INTRODUCTION

Complaints of the United States, Japan and Chinese Taipei

1.1 On 28 May 2008, the United States and Japan, and on 12 June 2008, the Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu (“Chinese Taipei”), independently requested consultations with the European Communities and its member States (“European Communities”) pursuant to Article 4 of the DSU and Article XXII:1 of the GATT 1994 regarding the tariff treatment that the European Communities accords to certain information technology products.

1.2 The United States, Japan and Chinese Taipei requested, pursuant to paragraph 11 of Article 4 of the DSU, to join in each other's consultations. China, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand requested to join in the consultations requested by the United States and Japan, and China also requested to join in the consultations requested by Chinese Taipei. The European Communities did not accept these requests, with the exception of the request of China to join in the consultations requested by Chinese Taipei.

1.3 Separate consultations were held in Geneva between each complaining party and the European Communities. The European Communities and the United States held their consultations on 25 and 26 June 2008 and 14 and 15 July 2008. The European Communities and Japan held their consultations on 26 June 2008 and 16 and 17 July 2008. The European Communities and Chinese Taipei held their consultations on 3, 18 and 25 July 2008. None of these consultations led to a mutually satisfactory resolution of the dispute.