WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONWT/DS217/7
WT/DS234/15
19 April 2002
(02-2197)
Original: English
UNITED STATES – CONTINUED DUMPING
AND SUBSIDY OFFSET ACT OF 2000
Communication from the Chairman of the Panel
The following communication, dated 17 April 2002, addressed to the Dispute Settlement
Body, is circulated pursuant to Article 12.9 of the DSU.
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Article 12.8 of the DSU stipulates that the period in which a panel shall conduct its
examination, from the date that the composition and terms of reference of the panel have been agreed
upon until the date that the final report is issued to the parties, shall, as a general rule, not exceed six
months.
Article 12.9 of the DSU states that when a panel considers that it cannot issue its report within
six months, it shall inform the DSB in writing of the reasons for the delay, together with an estimate
of the period within which it will issue its report.
The Panel on United States – Continued Dumping and Subsidy Offset Act of 2000  (DS217 and
DS234) was established as a single panel by the DSB at its meetings on 23 August 2001 and
10 September 2001. The single Panel was composed on 25 October 2001.
It will not, however, be possible for the Panel to complete its work in six months since the
parties were given the maximum amount of time for preparing submissions and oral statements.
The Panel expects to complete its work by July 2002.
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