Page 487 - Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP)

4. The Responding Party shall immediately acknowledge its receipt bodies who have responsibility for or expertise in the
of the request for consultations made pursuant to paragraph 1, by matter.
way of notification to the Complaining Party, indicating the date
on which the request was received, otherwise the date when the 8. The consultations shall be confidential and without prejudice to
request was made shall be deemed to be the date of the the rights of any Party to the dispute in any further or other
Responding Party’s receipt of the request. The Responding Party proceedings.
shall simultaneously provide a copy of the notification to the other
Parties. 9. Whenever a Party other than the Parties to the dispute considers
that it has a substantial trade interest in the consultations, such
5. The Responding Party shall: Party may notify the Parties to the dispute no later than seven
days after the date of receipt of the copy of the request for
(a) reply to the request for consultations made pursuant to consultations referred to in paragraph 3, of its desire to be joined
paragraph 1 no later than seven days after the date of its in the consultations. The notifying Party shall simultaneously
receipt of the request; and provide a copy of the notification to the other Parties. The
notifying Party shall be joined in the consultations if the Parties to
(b) simultaneously provide a copy of the reply to the other the dispute agree.
Parties.

6. The Responding Party shall enter into consultations no later than: Article 19.7: Good Offices, Conciliation, or Mediation

(a) 15 days after the date of its receipt of the request for 1. The Parties to the dispute may at any time agree to voluntarily
consultations made pursuant to paragraph 1 in cases of undertake an alternative method of dispute resolution, including
urgency including those which concern perishable goods; good offices, conciliation, or mediation. Procedures for such
or alternative methods of dispute resolution may begin at any time,
and may be terminated by any Party to the dispute at any time.
(b) 30 days after the date of its receipt of the request for
consultations made pursuant to paragraph 1 regarding any 2. If the Parties to the dispute agree, such procedures referred to in
other matter. paragraph 1 may continue while the matter is being examined by
a panel under this Chapter.
7. The Parties to the dispute shall engage in consultations in good
faith and make every effort to reach a mutually agreed solution 3. Proceedings involving such procedures referred to in paragraph
through consultations. To this end, the Parties to the dispute 1 and positions taken by a Party to the dispute during these
shall: proceedings shall be confidential and without prejudice to the
rights of any Party to the dispute in any further or other
(a) provide sufficient information in the course of consultations proceedings.
to enable a full examination of the matter, including how
the measures at issue might affect the implementation or
application of this Agreement; Article 19.8: Request for Establishment of a Panel

(b) treat any confidential or proprietary information exchanged 1. The Complaining Party may request the establishment of a panel
in the course of consultations on the same basis as the to examine the matter, by way of notification to the Responding
Party providing the information; and Party, if:

(c) endeavour to make available for the consultations (a) the Responding Party does not:
personnel of their government agencies or other regulatory

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