WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONWT/DS146/6
WT/DS175/6
21 August 2001
(01-4058)
Original:  English
INDIA — MEASURES AFFECTING THE AUTOMOTIVE SECTOR
Communication from the Chairman of the Panel
The following communication, dated 21 May 2001, addressed to the Dispute Settlement Body
(DSB), is circulated in accordance with Article 12.9 of the Dispute Settlement Understanding (DSU).
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Article 12.8 of the Understanding on Rules and Procedures Governing the Settlement of
Disputes (DSU) provides 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 states that when a panel considers that it cannot issue its report within six
months, it shall inform the Dispute Settlement Body (DSB) in writing of the reasons for the delay
together with an estimate of the period within which it will issue its report.
At is meeting of 17 November 2000, the DSB agreed that, in accordance with Article 9.1 of
the DSU, the panel established on 27 July to examine the complaint by the United States, contained in
WT/DS175/4, should also examine the complaint by the European Communities, contained inWT/DS146/4.  The Panel was constituted on 24 November 2000.  Primarily due to requests by the
Parties for more time in making their submissions, the Panel will not be able to issue its report within
six months.
The Panel, in agreement with the Parties, expe cts to complete its work by the end of the
summer.
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