WTO news: what’s been happening in the WTO

WTO NEWS: 2000 NEWS ITEMS

22 March 2000

DSB establishes two new panels, adopts salmon and FSC reports

The Dispute Settlement Body (DSB), on 20 March, established two new panels:

  • "Argentina - transitional safeguard measures on certain textiles products from Brazil" (DS190) and
  • "US - Anti-dumping measures on certain hot-rolled steel products from Japan" (DS184).

Both panel requests were being considered by the DSB for the second time.

At the same meeting, the European Communities presented a further status report on implementation in the "banana" case (DS27). The EC said that there continued to be divergent views within the main parties concerned and that as a result, no agreed conclusions had been agreed yet. Many Latin American countries took the floor to complain about what they said was the lack of implementation by the EC.

Likewise, Japan presented a status report on implementation on "measures affecting agricultural products" (DS76). Japan and the United States said that are holding consultations on this matter and that they expected a mutually satisfactory solution in the near future.

In the case concerning "anti-dumping investigation of high-fructose corn syrup" (DS132) with the United States, Mexico informed the DSB that it would implement, within a reasonable period of time, the DSB's recommendations. The report was adopted by the DSB on 24 February.

The DSB adopted the panel report on "Australia - Measures affecting importation of salmon, recourse to Art. 21.5 by Canada" (DS18) concerning Australia's implementation. Both Australia and Canada said they aimed to reach a mutually acceptable solution

The DSB also adopted the reports of the Appellate Body and the panel on "United States - Tax treatment for Foreign Sales Corporations" (DS108). While the EC expressed its satisfaction at the conclusions of the reports, the United States said that this outcome unjustifiably discriminated between Members on the basis of their tax systems.

The next meeting of the DSB will take place on 7 April 2000. The agenda of the meeting will be available from 28 March onwards.

All documents related to the disputes mentioned here above are available on the WTO website under "Documents on-line".