Dear Santa, can you bring back the Appellate Body?

Posted by Dr. Lukasz Gruszczynski
On December 31, 2019

December 10, 2019 marks the end of certain era in the history of the World Trade Organization (WTO). On that day, the term of office of two members of the Appellate Body (i.e. Ujal Singh Bhatia and Thomas R. Graham) expired, leaving the highest judicial body of the organization with only one member (i.e. Hong […]

Is the WTO plain packaging saga here to stay?

Posted by Dr. Lukasz Gruszczynski
On April 26, 2019

On 28 June 2018, the WTO panel circulated its report in the famous dispute between several WTO Members and Australia over its plain packaging laws. One of the contested measures – the Australian Tobacco Plain Packaging Act – sets certain restrictions on the colour, size and format of tobacco products’ packaging and establishes the rules […]

Options for breaking the WTO Appellate Body deadlock

Posted by Dr. Marina Foltea
On January 23, 2018

As WTO members look to solve the stalemate in Geneva, this article assesses the possible hard and soft solutions for breaking the deadlock. Where some of the harder options risk inviting starker power clashes with the US, which may in turn further stunt progress in the WTO, the author recommends exploring “softer” temporary options as a […]

Trade Pacts Expert judges at law “Olympics”

Posted by Dr. Marina Foltea
On April 8, 2016

Regional Head of Trade Pacts in Latin America Dr. Fernando González-Rojas took time off from his regular trade and investment law lectures in the US to judge at the 57th Philip C. Jessup Competition. Organised by the International Law Students Association and held in Washington DC, the event is the largest international law moot court […]

May the Enforcement Be With You: Insights from the US – Tuna II (21.5)

Posted by Dr. Fernando González-Rojas
On January 12, 2016

At the end of 2015, after 7 years of intense litigation, the Appellate Body issued one of the most consequential pieces of WTO jurisprudence, i.e. the Appellate Body’s implementation report in the US – Tuna II case (see here an overview of the case). As the corollary of a very controversial dispute regarding whether Mexican tuna […]