United States – measures affecting the importation of animals,
meat and other animal products from Argentina

Communication from the Panel

The following communication, dated 7 March 2014, was received from the Chairperson of the Panel with the request that it be circulated to the Dispute Settlement Body.

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Article 12.8 of the Understanding on Rules and Procedures Governing the Settlement of Disputes (DSU) provides that the period in which a panel shall conduct its examination, from the date that the composition and terms of reference of the panel have been agreed upon until the date the final report is issued to the parties to the dispute, shall, as a general rule, not exceed six months.

Article 12.9 of the DSU provides that, when a panel considers that it cannot issue its report within six months, it shall inform the Dispute Settlement Body (DSB) in writing accordingly and indicate the reasons, together with an estimate of the period within which it will issue its report.

The Panel on United States – Measures Affecting the Importation of Animals, Meat and other Animal Products from Argentina (WT/DS447) was established by the DSB on 28 January 2013 and composed on 8 August 2013. 

Taking into account the scale and complexity of the dispute, the Panel expects to issue its final report to the parties in early 2015.