WT/DS371/44  
 
21 December 2020  
(20-9244) Page: 1/3 
  Original: English  
 
THAILAND – CUSTOMS AND FISCAL MEASURES ON CIGARETTES  FROM THE PHILIPPINES  
COMMUNICATION FROM THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE DSB CONCERNING THE  
"UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN THE PHILIPPINES AND THAILAND TO PURSUE  
FACILITATOR -ASSISTED DISCUSSIONS AIMED AT PROGRESSING AND  
RESOLVING OUTSTANDING ISSUES IN REGARD TO DS371"  
The attached communication, from the delegation of the Philippines and the delegation  of Thailand 
dated 18 December 2020, containing an "Understanding between the Philippines and Thailand to 
Pursue Facilitator -assisted discussions aimed at progressing and resolving outstanding issues in 
regard to DS371" has been forwarded to me in my capac ity as Chairperson of the Dispute Settlement 
Body, with a request that it be circulated to Members.  
 
I welcome the fact that the two delegations have reached an Understanding aimed at resolving their 
outstanding differences in regard to DS371, which builds  on the consultative process that I have 
been pursuing with the parties over recent months. In this regard, I am also pleased to confirm that 
Ambassador George Mina has confirmed his agreement to take on the role of Facilitator and has 
advised that he will  be meeting with the parties in the period ahead to take forward the process of 
further Facilitator -assisted consultations.  
 
 
 
H.E. Ambassador Dacio Castillo  
Chair of the Dispute Settlement Body  
 
cc H.E. Ambassador George Mina  
_______________  
 
  WT/DS371/44  
 
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  Understanding between the Philippines and Thailand to Pursue Facilitator -assisted 
discussions aimed at progressing and resolving outstanding issues in regard to DS 371  
 
The Dispute Settlement Body ("DSB") adopted its recommendations and rulings in the disp ute 
Thailand – Customs and Fiscal Measures on Cigarettes from the Philippines (DS371) on 15  July 2011.  
 
Pursuant to Article 21.3(b) of the Understanding on Rules and Procedures Governing the Settlement 
of Disputes ("DSU") the Philippines and Thailand agree d that the reasonable period of time to 
implement the DSB's recommendations and rulings regarding paragraphs 8.1, 8.2, 8.3(a) and 8.4 
of the panel report would be 10 months, expiring on 15 May 2012.  
 
In a communication of 1 June 2012, the Philippines and T hailand notified the Dispute Settlement 
Body of an "Understanding between the Philippines and Thailand Regarding Procedures Under Article 
21 and 22 of the DSU" (WT/DS371/16 of 7 June 2012). The Philippines initiated two compliance 
proceedings under Article  21.5 of the DSU on 4 May 2016 and 4 July 2017, respectively. The 
compliance panel issued its report in the first compliance proceedings on 12 November 2018, which 
Thailand appealed on 9 January 2019. The compliance panel issued its report in the second 
compliance proceedings on 12 July 2019, which Thailand appealed on 9 September 2019.  
 
As a result of the impasse that continues to be faced in the filling of Appellate Body vacancies, the 
two appeals from Article 21.5 panel proceedings submitted to the Appel late Body in relation to DS371 
have not been completed.  
 
On 12 February 2020, the Philippines requested authority to suspend concessions under DSU 
Article  22.2 (WT/DS371/32 of 14 February 2020). Following on from this situation, the Philippines 
and Thaila nd have expressed different views on how the outstanding issues in relation to the 
Article  21.5 appeals and Article 22 procedures can be resolved.  
 
Since February 2020 the Chairperson of the DSB has been consulting with the two parties to seek 
to identify  ways of progressing and resolving their differences of views in this area. These 
consultations, which are of a confidential nature, have been helpful in clarifying the respective 
positions of the parties on the relevant issues, but have not, to date, mana ged to resolve the 
outstanding differences between them.  
 
With the support and encouragement of Ambassador Castillo, the current Chairperson of the DSB, 
the Philippines and Thailand now wish to further deepen this process of consultations, through the 
additional assistance of a Facilitator nominated by Ambassador Castillo to assist them in this process, 
which the Philippines and Thailand agree should respect the following parameters.  
 
1 While it is acknowledged that the current unresolved issues in DS 371 a re linked to the wider 
impasse impacting on the operations of the Appellate Body, the Facilitator's role will be limited to 
assisting the parties in identifying appropriate ways forward to resolve the outstanding differences 
between them in the specific co ntext of the DS371 dispute.  
 
2 In this regard, the parties agree, based on the nomination of the Chairperson of the DSB, to 
Ambassador George Mina serving as Facilitator. The Facilitator, building on the clarification process 
initiated by the current DSB C hair, will seek to identify and make recommendations to the parties 
on ways and means of resolving the relevant outstanding issues, which will include both procedural 
and/or substantive approaches, including a potential comprehensive settlement, subject to  the 
parties agreement. The Facilitator shall be provided with full access to the records of the clarification 
process undertaken by the current DSB Chair. The Facilitator -assisted consultations shall remain of 
a confidential nature.  
 
3 The Philippines and  Thailand undertake to participate in good faith in the Facilitator -assisted 
consultations to progress the issues under consideration, and, in this context, will seek to avoid 
taking new measures that may militate against further progress or resolution of the issues between 
them.  
 
4 The parties to the dispute agree that participation in the Facilitator -assisted process is without 
prejudice to their WTO rights and obligations. Either party may terminate the Facilitator -assisted 
consultations at any time, wit h notice to the DSB Chair, the Facilitator and the other party.  
 WT/DS371/44  
 
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  5 The Facilitator shall, in consultation with the Chairperson of the DSB and the parties, report 
back to the DSB on the outcome of the further consultative process and on any steps that parti es 
may agree to take to progress or resolve the issues between them. The Facilitator should provide 
such a report back to the DSB on the 31st of March 2021, without prejudice to the Facilitator 
recommending continuation of the process up to but no later th an 31 July 2021, unless the parties 
agree otherwise.  
 
 
For the Philippines  
 
 
 
 
 
(H.E. Mr Manuel A.J. Teehankee)  
Ambassador and Permanent Representative  to 
the WTO  
 For Thailand  
 
 
 
 
 
(H.E. Ms Sunanta Kangvalkulkij)  
Ambassador and Permanent Representative to 
the WTO  
 
 
__________