Dispute Settlement Body - Special Session - Report by the Chairman, Ambassador Coly Seck

Special session of the Dispute settlement body

Report by the Chairman, Ambassador Coly Seck

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1  Overall assessment........................................................................................................ 3

1.1   Introduction........................................................................................................................ 3

1.2   Approach to the negotiations............................................................................................... 3

1.3   State of play....................................................................................................................... 4

1.3.1   Challenges surrounding the negotiations......................................................................... 4

1.3.2   General assessment......................................................................................................... 5

1.3.3   Specific outcome of the focused work on Strictly confidential information......................... 6

1.4   Possible ways forward......................................................................................................... 6

1.4.1   Comprehensive outcome.................................................................................................. 6

1.4.2   Incremental outcome(s)................................................................................................... 8

1.4.2.1   Amendment(s) to the DSU............................................................................................ 8

1.4.2.2   DSB decision(s)............................................................................................................ 9

1.5   Concluding observation..................................................................................................... 10

2  Specific Results of the focused work conducted on the 12 issues............ 10

2.1   Mutually agreed solutions................................................................................................. 11

2.1.1   Comments from the Chair on his text on Mutually agreed solutions................................ 11

2.1.2   Comments from Members on the Chair's text.................................................................. 11

2.1.3   Chair's text.................................................................................................................... 12

2.2   Third-party rights.............................................................................................................. 13

2.2.1   Comments from the Chair on his text on Third-party rights............................................. 13

2.2.2   Comments from Members on the Chair's text.................................................................. 16

2.2.3   Chair's text.................................................................................................................... 17

2.3   Strictly confidential information (SCI)................................................................................ 19

2.3.1   Comments from the Chair on his text on SCI.................................................................. 19

2.3.2   Comments from Members on the Chair's text.................................................................. 20

2.3.3   Chair's text.................................................................................................................... 21

2.4   Sequencing....................................................................................................................... 23

2.4.1   Comments from the Chair on his text on Sequencing..................................................... 23

2.4.2   Comments from Members on the Chair's text.................................................................. 24

2.4.3   Chair's text.................................................................................................................... 25

2.5   Post-retaliation.................................................................................................................. 27

2.5.1   Comments from the Chair on his statement on Post-retaliation....................................... 27

2.5.2   Comments from Members on the Chair's statement........................................................ 27

2.5.3   Chair's statement........................................................................................................... 28

2.6   Transparency and amicus curiae briefs.............................................................................. 32

2.6.1   Comments from the Chair on his text on Transparency and amicus curiae briefs............. 32

2.6.2   Comments from Members on the Chair's text.................................................................. 33

2.6.3   Chair's text.................................................................................................................... 34

2.6.4   Annex to the Chair's text on the proposed early derestriction of final panel reports......... 38

2.7   Timeframes....................................................................................................................... 41

2.7.1   Comments from the Chair on his text on Timeframes...................................................... 41

2.7.2   Comments from Members on the Chair's text.................................................................. 43

2.7.3   Chair's text.................................................................................................................... 43

2.8   Remand............................................................................................................................ 49

2.8.1   Comments from the Chair on his statement on Remand.................................................. 49

2.8.2   Comments from Members on the Chair's statement........................................................ 49

2.8.3   Chair's statement........................................................................................................... 50

2.9   Panel composition............................................................................................................. 55

2.9.1   Comments from the Chair on his text on Panel composition............................................ 55

2.9.2   Comments from Members on the Chair's text.................................................................. 57

2.9.3   Chair's text.................................................................................................................... 57

2.10   Effective compliance....................................................................................................... 60

2.10.1   Comments from the Chair on his statement on Effective compliance............................. 60

2.10.2   Comments from Members on the Chair's statement...................................................... 60

2.10.3   Chair's statement......................................................................................................... 60

2.11   Developing country interests........................................................................................... 63

2.11.1   Comments from the Chair on his text on Developing country interests.......................... 63

2.11.2   Comments from Members on the Chair's text................................................................ 66

2.11.3   Chair's text.................................................................................................................. 67

2.12   Flexibility and Member control and Additional guidance for WTO adjudicative bodies....... 70

2.12.1   Comments from the Chair on his statement on Flexibility and Member control, and on Additional guidance for WTO adjudicative bodies....................................................................... 70

2.12.2   Chair's statement......................................................................................................... 70

Annex 1: Proposed Draft legal texts that formed the basis of  the focused work conducted................................................................................................................ 73