Trade monitoring

There are a number of ways of looking at the World Trade Organization. It is an organization for trade opening. It is a forum for governments to negotiate trade agreements. It is a place for them to settle trade disputes. It operates the global system of trade rules. It helps developing countries build their trade capacity. Essentially, the WTO is a place where member governments try to sort out the trade problems they face with each other.

The Appellate Body’s workload remained intense in 2012, although the number of new appeals levelled off. The Appellate Body circulated reports in nine disputes during 2012, four of which concerned appeals filed in 2011. New appeals were filed in five disputes, all of which were concluded in 2012. One Article 21.3(c) arbitration proceeding concerning the reasonable period of time for implementation was carried out in 2012. In June, a new member was appointed to the Appellate Body.