COSTA RICA – MEASURES CONCERNING THE IMPORTATION OF
FRESH AVOCADOS FROM MEXICO

COMMUNICATION FROM THE PANEL

The following communication, dated 15 November 2019, addressed to the Chairperson of the Dispute Settlement Body (DSB), is circulated in accordance with Article 12.9 of the Dispute Settlement Understanding (DSU).

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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 Costa Rica – Measures Concerning the Importation of Fresh Avocados from Mexico (DS524) was established by the DSB on 18 December 2018 and composed on 16 May 2019.

It will not be possible for the Panel to complete its work within six months of the date of composition in light of the substantive and procedural complexities of this dispute. The Panel expects to issue its final report to the parties by the second half of 2020.

The report will only be available to the public once it is circulated to the Members in all three working languages of the WTO. The date of circulation depends on completion of translation and the Panel is not in a position to provide an estimated circulation date at this time.