Plurilateral Dispute Settlement Proposed

[ABS News Service/28.09.2026]

Geneva – Many World Trade Organization members called on Friday for ensuring that the reform of the WTO’s dispute settlement system proceeds in tandem with broader WTO reform discussions.

This call aligns with the mandate trade ministers gave countries at the WTO’s 12th Ministerial Conference in Geneva in June 2022, according to people familiar with the developments.

However, the United States struck a discordant note by suggesting that members hold vastly different perspectives on the reforms needed for a functioning dispute settlement system. This stance came as the United States blocked the expeditious filling of seven vacancies at the Appellate Body for the 100th time.

At the informal and subsequent regular meeting of the Dispute Settlement Body on Friday, the ivide became explicit. On one side, the United States and other developed countries appeared willing to push DSS reform discussions to the back burner. On the other, many developing and least-developed countries sought to prioritize DSS reform, said people familiar with the developments.

Several members, who preferred not to be quoted, complained that while extraordinary importance is being attached to controversial WTO reforms that go against the MC12 mandate, DSS reform discussions are being given a short shrift.

Hope for Convergence

During the regular meeting, DSB Chair Ambassador Guilherme Patriota of Brazil, provided an account of recent exchanges, expressing hope for achieving convergence soon, said an Asian participant who asked not to be quoted.

Approximately eight countries intervened after the chair’s update during the regular session. Australia took the lead, presenting a nuanced assessment of the challenges facing the dispute resolution pillar of the WTO, the participant said.

Immediately following the regular session, members held another informal DSB session on reform. Jorge Castro of the WTO Secretariat presented on the history of the dispute system. Subsequently, delegates from Mexico, the United Kingdom, and Canada shared their insights.

The participants praised the DSS chair for holding the informal session on DS reform, noting it provided a degree of satisfaction to members who view the topic as a central and integral part of overall WTO reform work.

Given the encouraging responses, the DSB chair plans to convene the next informative session on October 27. Topics will include accessibility and possibly alternative means of resolution, such as the Multi-party Interim Appeal Arbitration Arrangement, in which some 25 members are currently parties, the participant said.

In its statement at the informal DSS discussions, China said it “would like to thank you for your updates on the previous meeting and for your consultations with Members on dispute settlement reform.”

Referring to its recent communication titled Further Reflections and Suggestions on WTO Reform (WT/GC/REFORM/W/12), China stated, “we believe that dispute settlement reform should remain an important component of WTO reform.”