Since no one else has raised it yet on this blog, I'll note that the WTO Panel hearing China's case against the EU regarding the use of a non-market economy methodology in anti-dumping cases suspended its work on 14 June (DS516/13). Such suspensions come at the request of the complainant, and the proceeding must be reactivated within a year or the panel's authority will lapse.
Despite confidentiality obligations, press reports cite "trade officials" for the proposition that China decided to seek suspension because the results of the interim report were highly unfavorable to China.
It would be interesting to know more about China's motivations, and how it will now proceed. Is this suspension temporary, or will China allow the panel's authority to lapse? Will China continue to litigate this issue in the WTO - either with a new case against the EU's replacement legal regime on market distortions, or a challenge to the NME methodology of another Member - or will they treat this matter as one for bilateral resolution? If they choose to revive this proceeding, will they do so before the (seemingly likely) paralysis of the Appellate Body?
It would also be interesting to know the EU's position on the suspension. The notice of suspension states that "[t]he [EU] commented on China's request, asking the Panel to take a number of considerations into account when deciding whether to grant China's request." This is remarkably uninformative, and while the EU's substantive submissions in DS516 are available on the EU Commission website, procedural submissions such as its comments on China's suspension request are not.