Article 16 Working language for the proceeding, translation and interpretation

During the consultations referred to in Article 71(2) of the Agreement, and no later than the meeting referred to in Article 5(1) of these rules of procedure, the Parties shall endeavour to agree on a common working language for the proceeding before the arbitration panel.

If the Parties are unable to agree on a common working language, each Party shall arrange for the translation of its written submissions into the language chosen by the other Party, unless these submissions are written in one of the official languages common to the Parties to the Agreement. The Party complained against shall be responsible for the interpretation of oral submissions into the languages chosen by the Parties, provided that the Parties have chosen one of the official languages common to the Parties. If one of the Parties chooses a language other than one of the official languages common to both Parties, the interpretation of oral submissions shall be entirely the responsibility of that Party.

Arbitration panel reports and rulings shall be drafted in the language or languages chosen by the Parties. If the Parties have not agreed on a common working language, the interim and final reports of the arbitration panel and its rulings shall be issued in one of the official languages common to the Parties.

Any costs incurred for the translation of an arbitration panel ruling into the language or languages chosen by the Parties shall be borne equally by the Parties.

A Party may provide comments on the accuracy of any translated version of a document drawn up in accordance with these rules.

Each Party shall bear the costs of the translation of its written submissions.