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DISPUTE SETTLEMENT: DISPUTE DS320

United States — Continued Suspension of Obligations in the EC — Hormones Dispute

This summary has been prepared by the Secretariat under its own responsibility. The summary is for general information only and is not intended to affect the rights and obligations of Members.

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Summary of the dispute to date  back to top

Summary up-to-date at

Panels established by DSB/reports not yet circulated

Complaint by the European Communities.

On 8 November 2004, the European Communities filed a request for consultations with the United States asserting that the United States should have removed its retaliatory measures since the EC has removed the measures found to be WTO-inconsistent in the EC — Hormones case.

The issues which the EC intends to raise in the consultations include, but are not limited to:

• the failure by the United States to remove the retaliatory measures despite the EC’s removal of the WTO-inconsistent measures:
   
• the unilateral determinations by the United States that the new EC legislation is a continued WTO violation; and
   
• the failure of the United States to follow DSU Article 21.5 dispute settlement procedures to adjudicate the matter.

The EC considers that the continued use by the United States and of retaliatory measures in this case, in the current circumstances, are violations of Articles I and II of GATT 1994, and Articles 21.5, 22.8, 23.1 and 23.2 (a) and (c) of the DSU.

On 17 November 2004, Canada requested to join the consultations. On 19 November 2004, Australia and Mexico requested to join the consultations. On 16 December 2004, the United States informed the DSB that it had accepted the request of Canada to join the consultations.

On 13 January 2005, the European Communities requested the establishment of a panel. At its meeting on 25 January 2005, the DSB deferred the establishment of a panel. At its meeting on 17 February 2005, the DSB established a panel. Australia, Canada, China, Mexico and Chinese Taipei reserved their third-party rights. On 23 February 2005, Norway reserved its third party rights. On 25 February 2005, Brazil reserved its third party rights. On 28 February 2005, India and New Zealand reserved their third party rights. On 27 May 2005, the European Communities requested the Director General to compose the panel. On 6 June 2005, the Director-General composed the panel. The first substantive meeting of the Panel with the parties took place on 12-15 September 2005, which was open for observation by the public.

On 20 January 2006, the Chairman of the Panel informed the DSB that due to the complexity of the dispute, and the administrative and procedural matters involved, the panel would not be able to complete its work in six months. Based on the current assessment of the process, the panel expects to issue its final report to the parties in the course of October 2006.

On 23 January 2007, the Chairman of the Panel informed the DSB that it had expected to issue its final report to the parties in the course of October 2006. However, due to the complexity of the scientific issues involved and due to the difficulties in scheduling the second open hearing of the Panel with the parties and experts consulted by the Panel, it was not possible to meet that time line. The Panel estimated that it would issue its final report to the parties in the course of June 2007. On 22 June 2007, the Chairman of the Panel informed the DSB that the preparation of the Panel Report was taking longer than expected and that it expected to issue its final report to the parties in the course of October 2007.

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