Chapter Eight. The judicial type bodies of the World Trade Organization

Abstract

Settling disputes in the field of international trade in a timely and structured manner is important. The World Trade Organization (WTO) dispute settlement system is one of the major results of the Uruguay Round of Multilateral Trade Negotiations at which was forged the WTO Agreement which entered into force in 1995. The present dispute settlement system flows from the Understanding on Rules and Procedures Governing the Settlement of Disputes (DSU). Panels are the judicial-type bodies, in a way tribunals, in charge of adjudicating disputes between members in the first instance. Both the panels and the Appellate Body have an inherent power to determine their own jurisdiction and the scope of such jurisdiction. The two temporary remedies are not for the panels or Appellate Body to recommend but come within the jurisdiction of the Dispute Settlement Body (DSB) and the parties to a dispute.Keywords: Appellate Body; dispute settlement body (DSB); dispute settlement understanding(DSU); incidental jurisdiction; judicial-type bodies; World Trade Organization (WTO)