WTO Appellate Body Reform Proposals Urged by Free Trade Advocates

Dec 6, 2019 by AFP

Arlington, VA – Twenty-six free trade and industry organizations today outlined reforms to the World Trade Organization (WTO) Appellate Body in a letter to the president, urging his administration to support the changes as a means to resolve various concerns it has raised and before the tribunal ceases to function Dec. 10, due to an impasse over judicial appointments.

The groups urged the administration to support consensus reform proposals (the “Walker principles”); the establishment of an oversight and audit committee; and eight-year term limits for members of the Appellate Body secretariat.

They wrote, “America’s economic interests will be harmed if there is no internationally agreed upon mechanism for combatting unfair trade practices of other nations. Now is the time to put forward a specific, detailed U.S. proposal aimed at reforming the dispute settlement system so that global trade rules can be predictably enforced. The WTO dispute settlement system is worth saving.”

The letter was signed by the following organizations: