The United States is entering the third phase of talks with countries to reform the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) trade dispute arbitration system and aims to have it “fully functional” by the end of 2024, the US ambassador to the WTO said. told Reuters on Thursday.
The WTO’s appeals bench, which rules on top disputes, has been stalled for more than two years because of obstructions from Trump-era adjudicator appointments. Under President Joe Biden, Washington has resisted calls by WTO members to ratify the appointments and is instead holding talks on how to reboot the WTO’s disputes system.
“Our goal is to have a fully functional (dispute system) by 2024,” Deputy United States Trade Representative Maria Pagan told Reuters in her first public comments on the closed-door talks, adding that Washington was “very committed” to the reforms. Was.
When asked whether it is possible to revive the appellate body, Pagan did not rule it out. “I think it needs a lot of improvement,” she said. The United States has criticized the WTO’s perceived overreach and lengthy procedures, and it has strongly opposed some of its recent decisions against the United States.