The latest two WTO consultations requests were both filed by Brazil:
Thailand - Subsidies on Sugar 507 Brazil Thailand Apr 04, 2016 Agriculture, SCM Indonesia - Measures Concerning the Importation of Bovine Meat 506 Brazil Indonesia Apr 04, 2016 Agriculture, GATT, Licensing, SPS, TBT
They were filed on the same day, against different respondents, and on different products. That struck me as odd, so I looked up Brazil's history of complaints, and was surprised to see a number of similar instances of multiple, unrelated consultations requests filed within a couple weeks of each other:
European Communities - Customs Classification of Frozen Boneless Chicken Cuts 269 Brazil European Communities Oct 11, 2002 GATT United States - Subsidies on Upland Cotton 267 Brazil United States Sep 27, 2002 Agriculture, GATT, SCM European Communities - Export Subsidies on Sugar 266 Brazil European Communities Sep 27, 2002 Agriculture, GATT, SCM
Argentina - Definitive Anti-Dumping Duties on Poultry from Brazil 241 Brazil Argentina Nov 07, 2001 AD, Customs, GATT United States - Anti-Dumping Duties on Silicon Metal from Brazil 239 Brazil United States Nov 01, 2001 AD
United States - US Patents Code 224 Brazil United States Jan 31, 2001 GATT, TRIMs, TRIPS Canada - Export Credits and Loan Guarantees for Regional Aircraft 222 Brazil Canada Jan 22, 2001 SCM
European Communities - Anti-Dumping Duties on Malleable Cast Iron Tube or Pipe Fittings from Brazil 219 Brazil European Communities Dec 21, 2000 AD, GATT United States - Countervailing Duties on Certain Carbon Steel Products from Brazil 218 Brazil United States Dec 21, 2000 SCM United States - Continued Dumping and Subsidy Offset Act of 2000 217 Australia, Brazil, Chile, European Communities, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Thailand United States Dec 21, 2000 AD, GATT, SCM, WTO Mexico - Provisional Anti-Dumping Measure on Electric Transformers 216 Brazil Mexico Dec 20, 2000 AD, GATT
European Communities - Measures Affecting Soluble Coffee 209 Brazil European Communities Oct 12, 2000 Enabling, GATT Turkey - Anti-Dumping Duty on Steel and Iron Pipe Fittings 208 Brazil Turkey Oct 09, 2000 AD, GATT
Canada - Measures Affecting the Export of Civilian Aircraft 71 Brazil Canada Mar 10, 1997 SCM Canada - Measures Affecting the Export of Civilian Aircraft 70 Brazil Canada Mar 10, 1997 SCM European Communities - Measures Affecting Importation of Certain Poultry Products 69 Brazil European Communities Feb 24, 1997 GATT, Licensing
I haven't yet checked any other countries to see if there is a similar pattern.
What's the explanation for this? Is it more cost-effective to prepare for multiple claims at the same time? I never noticed this behavior before, but with so many examples, it seems like it might be a conscious decision rather than a random occurrence.
