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India—Certain Measures Relating to Solar Cells and Solar Modules

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India—Certain Measures Relating to Solar Cells and Solar Modules. WT/DS456/AB/R. Athttps://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/dispu_e/cases_e/ds456_e.htm. World Trade Organization Appellate Body, September 16, 2016 (adopted October 14, 2016).

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 July 2017

Sherzod Shadikhodjaev
Sherzod Shadikhodjaev*
Affiliation:
KDI School of Public Policy and Management, Sejong City, Republic of Korea
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Extract

In a proceeding that challenged the domestic content requirements (DCRs) of India's solar energy program, the Appellate Body of the World Trade Organization (WTO) upheld the panel determination that the Indian government's measures violated its international obligations. The decision offers new insights into certain exceptions for environmental policies under the multilateral trading system and elaborates on the relevance of other international legal regimes to the compliance issue under WTO law. Further, it has the potential to increase export opportunities of many countries in the Indian renewable energy market.

Keywords

World Trade OrganizationGeneral Agreement on Tariffs and Tradenational treatmentgeneral exceptionsrenewable energyinternational environmental law
Type
International Decisions: Edited by David P. Stewart
Information
American Journal of International Law , Volume 111 , Issue 1 , January 2017 , pp. 139 - 147
Copyright
Copyright © 2017 by The American Society of International Law 

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References

1 Appellate Body Report, India—Certain Measures Relating to Solar Cells and Solar Modules, WT/DS456/AB/R (Sept. 16, 2016) (adopted Oct. 14, 2016), at https://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/dispu_e/cases_e/ds456_e.htm.

2 General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade 1994 [GATT], Marrakesh Agreement Establishing the World Trade Organization, Apr. 15, 1994, 1867 UNTS 154 [hereinafter Marrakesh Agreement], Annex 1A, 1867 UNTS 190, reprinted in World Trade Organization, The Legal Texts: The Results of the Uruguay Round of Multilateral Trade Negotiations 3, 17 (1999)Google Scholar [hereinafter Legal Texts].

3 Panel Report, India—Certain Measures Relating to Solar Cells and Solar Modules, WT/DS456/R (Feb. 24, 2016) (adopted Oct. 14, 2016), at https://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/dispu_e/cases_e/ds456_e.htm [hereinafter Panel Report].

4 Appellate Body Reports, Canada—Certain Measures Affecting the Renewable Energy Generation Sector; Canada—Measures Relating to the Feed-in Tariff Program, WT/DS412/AB/R, WT/DS426/AB/R (May 6, 2013) (adopted May 24, 2013), at https://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/dispu_e/cases_e/ds412_e.htm [hereinafter Canada —Renewable Energy/Canada—Feed-in Tariff Program] (discussed in: Shadikhodjaev, Sherzod, First WTO Judicial Review of Climate Change Subsidy Issues, 107 AJIL 864 (2013)CrossRefGoogle Scholar).

5 See also Panel Report, supra note 3, para. 7.275.

6 See also id., para. 7.313.

7 Understanding on Rules and Procedures Governing the Settlement of Disputes, Apr. 15, 1994, Marrakesh Agreement, Annex 2, 1869 UNTS 401, reprinted in Legal Texts, supra note 2, at 354.

8 See Panel Report, supra note 3, para. 1.1, n. 1.

9 See Shadikhodjaev, supra note 4, 867–68, 873–74.

10 See Wto, Guide to Gatt Law and Practice , vol. 1, 592–95 (1995)Google Scholar.

11 See Christian A. Melischek, The Relevant Market in International Economic Law: A Comparative Antitrust and GATT Analysis 29–30, 149–58 (2013).

12 Appellate Body Report, European Communities and Certain Member States—Measures Affecting Trade in Large Civil Aircraft, para. 1121, WT/DS316/AB/R (May 18, 2011) (adopted June 1, 2011); Canada—Renewable Energy/Canada—Feed-in Tariff Program, supra note 4, para. 5.178.

13 Panel Report, Korea—Taxes on Alcoholic Beverages, para. 10.81, WT/DS75/R, WT/DS84/R (Sept. 17, 1998) (adopted Feb. 17, 1999).

14 See, e.g., Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights, Art. 1.1, Apr. 15, 1994, Marrakesh Agreement, supra note 2, Annex 1C, 1869 UNTS 299, 33 ILM 1197 (1994), reprinted in Legal Texts, supra note 2, at 320.

15 Panel Report, United States—Sections 301–310 of the Trade Act of 1974, para. 7.72, WT/DS152/R (Dec. 22, 1999) (adopted Jan. 27, 2000).

16 WTO Dispute Settlement Body, Minutes of Meeting Held in the Center William Rappard on Oct. 14, 2016, para. 1.8, WT/DSB/M/386 (Nov. 9, 2016).

17 The Appellate Body previously simply mentioned Articles 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, and 3.7 of the DSU as a possible basis for it to exercise judicial economy. But it did not provide a detailed analysis of these provisions, which are rather textually silent on this issue. See Appellate Body Report, United States—Subsidies on Upland Cotton, paras. 508-09, WT/DS267/AB/R (Mar. 3, 2005) (adopted Mar. 21, 2005).

18 See WTO Dispute Settlement Body, Oct. 14, 2016 Minutes, supra note 16, para. 1.8; WTO Dispute Settlement Body, Minutes of Meeting Held in the Center William Rappard on May 23, 2016, paras. 6.1–.49, WT/DSB/M/379 (Aug. 29, 2016).