9 November 2007	Melbourne Office
Level 28, 35 Collins Street
Melbourne  VIC  3000
Locked Bag 2 Collins Street East 
Melbourne  VIC  8003
Telephone	03 9653 2100
Facsimile	03 9653 2199
Canberra Office
Telephone	02 6240 3200
www.pc.gov.au	
[Processor]
[Address]
Dear [Processor]
Pigmeat safeguards inquiry: request for information 
As you no doubt are aware, the Productivity Commission has been asked by the Australian Government to conduct an inquiry into whether ‘safeguard’ measures under the WTO should be imposed on imports of frozen pigmeat. While the safeguards inquiry is to be completed by end March 2008, the Commission must also provide an ‘accelerated report’ by 14 December 2007 as to whether provisional measures should be imposed in the interim. The Terms of Reference and criteria for safeguard action are outlined in the enclosed Issues Paper. 
Given the tight timeframe for the accelerated report, the Commission is seeking crucial information from major processors of pigmeat. As you would appreciate, a successful case for safeguard action ultimately rests on robust evidence, but published data for the pigmeat processing industry are largely unavailable. The information requested in the attachment is designed to assist us in assessing whether the industry has suffered, or is likely to suffer, ‘serious injury’, as required under WTO rules, and whether critical circumstances exist such that provisional safeguard measures might be necessary. 
I can assure you that we will collate all data and information received in a way that ensures confidentiality (by aggregation and/or de-identification). We will not reveal which organisations responded to the request for information. But we do propose to publish the names of all organisations from which information was sought, along with this letter of request. 
Thank you in anticipation for your co-operation and assistance. Given the tight timeframe for the accelerated report, I would be grateful if your response could be provided by Friday 23 November. 

If you have any questions about this information request, please contact Graeme Cuxson on 03 9653 2139 or email gcuxson@pc.gov.au
Yours faithfully
Gary Banks AO
Chairman