Panel and Appellate Body proceedings
At its meeting on 20 July 2005, the DSB established a panel. Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Japan and Korea reserved their third-party rights.
At its 23 September 2005 meeting, the DSB initiated the procedures provided in Annex V of the SCM Agreement.
On 7 October 2005, the United States requested the Director-General to compose the panel. On 17 October 2005, Deputy Director Alejandro Jara, acting in place of the Director-General who recused himself on this matter, composed the panel.
On 13 April 2006, the Chairman of the Panel informed the DSB that the Panel would not be able to complete its work within six months due to the substantive and procedural complexities involved in this dispute, including the process of developing information concerning serious prejudice under Annex V of the SCM Agreement, another request for consultations by the United States, the Panel's subsequent agreement, at the parties' request, to set aside the original timetable for the dispute until an unspecified date in the future, and another request for the establishment of a panel by the United States. The Panel expected to complete its work in 2007. On 14 December 2007, the Chairman of the Panel informed the DSB that due to the substantive and procedural complexities involved in this dispute, it now expected to complete its work in 2008.
On 17 October 2008, the Chairman of the panel informed the DSB that due to, inter alia, the substantive and procedural complexities, and the volume of materials involved in this dispute, it expected to complete its works in 2009. On 3 December 2009, the Chairman of the panel informed the DSB that due to, inter alia, the substantive and procedural complexities, and the volume of materials involved in this dispute, it now expected to complete its work before the end of April