EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES - REGIME FOR THE IMPORTATION, SALE AND DISTRIBUTION OF BANANAS
Document: Communication from Saint Lucia
Date: 28 February 1996
Document codes: WT/DS27/3
Complainant: Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, U.S.
Respondent: EU
Third parties: Belize, Cameroon, Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominica, Dominican, Ghana, Grenada, India, Jamaica, Japan, Mauritius, Nicaragua, Panama, Philippines, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Senegal, Suriname, Venezuela, Côte d’Ivoire, Brazil, Madagascar
Dispute stage: Mutually Agreed Solution
Agreements cited: Art. I, II, III, X, XI, XIII  GATT 1994Art. 1, 3  Import LicensingArt. II, XVI, XVII  Services (GATS)Art. 2  Trade-Related Investment Measures (TRIMs)Art. 19  Agriculture

EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES - REGIME FOR THE IMPORTATION, SALE
AND DISTRIBUTION OF BANANAS
Communication from Saint Lucia
The following communication, dated 21 February 1996, from the Permanent Representation
of Saint Lucia to the WTO to the Permanent Delegation of the European Commission, the Permanent
Missions of Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico and the United States, and the Chairman of the
DSB, is circulated at the request of the Permanent Representation of Saint Lucia.
The Government of Saint Lucia wishes to convey to you its request to be joined in the
consultations with the European Communities by Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico and the United
States pursuant to Article 4 of the Understanding on Rules and Procedures Governing the Settlement
of Disputes, Article XXIII of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade 1994, Article 6 of the
Agreement on Import Licensing Procedures (to the extent that it relates to Article XXIII of GATT
1994), Article XXIII of the General Agreement on Trade in Services, Article 19 of the Agreement
on Agriculture (to the extent that it relates to Article XXIII of GATT 1994) and Article 8 of the
Agreement onTrade-Related Investment Measures (tothe extent thatit relates toArticle XXIII of GATT
1994) regarding the EC régime for the importation, sale and distribution of bananas established by
Regulation 404/93 (OJ L 47 of 25 February 1993, p. 1), and the subsequent EC legislation, regulations
and administrative measures, including those reflecting the provisions of the Framework Agreement
on bananas, which implement, supplement and amend that régime.
Article 4 of the Understanding on Rules and Procedures Governing the Settlement of Disputes
specifically provides that during consultations Members should give special attention to the particular
problems and interests of developing country Members.
The share of banana exports in the agricultural exports of Saint Lucia amounts to 90 per cent.
A fall in the returns on bananas would have far-reaching and negative consequences for the economy
of Saint Lucia. Any modifications to the EC banana régime which significantly reduce the provisions
in favour of Saint Lucia would jeopardize our access to our sole export market and give rise to a
disastrous situation and economic collapse would be inevitable. Saint Lucia, therefore, has a substantial
trade interest in the consultations requested by your Government.
I look forward to receiving your early reply to this request and to fixing a mutually convenient
arrangement for the holdingof jointconsultations onthis matter, whichis of such fundament importance
to my country.