Head of WTO Reform Talks Urges Members to Ramp Up Negotiations in Coming Weeks

World Trade Organization members need to ramp up discussions in the coming weeks to have a "fully and well-functioning dispute settlement system" by the end of the year, said Mauritius' Usha Dwarka-Canabady, facilitator of the WTO's dispute settlement reform talks.

Speaking at a heads of delegation meeting on Oct. 11, Dwarka-Canabady said members need to "focus specifically" on reaching an agreement on appeal and review issues. The next 10 weeks will be critical to get to a final resolution on the big issues plaguing dispute settlement reform, she said, adding that she hopes to use October to "develop as much convergence" as possible, then use early November or possibly as early as the end of October to start drafting.

Regarding accessibility of the dispute settlement system, Dwarka-Canabady said she believes experts can start drafting a text on the issues of "technical assistance and capacity building," though large differences remain on the issue of litigation costs, according to the WTO. "She stressed that members were working on the basis of securing a single package of decisions and that there was no mandate for an 'early harvest' on settled issues."

Australia's Jessica Dickerson briefed members on appeal and accessibility issues, saying "no breakthroughs have been" reached regarding "access to the dispute settlement mechanism and the form of the mechanism," the WTO said. Divergence also remains on the standard of review to be applied by the Appellate Body, Dickerson said. Four potential reforms have been floated on the scope of review and changing incentives to appeal, she added.