§2413 Consultation Upon Initiation of Investigation

Summary

When an investigation starts under section 2412, the U.S. Trade Representative must ask the foreign country for consultations about the matter. If the case involves a trade agreement and the countries do not reach a solution before the earlier of the agreement’s consultation deadline or the 150th day after consultations begin, the Trade Representative must quickly ask for formal dispute settlement under that agreement. The Trade Representative must get information and advice from the petitioner (if any) and from the committees set up under section 2155 when preparing U.S. arguments. After talking with the petitioner, the Trade Representative may delay asking for consultations for up to 90 days to check or improve the petition. Any time limits in section 2414 are extended by the length of that delay. The Trade Representative must publish a notice of the delay in the Federal Register and explain the reasons in the report to Congress required under section 2419(a)(3).