Direct line: (+41 22) 739
Direct fax: (+41 22) 739

Geneva, 17 May 2004

Dear Mr. Rato,

I am writing on behalf of the Panel established by the Dispute Settlement Body of the World Trade Organization on 9 January 2004, at the request of Honduras, to examine measures imposed by the Dominican Republic on the importation and internal sale of cigarettes.

Pursuant to the terms of Paragraph 8 of the 1996 Agreement between the International Monetary Fund and the World Trade Organization, the Panel kindly requests the International Monetary Fund to provide information on how the �Comisi�n Cambiaria a las Importaciones� (previously called �Comisi�n de Cambio� and originally introduced by the Monetary Board of the Dominican Republic's Central Bank on 24 January 1991) is being implemented by the Dominican Republic.

The Panel also requests the Fund to provide its views on whether the �Comisi�n Cambiaria a las Importaciones�, as currently applied by the Dominican Republic, is considered to be an "exchange control" or "exchange restriction" under the Articles of Agreement of the International Monetary Fund.

The Panel would be most grateful if the Fund could respond to these requests by no later than the 31 May 2004, so that any information provided by the Fund may be taken fully into account in our own proceedings on this matter.

Thank you for your kind co-operation on this matter.

Yours sincerely,
 

Elbio Rosselli
Chairman of the Panel