Why is the Dispute Settlement Body of the WTO so Important? Does Experience Suggest that Big Players can Ignore the Rules?

The Dispute Settlement mechanism of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) came into effect in 1995 with a new rules-based system enforcing all WTO members to adapt the same basic standards for global trade. However, the champions of free trade: the US (United States) and the EU (European Union) have both been found guilty of protectionism on separate accounts despite having proclaimed to be ardent protagonists of a rules-based trading system. Several disputes have arisen with the …

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