WTO | Understanding the WTO - Case study: the timetable in practice

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The United States and Venezuela then took six and a half months to agree on what the United States should do. The agreed period for implementing the solution was 15 months from the date the appeal was concluded (20 May 1996 to 20 August 1997).

The case arose because the United States applied stricter rules on the chemical characteristics of imported gasoline than it did for domestically-refined gasoline. Venezuela (and later Brazil) said this was unfair because US gasoline did not have to meet the same standards — it violated the “national treatment” principle and could not be justified under exceptions to normal WTO rules for health and environmental conservation measures. The dispute panel agreed with Venezuela and Brazil. The appeal report upheld the panel’s conclusions (making some changes to the panel’s legal interpretation). The United States agreed with Venezuela that it would amend its regulations within 15 months and on 26 August 1997 it reported to the Dispute Settlement Body that a new regulation had been signed on 19 August.

Time (0 = start of case)	Target/ actual period	Date	Action
-5 years		1990	US Clean Air Act amended
-4 months		September 1994	US restricts gasoline imports under Clean Air Act
0	“60 days”	23 January 1995	Venezuela complains to Dispute Settlement Body, asks for consultation with US
+1 month		24 February 1995	Consultations take place. Fail.
+2 months		25 March 1995	Venezuela asks Dispute Settlement Body for a panel
+2½ months	“30 days”	10 April 1995	Dispute Settlement Body agrees to appoint panel. US does not block. (Brazil starts complaint, requests consultation with US.)
+3 months		28 April 1995	Panel appointed. (31 May, panel assigned to Brazilian complaint as well)
+6 months	9 months (target is 6-9)	10-12 July and 13-15 July 1995	Panel meets
+11 months		11 December 1995	Panel gives interim report to US, Venezuela and Brazil for comment
+1 year		29 January 1996	Panel circulates final report to Dispute Settlement Body
+1 year, 1 month		21 February 1996	US appeals
+1 year, 3 months	“60 days”	29 April 1996	Appellate Body submits report
+1 year, 4 months	“30 days”	20 May 1996	Dispute Settlement Body adopts panel and appeal reports
+1 year, 10½ months		3 December 1996	US and Venezuela agree on what US should do (implementation period is 15 months from 20 May)
+1 year, 11½ months		9 January 1997	US makes first of monthly reports to Dispute Settlement Body on status of implementation
+2 years, 7 months		19-20 August 1997	US signs new regulation (19th). End of agreed implementation period (20th)

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