WTO General Council takes up reform of the organisation and of dispute settlement ahead of MC15
6 October 2026
World Trade Organization members meeting in the General Council on 5 and 6 October took up WTO reform, follow-up to past ministerial conferences and the state of ongoing negotiations.
The Chair of the General Council, Ambassador Clare Kelly of New Zealand, said the one overall time frame members have in mind is the 15th Ministerial Conference, for which dates have not been fixed.
Nearly 60 speakers took the floor on the reform item, discussing the foundational principles of the multilateral trading system and development concerns.
Several members said the discussion should move from process to substance and focus on concrete proposals.
The Chair said dispute settlement reform talks are proceeding under the Dispute Settlement Body, whose Chair is Ambassador Guilherme de Aguiar Patriota of Brazil.
Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala called on delegations to put forward more concrete proposals.
Members also discussed the Agreement on Electronic Commerce and emerging agricultural trade issues.
In plain words
General Council WTO General Council — The WTO's highest decision-making body between ministerial conferences, made up of all members.
DSB Dispute Settlement Body — The WTO body that administers the rules for settling trade disputes between members.
MC15 15th Ministerial Conference — The next WTO ministerial conference; the dates had not been fixed as of this meeting.