United States – Tariff Measures on Certain Goods from China

Communication from the Panel

The following communication, dated 9 April 2020, 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 United States - Tariff Measures on Certain Goods from China (DS543) was established by the DSB on 28 January 2019 and composed on 3 June 2019. Following the resignation of one member of the Panel, the Director-General appointed a new member of the Panel on 17 October 2019.

Based on the timetable agreed between the parties and the Panel, the Panel expects to issue its final report to the parties by the end of June 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.

I would be grateful if you would circulate this letter to the DSB.