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1、ANNEX 2UNDERSTANDING ON RULES AND PROCEDURESGOVERNING THE SETTLEMENT OF DISPUTESMembers hereby agree as follows:Article 1Coverage and Application1.The rules and procedures of this Understanding shall apply to disputes brought pursuant to the consultation and dispute settlement provisions of the agre

2、ements listed in Appendix 1 to this Understanding (referred to in this Understanding as the covered agreements). The rules and procedures of this Understanding shall also apply to consultations and the settlement of disputes between Members concerning their rights and obligations under the provision

3、s of the Agreement Establishing the World Trade Organization (referred to in this Understanding as the WTO Agreement) and of this Understanding taken in isolation or in combination with any other covered agreement.2.The rules and procedures of this Understanding shall apply subject to such special o

4、r additional rules and procedures on dispute settlement contained in the covered agreements as are identified in Appendix 2 to this Understanding. To the extent that there is a difference between the rules and procedures of this Understanding and the special or additional rules and procedures set fo

5、rth in Appendix2, the special or additional rules and procedures in Appendix 2 shall prevail. In disputes involving rules and procedures under more than one covered agreement, if there is a conflict between special or additional rules and procedures of such agreements under review, and where the par

6、ties to the dispute cannot agree on rules and procedures within 20 days of the establishment of the panel, the Chairman of the Dispute Settlement Body provided for in paragraph 1 of Article 2 (referred to in this Understanding as the DSB), in consultation with the parties to the dispute, shall deter

7、mine the rules and procedures to be followed within 10 days after a request by either Member. The Chairman shall be guided by the principle that special or additional rules and procedures should be used where possible, and the rules and procedures set out in this Understanding should be used to the

8、extent necessary to avoid conflict.Article 2Administration1.The Dispute Settlement Body is hereby established to administer these rules and procedures and, except as otherwise provided in a covered agreement, the consultation and dispute settlement provisions of the covered agreements. Accordingly,

9、the DSB shall have the authority to establish panels, adopt panel and Appellate Body reports, maintain surveillance of implementation of rulings and recommendations, and authorize suspension of concessions and other obligations under the covered agreements. With respect to disputes arising under a c

10、overed agreement which is a Plurilateral Trade Agreement, the term Member as used herein shall refer only to those Members that are parties to the relevant Plurilateral Trade Agreement. Where the DSB administers the dispute settlement provisions of a Plurilateral Trade Agreement, only those Members

11、that are parties to that Agreement may participate in decisions or actions taken by the DSB with respect to that dispute.2.The DSB shall inform the relevant WTO Councils and Committees of any developments in disputes related to provisions of the respective covered agreements. 3.The DSB shall meet as

12、 often as necessary to carry out its functions within the time-frames provided in this Understanding.4.Where the rules and procedures of this Understanding provide for the DSB to take a decision, it shall do so by consensus. The DSB shall be deemed to have decided by consensus on a matter submitted

13、for its consideration, if no Member, present at the meeting of the DSB when the decision is taken, formally objects to the proposed decision.Article 3General Provisions 1.Members affirm their adherence to the principles for the management of disputes heretofore applied under Articles XXII and XXIII

14、of GATT 1947, and the rules and procedures as further elaborated and modified herein.2.The dispute settlement system of the WTO is a central element in providing security and predictability to the multilateral trading system. The Members recognize that it serves to preserve the rights and obligation

15、s of Members under the covered agreements, and to clarify the existing provisions of those agreements in accordance with customary rules of interpretation of public international law. Recommendations and rulings of the DSB cannot add to or diminish the rights and obligations provided in the covered

16、agreements.3.The prompt settlement of situations in which a Member considers that any benefits accruing to it directly or indirectly under the covered agreements are being impaired by measures taken by another Member is essential to the effective functioning of the WTO and the maintenance of a prope

17、r balance between the rights and obligations of Members. 4.Recommendations or rulings made by the DSB shall be aimed at achieving a satisfactory settlement of the matter in accordance with the rights and obligations under this Understanding and under the covered agreements. 5.All solutions to matter

18、s formally raised under the consultation and dispute settlement provisions of the covered agreements, including arbitration awards, shall be consistent with those agreements and shall not nullify or impair benefits accruing to any Member under those agreements, nor impede the attainment of any objec

19、tive of those agreements. 6.Mutually agreed solutions to matters formally raised under the consultation and dispute settlement provisions of the covered agreements shall be notified to the DSB and the relevant Councils and Committees, where any Member may raise any point relating thereto.7.Before br

20、inging a case, a Member shall exercise its judgement as to whether action under these procedures would be fruitful. The aim of the dispute settlement mechanism is to secure a positive solution to a dispute. A solution mutually acceptable to the parties to a dispute and consistent with the covered ag

21、reements is clearly to be preferred. In the absence of a mutually agreed solution, the first objective of the dispute settlement mechanism is usually to secure the withdrawal of the measures concerned if these are found to be inconsistent with the provisions of any of the covered agreements. The pro

22、vision of compensation should be resorted to only if the immediate withdrawal of the measure is impracticable and as a temporary measure pending the withdrawal of the measure which is inconsistent with a covered agreement. The last resort which this Understanding provides to the Member invoking the

23、dispute settlement procedures is the possibility of suspending the application of concessions or other obligations under the covered agreements on a discriminatory basis vis-_-vis the other Member, subject to authorization by the DSB of such measures. 8.In cases where there is an infringement of the

24、 obligations assumed under a covered agreement, the action is considered primafacie to constitute a case of nullification or impairment. This means that there is normally a presumption that a breach of the rules has an adverse impact on other Members parties to that covered agreement, and in such ca

25、ses, it shall be up to the Member against whom the complaint has been brought to rebut the charge.9.The provisions of this Understanding are without prejudice to the rights of Members to seek authoritative interpretation of provisions of a covered agreement through decision-making under the WTO Agre

26、ement or a covered agreement which is a Plurilateral Trade Agreement.10.It is understood that requests for conciliation and the use of the dispute settlement procedures should not be intended or considered as contentious acts and that, if a dispute arises, all Members will engage in these procedures

27、 in good faith in an effort to resolve the dispute. It is also understood that complaints and counter-complaints in regard to distinct matters should not be linked. 11.This Understanding shall be applied only with respect to new requests for consultations under the consultation provisions of the cov

28、ered agreements made on or after the date of entry into force of the WTO Agreement. With respect to disputes for which the request for consultations was made under GATT 1947 or under any other predecessor agreement to the covered agreements before the date of entry into force of the WTO Agreement, t

29、he relevant dispute settlement rules and procedures in effect immediately prior to the date of entry into force of the WTO Agreement shall continue to apply. This paragraph shall also be applied to disputes on which panel reports have not been adopted or fully implemented.12.Notwithstanding paragrap

30、h 11, if a complaint based on any of the covered agreements is brought by a developing country Member against a developed country Member, the complaining party shall have the right to invoke, as an alternative to the provisions contained in Articles4, 5, 6 and 12 of this Understanding, the correspon

31、ding provisions of the Decision of 5 April1966 (BISD 14S/18), except that where the Panel considers that the time-frame provided for in paragraph 7 of that Decision is insufficient to provide its report and with the agreement of the complaining party, that time-frame may be extended. To the extent t

32、hat there is a difference between the rules and procedures of Articles4, 5,6 and12 and the corresponding rules and procedures of the Decision, the latter shall prevail.Article 4Consultations1.Members affirm their resolve to strengthen and improve the effectiveness of the consultation procedures empl

33、oyed by Members.2.Each Member undertakes to accord sympathetic consideration to and afford adequate opportunity for consultation regarding any representations made by another Member concerning measures affecting the operation of any covered agreement taken within the territory of the former. Where t

34、he provisions of any other covered agreement concerning measures taken by regional or local governments or authorities within the territory of a Member contain provisions different from the provisions of this paragraph, the provisions of such other covered agreement shall prevail.3.If a request for

35、consultations is made pursuant to a covered agreement, the Member to which the request is made shall, unless otherwise mutually agreed, reply to the request within 10 days after the date of its receipt and shall enter into consultations in good faith within a period of no more than 30 days after the

36、 date of receipt of the request, with a view to reaching a mutually satisfactory solution. If the Member does not respond within 10 days after the date of receipt of the request, or does not enter into consultations within a period of no more than 30 days, or a period otherwise mutually agreed, afte

37、r the date of receipt of the request, then the Member that requested the holding of consultations may proceed directly to request the establishment of a panel.4.All such requests for consultations shall be notified to the DSB and the relevant Councils and Committees by the Member which requests cons

38、ultations. Any request for consultations shall be submitted in writing and shall give the reasons for the request, including identification of the measures at issue and an indication of the legal basis for the complaint.5.In the course of consultations in accordance with the provisions of a covered

39、agreement, before resorting to further action under this Understanding, Members should attempt to obtain satisfactory adjustment of the matter.6.Consultations shall be confidential, and without prejudice to the rights of any Member in any further proceedings.7.If the consultations fail to settle a d

40、ispute within 60 days after the date of receipt of the request for consultations, the complaining party may request the establishment of a panel. The complaining party may request a panel during the 60-day period if the consulting parties jointly consider that consultations have failed to settle the

41、 dispute. 8.In cases of urgency, including those which concern perishable goods, Members shall enter into consultations within a period of no more than 10 days after the date of receipt of the request. If the consultations have failed to settle the dispute within a period of 20 days after the date o

42、f receipt of the request, the complaining party may request the establishment of a panel. 9.In cases of urgency, including those which concern perishable goods, the parties to the dispute, panels and the Appellate Body shall make every effort to accelerate the proceedings to the greatest extent poss

43、ible.10.During consultations Members should give special attention to the particular problems and interests of developing country Members. 11.Whenever a Member other than the consulting Members considers that it has a substantial trade interest in consultations being held pursuant to paragraph 1 of

44、Article XXII of GATT 1994, paragraph1 of Article XXII of GATS, or the corresponding provisions in other covered agreements The corresponding consultation provisions in the covered agreements are listed hereunder: Agreement on Agriculture, Article 19; Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phyt

45、osanitary Measures, paragraph 1 of Article 11; Agreement on Textiles and Clothing, paragraph 4 of Article 8; Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade, paragraph 1 of Article 14; Agreement on Trade-Related Investment Measures, Article 8; Agreement on Implementation of Article VI of GATT 1994, paragra

46、ph 2 of Article 17; Agreement on Implementation of Article VII of GATT 1994, paragraph 2 of Article 19; Agreement on Preshipment Inspection, Article 7; Agreement on Rules of Origin, Article 7; Agreement on Import Licensing Procedures, Article 6; Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures, Ar

47、ticle 30; Agreement on Safeguards, Article 14; Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights, Article 64.1; and any corresponding consultation provisions in Plurilateral Trade Agreements as determined by the competent bodies of each Agreement and as notified to the DSB., such Me

48、mber may notify the consulting Members and the DSB, within 10 days after the date of the circulation of the request for consultations under said Article, of its desire to be joined in the consultations. Such Member shall be joined in the consultations, provided that the Member to which the request f

49、or consultations was addressed agrees that the claim of substantial interest is well-founded. In that event they shall so inform the DSB. If the request to be joined in the consultations is not accepted, the applicant Member shall be free to request consultations under paragraph 1 of Article XXII or paragrap