Article 103: Investigation by COTED of Prohibited Subsidies

 

  1.         Whenever COTED decides to carry out an investigation pursuant to Article 102, such an investigation by COTED shall proceed as expeditiously as possible. COTED may appoint competent experts to advise whether the subsidy falls to be classified as a prohibited subsidy, in which case COTED shall set a time limit for the examination of the evidence by the competent experts.  COTED shall make its determination and issue its report which shall, unless extenuating circumstances arise, not exceed 90 days from the date of receipt of request for the investigation.
  1.         The results of an investigation carried out pursuant to Article 102 shall be made available to all Member States for information and to afford the concerned Member States an opportunity to arrive at a mutually agreed solution within 30 days from the date of issue of the report failing which COTED shall adopt the recommendations of the report.
  1.         If COTED is satisfied, based on the results of the investigation, that the subsidy in question is a prohibited subsidy and that the concerned Member States cannot reach a mutually agreed solution, it shall, subject to Article 104, require the offending Member State to withdraw the subsidy within a specified time-frame. Where the offending Member State fails to comply, COTED shall authorise the aggrieved Member State to take counter-measures on the products which benefit from such a subsidy.