WTO Reform Making Progress on Accessibility, Ways to Go on Appeals

The facilitator of the negotiations on World Trade Organization dispute settlement reform, Mauritius' Usha Dwarka-Canabady, said that members have made progress on the "issue of accessibility" but that the topic of the appeals process "might take a bit more time," the WTO said. Reporting on the state of the negotiations on July 18, Dwarka-Canabady said talks must "accelerate."

Dwarka-Canabady was appointed facilitator of the talks in April, formalizing the dispute settlement reform process (see 2404260023). In her most recent report, the Mauritian ambassador said she held regular meetings with the six other appointed co-convenors and has encouraged the co-convenors to conduct "periodic meetings among experts and capital officials."

Australia's Jessica Dickerson reported for the co-convenors and said they held recent meetings on the appeals process. Dickerson said the technical experts have discussed reducing or changing appeal incentives, clarifying members' expectations of adjudicators, the form of the appeals mechanism and access to appeals. A draft of appeals reforms will be submitted before talks resume in September, Dickerson said.

Members accepted Dwarka-Canabady's proposal to skip the next heads of delegation meeting on dispute settlement reform, set for September, to give the technical experts more time to negotiate. The next heads of delegation meeting is now set for Oct. 17.