The DSB adopts the second compliance Panel and Appellate Body reports in the FSC dispute

The DSB adopted today (14 March 2006) the Appellate Body and the Panel reports on the European Communities’ second recourse to Article 21.5 in the “United States: Tax treatment for ‘Foreign Sales Corporations’” .

Adoption of Appellate Body and Panel reports  

When a panel report comes out, it is either adopted by the Dispute Settlement Body or appealed by one or more main parties to the dispute. When the Appellate Body report comes out, it is automatically adopted by the DSB — unless there is consensus to reject it — and becomes binding.

US Tax Treatment for ‘Foreign Sales Corporations’

The DSB adopted the Appellate Body and the Panel reports on the European Communities’ second recourse to Article 21.5 in this dispute.

The EC said that the Appellate Body report confirmed the WTO incompatibility of the transitional and grandfathering provisions in the American Jobs Creation Act, repealing the FSC/ETI. The EC recalled that the countermeasures were initially introduced at a lower level than the amount allowed by the WTO arbitrator in 2002 and they were suspended. The EC notified the DSB that a mandatory EC legislation provide the reintroduction of the suspended sanctions 60 days from the DSB's adoption of the compliance panel and appeal body reports. Finally, the EC requested further information regarding the “Trade Sanctions Avoidance Act”, a repealing bill introduced on 8 March 2006 into the US Congress.

The US said that while it was disappointed that the Appellate Body did not reverse the compliance panel in the issues on appeal, it was pleased that the Appellate Body provided clarification on these issues. In addition, the US said that although the conclusion confirmed that the US had largely withdrawn the subsidies at issue, this second proceeding provided little more than the first proceeding results.
Following the US statement, the EC reacted by saying that the remaining benefit to be over 750 million dollars was not insignificant and added that these benefits would last possibly until 2012 and even beyond.

Brazil also argued that unless and until a WTO Member remove the WTO inconsistency of its challenged measures, every compliance proceeding must conclude that the illegality found in the original proceeding remains.

Request for information-gathering process and facilitator under Annex V of the Subsidies Agreement 

争端解决机构采纳了第二履行专家组和上诉机构就外国服务业公司争端解决的报告

2006年3月14日，争端解决机构采纳了上诉机构和专家组有关欧盟依据21条5款再次追诉美国对外国服务业公司税收待遇案的报告。

  专家小组报告出台后，或者是被专家解决机构采纳或者是被争端的一方或争端的主要方上诉于上诉处理机构去裁决。上诉处理机构的报告出台后，除非一致否决，否则将自动被专家解决机构采纳。

争端解决机构采纳了上诉机构和专家组关于欧盟依据21条5款对美国提起追诉案的报告。

欧盟认为上诉机构的报告确认了《美国就业机会创造法案》中的过渡性条款和世界贸易组织协定的规则和精神是相矛盾的，并且否决了《外销公司法》的有关规定。

欧盟回忆说，2002年最初发起的报复性措施远远低于世界贸易组织协定中规定的数量，并且已经暂停。欧盟声明，按照欧盟的强制性法规的规定，争端解决机构采纳“履行专家组”和上诉机构报告，60天后欧盟将恢复暂停的报复性措施。最后，欧盟要求对《避免商业制裁法案》进行进一步的了解。

? ??美国对于上诉机构没有改变“履行专家组”的报告表示失望，但是，对上诉机构对于争论点的阐述表示了满意。此外，美国认为，虽然做出的结论确认了美国在很大程度上撤消了补贴，但是第二进程较第一进程收效甚微。

继美国的陈述后，欧盟回应认为，现存的超过75千万的利润已经是相当可观的，这一利润有可能持续到2012年，甚至更久远。

巴西声称，直到每个世贸组织成员能消除和世贸组织协定规则和精神相矛盾的竞争措施，每一步履行进程才能消除在最初进程中保留的非法行为。

The DSB establishes panels for examining three different cases

The DSB, on 17 March 2006, established three panels to examine the Mexican anti-dumping duties on steel pipes and tubes brought by Guatemala; the Turkish measures affecting the US importation of rice? and; the US sunset reviews of anti-dumping measures on oil country tubular goods from Argentina

These are cases that have completed the consultation phase, the first stage of a dispute. When consultations have failed, member governments are entitled to ask for a panel to be set up to examine the dispute. According to the rules, the respondent can reject the first request. At the second request, a panel is automatically established.

Mexico — Anti-Dumping Duties on Steel Pipes and Tubes from Guatemala

Guatemala requested for the second time a panel to examine the definitive anti-dumping measures imposed by Mexico on imports of certain steel pipes and tubes from Guatemala and the investigation leading to the imposition of these measures initiated by the Mexican investigating authority, the Secretaría de Economía.
Mexico expressed disappointment over the decision by Guatemala to request the establishment of the panel. It still hoped that a mutually satisfactory solution to the dispute could be found.
The DSB agreed to establish the Panel. The US, Honduras, Japan, the EC and China reserved their third-party rights.

Turkey — Measures Affecting the Importation of Rice

The US requested for the second time that the DSB establish a panel for considering Turkey restrictive import regime on the importation of rice. The US argued that Turkey required importers to purchase large quantities of domestic rice under tariff-rate quotas. It added that Turkey would not permit importation without an import licence, for which a domestic purchase is required.
Turkey regretted the US' decision to re-introduce the request for the establishment of a panel. Turkey asked the DSB to rule on DSU Article 12.10. While there were no preceding case law on the right of developing countries stemming from Article 12.10, Turkey believed that such request would be in line with the spirit of the current development round.

China, Australia, Korea, Thailand and the EC reserved their third-party rights.

United States — Sunset Reviews of Anti-Dumping Measures on Oil Country Tubular Goods from Argentina

Argentina requested the establishment of a compliance panel according to Article 21.5, considering that the US failed to comply with the DSB recommendations (the reasonable period of time for implementation expired on 17 December 2005).

The US was disappointed that Argentina was having recourse to a compliance panel. However, the US added that it would accept it, as agreed in the Understanding signed with Argentina (WT/DS268/14).

The DSB established the compliance panel. Mexico, Japan, the EC and China reserved their third-party rights.

 ?? 争端解决机构分别成立专家小组审议不同的三个案件

2006年3月17日，争端解决机构成立三个专家小组分别审议以下案件：墨西哥对来自于危地马拉的钢管案征收反倾销税；土耳其采取措施影响美国进口大米；美国日落条款重新审议其对来自于阿根廷的石油工业用管材采取的反倾销措施。

案件已经结束了协商阶段，即争端解决的第一阶段。协商失败后，争端各方可以要求成立专家小组来裁决争端。依据《争端解决规则与程序谅解书》规定，被请求国可以拒绝第一请求。在第二请求阶段，专家小组将自动成立。

墨西哥对来自于危地马拉的钢管案征收反倾销税

危地马拉第二次请求成立专家小组裁决墨西哥对其进口的来自危地马拉的某种钢管采取的最终反倾销措施。这一调查将导致墨西哥调查局发起的反倾销措施的被迫接受。

墨西哥对危地马拉请求成立专家小组的决定表达了失望。其仍然希望能找到一个令双方都能满意地解决方案。

争端解决结构同意成立专家小组。美国、洪都拉斯、日本、欧盟和中国保留作为第三方的权利。

土耳其采取的措施影响美国进口的大米

美国第二次请求争端解决机构成立专家小组裁决土耳其的限制大米的进口领域。美国宣称土耳其要求进口商在关税配额下购买大量的大米。美国还补充道：土耳其规定，没有进口许可证，不许进口。

土耳其对美国要求再次成立专家小组表示很遗憾。土耳其请求争端解决机构依照《争端解决规则与程序的谅解》第一条第十款裁决。然而没有先前的案例，发展中国家被排除在第十二条第十款外。土耳其相信这一请求将会依照当前发展进程的精神解决。

中国、澳大利亚、朝鲜、泰国和欧盟保留其作为第三方的权利。

US gives $100,000 aid on food, animal and plant health standards

The United Sates has committed to donate US$ 100,000 (approximately 127,800 Swiss francs) to help developing countries analyse and implement international standards on food safety and animal and plant health — so-called sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) standards.

“This contribution builds on the US commitment to help developing nations adopt science-based animal and plant health and food safety standards that are so critical to trade,” said US Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns.

The donation is for the Standards and Trade Development Facility (STDF), a programme set up for the purpose jointly by the World Trade Organization, the World Health Organization, the World Bank, the World Organization for Animal Health, and the Food and Agriculture Organization.

“This latest contribution from the US sets the scene for what should be another good year for the Standards and Trade Development Facility,” said WTO Director-General Pascal Lamy. “As members contemplate lower trade barriers in agricultural and food products, we hear more concerns about meeting standards. It is worth repeating that in order to make use of market opening opportunities, developing countries also need to be able to meet the demands of importing countries’ rules on food safety, or animal or plant health. Keeping up with new SPS standards in export markets is a challenge for everyone, but particularly for developing and least developed countries. By assisting them implement SPS measures, programmes like the Standards and Trade Development Facility have a direct impact on these countries’ capacity to export.”

With this contribution, the United States has become the 9th WTO member to give funds to the Standards and Trade Development Facility. Since its inception in 2002, the STDF has received over 6 million Swiss Francs in donations.

美国出资十万美金支持动、植物标准的发展

美国出资十万美金（约合127800瑞朗）为发展中国家的食品安全检验与动植物防疫检疫提供援助，即所谓的《实施卫生与植物卫生措施协定》的标准。

美国农业部长Mike Johanns表示，此次捐赠是建立在美国所作承诺之上，旨在使发展中国家能够真正接纳食品安全与动植物检疫标（Sanitary and PhytosanitaryStandards），从而促进其对外贸易的发展。

该援助金是为标准和贸易发展基金（STDF）捐赠的，标准和贸易发展基金是世界贸易组织、世界健康组织、世界银行、世界动植物健康、食品农业安全组织为统一目的联合而设立的。

“美国的最新捐赠呈现了这一幕，即什么应该是标准和贸易发展基金崭新的一年。”? 世贸组织总干事拉米说。虽然很多世贸组织成员国试图降低农产品和食品的贸易障碍，但是却有对标准更多的关注。值得强调，为了充分的利用市场开放的机会，发展中国家同样需要能够满足进口国家对食品安全和动植物健康安全的法规要求。在出口市场中，达到《实施卫生与植物卫生措施协定》中标准的要求，对每个国家都是挑战，尤其是对发展中国家和最不发达的国家。通过设立机构，例如标准和贸易发展基金，帮助发展中国家和最不发达国家实施《卫生与植物卫生措施协定》中规定的措施，将对这些国家的出口能力有直接的影响。

这一捐助，使美国成为世贸组织成员国中第九位为标准和贸易发展基金提供捐助的国家。自从2002年成立来，标准和贸易发展基金收到了超过6千万瑞士法郎的捐赠。