WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONWT/DS264/5
8 December 2003
(03-6458)
Original:  English
UNITED STATES – FINAL DUMPING DETERMINATION
ON SOFTWOOD LUMBER FROM CANADA
Communication from the Chairman of the Panel
The following communication, dated 2 December 2003, addressed to the Chairman of the
Dispute Settlement Body, is circulated in accordance with Article 12.9 of the Dispute Settlement
Understanding (DSU).
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Article 12.8 of the DSU stipulates that the period in which a panel shall conduct its
examination, from the date that the composition and terms of reference of the panel have been agreed
upon until the date that the final report is issued to the parties, shall, as a general rule, not exceed sixmonths.
Article 12.9 of the DSU states that when a panel considers that it cannot issue its report within
six months, it shall inform the DSB in writing of the reasons for the delay, together with an estimate
of the period within which it will issue its report.
The Panel on United States – Final Dumping Determination on Softwood Lumber from
Canada  (WT/DS264) was established by the DSB on 8 January 2003 and composed on
4 March 2003.
Further to our communication to you of 29 August 2003 under Article 12.9, the Panel now
expects to issue its final report to the parties in February 2004.
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