WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONWT/DS245/4
21 January 2003
(03-0331)
Original:  English
JAPAN - MEASURES AFFECTING THE IMPORTATION OF APPLES
Communication from the Chairman of the Panel
The following communication, dated 16 January 2003, addressed to the Chairman of the
Dispute Settlement Body (DSB), is circulated in accordance with Article 12.9 of the Dispute
Settlement Understanding.
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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 whic h 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 final
report 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 Settleme nt 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 Japan - Measures Affecting the Importation of Apples   (WT/DS245) was
established by the DSB on 3 June 2002 and composed on 16 July 2002.
It will not, however, be possible for the Panel to complete its work in six months due to the
complexity of the matter and the Panel's decision to seek technical and scientific expertise pursuant to
Article 11 of the Agreement on Sanitary and Phyt osanitary Measures and Article 13 of the  DSU.
The Panel expects to issue its final report to the parties by the end of May 2003.
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