In a significant breakthrough, 16 Members of the World Trade Organization (WTO), covering a large share of world trade, have announced an arrangement on the settlement of trade disputes between them. Known as the Multiparty Interim Appeal-Arbitration Arrangement (MPIA), the arrangement bridges a crucial gap in the WTO system that results from the WTO Appellate Body’s temporary inability to hear appeals. The MPIA uses Article 25 of the WTO Dispute Settlement Undertaking to enable appeals within the existing WTO framework and, in so doing, preserves binding WTO dispute settlement between the MPIA parties.
Why have countries agreed to the MPIA? How will it work? Who will decide the appeals and what procedures will they use? How does the new arrangement fit with the rest of the WTO dispute settlement system?
For answers to these and other important questions about the MPIA, please join us for our next Sidley Webinar, where we’ll gain insights directly from diplomats who successfully negotiated the arrangement. We encourage you to send your own advance questions using the registration form below.
For more background information, please also see a recent Sidley Update on the MPIA.
SPEAKERS
- Philippe Cellard, Senior Legal Advisor, Permanent Mission of Canada to the WTO
- Paolo Garzotti, Deputy Permanent Representative, Permanent Mission of the European Union to the WTO
- Gabrielle Marceau, Professor, Law Faculty, University of Geneva
- Leticia Ramirez, Legal Counsellor, Permanent Mission of Mexico to the WTO
- Katherine Connolly, Associate, Sidley
- Nicolas Lockhart (Moderator), Partner, Sidley
For questions or more information, please click here to contact us.
