Customs Tariff (S.C. 1997, c. 36)

Marginal note:Surtax under certain conditions

• 55 (1) Subject to sections 56, 57, 59 and 61, if at any time it appears to the satisfaction of the Governor in Council, on the basis of a report of the Minister or of an inquiry made by the Canadian International Trade Tribunal under section 20 or 26 of the Canadian International Trade Tribunal Act, that goods are being imported under such conditions as to cause or threaten serious injury to domestic producers of like or directly competitive goods, the Governor in Council may, on the recommendation of the Minister, by order, make any such goods imported from a country specified in the order, when imported into Canada or a region or part of Canada specified in the order during the period that the order is in effect, subject to a surtax

  • (a) at a rate specified in the order; or

  • (b) at a rate specified in the order that varies from time to time as the quantity of those goods imported into Canada or that region or part of Canada during a period specified in the order equals or exceeds quantities specified in the order.

• Marginal note:Maximum rate

  (2) The rate specified under subsection (1) may not exceed the rate that in the opinion of the Governor in Council is sufficient to prevent or remedy serious injury to domestic producers of like or directly competitive goods.

• Marginal note:Minister’s report

  (3) A report of the Minister referred to in subsection (1) may be made only if

  • (a) there are, in the opinion of the Minister, critical circumstances; or

  • (b) the report relates to perishable agricultural goods.

• Marginal note:Inquiry

  (4) If an order is made under subsection (1) on the basis of a report of the Minister, the Governor in Council shall immediately refer the matter to the Canadian International Trade Tribunal for an inquiry under paragraph 20(a) of the Canadian International Trade Tribunal Act.

• Marginal note:Prohibition against further orders

  (5) Subject to subsection (6), no order may be made under subsection (1) with respect to goods that have already been the subject of an order made under that subsection or subsection 5(3) of the Export and Import Permits Act unless, after the expiry of the order and any related orders made under subsection 5(3.2) or (4.1) of that Act or section 60 or subsection 63(1), there has elapsed a period equal to the greater of two years and the total period during which the order or orders were in effect.

• Marginal note:Exception

  (6) If an order made under subsection (1) was effective with respect to goods for a period of 180 days or less, a further order may be made under that subsection with respect to those goods if

  • (a) at least one year has elapsed since the previous order took effect; and

  • (b) not more than two orders have been made with respect to the goods under subsection (1) within the period of five years before the further order takes effect.

Marginal note:Period and repeal

• 56 (1) An order made under subsection 55(1)

  • (a) subject to sections 62 and 63, has effect for a period not exceeding four years; and

  • (b) may be amended or repealed at any time by the Governor in Council on the recommendation of the Minister unless, before that time, a resolution directing that the order cease to have effect has been adopted by both Houses of Parliament under section 64.

• Marginal note:Cessation

  (2) If an order is made under subsection 55(1) on the basis of a report of the Minister, the order ceases to have effect at the end of the two hundredth day after the day on which the order is made unless, before the order so ceases to have effect, the Canadian International Trade Tribunal reports to the Governor in Council, on the basis of an inquiry made under section 20 or 26 of the Canadian International Trade Tribunal Act, that the goods described in the report of the Minister are being imported from a country named in the report under such conditions as to cause or threaten serious injury to domestic producers of like or directly competitive goods.

Marginal note:Exception for certain agricultural goods

57 No order may be made under subsection 55(1), on the basis of a report of the Minister, with respect to any prescribed agricultural goods that may be subject to a surtax under subsection 68(1).

Marginal note:Refund orders

58 For the purpose of carrying out Article 6 of the Agreement on Safeguards in Annex 1A of the World Trade Organization Agreement, the Governor in Council may, on the recommendation of the Minister, by order, refund any surtaxes imposed under an order made under subsection 55(1) on the basis of a report made by the Minister.

Marginal note:Free trade partner emergency measures

• 59 (1) An order under subsection 55(1) may be made applicable to goods of any kind imported from a free trade partner only if it appears to the satisfaction of the Governor in Council, on the basis of a report under section 20 or 29 of the Canadian International Trade Tribunal Act or a report of the Minister, that

  • (a) the quantity of those goods represents a substantial share of total imports of goods of the same kind;

  • (b) in the case of goods imported from a country that is a party to the Canada–United States–Mexico Agreement, the quantity of those goods, alone or, in exceptional circumstances, together with the quantity of goods of the same kind imported from each other country that is a party to that Agreement, contributes importantly to serious injury or threat of serious injury to domestic producers of like or directly competitive goods; and

  • (c) in the case of goods imported from any other free trade partner, the quantity of those goods contributes importantly to serious injury or threat of serious injury to domestic producers of like or directly competitive goods.

• Marginal note:Duration of order

  (2) If an order that applies to goods imported from a free trade partner by virtue of subsection (1) is made under subsection 55(1) on the basis of a report of the Minister, the order ceases to have effect with respect to those goods at the end of the two hundredth day after the day on which the order is made, except that it remains in effect for the period, not exceeding four years, that is specified in the order if, before the order so ceases to have effect, the Canadian International Trade Tribunal reports to the Governor in Council under the Canadian International Trade Tribunal Act that

  • (a) the quantity of those goods as described in the report of the Minister is substantial in comparison with the quantity of goods of the same kind imported from other countries;

  • (b) in the case of goods imported from a country that is a party to the Canada–United States–Mexico Agreement, the quantity of those goods, alone or, in exceptional circumstances, together with the quantity of goods of the same kind imported from each other country that is a party to that Agreement, contributes importantly to the serious injury or threat of serious injury to domestic producers of like or directly competitive goods; and

  • (c) in the case of goods imported from any other free trade partner, the quantity of those goods contributes importantly to the serious injury or threat of serious injury to domestic producers of like or directly competitive goods.

• Marginal note:Repeal

  (3) If an order that applies to goods imported from a free trade partner in accordance with subsection (1) is made under subsection 55(1) on the basis of a report of the Minister, the Governor in Council shall repeal the order if the Governor in Council is satisfied on the basis of a report of the Canadian International Trade Tribunal, made under the Canadian International Trade Tribunal Act, that the quantity of those goods is not substantial in comparison with the quantity of goods of the same kind imported from other countries or

  • (a) in the case of goods imported from a country that is a party to the Canada–United States–Mexico Agreement, that the quantity of those goods, alone or, in exceptional circumstances, together with the quantity of goods of the same kind imported from each other country that is a party to that Agreement, does not contribute importantly to the serious injury or threat of serious injury to domestic producers of like or directly competitive goods; and

  • (b) in the case of goods imported from any other free trade partner, that the quantity of those goods does not contribute importantly to the serious injury or threat of serious injury to domestic producers of like or directly competitive goods.

Marginal note:Emergency measures

59.1 An order made under subsection 55(1) may exclude goods of any kind imported from one of the following countries if it appears to the satisfaction of the Governor in Council, on the basis of a report under section 20 or 29 of the Canadian International Trade Tribunal Act, that the quantity of those goods being imported is not a principal cause of serious injury or threat of serious injury to domestic producers of like or directly competitive goods:

• Colombia
• Korea
• Panama
• Peru

Marginal note:Surtax on goods imported from a free trade partner

60 If an order has been made under subsection 55(1) or 63(1) imposing a surtax that does not apply to goods imported from a free trade partner because the goods did not meet the conditions set out in subsection 59(1) or 63(4) and the Governor in Council is satisfied, on the recommendation of the Minister made as a result of an inquiry by the Canadian International Trade Tribunal, that there has been a surge of those goods on or after the coming into force of the order and that, as a result of that surge, the effectiveness of the imposition of the surtax is being undermined, the Governor in Council may, by order, make any such goods, when imported into Canada or into any region or part of Canada specified in the order during the period that the order is in effect, subject to a surtax

• (a) at a rate specified in the order; or

• (b) at a rate specified in the order that varies from time to time as the quantity of those goods imported into Canada or that region or part of Canada during a period specified in the order equals or exceeds quantities specified in the order.

The rate may not exceed the rate that, in the opinion of the Governor in Council, is sufficient to prevent the undermining of the order made under subsection 55(1) or 63(1).

Marginal note:Rate

• 61 (1) The rate of a surtax imposed under subsection 55(1), section 60 or subsection 63(1) on goods imported from a free trade partner need not be the same rate as that imposed under subsection 55(1) or 63(1) on goods of the same kind imported from any other country, but must not exceed the rate of surtax imposed under subsection 55(1) or 63(1) on goods of the same kind imported from any other country.

• Marginal note:Limitation

  (2) If the Governor in Council makes an order under subsection 55(1) or 63(1) that applies to goods imported from a free trade partner that meet the conditions set out in subsection 59(1) or 63(4) or makes an order under section 60, the Governor in Council shall be guided, as the case may be, by

  • (a) subparagraph 5(b) of Article 10.2 of the Canada–United States–Mexico Agreement;

  • (b) subparagraph 5(b) of Article F-02 of the Canada–Chile Free Trade Agreement; or

  • (c) subparagraph 5(b) of Article 4.6 of the Canada–Israel Free Trade Agreement.

Marginal note:Repeal or amendment of surtax order

62 If at any time it appears to the satisfaction of the Governor in Council, as a result of a mid-term review by the Canadian International Trade Tribunal under section 19.02 of the Canadian International Trade Tribunal Act, that an order imposing or extending the application of a surtax under subsection 55(1), section 60 or subsection 63(1) should be repealed or amended, the Governor in Council may, on the recommendation of the Minister, by order, repeal or amend the order.

Marginal note:Extension order

• 63 (1) Subject to subsections (4) and (4.1), if, at any time before the expiry of an order with respect to any goods made under this subsection, subsection 55(1) or section 60 or under subsection 5(3), (3.2) or (4.1) of the Export and Import Permits Act, it appears to the satisfaction of the Governor in Council, as a result of an inquiry made by the Canadian International Trade Tribunal under section 30.07 of the Canadian International Trade Tribunal Act, that

  • (a) an order continues to be necessary to prevent or remedy serious injury to domestic producers of like or directly competitive goods, and

  • (b) there is evidence that the domestic producers of like or directly competitive goods are adjusting, as determined in accordance with any regulations made under paragraph 40(b) of the Canadian International Trade Tribunal Act,

  the Governor in Council may, on the recommendation of the Minister, make an extension order imposing a surtax on any goods specified in the previous order imported from any country specified in the extension order.

• Marginal note:Scope and rate

  (2) If an extension order is made under subsection (1),

  • (a) the extension order applies to goods imported into Canada, or any region or part of Canada, specified in the order during the period that the order is in effect; and

  • (b) the rate of the surtax imposed by the extension order must, subject to subsection (3),

    • (i) be at a rate specified in the extension order, or

    • (ii) be at a rate specified in the extension order that varies from time to time as the quantity of the goods imported into Canada or that region or part of Canada during a period specified in the order equals or exceeds totals specified in the order.

• Marginal note:Maximum rate

  (3) The rate specified in the extension order may not exceed

  • (a) the lowest of any rates previously imposed with respect to the goods under subsection (1) or 55(1) or section 60; and

  • (b) the rate that in the opinion of the Governor in Council is sufficient to prevent or remedy serious injury to domestic producers of like or directly competitive goods and to facilitate the adjustment of the domestic producers.

• Marginal note:Exception for goods imported from a free trade partner

  (4) An order made under subsection (1) may apply to goods imported from a free trade partner only if it appears to the satisfaction of the Governor in Council, on the basis of a report made under the Canadian International Trade Tribunal Act, that

  • (a) the quantity of those goods represents a substantial share of the total imports of goods of the same kind;

  • (b) in the case of goods imported from a country that is a party to the Canada–United States–Mexico Agreement, the quantity of those goods, alone or, in exceptional circumstances, together with the quantity of goods of the same kind imported from each other country that is a party to that Agreement, contributes importantly to the serious injury or threat of serious injury to domestic producers of like or directly competitive goods; and

  • (c) in the case of goods imported from any other free trade partner, the quantity of those goods contributes importantly to the serious injury or threat of serious injury to domestic producers of like or directly competitive goods.

• Marginal note:Exception for goods imported

  (4.1) An order made under subsection (1) may exclude goods of any kind imported from one of the following countries if it appears to the satisfaction of the Governor in Council, on the basis of a report under the Canadian International Trade Tribunal Act, that the quantity of those goods being imported is not a principal cause of serious injury or threat of serious injury to domestic producers of like or directly competitive goods:

  • Colombia
  • Korea
  • Panama
  • Peru

• Marginal note:Period and repeal of extension orders

  (5) Every extension order made under subsection (1)

  • (a) remains in effect, subject to this section, for the period that is specified in the order, but the total of the specified period and the periods during which the goods were subject to related orders made under subsection (1) or 55(1) or section 60 or under subsection 5(3), (3.2) or (4.1) of the Export and Import Permits Act may not exceed eight years; and

  • (b) may, notwithstanding any other provision of this section, be amended or repealed at any time by the Governor in Council on the recommendation of the Minister, unless, before that time, a resolution directing that the order cease to have effect has been adopted by both Houses of Parliament under section 64.