Russian Federation – measures on the importation of live pigs, pork and other pig products from the european union

AB-2016-5

Report of the Appellate Body

Table of Contents

1            Introduction.. 9

2            Arguments of the Participants. 13

3            Arguments of the third participants. 13

4            Issues raised in this appeal. 14

5            analysis of the appellate body. 14

5.1         The measures at issue. 14

5.1.1      The EU-wide ban. 14

5.1.2      The country-specific import bans. 15

5.2         Russia's claims relating to the attribution of the EU-wide ban. 16

5.2.1      The Panel's findings. 16

5.2.2      Whether the Panel erred in attributing the EU-wide ban to Russia. 18

5.2.2.1   Conclusion on Russia's claim regarding the attribution of the EU-wide ban to Russia. 20

5.2.3      Whether the Panel erred in finding that Russia's terms of accession to the WTO did not limit the Panel's assessment of the European Union's claims regarding the EU‑wide ban. 21

5.2.3.1   Conclusion on Russia's claim regarding Russia's terms of accession to the WTO. 24

5.3         Claims under Article 6 of the SPS Agreement 24

5.3.1      Russia's claims under Article 6.3 of the SPS Agreement 26

5.3.1.1   The Panel's findings. 26

5.3.1.2   Interpretation of Article 6.3 of the SPS Agreement 29

5.3.1.3   Whether the Panel erred in not finding that Article 6.3 requires consideration of the evidence relied upon by the importing Member 33

5.3.1.4   Whether the Panel erred in not finding that Article 6.3 contemplates a period of time for the importing Member to evaluate and verify the evidence provided by the exporting Member 36

5.3.1.5   Conclusions on Russia's claims under Article 6.3 of the SPS Agreement 39

5.3.2      Russia's claim regarding the relationship between Article 6.1 and Article 6.3 of the SPS Agreement 40

5.3.2.1   The Panel's findings. 40

5.3.2.2   Whether the Panel erred in finding that Russia had failed to ensure adaptation of its ban on imports of the products at issue from Latvia to regional SPS characteristics. 42

5.3.2.3   Conclusion on Russia's claim regarding the relationship between Article 6.1 and Article 6.3 of the SPS Agreement 46

5.3.3      The European Union's claim under Article 6.2 of the SPS Agreement 46

5.3.3.1   The Panel's findings. 47

5.3.3.2   Interpretation of Article 6.2 of the SPS Agreement 48

5.3.3.3   Whether the Panel erred in finding that Russia recognizes the concepts of pest‑ or disease-free areas and areas of low pest or disease prevalence in respect of ASF. 51

5.3.3.4   Conclusion on the European Union's claim under Article 6.2 of the SPS Agreement 56

6            Findings and conclusions. 57

6.1         Claims relating to the attribution of the EU-wide ban. 57

6.2         Claims relating to Article 6 of the SPS Agreement 57

6.3         Recommendation. 59