WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONWT/DS210/3
8 June 2001
(01-2833)
BELGIUM – ADMINISTRATION OF MEASURES
ESTABLISHING CUSTOMS DUTIES FOR RICE
Constitution of the Panel Established at the Request of the United States
Note by the Secretariat
1. At its meeting on 12 March 2001 (WT/DSB/M/101 ), in accordance with Article 6 of the
Dispute Settlement Understanding (DSU), the Disp ute Settlement Body (DSB) established a Panel
pursuant to the request made by the Un ited States in document WT/DS210/2.
2. At that meeting, the parties to the dispute also agreed that the Panel should have standard
terms of reference.  The terms of reference are, therefore, the following:
"To examine, in the light of the relevant provisions of the covered agreements cited
by the United States in document WT/DS 210/2, the matter referred to the DSB by the
United States in that document, and to make such findings as will assist the DSB inmaking the recommendations or in giving the rulings provided for in those
agreements."
3. On 29 May 2001, the United States requested the Director-General to determine the
composition of the Panel, pursuant to paragraph 7 of Article 8 of the DSU.  This paragraph provides:
"If there is no agreement on the panelists within 20 days after the date of the
establishment of a panel, at the request of either party, the Director-General, inconsultation with the Chairman of the DSB and the Chairman of the relevant Council
or Committee, shall determine the composition of the panel by appointing the
panelists whom the Director-General considers most appropriate in accordance with
any relevant special or additional rules or procedures of the covered agreement or
covered agreements which are at issue in the dispute, after consulting with the partiesto the dispute.  The Chairman of the DSB shall inform the Members of the
composition of the panel thus formed no later than 10 days after the date the
Chairman receives such a request."
4. On 7 June 2001, the Director-General accordingly composed the Panel as follows:
Chairman: Mr. Mohamed Nacer Benjelloun-Touimi
Members: Mr. Donald MacLaren
Mr. Jooha Woo
5. India and Japan have reserved their rights to participate in the panel proceedings as third
parties.
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