measures are imposed, the tariffs can last as long as 4 years and are extendable if at the end of the initial period it is determined that conditions threatening the market still exist.

ENQUIRIES

5. For enquiries concerning the contents of this circular, please contact the undersigned at telephone number 2398 5427.

Yours faithfully,

(Miss Anna CHEUNG)
for Director-General of Trade and Industry

Note ：

(1) While every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the above information, the Department cannot guarantee this to be so and will not be held liable for any reliance placed on the same.

(2)The biweekly newsletter "Business Alert - EU" of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council provides up-to-date information on the latest developments in EU trade policy and trade regulations. The newsletter is available for free e-subscription and can be accessed through
http://www.tdctrade.com/alert/eualert.htm.