Article 24
1. Except where otherwise stated in this Article, the provisions of Article XIX of GATT 1994 and of the WTO Agreement on Safeguards are applicable between the Parties. 2. Each Party shall inform the Association Committee forthwith of any step that it takes or intends to take with regard to the application of safeguard measures. Each Party shall send the Association Committee, immediately or at least one week in advance, a communication in writing containing all information pertinent to: — the opening of a safeguard investigation, — the outcome of the investigation. The information provided shall include an explanation of the procedure on which the investigation is based and details of the schedule of hearings and other suitable occasions for the parties concerned to submit their opinions. Each Party shall also give the Association Committee an advance written notification containing all relevant information about the decision to apply provisional safeguard measures; this notification must be received at least one week before the measures are applied. 3. On being notified of the final results of the investigation and before applying safeguard measures in accordance with Article XIX of GATT 1994 and the WTO Agreement on Safeguards, the Party intending to apply such measures shall refer the matter to the Association Committee for a thorough examination of the situation with a view to finding a mutually acceptable solution. 4. In order to find such a solution, the Parties shall immediately hold consultations within the Association Committee. If the Parties fail to reach an agreement within 30 days of the initiation of such consultations on a solution to avoid the application of the safeguard measures, the Party intending to apply safeguard measures may apply the provisions of Article XIX of GATT 1994 and of the WTO Agreement on Safeguards. 5. In the selection of safeguard measures pursuant to this Article, the Parties shall give priority to those which cause least disturbance to the achievement of the objectives of this Agreement. Such measures shall not go beyond what is necessary to remedy the difficulties arising and shall maintain the level or margin of preference granted pursuant to this Agreement. 6. The Party intending to apply safeguard measures pursuant to this Article shall offer the other Party compensation in the form of liberalisation of trade vis-à-vis imports from the latter; that compensation will be essentially equivalent to the adverse trade effects of the measures on the other Party with effect from the date of their implementation. The offer shall be made before the safeguard measure is adopted and concurrently with the notification of and referral to the Association Committee, in accordance with paragraph 3. If the Party whose product is the intended subject of the safeguard measure considers the offer of compensation unsatisfactory, the two Parties may agree to other forms of trade compensation in the framework of the consultations referred to in paragraph 3. 7. If the Parties fail to agree on the matter of compensation within 30 days of the initiation of the above consultations, the Party whose product is the subject of safeguard measures may adopt compensatory tariff measures having trade effects essentially equivalent to the safeguard measure adopted pursuant to this Article.