All documents produced in the (°ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍø×ÊÁÏ) dispute settlement system (with the exception of the parties’ submissions) are public. They are accessible via the dispute settlement gateway of the °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍø×ÊÁÏ’s website: http://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/dispu_e/dispu_e.htm.
This section will briefly explain the symbols of the most important °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍø×ÊÁÏ dispute settlement documents. The main categories of documents are:
WT/DSB |
Documents of the Dispute Settlement Body (minutes of meetings, indicative list of panelists, annual reports etc.) |
WT/AB |
Documents of the Appellate Body outside of the framework of disputes (Working Procedures for Appellate Review) |
WT/DS |
°ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍø×ÊÁÏ dispute settlement documents (from the requests for consultations to the authorization of the suspension of obligations) |
°ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍø×ÊÁÏ dispute settlement (WT/DS) documents can be looked for and recognized as follows:
WT/DSnumber/1 |
Requests for consultations |
WT/DSnumber/## |
Requests for the establishment of a panel, requests for arbitration, status reports, notification of appeals, decision of arbitrators under Article 21.3(c) of the DSU etc. |
WT/DSnumber/R/ |
Panel reports |
WT/DSnumber/RW/ |
Panel reports in compliance reviews under Article 21.5 of the DSU |
WT/DSnumber/AB/R/ |
Appellate Body reports |
WT/DSnumber/AB/RW/ |
Appellate Body reports in compliance reviews under Article 21.5 of the DSU |
WT/DSnumber/ARB |
Decisions of the Arbitrators under Article 22.6 of the DSU |
WT/DS/OV/## |
Update of °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍø×ÊÁÏ dispute settlement cases |
Information and documents on the °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍø×ÊÁÏ Website back to top
The above documents are accessible on the °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍø×ÊÁÏ website. The following sites are particularly relevant for the dispute settlement system:
Dispute settlement gateway |
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Panel and Appellate Body reports |
http://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/dispu_e/dispu_status_e.htm |
Legal Texts (°ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍø×ÊÁÏ Agreements) |
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GATT panel reports |
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Official Documents of the °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍø×ÊÁÏ |
The °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍø×ÊÁÏ’s Documents Online database (http://docsonline.wto.org) allows users to search for all °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍø×ÊÁÏ documents. One can search for documents using their documents symbols, numbers, key words, or by date.
Reference books back to top
The first edition of the °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍø×ÊÁÏ Analytical Index1 has recently been published. The °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍø×ÊÁÏ Analytical Index contains excerpts from documents relating to the application of the entire °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍø×ÊÁÏ Agreement and the development of °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍø×ÊÁÏ law. It includes a chapter on the DSU containing extracts from panel and Appellate Body reports relating to the various articles of the DSU.
For the dispute settlement practice under GATT 1947, the GATT Analytical Index2 remains relevant.
Contacting the °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍø×ÊÁÏ back to top
At the °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍø×ÊÁÏ Secretariat, the Legal Affairs Division has general responsibility for administration of the dispute settlement system. Disputes under the Anti-Dumping Agreement and the SCM Agreement fall within the particular responsibility of the Rules Division. The Appellate Body, which handles the appellate review of panel reports, has its own Secretariat. These divisions can be reached as follows:
Legal Affairs Division: |
Tel: (+41)/(0) 22 739 52 48 |
Rules Division: |
Tel: (+41)/(0) 22 739 51 09 |
Appellate Body Secretariat: |
Tel: (+41)/(0) 22 739 51 30 |
Mailing address of the °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍø×ÊÁÏ: |
154 rue de Lausanne, 1211 Geneva 21, Switzerland. |
Notes:
1. °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍø×ÊÁÏ Analytical Index: Guide to °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍø×ÊÁÏ Law and Practice, 1st edition (2003). back to text
2. World Trade Organization, Analytical Index: Guide to GATT Law and Practice, Vols. 1 and 2 (6th ed., 1995). back to text