Mr David Unterhalter sworn-in as new Appellate Body Member

Mr. David Unterhalter (South Africa) was sworn in today as Member of the Appellate Body at a ceremony at the WTO. Mr. A.V. Ganesan (India), the Chairman of the Appellate Body, administered the declaration undertaken by Mr. Unterhalter.

Director-General Pascal Lamy congratulated Mr. Unterhalter and noted the Appellate Body's role in preserving the rights and obligations of WTO Members and in contributing to the development of the international rule of law. The Chairman of the Dispute Settlement Body, Ambassador Muhamad Noor of Malaysia, added his congratulations and best wishes, on behalf of all WTO Members.

The other Members of the Appellate Body are: Mr. Georges Abi-Saab (Egypt), Mr. Luiz Olavo Baptista (Brazil), Ms. Merit Janow (United States) Mr. Giorgio Sacerdoti (Italy), and Mr. Yasuhei Taniguchi (Japan). Persons serving on the Appellate Body are appointed by the Member States of the WTO.

The Appellate Body was established in 1995 to hear appeals from dispute panel reports on issues of law covered in the panel report and legal interpretations developed by the panel. The Appellate Body can uphold, modify or reverse the legal findings and conclusions of the panel. Thirty days after it is issued, an Appellate Body report is adopted by the Dispute Settlement Body, and unconditionally accepted by the parties to the dispute, unless there is a consensus against its adoption. Since its establishment, the Appellate Body has issued 79 reports, all of which are available on the WTO website.

Biographical notes on all Appellate Body Members can be downloaded from the WTO website.