TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
I. INTRODUCTION.. 1
II. FACTUAL
ASPECTS. 1
A. Introduction. 1
B. The
measure at issue. 2
C. Factual
Context. 4
1. The United States'
legislative regime for tobacco control 4
(a) History of tobacco–control
measures in the United States. 4
(b) The scope of the FSPTCA.. 6
2. The market for cigarettes in the
United States. 7
3. International efforts to curb smoking:
The Framework Convention on
Tobacco Control 8
III. PARTIES'
REQUESTS FOR FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS. 9
IV. ARGUMENTS
OF THE PARTIES. 10
V. ARGUMENTS
OF THE THIRD PARTIES. 10
VI. INTERIM
REVIEW... 10
A. General. 10
B. United States'
comments on the interim report. 11
1. Factual aspects. 11
2. Whether
Section 907(a)(1)(A) is inconsistent with Article 2.1 of the
TBT Agreement 13
3. Whether Section 907(a)(1)(A) is
inconsistent with Article 2.2 of the TBT Agreement 18
4. Whether the United States has acted
inconsistently with Article 12.3 of the TBT Agreement 22
5. Miscellaneous. 23
VII. FINDINGS. 23
A. Introduction. 23
B. Order
of analysis. 24
C. Whether
Section 907(a)(1)(A) is a "technical regulation" within the
meaning of Annex 1.1 of the TBT Agreement. 27
1. Arguments of the parties. 27
2. Analysis by the Panel 27
(a) Introduction. 27
(b) The legal provision at issue. 28
(c) Elements of the definition of a
technical regulation. 28
(i) First element: Whether Section 907(a)(1)(A) applies to
an "identifiable product or group of products" 28
(ii) Second element: Whether
Section 907(a)(1)(A) lays down one or more "product
characteristics" 29
(iii) Third element: Whether compliance with the product
characteristics is mandatory. 31
(d) Conclusion