EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES - REGIME FOR THE IMPORTATION,

                                        SALE AND DISTRIBUTION OF BANANAS

                                                     Request to Join Consultations

                                              Communication from the United States

        The following communication, dated 10 November 1997, from the Permanent Mission of the United States to the Permanent Delegation of the European Commission, the Permanent Mission of Panama and to the Dispute Settlement Body, is circulated in accordance with Article 4.11 of the DSU.

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        Pursuant to DSU Article 4.11, the United States hereby notifies the consulting Members and the DSB of its desire to be joined in the consultations requested by Panama regarding the European Communities - Regime for the Implementation, Sale and Distribution of Bananas (WT/DS105/1, G/L/199, G/LIC/D/15, S/L/41, G/TRIMS/D/11).

        The United States has a substantial interest in the EC’s banana regime, especially as it affects wholesale trade services for bananas, as cited by the recent Panel and Appellate Body reports.  Service suppliers of the United States conduct business in wholesale trade services relating to the EC banana market on the order of hundreds of millions of US dollars per annum.