WTO Dispute Settlement Process

WTO members hold first formal meeting on dispute settlement reform.

WTO Dispute Settlement Process:

Dispute Settlement Body (DSB):

• It manages the WTO Dispute Settlement process, including the establishment of panels.
• It is responsible for adopting reports from both panels and the Appellate Body.
• It authorizes retaliatory actions when necessary to enforce compliance.
• It decisively reviews and resolves disputes among WTO members according to WTO agreements.

Appellate Body:

• It engages in reviewing legal aspects of reports from panels that WTO members have appealed.
• It ensures that the panel’s interpretations of WTO laws are correct.
• Currently non-functional since December 2019 due to a lack of new appointments by member countries, resulting in a backlog of appeals and lingering unresolved disputes.

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