Common use of Investigation Procedures Clause in Contracts

Investigation Procedures. 1. A Party may take a bilateral safeguard measure only after an investigation has been carried out by the competent authorities of that Party in accordance with the same procedures as those provided for in Article 3 and subparagraph 2(c) of Article 4 of the Agreement on Safeguards. 2. The investigation referred to in paragraph 1 shall in all cases be completed within one year following its date of initiation. 3. In the investigation referred to in paragraph 1 to determine whether increased imports of an originating good have caused or are threatening to cause serious injury to a domestic industry under the terms of this Section, the competent authorities of the Party who carry out the investigation shall evaluate all relevant factors of an objective and quantifiable nature having a bearing on the situation of that domestic industry, in particular, the rate and amount of the increase in imports of the originating good in absolute terms, the share of the domestic market taken by the increased imports of the originating good, and the changes in the level of sales, production, productivity, capacity utilization, profits and losses, and employment. 4. The determination that increased imports of an originating good have caused or are threatening to cause serious injury to a domestic industry shall not be made unless the investigation referred to in paragraph 1 demonstrates, on the basis of objective evidence, the existence of the causal link between increased imports of the originating good and serious injury or threat thereof. When factors other than the increased imports of the originating good are causing injury to the domestic industry at the same time, such injury shall not be attributed to the increased imports of the originating good.