IMPORTANT UPDATE: United States — Continued Existence and Application of Zeroing Methodology (WT/DS350)

The Office of the United States Trade Representative (“USTR”) wishes to provide this update concerning the opportunity to view a live closed-circuit television broadcast of the public session of the substantive meetings of the Panel in the World Trade Organization (“WTO”) dispute United States — Continued Existence and Application of Zeroing Methodology (WT/DS350).  The second substantive meeting that was scheduled for April 8-9, 2008 in Geneva, Switzerland has been postponed.  The second substantive meeting is now scheduled for April 22-23, 2008 in Geneva, Switzerland.

At the public session, each party will make its opening statement and may pose questions or make comments on the other party’s statement.  The Panel also may pose any questions or make any comments during the public session.  To the extent that the Panel or either of the parties considers it necessary, the Panel will hold a confidential session at which business confidential information (“BCI”) may be discussed.    

Viewing of the public session will be on the WTO premises in Geneva, Switzerland and is open to those individuals who apply and are accepted by the WTO.

USTR invites any person interested in viewing the public session to so inform USTR by e-mail at rsvp-DS350@ustr eop gov.  USTR urges that the request be made as soon as possible and in any event no later than Friday, March 28, 2008.  Requests will be forwarded to the WTO.  Each request should indicate the person’s full name, contact information (full address, phone, and e-mail), organization (if any), and nationality, and whether the person has made any other request to view the public session (such as a request directly to the WTO or to the other party to the dispute, the European Communities).

Details about the dispute may be found at http://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/dispu_e/cases_e/ds350_e.htm.  Further information, including U.S. submissions to the Panel, may be found at http://www.ustr.gov/Trade_Agreements/Monitoring