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

COMMUNICATION FROM THE PANEL

The following communication, dated 16 December 2021, 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.

In view of the situation regarding the COVID‑19 pandemic, as well as the substantive and procedural complexities of this dispute, the Panel will be unable to finish its work by the date estimated in its last letter (document WT/DS524/7). The Panel now expects to issue its final report to the parties before the end of the first quarter of 2022.

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.

Kindly circulate this communication to the Members of the DSB.

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