WORLD TRADE WT/DS87/5
6October 1997
ORGANIZATION(97-4258)
Original: English
CHILE -TAXES ONALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES
Request fortheEstablishment ofaPanel bytheEuropean Communities
Thefollowing communication, dated 3October 1997, fromthePermanent Delegation ofthe
European Commission totheChairman oftheDispute Settlement Body, iscirculated attherequest
ofthatdelegation.
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TheEuropean Communities requested consultations withChile on4June1997under Article 4
oftheUnderstanding onRules andProcedures Governing theSettlement ofDisputes (DSU) and
Article XXII:1 ofGATT 1994 regarding theSpecial Sales TaxonSpirits inChile.
On3July1997, consultations were heldbetween thetwoparties withaviewtoreaching a
mutually satisfactory solution. Unfortunately, theconsultations failed tosettle thedispute.
TheEuropean Communities hereby request thatapanel beestablished atthenextmeeting of
theDispute Settlement Body (DSB) pursuant toArticle 6oftheDSU andArticle XXIII:2 ofGATT
1994.
TheEuropean Communities claim thatChile, byaccording apreferential taxtreatment, through
theSpecial Sales TaxonSpirits, toPisco vis-à-vis certain alcoholic beverages falling within HS
heading2208,hasactedinconsistentlywithArticleIII:2ofGATT1994,thereforenullifyingorimpairing
thebenefits accruing totheEuropean Communities under GATT 1994.
TheEuropeanCommunitiesrequestthatthePanelbeestablishedwithstandardtermsofreference
assetoutinArticle 7oftheDSU.