When the General Council changes hats: the machinery that settles trade disputes in Geneva

Background

The Dispute Settlement Understanding is the main World Trade Organization agreement on settling disputes. The General Council convenes as the Dispute Settlement Body to deal with disputes between WTO members. 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; it has ruled on WTO disputes since its establishment in 1995. A request for consultations is the first stage in the dispute settlement process, and as of end-2024 WTO members had submitted 631 such requests. There are also various ways to solve disputes within the WTO framework without recourse to panels and the Appellate Body. The WTO Analytical Index is the reference guide to how the Appellate Body, dispute settlement panels and other WTO bodies have interpreted and applied the WTO agreements, and the Appellate Body Repertory of Reports and Awards collects its rulings.