Click here to return to homepage
175pxls.gif (78 bytes)
ON THIS PAGE:   Table of contents

home > resources > publications > wto analytical index > settlement of disputes


Analysis, statistics, publications, downloads, links, etc

WTO ANALYTICAL INDEX: DISPUTE SETTLEMENT UNDERSTANDING

Understanding on Rules and Procedures Governing the Settlement of Disputes

150pxls.gif (76 bytes)
The texts reproduced here do not have the legal standing of the original documents which are entrusted and kept at the WTO Secretariat in Geneva.

> Article 1
> Article 2
> Article 3
> Article 4
> Article 5
> Article 6
> Article 7
> Article 8
> Article 9
> Article 10
> Article 11
> Article 12
> Article 13
> Article 14
> Article 15
> Article 16
> Article 17
> Article 18
> Article 19
> Article 20
> Article 21
> Article 22
> Article 23
> Article 24
> Article 25
> Article 26
> Article 27
> Appendix 1: Agreements Covered by the DSU
> Appendix 2: Special or Additional Dispute Settlement Rules and Procedures
> Appendix 3: Panel Working Procedures
> Appendix 4: Expert Review Groups
> Working Procedures for Appellate Review
> Working Procedures for Article 22.6 Arbitrations
> Rules of Conduct for the Understanding on Rules and Procedures Governing the Settlement of Disputes
> Rules of Procedure for Meetings of the Dispute Settlement Body
> Other Issues in WTO Dispute Proceedings
> Time-Frames in Relation to Panel and Appellate Body Reports

  

> Analytical Index main page


Table of contents    back to top

I. Article 1    back to top

A. Text of Article 1
B. Interpretation and Application of Article 1

1. Article 1.1: “covered agreements”

2. Article 1.2: “special or additional rules and procedures”

(a) General

(b) Article 17 of the Anti-Dumping Agreement

(c) Article 4.7 of the SCM Agreement

 
II. Article 2    back to top

A. Text of Article 2
B. Interpretation and Application of Article 2

1. General

2. Rules of procedures for the DSB meetings

3. Date of circulation

4. Communications with the DSB

5. Time-periods

6. Rules of conduct

7. Negotiations on the amendment of the DSU

 
III. Article 3    back to top

A. Text of Article 3
B. Interpretation and Application of Article 3

1. Article 3.2

(a) “security and predictability”

(b) “clarify the existing provisions”

(c) “customary rules of interpretation of public international law”

(i) Rules of “interpretation”

(ii) Article 31 of the Vienna Convention: General rule of interpretation

(iii) Article 31(3)(b) of the Vienna Convention: Subsequent practice

(iv) Article 31.4: Specialized meaning

(v) Article 32 of the Vienna Convention: Supplementary means of interpretation

(vi) Good faith

(vii) Principle of effective treaty interpretation

(viii) Article 33 of the Vienna Convention: Plurilingual treaties

(ix) Presumption against conflict

(x) Non-retroactivity of treaties

(xi) State responsibility

(xii) Legitimate expectations

(xiii) Proportionality

(xiv) Precautionary principle

(xv) Estoppel

(xvi) Status of adopted GATT/WTO Panel and Appellate Body Reports

(d) “add to or diminish the rights and obligations”

(e) Relationship with other Agreements

(i) Article 17.6(ii) of the Anti-Dumping Agreement

2. Article 3.3

(a) “measures taken by another Member”

3. Article 3.6

(a) Notification of mutually agreed solutions

4. Article 3.7

(a) “whether action under these procedures would be fruitful”

(b) “aim of the dispute settlement mechanism is to secure a positive solution to a dispute”

(c) “suspending the application of concessions or other obligations”

5. Article 3.8

(a) Presumption of “nullification or impairment”

(b) Relationship with other WTO Agreements

(i) Article XXIII:1 of the GATS

(ii) Article 5(b) of the SCM Agreement

6. Article 3.10

(a) “good faith … effort to resolve the dispute”

 
IV. Article 4    back to top

A. Text of Article 4
B. Interpretation and Application of Article 4

1. General

(a) Importance of consultations

(b) Consultations as a prerequisite for panel proceedings

(c) Disclosure of information during consultations

(d) Adequacy of consultations

(e) Result of the consultations

(f) Challenging a request for consultations

2. Article 4.1

3. Article 4.3

4. Article 4.4

(a) Notification of requests for consultations

(b) Absence or addition of “claims” and/or “measures” in the request for consultations

(c) Effect of the extension of the duration of identified measures after consultations

(d) Relationship between request for consultations and request for the establishment of a panel

5. Article 4.6

(a) “consultations shall be confidential”

(i) Information acquired during consultations

(ii) Relevance of third party participation in confidentiality of information from consultations

(b) “consultations shall be … without prejudice to the rights of any Member ”

6. Article 4.7

7. Article 4.9

8. Article 4.11

C. Relationship with other Articles

1. Article 6

D. Relationship with other WTO Agreements

1. Article 8.10 of the ATC

2. Article 17 of the Anti-Dumping Agreement

3. Article 4.2 of the SCM Agreement

 
V. Article 5    back to top

A. Text of Article 5
B. Interpretation and Application of Article 5

1. WTO Director-General’s offer of assistance

2. Mediation outside the DSU

 
VI. Article 6    back to top

A. Text of Article 6
B. Interpretation and Application of Article 6

1. General

(a) Multiple panels involving the same parties and same claims

2. Article 6.2

(a) General

(i) Task of panels to examine requests for establishment

(ii) Request must be sufficiently precise

(b) Right to bring claims

(i) Legal interest

(ii) Right to bring claims under Article 17.4 of the Anti-Dumping Agreement.

3. Basic requirements under Article 6.2

(a) General 

(b) “indicate whether consultations were held”and “matter referred to the DSB

(c) “identify the specific measure at issue”

(i) “specific measures at issue”

(ii) Legal instruments as measures

(iii) General practice as a measure

(iv) Private action as a “measure”

(v) Standard for sufficient “identification”

(vi) Measures falling within/outside the panel’s terms of reference

(d) “a brief summary of the legal basis of the complaint … sufficient to present the problem clearly”

(i) Concept of “claim”

(ii) Two-stage test

(iii) Identification of the claims

(iv) Claims falling within/outside the panel’s terms of reference

(v) “presenting the problem clearly”

(vi) Clarity of claims in written submissions

(e) Demonstration of compliance with 6.2 requirements

(f) Importance of timing of a specificity objection

(i) Distinction between sufficiency of panel request and establishing a prima facie case of violation

(g) Relevance of the principle of good faith

C. Relationship with other Articles

1. Article 4

2. Articles 6.2 and 21.5

D. Relationship with other WTO Agreements

1. Relationship with Article 17 of the Anti-Dumping Agreement

(a) The term “matter” under paragraphs 4 and 5 of Article 17

(b) Anti-dumping measures

(c) Legal basis for claims under Article 17

 
VII. Article 7    back to top

A. Text of Article 7
B. Interpretation and Application of Article 7

1. General

(a) Importance of the terms of reference

(b) Instances where a panel must address jurisdictional issues

(c) Objections to the panel’s jurisdiction

(i) General

(ii) Timing of the objections to the panel’s jurisdiction

2. Article 7.1

(a) “the matter referred to the DSB”

(i) Concept of “matter”

(ii) Specific measures at issue

(iii) Claims

3. Article 7.2

4. Article 7.3

(a) Special terms of reference

 
VIII. Article 8    back to top

A. Text of Article 8
B. Interpretation and Application of Article 8

1. Article 8.4: indicative list of panelists

2. Articles 8.6 and 8.7: panel composition

 
IX. Article 9    back to top

A. Text of Article 9
B. Interpretation and Application of Article 9

1. Article 9.1: “a single panel should be established … whenever feasible”

(a) Relationship with other paragraphs of Article 9

(i) Article 9.2

2. Article 9.2: separate reports

(a) General

(b) Timing of the request for separate reports

(c) Panel discretion

(d) Structure of separate reports

(e) Relationship with other paragraphs of Article 9

(i) Article 9.1

3. Article 9.3: multiple panels

(a) Duplication of panel with same complainant

(b) Third-party rights for complainants in parallel proceedings

 
X. Article 10    back to top

A. Text of Article 10
B. Interpretation and Application of Article 10

1. Article 10

(a) General

2. Article 10.2

(a) Enhanced third-party rights

(b) “Substantial interest”

3. Article 10.3

(a) “Third parties shall receive the submissions of the parties to the dispute to the first meeting of the panel”

4. Third-party rights in preliminary ruling proceedings 

5. Third-party rights under Article 22.6

6. Authority of the panel to direct a Member to be a third party

7. Essential parties

 
XI. Article 11    back to top

A. Text of Article 11
B. Interpretation and Application of Article 11

1. Standard of review under the DSU

2. “objective assessment of the matter before it”

(a) “the matter before it”

(i) “General”

(ii) Finding on a claim not made by the complainant

(iii) Reference in Panel’s reasoning to provisions not included in the claims

(iv) Consideration of parties’ arguments by the Panel

(iv) Due process implications

(vi) Consultation of experts

3. “objective assessment of the facts”

(a) Extent of panels’ duty/discretion to examine the evidence

(i) Duty to examine all evidence

(ii) Panels’ discretion as trier and weigher of the facts

(iii) Egregious error calling into question the good faith of a panel

(b) Municipal law

(c) Drawing adverse inferences

(d) Timing of submission of evidence

(e) Temporal scope of the review

(f) Evidence obtained during consultations

(g) Relationship with Article 13

4. Objective assessment of whether the investigating authority’s explanation is reasoned and adequate: not a “de novo” review

5. “make such other findings”

6. Standard of review in trade remedy cases

(a) Agreement on Safeguards

(i) Application of general standard of review under Article 11 of the DSU

(ii) Objective assessment of whether the investigating authority’s explanation is reasoned and adequate: not a “de novo” review

(b) Transitional safeguard measure under the Agreement on Textiles and Clothing

(i) Application of general standard of review under Article 11 of the DSU

(c) Anti-dumping measures

(d) Countervailing measures

(i) Application of general standard of review under the DSU

7. Dissenting/separate opinions

8. Relationship with other Articles

(a) Articles 12 and 13

(b) Article 19

9. Relationship with non-WTO law

 
XI. Article 12    back to top

A. Text of Article 12
B. Interpretation and Application of Article 12

1. Article 12.1: Working Procedures

2. Article 12.2: flexibility

3. Article 12.6

(a) “submissions”

(i) Legal right to have a submission considered by the Panel

(ii) Meaning of the term “second written submission”

(b) “Any subsequent written submissions shall be submitted simultaneously”

4. Article 12.7

(a) “basic rationale behind any findings and recommendations”

5. Articles 12.8 and 12.9: deadlines for Panel review

(a) General

(b) Notification of delay in the issuance of a panel report to the parties

6. Article 12.10

(a) “the panel shall accord sufficient time for the developing country Member to prepare and present its argumentation”

7. Article 12.11

(a) Explicit indication in the panel’s report of how special and differential provisions were taken into account


XIII. Article 13    back to top

A. Text of Article 13
B. Interpretation and Application of Article 13

1. Article 13.1

(a) “right to seek information and technical advice from any individual or body”

(b) Right to disregard information submitted

(c) “A Member should respond promptly and fully to any request by a panel for such information as the panel considers necessary and appropriate”

2. Article 13.2

(a) “seek information from any relevant source”


XIV. Article 14    back to top

A. Text of Article 14
B. Interpretation and Application of Article 14

 
XV. Article 15    back to top

A. Text of Article 15
B. Interpretation and Application of Article 15

1. Scope of the interim review

2. Confidentiality of interim reports

3. Introduction of new evidence at the interim review stage


XVI. Article 16    back to top

A. Text of Article 16
B. Interpretation and Application of Article 16

1. Article 16.4

(a) Time-period under Article 16.4

XVII. Article 17    back to top

A. Text of Article 17
B. Interpretation and Application of Article 17

1. General

2. Article 17.1

(a) Establishment of the Appellate Body

3. Article 17.2

(a) Appointment of Members of the Appellate Body

4. Article 17.5

(a) “In no case shall the proceedings exceed 90 days”

(b) Extension of deadline for circulation of Appellate Body Report

5. Article 17.6: scope of appellate review

(a) “issues of law … and legal interpretations”

(i) Factual findings versus legal findings

(ii) Relevance of the characterization of a finding by the Panel

(iii) Statements of panels not amounting to “legal findings”

(iv) Review of new issues

(v) Review of new arguments

(vi) Review of new facts

(b) “Completing the analysis”

6. Article 17.9: Working procedures of the Appellate Body

(a) “Working procedures shall be drawn up by the Appellate Body”

7. Article 17.11: concurring opinions (Rule 3.2)

8. Article 17.13: “may uphold, modify or reverse the legal findings and conclusions of the panel”


XVIII. Article 18    back to top

A. Text of Article 18
B. Interpretation and Application of Article 18

1. Article 18.2

(a) Disclosure of “written submissions”

(i) Difference between “submissions” and “statements”

(ii) Timing of the disclosure

(b) Non-confidential versions of written submissions

(c) Business confidential information (BCI)

(d) Confidentiality implications of private counsel’s intervention

(i) General

(ii) Joint representation

 
XIX. Article 19    back to top

A. Text of Article 19
B. Interpretation and Application of Article 19

1. Article 19.1

(a) “bring the measure into conformity with that agreement”

 (i) Measure in force

(ii) Measure no longer in existence

(iii) Relevance of events that occurred during the proceedings

(b) “the panel … may suggest ways in which the Member concerned could implement the recommendation”

(i) Panel’s discretion to suggest ways to implement General Suggestions made by Panel of ways to implement Panel declines to suggest ways to implement

(ii) Choice of means of implementation

(iii) Surveillance of implementation

2. Article 19.2

3. Relationship with other Articles

(a) Article 11

(b) Articles 16, 21 and 22

4. Relationship with other WTO Agreements

(a) Article 4.7 of the SCM Agreement

 
XX. Article 20    back to top

A. Text of Article 20
B. Interpretation and Application of Article 20

 
XXI. Article 21    back to top

A. Text of Article 21
B. Interpretation and Application of Article 21

1. Article 21.1

(a) “prompt compliance”

(i) Concept of compliance

(ii) Promptness of compliance

2. Article 21.2

(a) “interests of developing country Members”

3. Article 21.3(c)

(a) Mandate of the arbitrator

(b) “reasonable period of time”

(i) Availability of the reasonable period of time

(ii) Concept of “reasonableness”

(iii) Length of the reasonable period of time

(iv) The application of WTO-inconsistent measures during the reasonable period of time

(v) Exception: prohibited subsidies

(c) “particular circumstances”

(i) Concept of “particular circumstances”

(ii) Relevance of “particular circumstances”

(iii) Factors amounting to “particular circumstances”

(iv) Factors not qualifying as “particular circumstances”

(v) Burden of proof

(d) Relationship with Article 22

(e) Participation by all the original parties

(f) Relationship with other WTO Agreements

(i) SCM Agreement

4. Article 21.5

(a) Function and scope of Article 21.5 proceedings

(b) The “matter” in Article 21.5 proceedings

(i) General

(ii) Measures concerned by Article 21.5 panel proceedings: measures taken to comply

(iii) Claims in Article 21.5 proceedings

(c) “through recourse to these dispute settlement procedures”

(i) General

(ii) Timing of the establishment of Article 21.5 panels

(iii) Parties’ submissions

(iv) Third-party rights: access to second written submissions by third parties

(d) Burden of proof

(e) List of disputes under Article 21.5

5. Ad hoc agreements on procedures under Articles 21 and 22 concluded by parties

(a) The sequencing issue

(b) Sequencing solutions in ad hoc procedural agreements

(i) Recourse to Article 21.5 before initiating Article 22 proceedings

(ii) Simultaneous Articles 21.5 and 22 proceedings

(iii) Agreement not to appeal the compliance report

(iv) Withdrawal of Article 22 arbitration request

(v) Direct recourse to Article 22

(vi) Agreement not to object to arbitration under Article 22.6

(vii) Non-application of the 30-day deadline in first sentence in Article 22.6

(c) Consultations

(d) Establishment of the panel

(e) Appointment of panellists

(f) Participation of experts

(g) Cooperation to ensure time-limits for the work of the compliance panel and Appellate Body are respected

(h) Non-prejudice of the parties’ other rights

(i) List of ad hoc agreements

(j) Panel’s scope of review of procedural agreements

6. Relationship with other Articles

(a) Article 6.2

(b) Article 12.7

 
XXII. Article 22    back to top

A. Text of Article 22
B. Interpretation and Application of Article 22

1. General

(i) Nature and purpose of countermeasures

(ii) Bilateral procedural agreements

(iii) Confidential information

2. Article 22.1

3. Article 22.2

(a) Specificity in the request for suspension of concessions or other obligations

(i) Application of Article 6.2 specificity requirement

(ii) Minimum specificity requirements

(b) “concessions or other obligations under the covered agreements”

(i) Tariff “concessions”

(ii) “Obligations”

4. Article 22.3

(a) Scope of review by arbitrators under Article 22.3

(b) “the complaining party shall apply the following principles and procedures”

5. Article 22.3(a)

(a) “general principle … complaining party should first seek to suspend concessions or other obligations with respect to the same sector(s)”

(i) General

(ii) Parallelism between violations and requests for suspension of concessions

(b) Scope of review of arbitrators under Article 22.5(a)

6. Article 22.3(b) and (c)

(a) “if that party considers that it is not practical or effective”

(b) Relationship between Article 22.3(a) and 22.3(c)

7. Article 22.4

(a) “The level of the suspension of concessions or other obligations … shall be equivalent to the level of the nullification or impairment”

8. Article 22.6

(a) Specificity in the request for a referral to arbitration under Article 22.6

(b) “by the original panel, if members are available, or by an arbitrator appointed by the Director-General”

(c) Burden of proof

(i) General

(ii) Burden of proof in subsidy arbitrations under Article 4.11 of the SCM Agreement

(d) Preliminary rulings

(e) Third-party rights

(f) Working procedures in Article 22.6 arbitrations

(g) List of Article 22.6 arbitration proceedings

9. Article 22.7

(a) The mandate of the Arbitrators

(b) “The arbitrator … shall determine whether the level of such suspension is equivalent to the level of nullification or impairment.”

(i) Assessment of the level of nullification or impairment

(ii) Assessment of the level of suspension of concessions

(iii) Standard of equivalence

(c) Exception: standard of appropriateness in subsidy arbitrations

(d) Separate opinions

(e) Suspension of concessions awarded under arbitration

10. Relationship with other Agreements

(a) Arbitrations pursuant to Articles 4.10 and 4.11 of the SCM Agreement

(i) Special or additional rules

(ii) Exception to the requirement of equivalence to the level of nullification or impairment

(iii) Concept of “appropriate countermeasures”

(iv) Arbitrators’ mandate pursuant to Article 4.11


XXIII. Article 23    back to top

A. Text of Article 23
B. Interpretation and Application of Article 23

1. General

2. Article 23.1

(a) “seek[ing] the redress of a WTO violation”

(b) “recourse to, and abide by”

3. Article 23.2(a)

4. Article 23.2(c)

(a) General

(b) Relationship with other provisions of the DSU

(i) Article 3.7

5. Relationship with other WTO Agreements

(a) SCM Agreement


XXIV. Article 24    back to top

A. Text of Article 24
B. Interpretation and Application of Article 24

 
XXV. Article 25    back to top

A. Text of Article 25
B. Interpretation and Application of Article 25

1. General

(a) Scope of the Arbitrators’ mandate under Article 25

(b) Jurisdiction of the Arbitrators under Article 25

(c) Burden of proof in Article 25 arbitrations

(d) Matters dealt under Article 25 arbitrations

(i) Nullification or impairment of benefits

(e) Right to seek and disregard information

(f) Treatment of confidential information

2. Article 25.1

(a) “expeditious arbitration … as an alternative means of dispute settlement”

(b) Differences compared with panel proceedings

3. Article 25.2

(a) Arbitration under Article 25 should only be excluded when expressly provided

4. Article 25.4

(a) General

(b) “Articles 21 and 22 …. shall apply mutatis mutandis

5. Relationship with other Articles

(a) Article 3.3

(b) Article 21

(c) Article 22.2

(d) Article 22.6

 
XXVI. Article 26    back to top

A. Text of Article 26
B. Interpretation and Application of Article 26

1. Article 26.1

(a) “detailed justification in support of any complaint”

2. Jurisprudence under Article XXIII:1(b)

C. Relationship with other WTO Agreements

1. Article XXIII:1(a) of the GATT 1994

2. Article XXIII:1(b) of the GATT 1994


XXVII. Article 27    back to top

A. Text of Article 27
B. Interpretation and Application of Article 27

 
XXVIII. Appendix 1: Agreements covered by the DSU    back to top

A. Text of Appendix 1
B. Interpretation and Application of Appendix 1

 
XXIX. Appendix 2: Special or Additional Dispute Settlement Rules and Procedures    back to top

A. Text of Appendix 2
B. Interpretation and Application of Appendix 2

 
XXX. Appendix 3: Panel Working Procedures    back to top

A. Text of Appendix 3
B. Interpretation and Application of Appendix 3

1. General

(a) Appendix 3 and the panel’s margin of discretion

(b) Working procedures as a means to ensure due process

2. Paragraph 3: non-confidential versions of written submissions

3. Paragraph 11: additional procedures

(a) Separate reports

(b) Composition of parties’ delegations

(c) Business confidential information (BCI)

(d) Preliminary rulings

(i) General

(ii) Procedures

(e) Participation of third parties in preliminary ruling proceedings

(f) Executive summaries

4. Timetable

(a) General

(b) Deadline for affirmative defence

(c) Timing of the submission of evidence

(d) Timing for raising objections to panels’ jurisdiction

(e) Timing for the filing of submissions with the WTO Dispute Settlement Registrar

 
XXXI. Appendix 4: Expert Review Groups    back to top

A. Text of Appendix 4
B. Interpretation and Application of Appendix 4

 
XXXII. Working Procedures for Appellate Review    back to top

A. Text of Working Procedures for Appellate Review
B. Interpretation and Application of the Appellate Body Working Procedures

1. General

2. Appellate Body’s authority to adopt procedural rules

3. Appellate Body’s authority to disregard its Working Procedures

4. Interpretation of the Working Procedures

5. Rule 3.1: decision-making

6. Rule 3.2: concurrent opinions

7. Rule 8: rules of conduct

8. Rule 13: replacement of Appellate Body member in a given appeal

9. Rule 16

(a) Rule 16(1): “appropriate procedure for the purposes of that appeal only”

(b) Rule 16(2): “exceptional circumstances”

(c) Rule 16(2): change of date

10. Rule 20: notice of appeal

(a) Purpose of the notice of appeal

(b) Rule 20(2)(d): “brief statement of the nature of appeal, including the allegations of error”

(i) Identification standard

(ii) Distinction between “claims of error” and “legal arguments”

(iii) Claims not included in the notice of appeal

(iv) Amendment of the notice of appeal

(v) Replacement of a notice of appeal

(vi) Article 11 of the DSU: allegation of a panel’s failure to make an objective assessment

11. Rule 23: multiple appeals (cross appeal)

(a) Conditional appeals

12. Rule 24: third participants

13. Rule 26: working schedule

(a) Extension of deadline for participants’ or third participants’ submissions

(b) Extension of deadline for circulation of Appellate Body Report

14. Rule 27: oral hearing

(a) Change of date

(b) Joint oral hearing

15. Rule 28: written responses

16. Rule 30(1): withdrawal of appeal

(a) General

(b) Nature of the right to withdraw an appeal

(c) Legality of a conditional withdrawal of an appeal

(d) Replacement of a notice of appeal


XXXIII. Working Procedures for Article 22.6 Arbitrations    back to top

A. Text of the Working Procedures for Article 22.6 Arbitrations
B. Interpretation and Application of the Working Procedures

1. Admissibility of new evidence

2. Admissibility of new arguments

3. Confidential/non-confidential versions of the Arbitrators’ decision


XXXIV. Rules of Conduct for the Understanding on Rules and Procedures Governing the Settlement of Disputes    back to top

A. Text of the Rules of Conduct
B. Interpretation and Application of the Rules of Conduct


XXXV. Rules of Procedure for Meetings of the Dispute Settlement Body    back to top

A. Text of the Rules of Procedure
B. Interpretation and Application of the Rules of Procedure

1. Adoption

2. Reference to General Council procedures

XXXVI. Other Issues in WTO Dispute Settlement Proceedings    back to top

A. Order of Analysis

1. Provisions of different WTO Agreements

(a) Test: Agreement that deals specifically and in detail with the measure at issue

(i) GATT 1994 versus Licensing Agreement

(ii) GATT 1994 versus SPS Agreement

(iii) GATT 1994 versus TBT Agreement

(iv) GATT 1994 versus Agreement on Agriculture

(v) GATT 1994 versus SCM Agreement

(vi) GATT 1994 versus TRIMs Agreement

2. Provisions within the same Agreement

(a) GATT 1994

(i) Articles III and XI

(b) GATS

(i) Annex on Telecommunication and Member’s Reference Paper on Commitments

(c) SCM Agreement

(i) Articles 1.1 and 3.1(a)

(ii) Articles 3.1(a) and 27.4

(d) TRIPS Agreement

(i) Articles 33 and 70

B. Due Process in WTO Dispute Settlement Proceedings

1. Standard panel working procedures as a tool to ensure due process

2. Due process demands when identifying the measures and claims at issue

3. Identification of appealed measures

4. Right of response

C. Preliminary Rulings

1. General

(a) Lack of regulation in standard working procedures

(b) Absence of a requirement to rule on a preliminary basis

(c) Preliminary ruling procedures followed in certain disputes

(d) Participation of third parties in preliminary ruling proceedings

(e) Preliminary rulings in Article 22.6 Arbitrations

2. Parties’ objections

3. Issues that have been the object of a preliminary objection

(a) Adequacy of consultations

(b) Compliance of panel request with Article 6.2 requirements

(c) Panel composition

(d) Panel’s jurisdiction

(i) Measures withdrawn before establishment of the Panel

(ii) Double fora

(iii) Claims outside the panel’s terms of reference

(e) Clarity of claims in written submissions

(f) Evidence

(i) Timing of the submission of evidence

(ii) Information not made available to the investigating authorities

(g) Third-party rights

(i) Third-party participation in preliminary proceedings

(ii) Access to second written submissions by third parties in Article 21.5 proceedings

(h) Confidentiality

(i) Breach of confidentiality of the consultation process

(ii) Disclosure of written submissions

(iii) Non-confidential versions of written submissions

(iv) Business confidential information

(v) Confidentiality concerns when private counsel intervene

(i) Private counsel

(j) Panel’s timetable

(k) Executive summaries

(l) Meaning of the term “second written submissions”

(m) Timing for the filing of submissions in panel proceedings

(n) Amicus curiae

4. Timing

(a) Promptness of objections

(b) Timing of the preliminary ruling

D. Burden of Proof

1. The rule on burden of proof

2. Evidence and arguments remain in equipoise

3. Establishing a prima facie case

(a) What is a prima facie case?

(b) Source of evidence for a prima facie case

(c) No need to state explicitly that a prima facie case has been made.

4. Relevance of the difficulty of collecting information to prove a case

5. Necessary collaboration of the parties

6. Relationship between the burden of proof and a panel’s fact-finding mandate

7. Relevance of the mandatory/discretionary distinction

8. Application of the burden of proof in the context of a given WTO Agreement

(a) Burden of proof in the GATT 1994

(b) Burden of proof under the Enabling Clause

(c) Burden of proof in the SPS Agreement

(i) Burden of proof in the context of Article 2.2 of the SPS Agreement

(d) Burden of proof in the SCM Agreement

(e) Burden of proof in the TRIPS Agreement

(f) Burden of proof in the TBT Agreement

(g) Burden of proof in the Agreement on Agriculture

(h) Burden of proof in Article 21.3(c) arbitrations

(i) Burden of proof in Article 21.5 compliance panel proceedings

(j) Burden of proof in Article 22.6 arbitrations

E. Private Counsel

1. Presence of private counsel in oral hearings

2. Confidentiality concerns

3. Conflict of interest

F. Judicial Economy

1. Legal basis for the exercise of judicial economy

2. Exercise of judicial economy with respect to arguments

3. No obligation to exercise judicial economy

4. Requirement for a panel to state it is exercising judicial economy

5. “False” judicial economy

G. Amicus Curiae Briefs

1. Access to the dispute settlement process by non-WTO members

2. Authority to admit amicus curiae briefs

3. Appellate Body additional procedure for amicus curiae briefs

4. Admission/rejection of amicus curiae briefs

XXXVII. Time-Frames in Relation to Panel and Appellate Body Reports    back to top

 

150pxls.gif (76 bytes)
 

contact us : World Trade Organization, rue de Lausanne 154, CH-1211 Geneva 21, Switzerland