If you're eagerly awaiting the CAFTA panel report in the Guatemala labor case, as I am, you will have to wait a bit longer, Inside US Trade reports:
The initial, confidential ruling by an arbitral panel on U.S. claims that Guatemala violated the labor chapter of the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) has been delayed by more than three months to Dec. 15, meaning the final report may not be made public until 2016, according to informed sources.
The panel had previously been due to release its initial report to the U.S. and Guatemala on Sept. 8. But the panel on Aug. 11 asked the U.S. and Guatemala to push the deadline back to Dec. 15, and neither government objected, sources said. However, the panel still held open the possibility that it could submit its initial report before prior to the December deadline, according to one informed source.
Under CAFTA's dispute settlement chapter, the panel must circulate its final report to the parties on a confidential basis 30 days after it sends them the initial report. The final report is then made public 15 days later.
If the report is made public right in the middle of the TPP debate, what impact will it have? I suppose that may depend on what the report says.
