RESTRICTED
WORLD TRADE WT/DS7/9
9February 1996
ORGANIZATION(96-0494)
Original: English
EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES -TRADE DESCRIPTION OFSCALLOPS
Communication from theChairman ofthePanel
Thefollowing communication, dated 6February 1996andaddressed totheDispute Settlement
Body, iscirculated inaccordance withArticle 12.9oftheDSU.
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Article 12.8 oftheDSU stipulates thattheperiod inwhich thepanel shall conduct its
examination, fromthedatethatthecomposition andterms ofreference ofthepanel havebeenagreed
uponuntilthedatethefinalreport isissued totheparties, shall, asageneral rule,notexceed sixmonths.
Article 12.9oftheDSUstates thatwhen thepanel considers thatitcannot issueitsreport within
sixmonths, itshallinform theDispute Settlement Body (DSB) inwriting ofthereasons forthedelay
together withanestimate oftheperiod within which itwillissue itsreport.
ThePanel on"European Communities -Trade Description ofScallops, request byCanada"
wasestablished bytheDSBon19July1995andparties agreed onitscomposition andterms ofreference
on6September 1995. Inthelightofrequests bytheparties, itwasdecided thatthetimetables ofthe
tworelated disputes onTrade Description ofScallops (thepresent oneandtheoneinvolving Peruand
Chile) would beharmonized. Consequently, thePanel willnotbeabletoissue itsreport within six
months.
ThePanel, inagreement withtheParties, expects tocomplete itsworkbytheendofApril 1996.