TOPIC 8: ECONOMIC DISPUTES: CASE-STUDY OF THE WTO DISPUTE SETTLEMENT

A great deal of material on the WTO is available on the WTO's internet site at http://www.wto.org/. You should browse this web-site and in particular the pages relating to dispute-settlement located at: http://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/dispu_e/dispu_e.htm. The GATT/WTO Texts and WTO cases indicated as part of the readings are all available from the WTO internet site.

Text books:

· J. Collier & V. Lowe, The Settlement of Disputes in International Law (1999), Chapter 6.

· J. Merrills, International Dispute Settlement (1998, 3^rd ed.), Chapter 9.

· J. Jackson, W. Davey & A. Sykes, International Economic Relations (2002), Chapter on Dispute Settlement.

Further readings:

· J. Jackson, ‘Dispute Settlement and the WTO: Emerging Problems’, 1(3) Journal of International Economic Law (“JIEL”) (1998), pp. 329-351.

· W. Davey, ‘Has the WTO Dispute Settlement System Exceeded its Authority? A Consideration of Deference Shown by the System to Member Government Decisions and its Use of Issue-Avoidance Techniques’, 4(1) JIEL (2001), p.79.

· Appleton, ‘Shrimp/Turtle: Untangling the Nets’, 2(3) JIEL (1999), p.477.

· P. Mavroidis, ‘Remedies in the WTO Legal System: Between a Rock and a Hard Place’, 11 (4) EJIL (1993), p.763.

· P. Mavroidis, ‘Amicus Curiae Briefs Before The WTO: Much Ado About Nothing’, Jean Monnet Working Papers, 2001 (available at: http://www.jeanmonnetprogram.org/papers/papers01.html)

· S. Croley, & J. Jackson, ‘WTO Dispute Procedures, Standard of Review, and Deference to National Governments’, 90 American Journal of International Law (“AJIL”) (1996), 193.

· J. Hippler Bello, ‘The WTO Dispute Settlement Understanding: Less Is More’, 90 AJIL (1996), p.416.

· J. Jackson, ‘The WTO Dispute Settlement Understanding - Misunderstandings on the Nature of Legal Obligation’, 91 AJIL (1997), p.60.

· K. Leitner & S. Lester, ‘WTO Dispute Settlement 1995-2002: A Statistical Analysis’, 6(1) JIEL (2003), p.251.

GATT/WTO Texts:

· GATT 1994, Articles XXII - XXXV

· Marrakesh Agreement Establishing the World Trade Organisation (“WTO Charter”)

· Understanding on Rules and Procedures Governing the Settlement of Disputes (WTO Charter, Annex 2)

· Trade Policy Review Mechanism (WTO Charter, Annex 3)

Selected WTO Reports:

· United States -- Import Prohibitions of Certain Shrimp and Shrimp Products, WT/DS58/R, WT/DS58/AB/R, reports adopted 8 Nov. 1998.

· European Communities - Measures Affecting Meat and Meat Products (Hormones), WT/DS26, WT/DS26/AB/R, adopted 13 February 1998.

· European Communities – Measures Affecting Asbestos and Asbestos –Containing Products, WT/DS135/R, Panel Report of 18 September 2000, and WT/DS135/AB/R Report of the Appellate Body.

· European Communities - Regime For The Importation, Sale And Distribution Of Bananas: The following list of the Banana dispute cases is included for your information. An excellent overview is provided in Mauricio Salas and John H Jackson, ‘Procedural Overview of the WTO EC- Bananas Dispute, 3 JIEL 145 (2000), and in a later update by Jackson and Grané at 4 JIEL 581 (2001).

Ø Report of the Appellate Body: WT/DS27/AB/R, 9 September 1997.

Ø Award of the Arbitrator: Arbitration under Article 21.3(c) of the Understanding on Rules and Procedures Governing the Settlement of Disputes WT/DS27/15, 7 January 1998.

Ø Decision of the Arbitrators: RECOURSE TO ARBITRATION BY THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES UNDER ARTICLE 22.6 OF THE DSU –DECISION BY THE ARBITRATORS, WT/DS27/ARB, 9 April 1999.

Ø Report of the Panel: RECOURSE TO ARTICLE 21.5 BY THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES WT/DS27/RW/EEC, 12 April 1999.

Ø Report of the Panel: RECOURSE TO ARTICLE 21.5 BY ECUADOR WT/DS27/RW/ECU, 12 April 1999.

Ø Dispute Settlement Body: Minutes of the Meeting of 25,28 and 29 January and 1 February 1999, WT/DSB/M/54, 20 April 1999 (available from the WTO document download facility).