The U.S. is currently in a third round of talks to redo the World Trade Organization’s trade dispute arbitration system. The U.S. Ambassador to the WTO told Reuters that America wants it to be fully up and running by the end of 2024.
The WTO’s appeals bench rules on top disputes among nations. It’s been out of service for two years due to U.S. appointment blockages put in place during the Trump Administration. The Biden Administration has also resisted calls by WTO members to approve the appointments and has been leading the negotiations on how to redo the dispute system.
Asked if it was even possible to revive the Appellate Body, Deputy U.S. Trade Representative Maria Pagan didn’t say no. “It needs a lot of revamping,” she says. The U.S. has criticized the WTO’s alleged overreach and lengthy processes, and it strongly contested some of the WTO’s recent rulings against America.
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