A safeguards agreement is a legal instrument which allows countries to take emergency measures to protect their domestic industries against sudden surges of imports. Such measures can be triggered when a product is imported in such quantities and on such terms as to cause serious injury to the domestic industry that produces like or directly competitive products.

The World Trade Organization (WTO) plays a key role in administering and enforcing safeguard measures around the world. The WTO`s safeguards agreement sets forth the rules and procedures governing the use of safeguard measures by WTO member countries. It is an important document for anyone involved in international trade, particularly those who are responsible for implementing and complying with safeguard measures.

The WTO`s safeguards agreement is available online in PDF format. The PDF includes the full text of the agreement, including the annexes and the appendices. The agreement is divided into several sections, each covering a different aspect of the safeguard measures.

The first section of the agreement sets forth the general principles governing the use of safeguard measures. Among other things, it requires that the measures be temporary and that they be lifted as soon as the injury to the domestic industry has been remedied. It also specifies the conditions under which safeguard measures may be taken and the procedures that must be followed when taking such measures.

The second section of the agreement deals with the procedures that must be followed when a safeguard measure is taken. It requires that the country taking the measure provide notification to the WTO and to affected parties, and that it allow for adequate time for consultation and review before the measure is implemented.

The third section of the agreement specifies the conditions under which a country may extend or reimpose a safeguard measure. It also sets forth the procedures for doing so, including notification and consultation with affected parties.

Finally, the agreement includes several annexes and appendices, which provide further detail on specific aspects of the safeguard measures, such as the criteria for determining whether a surge of imports has caused “serious injury” to the domestic industry.

Overall, the WTO`s safeguards agreement is an important tool for protecting domestic industries against unfair competition from imports. It sets forth clear rules and procedures for the use of safeguard measures, and provides a framework for resolving disputes that may arise around the implementation of these measures. Anyone involved in international trade should be familiar with the safeguards agreement, and should consult it regularly when dealing with issues related to safeguard measures.