WT/DS430/48  
 
20 September 2021  
(21-6965) Page: 1/2 
  Original: English  
 
INDIA – MEASURES CONCERNING THE IMPORTATION  
OF CERTAIN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS  
RECOURSE TO ARTICLE 21.5 OF THE DSU BY  INDIA  
COMMUNICATION FROM THE PANEL  
The following communication, date d 17 September 2021 , addressed to the Chairperson of the 
Dispute Settlement Body (DSB), is circulated in accordance with Article  21.5 of the Dispute 
Settlement Understanding (DSU).  
 
_______________  
 
 
Article 21.5 of the Understanding on Rules and Procedures Governing the Settlement of Disputes  
(DSU) provides that the panel shall circulate its report within 90 days after the date of referral of 
the matter to it.  
 
Article 21.5 of the DSU further provides that, when a panel considers that it cannot provide its report 
within this time frame, it sh all inform the Dispute Settlement Body (DSB) in writing of the reasons 
together with an estimate of the period within which it will submit its report.  
 
The Panel in this dispute was established on 22 May 2017 and composed, with the three original 
panelists, on 29 June 2017.1  
 
On 23 November 2017, the Panel informed the DSB that, due to the complexity of the issues in 
dispute, it expected to issue its Final Report to the parties by the end of May 2018.  
 
On 22 May 2018, the Panel informed the DSB t hat it had accepted a joint request from the parties 
to delay the issuance of its Final Report until September 2018.  
 
On 20 August 2018, the Panel informed the DSB that it had accepted a further joint request from 
the parties to delay the issuance of its F inal Report until December 2018.  
 
On 29 October 2018, the Panel informed the DSB that it had accepted a further joint request from 
the parties to delay the issuance of its Final Report until March 2019.  
 
On 11 February 2019, the Panel informed the DSB that  it had accepted a further joint request from 
the parties to delay the issuance of its Final Report until June 2019.  
 
On 22 May 2019, the Panel informed the DSB that it had accepted a further joint request from the 
parties to delay the issuance of its Fina l Report until September 2019.  
 
On 26 July 2019, the Panel informed the DSB that it had accepted a further joint request from the 
parties to delay the issuance of its Final Report until December 2019.  
 
On 4 November 2019, the Panel informed the DSB that it  had accepted a further joint request from 
the parties to delay the issuance of its Final Report until March 2020.  
 
 
1 See WT/DS430/22.  WT/DS430/48  
 
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  On 3 February 2020, the Panel informed the DSB that it had accepted a further joint request from 
the parties to delay the issuance of its Fi nal Report until June 2020.  
 
On 26 May 2020, the Panel informed the DSB that it had accepted a further joint request from the 
parties to delay the issuance of its Final Report until September 2020.  
 
On 24 August 2020, the Panel informed the DSB that it had  accepted a further joint request from 
the parties to delay the issuance of its Final Report until March 2021.  
 
On 12 April 2021, the Panel informed the DSB that it had accepted a further joint request from the 
parties to delay the issuance of its Final Re port until September 2021.  
 
On 31 August 2021, the Panel informed the DSB that it had accepted a further joint request from 
the parties to delay the issuance of its Final Report until November 2021.  
 
The Panel now wishes to inform the DSB that the parties have again jointly requested the Panel to 
delay the issuance of its Report. The Panel has accepted the parties' request, and accordingly now 
expects to issue its Final Report by the end of January 2022.  
 
The report will only be available to the pub lic once it is circulated to the Members in all three official 
languages of the WTO. The date of circulation depends on completion of translation and the Panel is 
not in a position to provide an estimated circulation date at this time.  
 
I would be grateful  if you would circulate this letter to the Members of the DSB.  
 
__________