WORLD TRADE WT/DS87/3
25June1997
ORGANIZATION
(97-2620)
Original: English
CHILE -TAXES ONALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES
Request toJoinConsultations
Communication from theUnited States
Thefollowing communication, dated 23June 1997, from thePermanent Mission ofthe
UnitedStatestothePermanentMissionofChile,thePermanentDelegationoftheEuropeanCommission
andtotheDispute Settlement Body, iscirculated inaccordance withArticle 4.11oftheDSU.
_________________________
Pursuant toparagraph 11ofArticle 4oftheUnderstanding onRules andProcedures Governing
theSettlement ofDisputes, theUnited States Government hereby notifies theDispute Settlement Body
that, inlight ofthesubstantial trade interest oftheUnited States, itdesires tobejoined inthe
consultations under Article XXII:1 ofGATT 1994 requested bytheEuropean Communities ina
communication circulated toWTO Members on11June1997 (WT/DS87/1), entitled "Chile -Taxes
onAlcoholic Beverages".
TheUnited States hasasubstantial tradeinterest inthealcoholic beverages thatarethesubject
oftheECrequest. TheUnited States isamajor producer andexporter ofdistilled spirits. United States
distilled spirits production in1996 wasestimated at$3.8billion, approximately 17percentofworld
production. Total U.S.distilled spirits exports in1996 were$385 million. Chile isthe19thlargest
market forU.S.distilled spirits exports. U.S.exports ofdistilled spirits werevalued at$1.1million
in1996.