WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONWT/DS200/4
23 June 2000
(00-2554)
Original:  English
UNITED STATES – SECTION 306 OF THE TRADE ACT OF 1974
AND AMENDMENTS THERETO
Request to Join Consultations
Communication from Japan
The following communication, dated 19 June 2000, from the Permanent Mission of Japan to
the Permanent Mission of the United States, the Permanent Delegation of the European Commission
and to the Chairman of the Dispute Settlement Body, is circulated in accordance with Article 4.11 of
the DSU.
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Pursuant to Article 4.11 of the Understanding on Rules and Procedures Governing the
Settlement of Disputes (DSU), the Government of Ja pan hereby notifies its desire to be joined in the
consultations requested by the European Communities under Article 4 of the DSU and Article XXII:1
of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade 1994 (GATT 1994), with regard to Section 306 of the
Trade Act of 1974, as last amended by Section 407 of the Trade and Development Act of 2000
(Public Law 106-200).  The communication from the Permanent Delegation of the European
Commission dated 5 June 2000 to the Permanent Mission of the United States and to the Chairman of
the Dispute Settlement Body was circulated to WTO Members on 13 June 2000 (WT/DS200/1,
G/L/386) entitled "United States – Section 306 of the Trade Act of 1974 and Amendments Thereto".
As one of the major beneficiaries of the multilateral trading system under the WTO, Japan has
a substantial trade interest in the consultations, si nce the US measure in question poses a threat to the
multilateral nature of the dispute settlement under the WTO, as it mandates a suspension of, or
threatens to suspend, concessions or other obligations other than those for which authorization hasbeen granted by the DSB.
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