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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.
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Introduction to dispute settlement in the WTO
- How does the WTO settle disputes? Basic introduction
- Interactive course on the WTO dispute settlement system
- Background briefing note on disputes, prepared for the Tenth Ministerial Conference
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Dispute settlement process
- The Dispute Settlement Understanding (DSU) is the main WTO agreement on settling disputes.
- Technical explanation of the DSU
- Rules of Conduct on rules and procedures for settling disputes
- Working Procedures for Appellate Review
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Dispute Settlement Body
The General Council convenes as the Dispute Settlement Body (DSB) to deal with disputes between WTO members.
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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.
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Dispute settlement activity — some figures
As of end-2024, WTO members had submitted 631 requests for consultations, the first stage in the dispute settlement process.
Requests for consultations (1995 —2024)
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Documents
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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.
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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.
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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.
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