ANNEX 2 UNDERSTANDING ON RULES AND PROCEDURES GOVERNING THE SETTLEMENT OF DISPUTES.docx

ANNEX 2 UNDERSTANDING ON RULES AND PROCEDURES GOVERNING THE SETTLEMENT OF DISPUTES.docx

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ANNEX2UNDERSTANDINGONRULESANDPROCEDURESGOVERNINGTHESETTLEMENTOFDISPUTES

ANNEX2

UNDERSTANDINGONRULESANDPROCEDURES

GOVERNINGTHESETTLEMENTOFDISPUTES

Membersherebyagreeasfollows:

Article1

CoverageandApplication

1.TherulesandproceduresofthisUnderstandingshallapplytodisputesbroughtpursuanttotheconsultationanddisputesettlementprovisionsoftheagreementslistedinAppendix1tothisUnderstanding（referredtointhisUnderstandingasthe"coveredagreements"）.TherulesandproceduresofthisUnderstandingshallalsoapplytoconsultationsandthesettlementofdisputesbetweenMembersconcerningtheirrightsandobligationsundertheprovisionsoftheAgreementEstablishingtheWorldTradeOrganization（referredtointhisUnderstandingasthe"WTOAgreement"）andofthisUnderstandingtakeninisolationorincombinationwithanyothercoveredagreement.

2.TherulesandproceduresofthisUnderstandingshallapplysubjecttosuchspecialoradditionalrulesandproceduresondisputesettlementcontainedinthecoveredagreementsasareidentifiedinAppendix2tothisUnderstanding.TotheextentthatthereisadifferencebetweentherulesandproceduresofthisUnderstandingandthespecialoradditionalrulesandproceduressetforthinAppendix 2,thespecialoradditionalrulesandproceduresinAppendix2shallprevail.Indisputesinvolvingrulesandproceduresundermorethanonecoveredagreement,ifthereisaconflictbetweenspecialoradditionalrulesandproceduresofsuchagreementsunderreview,andwherethepartiestothedisputecannotagreeonrulesandprocedureswithin20daysoftheestablishmentofthepanel,theChairmanoftheDisputeSettlementBodyprovidedforinparagraph1ofArticle2（referredtointhisUnderstandingasthe"DSB"）,inconsultationwiththepartiestothedispute,shalldeterminetherulesandprocedurestobefollowedwithin10daysafterarequestbyeitherMember.TheChairmanshallbeguidedbytheprinciplethatspecialoradditionalrulesandproceduresshouldbeusedwherepossible,andtherulesandproceduressetoutinthisUnderstandingshouldbeusedtotheextentnecessarytoavoidconflict.

Article2

Administration

1.TheDisputeSettlementBodyisherebyestablishedtoadministertheserulesandproceduresand,exceptasotherwiseprovidedinacoveredagreement,theconsultationanddisputesettlementprovisionsofthecoveredagreements.Accordingly,theDSBshallhavetheauthoritytoestablishpanels,adoptpanelandAppellateBodyreports,maintainsurveillanceofimplementationofrulingsandrecommendations,andauthorizesuspensionofconcessionsandotherobligationsunderthecoveredagreements.WithrespecttodisputesarisingunderacoveredagreementwhichisaPlurilateralTradeAgreement,theterm"Member"asusedhereinshallreferonlytothoseMembersthatarepartiestotherelevantPlurilateralTradeAgreement.WheretheDSBadministersthedisputesettlementprovisionsofaPlurilateralTradeAgreement,onlythoseMembersthatarepartiestothatAgreementmayparticipateindecisionsoractionstakenbytheDSBwithrespecttothatdispute.

2.TheDSBshallinformtherelevantWTOCouncilsandCommitteesofanydevelopmentsindisputesrelatedtoprovisionsoftherespectivecoveredagreements.

3.TheDSBshallmeetasoftenasnecessarytocarryoutitsfunctionswithinthetime-framesprovidedinthisUnderstanding.

4.WheretherulesandproceduresofthisUnderstandingprovidefortheDSBtotakeadecision,itshalldosobyconsensus.

Article3

GeneralProvisions

1.MembersaffirmtheiradherencetotheprinciplesforthemanagementofdisputesheretoforeappliedunderArticlesXXIIandXXIIIofGATT1947,andtherulesandproceduresasfurtherelaboratedandmodifiedherein.

2.ThedisputesettlementsystemoftheWTOisacentralelementinprovidingsecurityandpredictabilitytothemultilateraltradingsystem.TheMembersrecognizethatitservestopreservetherightsandobligationsofMembersunderthecoveredagreements,andtoclarifytheexistingprovisionsofthoseagreementsinaccordancewithcustomaryrulesofinterpretationofpublicinternationallaw.RecommendationsandrulingsoftheDSBcannotaddtoordiminishtherightsandobligationsprovidedinthecoveredagreements.

3.ThepromptsettlementofsituationsinwhichaMemberconsidersthatanybenefitsaccruingtoitdirectlyorindirectlyunderthecoveredagreementsarebeingimpairedbymeasurestakenbyanotherMemberisessentialtotheeffectivefunctioningoftheWTOandthemaintenanceofaproperbalancebetweentherightsandobligationsofMembers.

4.RecommendationsorrulingsmadebytheDSBshallbeaimedatachievingasatisfactorysettlementofthematterinaccordancewiththerightsandobligationsunderthisUnderstandingandunderthecoveredagreements.

5.Allsolutionstomattersformallyraisedundertheconsultationanddisputesettlementprovisionsofthecoveredagreements,includingarbitrationawards,shallbeconsistentwiththoseagreementsandshallnotnullifyorimpairbenefitsaccruingtoanyMemberunderthoseagreements,norimpedetheattainmentofanyobjectiveofthoseagreements.

6.MutuallyagreedsolutionstomattersformallyraisedundertheconsultationanddisputesettlementprovisionsofthecoveredagreementsshallbenotifiedtotheDSBandtherelevantCouncilsandCommittees,whereanyMembermayraiseanypointrelatingthereto.

7.Beforebringingacase,aMembershallexerciseitsjudgementastowhetheractionundertheseprocedureswouldbefruitful.Theaimofthedisputesettlementmechanismistosecureapositivesolutiontoadispute.Asolutionmutuallyacceptabletothepartiestoadisputeandconsistentwiththecoveredagreementsisclearlytobepreferred.Intheabsenceofamutuallyagreedsolution,thefirstobjectiveofthedisputesettlementmechanismisusuallytosecurethewithdrawalofthemeasuresconcernedifthesearefoundtobeinconsistentwiththeprovisionsofanyofthecoveredagreements.Theprovisionofcompensationshouldberesortedtoonlyiftheimmediatewithdrawalofthemeasureisimpracticableandasatemporarymeasurependingthewithdrawalofthemeasurewhichisinconsistentwithacoveredagreement.ThelastresortwhichthisUnderstandingprovidestotheMemberinvokingthedisputesettlementproceduresisthepossibilityofsuspendingtheapplicationofconcessionsorotherobligationsunderthecoveredagreementsonadiscriminatorybasisvis-à-vistheotherMember,subjecttoauthorizationbytheDSBofsuchmeasures.

8.Incaseswherethereisaninfringementoftheobligationsassumedunderacoveredagreement,theactionisconsideredprima facietoconstituteacaseofnullificationorimpairment.ThismeansthatthereisnormallyapresumptionthatabreachoftheruleshasanadverseimpactonotherMemberspartiestothatcoveredagreement,andinsuchcases,itshallbeuptotheMemberagainstwhomthecomplainthasbeenbroughttorebutthecharge.

9.TheprovisionsofthisUnderstandingarewithoutprejudicetotherightsofMemberstoseekauthoritativeinterpretationofprovisionsofacoveredagreementthroughdecision-makingundertheWTOAgreementoracoveredagreementwhichisaPlurilateralTradeAgreement.

10.Itisunderstoodthatrequestsforconciliationandtheuseofthedisputesettlementproceduresshouldnotbeintendedorconsideredascontentiousactsandthat,ifadisputearises,allMemberswillengageintheseproceduresingoodfaithinanefforttoresolvethedispute.Itisalsounderstoodthatcomplaintsandcounter-complaintsinregardtodistinctmattersshouldnotbelinked.

11.ThisUnderstandingshallbeappliedonlywithrespecttonewrequestsforconsultationsundertheconsultationprovisionsofthecoveredagreementsmadeonorafterthedateofentryintoforceoftheWTOAgreement.WithrespecttodisputesforwhichtherequestforconsultationswasmadeunderGATT1947orunderanyotherpredecessoragreementtothecoveredagreementsbeforethedateofentryintoforceoftheWTOAgreement,therelevantdisputesettlementrulesandproceduresineffectimmediatelypriortothedateofentryintoforceoftheWTOAgreementshallcontinuetoapply.

12.Notwithstandingparagraph11,ifacomplaintbasedonanyofthecoveredagreementsisbroughtbyadevelopingcountryMemberagainstadevelopedcountryMember,thecomplainingpartyshallhavetherighttoinvoke,asanalternativetotheprovisionscontainedinArticles 4,5,6and12ofthisUnderstanding,thecorrespondingprovisionsoftheDecisionof5April 1966（BISD14S/18）,exceptthatwherethePanelconsidersthatthetime-frameprovidedforinparagraph7ofthatDecisionisinsufficienttoprovideitsreportandwiththeagreementofthecomplainingparty,thattime-framemaybeextended.TotheextentthatthereisadifferencebetweentherulesandproceduresofArticles 4,5, 6and 12andthecorrespondingrulesandproceduresoftheDecision,thelattershallprevail.

Article4

Consultations

1.MembersaffirmtheirresolvetostrengthenandimprovetheeffectivenessoftheconsultationproceduresemployedbyMembers.

2.EachMemberundertakestoaccordsympatheticconsiderationtoandaffordadequateopportunityforconsultationregardinganyrepresentationsmadebyanotherMemberconcerningmeasuresaffectingtheoperationofanycoveredagreementtakenwithintheterritoryoftheformer.

3.Ifarequestforconsultationsismadepursuanttoacoveredagreement,theMembertowhichtherequestismadeshall,unlessotherwisemutuallyagreed,replytotherequestwithin10daysafterthedateofitsreceiptandsha