WORLD TRADE WT/DS26/8
28November 1996
ORGANIZATION (96-5050)
Original: English
EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES -MEASURES CONCERNING MEAT
AND MEAT PRODUCTS (HORMONES)
Communication from theChairman ofthePanel
Thefollowingcommunication,dated28November1996andaddressedtotheDisputeSettlement
Body, iscirculated inaccordance withArticle 12.9oftheDSU.
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Article 12.8 oftheDSU stipulates thattheperiod inwhich thepanel shall conduct its
examination, fromthedatethatthecomposition andterms ofreference ofthepanel havebeenagreed
uponuntilthedatethefinalreport isissued totheparties, shall, asageneral rule,notexceed sixmonths.
Article 12.9oftheDSUstates thatwhen thepanel considers thatitcannot issueitsreport within
sixmonths, itshallinform theDispute Settlement Body (DSB) inwriting ofthereasons forthedelay
together withanestimate oftheperiod within which itwillissue itsreport.
ThePanel on"European Communities -Measures Concerning Meat andMeat Products
(Hormones)" wasestablished bytheDSBon20May1996 andtheParties agreed onitscomposition
andterms ofreference on2July1996.
ThePanel decided toseektheadvice offourscientific experts, asforeseen inArticle 13.2,
firstsentence oftheDSU, andinArticle 11.2, firstsentence oftheSPSAgreement. Itappears that
theprocedures forconsultation ofthescientific experts, agreed bytheParties onaninformal meeting
heldin25October 1996, willresult inadelay ofthePanel procedures. Therefore, thepanel willnot
beabletoissue itsreport within thesixmonths 'period.
ThePanel expects tocomplete itswork bynolaterthanMay1997.