WORLD TRADE WT/DS62/9
WT/DS67/7
ORGANIZATION WT/DS68/6
19May1998
(98-2132)
Original: English
EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES -CUSTOMS CLASSIFICATION
OFCERTAIN COMPUTER EQUIPMENT
Communication from theAppellate Body
Thefollowing communication, dated 19May1998, fromtheChairman oftheAppellate Body
addressed totheChairman oftheDispute Settlement Body, iscirculated inaccordance withArticle 17.5
oftheUnderstanding onRules andProcedures Governing theSettlement ofDisputes.
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Iamwriting toyoupursuant toArticle 17.5oftheUnderstanding onRules andProcedures
Governing theSettlement ofDisputes ,which stipulates that,asageneral rule,theAppellate Body will
circulate itsreport nolaterthan60daysaftertheappellant hasformally notified itsdecision toappeal.
Article 17.5states, furthermore, thatwhen theAppellate Body considers thatitcannot provide itsreport
within 60days, itshallinform theDSBinwriting ofthereasons forthedelay together withanestimate
oftheperiod within which itwillsubmit itsreport.
TheEuropeanCommunitiesnotifiedtheDisputeSettlementBodyofitsdecisiontoappealcertain
issues oflawcovered inthePanel Report andlegal interpretations developed bythePanel on
24March 1998, withtheresult thatthe60-day period willexpire onMonday, 25May1998. Due
tothetimerequired fortranslation oftheReport, theAppellate Body willnotbeabletocirculate its
Report by25May1998. Weestimate thattheAppellate Body Report inthisappeal willbecirculated
toWTO Members by5June1998.
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