Dispute settlement

Dispute settlement

Resolving trade disputes is one of the core activities of the WTO. A dispute arises when a member government believes another member government is violating an agreement or a commitment that it has made in the WTO. The WTO has one of the most active international dispute settlement mechanisms in the world. Since 1995, disputes have been brought to the WTO and over 350 rulings have been issued.

back to top

News

  

  

back to top

Introduction to dispute settlement in the WTO

  

back to top

Dispute settlement process

 

back to top

Dispute Settlement Body

The General Council convenes as the Dispute Settlement Body (DSB) to deal with disputes between WTO members.

 

back to top

The Appellate Body

Appeals are handled by the permanent seven-member Appellate Body which is set up by the Dispute Settlement Body and broadly represents the range of WTO membership.

 

back to top

Dispute settlement activity — some figures

As of end-2022, WTO members had submitted 615 requests for consultations, the first stage in the dispute settlement process.

Requests for consultations (1995 —2022)

 

back to top

Documents

 

back to top

Interpretation of WTO agreements

The WTO Analytical Index is a comprehensive guide to the interpretation and application of the WTO agreements by the Appellate Body, dispute settlement panels and other WTO bodies. It contains extracts of key pronouncements and findings from tens of thousands of pages of WTO jurisprudence, including panel reports, Appellate Body reports, arbitral decisions and awards, and decisions of WTO committees, councils and other WTO bodies.

The WTO Appellate Body Repertory of Reports and Awards covers the Appellate Body's rulings in WTO disputes since its establishment in 1995.

 

back to top

Negotiations to improve dispute settlement procedures

At the Doha Ministerial Conference, in 2001, WTO members agreed to negotiate to improve and clarify the DSU — the rules and procedures governing the settlement of WTO disputes.

 

back to top

Secretariat's informal consultations concerning the panel process

At the request of the Director-General, the Secretariat initiated in 2010 a process of informal consultations with a view to exploring whether it is possible to find efficiency gains in the panel process.

 

Share


Problems viewing this page? If so, please contact [email protected] giving details of the operating system and web browser you are using.