WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONWT/DS243/7
10 April 2003
(03-1975)
Original:  English
UNITED STATES – RULES OF ORIGIN FOR TEXTILES
AND APPAREL PRODUCTS
Communication from the Chairman of the Panel
The following communication, dated 9 April 2003, addressed to the Chairman of the Dispute
Settlement Body (DSB), is circulated in accord ance 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 the finalreport is issued to the parties to the dispute, shall, as a general rule, not exceed six months.
Article 12.9 of the DSU provides 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.
The Panel on United States – Rules of Origin for Textiles and Apparel Products
 (WT/DS243)
was established by the DSB on 24 June 2002 and composed on 10 October 2002.
Due to the complexity of the matter, the Panel will not, however, be able to complete its work
in six months.
The Panel expects to issue its final report to the parties in early May.
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